Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
I tend to agree that there will be friction between East and West German units, especially in the early stages. Up until the unification occured, only a small number of officers knew something was even happening, so it'd be no suprise if many of the lower ranks, and a few in the higher, took exception and caused a bit of trouble. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to imagine whole units defecting back to the Soviets (certainly make for an interesting story).
These defections might not have been widespread, but after several generations of propaganda on the part of their soviet "masters", ancient enmity might play less of a role than modern influences.
After a year or so of the war, these "defectors" might number less and less as they realise the west wasn't as evil as they were originally told.
|
Yes, I do believe at the out set one would see certain units staying with the Pact. The thing is once the initial fighting happens, much like the US and UK Brigades that were based in Berlin, many of the East German units will be in the worse of the fighting. Even those units that didn't want to defect to the West, could be attacked out of hand by the Soviets just because other units of the East German had already acted hostile to Pact forces. I see any East German command and control assets that weren't destroyed before the US, UK, Canada and other allied unit came to the aid of the Germans, needing to be refit badly. Many of the East German Division would basically have to be rebuilt up and reorganized as well many West German Division.
At which time the NATO goes on the offensive in 1997, the Germans will be re-tasking Divisions with Brigades that were capable of taking on offensive abilities. I remember the 5th US Mechanized Division in the back story for the Black Madona module being attached to German Corps. The East German Divisions were at the start the war for all practical purposes organized similar to Soviet Division. I would think that the German High Command would of took time to re-organize the former East German Division more into line of those West regardless of the difference of equipment. Also the East German units would have to learn new tactics too.
One of the things that I always found lacking by GDW was the lack of back story of units of allies on both sides. I mean they did decent job with the Czeckaslavokia sort of, German sort of, Polish more so than the previous two, as well the US and Soviet Union. With the total lack of local Air Force(s) as well as the many security forces that may be encountered, and didn't mention much about Naval or River patrols much either. I know by 2000 many of these units were out of the picture, but they never fully explained how personnel was used.
Which is one of the reason why, some people go with the flow with canon while other work with what they believe would happen and throw everything else out.
Just some thoughts.