Quote:
Originally Posted by Webstral
What are the troops of XI Corps thinking as they receive orders to move out from their cantonments in 2000? We may conjecture; but I think the men and women who have made it that far will have been on such an emotional roller coaster that even those of us who have been in combat probably can't identify with them, except in the most rudimentary of ways. Simply to be alive is to suffer from PTSD.
I'll bet the churches of Europe are full.
Webstral
|
I would think the same if the war in Europe has continued without pause in 1999. I’m following v2.2 timeline, so I do not know if the same pause exists in the v1 timeline. But in 1999 the main activity seems to turn around marauding raids and protective measures against them. So, most units remain static through this year and no important military movement is mentioned until the NATO offensive in 2000. This interruption, although not a total pause, could create some hope of an end of hostilities in soldiers of both sides.
Some units will establish or consolidate their own cantonments. German units seems to have advanced more in the cantonment systems that their allies in Europe. It seems reasonable given that they are in their own land. Probably NATO and US high command will try to discourage their units to do the same. Establishing a cantonment not only implies that you are taking a defensive role, trying to control enough land to keep your unit fed. It implies a certain degree of resignation to take any important offensive action in the short term. And it means a change in the mentality and the role developed by your soldiers. In any case, something resembling to a cantonment must be established. An entire year to recover oneself or suffer the sequels due to all the lived experiences. And an entire year to listen and expand rumors in a limited conflict environment, but with a safe base, ties with the local population and occupations related to guard duties, maintenance, farming or recovery. And the sensation that everything will be over because both sides are exhausted and have suffered terrible loses with little or no gain. Change this way of live to adjust your mentality to launch yourself another time to the offensive could be a hard process.