5th Division locations

[Rockwolf66]

Hey all,

As there is a TW2K game starting on RPOL, I am trying my hand at TW2K fiction. Something to get me into an TEOTWAWKI mindset.

The general idea is to cover the time period between the battle for Berling and the 5th destruction.

I am wondering if anyone has compiled when and where the 5th traveled to various places. I know that there is a battle in Black Madonna and where the division dies. Other than that I cannot find any real data and I've looked over the forum trying to see if i could dig up anything.

[James Langham2]

I am working (very slowly) on the 5th Division and here are some bits that may help:

1997
On 20th April, the German Third Army recrossed the Polish border in the Gorlitz area with the objective of taking Silesia and securing the southern flank of the attack. They encircled the Soviet 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Division just north-west of Wroclaw. The newly arrived Category II division was almost completely destroyed by the German Leopards of the 29th Panzer Division. The 3rd was only rescued by a quick counter-attack by the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division. By May 11th Wroclaw had fallen, the Soviet 35th Guards Motor Rifle Division counter attack failed when it was encircled and virtually destroyed by the US 5th Infantry Division. The battered Polish 2nd Motor Rifle Division and 12th Tank Division already battered during the fighting in Germany tried to stem the tide. The 12th held Opole while the 2nd fell back to Gliwice.

2000
The 8th Division (Mechanised) was ordered to pursue fleeing Polish units and to undertake deep penetration raids. An overworked and overoptimistic staff officer at the 8th misread the map co-ordinates and added extra information that would give the 8th the ultimate aim of Kaliningrad to link up with the Free Latvian Army. This was the origin of the infamous “left turn at Albuquerque” legend where a navigational error by a junior officer was blamed for a 200km plus navigational error.

The 5th Division aimed further south towards Lodz initially making good progress against scattered opposition.

The last of the Polish army counter attacked and the remnants of four Soviet Armies turned towards the Third Army. IInd Corps was shattered by what was probably the last Soviet armoured units in Europe, lead by two armies that surprised all intelligence estimates with the strategic speed of their movements. Even the last remnants of NATO's aviation fuel and advanced munitions were used to launch a final series of airstrikes on rear areas that failed to halt the advance. The 4th Guards Tank Army and 22nd Cavalry rolled into the 5th Division with over 100 modern tanks near Kalisz, 100km short of the objective of Lodz. The 5th was over-run and the last recorded message from its commander General Taylor was “you're on your own, good luck.” The 8th Division which was making good progress was cut off and contact was quickly lost, their fate was unknown. Of the US IInd Corps, only the 2nd Marine Division was in a position to retreat successfully with assistance from the 4th Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group.

2012
The book “Lies and Deceits: The secret history of the war” was published in the United States. It's author Morgan Pattison argued that many irrational events have a rational explanation. Both US Governments denied the stories in the book but many gained public acceptance as evidence was hard come by. When Lt Col Bernard McGough late of the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanised) claimed that as per Pattison the unit was sacrificed to cover a secret mission his claims were given credence. Gradually these claims became more mainstream despite government denials until by 2018 the story started to appear in mainstream histories as a possibility. No evidence of this however has ever been found.

I've skipped the bits from the Black Madonna as you obviously have these. I assume you have seen the changes of Corps in the US Vehicle Guide.

You might also want to look at my article Marauder Companies as there are a few references there.

[Olefin]

"Of the US IInd Corps, only the 2nd Marine Division was in a position to retreat successfully with assistance from the 4th Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group."

Will you be adding the Cav and the 50th as well into this?

[James Langham2]

Originally Posted by Olefin

"Of the US IInd Corps, only the 2nd Marine Division was in a position to retreat successfully with assistance from the 4th Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group."

Will you be adding the Cav and the 50th as well into this?

I'm sure that was a quote, I just wish I knew where from!

[Silent Hunter UK]

Which game is this? I might be up for joining it.

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by James Langham2

I'm sure that was a quote, I just wish I knew where from!

I quoted it from what you posted - just put the one section in quotes instead of the usual quoting the entire post thing

[Adm.Lee]

I wrote some backstory for the PCs in my convention games. I posit that the 5th spent most of 1999 in southern Germany, but I've been vague as to exactly where. I did this so I could link some of the characters to an campaign of skirmishing with some Italian Alpini patrols in the mountains.

My conception of things is that the US deployed 2 armies in Germany, and we see in Kalisz and Going Home that nearly all of the US ground forces aren't facing east. I'm thinking one is facing west and one south, both in the western-southwestern parts of Germany, not far from their peacetime garrison positions. When the 2000 plan rolled around, XI Corps was detached and sent northeast, with whatever fuel reserves had been built up over the previous fall and winter.

[James Langham]

Originally Posted by Olefin

I quoted it from what you posted - just put the one section in quotes instead of the usual quoting the entire post thing

I meant I had taken that from somewhere but I'm not sure where.