Chapter 337: War Hounds
It was not long before the Allies were once more forced to flee from their position. They had made a critical error in assuming the Central Powers did not know exactly when, where, and how to hit the critical areas of defense.
Bruno had of course built the border complex to be damn near impenetrable from weapons of the era. There was just one thing the Allies weren’t expecting. He also designed them to have secret passageways that could be utilized by his own forces should they ever be forced to abandon the complex.
A properly staffed, manned and supplied fortress would have remained unbroken for a decade, if not more. There was just one problem, a problem Germany had been plagued with in both timelines. And that was the incompetence of its allies.
The Austro-Hungarians had underestimated the desperation and willingness of their enemies, leaving watch posts designed to keep a constant vigil of the surroundings with intersecting lines of fire and zero blind spots completely unguarded during the dead of winter.
This allied the Italians to breach the fortress and slay its inhabitants, gaining it for their own possession and holding it for over a year. Bruno was a man who prepared for every possibility he could conceive.
And understanding that his allies would likely fail him if he was not in direct control over their actions, he had of course made sure there were measures in placed to easily regain control over the fortress should the need arise.
This was how Bruno’s stormtroopers had infiltrated the complex, shut down its ventilation systems, and gassed out its inhabitants without leaving the slightest trace of their intentions before it was too late. Now, after the phosgene had been carefully purged from every crevice of the facility, Bruno stepped foot within it, taking off his gas mask as he brazenly gazed around.
Heinrich was by his side, along with several other officers. Heinrich’s Jaegers had been instrumental in the assault on the facility, as they had provided the reconnaissance necessary to determine the best time for the attack.
And he was naturally in the different uniform than the others around him. While the 8th army still continued to wear the standard m15 pattern uniforms, with minor alterations such as individual soldier’s hand painting their helmets to include camouflage patterns, and Totenkopf’s. As well as the unit insignia on their left biceps .
The Jaegers had been given specialty uniforms, of the same pattern, but in full splittertarnmuster. This meant that the helmets had a splinter camo cover, the field blouses were in the same pattern, as were the trousers. These men also wore camouflage face paint, as well as made use of specialty canvas load bearing equipment in a feldgrau pattern.