Corporal Steiger's Squad

Jackbooted fascist thugs come to oppress the workers and farmers of Mother Russia?  Latter day Teutonic Knights determined to spread the gospel of National Socialism throughout the world?  Hm.  Probably more like nine alarmingly normal guys who just want to live long enough to get back to their home towns in Saxony, assuming those towns still exist.  No matter.  Corporal Steiger is determined to get as many of them home as possible.  That's the only thing he cares about...when, in certain rare moments, he finds that he is still capable of caring about anything.

In the blackness of a Courland forest night, the squad falls back to yet another defensive position.  Lars, Lothar and Fritz pull security as their comrades make a dash across a forest path.

Corporal Steiger highly recommends the rugged Soviet ppsh submachine gun for leading your squad through the thick Baltic forests.

 Along with Corporal Steiger, Heinrich here is one of the 'Old Gang' in the second platoon...which means he's survived over a year of combat on the Eastern front.  He's never quite recovered from the winter of '42, though, and always stays bundled up, even in the middle of summer.  Even in severe heat, he's always complaining that he just can't seem to get warm and stay that way...

The new guy.  Nobody has bothered to learn his name...they all know he won't last long.  I mean, look at him!  Doesn't even have his weapon at the ready.

The gun team.  The machine gun is the heart of the squad's combat power, and is affectionately known to the kameraden as 'Greedy Gretchin"  Hey, new guy, keep up, will ya?  Still got that extra ammo or have you fucking lost it already?"

With most of the squad safely across the track, Fritz prepares to make his own move.

  "Security set?  Ok...Quietly now, boys...and quickly...Go!"