Stuka Ace: Poland Theatre complete

October 6, 1939 — Forward Airstrip, near Warsaw, Poland
“Victory’s Drum”

The grass was wet with morning dew, but boots stamped it flat as the men of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 stood in parade formation beneath the pale October sun. A rough airstrip — hastily flattened field, flanked by canvas tents and the silent silhouettes of their Ju 87s — served now as a parade ground.

Two days ago, Poland had surrendered.

Yesterday, they had paraded before the Führer himself, who had flown in from Berlin; stiff uniforms, strained smiles, and the weight  (and smell) of weeks of war under their collars.

Hitler reviews troops at the Victory Parade, Warsaw, 5 Oct 1939

Today's visit was more personal. Generalleutnant Ulrich Grauert, Kommandant of Luftflotte 1, was making the rounds of his units at forward airfields. This morning, it was StG 2’s turn.

Engines were quiet, caps were worn, and jackets were brushed. Pilots and ground crews stood in ranks. Mechanics tried to keep their boots clean. Milo had even shaved.

A Kübelwagen rolled up, followed by a staff car. Guards saluted. Officers came to attention. And then Grauert himself stepped out — tall, broad-chested, his greatcoat immaculate, boots polished to a mirror shine despite the mud. His face bore the wear of years, but his eyes were keen and watchful.

Generalleutnant Ulrich Grauert

The General stepped up onto a wooden platform beside their staffel commanders.

“Men of StG 2,” he began, voice steady. “The campaign in Poland is concluded. Your efforts — your courage — were vital to its success. You struck hard. You struck fast. You struck with precision.”

He paced, slowly, letting his gaze pass over the assembled ranks.

“Infantry advanced because of you. Armoured columns moved because you cleared the path. Bridges fell. Fortifications were broken. Resistance was shattered. You opened the door to Victory"

A pause.

“You have made the Luftwaffe proud. And I am proud of you”

There was a stillness in the air, the quiet weight of recognition. Voss felt the pride swell in his chest — pride mixed with exhaustion, with memory, with relief.

Then came the awards.

Officers’ names were called. Decorations pinned. Grauert personally shook each man’s hand.

When Oberleutnant Adler stepped forward and was presented the Iron Cross, First Class, the men of his Staffel broke into spontaneous applause, rules forgotten for a moment. Voss clapped hardest of all.

 …The applause for Adler was just beginning to die down when General Grauert paused, then glanced at a staff officer holding a clipboard.

“One more,” he said, loud enough for all to hear. “Leutnant Andreas Voss. Step forward.”

Voss blinked. His boots felt rooted to the soil for a second too long before he moved — heart thudding, collar suddenly too tight. He stepped from the line and approached the platform, throat dry.

Grauert regarded him with a faint smile as the Iron Cross, Second Class, was removed from a velvet-lined case.

“For leadership under fire,” the general intoned, “and for bravery and effectiveness as Kettenführer during the operations around Warsaw.”

Voss stood at rigid attention as Grauert pinned the black-and-silver cross to his tunic. The general extended his hand.

“Well done, Leutnant.”

Caught off guard, Voss grasped the hand firmly and muttered, “Th-thank you, Herr General.”

The corner of Grauert’s mouth curled in a knowing smirk, and with a pat to the shoulder, he moved on.

As Voss returned to his place, cheeks warm, he saw Adler grinning from the line, a broad, proud smile on his face. The Oberleutnant gave him a slow, exaggerated wink.

Milo nudged him from behind with an elbow. “Look at you,” he whispered. “A hero now, are we?”

Voss didn’t answer. He just looked down at the medal on his chest, then out to the clear sky above the airfield.

For the first time in this war, he felt more than just relief. He felt valued. He felt seen.

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Game notes

This theatre was a real learning experience and I could focus on the basic mechanics, bombing and strafing procedures.  The feeling of complete air superiority gave me licence to take risks in card and stamina management, knowing I was HIGHLY unlikely to get bounced. As it was, I didn't see an enemy aircraft at all (I think I'll come to rue those words...)

The game plays very quickly and its easy to do a couple of missions in one session.

There is real depth in the cards, and the way that some Action and Flight cards are changed at different levels and with different theatres. I think that will help keep it fresh.

Voss actually qualified for his EK2 at the end of Mission 6, with the Railway Yard being worth +1 Prestige Point. But as it had no impact on gameplay I decided to hold it over. The big Victory Parade in Warsaw in front of the Fuhrer was quite the spectacle to the world, so I wanted to tie it around this historic event, and introduce the real commander of Luftflotte 1.

So Voss finished the Poland Campaign as a Kette Leader with an EK2 and no wound badge. I call that a success, and am looking forward to a new Theatre. For StG 2 there is much refitting and training to do first.

A rather fascinating read from 3 Oct 1939!