Prevent SIDE SWITCHING with under 4 bases to reset.

[Lusche]

As far as the atomic bomb, There are quite a few historians that think Hitler actually won that race.  There was a patent draft for a plutonium bomb in Germany in 1941, as well as tested soil on the island of Rugen that is still radioactive from a purported test of a weapon during the war.  

I see your German atomic bomb and raise you a Reichsflugscheibe



Some historians say they saw action in WWII and are now operating from a secret base in Antarctica....

[mensa180]

I just thought I would note that dodge ball hasn't been removed from school, we still have tournaments and it is good fun to go against the faculty. 

[JunkyII]

Tactics would be using bounding overwatch reconnaissance by fire etc .

You make me want to go lay in the prone for hours in the snow 

[Ack-Ack]

Exactly. AS  TRANSPORTATION, not as viable military units.  The U.S. still looked at cavalry charge as a viable military tactic in the late 30's and early 40's.

Where do I begin?  The German army used cavalry units from the beginning of the war until their surrender in 1945.  Below is a list of the German cavalry units.

1st Cavalry Division (later 24th Panzer Division)
3rd Cavalry Division
4th Cavalry Division
Cossack Cavalry Division (unit was transferred to the Waffen-SS, where it was split to form the 1st & 2nd Cossack Cavalry Divisions as part of the XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps)

Most remember stories of the famous cavalry charges by the Polish army during the Invasion of Poland, but what is not as well known are the two cavalry charges by the German army.

Królewskie Forests near town Krzynowłoga Mała - 01.09 - Polish - German cavalry horse fierce skirmish - German cavalry horse charge with sabres:

Small Polish patrol from 11th Leggionary Ulan Regiment (Mazowiecka Cavalry Brigade) under command of lieutenant Wladislaw Kossakowski during the reconessaince mission, met small German cavalry patrol from 1st Cavalry Brigade. Kossakowski decided to start a battle - close combat with sabres and probably lances on Polish side (this was one of a few incidents during the campaign, when Polish cavalry used lances), and with sabres on German side.

Kossakowski wrote:

"At the end of our march, in the edge of small forest clearing, we saw small German cavalry unit. They didn't see us, but their positions were crossing the road and blocking our march direction. I asked other officers - are we charging? As the answer, I heard noice of sabres being pulled out from sheaths. We made a pre-charge formation and charged towards them from the forest, screaming - Hurray! The shock tactic was succesfull, but - what surprised us - this time German cavalry didn't panic or withdraw, but re-charged us using sabres - also screaming Hurray! and occasionally - Heil Hitler! - two brave charging cavalry units, screaming, brandishing with sabres and bending down in saddles, were going to head-on collision! After few seconds, we reached them and they reached us. Two cavalry formations crushed in one battle - but our impetus was greater. In fact, both formations just passed each other - but there were casualties on both sides. I remember, that corporal Juckiewicz stuffed a German cavalryman with his lance - German soldier just moaned and died. After this short but fierce and bloody combat, we galloped in our way and those of Germans who survived - galloped in their way. We were all unconcsious from emotions and excitement, but kept riding - after few minutes we reached our infantry with MGs and mortars positions - great relief. Finally, our patrol joined our regiment in the late evening"

Charge by Krasnobród - 23.09.1939:

2nd Polish cavalry squadron (from 25th Cavalry Regiment) is attacking (in foot formation) German infantry - hand granades, rifles and MGs, together with artillery support (9th Horse Artillery Command) force German infantry to withdraw in great mess. German chaotic and fast withdrawal makes an opportunity to make a cavalry charge:

Other Polish cavalry unit (1st squadron under command of lieutenant Tadeusz Gerlecki) is charging and chasing panicked German Infantry which is now running away, crushed and completely disorganized - one squadron of German heavy "Eastern Prussian" cavalry with strong, heavy horses, charge with sabres towards Polish cavalry, trying to rescue rests of defeated German Infantry:

"It was amazing view - against Polish ulans charged German cavalry units - Polish squadron - charging in a single line formation - with lances directed towards Germans, was closing to the charging enemy. Enemy cavalry was charging with sabres in chaotic, messy formation. Finally, units striked each other. Polish cavalry - well disciplined, better trained for horse fighting and supported by Polish 9th Horse Artillery Command - crushed Germans. Polish sabres together with Polish artillery fire, crushed Prussians - German cavalry suffered heavy losses."

Prussian cavalry was also charging against 2nd squadron positions, which was defending in foot formation with MGs and rifles - German charge was rejected (mainly because of Polish artillery support and MGs fire) with quite heavy losses for them. But there is no doubt, that German cavalry charge gave the minute of peace to the Infantry, and help in its withdrawal, giving an opportunity to rest for a few minutes without being attacked, decrease panic, and - partially - regroup.

Polish cavalry attack supported infantry, and inficted on re-taking the city of Krasnobród from German hands, and capturing the headquarters & staff of German 8. Infanterie-Division together with many divisional commanders and staff officers.

There was also a Waffen-SS cavalry division, the 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer.
Insignia of the 8th SS Cavalry Division


German soldier of the 3rd Cavalry Division adjusting the bridle on his horse.


Soldiers of the 8th SS Cavalry on the Eastern Front.


Members of the 8th SS Cavalry crossing a stream in Russia.


2nd Cossack Cavalry troop forming up prior to a charge.


In contrast, by the beginning of the war the US Army was already disbanding their horse cavalry units and reorganizing them as mechanized units and the last US cavalry charge took place in 1942 in the Philippines. 


So, you were saying?

ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

As far as the atomic bomb, There are quite a few historians that think Hitler actually won that race.  There was a patent draft for a plutonium bomb in Germany in 1941, as well as tested soil on the island of Rugen that is still radioactive from a purported test of a weapon during the war.  

Most think this weapon was closer to a "dirty bomb" and the program was hampered by lack of pure grade uranium.  (Which is a reason, some historians have postulated, that we invaded Africa when we did. Africa and North America were pretty much the only places that had uranium, as was known then)

We should be thankful Hitler was a complete buffoon in any case.  Maybe we can agree on that?  

In 2006, scientists from Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Germany tested the soil for any evidence of a nuclear blast and their reported revealed no abnormal background levels of radiation, other than those elevated as a result of the Russian Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986.  Other than the theories published by Rainer Karlsch in his book "Hitler's Bombe" there is no evidence that the Germans were close to building an atomic bomb, let alone test one.

The majority of historians all agree that Nazi Germany was not even close to building an atomic bomb but instead were years (some estimate up to a decade) behind the United States in developing an atomic bomb.


ack-ack