Arditi Sector: Trench Raiders
Fourth Army Group West specialize in heavy bombardment followed by mass infantry charges. Deployed to Thorn Moons they found themselves bogged down fighting against an enemy that moved underground or in shallow trench systems. Massed infantry charges into this empty battlefield resulted in high casualty rates for little territorial gain.
A new doctrine was developed from the oldest of manuals. Small infantry squads advance behind a rolling artillery barrage and occupy the enemy trenches, holding them until the regular infantry can bring up equipment and secure gains. These small squads are typically equipped for hand to hand fighting with pistols, grenades, daggers and improvised hand weapons. They rely on arriving in the enemy trench seconds after the artillery barrage ends. Casualty rates among these shock troopers are so high that squads are often drafted from the penal regiments.
A new doctrine was developed from the oldest of manuals. Small infantry squads advance behind a rolling artillery barrage and occupy the enemy trenches, holding them until the regular infantry can bring up equipment and secure gains. These small squads are typically equipped for hand to hand fighting with pistols, grenades, daggers and improvised hand weapons. They rely on arriving in the enemy trench seconds after the artillery barrage ends. Casualty rates among these shock troopers are so high that squads are often drafted from the penal regiments.
Deployed to the arboreal moon, Camazotz IV
Barrage begins at 14:00. Steady Men!
Arditi Sector Trench Raiders after bombardment
An Alternate Story Line
As a back up story line, these guys could also be mining engineers or sappers. Equipped for tunneling and fighting in tunnels where stealth is key and big weapons are useless. See link below for the horrors of tunnel warfare.
Inspired by The Great WarObviously my entry was hugely inspired by the events of the first world war.
Learn more: The photo to the right was my inspiration for this project. I've been unable to determine if this is a genuine artifact from the war or a reproduction. I think its a a reproduction. Compared to the men seen in most ww1 photos these guys seem a little too macho, silly and well fed, but I could be wrong. |
Real French Trench Raiders or Fake News?
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Actual WW1 photos showing body armor and weapons
Work in progress
Here are some pictures of the project as it progressed. The large bases with cork turned out to be a mistake looking either like cookies or burgers depending on how your mind works.
