AXIS WIN CAMPAIGN #1

Offizieren and soldaten of the 9th Panzer Division, S!;

The Rats have declared the Axis, winners of Campaign #11. I want to congratulate all of you for the hard work you have put in that made this campaign such a success.

I can remember those dark days when this campaign started with Phase I, when we busted our heads against Antwerp for a week solid, with the rest of the OKW, never making any headway, before going back to our AO's.

Phase II was the steady driving back by the allies until we had reached the Eastern Albert Canal, lost Diest, Geel and Paal, and were defending the ruins of Hasselt.

Phase III was the desperate defense of Andyboy's "Line in the Sand." Constant battles to recapture, then lose, then recapture Paal, Geel, Mol, Arendonk....the list goes on. It was at this time that the 4th Armee began its celebrated comeback, sweeping the French before them.

Phase IV was our continued steady, stubborn defense until the 4th and 12th Armee's moved up and secured our left flank. Towns fell like dominoes, first Andenne, then Eghezee, Namur, Gembloux, Sambreville. We recovered Diest, Paal, Mol, and Geel. The tide had turned in the north and you could feel British morale beginning to crumble.

Phase V, we shifted to the north and assisted 6th Armee in recapturing everything north of the Albert Canal until we were on Antwerp's doorstep. We switched back to attack and capture Brussels, then shifted again to help capture Antwerp.

Phase VI consisted of the steady final push that ended with the siege and capture of Gent. The gritty defense by the British was no match for us as we steadily ground them down, opened up all the FBs, and in an all night battle with our brothers in the 18th Armee, took the city.

Time and again the 9th Panzer Division, and her component squads, proved their mettle in battle with the British. We bent, but didn't break. In the end it was the British who broke, slowly, surely, irrevocably.

As with all things, victory is fleeting in this game and a new campaign awaits. I've received no warning orders for the coming map reset, so I want you to rest up and have fun for the remainder of this map. I don't know when the reset will take place, but you will know as soon as I do and can get the word out.

I imagine everyone, from the CINC on down to the individual soldat is weary after this campaign. Savor this victory while you can. You earned it. The first round in the gasthaus is on me.

I was very proud to be your Division commander. You never let the 9th Panzer Division down and we end this campaign with our honor and reputation intact as the "armored fist" of the XXXIX Panzerkorps.

See you on the battlefield!

PS......sorry for the English, but my German speaking and writing is terrible!

VR