The Great Crusade/Transcript

== Cutscene ==
Through the unmatched heroism of the 1st Infantry Division, Allied forces were able to overpower Axis troops at Gela and Troina. Even the tanks of the mighty Hermann Göring Division were no match for one of the most accomplished American fighting units of World War II. In thirty-seven days of continuous fighting, the Big Red One had taken control of eighteen towns and villages. Operation Husky was an unmitigated Allied success, as Axis forces were driven from the island and the Mediterranean Sea lanes reopened. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini is removed from power, and Italy surrenders on September 8, 1943.
Churchill and Roosevelt, believing that momentum had shifted to the Allies’ side, commit to opening a second front in Europe to aid the besieged Russian army. Involving over 4,000 landing craft and preceded by US and British airborne drops, Operation Overlord is to be the largest amphibious invasion in history. Now under the command of Maj. Gen. Clarence R. Huebner, the 1st Infantry Division sails back to the British Isles and begins training for one of the most decisive conflicts of the war.
In the early morning hours of 6 June 1944, under the umbrella of the English Channel’s unpredictable weather, the invasion gets under way. The 1st Infantry Division is tasked with securing a section of the Normandy coast designated as Omaha Beach. But the German army is well prepared, and Rommel himself, looking for retribution for his sound defeat in North Africa, is tasked with the defense of Northern France. The definitive turning point of the war is at hand, and Hitler’s Fortress Europa will soon taste the full fury of the battle-hardened troops of the Big Red One.
==Gameplay==
The Great Crusade
Normandy, France
June 6, 1944
0600 Hours
(As the Allied invasion force makes its way towards the Normandy beaches, on board one of the Landing Craft Infantry (LCI), Roger is with Hawkins, Kelly, Bloomfield, and their newest member to replace Denley, Pvt. John Jackson 'Schmitty' Smith. Around them, Higgins boats and other LCIs make their way to Omaha Beach, one of the target landing areas for the Allies in their plan to retake Western Europe back from the Nazis while the Soviet Red Army presses on Germany from the east. So far, all is quiet, as it looks as if the Wehrmacht don't know the invasion forces are approaching. Kelly is feeling seasick again, and once more is forced to throw up over the side of the LCI and into the English Channel, much to Bloomfield's annoyance.)
Bloomfield: "Christ, Kelly."
Kelly: (groans) "Man, I don't know how those Navy guys do this..." (coughs)
Smith: "This is going to be no sweat. Right, guys. I mean they probably don't even know we're coming, just like the Lieutenant said."
Bloomfield: "Oh yeah, sure. Just like the Lieutenant said."
Kelly: "Hey, Sarge! Why aren't we in those Higgins boats? With the rest of the division?"
Hawkins: "Because it's our job to make sure those boys get to the beach alive, Private Kelly."
(Hawkins scans the beach with his binoculars, but there is still no sign of the Germans knowing the invasion is coming.)
Hawkins: "I can't believe we're not getting any fire from the beach. Maybe our boys did a better job than we thought."
(Suddenly, the sound of an artillery shell is heard soaring through the air before crashing down with a splash among the invasion forces. With that, all hell breaks loose as the Germans defending Omaha Beach open fire with Flak 88 artillery emplacements and anti-aircraft fire begins to fill the sky. One LCI is hit and its mast and smokestack collapse as it weaves out of formation and nearly collides with the LCI carrying Roger and his squad, who manage to steer around its wreckage as the LCIs return fire on the beach as Higgins boats begin to be hit by the 88s and go down right where they are struck.)
Hawkins: "Hold on!"
(The squad braces itself as another artillery shell is heard soaring overhead before impacting the water and exploding.)
Hawkins: "We gotta protect those Higgins boats!" (Handing his binoculars to Roger) "Here, take these! Direct the mortar fire! Take out those bunkers on the cliff face!"
(Using the binoculars, Roger targets the bunkers containing the 88s so Allied mortars can destroy them. However, due to the water, Roger will have to stop targeting to wipe the condensation off the lenses as it will obscure his view of the beach. With each one destroyed, Hawkins comments on it.)
Hawkins: "Keep it up!; Direct hit!"
(Once the last bunker is destroyed)
Hawkins: "Outstanding!"
Smith: "Machine gun nests ahead!" (Not seen in the subtitles.)
(Roger then begins targeting the MG42 nests for the Allied mortars to take out. Once all five are eliminated, the Higgins boats advance to the shore with Roger's LCI not too far behind. However, before Roger's LCI can reach the beach, it takes a direct hit amidship from an enemy mortar.)
Hawkins: "We're hit!"
Kelly: "We're taking on water!"
(Roger is shell-shocked by the mortar strike and his vision blacks out. When he can see again, his ears are ringing as Bloomfield finds him and helps him to his feet.)
Bloomfield: "I gotcha, buddy."
Hawkins: "Everyone, into the lifeboats!"
(Roger's vision blacks out again. When he can see once more, the squad has abandoned their wounded LCI and are in one of the lifeboats heading for shore as machine gun fire flies all around them.)
Bloomfield: "I gotcha, pal! Hold on!"
Hawkins: "Heads down! Heads down! Heads Down!!!"
(One 1st Infantry soldier trying to get off the wounded LCI loses his grip and drops into the water while another one in the lifeboat, not hearing Hawkins' warning, is struck in the head and killed instantly. Bloomfield tries to pull his body back aboard, but the turbulent waters and enemy mortar fire rocks the lifeboat so badly that the body slips off completely into the water.)
Bloomfield: "Hang in there!"
(Roger's vision blacks out a third time. Despite not being able to see, he still can hear, and manages to catch hearing the famous quote from Colonel Taylor.)
Taylor: "Two kinds of people are staying on this beach: The dead, and those who are going to die! Now get moving!!!"
(Roger is finally brought back around and out of his shell-shock by Hawkins, who helps him back to his feet.)
Hawkins: "Wake up, Corporal! Wake up! There you go. On your feet, Corporal!"
(Back to his senses, Roger joins the squad as they press up Omaha Beach, eliminating Wehrmacht forces keeping them pinned down with MG42s until they reach a passageway into the German fortifications blocked by concrete barriers. An M4 Sherman Dozer Tank moves in to clear the way.)
Hawkins: "Heads up! Dozer's coming through!"
(Before the Sherman can even reach the first concrete barricade, it is destroyed by enemy fire.)
Hawkins: "Damn it! We can't send any more tanks through until we clear this beach!"
(The squad advances towards the barricades, taking out any Wehrmacht soldiers in their way. As they do, they spot two Army Engineers, Cpl. Monty and Cpl. Edrich, moving in to destroy the barricades with charges. Another Sherman Dozer Tank appears to move up and provide support fire to the Allied infantry.)
Hawkins: "Damn it! Cover the engineers while they clear those barricades!"
(The squad is able to kill off the Wehrmacht and clear the way for the engineers to plant their charges on the first barricade.)
Army Engineer: "Planted!"
(The charges blow, opening the way to the next barricade, but more Wehrmacht appear to stall the advance.)
Smith: "More Krauts!"
Hawkins: "Cover those engineers, goddammit!"
(They kill off the Wehrmacht again, allowing the engineers to plant chargers on the second barricade.)
Army Engineer: "Planted!"
(The charges blow, and the Sherman Dozer Tank advances to take out the third barricade itself.)
Hawkins: "Get behind that tank! Use it for cover!"
(Using the tank as cover, the squad advances as the Sherman takes out the third barricade, but once it starts up the path to the trenches, it is destroyed suddenly by enemy fire.)
Smith: "Where'd the hell that come from?!"
Hawkins: "Panzerfaust on the left!"
(The squad kills the Panzerfaust unit and advance into the trenches leading to the Wehrmacht fortifications.)
Hawkins: "Into those trenches! Now!"
(The squad enter the trenches and make their way around to where a pair of large steel doors lead into the German base, but are heavily defended from MG42s in the bunkers above and Wehrmacht infantry.)
Hawkins: "Move towards the radio tower! We gotta take it out!"
(They soon reach the end of the trenches, but are pinned down by infantry and MG42s.)
Hawkins: "Suppress that machine gun!"
(As the squad suppress the MG42 above the doors, Roger makes his way up to the radio tower, killing any Wehrmacht troops in his way. Once inside, he finds the radios and smashes them with his rifle butt.)
Smith: "Now what?"
Hawkins: "Schmitty, let those engineers do their job!"
(Another Army Engineer, Cpt. Stavro, moves up to plant charges to blow the doors open, but can't move due to all the Wehrmacht infantry and the MG42 firing down on Roger's squad.)
Hawkins: "Cover those engineers, goddammit!"
(Roger supports his squad using the radio tower's MG42 to kill the Wehrmacht infantry until Stavro is able to make it to the doors and plant the charges.)
Stavro: "Planted!"
(He retreats to cover behind one of the tank blockers just as more Wehrmacht infantry appear over the doors and open fire.)
Stavro: "Get back! I'm gonna blow it!"
(Stavro detonates the charges, blowing open the doors and killing the German infantry as well.)
Bloomfield: "Take that, you lousy Kraut!"
Hawkins: "Keep moving, Brooklyn!"
(Roger rejoins his squad as they advance into the German base to find the mortar pits responsible for wounding their LCI and raining hell down on Omaha Beach.)
Hawkins: "Find those damn mortar pits and take them out!" (They encounter another MG42 nest) "Suppress that machine gun!"
(They take out the gunner and his support, then move into the bunkers. They soon find the first mortar pit, kill the crew, and Roger plants the charge to destroy the mortar tube itself. As they continue through the camp, they find the bunkers filled with both the flag of Nazi Germany and that of the Kriegsmarine, the German Navy under Hitler's regime, also known as the Reichskriegsflagge, or war flag. They soon locate the other two mortar pits after fighting through more Wehrmacht infantry and after clearing them of their crews, Roger plants the charges to destroy the mortar tubes themselves. Once the third one is destroyed...)
Hawkins: "Outstanding!"
(The squad then hops down from a wooden bridge connecting two of the bunkers containing the mortar pits to engage the German infantry coming out of a warehouse draped with two Kriegsmarine/Reichskriegsflagge flags. As Roger attempts to get closer to the warehouse...)
Hawkins: "Incoming!"
(He's forced to go prone as an artillery round crashes down on the bridge behind them, shell-shocking him and cutting off the squad's escape, forcing them to fight their way into the warehouse. As they do, one German soldier manages to retreat to the back part of the warehouse before the gate to that area is closed, preventing Roger's squad from following them.)
Hawkins: "Corporal! Get up that ladder and find a way to open that gate!"
(Roger makes his way over to the ladder and up to the catwalk leading around to the backside of the warehouse. Once he eliminates the Germans defending it, he finds the switch to the gate and throws it, allowing the rest of his squad through to catch their breath.)
Hawkins: "Bandage and brass, boys. There's a supply depot beyond these doors we still need to secure."
Kelly: "Do we have any idea how well-guarded this thing is, Sarge?"
Hawkins: "No idea, Kelly, but Fox's orders are to secure that depot whatever the resistance."
Bloomfield: "Same drill as always, huh, Sarge?"
Hawkins: "Now someone get those goddamn doors open!"
(Two 1st Infantry soldiers run over to do so, but before they can do much to open the doors, the doors are blasted open from the other side by the Germans, thanks to a Flak 88, killing both soldiers and catching Roger's squad by surprise.)
Hawkins: "Find cover!"
(The squad engages the Germans defending their artillery emplacement and soon kill all of them, including any that come over the ridge to protect their heavy gun.)
Hawkins: "Take out that 88!"
(Bloomfield picks up a mortar shell, taps the bottom of it against the top of a barrel to arm it, then tosses it over the hill onto the 88, taking cover before the shell detonates, destroying the 88. Advancing to a nearby ridge, they spot another Flak 88 defending their target objective: The supply depot. If Roger lags behind the rest of the squad...)
Hawkins: "Fox, on me!"
(Once Roger regroups with the others...)
Hawkins: "We have to get to that 88!"
(The squad fights through another bunker and into the trench in front of the bunker the 88 is stationed on top of. As they get closer, artillery fire begins to rain down around them. One round lands a direct hit on the 88, killing the crew, but leaving the heavy gun itself intact, but disabled. The impact shell-shocks Roger, but he is able to remain standing and continues with his squad to clear out any stragglers in the bunker under the 88 before they head up to the gun itself, only to find their position besieged by dozens of Wehrmacht infantry from the nearby bunkers.)
Bloomfield: "It looks like an entire division!"
Hawkins: "Someone get on that gun and take out those bunkers!"
Smith: "It's busted, Sarge!"
Hawkins: "Then fix it, Schmitty! We can't hold off those Krauts forever!"
(Smith gets to work fixing the 88 for the squad to use as they hold off the Wehrmacht for about one minute. Once that minute has passed...)
Smith: "I think I got it!"
Hawkins: "Outstanding!" (To Roger) "Now get up there, Corporal, and take out those damn bunkers!"
(Roger mans the 88 with Smith and takes aim at the bunkers. Once Roger destroys one bunker...)
Smith: "More Krauts!"
(Roger waits until Smith says the 88 has been reloaded, then takes aim and destroys the other bunkers, including targeting any Germans carrying Panzerfaust or Panzerschreck to try and kill Roger before he can use the 88 again. Once he takes out the third bunker...)
Hawkins: "Nice work, Corporal! One more to go!"
(Roger destroys the last bunker, then turns the 88 on the supply depot, just as the doors open, exposing a huge stockpile of fuel drums as more Germans armed with Panzerschreck and Panzerfaust emerge to engage their commandeered gun.)
Hawkins: "The fuel drums, Corporal! Shoot the fuel drums!"
(Roger does just that, blowing the entire depot to smithereens, wiping out the Germans as well. As the dust settles, Roger dismounts from the 88 as Hawkins takes a position along the wall protecting the 88 with Bloomfield as Kelly, Smith, and another soldier take a position on the grass below to hear their sergeant out.)
Hawkins: "Gentlemen! Just a quick word. (clears throat) I've scrapped through some tough fights since I've been in this man's army. Not to say that this one was the worst I've seen. We lost a lot of good men back there on that beach, and that's a damn shame. But by kicking down Hitler's front door we saved the lives of hundreds more that would follow. You are the best of the best, and I am damn proud to serve with each and every one of you! Alright, enough said. Gather up some ammo, get some rest. I have a feeling that we're just getting started."
(End of level)