Walter Model

Otto Moritz Walter Model is an Imperian Field Marshall in the Imperial Army. He was the first General persuaded by The Emperor in 1940 beginning the Imperiumist Takeover. Although he was a hard-driving, aggressive panzer commander early in the War of Liberation, Model became best known as a practitioner of defensive warfare and usage of Infantry Forces. Model was among the Generals in the Wehrmacht who formed the Militarist Faction to oppose The Nazi Faction and The SS who they believed were trying to take Power from the Military. He formed a close friendship with Erwin Rommel.

## Early Life

Model was born into a largely non-military family in Genthin, Saxony. He would graduate from his school and in 1909, He would join the Officers Corps. He was an unexceptional student, and was commissioned a lieutenant in the 52nd Infantry Regiment in 1910. He made few friends among his fellow officers and soon became known for his ambition, drive, and blunt outspokenness. These were characteristics that would mark his entire career.

### The Great War

In World War I, the 52nd Infantry Regiment formed part of the 5th Division which fought on the Western Front. During the Great War, Model would be injured in Arras and would be awarded The Iron Cross. He would be posted on the General Staff which would see him escape the Battle of Verdun and Battle of the Somme where his Infantry Division would fight.

After Completion of the abbreviated staff officers' course , he would return to the 5th Division as adjutant of the 10th Infantry Brigade, followed by postings as a company commander in the 52nd Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to captain (*Hauptmann*) in November 1917 and would spend the rest of the war in a reserve Unit.

### Interwar Period

By the end of the war, Model had gained a reputation as a capable officer with great potential. He would serve in the Army of The Weimar Republic as it broke down. He would be deployed to quell Communist Uprisings frequently and this gave him a good taste to fight a Militia based enemy. He became known both for his enthusiastic support of military modernisation. However unlike the Officers of The Time, he lead a split in the Wehrmacht of Militarist Generals who believed The SS was trying to take power from the Army. He would form a close friendship with Erwin Rommel who was a leading Militarist Figure. The Two men saw the SS as trying to take power away from The Army and overthrow Hitler's Government. Rommel and Model contacted several men including SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner to inform the Army about any SS Operations against the Army and a member of a radical Anti-Nazi Faction within the Wehrmacht, Colonel Von Stauffenberg who had men ready to overthrow the Government should the SS try to take over.

Him and Rommel would be separated due to Rommel's posting to China to crush the Chinese Warlord rebellions in 1935. In September of 1939, The German Reich declares war on Poland following the Gleitwitz incident involving the SS. This leads the Wehrmacht to become even more suspicious of the Nazi Party itself and the hard-line Nazis of the SS. Erich Von Manstein is killed in Poland after the SS refuses to assist the OKW and the nearest OKW General was Nazi Supporter ,Alfred Jodl, who refused to help a Militarist. This leads Hitler to command The Rivalries to cease where he reprimands the SS for interfering in OKW areas of conscription and power-grabbing and reprimands Model and the Militarists for preparing a coup against the SS. Rommel is posted to Africa where he distances himself from the Movement and Walter Model leaves the Movement to Focus on his Military Career. He is promoted to Field Marshall at the Start of The War of Liberation.

### War of Liberation and Imperiumist Takeover

But by now, Model was already contacting the Emperor and supporting The Imperiumist Ideology. In Late 1939, Field Marshall Model is ordered by Hitler to command an invasion of The Benelux in Early 1940. He is given command of Generals; Rommel, Rundstedt, Guderian, and Reinhard Heydrich who were tasked with the Invasion of Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg with Rundstedt's Infantry holding the Flanks as Guderian and Rommel's tanks push Westward with the SS Force under Heydrich there to control resistance in the areas. Model manages to convince Rommel, Guderian and Heydrich to switch to this new ideology and they prepare the Imperiumist Takeover.

In Early 1940, Hitler orders the Invasion of The Benelux and The 4 Men defy Hitler's Orders and refuse to attack. Adolf Hitler learns of his General's Betrayal and orders Heydrich and Himmler to destroy the Wehrmacht Revolt. However, Model and Rommel had linked up with The Emperor and began a march on Berlin. Upon reaching Berlin, The Emperor ordered the surrender of The Waffen-SS Garrison who had kicked the Wehrmacht out. The New Imperial Army began to attack Berlin in The Siege of Berlin. The Siege of Berlin was a bloody fight and took many attempts to kick the SS garrison out. The Siege finally ends and Hitler is killed with Nazi High Command either dead or in hiding.

With The Imperium now established, The Emperor orders Model, Steiner and Rommel to command the New Imperial Army in an invasion of The Benelux and France. They Invade The Benelux and The Allies push into Belgium to meet them. However Rommel and Guderian's Tank Divisions sweep through Allied Lines during the 30 Day Offensive (10th May - 9th June) where Imperium Forces manage to completely overrun The Allied Defences in Belgium and trap The Main British and French Armies in Dunkirk. Model commands the Battle of Dunkirk and receives orders from The Emperor to massacre Dunkirk. During The Battle of Dunkirk, out of 500,000 BEF Soldiers, only 15,000 make it back to Britain. Model later reflects on this and feels responsible for the deaths of nearly 500,000 Soldiers.

The Battle of Dunkirk forces an American Entry into The War. Model's drive to Paris is halted by the US Forces now arriving in droves. He ,alongside many other officers, is stationary until the Grand Offensive in 1941. Model was tasked with capturing the Maginot Line in The Emperors' Operation Valkyrie. His forces would seize the Maginot by March 23rd 1941, the last of the 3 Offensives to be completed. Model was renowned for his defensive skills and would repel many Allied Counter-Attacks in the Franco-American Winter Offensive of 1940 and various Allied Counter Attacks in the Last Months of the War.

With the End of the War in June 1941, Field Marshall Model would be immediately deployed to Counter The Nazi Insurrections where he would open the War against the Nazis in the Battle of Stuttgart

## Nazi Insurrections

### Stuttgart

On the 18th of November 1941, Model arrived at Stuttgart which had fell to the SS Garrison in the Initial Uprising during 1940. Under his command were the 2nd and 3rd Imperial Guard Divisions. He ordered a surrender of the SS Garrison which was refused and a Siege began. He ordered the 3rd Guards to shell the Waffen-SS Defences and then ordered the 2nd to Charge the Defences and overwhelm the 4,000 SS and Militia defenders. The Imperial Guards flooded the City. The Fall of The City Hall meant the City was now in firm Imperian Hands and The SS and Nazis scattered into the Streets and Alley to wage a Guerrilla War against the Occupiers. The Siege was over by the 30th of November 1942.

Model believed the Siege of Stuttgart was now over but as reports of Nazi Soldiers ambushing Patrols became more frequent, Plain-clothed SS and Nazi Militiamen ambushed a Marching Imperial Patrol using Alleyways and shooting from Buildings. Model had seen some forms of Guerrilla Warfare in his service during the Weimar Government but had never seen this level of skill and determination. These Ambushes could be carried out anywhere at any time. Soldiers began wondering which civilian in a group of civilians would be an SS Fighter. Model was losing control.

However. He used Rommel's new Tactic called Search and Destroy in which Imperial Soldiers would patrol the cities and search for Suspected Nazis and then destroy the threat. The Tactic paid off as an Imperial Patrol stumbled on a SS HQ during a Patrol whilst doing House Searches. The Imperial Guards stormed the HQ and executed the Leaders. Model would then succeed in Stuttgart which had completely fallen to The Imperial Army by the 30th January 1942.

### Rest of The Insurrections

For most of The Insurrections, Model would be anywhere he was needed. He would however leave and fight in The Soviet Union during the 2 Year Calm Period (4th February 1943 - 19th September 1945). He was heavily involved in countering the Second Uprising and would help lead the Defence of Imperia in February 1947. Model would reorganise and Hold Imperia City from Countless Waffen-SS attacks and despite Heavy Street Fighting, The Imperial Forces came out on top. The Battle for Imperia City would last until April 1950 due to the Defiance of the SS Soldiers. Over 35,500 SS and Nazi Militia died in the Battle and 25,000 Imperial Militia and Guardsmen Died along with 2,000 Stormtroopers. Model was commended for his efforts in Imperia City and was praised as a Hero of The Imperium.

## Invasion of The USSR

Field Marshall Model was recalled from his work in the Nazi Insurrections on 4th February 1943. This was because of The Imperium Invasion of the USSR. Model was given command of Army Group South based in Romania and tasked with taking the Caucasus Oil Fields and The Key City of Stalingrad. His Forces would fight a overwhelming force of Russian Soldiers in Stalingrad but would come out on top. His men would capture Stalingrad and The Caucasus Oil Fields which would win the War for The Imperium.

## Post Wars (1954-1960)

Field Marshall Model is heavily focused on rebuilding The Imperial Military. He is a strong Imperiumist Supporter and fiercely loyal to The Emperor and The Imperium. He remains one of the most competent Field Marshalls in The Imperial Military. He has become a distant from political movements unlike some of his fellow officers. He has a good view of The Free Atlantic States and believes the Imperium should work closely with them.