Panzerfahren

Panzerfahren is one of the two main combat sports present in the universe of Panzerfahren Chronicles. It is one of the most popular and most watched sports worldwide, behind Football/ Soccer and Cricket - with about 2.4 Billion viewers worldwide.

## Origins

### Early Days

Panzerfahren was originally conceived by Oswald Lutz, a high ranking member of the Wehrmacht, in 1935. The sport was described in official German documents that the reasoning behind creating such a sport would be twofold. On one side, it would be a way of getting the Hitler Youth a hands-on experience with similar vehicles to the Panzerwaffe, and secondly, it would be a form of recruitment and training for the German Armoured Corps.

After a brief enquiry as to the feasibility of the creation and worth of such a sport, Panzerfahren was officially decreed a sport in February 1936. The equipment used was primitive at best. The first tanks created for Panzerfahren were based off early models of *Panzer I* and *II* light tanks, with the larger *III* and *IVs* coming later. These models of tanks were designated with a *(p)*, to distinguish a conversion from a purpose built tank. E.G. *Pz. IV Ausf D (p)*. They were designed in such a way as to allow for easy militarization and activation in the event of a war kicking off.

On the inside of the fighting compartments, and woven between plated of armour, was a carbon based protective system. This would, in pracice, be able to withstand sustained hits from high velocity Anti-Tank guns; such as the PAK 36 and 38. Panzerfahren shells would be designed to shatter on (a square on) impact, with a paint like liquid spraying over the tank to denote its status of '*Knocked Out'*.

Within Germany, and later in the Reich territories, Panzerfahren proved to be extremely popular with the Hitler Youth, many of whom (as desired) would proceed to join the Panzerwaffe when it came time for them to join the German Army, or the SS.

In September 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. During the invasion, several *(p)* type tanks were utilized in the initial stages of the campaign - namely *Pz. III (p)s.* Despite their converted nature, the tanks proved useful against infantry; though Polish M1897 Anti-Tank guns offered a challenge to their armour. They were used in a lesser extent during the Battle for France, and for Operation Barbarossa.

As the war dragged on, more and more Panzerfahren tanks were militarized to assist with holding back the Red Army. Many were upgraded to newer models, such as Panzer IVs gaining newer 75mm PAK 40 guns and thicker armour. As the Red Army drew in closer, more and more of the Hitler Youth Panzerfahren teams were used to attempt to counter the Soviet T-34s and IS-2s; to little avail. By December 1944, no Panzerfahren tanks were in original condition, and had all been sent to the front lines with their student crews. None of the tanks returned, and less than half of the crews managed to survive.

### Post-War

Following Germany's capitulation to the Allied Forces, Panzerfahren, along with many other Hitler Youth activities, were banned in occupied territories. In 1948, a petition by a former Panzerfahren commander, who was blinded by nostalgia, was started in West Berlin to reintroduce the sport. Before long, it had gathered enough signatures to be taken to the heads of the British and American occupying forces. After taking it to the council of Allied powers, and ignoring Joseph Stalin's outrage of reintroducing the sport, the United States and Great Britain began to research the sport, and how they could re-introduce it.

Following extensive tests with newer, and greatly improved shell types and protection methods (for the time), along with the installation of these types of protection on modern tanks (Namely Cromwells and Shermans) the first experiment was conducted in England. On the Salisbury Plains, elements of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and 1st US Cavalry Regiment faced off in the first exhibition match since 1942. The result was a success, and Panzerfahren was reintroduced in 1950; though this time not just in, now West, Germany.

Following the success, Panzerfahren was introduced to a number of schools worldwide, the first ones being:

* The Bovington Tank Training School, Dorset. (UK)
* Eton College, Berkshire. (UK)
* Yale University, Connecticut. (USA)
* Heidelburg University, Baden-Wurttemberg. (West Germany)

Many other western nations soon adopted Panzerfahren following the success and implementation in many of the western countries. In 1955, following the de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union, Panzerfahren was looked into by the Kubinka Tank School; and, with Nikita Khrushchev's blessing, was implemented at Kubinka in 1956.