I am going to experiment with a first person view of the War, tell me if you like it and I might make more like it. Also this will be a graphic description of battle...so there is that.
The Great Fog "The field looked as if a Great Fog had desended upon it"Firsthand account of the Battle for Kosice
Sergi Kalshinkov looked around, he was on the edge of the column so he could see the world around him. It was bare, and white that much was obvious as the crisp Feburary air flooded his lungs. He was only 25 but felt double that, the Army did that to you. He was pulled from his unit on the Ottoman front the month before and sent to the Austrian Front. In the North the Germans were skirmishing with the Austrians keeping them from diverting to many troops to counter the Russian advance into Slovakia. They were nearing the city of Kosice and met no resistance which was...weird. He nudged the man next to him "Hey, where are the damned Austrians? I thought they would put up a fight?" the man laughed.
Suddenly there was a loud boom and a man a couple rows behind him fell to the ground and another yelled what Sergi was thinking "Sniper, get down!" Instantly he dropped and shouldered his rifle. Another boom and a bullet whizzed overhead and a more authorative voice shouted "Their all around us men! The-" he was cut short by a snipers bullet. Suddenly men began to charge out of the surrounding fields screaming in their own language. They smashed into the Russian formation as they shot up to meet the Austrians in hand-to-hand combat. Sergi thew a punch and it connected with the man in front of him, right in the cheek. He tumbled back and was stabbed by another Russian and crumpled to the ground. Sergi pulled out his own knife and stabbed another man in the eye. He screamed and began to claw at Sergi but Sergi easily dodged the panicked attack. He pulled the knife out and sliced the mans throat. He tried to let out a scream but was unable to and a look of horror twisted his face before he crumpled to the ground. Sergi began to turn when there was a sharp pain in his back "You son of a whore!" he roared as he turned. He looked the man into the eye as his knife sliced throw the mans scalp and could feel the skull giveway under the force, His eyes rolled back and he to fell to the ground. He herd a cry of victory as the Austrians began to retreat and the voice of Marshal Tolstoy "After them! Dont let them escape!". There was another shout as the Russians charged into the field following the Austrians trails as they stomped trails through. Sergi saw a flash of light blue "Ha ha! Got you now!" he yelled as he fired at the man. He heard a scream as the man in front of him tumbled to the ground, he continued to scream as Sergi shoved the bayonet into the man's neck. Sergi ran on before a Russian yell carried over the field "Men! Back to formation! Today, we march on Kosice!" he smiled as he began to walk back. As he passed the body of the fallen Austrian he thought he heard something and turned to find it. He stared at the field...nothing "Damn, must be hearing things." Sergi said as he moved on
Carl Ulbrect sat in his hole, leaning against his howitzer when his commander returned from his most recent sexual conquest. Carl stood and brushed himself off "Shall we resume firing?" he said. Carl was a 30 year old hardened veteran of the Unification War, however short it was it was still brutal. After some huffing his 50 year old commander nodded and pointed at a blip on the horizon "Here, turn them to dust." Carl nodded and began shouting orders at his crew, a minuet later there was a loud boom as the cannon threw the explosive shell down range. Carl watched through his binoculars as the blip, now bigger and clearer, exploded. He turned to his superior "Direct hit sir. May I ask what we fired at? From what I could see there was a Concert Medical Center logo on that house?" The man sat straighter on his horse "We just destroyed an enemy position, that is all you need to know." Carl nodded and looked back at the now burning husk. He saw some men siloetted infront of the inferno "Probably firemen trying to calm the flames." he said to himself. "What was that Carl?" someone asked, Carl shook his head "Nothing, continue firing."
Franz Sadat suddenly realized he probably have to change his pants when he got back to base, if he did. The 30 something could hear the Russians behind him and closing fast. He heard one yell something and the crack of a rifle, then a short time later a man fell beside him grasping at his leg and screaming. Sadat turned and saw a form rushing at him and in his bout in wisdom, jumped to the side and into the field. He hit hte ground and turned to witness the Russian stab the other man in the neck before running off leaving the man gasping for air and in pain. Sadat began to move for his knife to finish the poor lad off when he heard a shout, probably Russian, drift across the field; all he could make out was something about Kosice. The Russian walked back in front of Sadat as he began to emerge. Sadat whispered "Oh shit." and scurried back into the night hoping the Russian didn't hear him. Unfortunately he did and stopped and looked around, they locked eyes for half a second but Franz knew he was safe. The Russian uttered something and walked off into the distance. Franz hid for a bit more before he was sure the Russians were gone. He emerged and looked around, it was quiet except the slow march of the Russians in the distance. Franz then looked down at the man "Sorry brother, you deserved something better." he said before plunging the knife into the mans heart and left him be.