About the game

Axis Commanders

Georg von Küchler

Commander of Special Operations

Description

BIOGRAPHY

Georg’s military education began in cadet school, after which he served in the Imperial Army for seven years. He then studied at a riding school for three years. From 1910 to 1913, Küchler studied at the War Academy in Berlin and then served on the topographic section of the General Staff.

During World War I, Küchler fought on the Western Front on the Somme, at Verdun, and at Champagne. His actions on the field won him a multitude of orders and medals. Later, he fought against both Russians and Poles in the Baltic, as a member of the Freikorps.

Like many other German commanders, Küchler’s first taste of World War II was in the Invasion of Poland. Once Warsaw had been captured, Küchler was assigned the task of capturing Holland. During the operation, he actively used paratroopers to capture and hold large towns and bridges until the bulk of his forces could arrive. Speed and surprise were critical to the operation, and the capture of Holland was complete in just five days.

Küchler then successfully took Antwerp, and at Dunkirk he took 40,000 French soldiers prisoner. The prestigious assignment of taking the capital of France also fell to his army. On the morning of June 14, they marched victoriously in parade order down the Champs-Elysses.

Küchler performed magnificently in the campaigns of 1939 and 1940. He often directed campaigns himself from the sidecar of a motorcycle. He cared for his ordinary soldiers, even helping the wounded. For his combat operations in Poland and the West, on July 19 Georg von Küchler was promoted to Colonel General.

In the war against the USSR, Küchler’s army was part of Army Group North, and in 1942 he became the commander of the whole group. Though he found himself in a near-hopeless situation, he performed well enough and as a result was promoted to Field Marshal on June 30, 1942.

EFFECTIVENESS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

A German from a long line of officers and a true patriot who believed in the ideals of the Fatherland, Küchler realized as early as Poland that intelligence was a key advantage. To this end, he uses snipers and light vehicles, then throws infantry and assault infantry units into the fray. When defending, he strives to continually move the front. In practice, this means he prefers light and mobile squads with antitank rifles, mortars, and antitank guns placed in heavy fortifications. When attacking, he zealously uses paratroopers and smoke bombs and strives to capture enemy fortifications.

Specializations

  • Light Vehicles
  • Tank Destroyers
  • Snipers
  • Paratrooper Squad
  • Large Smoke Screen
  • Anti-Tank Rifle
  • Anti-Tank Gun
  • Mortar

Talents

  • Paratrooper Squad
    A squad of assault paratroopers will land in a random location on the map.
    Paratrooper Squad: Supply Points required: less by 2
    • Paratrooper Squad
  • Large Smoke Screen
    Prevents attacks within a certain range.
    Large Smoke Screen: Supply Points required: less by 1
    • Large Smoke Screen
  • Competent Scout
    New binoculars and corrected firing tables increase the sight and hitting range of snipers and light vehicles.
    Light Vehicle, Infantry: +12 Sight range
    Light Vehicle: +10 Shot range
    Infantry: +10 Shot range
    • Light Vehicles
    • Snipers
  • Foreknower
    Early area reconnaissance allows light vehicles and tank destroyers to move with increased speed.
    Tank Destroyer, Light Vehicle: +2 Movement speed
    • Tank Destroyers
    • Light Vehicles
  • Explosive Behaviour
    The Commander orders the delivery of ammo using a new method to pack explosive materials. These increase the damage from tank destroyers and light vehicles. When exploding, tank destroyer shells can temporarily blind enemies.
    Tank Destroyer: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles; +25% Chance to damage optics
    Light Vehicle: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles
    • Tank Destroyers
    • Light Vehicles
  • Master of Camouflage
    Competent use of the terrain allows this general to effectively hide mortars, AT guns, and AT rifles from enemy scouts.
    Anti-Tank Rifle: -20 Tracking range
    Anti-Tank Gun: -20 Tracking range
    Mortar: -20 Tracking range
    • Anti-Tank Rifle
    • Anti-Tank Gun
    • Mortar
  • A Heavy Gift
    Modified mortar and anti-tank gun shells are more likely to contuse enemy troops and vehicle crews.
    Mortar: +20% Chance to stun
    Anti-Tank Gun: +20% Chance to stun
    • Mortar
    • Anti-Tank Gun
  • Preventive Fire
    Intelligence data on enemy movements helps anti-tank gun and mortar crews to better home in on their targets, which is greatly conducive to dealing maximum damage.
    Mortar: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles
    Anti-Tank Gun: +25% Damage to infantry, Damage to vehicles
    • Mortar
    • Anti-Tank Gun