Friedrich von der Austerwald, hereditary Freiherr, was born in the family castle some ways outside of Lötzen in East Prussia. The third son, he lived in the shadow of his elder brothers. His eldest, Georg, left to go off to the King's Hussars as part of his obligatory military service, and his other brother Florian - the black sheep of the family - left without a word to join up with a merchant ship's crew and went off into obscurity. Left back at the castle with his younger brother and two sisters, Friedrich never believed he would amount to much.

In some ways, he never really did.

He endlessly floated about Königsburg and back home, his teenage years spent mainly drinking and fighting in the Gymnasium. After all, what did it matter much? He was never going to inherit anyway. But, a freak training accident in the Rhineland fatally injured his brother, and with Florian gone from Germany and from the family, Friedrich was suddenly heir. A year later, after months of depression and stress, his father Heinrich passed on, leaving the entire estate to him. The young nobleman, who had never done much with his life up to that point, was now thrust into a world of business and of paperwork. Something which he hated and despised. Even with his mother's help of managing the estate, it was all too much.

And so he summons his friends from Königsburg, who came from all across the North, to relieve him of the stress in his castle. To relieve the old days when things didn't matter so much, and when he could have some fun. But all of that, as the world and God decrees, is about to change.

Günther Hans Ferdinand von Richter, also known as Hans Günther von Richter was the eldest son to Max von Richter, from an aristocratic Prussian military family. A distinguished commander, Max was a lieutenant general in the Prussian Army. He married Elise Kühn-Schuhmann in 1881. Richter was one of two children, having a younger brother named Wolfgang (born 1892).

Max von Richter held a high standing in social circles in Königsburg and Berlin. His sons were accepted into these circles mingling with the other Prussian aristocracy. Günther or informally known as “Hans” enjoyed playing Rugby. He and the other boys of his age group frequently engaged in pick up games. They attended social outings mingling with the young Prussian ladies of his age. “Hans” enjoyed the ladies and they enjoyed his attention.

“Hans” had something of an easy life with his vater being a professional officer in the Prussian Army. It had its perks, but he always seemed to get tangled up in the downside. When he got into trouble with his friends, he got into trouble with his vater and that brought about stern disciplinary actions. Often times the discipline involved physical exercise; walking, push-ups, running or leg lifts. But it could also bring about him doing research papers for his vater or in some cases even lashes to his back if he was really bad. Hans had a reputation as a bad boy. He was not proud of the scars on his back.

Wilhelm was the eldest grandson of the Waldgraf (Count) Nikolaus VI von Tecklenburg. Son to the Count’s middle child, Wilhelm spent his adolescence in the confines of the Castle Tecklenburg overlooking the Teutoburg Forest. His father oversaw the lumber mills and public works constructions within the County, an architect by trade, and sought to it that Wilhelm received a first rate tutor, education, and practical experience. Work that many nobles would shy away from became the business of young Willie (as he prefers to be called in the company of friends), but where Wilhelm took interest was in the pages of any text he could lay his hands upon. His wit and thirst for knowledge were unmatched, but were often overshadowed largely by his awkward demeanor and aversion to noble responsibility.

When Wilhelm was fifteen, his father Matthias was chosen by the Count to be one of the Westphalian-Rhineland representatives in the Confederation’s Diet, to be held in Prussian territory. Coaxing his son into accompanying him, he exposed him to the high life of Berlin, before receiving a summons to the Prussian royal court summered in Königsberg. The ancient Teutonic city is where Wilhelm thrived. The by comparison culturally diverse meeting point of the Slavs, Eastern European Jews, Germans, and Scandinavians exposed him to literature and works which he could only dream of. Even his own Catholicism was largely tolerated, unheard of in such a Protestant and Orthodox area.

Upon return to Tecklenburg, Wilhelm begged his father to enroll him in the famed University of Albertina. His father conceded, and at age 17, Willie set off for Königsberg once more. Though interested in learning, Wilhelm often found himself skipping classes to visit the Königstraße Academy of Art and the Stadt Theatre, admiring works of literature, opera, and painting rather than committing to his studies. Upon one excursion from the campus to the theatre, Wilhelm argued with a fellow student, a Prussian, over the superiority of German artists, on which Wilhelm was willing to posit that there may be some foreign artists better than contemporary Germans, leading to a duel which left Wilhelm with a light dueling scar upon his right cheek.

He did eventually graduate, however, albeit with a nigh useless degree in Studies of German Literature and an education he hardly remembered. All that mattered was in his time in Tecklenburg, he had brushed shoulders with and made friends with some of the East Prussian high society. Upon his return to Tecklenburg, he found his father the sole heir to the noble title (on account of the eldest brother dying of consumption), and a correspondence in the mail from a Freiherr (Baron) Friedrich summoning him to Lötzen.

Leutnant Ritter Wernher August von Lockstedt

Born in Berlin, Brandenburg, Königreich Preuβen.

29. November 1879.

Wernher August Ritter von Lockstedt was born into a family of lower aristocracy in Berlin. von Lockstedts own a manor and a patch of land outside of Berlin, but throughout history their family has served in European militaries in lower and upper officer corps, especially during and after the Enlightenment. Currently Wernher is serving as a Leutnant in the Prussian military and currently is working as an instructor and platoon leader, soon to be given the command of a company. He plans to apply for the Staff College in few years. In his childhood, Wernher learned how to ride a horse and how to draw. He's also trying to play a piano. Along with his native German, he can speak French almost fluently and is learning English. Lutheran by religion, Wernher prays sometimes, but isn't highly devout individual, although Lutheranism has had an influence on his work ethic.

Personality-wise, Wernher seems to be diplomatic, optimistic and humorous in his responses. While Wernher enjoys good wine and beer on occasion, he is quite a lightweight drinker. While in the service, he tends to have close working relationships with his squad leaders, often trusting their initiative in day to day training and tasks, but he is not hesitant to lead by example. He tends to also do what he preaches: if he doesn't show example to his men, why should they march in a muddy field with rifles and full packs?

Wernher has always excelled in sports and languages, and he might have become a translator, if his father Oskar hadn’t pestered him to serve in the military as a career officer. Wernher’s platoon is often among the best in a company when it comes to running, swimming, football and other sports. Wernher reads a lot, especially foreign books. He has translated a few as a hobby for his friends and family. His father still serves as a major in the artillery, but Wernher didn’t follow his father’s footsteps into “the gods of war”, as his father insisted, but has been serving in the infantry. Wernher has taken a short vacation to visit his old friend at Schloβ Komturhof.

The No. 5 Platoon has 43 personnel on Hand; Authorized 45.
Shortages include the Assistant Platoon Commander and one Rifleman.

Number 5 Platoon, Number 2 Kompanie, I Battalion
Platoon Commander: Leutnant Hans von Richter
Assistant Platoon Commander: Vacant
Platoon Sergeant: Vize Feldwebel Leo König
Assistant Platoon Sergean: Unteroffizier Karl Fuchs
Platoon Runner: Obergefreiter Axel Möller
Platoon Runner: Grenadier Emmett Winter
Platoon Runner: Grenadier Ryker Franke
Platoon Runner: Grenadier Heinrich Baumann
Platoon Runner: Grenadier Hans Beck

No. 1 Section
Section Leader: Unteroffizier Luis Albrecht
Assistant Section Leader: Korporal Maximilian “Max” Walter
Rifle Grenadier: Stabsgefreiter Milo Schuster
Rifle Grenadier: Stabsgefreiter Richard Weiß
Grenadier (Hand grenades): Grenadier Barret Vogt
Grenadier (Hand grenadier): Grenadier Lukas Schumacher
Rifleman: Grenadier Leon Winkler
Rifleman: Grenadier Derek Simon
Rifleman: Grenadier Louis Baumann
Rifleman: Grenadier Walter Schmidt
Rifleman (Scout): Grenadier Raymond Kühn
Rifleman (Scout): Grenadier Jeffrey Nowak

No. 2 Section
Section Leader: Unteroffizier Frank Wolff
Assistant Section Leader: Korporal Hugo Ziegler
Rifle Grenadier: Stabsgefreiter Otto von Horn
Rifle Grenadier: Stabsgefreiter Albert van Graf
Grenadier (Hand grenades): Grenadier Rocco Sommer
Grenadier (Hand grenadier): Grenadier Konrad Lang
Rifleman: Grenadier Roland Krüger
Rifleman: Grenadier Johan Müller
Rifleman: Grenadier Johan Witt
Rifleman: Grenadier Kellan Schneider
Rifleman (Scout): Grenadier Friedrich Jäger
Rifleman (Scout): Grenadier Harry Becker

No. 3 Section
Section Leader: Unteroffizier Charles Wagner
Assistant Section Leader: Korporal Leonard Zimmerman
Rifle Grenadier: Stabsgefreiter Roger Klein
Rifle Grenadier: Stabsgefreiter Bruno Jung
Grenadier (Hand grenades): Grenadier Johann Schultz
Grenadier (Hand grenadier): Grenadier Karl Hubler
Rifleman: Grenadier Tomas Peters
Rifleman: Grenadier Otis Winkler
Rifleman: Grenadier Harlan Hahn
Rifleman: Vacant
Rifleman (Scout): Grenadier Hugh Becker
Rifleman (Scout): Grenadier Rudolf “Rudy” Stein

„Stabgruppe“



Platoon Messengers



No. 1 Section

Section Leader Unteroffizier Wilhelm Hartmann
Assistant Section Leader Korporal Otto Katz


No. 2 Section (Squad)

Section Leader (Unteroffizier) Felix Martell
Assistant Section Leader (Korporal) Horst Müller


No. 3 Section (Squad)

Section Leader Unteroffizier Alexander “Alex” Hahn
Assistant Section Leader Korporal Kurt van Hoorn

Platoon Commander Oberleutnant Frhr. Konstantin von Kolberg
Assistant Platoon Commander Leutnant Frhr. Friedrich von der Austerwald
Platoon Sergeant Vize Feldwebel Rupprecht Messerschmidt
Assistant Platoon Sergeant Unteroffizier Philip Ehrenpreis
Platoon Runners
Gefreiter Karsten Zimmermann
Obergefreiter Albrecht Stemmler
Grenadier Niklas Pfeiffer
Grenadier Dirk Hartmann
Grenadier Torsten Seidel

3x Sections (Squad) [12 x 3 = 36]

45 soldiers

No. 1 Section (Squad)
Section Leader Unteroffizier Thomas Baumann
Assistant Section Leader Korporal Christoph Euler
Rifle Grenadier Stabsgefreiter Florian Winkler
Rifle Grenadier Stabsgefreiter Albrecht Stadtbäumer
Grenadier (Hand grenades) Obergefreiter Joachim Fischbein
Grenadier (Hand grenadier) Obergefreiter Adalbert Plessner
Rifleman Gefreiter Roman Furstenfeld
Rifleman Gefreiter Laurenz Tiedemann
Rifleman Grenadier Eggert Kottmann
Rifleman Grenadier Arthur Schaper
Rifleman (Scout) Grenadier Bruno Rosenbluth
Rifleman (Scout) Grenadier Karlheinz Schreck

No. 2 Section (Squad)
Section Leader Unteroffizier Kurt Recktenwald
Assistant Section Leader Korporal Konrad Litzmann
Rifle Grenadier Stabsgefreiter Erich Brandt
Rifle Grenadier Stabsgefreiter Dietrich Krantz
Grenadier (Hand grenades) Obergefreiter Lothar Göhler
Grenadier (Hand grenadier) Obergefreiter Friedrich Kuntz
Rifleman Gefreiter Heinz Witzland
Rifleman Gefreiter Paul Winterfeldt
Rifleman Grenadier Wolfram Merker
Rifleman Grenadier Felix Esslinger
Rifleman (Scout) Grenadier Theodor Kaulen
Rifleman (Scout) Grenadier Otto Blanke

No. 3 Section (Squad)
Section Leader Unteroffizier Zacharias Habermann
Assistant Section Leader Korporal Einhard Hanneman
Rifle Grenadier Stabsgefreiter Phillipp Ohlendorf
Rifle Grenadier Stabsgefreiter Gert Tischler
Grenadier (Hand grenades) Obergefreiter Sebastian Kohlhase
Grenadier (Hand grenadier) Obergefreiter Emanuel Schillinger
Rifleman Gefreiter August Bauernfeind
Rifleman Gefreiter Gerwald Wagenseil
Rifleman Grenadier Elmo Steinhauer
Rifleman Grenadier Philip Breslauer
Rifleman (Scout) Grenadier Udo Eichberg
Rifleman (Scout) Grenadier Benjamin Kändler