Brian Regnitz
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Brian Regnitz | |
|---|---|
 Brian Regnitz, 1940 | |
| Nickname(s) | Boy |
| Born | 11 May 1910 Leeves, Erebonian Empire |
| Allegiance |  Erebonian Empire |
| Service/ | Imperial Army of Erebonia |
| Years of service | 1920-1962 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Royal Western Erebonian Artillery Brigade 5th Erebonian Division 6th Erebonian Armoured Division Second Erebonian and Rubrumian Imperial Force VII Erebonian Corps |
| Battles/wars | Fifth Erebonian-Calvardian Border War Second Europan War War of Lorican Aggression |
| Awards | Grand Knight of the Order of Heimdall Legion of St. Olav Erebonian Armed Forces Deployment Medal Silver Oak The Imperial Cross Emperor's Medal for Outstanding Civil Service |
| Relations | Carl Regnitz (grandson) Machias Regnitz (great-grandson) Elliot Testarossa (best friend) |
| Other work | Television Presenter |
General Brian "Boy" Regnitz GEO, GOH (11 May 1910) is a retired Erebonian Officer, General, and Television Presenter who is best known for his roles during the Middle East Campaign and the Asianna and the Pacific Campaign of the Second Europan War. He was nicknamed "Boy" due to his young facial features. Regnitz was also responsible for the establishment of the Thors Military Academy in Leeves and the formation of the Erebonian Special Air Service in 1941. He is remembered and dubbed as the "Father of the Erebonian Special Forces". He also co-led the Second Erebonian and Rubrumian Imperial Force alongside his best friend, Rubrumian General Elliot Testarossa. The two would also be honoured as one of the ERUAC's most accomplished commanders.
Regnitz was also famous for his aggressive and cautious approach to the battlefield. He specialised in combined operations that required the coordination of infantry, tanks, air force, and logistics. He placed emphasis on dagger thrusts and offensive means to conduct defensive operations. Regnitz also masterminded the relief of Bethausian forces during the Manas River Offensive, in which he and his Rubrumian counterpart, Elliot Testarossa successfully pulled off a seemingly-impossible tactic to relieve the Bethausians at the time when the Imperials gained strong military commanders in the guise of Quenminese Marshal Mạc Hiếu Quang. Most historians have credited his emphasis on fast mobile tanks, motorised infantry, self-propelled artillery, and tactical aircraft as having perfected the Blitzkrieg tactic. He is also regarded as the Father of the Erebonian Armoured Force.
Early Life
Military Career
Post-War
Personal Life
Regnitz married Lilia Jane Regnitz prior to the start of the Second Europan War. The couple had 4 children. He is the grandfather of Governor and General Carl Regnitz, who served as the Governor of the Heimdallr Capital Administrative Region.
He also supported Erebonia's membership within the Lucis Commonwealth of Nations, in which Regnitz served as one of the proponents of Erebonian membership to the Lucis Commonwealth.
Legacy
Raised in Western Erebonia, Regnitz held many of the regions sentiments, including their Lucian roots. Regnitz, having Erebonian, Rubrumian, and Lucian ancestry, often incorporated Erebonian Highlander regiments in his formations, describing them as "men who will win the battle for you." He was also relatively tight with Lucis Commonwealth commanders, having served under Marshal Daidoji Kitagawa before his transfer to the Middle East.
According to Historian Martin Aldermann:
"Regnitz epitomized the fighting soldier in the Second Europan War. He exercised unique leadership by his ability to obtain the utmost—some would say more than the maximum—response from Erebonian and Rubrumian combat troops. Through his charisma, exemplified by a flamboyant and well-publicized image, he stimulated, better than any other high-ranking Erebonian army commander, Erebonian troops to an aggressive desire to close with and destroy the enemy. He personified the offensive spirit, the ruthless drive, and the will for victory in battle....As the outstanding exponent of combat effectiveness, particularly with respect to the employment of armored forces—that is, the combined use of tanks, motorized infantry, and self-propelled artillery, closely supported by tactical aircraft—Regnitz brought the blitzkrieg concept to perfection.
Today, Regnitz has several streets and landmarks named after him. The famous being the General Brian Regnitz Royal Armoured Military Academy in Oslo, where the famous 6th Erebonian Armoured Division is currently stationed in. The other being Fort Brian Regnitz, where the 2nd Erebonian Armoured Division is stationed in.
As viewed by Allied Commanders
Rubrumian Marshal Murakamo Susaya highly praised Regnitz, stating in his memoirs that "In the advent of new technologies and the continuous evolution in the way of how mobile warfare was becoming the norm, Regnitz was the first commander to prove that mobile warfare was the more effective way of conducting warfare, that it was certainly his bedfellow." while his wife, EWI East Europan hero Hilde Gertrud Aschelmann, the pioneer of the Imperial mobile warfare, noted that "Regnitz has been the most astonishing achievement in mobile warfare that even myself, nor my husband could have been able to conduct such a degree of fast-moving warfare at our prime."
Lucian Brigadier Tsukuyo Kushineda described him as:
"Whilst my Husband was the master of defence, Regnitz spearheaded us. Through Regnitz and Testarossa, the ERUACs that made sure that the Imperials wouldn't get away."
His best friend, Rubrumian General Elliot Testarossa regarded him as a blood brother. Although both Regnitz and Testarossa were described by Sugiyama as two of his best aggressive generals, Testarossa remarked "He was certainly the best offensive general that even my skills cannot surpass his. I am proud to call him as my blood brother. We both made sure that the brotherhood of both Erebonians and Rubrumians was tighter than family bonds."
Regnitz also gained the respect of his fellow Erebonian commanders during the early years of EWII. Erebonian Marshal David Philipp Schwimmer did not describe him as the best commander in the field, but instead, "Regnitz was a brilliant executor." as Regnitz often took unorthodox methods of capturing or defending objectives. Schwimmer also wrote that "Give Regnitz an order, and he will double his achievement by hook or by crook."
His close friend, General Karl L.K. Arseid spoke highly of Regnitz when Kitagawa endorsed the latter to lead the ERUAC contingent to the Middle East. Arseid described him as "Even with a small amount of men, so long as you give him and his men any sort of weapons, even if its a mere stone, he will make sure he gets the job done."
His rival, General Felix Langenscheidt even conceded that "Our country has finally found a brilliant general since Richard Egret. Certainly the best general that our country has ever fielded that even his skills have wholly surpassed mine. We may not look at eye to eye, but he has earned my respect." The rivalry between Regnitz and Lagenscheidt eventually subsided following EWII.
He also gained the praise of Lucian Marshal Daidoji Kitagawa, who called Regnitz as "one of the Allied guarantors of victory." Hence he was the first Allied commander to endorse Regnitz to lead the 2nd ERUIF. Lucian General Harry Tachibana has described Regnitz as "one of a kind" and has "masterminded the capabilities of what Allied mechanised and armoured formations can do." General Brian Edward Horrocks also held the same view of Regnitz, that "He was one of the ideal commanders of any Allied soldier in the field."
Marshal Archibald Sugiyama noted in his diary "I always knew where I can hold my ground. But Regnitz always knew where he can hit the enemy the hardest. I'm certainly grateful of Regnitz abilities in the field, that even I am unable surpass his aggressive nature in battle. Had he been in the other side of the war, meeting him personally in the field would have surely tore down the record books." Both Sugiyama and Regnitz spoke highly of each other. At Sugiyama's death in 2005, Regnitz wrote an eulogy, highlighting that he would never have gained his recognitions as a capable commander without Sugiyama.
Other Allied commanders also spoke highly of Regnitz. Bethausian General Zaw Sein Arkar described him as being the offensive arm of Sugiyama's forces. In interviews, he described Regnitz "He is the blade that my friend (Sugiyama) wields" while his suboordinate, General Naing Thuta Maung noted Regnitz as "That amalgamation of youth and ferocity inspires all, including myself". General Yarzar Htun Tun Yaza noted in his memoirs that "Homer can write an epic poem about him (Regnitz) in one night. His age and fortitude is an eternal flame to me." General Sein Khine noted Regnitz aggressive nature of not letting the Imperials escape that "His actions are enough to strike fear into even a toughest Quen".
As viewed by Imperial commanders
Imperial leaders had mixed feelings about Regnitz with some praising him as a commander while others negatively described him for causing their defeat in the war. From the East Europan side, many commanders noted Regnitz tactics and strategies in the field as having similar methods of waging Blitzkrieg. Imperial General Alexander Sundermann described Regnitz as "They have an East Europan on their side". His achievements also wouldn't go unnoticed by General Jannick Liebehenschel, who was skilled in conducting armoured warfare, describing Regnitz as conducting the Blitzkrieg to a higher degree. He took our doctrine and increased it twofold".
Quenminese leaders largely held negative sentiments about Regnitz. Namely Marshal Thạch Hung Sõn Chiến, who blamed their misfortunes on his generals, remarking "Quang and Duyên should be ashamed of themselves". Quenminese Emperor called him "That mad snow-loving tea-drinker tarnished the pride of the Imperial Army even further". Prime Minister Lý Học Thao Viên noted in his memoirs "I read the reports from the Western Front all mentioning this Regnitz. Needless to say, I was very disappointed with their encounters involving him". after hearing reports of Imperial forces being defeated in the west. Although, many Quenminese commanders have also praised Regnitz. Imperial Marshal Mạc Hiếu Quang praised Regnitz as "His skill in combined arms managed to overwhelm an old man like me" when Regnitz managed to prevent the fall of Allied forces during the Manas River Offensive. Even Quenminese General Phó Minh Duyên, Quenmin's leading mechanised general praised his aggressive methods of armoured warfare, describing him that "If there is one worthy opponent I would play against in chess, it is him". General Kieu Dung Quang praised Regnitz with "Astounding skill and tact." while General Vuong Thi Le noted Regnitz's abilities in the field, that "Such relentlessness is to be commended".
Archadian Marshal Victor Sazabio highly praised Regnitz, that "when Regnitz took to the field, I knew that things would only get much worse for us. I don't think that Regnitz would let us get away so easily like that." Archadian General Giovanni Filiberto, commanding the Archadian armoured force noted that "Regnitz had developed armoured warfare into an art, and understood how to handle tanks brilliantly in the field. I feel compelled, therefore, to compare him with General Phó Minh Duyên, who likewise had mastered the art of mechanised and armoured warfare. The only difference was that Regnitz placed emphasis on combined warfare that included close communications, something which we couldn't master. Regnitz has certainly turned it as if it was his invention."