12-13 July 2014 in the Volokolamsk district of Moscow region was held the festival of military "battlefield — 2014". Wargaming company acted as the General sponsor of the event, and the team of developers of World of Tanks went to the village of Nelidovo, to organize the playing area and to see the smoke and fire reconstructions.
On "battlefield" was hot. Moving the tanks raised clouds of sand and dust, which is very United: "Khe-Khe, the heat of battle" — not saying a word, joked the participants and visitors of festival. For two days the festival was celebrated on 17 thousand guests: we heat, we heat. Children from the entrance prepared for combat routine: on "courses of the young fighter" the boys were shooting from heavy machine gun Maxim and manual RPD-44, while the girls, dressed in white medical robes and caps, attended to assist military doctors and make bandages.
Next door to the spectator stands, the military theater was laid out a huge camp with trenches, dugouts, tents, field hospitals and even a farm with a goat and a pig (Yes, our reporter several exalted). In large-scale reconstruction was attended by about two thousand enthusiasts from 90 military-historical clubs of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Israel and other countries. In the "trench" area entertained by throwing knives, riding on the BTR-80 and BRDM-2, field kitchen, military band, rifle training, simple shopping (Tula gingerbread, caps, models, baked apples), regimental horses and dogs border, after fighting — reconstruction of abdominal operations and amputations in field hospitals. Operations look extremely realistic, and spectators avert their eyes when "German" in the robe pulls out of the peritoneum moaning of the ordinary part of the intestine.
Games World of Tanks was far from the show of armored vehicles: mutual attraction, no fraud. Two days of the festival in the individual competition took part 2,500 people. And despite the fact that a play area was not working during the reenactment battles. The best result in two days — 2600 experience; congratulations, shake your hand, wish you continued success on the playing field.
The first production was dedicated to the Soltsy counterattack under the (14-18 July 1941), in which the German army was driven back 40 miles and the attack on Leningrad had been delayed for almost a month. The second battle scene represented an episode of the Belarusian offensive operation "Bagration" (June 23 — August 29, 1944). During this vast offensive of the Red army liberated the territory of Belarus, Eastern Poland and of the Baltic States and almost completely destroyed the German army group "Center". The Wehrmacht suffered heavy losses, and to fill that Germany was no longer able.
One of the Premier military technical theatre became artillery tractor T-20 "Komsomolets", but in the first act the audience award definitely broke a five-towered heavy tank T-35A. The Germans were falling like dominoes, the stands roared. Once we found the single after hearing gunshots, then immediately went to find out the details.
Questions answered Andrey Fortieth, Director of the Military historical Museum of armored vehicles in Kubinka.
How did the idea to rebuild the T-35 to a running state?
Museum policy now is to move to put the exhibits of interest to our visitors: preserved in a single copy, or are iconic for a certain period. T-35 is a unique machine, a five-towered Soviet tank, which has been preserved in a single copy, the rest were lost. The car survived due to the fact that he was in Kazan tank school.
How complex were working to restore?
In principle, the car was relatively complete. In late summer of last year by the Commission of the Museum it was decided to restore it. In the autumn we have conducted preliminary work, including additional equipment: replaced the grease in the units, which it was required, and the oil in the engine, served the government. Then the car started and the course surpassed in restoration workshops. Since the beginning of 2014 literally until last restoration work was carried out. Have been restored the engine, transmission, tuned suspension. Other car in the world, and not to put her on the course would be an unfortunate omission.
After the resounding gunfire and the crunch of sand on the teeth we wanted simple human communication, and we have gone to the people.
Among the trenches and dugouts of the German soldier and the red army, our attention was drawn standing on the edge of the camp a tower with a machine gun. On checking it was found that this area of the Vietnam war. We chose the most colourful one soldier and took him to the bunker.
Tell us, what's your name in the world, what is your name in war.
In the world my name is Sergey Mitsner, and in war — Sergeant Reveal Marlboro Mizner, I kept her name. Here, we present club military-historical reconstruction The Big Red One, the name of the first infantry division of the U.S. army, which participated in all wars: WWI, WWII, the Vietnam war.
How you ended up in the Soviet-German rear?
I can relate to this understanding of "battlefield": the festival becomes an analogue of the English War and Peace Show, where there are all the armies of the world. It should be, from my point of view, and, fortunately, shared by the organizers: make the young people not only to see the Great Patriotic war, but also to "walk" all the wars of the twentieth century. Ideally, from Rome to Crimea.
Enriched with new perspectives and the concept of the festival, we went looking for colorful German, but in the end find the truth. After the battle at the campfire sat a mixed group of re-enactors from the Kazan club "the Citadel" (Republic of Tatarstan), to which we joined for tea and tried to find out the secrets of the craft. But for the sake of reliability to begin turned to the soldier.
Vladislav, you have just returned from the battle. What's it like on the field?
I was part of the third company, which last appeared on "the scene", our task was to finish off the enemy and win. We were given the command, said to keep up, don't get stuck anywhere, not fall, forward, forward, forward and right to the end.
You rehearse in advance, where to go, when to fall?
To practice we don't rehearse, but we have provided installation and explain the problem, what we should do, what commands to listen and whom to listen. That is the scenario we painted in advance.
How do you handle pyrotechnics? There are marks in the grass, so mine never come?
No, no labels. Where are "mine", you know just laid their pyrotechnics. I think mines are located in places where the script does not provide for the movement of people, or watching the movements and explode when no one is nearby.
And then we asked a question, which drew our conversation to everyone around you.
Do you think not insulting the Germans? They lose always.
Not a shame, because they are not Germans, they are our. Simply dressed, and these are different things.
We replanted the ordinary Wehrmacht Evgenii immediately included in the conversation:
Most importantly, how do you explain that our history is not forgotten. No one knows anything, doesn't appreciate. Not knowing how strong was the enemy, it is impossible to understand the feat that made our grandfathers. This is a fundamental point! You cannot imagine the Germans idiots Yes idiots, then think, defeated.
He was echoed by the soldier on the left:
The Germans were so smart and educated that even the Tatar language was studying to be translators. Tatars in captivity taken and everyone knew what they were talking about.
Vyacheslav tries to equalize the position of:
Please note, the scenario of the battle, they attack first, the Germans, and they win an intermediate victory, and only lose in the end. As it was in history.
The point in the conversation he put the same "German" Eugene:
No matter what side I'm on, the main thing that I'm doing it for history.
