Dirlewanger Brigade
The 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, usually called just the Dirlewanger Brigade, is a rogue unit of the NSDAP's feared Schutzstaffel (SS) paramilitary force. They participated in the SS Coup during the West Russian War on behalf of Himmler, but after the coup's defeat they fled Germany for the anarchy of Russia, eventually finding their way to the city of Orsk in the Southern Urals.
36. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Dirlewanger Brigade | |
 Insignia of the Dirlewanger Brigade TAG = DRL | |
| Capital | Orsk |
| Ruling Party | 
Dirlewanger Loyalists |
| Head of State | Oskar Dirlewanger |
| Sphere |  No Sphere |
| Foreign Alignment | Non-Aligned |
| GDP | $0.07B |
| Credit Rating |  Terrible |
| Market Type |  Banditry |
They occupy a small tract of land that borders the Ural League and Magnitogorsk to the north, Kazakh SSR to the east and south and Orenburg to the west. From here they rape, pillage and burn their way through the land, striking fear into the hearts of the people.
History Edit
NOTE: The history section was written prior to the The Ruin update, therefore its lore is slightly outdated.
The Brigade Edit
Bandit King Edit
The Dirlewanger Brigade is the bane of the Southern Urals, and not without reason. It is not so much a nation-state as it is a roving army that turned to banditry, sowing blood and terror across the steppe. At its head is Oskar Dirlewanger, an officer turned bandit king who revels in the suffering he inflicts upon the villages around him.
Their origins lie not in the Urals, but in the Third Reich, as a penal battalion called the 36th Waffen Grenadier Division under the command of SS-Oberführer Oskar Dirlewanger, a long-serving veteran with a history of alcoholism, sadistic violence, and rape. rather than demobilize during the West Russian War, the Brigade fled the front lines and escaped into the wilderness. they have since accumulated a posse of thieves, exiles, bandits, deserters, and others who care more for bloodshed and loot than working alongside ex-Nazis.
No Nation Edit
The Brigade pledges itself to no nation, swears loyalty to no foreign leader, and bows to no master but themselves. And although they are fenced into one of the poorest corners of the former Soviet Union, they have set their sights on greater prizes.
To the south and east lie the Kazakh warlords, who are in a similar position: under-equipped, isolated, and without much in terms of loot. To the north are the Ural League, who in a way are the inverse of the Brigade: instead of soldiers-turned-bandits, they are former gulag inmates who became respectable soldiers who oppose banditry. there is also the secretive state of Magnitogorsk, who have common ground with the Brigade in their mutual hatred of the League, and their mutual interests may lead to an alliance of convenience. But to the west sits the crown jewel of Orenburg: untouched by warfare, led by a weak government, protected by a disorganized army, and ripe for the taking.
Simple Goal Edit
The goal of the brigade is simple: ride anywhere they have not been before, shoot anyone who shoots back, grab as much wealth as they can carry, use the women for their satisfaction, slaughter anyone they can see, burn down what's left, and ride off in search of their next victims.
A day may soon come where they are stopped and the last bandit lies dead on the steppe, and the people of the Urals may live without fear. But until that day comes, the Dirlewanger Brigade shall ride, and the world shall tremble in fear before them!
Gameplay Edit
The Dirlewanger Brigade starts with the following national spirits:
| Name | In-Game Description | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Luftwaffe Terror Bombing | With depressing regularity, Luftwaffe bombers from the airfields of Reichskommissariat Moskowien fly over the warlord states of western Russia, bombing everything they can see and affecting nearly every aspect of Russian life as a result. The only salvation comes in the form of the Free Aviators, who strive to intercept them at every opportunity. If not for them, the situation in Russia would be far more dire. | Monthly Population: -5.0%
Constructuon Speed: -40.0% Production Efficiency Cap: -10.0% Production Efficiency Growth: -7.0% Free Repair: -70.0% Needed Consumer Goods: +7.0% |
| Bandit State | This 'nation' can hardly be called one, consisting of little more than the territory of a roving pack of bandits, who set up camp only long enough to plunder evrything aorund them before moving on.As such, the functions considered normal to an actual state are laregly ignored. It also means, however, they are fierce in any fight, and should not be underestimated. | Political Power Gain: -35%
Division Organization: +2.5 Division Recovery Rate: +10.0% War Support: +35.00% Production Efficiency Cap: -35.00% Division Attack: +5.0% Reserach Speed: -15.00% |
| Soldiers - Disorderly | As might be expected for those who comprise a bandit group, the men of the Brigade are a motley lot. Although excellent raiders, discipline and organization are not typically qualities that could be ascribed to them.But those are the exact qualities that the Brigade will need if it wishes to conquer the Southern Urals.
A monthly inspection of the troops by Dirlewanger himself shall gauge their organization. |
Division Organization: +2.5
Division Attack: -10.0% Division Defense: -10.0% |
| Officers - Content with Dirlewanger | Much like their men, the officers of the Brigade are, by and large, ruthless killers, living for plunder and personal enrichment.This encourages them to search out new targets and new sources of wealth, but also presents a danger - that they might think themselves better qualified to lead the Brigade than Dirlewanger himself. their loyalty must be maintained.
A monthly talk with the officers shall reveal their disposition. |
Army Experience Gain: +10.0%
Non-Combat Out of Supply Penalties: -5.0% Entrenchment Speed: +5.0% |
Trivia Edit
Before the playthrough begins one of around 60 methods will be selected for Dirlewanger to die, as well as a death date. Once Dirlewanger does die, Fritz Schmedes will take over, but he will only be able to maintain control for around a week before the Brigade completely collapses and disperses - leaving Orsk open to be conquered by another warlord.
Some of the methods that Dirlewanger dies involve references from folk stories such as Little Red Riding Hood, to urban legends, to modern popular culture such as John Wick or Mad Max.
Should Dirlewanger somehow reunify the Southern Urals and eventually collapse, the whole region will be marked as an Anarchy territory, with a special note "The Anarchy of the Southern Urals, the Legacy of Oskar Dirlewanger", as a statement to how Dirlewanger's rule over the Southern Urals has left a bitter, pained legacy for the inhabitants of the Southern Urals.