'Antihero' from AdamC - 'Old Blood and Guts'

After much thought I decided I would do George Patton probably the most controversial US General in the European Theatre.  If ever there was a man who wanted to be a HERO! it was George Patton in fact he believed it his destiny both because of his family history (he had ancestors that had fought the AWI, Mexican American and ACW) and his belief that he had already been a hero in his past lives, he is well know for his belief in Reincarnation.

Its impossible to deny Patton's physical courage, shooting it out Mexican Bandits in 1915, or leading tanks (on foot) in the Meuse-Argonne offencive of 1918, or standing the street shooting at German air craft with his service pistol in 1943 (as was well shown in the movie Patton). 

His abilities as a commander are also very real his plan for the invasion of Sicily while riskier than the plan that was adopted might well have allowed the allies to avoid the costly fighting over that Islands rugged central highland.   His actions during the Battle of the Bulge extracting his army form one fight to turn 90 degrees and engage in to another in a matter of days  is a rightly celebrated feat of arms.

Patton had his dark side too... he could be selective in following orders if he thought it would get him headlines, as was the case during the Sicily campaign.   He also failed to understand the soldiers he lead, insisting on what contemporary GIs called "chicken sh!t" regulations and refusing to acknowledge the existence of combat fatigue (PTSD).  He famously slapped two soldiers suffering form Combat Fatigue a move that got him relived of command (ironically he may well have been suffering from the same condition as one of the slapped soldiers observed after the war). 

Patton may have been a master of the art of mobile warfare but he was less able  when facing a dug in foe as at Metz where his insistence on taking that fortified place cost many lives on a target that could probably have been bypassed.

Patton also made trouble for almost every officer who ever commanded him... some times flirting with disloyalty.  He was a shameless self promoter on at least one occasion sacrificed his soldiers lives for a purely person goal, the rescue of his son in law . Patton was a complex man, an interesting character study and a real life Anti-Hero.

The miniatures are Battlefront (15mm) and can be used for Flames of War with a number of US Armoured forces. Patton is shown mounted in an M20 Command vehicle and on foot with his bull terrier Willie.  You can check out his in game special abilities in this article on the appropriately named "What Would Patton Do" website.