During the existence of the Third Reich, forty two of Adolf Hitlers officially registered assassination attempts were committed. Most of them failed for different reasons at the last moment, and only three or four of the most famous assassination attempts deserve attention.
What was the reason for the low efficiency of the conspirators? In our efforts to answer this question, historians often begin to talk about the diabolical luck of the Führer. And, sometimes, about the complex multi-echelon security system developed by Hitler’s Chief of Safety, Hans Rattenhuber.
The very same Fuhrer, however, wrote: «I am aware of why ninety percent of the historical attempts were unsuccessful. The only preventive measures that should be taken should have the same similarities of every day life, such as walking, traveling and moving around. All of this should take place at its normal pace and with the same spontaneity as every day life.
Gerhrad Meyer will face the enormous power of the Führer’s security in the second chapter of the game, and that is the time when he would try to lay the explosives directly on the Fuhrers plane.
For his flight travel Hitler always used the heavy four machine-type «Condor» company «Fokke-Wolf». The personal pilot of the Fuhrer was Lieutenant-General Hans Bauer, the commander of a special aviation wing, serving all of the top brass of the Third Reich. The cruising speed of the «Condor» amounted to 340 kilometers per hour, and the duration of the flight was four hours. The crew never flew above 4.5 thousand meters because at that altitude Hitler would become sick.
To defend itself, the «Condor» was armed with two heavy 150 mm machine guns, one in the back in the plane’s tail, and another one under the fuselage. During the flight to the front line, Hitler’s plane was accompanied by an escort of fighters ranging from 6 to 10 vehicles, manned by the best of Germany’s aces.
The same airplane had a special device that high-ranking passengers could open in an emergency by pressing a special button. A passanger chair was attached to the parachute, which opened automatically a few seconds after the start of the free fall began. The device, and especially the parachute, were continuously subjected to special technical inspection. But the Fuhrer, fortunately for him, never was in a position to take advantage of this …
Observers will notice immediately that the burning body of the airplane, depicted in the screenshot, is not the FW 200 Condor, but the Ju-52, known as “Auntie U” in the Wehrmacht.
What happened? Could it be that Mayer bombed the wrong plane? Or did Hitler at the last moment change his «Condor» and move to one of the Junkers? The crash of the aircraft in general is not at the will of the hero game, but was it the result of the fatal combination of circumstances? We’ll keep this little intrigue unsolved for now.
However, the «Aviatic» theme in the game did not end with the Junkers alone. In one of the hangars at the airport, you can see the famous Messerschmitt Bf-109, the same airplane that was piloted by the Luftwaffe ace Erich Hartmann who was shot down by a 303 Soviet fighter, 30 shturmovikov IL-2, 15 medium bombers and 3 Communication aircrafts, according to official data.
Should we treat these figures seriously? Hardly. In those days reyhsministr Goebbels used and abused the facts for the sake of ideological propaganda and maintaining morale. It was ok to make false statements. On the other hand, Adolf Hitlers assassin, too, at first glance, seems an unfeasible endevour. So – who knows …
If you had the chance to change history would you? Could you?
In Germany hurtling towards the global catastrophe in the second world war, you step into the murky arena of international espionage as you try to alter the course of history and try and achieve what so many failed: the assassination of Adolf Hitler.
As a special agent trained in the latest sabotage techniques you have to infiltrate Hitler's inner circle and avoid the ever-watchful eyes of the ever-dangerous Gestapo. And they will be watching you, they always are...
A Stroke of Fate transports you into the world of the 1940s, mixing with the most hated figures in European history; Himmler, Goebbels, Muller and Hitler himself. While you are there though, do you have what it takes to achieve the impossible task that eluded so many others, the final solution to the Hitler problem?
- Compelling pseudo-historical plot;
- Ingenious brainteasers and quests to reflect German peculiarities of the 1940s;
- Realistic graphics;
- Authentic places and historically derived personalities: Muller, Goebbels, and Hitler;
- You can walk along the Secret Police building and Hitler’s private study
Release Q4 2008
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