Cinematic Cutscene[]
The camera fades in to the 1st Infantry Division escorting a line of German prisoners that were taken captive at the Battle of the Bulge. Daniels and Zussman are escorting one such prisoner.
German Soldier: Wasser, bitte. (Water, please.)
Daniels: What's he want?
German Soldier: Wasser, bitte. (Water, please.)
Zussman takes out his canteen and gives it to the prisoner.
Zussman: Here.
Pierson storms up to them and knocks the canteen out of the German's hands. The prisoner stoops down to pick up the canteen.
Pierson: (furiously) Goddamnit it, what are you doing Zussman?
Zussman: (defensively) Lay off, Sergeant.
Zussman stoops down to pick up the canteen himself just as Pierson shoves him to the ground.
Pierson: What's that? Huh? How's that? Huh? How's that work for ya?
Zussman: (defiantly) Much better.
Pierson: (glowering) You sonofabitch.
Pierson threatenly walks up to Zussman, but Daniels tries to intervene by stopping Pierson.
Daniels: Sergeant!
Pierson swats Daniels' hand aside.
Pierson: Hey, you stay outta this.
Just when Daniels and Pierson are about to come to blows, the German prisoner sneaks up behind Pierson and hits his head with Zussman's canteen. The prisoner sprints away from the group in order to escape. Daniels chases after him as fast as he can.
Daniels: Hey! Stop!
Daniels catches up to the German and uses the butt of his rifle to knock the prisoner to the ground. Daniels grabs the prisoner, but gets elbowed in the lip by him. He staggers for a brief moment before coming to, stomps his foot down on the prisoner to top him from crawling away, and points his M1 Garand at him.
German Prisoner: Nicht schießen! Nicht schießen! (Don't shoot! Don't shoot!)
Daniels breathes heavily and looks like he's about to shoot him, until Zussman catches up to him.
Zussman: He's not worth it! Daniels!
Daniels spits out the blood from his lip.
Daniels: (seething) Dumb Kraut. Why'd you run? Must be hidin' somethin'.
Daniels gets down on his knee and searches the prisoner's clothing. He finds a piece of paper and hands it to Zussman. Pierson catches up to them.
Daniels: Son of a bitch was holdin' out on us.
Pierson kicks the prisoner in the side and snatches the paper from Zussman's hands.
Pierson: Gimme that. (pause) The fuck's this say?
Pierson hands back the paper to Zussman, who then translates it.
Zussman: These are orders to plant explosives on the bridge in Remagen. Ordnance is gonna be loaded onto trucks five miles north of here. If I'm reading this right, it's the last bridge standing across the Rhine.
Pierson: (to the German) Well ain't that somethin', Fritz?
Pierson kicks the German across the face, knocking him out cold. The screen cuts to black.
Gameplay[]
The screen fades in to nighttime as Daniels and his team shiver in the freezing cold wind by a road. Howard approaches the group.
Howard: Enemy trucks with explosives will be coming through here soon. We can't let them get to the Rhine.
AMBUSH
December 27, 1944
The Ardennes, Belgium
Howard: Pierson's ordered us to block the road by bringing down those trees.
Daniels: Where the hell is Pierson?
Zussman: Probably in some hidey-hole with the detonator. And his whiskey.
Stiles walks over to join the group.
Stiles: You know what else gets you drunk? Hypothermia.
Howard: Not if we keep moving. Stiles, you're with Pierson's group.
Stiles: Just my luck.
Howard: Daniels, Zussman, you come with me while I set the final charge. Then, we ambush the trucks.
Zussman: Will do
Daniels readies his M1 Garand and the squad moves out to achieve their objectives.
Zussman: Good thing we found that intelligence, huh?
Daniels: One step closer to the Rhine.
Howard: We're breathing down Adolf's neck.
Daniels: Just gotta stop those trucks.
Howard approaches a tree and sets the final explosive.
Howard: I got this. Go watch the road for enemy trucks.
Daniels takes up position on a cliff overlooking the road. Other soldiers are positioned on a cliff opposite the road. They hear the sound of approaching vehicles.
Zussman: There's our signal. Trucks are inbound. Up here, Daniels. You have the best view.
Daniels: We've got Nazi transports on the road. Howard, get up here.
A convoy of German trucks rounds a bend in the road and comes into view.
Daniels: Hold. Wait until they're in position.
Zussman: Fritz is in for a surprise.
The charges detonate and fell the trees, blocking the German convoy from going any further. The 1st Infantry springs into action, destroying the armored vehicles and shooting any German soldiers.
Daniels: Go, go go! Take those trucks!
Daniels and the rest of the team sweep through the area, killing any German soldiers they can find until they reach the last flank.
Howard: Mop up those last Krauts by the road!
Eventually, Daniels and the team secure the area.
Soldier: All clear, all clear!
Pierson: We're gonna use this truck to infiltrate the enemy airbase and destroy the explosives. Aiello, get it ready to move out. Howard, take some men and clear the road.
Howard: Yes sir.
Pierson: Stiles, you're with me.
Aiello gets into an Opel Blitz and shoves a dead German soldier out of the vehicle.
Aiello: Move it, Fritz. I'm drivin'.
Pierson opens the back door into the vehicle, allowing Daniels and the rest of the team to ride in the truck. The screen fades to black.
After some time, the screen fades in to Daniels and Zussman riding in the captured Opel Blitz with Pierson and Stiles behind them in a jeep. Both vehicles come to a complete stop as Daniels and Zussman hop out of the truck and walk over to Pierson and Stiles.
Pierson: We'll be coming through the gates at oh-three-hundred. Find a high vantage to cover our assault so we can take out those last trucks. Hey, keep it quiet and watch for patrols. Let's move!
The vehicles continue on with Daniels and Zussman, who then proceed on foot.
Zussman: The base is up ahead.
Daniels and Zussman get off the road and cut through the forest to reach two high points that can provide overwatch.
Zussman: There's our two high points near the front gate. Must be a few ways to sneak in.
At this point, the player can choose any route to sneak in, including a sewar pipe.
Zussman: Quiet. Krauts are everywhere.
Daniels and Zussman crawl through the sewer pipe until they reach a grate leading within the base that they open.
Zussman: All right. Now, we gotta find a vantage point by the gate.
Daniels and Zussman sneak through the base, quietly killing any German soldiers that they come across. Zussman spots the base officer nearby.
Zussman: Look! There's the base commander.
The player can choose either to kill the base commander or let him live.
(If the player kills the base commander)
Zussman: That should make our assault easier. We need to find a high vantage so we can help destroy those explosives.
Daniels and Zussman continue to sneak through the base until they find a pathway to a ridge.
Zussman: This path leads to the ridge.
The player can choose to continue on past the path or take the path to the ridge overlooking the base. Either way, Daniels and Zussman reach one of the vantage points.
Zussman: Hold your fire. Pierson's squad will be assaulting the gate soon. Scout the area, look for targets.
Daniels observes the Germans loading explosives into the truck.
Daniels: Explosives are being loaded into those trucks.
Zussman: Look right. Pierson's in position at the gate.
Daniels looks through his scoped Springfield rifle to see Pierson's truck approaching the gate and breaking through. A rocket is fired from the truck, destroying the guard tower and allowing Pierson's team to assault the base.
Zussman: Pierson's advancing to the trucks. They're moving up! Cover them!
The German truck begins to leave the area with the explosives loaded.
Zussman: We gotta stop that truck! Shoot the driver!
Daniels snipes the driver in the Opel Blitz. A German sniper takes up position on the rooftop of the building next to the truck.
Zussman: Second floor! On the balcony.
Daniels snipes the shooters.
Zussman: Support Pierson! Pierson's pinned down. Help him get to the explosives.
Daniels helps provide cover with his rifle until Pierson reaches the first truck.
Zussman: Pierson's at the first truck!
Pierson and his team destroy the first truck.
Zussman: They destroyed the lead truck! Let's move to the next position! Follow me!
Daniels and Zussman displace from the vantage point and move up to the fence where the rest of the team is.
Stiles: Our boys our on the right!
Stiles runs over to Daniels and Zussman.
Stiles: Pierson wants us to take that tower and provide overwatch. We need that tower! The tower is dead ahead.
Daniels and Zussman make their way over to the tower, killing any German soldiers along the way until they reach the base of the tower.
Zussman: Let's get up there, Daniels!
Stiles: We'll hold the entrance!
Stiles stands guard by the entrance to the tower while Daniels and Zussman move up to the upper level. Daniels reaches the upper level and kills a lone German machine gunner.
Zussman: Get on that 42, Daniels! Pierson's team is pinned!
Daniels mans the MG42 and shoots down any German soldiers throughout the airbase.
Zussman: Target's moving! Behind the sandbags! There! By the plane!
Daniels kills enough German soldiers for Pierson and his team to proceed.
Zussman: Pierson's moving up! Cover him!
Pierson and his team are forced to fall back because of German reinforcements. A German tank also exits the tarmac and attacks the team.
Daniels: Pierson's fallin' back.
Zussman: Enemy tank!
The German tank turns its main gun on the tower with Daniels and Zussman still inside it.
Zussman: THE TANK'S TARGETING US! Get down!
The German tank fires at the tower, causing an explosion to knock Daniels over the edge. He tries to grab on, but falls to the ground and is knocked unconscious. The screen cuts to black. The screen fades in as Daniels and Zussman find themselves lying on the ground surrounded by German soldiers. The Germans are loading American prisoners into the trucks to be taken away.
Zussman: This is bad. Jewish POWs don't get off easy.
Daniels: Stay calm. It'll be okay.
Two German soldiers approach, with one grabbing Zussman while the other grabbing Daniels. The Germans load Zussman into the truck before turning to Daniels. Suddenly, Pierson's team open fire, killing a few Germans and freeing Daniels. The truck leaves with Zussman still taken captive.
Zussman: Daniels!
Daniels: Hang on!
Daniels grabs the St. Michael pendant on the ground that Zussman dropped. Howard runs up to Daniels.
Howard: That was close. You okay?
Daniels: They captured Zussman.
Daniels looks over to see Pierson driving his jeep and parking it.
Howard: I'm sorry about your buddy, but we need to hit that last truck now.
Daniels: No.
Daniels rushes over to take Pierson's jeep, but Pierson stops him from going any further.
Pierson: No, no, no. You're not going anywhere.
Daniels: Zussman was captured!
Pierson: Mission comes first.
Daniels: I can't leave him!
Daniels breaks free of Pierson's grip and gets into the jeep. He drives after the truck carrying Zussman just as it leaves the airbase..
Daniels: Can't lose that truck!
Daniels drives the jeep as fast as he can to reach Zussman.
Daniels: Gotta hit 'em! Out of my way! Truck went left! Have to keep going! Truck went right!
Daniels keeps chasing after the truck under heavy fire from the Germans just as the pursuit takes him out of the base.
Daniels: Incoming!
Daniels deals with German kubelwagen containing SS soldiers.
Daniels: Get the hell out of my way!
Daniels knocks a kubelwagen out of the way.
Daniels: That was close. Damn!
A kubelwagen drives alongside Daniels' jeep and the truck carrying Zussman and swipes into Daniels' vehicle, causing both vehicles to flip and turn off the road in a spectacular crash. Daniels winds up hurt the ground with a German Luger pistol lying close to him. A lone German soldier is also lying on the ground nearby as both Daniels and the soldier crawl towards the pistol. Daniels reaches the pistol only to find the German soldier grabbing his hand and struggling to gain control of the weapon. A struggle ensues between Daniels and the German. Daniels grabs the German's face with one hand and brings his other hand with the Luger in it to aim at the German's head. Daniels aims and shoots the German soldier in the head, throwing him off to the side. Daniels gets up on his feet and sees the truck carrying Zussman stopped on the road with two German soldiers trying to get it moving again. Daniels staggers over to the truck with the Luger in his hand just as the Germans get back into the truck and drive off. Daniels drops to the ground and passes out from his wounds. Some time later, Daniels comes to and turns arounds to see Pierson approaching him.
Pierson: You disobeyed a direct order.
Daniels: Then, I guess you better court martial me.
Pierson walks closer until he stands completely over Daniels.
Pierson: Desertion is a capital offense. So, maybe I should just do us all a favor and finish the job.
Pierson reaches for his pistol in his holster
Stiles: (offscreen) Sergeant!
Pierson takes his hand off his holster and kneels over Daniels.
Pierson: (angrily) It's over. You got no place in my platoon.
Stiles and Aiello rush over to Daniels and Pierson.
Pierson: Get him out of my face.
Pierson walks away, leaving Stiles and Aiello to help Daniels on his feet and walk.
Stiles: It's gonna be okay. We'll get you patched up.
Aiello: You did everything you could.
The screen fades to black.
Cinematic Cutscene[]
12 hours later
Bad Orb, Germany
The screen fades in to a POW processing camp as Waffen SS troops stand guard over captured American POWs. A German commander named Metz walks up and down the line, inspecting the troops as Zussman watches. Metz speaks with a German guard.
Metz: Bin auf der Suche nach Arbeitern. Ich werden sie ins beziehen, die Juden separat. (I'm looking for workers. Seperate the Jews.)
Zussman: (whispers to himself) Lose the tags. Lose 'em.
Zussman quickly reaches into his clothes and takes out the dog tags, dropping them on the ground behind his back and placing his foot over them to hide them.
Zussman: They're after Jews.
Metz walks over to an American POW.
Metz: Wer sind die Juden? (Show me who are the Jews.)
The POW doesn't answer. Metz takes out his pistol and threatens the POW by pointing his pistol at his face.
Metz: Die Juden. (The Jews.)
The POW remains silent. Metz shoots him in the face and the POW collapses to the ground. Metz moves on to the next POW.
Metz: Wer sind die Juden? (Show me the Jews.)
Zussman: (aloud) Fragt mich doch, du Nazi Stück Scheiße. (Ask me, you Nazi piece of shit.)
Metz walks over to Zussman.
Metz: Du sprichst Deutsch. Ausgezeichnet. Welchen sind die Juden? (You speak German. Perfect. Who are the Jews?)
Zussman: Fick dich. (Fuck you.)
Metz points his pistol into Zussman's face.
Metz: Zeig Sie mir! (Show me.)
Zussman: We're Americans. Period.
Metz pistol-whips Zussman in the head, forcing Zussman to drop to the ground. Metz kicks him twice while Zussman lies on the ground.
Metz: Verfrachtet sie alle auf dem Zug! (Put them all on the train.)
Two SS guards force Zussman on his feet and into the train along with the rest of the POWs being herded into the boxcars.
Zussman: Wohin bringst ihr uns? (Where are you taking us?)
Metz: Ihr seid zum Arbeiten hier gekommen, und dass werdet ihr auch tun! (You were sent here to work and that's what you'll do!)
A grim look comes upon Zussman's face. The screen fades to black.
Gameplay[]
March 3, 1945
42nd Field Hospital, Ardennes Forest
Daniels: (narrating) It's been eight weeks since Zussman was captured. I'm trying not to lose hope.
The screen fades in to Daniels lying on a hospital cot inside a tent, resting from his wounds sustained during his last mission. Colonel Davis walks over to Daniels.
Daniels: Sir, tell me they found Zussman.
Davis: I wish I could, son.
Daniels: Pierson didn't give a damn about him. Just like his men at Kasserine.
Davis: Kasserine? You got it all wrong, Private.
Davis holds up a finger gesturing for Daniels to wait while he grabs a stool and sits by Daniels.
Davis: Pierson was ordered to retreat, but some of his men were trapped in the pass. He couldn't bring himself to fall back without them. But, he ended up just losing more trying to save them. He's never been the same. But, you don't need to worry about Pierson. You're headed stateside.
Daniels: Am I looking at a court martial, sir?
Davis: Wouldn't reflect too good on the army to punish the soldier who accelerated the whole damn war effort. That's right. The intelligence you found on that prisoner was critical in locating the last bridge across the Rhine. (stands up) Might even be a Bronze Star in your future. You're a bona fide hero.
Davis walks away, leaving Daniels alone as he looks at Zussman's St. Michael pendant.
Cinematic Cutscene[]
2 Weeks Later
Longview, Texas
The screen fades in to a car as it drives down the road to a farm in the countryside on a sunny day. Red is riding in the passenger seat dressed in his ceremonial uniform with Paul driving until they come to a complete stop. Hazel stands on a step ladder at the house putting up "welcome home" decorations above the front door when she turns around to see the two brothers arrive. Red and Paul smile at each other.
Paul: Welcome home, Red.
Red and Paul step out of the car. Red and Hazel walk up to each other and embrace.
Hazel Daniels: (smiling) From this moment on, I am not letting you outta my sight. You understand me, Corporal?
Daniels: (playfully) Yes, ma'am.
Daniels and Hazel kiss each other with the wind chimes on the porch dangling. The screen fades out.
The screen fades in to a baby's mobile hanging over a crib. The sound of a baby cooing can be heard as Daniels looks down lovingly at his child and then looks out the window to snow falling outside. The scene cuts to Red and Paul hunting outside as Daniels cocks his rifle. Paul looks at Red with concern.
Paul: You all right there, Red?
Daniels: We gonna talk or we gonna hunt?
Paul: You should be proud. You ruled your fear, you held your own. Nuthin' more you can ask of a man.
Daniels stands there with his rifle feeling uncertain.
Paul: It's the best feelin' in the world, ain't it? Facin' down hell and comin' home a bona fide hero.
Daniels looks at Paul and then looks down even more doubtful than before.
Paul: Red. Red?
The screen fades out.
Davis: (voiceover) You're a bona fide hero.
Gameplay[]
The screen fades in to Daniels' POV as he lies on his cot at the field hospital, looking down at Zussman's St. Michael pendant in his hand.
Zussman: (voiceover) To the end?
Daniels clasps the pendant around his hand in a fist.
Daniels: To the end.
The screen fades out.
| |||||