Unit Request: Finnish Jaeger

Lusikka755

Tired
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Jun 25, 2003
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A quote from www.fact-index.com

"The Jäger troops were volunteers from Finland in Germany trained to Jaegers during World War I. It was one of many means of Germany's with the intention to weaken Russia and to facillitate Russia's loss of western provinces and dependencies.

The recruitement of the Jäger volunteers from the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland had to be secret, and was dominated by the most Germany-influnced circles, such as university students and the upper middle class. The recruitement was however in no ways exclusive.

The recruits were transported across Finland's western border via Sweden to Germany, where the volunteers were formed into the Royal Prussian 27th Jäger Battallion. The Jäger Battallion participated in the ranks of the German Army from 1916 in the battles on the northern flank of the eastern front.

After the outbreak of the Civil War in Finland those of the Jägers were released, who intended to engage on the "White" (non-Socialist) side in the war. In Finland, these 2,000 volunteers were simply called The Jägers.

Their contribution to the White victory was crucial, not the least morally. Educated as elite troops they were also fit to assume command as officers over the untrained and uneducated troops of the Civil War.

Immediately after the Civil War, they were afforded the right to use the word Jäger in their military ranks. Many of the Jägers continued their military careers. In the 1920s a long feud between officers with Jäger-background and Finnish officers who had served in the Russian Tsarist army was concluded in favor of the Jägers: Most of the commanders of army corps, divisions and regiments in the Winter War were Jägers. The Jäger March composed by Jean Sibelius to the words written by the Jäger Heikki Nurmio, was the honorary march of many army detachments."

I know there is the Drift's version but it is really the Russian infantry from PTW, and Jaegers didn't have anything to do with Russia ;)

Was that Bebro who did many great Rifleman units a while back? Could you be nice to make just one more version?

Here are some (not so good) pictures. If anyone finds better ones, I would appreciate it.

vantunen.jpg
 

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Are you making a mod based on Finnish Civil War? Other than that, I don't really see use for such a marginal unit.

Jaegers are an interesting subject in Finnish history and there has been a lot controversy surrounding them. Reds viewed them as butchers, Whites viewed them as noble patriots. What Jaegers thought of themselves and their mission has also raised questions. Some thought jaegers didn't know they would be facing mostly their own people instead of Russian troops aiding the Reds, some thought they were eager to teach a lesson to Reds who were 'guilty of treason' and some feel jaegers were mostly lost bunch of young guys who set out on a patriotic mission, but never got the payoff - Finland liberated itself and the hoped liberation war turned into a civil war.

Many of the jaegers symphatized Reds and held socialistic ideals, there were mutinies and in general, the view of the jaegers as elite troops with a single minded goal is based on the history written by the victors, the Whites. Word did travel to Germany and I think it's silly to think that jaegers hadn't known the nature of the war they were about to join, I don't have the numbers here, but I think several hundred of them didn't leave Germany with the others due to them being considered unreliable based on their worker background and sympathy for the Reds. How many of those who left Germany harbored similar feelings is anyone's guess. When in Finland, all jaegers didn't get well along with the leaders of the Whites who had often served in the Russian army. There is also historical evidence that suggests that some radical jaegers may have even tried to assasinate Mannerheim, leader of the White troops. Due to these problems, Mannerheim separated the jaegers instead of keeping them as a single unit, which would've been the jaegers' preference.

However, there's no need to downplay the jaegers too much. They had strong impact on the training of the White troops and they did offer a boost for their fighting power. However, they didn't decide the outcome of the war.
 
Drift said:
Are you making a mod based on Finnish Civil War? Other than that, I don't really see use for such a marginal unit.

I'va considered the option. But at least I would use it as a Finnish UU in my game.

About the mod/scenario about the Civil War... At least I have to concentrate on my school now (matriculation examination tomorrow...) but maybe on the 'reading vacation' next spring. I'm not promising anything though. This unit would maybe have some affect :mischief:

BTW, Drift, would you happen to have a better pic?
 
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