[RESTOCKING] WWII German Kar Torso
The Karabiner 98 kurz (Kar98k) was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht. It was used through to the end of the war with variants including sniper and paratrooper versions. Despite not having the ammo capacity of the British Lee-Enfield rifles, or the semi-automatic ability of the American M1 Garand, it suited German tactics of basing a squads fire-power on the machine gun. The role of a rifleman was to carry ammunition for the machine gunner or to provide suppressive or covering fire. Despite its apparent limitations, it was used by all branches of the German military and saw service in every field of the war.
The German Army (Wehrmacht) were a formidable force in WW2. With excellent leadership, superior training, and generally well equipped, they would have almost uninterrupted success early in the war, and fought bitterly to the very end of it. 18 million soldiers would serve in the German army, of which about 10 million became casualties. German operational doctrine dictated an emphasis of sweeping pincer and lateral movements to destroy the enemy as quickly as possible in what would become known as "Blitzkrieg."