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Fritz Joseph Bittenfeld is a prominent military officer serving the Galactic Empire in Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These Second, where he holds the rank of Vice Admiral and commands the renowned Black Lancers fleet, also known as the Schwarz Lanzenreiter. This fleet is distinguished by its black-painted warships and specializes in high-speed, hunter-killer tactics designed to seek out and destroy enemy vessels with overwhelming force.
Bittenfeld is best characterized by his fiery temper and an aggressive, almost reckless approach to combat. His personality is that of a pure warrior who lives for the thrill of battle, finding little interest in cultural pursuits or state functions, which he often finds tedious. Known colloquially as a "wild boar" for his ferocity and headstrong nature, his tactical doctrine is defined by powerful frontal assaults and a relentless drive to close with the enemy. He is famous for his rousing, if crude, battle cries; one of his most notable quotes is his declaration that the goddess of victory is waving her underwear in his fleet's faces, a testament to his uncouth but effective motivational style. While his speech can be harsh and direct, it is not born of malice, and he is a commander who is genuinely well-liked and respected by his subordinates for his courage and straightforward nature.
Bittenfeld's primary motivation is the glory of combat and service to his admired leader, Reinhard von Lohengramm. He exhibited immense loyalty to Reinhard, viewing him as the ideal superior to follow. His role in the story is that of a powerful, aggressive asset to Reinhard's fleet, though his impulsiveness frequently places him in dangerous situations. His career is a series of dramatic successes and near-disasters born from his own audacity. He first caught Reinhard's attention as a captain during the Sixth Battle of Iserlohn, sinking two enemy ships with a single volley. As a Vice Admiral, his Black Lancers were instrumental in routing the Alliance's 10th Fleet at the Battle of Lügen. However, at the subsequent Battle of Amritsar, his eagerness to engage led him to deploy his fighter craft too early against Yang Wen-li, leaving his fleet vulnerable to a crippling counterattack that nearly resulted in a court-martial, from which he was saved only by the intervention of Siegfried Kircheis.
This pattern of aggressive bravery that teeters on the edge of folly continues to define his trajectory. At the Battle of Amlitzer, his forces obliterated the Alliance's 8th Fleet, yet his haste also inadvertently created an opening for Yang Wen-li to escape. His relationship with his peers is just as direct as his personality; he holds a particular and extreme contempt for the cunning and manipulative Paul von Oberstein, whose tactics and demeanor clash violently with Bittenfeld's own warrior ethos. Despite these flaws, Reinhard von Lohengramm consistently recognized Bittenfeld's value as a battlefield commander, accepting his aggressive nature as a double-edged sword that, while dangerous, could achieve results that a more cautious officer could not.
His development shows a commander who, despite repeated lessons, remains true to his nature. During the pursuit of Yang Wen-li after the fall of the Alliance, Bittenfeld was lured into a trap in the Iserlohn Corridor. The ensuing close-quarters battle was a bloodbath for his Black Lancers, resulting in the loss of over 6,000 ships and millions of lives, as well as the death of his comrade, High Admiral Adalbert von Fahrenheit. Accepting full responsibility for the disastrous outcome, Bittenfeld offered himself for punishment, but Reinhard again declined to reprimand him, stating that making a mistake that was unlike Bittenfeld's character would have been worse. This event underscores his role as a loyal, self-aware, but ultimately unchanging instrument of war. His notable abilities lie almost entirely in his talent for leading devastating, high-speed shock attacks. His lack of tactical flexibility is his greatest weakness, but his sheer power in a direct assault is a force that few can withstand, securing his legacy as one of the Empire's most feared combat officers.
Bittenfeld is best characterized by his fiery temper and an aggressive, almost reckless approach to combat. His personality is that of a pure warrior who lives for the thrill of battle, finding little interest in cultural pursuits or state functions, which he often finds tedious. Known colloquially as a "wild boar" for his ferocity and headstrong nature, his tactical doctrine is defined by powerful frontal assaults and a relentless drive to close with the enemy. He is famous for his rousing, if crude, battle cries; one of his most notable quotes is his declaration that the goddess of victory is waving her underwear in his fleet's faces, a testament to his uncouth but effective motivational style. While his speech can be harsh and direct, it is not born of malice, and he is a commander who is genuinely well-liked and respected by his subordinates for his courage and straightforward nature.
Bittenfeld's primary motivation is the glory of combat and service to his admired leader, Reinhard von Lohengramm. He exhibited immense loyalty to Reinhard, viewing him as the ideal superior to follow. His role in the story is that of a powerful, aggressive asset to Reinhard's fleet, though his impulsiveness frequently places him in dangerous situations. His career is a series of dramatic successes and near-disasters born from his own audacity. He first caught Reinhard's attention as a captain during the Sixth Battle of Iserlohn, sinking two enemy ships with a single volley. As a Vice Admiral, his Black Lancers were instrumental in routing the Alliance's 10th Fleet at the Battle of Lügen. However, at the subsequent Battle of Amritsar, his eagerness to engage led him to deploy his fighter craft too early against Yang Wen-li, leaving his fleet vulnerable to a crippling counterattack that nearly resulted in a court-martial, from which he was saved only by the intervention of Siegfried Kircheis.
This pattern of aggressive bravery that teeters on the edge of folly continues to define his trajectory. At the Battle of Amlitzer, his forces obliterated the Alliance's 8th Fleet, yet his haste also inadvertently created an opening for Yang Wen-li to escape. His relationship with his peers is just as direct as his personality; he holds a particular and extreme contempt for the cunning and manipulative Paul von Oberstein, whose tactics and demeanor clash violently with Bittenfeld's own warrior ethos. Despite these flaws, Reinhard von Lohengramm consistently recognized Bittenfeld's value as a battlefield commander, accepting his aggressive nature as a double-edged sword that, while dangerous, could achieve results that a more cautious officer could not.
His development shows a commander who, despite repeated lessons, remains true to his nature. During the pursuit of Yang Wen-li after the fall of the Alliance, Bittenfeld was lured into a trap in the Iserlohn Corridor. The ensuing close-quarters battle was a bloodbath for his Black Lancers, resulting in the loss of over 6,000 ships and millions of lives, as well as the death of his comrade, High Admiral Adalbert von Fahrenheit. Accepting full responsibility for the disastrous outcome, Bittenfeld offered himself for punishment, but Reinhard again declined to reprimand him, stating that making a mistake that was unlike Bittenfeld's character would have been worse. This event underscores his role as a loyal, self-aware, but ultimately unchanging instrument of war. His notable abilities lie almost entirely in his talent for leading devastating, high-speed shock attacks. His lack of tactical flexibility is his greatest weakness, but his sheer power in a direct assault is a force that few can withstand, securing his legacy as one of the Empire's most feared combat officers.