Firestorm: Stripes

To: Commander 9th Tank Bobruisk-Berlin Order of the Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division
From: Colonel Anton Nikolayevich Sokolov

At 0400 leading elements of my regiment encountered an enemy ambush. Reacting quickly my men overwhelmed the resistance and resumed our march. I have enclosed the reports from my leading battalion commanders.

Comrade Colonel - at 0345 my recon units spotted elements of the US 11th ACR probing forward. As they were on our line of advance I and Major Krupin halted our advance and dismounted three companies. I took the right flank and Major Krupin the center. We deployed one of the companies BMPs to press the left. The largest of our companies dug in around our route to the rest of the regiment. We planned to press the right and center hardest, then shift our mounted companies to support the succeeding push.

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Lt Colonel Kozlov peered through his binoculars at the woodland dominating the center of town. The scouts had assured him enemy vehicles were hiding in the treeline...but he couldn’t see anything. Confidently Kozlov strode to the lead vehicle of his first company and watched the men dismount. “I understand you enjoyed track and field in lower education Captain. Feel up to a jog?”

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The US spearheaded two scout sections up into the copse of trees on either side. Pattons form the ACR were deployed to cover my left flank and dismounted infantry from the Abrams company covered the right. Battalion command for the ACR covered the middle with some of the infantry M113s.

Soviets spearheaded up the middle and right flank. Two small dismounted infantry formations with Battalion HQ deployed beside spearheads. Bulk of the mounted infantry formations formed up in between the middle and right. The empty BMPs formed a covering screen to draw AT fire. The large squad was dismounted and dug in around the objective on my side, their BMPs went wide left to try and fix the Pattons into place. Hinds head off the board, waiting to pounce.

The attack began at 0400, the US forces detected our advance and opened fire. Their attack did little but spook one of our BMP crews. My own forces began a rapid advance, ignoring the Yankee scouts. My own scouts especially raced ahead, moving into position to support our assault. The T-64s accompanying my Motor Rifles opened fire on the scouts and managed to kill one, the other fled following his comrade’s demise. Major Krupin and our left advanced with similar speed but could find no targets in the dark.

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Poplov smiled as his reticle centered on the flashes from the trees. The vehicle jostled under him but the T-64 was a model of Soviet engineering and the gun stayed true. Poplov need only keep the target in sight and….the tank shook as the gun fired, he heard the sounds of the autoloader bring a new round into the chamber. It wasn’t needed the small flashes of light now stood out as a ball of fire.

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US opened fire on Soviet infantry but failed to kill or pin. Bad night rolls on my opponent’s left him devoid of targets.

Soviet forces dashed forward. The BRDMs on the left moved up to hide behind a building, ready to spring out next turn. All six T-64s moved up their tactical and shot the ACR scouts, killing the M113 and causing a failed morale on the Hammerhead.

I kept the forces moving, knowing time was of the essence. My mounted troops pushed to the tree line on the right and prepared to dismount the men inside. Likewise the BMPs of my third company dashed to the extreme right and prepared to dismount. The BRDMs advanced and machine gunned the US infantry. I ordered my first company to attack and they fired into the dug in Americans. Their fire and the BRDMs pushed the US troops into the dirt, though not before they sent some missiles into my T-64s. On the left the BMPs continued their advance, hoping to have good positions to fire on the enemy tanks next turn. The Yankee scouts managed to knock out a BMP, but their tanks never opened fire. Our center forces advanced toward the factory dominating the town, Krupin was planning on assaulting from the cover of the building.

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Makarov swung the BRDM around the corner of the German home, leaving him sitting right down a neat little line of Yankee infantry. “...FIRE!” The loud boom of the heavy machine gun roared above and behind him. A neat little line of asphalt came up as Makarov watched. “You still can’t hit a building at fifty meters you idiot.” Despite his words the Soviet scout laughed with amusement instead of scorn. The Yankees were still burying their nose in the dirt. Good enough.

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US fires into Soviet infantry and kill a stand. Hammerhead kills a BMP, US players moves up vehicles to help slow advance. The Pattons roll 1,2 for night sight and my opponent decides to just leave them in cover.

Soviet opens fire on US Infantry. Kills one stand and pins them down. Rest of Soviet forces advance to get better firing positions.

US reinforcements began to arrive and my tanks came under artillery fire. One of our tanks was destroyed in the battle. Concentrated enemy fire from their tracks and infantry forced my first company to the ground and I was unable to get the immediately moving. Fortunately my third company had dismounted and with the BRDMs in support were able to put effective fire on the Americans. The T-64s drove into enemy lines and the tank shock sent the Americans back. On the left the enemy remained in effective and the BMPs, joined by Hind gunships, fired into the American artillery. Krupin lost some men covering the field to the factory.

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“OUT! OUT! OUT!” Voronin scrambled at his Captain’s cries, dismounting the BMP as he had been trained and watching nervously as it began to pick up speed and move away. He rushed forward with his fellow soldiers, firing his rifle from the hip to keep the Americans suppressed. Beside him the BRDMs joined in with their machine guns. Voronin dove to the ground not far from the Captain. “Form a line! Prepare to advance! DRIVE THE COWBOYS BACK!” Voronin was ok with this, especially since the cowboys in question were busy with other targets….like a Soviet beast of steel rushing directly toward them.

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US player rolls for Dawn and night stays. Then he rolls a 6 for reserves and the M109s roll in. FIST moves up and lasers my lead T-64s, but the M109s are terrible shots and only manage to kill one tank. Fire from the US infantry and M113s pins my Company with the HQ. ‘Pssh I say, Pssh 2+ to keep moving whatever.’ How fate punishes hubris. US player’s tanks continue to do nothing as they stay safe in cover. M113s in the middle bail both BRDMs.

Soviet player dismounts all remaining infantry and advance toward the left. Roll 1 for unpin on my HQ. I still manage to kill one stand with sheer weight of fire. And scout BMPs kill an M113. My middle infantry unit enters the factory and starts moving through it in safety. Hinds and BMPs on the left fire everything and bail 1 M109 and kill the other. T-64s assault US infantry and push them out of their holes.

The trickle of US forces become a small flood as the bulk of the US armor arrived, fortunately they were out of position. I finally rally my men and close in for an assault. My third company continues their push and finally overwhelms the American infantry. I quickly give orders to consolidate our position as American tanks begin to pick off my own. The remaining enemy transports are killed with AT fire from Krupin’s third company.

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“URA!” Voronin screamed as he ran, the fire had halted and he caught a glimpse of an American soldier scrambling out of his hole and fleeing to the west. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins as the charge finally slowed. The road was their’s….for whatever that meant. “Secure the position. Prepare to repeal tanks!” Voronin paled at that, not looking forward to fighting a Yankee tank with a bayonet and assault rifle.

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US rolls 5,6 on reserves. Over hills over dales we will hit the dusty trails…..indeed. Unfortunately they arrive on the wrong end. M1s move up and kill a T-64 and Shilka. M109 stays bailed. His remaining transports try to slow the Soviet infantry and kill a stand. Pattons wipe out all but 2 BMPs on the left.

Soviet forces, aided by Dawn arriving, fire into US infantry and ultimately finish them off with bayonet. One company inches up to kill the transports with RPGs. T-64s kill one Abrams in retaliation, but mainly just move to slow any advance. Hinds are shot down and my middle infantry form up at the door of the factory to make a push if needed. I hold the right objective.

My opponent rolls reserves for turn 5 and when he gets 3,3,4 surrenders.

The way is clear Comrade Colonel, I am waiting for BTR forces to relieve my position and will continue westward.

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Kozlov accepted the bottle from the soldier with a smile and took a sip, not bad he thinks. In the distance he can see the white smoke clouds drifting away. The American tanks had covered their comrades and then withdrew to the west. A good day all told. “Comrade Lt Colonel,” Krupin approached from the road, “Comrade Major.” He handed the bottle off. “Maybe we will find a better vintage in Paris old friend.”

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Soviet victory! It was my first time trying the multiple small units method and I did like the flexibility, worth another few tries to be sure. My plan basically worked, I try to keep things simple….pick a flank and push it and the middle, change to the other flank if something goes pear shaped. In that vein I had infantry in the Hinds, ready to land and seize the left objective if it came to that.

My opponent is still trying to feel out his new toys, we had a fairly long post battle talk about the game and I think some new devious plans are taking shape. I’ll probably be facing more infantry come the next battle, maybe some M1IPs spearheaded up as well. Now I just need to get him to write battle reports!

Looks like I might also soon be facing USMC forces soon as well, battle at the game store has peaked some interest.