Firestorm: Stripes

Our club has opted to play our campaign games at 64 points. Making American armor work at this point total really stinks. The armored company with 7 tanks just wont cut the mustard weighing in at 63 points alone.

I decided to bring freedom to Leipzig with an armored cavalry troop using 2 platoons of 3 IPM1 tanks to do the heavy lifting. In addition to the mandatory 2 scout platoons, I brought anti air in the form of 2 stingers. Lastly, I brought 3 mortars for smoke and more .50 cals.

We were both surprised that the defender got firs turn in the Leipzig scenario. My original strategy was to student body heavily right. A wood line and group of apartments would provide first turn concealment and allow me to pick apart platoons before night feel. Unfortunately bogging became and issue even for Abrams. Igor had 4 choppers that killed 2 Abrams while my AA was largely ineffective. Igor pushed his expendable T-55s towards my exposed recon and mortar platoons on my extreme left. With night approaching I got worried about assaulting infantry in a wood with increased bog chances. I opted to change strategy and clear the advancing T-55s and dash towards the other objective on the far left. At least there wasn't infantry. The risk was running out of time.

Night feel on my bottom of turn 3. My recon was decimated by cannon fire from the Hinds, however, the dice odds eventually evened out and the Hinds were destroyed. As the tank platoons shifted left I pushed the mortars even more forward towards an objective, hoping to lure Igor's T-72s from hiding.

The sacrificial mortar platoon got Igor to fire on them with at least one platoon of T-72s. As the Abrams pushed the objective they counter fired and eliminated a number of targets. The last T-72s were able to get in close and get some side shots, but being hit on 5+ really helped preserve what I had left. 4-3 Americans. KIA: 2 recon platoons, 1 mortar platoon, 2 Abrams. Great game could've gone either way.

I really liked having my formation commander in an M113. Sure hes fragile, but it makes it a very easy decision to attach for morale.