Firestorm: Stripes

Preamble:

American Abrams tanks are a stand in for m551 Sheridan tanks. Mission was free for all. Commissar Wreckyoslovakia represented WARPAC forces operating uner Iraqi command.

Army list Budenny: West German

Formation 1:
Oberst, Leopard 1; 3 points
Leopard 1 Zug; 3 tanks; 9 points
Leopard 1 Zug; 3 tanks; 9 points
Gepard Batterie; 4 tanks; 10 points
Fliegerfauster Gruppe; 4 teams; 4 points

Formation 2:
Hauptmann, Leopard 1; 3 points
Leopard 1 Zug; 3 tanks; 9 points
Leopard 1 Zug; 3 tanks; 9 points
M113 Panzergrenadier Zug; 3 M113, 3 MILAN, 3 Panzergrenadiers; 7 points
Luchs Spah; 2 Luchs; 1 point
Luchs Spah; 2 Luchs; 1 point

Support:
Tornado flight; 8 points
LARS Batterie; 4 LARS plus mines; 7 points

American forces:

Formation 1:

Command M60
M60 platoon, 2 tanks
M60 platoon, 3 tanks
2x M551 Sheridan platoon, 4 tanks
2x American infantry, 7-9 stands including 2 Dragon
Sgt York platoon, 4 tanks
M109 battery, 3 tanks
HMMWV observer
HMMWV command
3x HMMWV platoons (each 1 .50 cal, 1 grenade launcher, 2 TOW)

To: CinC NATO forces Europe
From: CinC Mideast Task force

Subj: Operation “Golden Dome”

Golden Dome was envisioned as a training exercise to bolster to confidence of Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the ability of NATO forces to assist middle eastern allies in case of Soviet efforts to widen hostilities into the Persian Gulf via Iran. A secondary aim of the exercise was to demonstrate to Saddam Hussein, leader of Iraq, that strong NATO forces are present in the region and to forestall possible negotiation between Moscow and Baghdad to invite Soviet participation into the Iran-Iraq war, which has thus far been a four-year stalemate. The war in Europe has made American war materiel promised to Hussein unavailable, and there is a very real possibility that Baghdad may seek Soviet assistance in rebuilding the Iraqi army for a final offensive against Iran.

We simulated a meeting engagement between advancing Soviet/Iraqi forces (Americans) and responding mixed NATO forces (West Germans) in the outskirts of Doha.

The Americans deployed (from left to right on the map) M109 battery, Sheridans on top of the hill, American infantry, and an M60 platoon plus company command covering the left objective. The center of the table was secured by Sgt Yorks, American infantry, and an M60 tank platoon. Col. Wreckyoslovakia deployed all of his Humvees on the right flank, along with 4 M551 Sheridans.

German deployment (from left to right), LARS among the buildings, with Luchs deployed forward. In the centre-left, covering the left objective was 1 platoon of 3 Leopard 1, 4 Fliegerfaust teams, 1 Leopard 1 company commander, 1 platoon of 3 Jaguar 2, and 3 M113 APCs behind the oil tank. The center right included 1 Panzergrenadier platoon with 3 MILAN in the apartment building, 2 3 tank Leopard 1 platoons, and forward deployed Luchs. The far right, covering the right hand objective was a FlakPanzer platoon of 4 Gepard , a Company command leopard, and a platoon of 3 Leopard 1 on the hill. 4 Lufwaffe tornadoes loitered off the table.

The Germans had first turn. The Tornadoes arrived, coming in on the far right of the map, targeting the Sheridans and just outside of the Sgt Yorks’ gun range. Leopards on the left and centre right moved forward cautiously into cover, with one leopard failing its cross check. German fire inflicted substantial casualties in American forces. Tornadoes managed to destroy 3 Sheridans on the right flank, and the final tank would subsequently flee. Fire from Gepards and Leopards on the right flank destroyed 6 HMMWV, including the company commander and observer. Leopards in the centre (unfinished) engaged Sgt. York with long range fire, killing 2 vehicles. LARS spent the turn setting up. Fliegerfaust spent the turn feeling useless, as enemy helicopters loitered off-table.

American turn 1 was notable for very good use of blitz moves. HMMWV platoons blitzed from their hides and into firing position, killing 2 Leopards on the centre-right with TOWs. The M60 platoon near the centre deployed from cover and unsuccessfully fired on the centre-right Leopards. M60s and Sheridans on the left moved in force toward the Golden Dome , engaging the Leopards in the Left platoon successfully and killing 2. The M109s fired on the Panzergrenadiers, scoring a single hit and no casualties.

German turn 2 saw both Leopard1 platoons that had taken casualties passed morale checks, and the PanzerGrenadiers successfully rally. The Tornadoes were unavailable. On the right flank, Gepards moved forward and killed the remaining exposed Humvees. Leopards on the right and centre right fired at the M60 platoon to the right of the overpass, without effect. The centre right Leopard platoon failed to shoot and scoot. PanzerGrenadiers failed to hit the centre right M60 platoon with 3 MILAN. On the left, the remaining leopard in the rough terrain fired on the two advancing M60s but failed to score a hit and failed a cross check while attempting to shoot and scoot. Failures to fall back in a timely fashion with lead to the destruction of two platoons in the American turn. LARS fired Mines into the Sheridan platoon on the left flank, and the M60s.

American turn 2 saw a change in American posture, with efforts to move armour forward and pressure the German left being the order. M109s opened, firing mines at the centre left (unpainted) Leopard 1 platoon, and placing the marker just outside of easy access by Fliegerfaust and Panzergrenadiers. M60s on the left moved forward and failed to destroy the bogged Leopard in the rough terrain. The Sheridans attempted to follow, but two were wrecked moving through the minefield left by LARS. Sgt. York moved forward, firing at the Panzergrenadiers in the apartment building with no effect. American M60s in the centre reversed their course, moving under the overpass and blasting away at the centre left Leopard Platoon (unpainted), killing 2 of them. The remaining HMMWV platoon blitzed into firing position on the right, and engaged the lone remaining Leopard of the centre right platoon, killing it. American infantry on the right bagged an unwary Gepard that had strayed just into range with a Dragon missile.

German turn 3 started with the scream of returning Tornadoes and the centre left Leopard Platoon (unpainted) passing its platoon check. The Tornadoes came in against the American infantry in the centre, relying on German ground forces to destroy the exposed Sgt Yorks before they could fire. The company command Leopard on the left moved left to block the approaching Sheridans and M60s and hopefully buy time for LARS to escape. The lone Leopard in the rough fired on the Sheridans, killing one, and the company command Leopard on the left fired at and M60, killing it. There were not 1 M60, 1 Sheridan and 2 Leopards dueling on the left, with 2 Luchs out of sight. In the absence of the ability to do anything productive, Fliegerfaust teams were ordered forward to clear mines. LARS, the Jaguar 2 and MILAN teams fired on the exposed Yorks, with no effect. Fire from the centre right Leopard platoon (unpainted) bailed one M60 under the overpass and killed another. Leopards and Gepards on the right moved forward and fired on the remaining HMMWV platoon, killing every vehicle. The Lufwaffe pilots decided to try and kill some American infantry with two Tornadoes being blown apart by the Yorks, and merely pinning the infantry.

American turn 3 started with the M60 under the bridge rallying. The Sheridan passed a platoon check. The Sheridan, and the lone M60 remaining on the left move forward into the town, killing a Luchs and the remaining Leopard 1 in the rough. Yorks moved up in support on the German left. Both infantry platoons remained dug in. The M60s under the bridge wiped out the Luchs spah on the right and killed the remaining tank of the centre right Leopard platoon but failed to shoot and scoot out of danger. M109s attempted to bombard the Panzergrenadiers, but failed to do any damage.

After 3 turns, the American forces had suffered massive losses. The entire American right was gone, 3 HMMWV platoons, plus command and a Sheridan platoon destroyed. The York platoon was down to 50%, and the M60 platoon trying to push under the overpass was down to 2 tanks. On the right, the M109s were down to 2 guns, and the M60 and Sheridan platoons were down to single vehicles. American infantry was in the rear, unable to influence events from their current position.

German forces were only in marginally better shape. On the left, a single Luchs and a single company commander protected the LARS. Fliegerfaust were at full strength but unable to do much except clear mines. The Jaguar 2 platoon, along with the Panzergrenadiers in the centre were at full strength. The command Leopard and one Leopard from the right platoon were functional. The Gepards were down to 2 vehicles. 3 Leopard platoons, and 1 Luchs Spah had been destroyed completely. The German left had collapsed almost completely and the American right was non-existent. It had become a race of cripples.

German turn 4 saw the Tornadoes return. Although approaching the break point, no German formation required a check. The Leopard on the left rolled forward in the town, killing the Sheridan. The Jaguar 2 platoon managed to kill one of the M60s under the overpass, putting the M60 platoon into bad spirits. The remaining Luchs failed to damage the Yorks. The Oberst, his brain addled by too much sugar and caffeine, ordered the Tornadoes to strike the M109s before the MILANs could fire on the Yorks. Between the Yorks and the M109s with their .50 cal, the two Tornadoes were destroyed before coming close to dropping ordinance. The MILANs then fired, killing both Yorks. The Leopards on the right and Gepards moved forward around the American left flank at dash speed. LARS bombarded the American infantry in the centre, killing a Dragon and an infantry team.

American Turn 4. The Americans are in serious trouble. M109s move up on the German left, killing the lone Leopard with direct fire. American infantry remain stationary.

After turn 4, Commissar Wreckyoslovakia concedes. 2 American infantry platoons plus some M109s are not enough to stop what the Germans have left.

After action;

Both sides made mistakes during play. The German player overestimated the survivability of the Leopard 1s in the face of enemy fire. Reliance on movement orders and optimism in shooting left the Leopards exposed. Luchs were not used aggressively enough.

The Americans were not aggressive enough with the HMMWV force. A good road on the German right and a single Leopard 1 platoon as a blocking force meant that a quick dash could have put the entire German right flank on the back foot from turn 1. American infantry could have moved forward and engaged with Dragon missiles. They were never a priority target and could have offered fire support for the M60s. Deployment of the observer in the open was a mistake. With the M109s capable of firing Copperhead rounds, it was a priority target. Concentration of the Sheridans on the German left might have been a better option, if the Yorks had been better placed. The good road coupled with 2 Sheridan platoons and several platoons of HMMWV would have overwhelmed German units on the right with ease.

Budenny