Firestorm: Stripes

Once again 61st Guards Sverdlovsk-L'vov Tank Regiment, 10th Guards Tank Division marched to the front, in this case, back to the blasted battlefields of the Ruhr. A familiar region thought Podpolkovnik Vorishnov. Those of his men who had survived the war so far were well familiar with this area of the front, having fought so many time here. And it looked like another action was in the near future, with both the Soviets and British aggressively probing along the chaotic front.

Pursuing reported British units in the region, Vorishnov's small force moved out. With the rest of his tanks further back on the roads, he could not afford to await their arrival. Spotting a lone British tank in the far tree line, Vorishnov ordered his tanks forward into the wheat fields to cover their approach, while the Hinds moved to cover his advance.

The British commander, hoping to gain the upper hand, revealed his hidden Swingfire unit at the same time a unit of Chieftains arrived from reserve on the far side of the battlefield. While uncomfortable with the prospect of facing 4 T-64s alone, he nonetheless urged his troop leader forward into the town to secure it. Meanwhile, the Swingfires, spotting the Soviet Hinds, fired at them and killed, a missile flying straight and true into the attack helicopter.

With the battle rapidly escalating, Vorishnov was relieved to see his last two remaining units of T-64s join the fight, one in a position to potentially check the British in the town and the other to reinforce his own effort on the extreme left of the battle. Continuing to move forward, Vorishnov and his tankers took the lone British Chieftain under fire, killing it with multiple 125mm impacts.

Despite the loss of their leaders, the British had one more trick up their sleeve! With the accuracy of a dart, their last Chieftain unit arrives in a perfect position to block Vorishnov's advance! Firing from the move, the quickly kill a T-64. In the town, the other Chieftains move forward cautiously, beginning a deadly game of cat and mouse in the bombed out rubble of the town. The Swingfires, however, can clearly see Soviet tanks approaching along the main road. Sending a volley toward them, they are rewarded with the flash of a burning tank on the overpass!

With the battle still in a fluid state and all the players now in action, Vorishnov committed to aggressive action! Urging his commanders forward on the left, he intended to drive the British tanks off or kill them and seize the farm stead. In the town, his comrades need only to delay the British long enough for him to clear the left flank. With a volley of short range fire and the accompanying missile from the surviving Hind, the British tanks took several hits. Despite the weight of fire killing one tank and forcing the others to re-think their lives, the British tankers remained resolute.

When only one of the two surviving British tanks showed renewed activity, Vorishnov rejoiced. His happiness was replaced when this tank killed a tank nearby. While his lively 'encouragement' kept the remaining tank of the unit from fleeing, the battle was still up in the air. In the town, the cautious maneuvering of the British troop leader was rewarded when his fire killed a T-64 and bailed out another, the crew fleeing into the ruin. Upon seeing this, the sole surviving tank retreated, leaving the town in British hands.

Despite the setback on his right flank, Vorishnov remained confident of victory. Thanks to the careful maneuvering of his forces, they had avoided the Swingfire threat and closed with the remaining British Chieftains on the left. Pouring another salvo of main gun fire into the British tanks, one exploded in a fireball. The other, it's crew having enough, made a hasty retreat to the rear areas.

While both sides had effectively committed a revolving door action, the rapid pace of his advance meant that Vorishnov had secured the the lines of advance before the British could. Fearing being cut off, the surviving British troops withdrew through the town. Another victory for the Motherland to celebrate.

With the sounds of battle growing distant, Vorishnov received orders to Berlin. Apparently his success at the front had garnered him much attention at higher headquarters and he was being recalled to brief Stavka in person. Perhaps by the time he returned, the war would be over and he could join in the celebrations and dancing of his troops.