Firestorm: Stripes

NON-NARRATIVE NOTE: This was a 4 player, 2v2 battle. My group wanted to do a multi-player game, with each player running 50 pts, 2 Soviet and 2 US. And after seeing the river table from a couple weeks ago, they wanted the challenge of that terrain in Berlin this week! Who was I to say no? We now return you to your regularly scheduled WWIII narrative AAR.

Major Sergetov looked over the silent waters of the canal. Never did he imagine when he ordered to the front that the front would be in the southern portions of Berlin. While the NATO Berlin Brigades had fought valiantly at the start of the war, simple numbers ensured their ultimate defeat. But now, many days after the US counter offensive began, US forces had reached the city and were trying to establish a foothold, Sergetov, a replacement commander for the 10th Guards Tank division in the Hanover sector, had been ordered to tank his forces and those of the rebuilding 9th Tank Division toward the Teltow and ensure that reported American forces in the region did not establish a presence on the north side.

With little time to spare, Sergetov demanded all forces to converge on his position before the American could overwhelm him. Sensing their tactical advantage, the Americans advanced for the canal bridges with their customary wild abandon. Their M60s located and engaged some of Sergetov's scouts, while the rest of their armor pushed for the bridges, firing at anything that looked like a Soviet tank.

With the American's aggressively advancing all across the front, Sergetov had the supporting Hinds from the 9th Tanks move to opposite bank. Maybe there they could deploy their assault forces and create a distraction for the Americans. Another surprise, although a pleasant one, was the arrival of a unit of T-64s, rapidly responding to his pleas for assistance. Moving up, they spotted a pair of advancing American tanks and opened fire, hitting and killing both. Meanwhile the 9th Tanks detachment commander was doing his best to stem the tide of approaching US tanks, but was praying he too would get support before long.

Sensing that the Soviet position will only get stronger with time, the American commanders re-double their effort to force a crossing. Dealing with the last BMP scout on the south bank, the American M1s dashed across the canal and engaged Sergetov's T-64s, claiming one.

As more T-64s arrived to hold the center, Sergetov swung the units already online to engage the American M1s. If they were not dealt with rapidly, they would run amok amok through his formation. Through weight of fire, and a little lick, Segetov's tanks killed 2 of the American beasts. Across the canal, the Hinds landed and the assault troops jumped out, taking positions along the rail-bridge.

With the pace of battle shifting towards the Soviets, the Americans requested reinforcements. Their seemed to be some debate among the command elements, before a flight attack helicopters arrived to take overwatch positions along the canal. As they moved into concealed positions, the American tankers continued to hold to their aggressive strategy, pushing the bridges and firing at known Soviet positions.

Despite losses mounting, Sergetov could still see more reinforcements arriving to his sector as T-72s from the 9th Tanks moved to support their commander. To help try and put pressure on the Americans, a unit of T-64s advanced across one of the bridges, engaging in a bridge-to-bridge duel with the American tanks on another bridge.

As Soviet tanks continued to stream into the area, the American commanders could do only one thing, charge forward! Rallying their troops, and with an influx on another tank unit, they pushed forward on all front and would force the Soviets to engage on their terms.

With their tanks fully committed to the fight for the north shore, the Americans trusted that a lone ACAV M113 HQ and pending reserves would be enough to deal with the small Soviet assault force that had landed on south side of the canal.

With the American reinforcements completely neutralizing the counter push across the river and his co-commander KIA or WIA, Sergetov focused on defending the north side of the canal. If he could not get to the south side, then he at least would not permit the Americans to gain a foothold on the north side! Brow-beating the surviving elements of the 9th Tanks forward to clear the Americans off the bridges, he moved to destroy the American sniper ITV that had been sending missiles at his tanks, while his surviving T-64s tried to deal with the surviving American M1s. It was a battle that Sergetov looked was not going to be his this day...and then through the static, he could here the Assault troops declare they had secured the southern exit of the rail-bridge and we digging in.

Confident of victory, the Americans continued to press their advantage, destroying any and every Soviet tank that they could get in their sites. Then, they lost contact with the ACAV M113 on the south canal. Realizing just what that meant, as well as the fact that most of their forces were out of position to prevent the Soviet troops from digging in and calling in air and artillery strike on their formations, the American commanders rushed their attack helicopters to the scene, hoping their guns could clear them off and by them time for the latest wave of reinforcements to arrive.

When the firing ceased, the Soviet Assault troops remained in their positions, steadfast in the face of American firepower. Realizing that they did not have the troops to both force the north side of the canal and prevent the Soviets from advancing against the south side, the American commanders decided to husband their troops for the next major push into Berlin. Sregetov looked around him as the firing died down. While their probe had been beaten off, the Americans had come too close to pushing across the canal and into the heart of the city. A close run thing, and Sergetov only hoped he would get some more support before the Americans tried again.