Firestorm: Stripes

The Marines have landed!!! Elements of a U S Marines Amphibious Group have been diverted from Norway ( where the naval battle is going bad for NATO) to Denmark. They have been joined by the remaining elements of the Slesvig Regimental Combat Team (they have been reinforced with a platoon of Leo1s) Division HQ (40th Guards Tank Division) has issued no orders and has been out of contact for several hours.

Elements of Danish and U S Marine Armor are working their way south. Division HQ is out of contact. They are heading toward the town of Bredsten-after which we believe they will head east toward Vejle in an effort to cut off any retreating Soviet elements. We are opposed by Co. C 2nd tank battalion 6th US Marine Regiment. They are assisted by infantry and armor platoons of the Slesvig Regimental Combat Team. Expect to confront M60s and Leo1s. Air assets are available to both sides so expect the worst.

The mission of 2nd battalion, 40th Guards Tank Division is to hold the valley at Grid GP1837140 against these elements in order to allow the orderly withdrawal of other Soviet army units.

75 point bridgehead game
USMC/Danes VS Soviet Union
USMC rolled as attackers
USMC picked Dusk
Soviets placed Hinds, 1 T-72 company (5 tanks) and 1 BMP-1 company (4 BMP-1) in reserve
US M1s will proxy as M60s-I only have 8 M60s
1 BMP-1 transport (4 BMP-1) will act as ambush team

Kapitan Eduard Kotov peered through his binoculars as the 1st USMC tank platoons cross the overpass. 2 platoons in total-at least 10 tanks. He notices a smaller platoon move into an overwatch position-typical, these Americans are so predictable. On his far left, a well placed minefield and his ambushing BMP-1 company (now down to only 4 BMPs) are waiting for the Danish tanks to cross the ford. As the overwatching M60 platoon maneuvers-they fire and destroy his 2 BMP-1 scouts!!! Kotov looks back towards the flaming wrecks and orders his BMPs to begin the ambush-they eliminate 1 Leo1 and damage(bail) another. Pretty disappointing-Kotov thinks to himself. He orders his 5 tank T-72 company to move forward and they get revenge on the M60s by sending 2 of them to the scrap heap and damaging (bail) a third. Kotov smiles and is on the radio screaming for any reinforcements but none were seen.

Kotov sees the 2 remaining M60s move toward the crest of the hill. His smile gets wider as the remaining crew of the M60 platoon, abandons their tank and flees!!! Good-keep running marine. On his left that Leo 1 remounts and the tanks decide to force the minefield-a bad decision as 1 tank erupts in a fireball and 1 losses a track to the minefield-only 2 tanks managed to get across. The Danish infantry dismount and move toward the field. Kotov gets on the radio, but the BMP-1 platoon wont respond (fails blitz move) Kotov feels the tank rock as his T-72 company eliminates 2 more enemy tanks and his own tank destroys a Humvee with the hated TOW weapon system. He looks around-where are my reinforcements!!!!!

Kotov watches as the remaining Humvee on the overpass moves as fast as it can in reverse. He sees the M60s crest the hill and fire and grimaces as 3 T-72s explode-damn!!!-even worse, the 2 Leo1s past the minefield fire at and destroy 4 BMP-1s!!!!!! He has nothing on that side to stop the infantry from clearing the minefield-where are the reinforcements!!!!!!!! His remaining tanks fire ineffectively at the M60s.

Kotov looks directly at the enemy tanks as they move closer-he screams for his gunner, but never gets the word "fire" out before his tank and another are turned into burning wrecks-he crawls out-lucky to be alive only to see his last tank run off the field. As he drags himself into one of the abandoned houses at the top of the hill, he sees another T-72 company arrive!!!! Right behind the M60s!!! In addition, the sound of rotors fill the valley as 2 Hinds make their appearance!! 2 M60s are turned into fireballs as the T72s fire.

Kotov looks out of what used to be windows to see an M60 tank crew run down the hill abandoning their tank. He sees the M60 platoon reach the valley, but his BMP-1 company infantry are in their foxholes ready for them-he hears RPG-7s fire and sees a Leo1 lose a track. The Hinds fire and also damage an M60. He sees another BMP-1 company arrive right behind the T-72s. Moving through the house he finds some cloth that will work as makeshift bandages and starts to treat his wounds.

Kotov flags down a T-72. The Starshina in command hands Kotov the radio, his infantry on the left is holding-they report stopping the Leopard1s and are engaged with the Danish infantry and have repulsed an assault with at least 15 Danes killed and another 12 wounded and taken prisoner. Kotov breathes a little easier now that his left is secure. The M60s however are still firing at his dug in infantry and his head turns to see the US commander's tank explode.

The M60s pass morale and remount-Adam offers a draw-with the BMP-1company less than 10 inches away from the tanks, the Russian has 5 T-72s right behind the BMP-1s-but I don't want to take another hour to finish-so yes

The Russians hold but as night falls, the Russian withdraw further south. They have bought time-but not much. The Marines will regroup and continue the drive south.