Firestorm: Stripes

Ann rolled and got quick mission
I rolled and got Gauntlet
I was the attacker, Ann set up first-she got the first move

United States Marine Armor from the 2nd Marine Division will be covering the redeployment of elements of the 5th marine regiment. They have provided a covering force consisting of a company sized element with some artillery support. We can expect to face some M60 MBT and perhaps some newer M1 and possibly M1IP tanks as well. You are to attack and drive this covering force back-drive them west of the town of Olfen so that we can disrupt this redeployment. Air defense status is green-ADA weapons hot.

Durchenko watches from his hatch as the M60s move forward. He had heard that marine M60s lack the laser rangefinders and that they had a harder time hitting their targets-his smile fades quickly as he watches 3 T-72s go up in flames and 1 pull up and stop moving. He is reassured as the T-72 once again moves forward and the 2 companies ( minus the 3 burning ones) destroy 1 M60 and watches the crew of another one leave the area. His T64s are headed toward the high ground and the BMP-2 scouts are leading them.

Durchenko watches the remaining tank of one of the M60 platoons leave the field...fast. A second M60 platoon destroys another T-72 and 2 stop moving. To his right he sees a platoon of M1s closing as well as a Humvee tow section moving toward the high ground as well. U S artillery seems pretty accurate as they drop a smoke screen down-blocking the view of the M60 platoon. So one T-72 starts to move again and the 2 companies close in on the M60s but cant see through the smoke. The T-64 companies report contact with the M1 platoon-they fire but report no kills. And our aur support arrives-2 Hinds move to attack the M60s-and 1 is immediately shot down by 50 cal fire from the M1s. The Hind manages to only damage (bail) 1 M60.

Durchenko watches the M60 pour on the fire-this time however, they may be right about those rangefinders as not a shot hits his T-72s. The T64s on the other hand report that the M1s have destroyed 1 tank and damaged (bailed) another. In addition the Humvee tow section is on the hill, but not close enough to fire yet. Durchenko turns red with anger as the Hind pilot reports fuel issues and returns to base-COWARD!!!. All of his T-72s are moving again and this time punish the M60 platoon by destroying 2 more of them and damaging the M60 XOs tank. The T-64s report a kill on the M1 platoon and the BMP-2s report that the 2 command tanks have increased armor as their ATGMs have had no effect on them.

Durchenko moves away from the T-72 column and watches as the M60 command team moves and destroys 2 more of his T-72 tanks (taking out one company) The T-64s report that a TOW missile hit a tank(scout TOW) but the fine front armor saved the tank. The M1s seem to be falling back. The remaining T-72 company takes out the M60 XOs tank. And the T-64s report 2 more M1s eliminated. One of them is the XOs M1IP.

Durchenkos tank breaks through the trees (no bog) and he sees the US M60 tank commander fire and miss at his T-72 tank company. The 64s report the M1 platoon are leaving the area-the US M1 commander though fire and also misses. The scout TOW damages a T-64 as the Humvee TOWs fire and manage only to damage another T-64. Our BMP-2 scouts get to the objective also. Durhenko takes out the M60 CO. The T-64s report shot after shot bouncing off the US COs M1IP. They also report destroying the scout TOW Humvee.

The BMP-2 scouts report eliminating the Humvee TOW section and have captured our objective-the US CO and surviving elements decide to withdraw west and Durchenkos command consolidate their position and then continue to drive west.

The game was fast, a lot faster than 6 turns would lead you to believe. The game lasted less than 1 hour. The marine M60s do not have laser rangefinders and very unreliable (relying on lucky dice rolls) when moving. And her M1 platoon just could not roll well.