Firestorm: Stripes

155 point No retreat mission. US is attacking. Dawn rules in effect. Mike picks a major US armor force with M60s, M1IPs, M113 mech infantry, M551s and scouts some ADA and a pair of cobras.

I Situation:
US forces have defied logic and attacked along a very narrow axis toward Berlin. In addition to this, other US armored forces have launched spoiling attacks all along the front lines. Our Regiment is opposed by an unidentified battalion of a US armored Brigade. They are currently 20 km southwest of us and have engaged our forward scouts. They are estimated to be at 80% strength and will most likely be composed of 10-15 M1IPs and 9-10 M60s as well as having some ITVs and scouts. As well as a platoon (30-40) infantry soldiers.
II Mission:
18th MRR will defend NLT 231300R Aug 85 to destroy the enemy and prevent enemy movement to the Northeast.

III Execution:
As our battalion is not yet completely assembled, 1st T-64 company will anchor our right flank. The scout platoon will occupy the wooded area in the center of our line as will the air landing company ( its the only infantry we have) A spandrel AT section will also help anchor the right and a Storm ATGM section will anchor our left ( proxied by Jag1s) As our Hinds, additional T-64s and T-72s become available we will insert them as the action dictates.
a. Fires-no artillery is available at this time.
b. ADA-(red) weapons hot-if it flies...it dies (air assets available to both sides)

US night vision=8 inches

Cobras move to 12 inches of the spandrels ( hopes to get a better vision roll next turn and KIA some of them) M60s go into a bounding overwatch scheme-contact likely. M551s and scouts move up. M1IPs follow the general advance and Mike keeps 1 PLT as a center reserve. The ADA assets follow the tanks

Russian Night vision= 24 (great rolls)

Spandrels fire at the Cobras (more great rolling leads to one being KIA'd. ( a 6 followed by a 6) T-64s fire at the M60s but miss

US night vision =24

Cobra morale fails and it leaves ( I will give Mike another 2 in later turns-I am not sure he quite got the night vision rules)
The M60s advance and KIA 2 spandrels-I did not remember to try a shoot and scoot!!!

Russian night vision = 24

The remaining spandrel flees. A reserve T-64 company arrives and is placed on the far left. The T-64 company fires and KIAs an M60 and the spandrels from the BMP-2 scouts fire and KIA another M60 and bail another.

US night vision 24

M60 lead platoon moves up and KIAs another T-64 and bails another. The scout with the GL fires and manages to KIA a BMP-2. On the US far right flank, the M551s encounter a minefield-they decide to push through and 2 get KIA'd.

Russian Night vision-4

Nothing happens-cant shoot, no reserves show up

US night vision=16
M1IP platoon moves up and KIAs another BMP-2 (reducing the unit to 2) M60s move up and KIA 2 T-64s and bail 1

Daylight!!!!!

A T-72 company arrives and drives into the fight with the M60s, The Hinds arrive as does a flight of SU-25s (simulated-we don't have any aircraft) A long range T-64 shot at the M1IPs flank KIAs one of them. Storms and spandrels fire at the M1s and they all make their armor save!!! Damn!!! The T-72s KIA 3 M60s. The Chaparral Missiles down an SU. The other aircraft fires and hits and obliterates one of the missile systems. The hinds fire and all miss.

US Turn 5

The Chaparral and the last M60 platoon (1) flee. The CO and XO have an M113 with them so they stay. The ITVs move to get into a firing position. 2 more cobras arrive and move to the far right flank. The M1IP plt (3) fire and KIA 2 T-72s and a T-64. The M60 CO and XO bail a T-72. The stinger teams manage to KIA 1 Hind.

Russian turn 5
All reserves are on the board. The lone T-64 fro the right flank company passes his moral and retreats to the safety of the woods. The Hind pilot also stays. The T-64 CO fires his MGs at the stinger team and bails one. The T-72s manage to KIA the M60 CO and XO. The Hind KIAs the other stinger team. And the M1 plt (3) is eliminated

US turn 6

The ITVs fire at the Hind-it makes its save. The M1IPs fire at the T-72s and T-64-bad rolls 2,2,2,1 and they miss the 72s, but on the other side they get 4 hits on a T-64 and turn it to scrap. Cobras KIA another T-64 and the M551s KIA 2 more T-72s.

Russian turn 6
The Hind misses, the SU shows up, flies over, and misses. The T-64s(3) on my far left KIA a M551 and the T-72s all miss the remaining M1IP platoon. The storms (played by the JAG1s hit a cobra-makes its save.

US turn 7

M113 platoon makes its move to get near the objective. The cobras move to the US left to help support his moves. The M1IP plt plus the M1IP HQ move to engage the T-72s. The ITVs fire at the T-72s and it makes an armor save. The M1s open up and get 12 hits!!!!! F*** me!!! They get 6 KIAs and a bail and a T-72 company ceases to exist. I feel like I have just got kicked in the Jimmy. In addition an M551 bails a T-64.

Russian turn 7

The other reduced T-72 company (3) manages to KIA 1 M1 and the T-64s (3) KIA another M551

US Turn 8

The last M551 leaves the field. The US now needs to shore up its right flank. The M113 platoon fails its Blitz test-moves into cover of crop field. US scout tow fires at T-64s miss. ITV fires at T-72 and KIAs another. M1 command group encounter a minefield but roll a 1-nope wont do it. Cobras KIA another T-72. The M113s fire their 50s at the Hind and down it goes!!!!

Russian Turn 8

SU arrives and gets its salvo fired-no effect 3 storm hits on the cobras all for nothing as it makes every save!!!!!!

US turn 9

US command team rolls a 2-nope not gonna push the minefield. The remaining US M1IP platoon (2) move up and fire at the T-64 in the woods and the T-64 makes its armor save. The M113s move to engage the BMP2 scouts (2). The cobras and the ITV manage to KIA another T-72 while the M113s hit a scout but it passes its armor save.

Russian Turn 9

The scouts and remaining T-72s manage to KIA all the M113s and KIA 2 teams. The T-64s Kia the scout tow. The ^4s also manage to bail the M1 XO.

US turn 10

This is it-we have to get these commies out of these woods. The M1 XO does not remount. CO still wont dare the minefield. He fires at a T-64-armor save. Cobras and ITV fire at the T-64s-armor saves. The M1 platoon finally KIAs the T-64 in the woods. The now unpinned US mech infantry platoon fire at the airlanding company in the woods-2 hits no casualties and the prepare to assault. They are cut down and lose all 3 teams.

The Russian T-642 manage to KIA both the CO and XO.

The game was so massive and so close. A few dice here and there and it would easily have gone the other way. Using the minefields ( I had 6) to canalize the enemy into a center kill zone worked (this time) he headed right into where I wanted him to go and even then almost won it. The Soviet battalion is now headed for a much needed rest and refit as well as gathering what wrecks we can repair.