Firestorm: Stripes

Situation:
The British are rapidly withdrawing from Waltrop and heading for Datteln in order to regroup near the town of Haltern, where they will link up with what German forces are left in this area. Your mission is to keep this force from passing through Datteln and arriving at that link up. Air Defense Weapon Status Green-air assets are available and likely.
Mission:
The mission of 19th Tank Battalion/14th Tank Division is to defend an area 4KM east of Hagem and deny the British their chance to make their escape to Datteln.
Execution:
The BMP-2 company will dismount it's infantry and act as a ready to move asset in case of a light armored breakthrough. Dismounted infantry will anchor our left while the Tank company (6 T-64s) anchor our right. I will be located with the tank component as we want to be able to counterattack to break up their move.
Command and Signal:
Current CEOI is in effect.
Service and Support:
Chemical weapons release has been authorized by Front-we will be using a thickened version of persistent VX nerve agent. We will be using this as an area denial weapon instead of a direct weapon-as such all units are to go to MOPP level (or the Russian equivalent) 4.

66/68 Point (66 Russian-68 British)
Quick Mission: Bypass
British "won" the toss and is the attacker ( I think he thought he would be defending!!)
British go first
Chemical Warfare in effect-see special rules.
Air assets available.
All British equipment will be by proxy

We will be using a persistent nerve agent
1. Any team caught in the initial blast will roll 1 D6, on a 1 that unit is eliminated.
2. Any team entering into an area with a persistent agent will roll 1 D6, on a 1 it too will be eliminated.
3. Any team staying in an area with a persistent nerve agent will roll 1 D6 at the start of each turn it stays in the area, on a roll of 1 it is eliminated.
4. Infantry in any chemically contaminated area will have a movement rate of 2 inches.
5. Any team in a chemically contaminated area will have a +1 penalty on all dice rolls-except assaulting.
6. White cotton balls will mark the contaminated areas

The Scud-C (developed by 1989) was capable of hurling a smaller chemical warhead-so we will be using a standard blast template instead of the salvo template

British:
The Chieftains move up and 2 have a shot at the T-64s (rolls of 2,3) they get 1 kill. The FV432 Milan section dashes for the hills, the Infantry FV 432s move up behind a McPizza King and enjoy having it their way. The Spartans dash up behind some houses. 4 Harriers show up!! The SA-8s shoot 1 down then they manage to drop their salvo weapon and just like that 5 T-64s are gone!! What the hell!! Arty drops on top of the tanks as well-to no effect.

Russian:
I don't know what's worse, the loss of the tanks, or Mikes laughter. My infantry (dismounted ) now has to hustle to cover more ground. The BMP-2s are also on the move to help cover the area.

British:
The FV432 Milan section has reached the hill-1 bogs down. The Chieftains move and fire at the BMP-2s-killing 2 of them. FV432 infantry platoon now moves up behind the Qwik-E-Mart- to get slushies to wash down those burgers!! The Spartans pass a blitz move (2 shots) miss both. # Harriers are back-this time we shoot down 2, but the remaining one KIAs a BMP-2 and bails another.

Russian:
More infantry spreading out and the remaining BMP-2s do as well. The COs T-64 fire at a Chieftain and misses. He passes a scoot and shoot and falls back.

British:
British CO helps Spartans pass a blitz-the KIA a BMP-2. The Chieftains decide to try their left flank, 1 tank passes just outside the chemical area, 2 travel through it-one does not make it (rolled a 1) and the crew is out of action. Arty finds the range and KIAs 2 more BMP-2s

Russian:
A BMP-2 KIAs a Chieftain. The COs T-64 fires at the Milan section's FV432 and misses. The CO passes his shoot and scoot and he falls further back.

British:
Harrier pilot reports low on fuel and RTB. Chieftain passes morale. Milan teams dismount. British infantry pass blitz and then move to attack RPG 7 team on the overpass-the kill the team. The Chieftain and the Milan FV432s dash and move toward the British objective. Arty is also moving up.

Russian:
The BMP-2s fire at the FV432 and bail 3. Infantry is finally in position. Only 3 BMP-2s remain.

British:
The infantry FVs fail morale. Infantry Carl Gustavs kill 2 more BMP-2s. The Chieftain on the left fires at an RPG team-no effect. The Milan FVs are right behind the Chieftain. Arty hits but has no effect.

Russian:
The last remaining BMP-2 fails morale!!!! The Russian infantry is ordered to dig in, and for once they do!!!

British:
The last Chieftain KIAs the last T-64. The British infantry kill another RPG-7 team. Arty ranges in on the 2 Shilkas-no effect.

Russian:
The Shilkas move and fire at the 3 C Gustav teams-all those dice get only 1 kill. The PKM teams and an infantry team also fire at the 2 Carl Gustav teams-again a bucket of dice manage only 1 kill. An RPG-18 manages to bail a Spartan.

At this point I offer a draw-Mikes answer....Hell no!!

British;
the remaining Carl Gustav team fires at the Shilka-miss. British infantry fires and pins the Russian team in the farmhouse. Chieftain moves and fires at the lone RPG-7 team-no effect. The Milan FV432 have reached the British objective ( 1 team will get away) The British assault the farmhouse and take it without losing a single team. The Chieftain tries to eliminate the RPG-7 team and gets bailed. Arty races up the road.

Russian;
RPG-7 team KIAs the last Chieftain. The Shilkas fire again at the C Gustav team-another bucket of dice and 6 saves!!!!! Russian infantry and PKMs fire at the British infantry in the farmhouse-no effect.

British:
British arty races up the road-dash-they go through the chemical contaminated area-roll 4,2,1,1,-2 M109s are gone. The British Infantry move and fire at 3 RPG teams that are blocking the way to another objective. No effect-they are dug in. The Carl Gustav again misses the Shilkas. The British infantry assualts the RPG teams-a PKM team can support and does, this time it goes badly, the Brits take 6 hits!! and have to fall back and lose 2 teams.(pinned)

Russian:
Shilkas finally manage to KIA the last C Gustav team. Mike asks for a draw-Yes of course-the game is over

That was a very close game. The chem attack was not a big difference maker but those Harriers were. They eliminated 5 T-64s on the first turn, I think Mike assumed he would be defending or else I think I would have seen more tanks. Oh well, this is the last battle for this table configuration. I will see what the next mission is and run that configuration for 4 battles or so (changing things up ever so slightly so that it stays fresh, but gives everyone a chance to use each side and/or corner)