Firestorm: Stripes

Pavel Durchenko sitting in his T-64 gets the message over the radio..:"Pavel, the American tanks have changed direction" "they are now headed toward Celle with the intention of attacking our armor column near Hanover...can you get there in time?" Looking at his map, he knows he cannot, but he might be able to engage them outside of Burgdorf. "Comrade General, I shall engage them just northeast Of Burgdorf." Good Luck Pavel, we risk all with this.

All or nothing. Every tank we have-40 of them. 20 T-72s, 10 T-64s and 10 T-55s.
The United States Army is bringing 15 M1s, 8 M60s and 5 M551s. In addition, 3 Leo2s, a Leo2 CO-6 Leo1s and a Leo1 CO are on the way (Germans will roll as reinforcements after turn 3)

Pavel awaits as his tanks move into position. He closes his eyes, remembers the old days-his mother, his father, the old ways. His parents were always religious people. His mother very much so. She was raised in Poland-Catholic. While the Soviet Union tolerated religion, it wasn't good for career progression and as a result his father never advanced very far in the Soviet Navy. How proud he would be if he could see his son now-commanding a Tank Regiment. His hand went into his bag-grabbed a small black, well worn book. His mother's small bible-he went to it now-he looked for a certain passage-and finds it-Psalm-23:4. As he starts to read it-the radio cracks to life-Comrade enemy tanks sighted-Pavel gives them the command to move up-So It Begins.

Yea though I walk through the valley

As his tanks move forward, The T-64s use their ATGMs to engage the M551s. They KIA 3 of them (first blood) but all other tanks are still out of range-good start he thinks. Right up until the M1s turn 2 of his T-72s into scrap. More deaths, more widows. This war has to end.

Of the Shadow of Death

He urges his tankers onwards, Pavel's T-64s KIA an M1 and bail another with their ATGMs-not enough he thinks to himself, we are not killing enough of the enemy-his stomach tightens. 2 more T-72s explode to his left-the result of M1s firing. The 2nd company of T-72s report 2 more T-72s destroyed by the M60s. Not good, not good at all.

I will fear no evil

The T-64s and the T-72s on his left keep moving up and fire-and nail 2 M1s Pavel's stomach is still tight-he smiles as he hears a report that the T-72 company on his far left have turned 5 M60s into scrap metal. He breathes a little easier-maybe we can win this-maybe the enemy will break.......maybe

For Thou art with me

The tanks stop moving-no need to give them flank shots-the Russian plan is to break the enemy left flank...the T-64s and T-72 company on his left fire and miss-damn!!! not a good time for poor gunnery!! Worse on his far left the T-72 company that crushed the M60s only manage to knock out 1 M1. The T-72 company on his far left reports 5 T-72s knocked out, and 2 shots bounce off Pavel's tank. But 2 more T-72s on his left turn into balls of flame. We are losing too many tanks-too quickly, we need to turn that flank before the enemy breaks through the center. At least the Germans haven't showed up yet.

Thy rod and Thy staff

The T64s KIA V2 more M1s and we need to turn this flank now. The last few T-72s on the far left report another M1 knocked out-The T-55s have been ordered to stop and plug the gap left by the rapidly disappearing (exploding) T-72s. And now Durchenko spots a Leo 2 Zug (3 Leo2s ) moving toward the center!!! He is going to try and break my center!!! A T-64 exploding brings him back to reality-2 more shots ring off of his own tank-and the T-55s report 2 tanks down and a T-72 as well.

They comfort me.....

The remaining T-72 on the far left flees the field-Durchnko would be mad, but he cant be-not with all this....The T-64s have to move back in order to keep the M1 platoon from punching through the center-Durchenkos tank rocks as it fires and KIAs an M1 and the last 3 T-72s on his left KIA another M1. The Leo2s Kia 2 T-55s, the M1s on the hill (2) turn another one of the T-64s into scrap. 2 more T-72s are also lost.

Durchenko goes to turn the page and his tank rocks with 2 hits and he drops the book-he can see his loader talk, but cant heat what he's saying-Pavel cant hear himself screaming commands-his T-64s fire and eliminate the last 2 M1s on the hill-now it's time to turn the flank!!! The Last 3 T-72s are eliminated by the German Leo2s but the T-64s have flanking shots and the German falls back!! The last 2 US M1s also fall back. The field belongs to Durchenko!!! This is winning??!!

The battle ends with the Americans and Germans falling back. HQ wants Durchenko to continue the attack, but he and his command are in no position to do anything. Out of 40 tanks, he has 6 T-64s and 5 T-55s left. He looks and sees 7 separate hits that his tanks armor saved. 3 in the turret. He scrambles to find his mother's book. Maybe there was something to this religion thing after all.