Firestorm: Stripes

The cold fog hung heavily between the trees, making the valley look like a gloomy lake.
Captain Evans shuddered as the cold crept through the jacket of his uniform. Again he searched the white wall for a sign of the enemy.
Where are they? The intelligence had reported movements of the enemy in this sector during the night.
Evans cursed the fog didn't make things easier.

"Contact to the right" lieutenant Goldstein reported.
Ok here they finally come thought Evans. On the field on their right flank he saw the schemes of some communist soldiers.
At this moment Goldstein reported another contact at the road nearby.
"Fire at your discretion, don't let the reds break through our line" Evans ordered.
At the hill behind the enemy infantry a horde of BMPs rolled up. Left of the Captain the tanks of the first platoon opened fire at the soviet troop carriers. Only seconds later three of them went up in flames.
The first catch of the day thought Evans.
Behind the treeline left of him he could hear the `flap flap´ of the supporting Cobras and the high whistle of starting Hydra rockets joined by the deep rattle of .50 Cal machine guns.

"Report" Evans ordered.
"Here is a whole infantry company of the commis but we have had hit them hard" Goldstein answerd.
"Move the VADS up" shouted Evans as more soviet soldiers crossed the field.

Shocked Evans saw that the BMPs had fired Konkurs rockets.
"INCOMING" was all he could shout before two of the Abrams beside exploded. The blast struck him with full force. He had not quiet recovered yet as next to him on of the M163 were hit by RPG rockets. Flames shot from the hatch.

"Fall back! Fall back!"

With whirling tracks the Tanks and the VADS drove backwards out of the deathzone of the BMPs.

"Goldstein! We are in trouble, can you hold the Line?"
"Yes Sir, Charlie is falling back to wood" the lieutenant answerd.
Through the radio came the sound of a explosion.
"Sir we lost two of our Transports and it seems that one of the Cobras was hit by a rocket."
Evans looked up and saw through the black clouds that one of the helicopters went down burning.
"Damned, Goldstein what about the BMPs? We had to fall back."
"The Cobras blew one up but there is a second platoon behind the first, the shooting at the Copters".

The soviet infantry in front of Evans tank had taken position in the forrest after heavy losses.
Both M1 tanks still pumping bullets in the darkness between the trees to keeping the commis down.

"HI...DS....co..ng!" it crackled from the radio.
"Can you repeat this!" Evans answerd "we have problems with the radio"
"HINDS! I repeat, HINDS! We have enemy helicopter incoming"
The Captain turn his head and searched the Sky.

"Captain, Tanks on the left flank! We have losses! We need assistance!" Goldsteins sounded panicked.
Where are our reserves, the situation is getting uncomfortable, Evans thought.
"To the left" he ordered his tanks "into the this small forrest."
As the tanks turned the Hinds showed up behind the forrest. The turrets of the M163 swung around and with the sound of angry bees starting to fire. One of the soviet copters was torn into pieces. But the other three passed the AA fire unharmed.
With horror Evans saw the remaining two VADS exploding under the fire of the enemy helicopters.

"Sir we have lost our Cobras!" Goldstein reported.
"Hold the Line! We have to endure, our reinforcements is on the way." Evans knew that he didn't sound convincing.
The tank vibrated under him as the 105mm gun opened fire. With a little satisfaction he saw two T-72 burning.

"This is lieutenant Hanson, Bravo platoon! Captain where should we attack?"
YES, the first reinforcements arrived, Captain Evans smiled.
"We have been waiting for you bravo, move up to my position!" Evans answerd.

Over his head the Hinds rushed through the sky under heavy fire of the .50 cals. Another Hind smeard off burning. As he looked forward he could see the T-72 pumping HE shells into lieutenant Goldsteins infantry platoon. Most of the soldiers were dead or heavy wounded.
The situation was critical. As Evans turned his head to see the bravo platoon he recognized that the Hinds turned.
He could see the flash of a starting rocket.
He could see the smoke trail that rushing straight towards him.
The last what Captain Evans saw was a hot white flash.

Shocked lieutenant Goldstein saw the Abrams of his captain exploding.
We have to retreat he thought.
"Fall back" he screamed but it was to late, the monstrous silhouette of a T-72 piled up above him.

Hanson ordert to fall back after his platoon destroyed two T-72's. They secured the retreat of the remains units or what was left of them. That was dark day but revenge will come.