Firestorm: Stripes

190315AAUG1985 – Somewhere near the West-German city of Hamburg. A company of USMC M60A1 tanks where preparing themselves for the inevitable battle to come. They were ordered to launch an attack to secure both sides of a road which would lead the troops towards Hamburg. Intel reports indicated that some East-German tank companys where near and could join in the fight – but it was also reported that these troops where seriously battered due to recent battles. It could have been a nice little fighting in the early hours of a wonderful day…

SSG Stryker shouted at the guy in front of him. Some things did not went well for the company. On their way from the coastline towards the city of Hamburg they had first lost contact to their supporting infantry units, and now every few miles another tank broke down. At this point the whole company was only able to field ten good old M60A1 tanks and some supporting units – some even from the Army! How should this day bring some good news?

The 1st Platoon followed the brave Force Recon Scouts to some woods near the road and took positions. Once they would reach the other side of the road they would be near their objective. Facing them where some East-German T-72M – but as for now they where only a sound in the dark, and nothing was to see.

The Company Commander and his 2iC went into position near one of the famous old churches in western Germany. They where ready to charge in the fight and towards the second objective. So there where superior forces of US Marines on both flanks of the battlefield.

The support elements in their M247 Sergeant York vehicles took position in the recently freed village near the road. They could cover a big part of the battlefield with their AA capacity.

First Platoon was the first to bring their tanks towards the enemy. They crossed the road in the relativly secure darkness – leaving behind a bogged down tank to keep up the speed of the attack. Soon after stopping for further reconnaissance they heard the noise of russian build tanks coming towards them, and soon after two HIND attack helicopter aproached their position. First shots where fired at them – but went well over their heads, only one of the HMMWV crews where a bit nervous about some machine gun hits on their target and stepped outside to keep their heads down. Now the tanks charged further on towards the enemy positions, which had revealed themselves due to this early shots.

During the aproach to the flank of the enemy some of the tank crews lost some of their famous discipline, and ignored orders to pick specific targets. So the resulting fire on them was much less efficent than it should be. Only four shots hit their target – and penetrated without the chance to be stopped. But curse those ammunition suppliers! Only two of the shells caused destructive damage on the enemy tanks.

The M247 left their positions in the village and tried to repel the HIND, but those army guys seemed to be on too much beer from the tavern in the village, and most of their shots where simple misses and the other ones easily shaken of by the HIND.

On the other flank the CiC and his mate charged towards the lonely defender of the objective. They where firing some early shots but could not hit the enemy. The enemy tank did not return fire – so his definite position was still a mystery of the darkness until the two M60 where so near they could nearly see the white in his eyes. Now they brought their tanks in his flank and opened fire on this vulnerable spot on the T-72 – and missed again.

The night was still dark as the noise of more East-German tanks was heared by the Marines. The enemy reserves had arrived – and they where in the best positions possible to harm the US tanks. On each flank of the battlefield the enemy tanks appeared in the back of the US units. In a concussive firestorm they destroyed each and every US tank on the battlefield. The survivors on the left flank in their HMMWVs turned away and took up better positions in cover near a forest. The M247 retreated back into the village and scanned for the enemy helicopters.

US reinforcements arrived just in the moment as dawn already broke. But things looked rather dark for the USMC forces this day.
The 2nd Platoon charged down the same way their commander and his 2iC took and made quick revenge of the enemy – destroying his commander and the supporting tank company. Now they where near their objective!

But thing looked grim on the other flank. Only the Scout HMMWV, two LAV-25 and two TOW HMMWV protected this flank and the Germans where on their way to tackle them hard. The light US units made a heroic last stand to prevent the Germans from taking their strategic position but where whiped out in a volley of heavy machine gun fire.

News of the destruction of all forces on this flank reached the 2nd Platoon in the moment of their victory on the other flank. To prevent beeing encircled they broke off and disengaged from the enemy – retreating back towards own positions to refuel, pick up new amunition, mourning the dead… And then to attack again soon!

What a fun game! Thanks to my opponent for this evening! I salute to you - this was a well deserved victory!

For my next games I think I will alter my playstyle a little bit. This time I tried to rush aggressive towards the enemy, and use the good amount of moving RoF of the M60. Next time I will sit back and use the special rule of the M60A1 - the "Accurate".
One of the big impacts of the game where the East-German Reserves. They arrived just in time and where my opponent needed them.

All in all the paring of East-German and USMC seems to be a lot of fun! The M60 and the T-72M of the East-Germans seem to be ideal opponents. I am looking forward to our next game!
Thank you for reading - thank you Harald Knauer for the evening of fun and dice rolling!