Firestorm: Stripes

M.A.D. - Mutual assured destruction

Under MAD, each side has enough nuclear weaponry to destroy the other side and that either side, if attacked for any reason by the other, would retaliate with equal or greater force. The expected result is an immediate, irreversible escalation of hostilities resulting in both combatants' mutual, total, and assured destruction.

+++ With heavy fighting all along the front this sector had been fairly quite. Podpolkovnik Mikhail Tavrichesky had received a search and attack order. He was concerned for military intel indicated that US reforger units were gathering in the area.

He had strong forces, T-64 tanks supported by a company of mechanized infantry and 2S1 Carnation artillery. He was confident they could deal with any opposition they might encounter.

The only downside was there would be no air support available as it was being called for elsewhere on the front.

ATTACKER - SOVIET

1-я гвардейская танковая армия
1st Guards Tank Army
9th Red Banner Order of Suvorov Babruysk-Berlin Tank Division, Riesa (call sign – Strelka)

T-64 Tank Battalion 70 points

HQ
HQ – T-64 6

FORMATION UNITS 63
Tank Coy – 3x T-64 13
Tank Coy – 3x T-64 13
Tank Coy – 3x T-64 13
BMP-2 Motor Rifle – medium:
7xAk-74, 6xRPG-7, 2x LMG, 9x BMP-2 18
2S1 Carnation Battery – 3x 2S1 5
BMP-1 Observer 1

DEFENDER - USA

3rd Armored Division
"SPEARHEAD"
Frankfurt am Main

M60 Patton Armored Combat Team

HQ
2x M60 Pattons 8

FORMATION UNITS 41
M60 Patton Tank Plt 4x M60 16
M60 Patton Tank Plt 4x M60 16
M113 Mech Plt – 3x SAW, 2x Dragon and 3x M113 4
M901 ITV AT – 2xM901 3
M113 Scout Section 1xM113 1xM901 2

SUPPORT 21
M109 Field Art Battery / Laser Guided projectiles
6x M109 20
M113 FIST 1

Soviet plan of attack was a simple pincer movement to keep the US of balance, relying on superior numbers and tanks to carry the day.

A classic pincer maneuver. This was the special mission Frankfurt Counterattack and the defender has first turn.

Gandri had used spearhead to deploy his scout section and they were supported by the FIST. This would have a crucial effect in the first turns as his artillery had Laser Guided Projectiles.

US TURN 1
No reserves available

Making the best use of poor Soviet forward deployment the T-64's were hit hard by 6 Laser Guided Projectiles and a tow missile. Two tanks were destroyed and the last one was bailed.

SOVIET TURN 1
No reserves available

This was coming off to a bad start, made worse when the T-64 failed to remount. The formation commander bravely moved forward to engage the M109 artillery while the Mechanized infantry and BMP-2 advanced on the left. One M109 was destroyed.

US TURN 2
No reserves available

The US commander sprung his ambush, three M60 pushed through the woods to get at the side armor of the Soviet command tank, while the forth bogged down on the way.

Another salvo of Laser Guided Projectiles finished off the bailed tank while the M60 destroyed to Formation Commander and his tank.

Turn 2 and the US were had taken out half the Soviet forces.

SOVIET TURN 2
1x T-64 unit arrives from reserves

This wasn't looking good but at least there were some reserves. These move cautiously forward in full cover from the FIST and could fire at the M60's

Meanwhile the BMP-2 dashed to redeploy on the right flank.

Shooting turned out to be surprisingly accurate with the T-64 hitting two M60 and blowing them up.

US TURN 3
M60 platoon from reserves

Keeping their heads down near the tank engagement the US now had the forces to take on the Soviet Mechanized Infantry and the BMP-2 armored vehicles.

The newly arrived M60 engaged them from the rear while the FIST guided missiles from the front and the M901 added its TOW missile.

Once the shooting was done seven BMP-2 were burning, one was bailed and only one was active. Already the Soviets had lost a fair sized part of their force.

SOVIET TURN 3
1x T-64 unit arrives from reserves

This battle was going bad fast. If something was to be done, it had to be decisive. Now it was time for desperate measures.

The Soviet infantry moved out of their woods and managed to get 3 RPG teams in range of the side armor of the M60 platoon, but they needed 5+ to hit. Three more would get front shots. On the other flank another Unit of 3x T-64's arrived allowing them to advance in strength. One T-64 unit against the artillery and the other to go after the M60s in the wood.

The resulting fire step was nothing short of devastating.

First the infantry hit every tank with their RPG and penetrated them all, only to pass their firepower test against 3 tanks! The last one which was bailed fled the field.

In the center the two remaining BMP-2 managed to bail every US vehicle in the center!

Then the two T-64 units on the right flank destroyed one more M60 and two M109.

It was but a small consolation, but no further US units fled the field.

Fortunes had quickly changed, what had looked to be a lost battle had been turned around.

US TURN 4
Mechanized infantry and M113 arrive from reserves.

What had been a strong position became a desperate situation. At least the infantry arrived from reserves and could take on the Soviets.

The US HQ also maneuvered to salvage the deteriorating left flank. The M109 artillery attempted to bombard four T-64s but ended up failing to score a hit.

Shooting was fairly effective with the Soviet infantry pinned and three teams killed.

SOVIET TURN 4
2S1 Carnation artillery

Having recovered the initiative the Soviets resumed their advance on the right flank but their infantry remained pinned on the left, limiting their options and counter fire. All the managed was to take out one M113.

The Artillery attempted to blitz, but their poor skill failed them.

The T-64s pressed on to take on the artillery and the last M60. Destroying the M60, one M109 and bailing the rest. The reminder failed their morale test.

US TURN 5
M901 come from reserves

The M901 were to far of to engage and made a dash to support their HQ. The HQ managed to fire on the T-64's in the woods and blowing up two of them.

Meanwhile the infantry managed to reduce the soviet infantry further and move close to be able to contest the objective next turn.

The Dragon teams and M901 from the Scout section finished off the BMP-2's.

WIth the Soviets down to 4 operational tanks there was just a chance the US could turn the tables again.

SOVIET TURN 5
-

The Soviet commander realized that he needed to be able to secure the objectives this turn or at least be within 8"/20cm so he move his forces accordingly. Luckily his infantry unpinned and could take up better positions.

The lone T-64 in the wood bogged down while the other T-64's managed to get into firing positions against the US HQ M60's.

Then another round of devastating fire.

The US HQ tanks were both destroyed.
The M113's were taken out.
Only three infantry teams remained.

US TURN 6
-

The end seemed inevitable. More so when the M901 ITV failed its skill test to blitz.

The remaining infantry attempted to do some damage but they were facing insurmountable odds and their fire was mostly ineffective. The only small success was when the M901 from the scout section bailed a T-64 to no further effect.

SOVIET TURN 6
-

All that remained was to mop up the remaining US forces. The Soviets moved their forces and at the end had secured the left objective.

+++ AFTER BATTLE NOTES

I thought I had lost that battle after the first three turns. At that point I decided to go all out to try and turn the situation around. Then remarkable good fortune in the shooting step turned the tables and I had regained superiority.

It was a gamble, but half measures would not have achieved it. It could have gone badly and the odds were not in my favor, but even if I had lost, it still would have been a better battle.

It was hard on my opponent to go from a strong position to a much weaker one in only one turn but Gandri is a gentleman and took the reversal as well as possible, fighting to the bitter end. And in the end he had taken out 6x T-64's, all the BMP-2's and a fair share of the infantry making sure that my victory came at a heavy price and mutual destruction.

The theater Mission - Frankfurt Counterattack is one of the better special missions. It is quite a challenge to overcome. The defender has ambush and the first turn so he can do a lot of damage to the attacker and since both sides have half their force in immediate reserves it is always going to be a tough nut for the attacker to crack.