Firestorm: Stripes

With heavy fighting on the flanks the WARPAC forces struggle to consolidate their gains. A victory in the Ruhr might push Germany out of the war - opening the way of territorial gains when a ceasefire is agreed to.

1-я гвардейская танковая армия
1st Guards Tank Army

BMP Motor Rifle Battalion 50 points

HQ
HQ BMP-2 2

FORMATION UNITS 38
BMP-2 Motor Rifle – medium
– 7xAk-74, 6xRPG-7, 2x LMG, 1x Gremlin 10xBMP-2 20
BMP-2 Motor Rifle – small
– 4xAk-74, 3xRPG-7, 4xBMP-2 8
4x Shilka AA 4
3x 2S1 Carnation 5
BMP-1 Observer 1

SUPPORT UNITS 10
4x Hinds 10

As the force is not fully painted I didn't take a photo.

NORTHAG
3rd Armoured Division 'Iron Division'
Fv432 Mech Company
50 Points

HQ 3
HQ – 1
CPMG 2x CPMG 2

FORMATION UNITS 16
FV432 Mech Plt. 3x CPMG, 2x Carl Gustav, 1x mortar
- 2x MILAN & 4x FV432 7
FV432 Mech Plt. 3x CPMG, 2x Carl Gustav, 1x mortar
- 2x MILAN & 4x FV432 7
Scimitar Recce Troop 2x Scimitar 2

SUPPORT UNITS 30
Scorpion Recce Troop 2x Scorpion 2
Rapier SAM – 4x Rapier 6
TOW Lynx Helarm 2x TOW Lynx 6
TOW Lynx Helarm 2x TOW Lynx 6
Harrier CAS – 4x Harriers 10

Major Beaver set up his defence with both Fv432 platoons, Raipiers and one unit of Lynx (that started off table).

Red Alert placed his units in a U. The strong infantry unit would lead the attack (2) with the strong BMP-2 and Carnation on the right flank (1) and the weaker infantry and their BMP-2's on the left (3). The main attack would be carried out fast by attacks (1) and (2), with the weaker attack threatening the British right flank and preventing Major Beaver from redeploying his troops.

The idea was to attack fast and hard before taking too many losses and Major Beavers reserves arrived.

Onward to victory!

+++ Soviet turn 1.

Strong advance on all flanks. Good shooting destroyed 3 of the Fv432 on the right flank.

Artillery redeployed for the next turn.

Hinds remained off table because of the Rapiers.

+++ British turn 1

Major Beaver tries to redeploy by blitzing and fails causign his fire to become ineffective.

His helicopters also fail to Blitz and cannot fire.

Best results were from the Fv432 on his right flank that shoot up the small Soviet infantry company and kill 2 teams.

+++Soviet turn 2

Already the large company is in assault position against the centre. Shooting is so effective however that there are no teams left to assault.

On the left flank the combined return fire of the infantry and BMP-2's destroy or bail all British APV. The reminder are destroyed in an assault.

Artillery failed to range in.

Hinds remained off table because of the Rapiers.

+++ British turn 2

Again no reserves and the situation is becoming dangerous.

The British forces do their best to weaken the attack by engaging targets of opportunity with mixed results.

The BMP-2 Company on the right flank is destroyed and then a team here and there but nowhere enough to stop the Soviets.

+++Soviet turn 3

The Soviet forces move to assault.

Shooting scores some kills that weaken the British prior to the assault.

The artillery moves to switch to direct fire and fails to score any hits.

Hinds remained off table because of the Rapiers.

It is the assault that pushes through. The BMP-2's have now entered the parking area and in a long assault between 2 BMP-2's and 3 infantry teams the Soviets finally kill two teams to one bailed BMP-2.

The centre infantry hit hard. The British defensive fire scores 6 hits but the Soviet infantry is still over 12 strong so they enter into close combat. The Soviets win and enter the building but to the loss of 4 teams. The British have lost all but 3 teams and their formation commander.

+++British turn 3

Harriers arrive from reserve, dusk has not yet come, Soviets are now with 4 teams within 10cm of an objective and the British must push them off.

British move both their intact platoon towards the main fight, only one team makes it with in assault distance. Fire is heavy. Those that can fire at the Soviets next to the objective and the reminder pave the way for the Harriers, destroying one Shilka and bailing another, so by this time only one remained. Shooting also manages to bail the BMP-2 on the objective and destroy one infantry team in the building.

Two infantry, one Ak-74 and one RPG are the only teams that are remaining that are withing 10cm of the objective but only two British infantry teams form different platoons can assault.

First one goes in and is destroyed by defensive fire.

Second one goes in and makes it into contact and kills one team. What follows is a long engagement where the British team finally fails to counterattack and breaks off.

The Soviets end their turn in sole possession of the objective and will win automatically in their next turn.

Red Alert and Major Beaver shake hands.

These are close to the typical forces we are playing in our group. Notice the total absence of MBT.

The Hinds remained off the board the whole battle and the Carnation artillery never did a thing. On Major Beavers side then reinforcements showed up too late or not at all.

He might have done better had he used a layered defence but as it was then only one platoon had to meet the main Soviet attack by itself and the Soviets won in only 4 turns.