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Firestorm: Stripes

The Team Yankee Global Campaign

+++ TANK DUEL OUTSIDE BERLIN

80 POINTS
Warsaw Pact
Red Alert
VS British
Major Beaver

+++ BERLIN DUST-UP 80 POINTS : BRITISH vs SOVIET

OPPOSING FORCES

NORTHAG
British Tank Company
80 Points

HQ
Chieftain/Stilbrew 7

FORMATION UNITS 59
Chieftain Armoured Troop 3x Chieftain 18
Chieftain Armoured Troop 3x Chieftain 18
Swingfire Troop 2x Swingfire 4
Abbot field battery 4x Abbot 6
Scorpion Reece Troop 4x Scorpion 4
FV432 Mech Plt. 4x CPMG, 3x Carl Gustav, 1x mortar
- 2x MILAN & 5x FV432 9

SUPPORT UNITS 14
Spartan Blowpipe SAM 6x Spartan 9
Harrier CAS – 2x Harriers 5

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 80 points

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
BMP-2 Recon plt 2x BMP-2 3
SA-13 Gopher 4x SA-13 4
ZSU-23-4 Shilka – 4x Shilka 4
2S1 Carnation Battery – 3x 2S1 5
BMP-1 Observer 1

DEPLOYMENT AND BATTLE PLAN

Dust-up is a mobile battle so battle plans are often of little use. Major Beaver made use of his spearhead and deployed his tanks outside his deployment area. This pretty much made the Soviet side react to this deployment.

The table was tough, a river ran though it (and supposedly under the wine hill, meaning that the most open way to attack was over the hill.

+++ THE BATTLE

BRITISH TURN 1

Chieftains stay put to engage the T-64's which benefit from not having moved in concealing terrain, making them hard to hit. The one hit bounced off their armour!

Rest of the British repositioned.

T-64 enjoy a rare moment of being on the defense in good terrain.

SOVIET TURN 1
No reserves

Slight redeployment, the BMP-2 make ready to crest the hill turning away form attacking along the left flank.

Fire is rather ineffective, leaving only one Chieftain bailed.

BRITISH TURN 2 - THE DAY OF THE SCORPION!

Making a Blitz move the 4 Scorpions crest the hill. While the Chieftains continue their duel with the T-64 with little noticeable effect the Scorpions destroy 7 of the BMP-2 in one round of shooting!

SOVIET TURN 2
No reserves

The plan had been to destroy the Scorpions with the return fire, but then there were a lot more BMP-2's available. The infantry moves to mount the hill next turn.

Shooting turns out to be effective. The T-64's score 2 hits on the Chieftains, destroying one and bailing another. The HQ Chieftain decides not to join the remaining tanks and they flee on a 3 (had he joined they would have stayed - but then had he failed the flank would have been wide open).

The last two BMP-2's manage to destroy two Scorpions.

BRITISH TURN 3
- 3x Chieftains arrive

More dueling, this time on T-64 is destroyed and another bailed. The Scorpions take out one more BMP and bail the last one, which remains in the field.

SOVIET TURN 3
- 2S1 Carnations arrive

The reserves move to join their forces as the Soviets are on the defensive. The infantry move up the hill with the last BMP-2 but their fire fails to accomplish anything. T-64's only manage to bail a single Chieftain.

BRITISH TURN 4
No reserves

Spartans join the Scorpions on the hill and the Soviet infantry starts to take casualties and the last BMP is lost.

The Chieftains score 4 hits against the T-64 but with their front armor of 17 boosted to 18 by long range three make their armor saves and the last is only bailed!

SOVIET TURN 4
3x T-64 arrive

The newly arrived T-64's move towards the hill where the Soviet infantry is fighting an unequal battle against the British light armor. But they are still a turn away.

Meanwhile in the tank duel the Soviets manage to bring all but one T-64 into action and they take out the HQ Chieftain and 1 of the reserve Chieftains. The artillery added to the fire to no effect.

BRITISH TURN 5
Swingfires arrive

Swingfires set up for the next turn. The Chieftains bail a T-64 and on the hill a few more infantry are shot to pieces but nothing that swings the battle.

SOVIET TURN 5
4x Shilka arrive

The T-64s join the infantry on the hill.

Still more ineffective tank dueling, but a luck shot destroys a Swingfire forcing a morale test which they fail.

Carnations try to range in on the infantry and do in their last attempt and fail to hit, but at least they are ranged in.

BRITISH TURN 6
4x Abbots

Once again the struggle continues. A few more infantry are killed, but only 2 T-64's are bailed, forcing a morale test but the Formation leader joins them and they stay.

SOVIET TURN 6
2x BMP-2's arrive from reserves.

This turns out to be a pivotal moment in the game. The Soviets manage to break both the Scorpions and Spartans when the Shilkas join the fray. But it is the destruction of the last of the Chieftains that marks the end of the duel. The T-64's have managed to destroy all the Chieftains for the loss of single T-64!

TURNS 7 - 12

The British bring in the Harriers only to see them shot down by massive Anti Air. The Abbots and infantry manage to take out the Soviet Reece BMP-2's and two T-64. The greatest delay is caused by the river where the advance of the victorious T-64's is delayed by three consecutive turns of bogging. But the end is no longer in question and once the Abbots and FV432 are broken and a few of the British infantry have been destroyed then Major Beaver concedes defeat.

By that time the British have take out the BMP-2 transports and BMP-2 Recon, but as the Soviets started the game with 10 units in total, they only score 2 points.

Every turn the Carnations shelled the infantry, managing to pin them a couple of turns - keeping the MILAN's at bay and finally towards the end they did score a kill, one infantry team.

- There is no party like the Communist Party! -

Come join us :)

A good battle as always against Major Beaver, our best painter, who unusually used an unpainted team. The game was one by the side that won the tank duel. The extra point of armor on the T-64 and their improved mobility compared to the T-72 made a world of difference in this game.

SOVIET WIN 5 - 2

Army Lists Used In This Battle

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Recommend Commander For Commendation

15 People Recommended Red Alert for commendation

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Warsaw Pact
Red Alert
Wins

23 Comments

  • Nabeshin says:

    So, the big man himself is holding the gates are Berlin? I think it’s time we get one of our aces to put down this troublesome Soviet once and for all! 😉

    Storm, some of the points are fairly difficult to follow.

  • Klute says:

    I luv Berlin. Great AAR as always…..

  • Red Alert says:

    +++
    Nice additions, we do not go so far, although I am quite familiar with the Firestorm – having written a few.

    This is just for added fun and players have a lot to say about where they fight. We have sometimes set ourselves limits, like must have 50% MBT (quite fun), No Aircraft or Helos (just for a difference), different points value etc. This week we aim for All MBT + 1 Recce. But as you can see these are very open.

    😉

  • Storm Caller says:

    Hi Red,

    Your group is also changing some “force Structure requirement”. Are guys start with a “formation for the entire Campaign based on a Division (WARSAW PACT) or Brigade (NATO) were a company in Yankee is a regiment (WARSWPAC) or in the case of NATO a Battalion.

    As Example Red Bear is a Motorized Rifle Division, He gets:
    1) Tank Company base with the 3rd Platoon and a BMP Company
    2) BMP Company base with the 3rd Platoon and a Tank Company
    3) BTR-60 Company base with 3rd Platoon and a Tank Company
    4) As above but the tanks are T-64 vs T-72
    5) one set of “Regimental Support”
    6) one set of “Divisional Support”

    The overall Soviet Command has
    1) Independent tank company
    2) Corps Artillery Group (CAG)
    3) One Assult Company with support Helo’s

    Here the Kicker, All forces must be built from your list and losses in battle are removed from the force permanently! We do a “recovery” role after the game, If you hold the ground on a 5 or 6 you get the team back, The Loser only get a lost team on a 6!

    Losses now have a major effect on the follow-on game! Red Bear has lost one of the BTR-60 except for 1 platoon (10 BTR in Total) and a Tank platoon (three T-64) in comparison in the same battles (four in total) my force has lost 5 vehicles in total! Only because I held the field of battle and round really well on the recovery about 60%

    We have two “Divisions” now 1st Division is all the “Old Player” the guys that have played the game for a “few” years and know there way around the battlefield if you know what I mean.

    Then there’s “2nd Division” Most if not all come from a 40K background, There go players but not up to the level of play with 1st Divison.

    The same thing happens when our 1st Division (Historical backgrounds) guys play 40K against them, the 1st Divison guy gets there ass kicked.

    I think we have two guys that are good at both!

    We don’t report the battle between a 1st Divison player and a 2nd Division player. To date, the 2nd Division had won just won a game in 15! So it wouldn’t be right and most like playing WARSAW PACT for some reason?

    We only report battle within a Divison. This is the reason you’ll see the same battlefield used multi times!

    Other time I believe you’ll figure out who is who!

    Please pass on to Major Beaver to go to British Forum for a question about Force Structure and tactics. He can also go to Royal Hawaiian Gamers club forum (just go to clubs) We started organized in a stand staff style, few players didn’t understand what a G-2 or G-3 is. Just another learning curve to take on.

    Still, enjoy the reports

    Cheers

    Storm

  • Red Alert says:

    +++

    Good points Stormy,

    I will forward them to Major Beaver.

    He will be posting his report soon so I recommend you repeat them there.

    Major Beaver is well capable as a commander, in fact I lost my one game to him and he is a strong Flames of War player.

    It is important to know that in these battles we agreed to having 50% as MBTs. We have been doing this lately because our Meta was becoming infantry and air and less and less MBT but they are fun and if everyone has 50% it makes for more fun games and after all, it is about having fun. Why he decided to be so aggressive is hard to say, maybe he just wanted to. In his defence, the odds were always in his favor. Long range duel, he has a base hit value of 4+ the T-64 are 3+. That it ended with 7 destroyed Chieftains (1 and 1 bailed failed morale) against only one T-64 came down to a good bit of luck.

    As for the table, it was very unusual and neither of us had set it up, but it was very different from what we usually play so it was fun. Part of the game is to overcome tactical challenges and this was plenty.

    I am sure Major Beaver will learn his lessons well 🙂

  • Storm Caller says:

    Red,

    You missed my points

    A. Force structure.
    1. British tank company at 80 point with only 80pts?
    2. Taking only one command tank, but two fully platoons?
    3. Taking just two
    4. Taking full infantry platoon Milan’s vs short with Milan’s
    5. But taking six blow pipes?
    6. Harries, when you almost alway max AA system
    7. Abbots with no FO?
    This Force structure decrease the value of the force by 10 -20%

    B. The Board
    1. Always set up to Soviet strong points! Lots of cover and allows forces to move right up on NATO!
    2. This board has the following.
    a. Hill right in center. Great cover and block line of sight for most of the British!
    b. One open maneuver lane large enough to fit a Fully BMP company
    c. One restricted kill zone
    d. The ford are placed perfectly for Soviet to contest and then when, How you say?
    d1. The Soviet side the Ford is off to the right, the British would have to cross the move before the could get to it and the Soviet Force would be under cover we’ll protecting! The objective is within four inches of the woods
    d2. The British side the ford is at the objective! And the woods are over four inches away!
    e. Fields
    e1 For the Soviet they provide cover for the approaching infantry to set up a base of firer and then lunch the attack from
    e2. For the British side the field provides no real advantage, because of the river and large Forest directly across

    C. The Tactics were on point for the Soviets and completely off for the British.
    1. Soviet, text book! Covered approaches, kill zones with maximum fire power, use of fire and maneuver! Well played!
    2. British. Divided forces, waste of movement, poor lines of sight for firer
    2a. The deployment divid force into two groups that could support one another!
    2b. The Spead head moved the British force into the Soviet Tank Company’s kill zone, would require four turn of movement to cross to the other side!
    2b1. Should have used it on the other side to monuaver a force against your left flank!
    2c. The British choose poor lines of sight!
    2d. Why would you leave a Chieftan platoon off board vs the Blowpipes? Still trying to justify this one!

    To quote an Irishmen I know “The deception, is making people think your “lucky” when in fact you created it!”

    So yes your “lucky”

    Again I still recommend because the reports are some of the best! I use them to teach our new plays what to look for when looking at a table.

    And I’m winning our pool! We have add a few other Soviet player to the “Guess what will happen” examples. I still believe yours are the best!

    Cheers

  • recce103c says:

    another very good AAR +++ RA

    interesting & challenging terrain set up stopping obstacle and tactical divide.

    thx for sharing

  • Red Alert says:

    +++

    I confess I find that I am ‘luckier’ than I have been before. NATO tanks do have that dreaded 50% morale if they take the test.

    As for the boards, there is decent variation in them. This is Gandri’s Penthouse, a room in a large industrial housing that isn’t used for anything else. The basement photos are my bunker.

    A lot of the terrain is TY stuff, but other stuff is interchangeable and this one was lighter on terrain than normal. Major Beaver played more aggressively than usual and against T-72 he would have won, but that extra point of armour made a big difference.

    Also I am not always lucky, in my first two games I rolled “1” on the morale rolls for the Formation Commander, losing a unit of T-64’s and the commander.

    I used to run BMP-2 and Hind heavy armies, but now the T-64 is one of my favorite units.

    Reading through my reports my style is fairly obvious. The plan is to overwhelm NATO before their technological advantage comes to play.

  • Storm Caller says:

    I don’t know about the dice?

    Take a good look at Major Beaver Force structure.

    Then take a look at the board…….there is a commen theme with all the boards this group play on!

    Still out standing reports either way!

    I still recommend.

    I just know the out come with the force structure and board!

    One our group send just those two thing and we “product”…….yes we started a pool!

    Red, keep going the way you do! In the end I going to get the 1st prize! What is that I’ll tell you, on your last report.

    Cheers

  • Jagdpanzer says:

    hmm i think he needs new dice for morale rolls

  • Storm Caller says:

    I called it before I read it! Poor British Tactics and brilliant Soviet dice rolling!

    Still recommend, but like the “Walking Dead” only watch via recording when there nothing else to see.

    Never heard a song with “party like a communist?”, Polish folk song maybe?

  • bayankhan says:

    Excellent

  • Kubikhan says:

    In the famous words of Admiral Akbar: “It’s a trap.” NATO, stay the heck out of Berlin, especially if Red Alert is anywhere near!

  • Red Alert says:

    There was a river… as well and the Chieftains put me on defense for a while.

    Kind of new for me for I usually have only one mode “attack”

  • HMS_Belfast says:

    Expecting one infantry platoon to bear the brunt of the enemy starting force AND reserves was very optimistic. Staving off the enemy thrust and counterattacking is the right way.

  • Davehodo says:

    Well done comrade general. See you in Paris.

  • PanzerGrau says:

    Fine work as usual comrade general. You are an inspiration to us all.

  • PEIPER says:

    I feel like your video finale looks way too familiar for some reason? Like it was in a battle report I had read not long ago…
    Well fought Red and amazing report.
    Comms given

  • Victor says:

    That unlucky Beaver, how many shots did the T-64 armour stop?

    Congratulations on the chain of victories comrade General! You are an inspiration to us all.

  • CrazyIvan17 says:

    An outstanding victory Comrade! Well done, leading the defenses of the Berlin region from the front lines, like a true warrior!

  • Major Beaver says:

    I’ll give you 10stars and a commendation, you lucky *************. , great fun as always. I thought I had you, when the Scorpions stopped the BMP’s.

  • Red Alert says:

    Or very satisfying,

    One man’s victory is another man’s loss.

    You just need to be in the right “Party” and the Communist Party puts the Party in Party…

  • M. Nisbet says:

    Disappointing