Firestorm: Stripes

The latest S-2 report was very interesting, to say the least! The British attack into Southern Hamburg had not gone as planned. The Belgian 1st Corps had been redirected to the support NATO forces holding the line in the Ruhr. The 1st Armour Division had to realign to the East just hours before the advance began to stop a Soviet attack coming out of Leipzig. The 4th Armour Division did advance into Southern Hamburg but instead of going true North it had to advance on a North East line in order to support 1st Armour Northern flank.

The good news was that the Union Battle Group had found a hole in the Soviet lines! It was confirmed that the 3rd Division was facing the 1st Guards Motorized Rifle Division (GMRD), The “Red Bear” Division. The S-2 had been able to identify that seem to be a screen line to the north made up of the 1st GMRD BTR60 Regiments, the 13th BTR-60 Regiment in the West and the 14th BTR-60 Regiment to the East. The Union Battle Group found a hole where it is believed the 1st Battalion of the 14th should have linked in with the 13th.

Simply put the 1-14th hadn’t gotten into position in time when the Union Battle Group hit them! The 1-14th Battalion retreat North West away from the rest of the 14th Regiment and moved to a position just north of 13th.

The Division 12th BMP Regiment was rumored to have moved north to stop the American coming South out of North Hamburg. The Division Armour Regiment the 11th Guards Tank Regiment and most of the Divisional elements had not been located, Both Dutch and German intelligence had confirmed an unknown Regiment in Frankfurt from the North East. This could be the 11th Guards Tank Regiment.

The 33rd Armour Brigade of the 3rd Division followed the Union Battle Group, The Greys turned east to hit the 14th from the West as the 11th Armour brigade of the 4th Division hit them from the South! The 14th Regiment Dead in place! 33rd Armour Brigades two Mechanized Infantry Regiments, The Royal Scots and The Queens Lancashire, continued to follow the Union Battle Group. The Greys would turn North later in the day and fall in with the 33rd Brigade.

The 4th Brigade was following the 33rd Brigade when the S-2 picked up a lot of Radio traffic between the Division and Battalion Commander. The S-2 believes that Red Bear had ordered the 14th to conduct an attack on the key crossroad in the area to cut the supply line to the Division element in the North. The 13th seemed to be just holding in place?

Major Churchill looked at the S-2, “How much time do I have?” the S-2 said no more than three hours. 3 hours later the Welsh Cavalry troop (one of only two assigned to the 4th Brigade) that had been posted to the North came back reporting that the lead element of what they believe was a BTR-60 with T-64 support was a half hour out. They were traveling with no recon, which the Welsh could find. The lead element was a BTR company of ten vehicle ’s, a Tank company with Eight vehicles, a Battalion HQ with 2 ZSU-23 and three Carnation, then another BTR company of ten vehicles.

Major Churchill had the Welsh troop deploy to see lift flank just out of sight and behind a troop of swingfires he had placed in a tall cornfield to cover the lift flank and a long ridge off to the right. In the mid of the position behind a low ridge, he had 2 of 1st Troop's Chieftains and his own. All the Chieftains in Alpha Squadron are stillbrew. On the right, he had the Regimental Scouts half section and 9th platoon from the Irish Guards. The 9th was down a section but the 4th Company Command had attached a GPMG team to make up the firepower and as a very kind jouster had sent a Milan section with the 9th. From here the infantry could stop and advance through the wood and the Milan’s could cover the crossroad. If thing went bad it was the best position to escape from. If and when 2nd troop arrived with its three chieftains’ he would bring them alongside 1st troop’s right flank.

Churchill was looking at his map as the reports came in from the troops. The first was the swingfires that report a group of BTR-64 advance south down the road and dismounting there infantry. Then the 9th Platoon look out team report five BTR-60 dismounting infantry and preparing to advance into the woods. Churchill smiled knowing what was waiting for them in the woods! The 9th also report between four and six tanks on the North East road coming to a halt and waiting. A second report from the confirmed the second group of four to six tanks, 2 ZSU-23, and 3 Carnation just behind the second ridge.

Churchill knew what was going to happen. The infantry would secure both flanks then the tank behind the ridge would move forward to cover the movement of the tanks on the road. Churchill was thinking to himself when both the infantry and swingfire reported target acquired!

The fight broke out on the right flank, The Infantry had advance right on top of 9th Platoon! The 9th had no choice but to open up from a concealed position and then charge! The Soviet infantry retreated out of the woods to the BTR-60, who provided covering fire. The Milan team caught two of the T-64 as they crested the ridged, one exploded and the other began to bellow white smoke! The swingfires opened up on to the ridge also destroying two T-64, possible third that was billowing white smoke.

Churchill just said 1st Troop advance firer at will! The Chieftains had been in reserves slop defensive position! 1st Troop accounted for three more T-64, to include a few extra rounds to a lone tank bellowing white smoke! Then the ridge that 1st and Churchill was hull down behind erupted in explosions! 1st Troops 11B went offline but came back two minutes later.

The Welsh Cavalry troop moved forward and confirmed the Soviet force was in retreat! The 9th reported the same on the right flank!

The 9th reported that they had 4 KIA and 6 casualties that were in the process of being moved to the squadron collection point. Also had a 432 that had high centered going thru the woods and was in the process of being recovered.

Major Churchill could see the 1st Troop Warrant officer walked over to his tank with the sad expression on his face. “Sir, Lieutenant Grants not going to make it, Broke his neck when the artillery round hit his tank.”

Major Churchill’s only thought, “What a terrible price to pay because of a decision of people who aren’t even in the fight!”