Firestorm: Stripes

The UK 1st Armour Division had been in the process of preparing to move north in order to attack Hamburg when the order came down to stop preparation for movement and return to battle position (facing East toward Leipzig )! The Belgium I Corps was original going to take over the battle position but were redirected to support the containment of Soviet force in the Ruhr pocket.

Intel had confirmed that the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division (MRD) “Red Guard” was moving south from Brandenburg to Leipzig when it turns East into what would have been the open right flank of the BAOR. The 3rd MRD had its 31st Tank Regiment in the North followed by the 32nd Tank Regiment. To the south was the 33rd Tank Regiment followed by the 34th Motorized Rifle Regiment.

The 1st UK Armour Division had the shift to meet the new threat with the 7th Armour Brigade and it two Armour regiments s and one Mechanized infantry regiment in the North. The 22nd Armour Brigade with its two Armour regiments and one mechanized infantry regiment were still west of the 7th Armour Brigade. The 12th Armour Brigade with one Armour and two mechanized infantry regiments to the south of the 7th Armour Brigade would face the main attack from the 3rd MRD!

Within the 12th Armour Brigade, two Mechanized regiments were placed forward, The Green Howards to the North and Royal Irish Regiment in the South. The reserve force was formed around the 4th Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) with two Armour squadron and two infantry platoons, one from each of the Mechanized regiment’s in exchange both received a Squadron of tanks from the 4th RTR

The Quick March of the Green Howards

Major Smyth, of the Green Howards, overlooked his battle position. The 1st platoon and one of the companies GPMG were placed on the right flank covering a T crossroad. On the left flank was 2nd Platoon with the companies second GPMG cover a wooded hilltop and a crossroad. In the center on a ridge line was the 3rd platoon with Major Smyth HQ covering a ridge line to the East and to the North a road coming out of the woods. Behind and covered the by the ridgeline was a two section of Mortars and a section of Blowpipes.

The Russian advance came first on the left as their infantry came thru the woods toward 2nd Platoon. The Tank company in the middle just east of the crossroad remained in place as if waiting for something?

The Russian infantry were winning the battle for the woods and had destroyed most of 2nd Platoon 432. The first company of tank advanced has a second company with a pair ZSU-23 came down the road. Two BMP-1 scouts’ moved north to south across the battlefield at great speed! Then a four BMP-1 came out of the woods and engaged 2nd Platoon. In quick time the 2nd Platoon was down to a single squad and one Milan team.

The Chieftain support had arrived, but in the South! Away from the present battle! MAJ Smyth order the 3rd Platoon to adjust and move North to support that was left of 2nd Platoon and order the Mortars to drop smoke from West to East, Between the Soviet Infantry and BMP-1s to block there view south as 3rd Platoons move north.

Major Smyth then looked at his radio operate, “Thunder!” The radios operate said “Thunder into his Mike!”

Eight Milan’s went into the five tank at the crossroad! All five tanks exploded within sects! The company Milan Section and Mobile Milan’s had made there presence known!

The Soviet BMP-1 and Infantry advance but could find any target thru all the smoke! The second Tank Company overran the last squad of 2nd Platoon! The ZSU advance to the western ridge line and fired down on the 3rd Platoon causing them to go to ground.

The 3rd Platoon made it to the Farm House and Barn. The 3rd Platoon Milan’s and Blowpipe took their revenge and destroyed both ZSU’s. The Mortars keep the infantry pinned down!

Major Smyth could see that the tanks were too close to the Milan’s for them to fire at the tanks! The Milan teams fired at the BMPs on the hill! With support from the Mobile Milan’s, destroying three and driving off a fourth! The T-72s overran the Milan team and then turn their attention onto the 3rd Platoon!

Major Smyth believed it was all over when the T-72 started to explode! The Mobile Milan’s had shift and fired between the Farm House and the Barn, destroying! The chieftains had travel on the road between the two ridge lines and came upon the west ridge from the east and looked down on the T-72! Two more exploded! The last retreated North East and as a last act of defines kill one of the Chieftains!

Major Smyth thought “they keep taken heavy losses yet they keep coming, We can’t win by trading near equal losses!”