Firestorm: Stripes

The British and West German forces moved steadily towards the outskirts of Hanover, the time had come for the Soviet Forces to again make a push towards this key objective. Despite the growing severity of attacks, the British felt confident in their ability to hold the city while the Germans made a flanking maneuver into the rear of the Soviet lines. The battle was joined with the screeching noise of SU-25s and the dreaded churning of hinds rotors...

The West Germans confidently (or rashly) set out on their flanking missing under the shadow of no less than 6 SU-25s and 8 Hinds, safe in the knowledge that they were defended by both Gepards and a battery of Rapier SAMs. After the first salvo of rockets only 1 Leopard 2 was burning thanks to the concealment of the small crossroads town. On the other hand, half of the SU-25s and Hinds were burning wrecks or too damaged to return to the battlefield. The Chieftains rumbled forward to begin the process of helping saturate the Soviet positions on the NATO objectives.

However, the Soviet Air Force was not to be daunted and their fearless fliers returned for 2 more rounds of battle with the British and West German Air Defense Crews. In the ends, the brave Russian fliers were finally brought down (the skilled AA gunners of the Chieftain tanks even brought 2 Hinds down!). However, the West Germans had lost contact with their platoon of Leopard 2s and based on the glow from the far time edge of the river the Soviet Airmen did not sacrifice their lives needlessly.

Despite the loss of the Leopard 2s, the NATO forces still felt relatively confident. With the Soviet Air Power eliminated and reinforcements steadily arriving on the flank in the form of Scorpions and Marder Panzergrenadiers, they were continuing their advance towards their objectives. With only a BTR infantry company in the city, the British were confident they could contain the threat.

The British tankers could feel a rumble and the soldiers of the East German BTR company let out a cheer - the Volksarmie Panzer Kompanie had arrived! Despite the clear superiority in tank design, every British tank said a short prayer as they moved to block this new threat. While the Chieftain's 120mm gun could slice through the T-72 and T-55 like butter, it always seemed like there was an endless stream of tanks which would, through skilled gunnery eventually take its toll on the British tanks.

Despite many close calls and the bleeding ear drums of many British tankers, the Chieftains remained in position and blunted the advance of the East German tank company through the city.

The final act of the Soviet Forces was to send a brave unit of T-55s forward to cover the retreat of the Afgantsy from the far flank. Both armies were still in good spirits, but with no air support and 2/3 of the East German tank company destroyed, the Soviets decided to quit the field and left the city in the hands of the British and West German defenders.

This defense gave the British and West German armies a glimmer of hope. Even if this defense only gave enough time for more civilians to evacuate, there was still the hope that more victories would be seen in the future.