Firestorm: Stripes

Just started playing TY and I got handed the National Volksarmee from Gandri to fight for the people of Deutschland. The first mission wasn't easy, the rearguard at Leipzig, as damn well important for the Warsaw Pact. The army list I had made was aimed at quick assault but this mission was defence, or at least delay them as units are being redirected to the main thrusts.

Setting up for aggressive defence all the T-55's and T-72's are as close as possible to the enemy hoping to get some of them before casualties become too great. Dug in infantry will be defending one point while the BMP's will be watching the other, reacting to the flow of battle. One unit of T-72's is in ambush, trying for Leopard 2's if they expose themselves or other targets of opportunity.

NATO decides to put all their armoured assets on one flank while the infantry takes up positions on the other.

The first salvo was brutal but not entirely unexpected from the Leopard 2's, 2xT-72 and both Shilkas, the third 72 ran away after seeing this destruction from the 3 Leos.

Not letting few losses getting the better of me, all the T-55 and 72's advanced up the flank, those in position peppering the infantry (to little effect). Only to get Tornado strike that knocked out seven tanks in one go. This pretty much chocked off the advance before it got started.

Not giving in the BMP's did a Blitz move to get right into AT-3 missile range and managed to Bail out one of the Leo 2's while the T-55 annoyed the infantry and knocked out one Luchs. T-72's popped out from ambush and shot two more Luchs, only to attract the Leos which made short work of them.

From Dusk to Darkness, it was so abrupt that he had to regroup his tanks, getting some pressure off me. One unit of T-55's continued to fight the infantry to little effect while the other managed to find one Luchs in the night and shot it.

With Night ascended the enemy found his balls and started to advance, knocking out the last T-55's as they did.

With no tanks left to face them the Leo 2's lead the advance hoping to rout the BMP's from the objective to secure the town (As we would let that ever happen). The Night is so dark that no one who is not within knocking distance is able to shoot, and Tornados do two more ineffective runs against the BMP's.

On turn 8.... the Federal Army managed to bail out 5 BMP's and shoot down 3, the infantry then routed the 5 as the last active BMP retreated from the fray. ONLY TO DRIVE RIGHT INTO IT AGAIN! ON TOP OF THE OBJECTIVE, STILL HOLDING!

But NATO gets the final say on turn 9... so close, so damn close...

Thank you for a great game, Frímann, I hope I get to see more smoke on your side next time.

I want to thank Einherjar for an entertaining evening and introducing me to the game.