Firestorm: Red Thunder

8th Guards elements have successfully crossed the Fulda River in Bad Hersfeld and attempt to break free of the city and advance West towards Frankfurt.
3-36 INF BN with drew to the heights on the West side of town and established new defensive positions and prepared for the next attack.

94th Guards will make a feint NW along the 324 Autobahn, primary effort is to attack West along L315 Highway seeking to clear OBJ Stalin for follow on forces

North is the right hand side of image.

3 Objectives established along West edge of board (Stars).

The US commander deployed 3 INF PLTs, one at each OBJ.
His M109 Battery is along the NW edge of the battle field, with his OP deployed at the Southern OBJ.

Warsaw Commander deployed a BMP-2 Recce section (bogged in woods conducting Spearhead), 3 BMP2 COs, 1 T64 CO, and a section of ZSU23-4s along the South East deployment area.

After Warsaw Pact deployment, the Northern most OBJ (White Star) was removed.

Intent was to use the 3rd INF CO dismounted to secure the Warsaw Pact OBJ (sitting under the 2nd CO in photo). The 3rd INF CO BMP-2s would establish a blocking position along the road intersection. While other forces directly engage the left flank

Pact CO was not able to get any Blitz moves. The Recce stayed bogged in the woods. T64s and 2 BMP COs advanced at tactical speed and got off some shots, but no kills.

The US CO failed his reserve roll. His 6 Copperhead shots at the T64s resulted in a bailed tank.

Pact was unable to remount the T64, and the Recce stayed bogged in the woods (this vehicle ended up not moving the entire game)

Hinds went after the M109s. Lost one bird to .50 fire. Destroyed one 109 bailed a second.

On the left flank, forces moved further forward (all 3 again failed Blitz move) and took more shots at the INF PLT guarding the OBJ.
All misses.
4+ to hit, gone to ground, concealed, night, I needed 7s

NATO got reserves this turn, M1s and PIVADS. Copperheads eliminated the T64 CO. M1s destroyed 6 BMPs, PIVADS got the rest. Only the Commander and 4 RPG teams survived.

The blocking force to the north engaged some of the advancing M113s, and also launched a couple missiles down the street towards their West engaging the M1s. Destroyed 2 M113s and 1 M1

To the South the 1st CO dismounted from their BMPs and prepared to assault.
The BMPs destroyed the PIVADs, but didnt get any successes against the dug in INF.

The NATO commander got a couple ITVs as reinforcements.

The Pact brought the hinds back to support the Southern OBJ.
The remaining BMPs looped East and set up firing positions into the rear of the M1s. While 2 of them took out the PIVADS.
All of the shots on the M1 failed.
The Hinds did manage to pin the INF PLT, but the defenders still had enough firepower to drive back the assault, killing half the INF.
The US player got another ITV section as reinforcements.
The first photo is taken at the end of the US movement, prior to shooting.
The second is after all the firing.
All my BMPs, Shilkas, and Hinds have been destroyed.

Turn 5 and 6 didnt offer any hope to the Pact. Majority of the Northern blocking BMP force were eliminated and both the US PLTs from the North end advancing towards the Pact OBJ.
Only a few Pact INF remained on the Southern OBJ, still firmly in US hands. At this point we accepted defeat