Firestorm: Red Thunder

I deployed the T-72 Battalion to the North on his right flank. To the south (left flank) I deployed elements of the BTR Battalion (Infantry from 1st Company, the 4th Recon BDRM, and Spandrels of the 3rd Co) with all the division support ground elements. I kept the remaining elements (BTR HQ, BTR’s of 1st Company and the 2nd Company of its Infantry) of the BTR battalion as a reserve.

The US Commander had chosen a defensive position along a wooded ridge line running north to South overlooking the Autobahn immediately below, fields to the East and a rest stop with hills behind to the Southeast. The Captain deployed 1st and 2nd Infantry platoons in foxholes from the south end of the Northern ridge covering the front of the southern ridge and forests to the south. On the Northern ridge, he deployed an ITV section in ambush and placed 3rd Infantry Platoon behind the ridge as the company reserve. On the Southern ridge (middle of his position), 5th ITV section, The VAD platoon leader track and the Forward Observer track with the Cobra flight hidden behind the ridge to the west. In the woods to the south of the southern ridge where the Company Headquarters and 6th ITV section. In woods further south he deployed the 7th ITV section, a VAD vehicle, and two M-1 from 4th Platoon. Deployed behind a cement wall dividing the autobahn were the remaining M-1 of 4th Platoon and 8th ITV section.

The East German right flank advanced while the left flank held in place providing fire support to pin the American force in the southwest. All was going to plan and my initial smoke barrage to screen the T-72 battalion as it advanced landed perfectly to screen the US right flank. My initial advance the US forces only bailed 3x T-72’s from Dragon and ITV fire. As I kept advancing, my Carnation battery, commenced to fire and pinned down the infantry and destroy an M113 track. The US player did a counter-attack with his ambush of 2x ITV’s on a hill in concealment and additional fire from units in prepared positions. This blunted my advance initially and I managed to destroy with my ADM, a Cobra AH-1 as it tried to fire from concealment.

I kept advancing and used terrain as well, but over the course of an hour, the combined TOW and Dragon missiles overcame the T-72 Battalion destroying all the tanks, BMP’s and Air Defense assets. On the left flank, the shooting duel between the Spandrels and Spigots vs. the American M-1 and ITV's resulted in all the Spandrel and Spigot teams being destroyed at the cost of one M-1 and two ITV's. With the entire East German air defense gone the A-10’s flight took out my Artillery assets.

Warsaw Pact Loss 2-5