Firestorm: Red Thunder

***
It was night and Kommendant Baron knew the early stage of dawn was creaping over the horizon.
They would have about 15 minutes before the sun would begin to illuminate everything. He was well aware that the Americans had better equipment than what the Volksarmée had to bring. Nevertheless, he had gotten a report from Wilhelm, his Tank Commander in a previous battle against the Americans and they had managed to gain some very valuable intel about how the different units worked. A few vehicles had been abandonned all but completely intact. He smiled. His enemy had great technology, but not alot of guts or courage.

During night they could see perfectly so it didn't make to much of a differance to try and sneak. Their improved Thermal devices would reveal them instantly. He pondered this as he eyed out into the slighly dark scenary infront of him. His objective was to claim a few appartments buildings, overlooking a well travelled road, in the right part of the city in order to secure the road for a vital supply line. On the left side was another structure that needed to be captured and held for yet again securing the safe travel of the supply line.

He keyed in his vox "Alle menner, you all know what to do. We are at the forefront. We have no reinforcements enroute. We need to take and hold this road. Baron, out."

He turned, walked to the rear hatch of his BMP-1 Command tank. He placed a hand on the handle to open the hatch when he felt the first traindrops hit him. He paused. It began pouring more.

He caught himself thinking that even the weather was against them being here.

***

[ - - - Warsaw Pact list (Volksarmee - East Germans) (70 pts) - - - ]

Mot-Schützen BMP Formation (69/70 pts)

1 x BMP-1 HQ = 1
5 x BMP-1 = 7
9 x BMP-2 = 18
8 x T-72M = 27
3 x Spandrel = 2
2 x BRDM2 = 1
2 x BRDM2 = 1
4 x Mi-24 Hind = 12

***

The two scout units had navigated ahead of the BMP-2's and T-72M's. Making a clear path for them to setup and start moving towards the two objects.
The BMP-2 unit went across the field to seize the appartments with infantry as instructed. The small unit of BRDM2 moved and secured the objective.

The T-72M's went at tactical speed to capture the abanndonded grocery shop. The second unit of BRDM2 went to scan the shop windows for movement inside.

Kommendant Baron looked at the units moving all around him through the many lenses in his cupola and thinking to himself that maybe they would make...

"Achtung! Flak panzer, 900 meter!" Wilhelm shouted over the radio. How he had managed to see them was beyond him. Maybe Wilhelm had fitted his vehicle with captured tech without clearing it with him.

Kommendant Baron quickly forwarded the roughly estimated coordinates to the companys air support, the Mi-24 assault helicopters.

A minute later the sound of massive rotor blades cutting air and rain was coming from the flying behemoths that just past over his tank.

"Permission to engage." Came a request over the vox in a cold and unemotional voice from the airial units leader.
"Granted." was the only reply Kommendant Baron gave as he looked out of the infrared lenses waiting for the coming flashes.

***

***

He watched as though unable to look away. The rockets had been fired and the burning light could be traced arcing downwards as it struck and several big balls of fire erupted. There had been alot of anti-air tracer rounds flying around for everyone to see. But they where all gone now. No more anti-air tracer being fired, it had all seized.

He kept staring at the burning wrecks several hundred meters away from. Without the optics in his Command vehicle he wouldn't have been able to follow the flow of the battle. He had upgraded his vehicle with more lenses and even a better radio unit to make sure that Communication never broke down. It was quiet again outside. He peered out and scanned, waiting for a response to his land grab.

One minute passed.

Two minutes passed.

"Got in himmel!" someone shouted over the radio in scared german. He didn't have to guess where it came from as the two lead elements of the BRDM2 on the right flank suddenly lit up. He thought of moving his vehicle away from the fight since they had managed to move within 400 meters of his position and not been noticed.

There where some more frantic radio messages from the BMP-2 Soldiers as they began searching for flares or movement. They found the enemy Abraham tanks, but at the cost of three transports as they blew up. Mounted AT-5 rockets came flying back in reply from the BMP-2's and the Abrahams quickly retreated due to the onslaught but also because the Mi-24 hinds started moving in the direction of the commottion.

Over the radio he undertood that the infantry had managed to claim the appartments and thus secured their area. They where most likely already setting up RPG kill points and constructing barricades for the coming counter attack.

"High Command." he spoke into the microphone "We have taken Bremens mainroad. Awaiting further instructions."

An old voice filled with years demanding authority replied "Your instructions are as follows..."

***

***

This game was rather short as I managed to take destroy two VADS and bail another. This left him with only one active and he failed his morale. He did try and shoot anti-air but failed hitting in the dark with many dice and the few that made it though got saved, and even those precious hits that Went passed that didn't pass his FP test. So all 4 Mi-24 Hinds got to fire and scored well beyond expectations.

There was no way for him to be able to hold two objectives since he failed Rolling a 5+ in order to get reserves on the table. So he had one unit to try and hold one, that wasn't gonna happen. He had to make a choice, beginning of turn 1 I win.

He did decide that it was in his best interest to attack the small unit of two BRDM2 and destroyed them so he earned himself a 2-5 VP and shoot some of the BMP-2 tanks aswell for the sake of shooting.

Overall, it was a quick game, no more than 10 - 12 minutes and it was over. We had both wanted a longer game, but because he had few units it forced him on what to play with. Half was off table and nothing came on. He gave up after having moved and shoot the BRDM2.

***