Firestorm: Red Thunder

Situation: Having broken passed a defensive line near Sendelbach, Durchenko's tanks race to the bridges over the Main.

Mission: The mission of the 9th Tnk. Battalion, 3rd Combined Tank Division is to quickly reach the bridges and secure them so that the rest of the division can cross. You will move NLT 0800 hrs local 12 August 1985.

We set the board up, rolled randomly for which board edge the Soviets would start at. The American player chose to start the game in daylight.

Durchenko's tanks are rolling down the streets of Sendelbach when his radio crackles with a warning from the scout platoon directly to his front "Comrade Colonel, we have spotted tanks to our front!!!" "Push past them as quickly as you can go, we will engage their tanks then rejoin you near the fuel tanks!!!"

Set up:
The Soviet force, using spearhead, were in a great position to make a run for the objective.

Turn 1:
The American fired both ITVs at the BMP-1 scouts-and missed, the missiles hitting the hillside the BMPs were on. The American XO, and M1 tank platoon move out of cover and fire and hit 2 Russian tanks-the front armore of the T-72 manage to protect the tanks so no damage is done. ( rolled 2 5's)

The Soviet BMPs dash to the first objective, which surprises the American player-he didn't realize how fast the BMP-1 scouts could go. The T-72s fire, and only manage to KIA 1 of the 2 ITVs.

Turn 2:
The remaining ITV flees!! The M1 platoon has to dash to get within 4 inches of the 1st objective and does-so while it cant fire, it prevents the BMPs from using their ATGMs and contests the objective. The US XO fires and hits a T-72 and kills it, the American CO now comes out of cover and also gets 2 hits but kills another T-72.

The Russians move their tanks forward, and Durchenko moves his tank to get in a flank shot-he does and KIA's the XO's tank. The other T-72s fire at the American COs tank and with 4 shots, destroy the American CO's tank and KIA the American CO.

With their command group gone, the remaining M1 platoon decides to break contact and withdraw, giving the Russians a quick 6-1 victory.

Lessons Learned:
Garrett wants to play another game, this time using his scouts so we will. I also never even used any Russian artillery-so it was a waste of points. This game is about speed and getting to the objectives in a turn or 2. In my opinion 2 smaller Russian tank companies might have been a better idea.

Durcheno gathers his command and gets his command ready to move again-another 200 meters and they'll be at the bridge!!! He looks out of his tanks hatch-and makes a quick run back to......oh I see where he's going