Firestorm: Red Thunder

August 10th 1985

After one week of constant movement we've some respite. I would never have thought we could gain so much ground in such little time. Four weeks ago I was assigned as the Executive Officer for my battalion, I am to learn from my comrade commander what it is to be at the forefront of the People's Army. The last six days we have had a running gun battle with the NATO forces, resistance varies wildly, mostly light contact as we follow roads and brief moments of hell as we approach towns. We arrive in each town to find it abandoned, with only a few smoking wrecks that tell the passing of our air support. We are moving now, more to follow later.

August 11th 1985

0600 Company A advances ahead of our battalion, accompanied by a reconnaissance platoon, both equipped with our newer BMP-2s. The comrade commander gave the order for Company A to dismount and advance on a small military warehouse complex in a valley. As the reconnaissance element moved forward it was engaged by NATO armored fighting vehicles, two of the three BMP-2s were killed in an instant, the third breaking contact and returning to the rear. Deeming the infantry from Company A in the open to far forward to pull back the commander gave the order to advance on the enemy firing positions. The BMP-2s of Company A flanked to the South to screen for other NATO forces.

0605 Two NATO helicopters began engaging our BMP-2s in the open, as I reached for the radio in the command vehicle the comrade commander snatched it away. He told me that the comrade Captain in Company A must create his own solution to this problem. Before I could protest a fusillade of high explosive shells erupted among the BMP-2s of Company A, within seconds over half of them were in flames. I watched as the men rush to escape the inferno that ensued, few were so lucky.

0610 Company A continued to push forward, shouting out the glory of our Motherland, forcing the NATO forces to give up their firing positions, but at a cost. Nearly a third of Company A's men were lost to machine gun fire and flak rounds. Company A was forced to halt its advance at a hedge that had grown over a low wall. Meanwhile, the remained five BMP-2s of Company A moved south around a hill to engage the NATO helicopters. Their success could be measured by the bellowing smoke and flames that appeared just over the treeline ahead.

0615 Sporadic machine gun fire accompanied by an occasional rocket is the only thing that breaks the silence. Given the number of estimated casualties I petitioned the Comrade Commander to call up Company B to support the offensive, he relented. Company B made its way across the field at full speed, at this time Company A's remaining BMP-2s crested the southern hill and returned to aid their dismounted comrades. There was a different hum, clank, and hiss coming from the North, I spotted NATO troop carriers speeding across the open to cover behind our lines. Just as Company B moved to react our Comrade Commander determined that we could no longer afford to invest in this attack and gave the order to retreat.

1345 May the Comrade Commander rest in peace. I will be assuming command of my battalion effective immediately. I can say that the Comrade Commander taught me one thing for certain, act for the objective, not the conflict.