Firestorm: Red Thunder

The regular bunch met up at Guardian Games again last night for another great evening of Flames of War and Team Yankee. My friend Ryan (Lazarus) was there and brought some of the new T-64 tanks and some of his U.S. Mechanized Infantry. We went ahead and tried the Frankfurt Gauntlet mission, although we both had a few reservations about it - especially since he didn't take one of the new scout formations for the U.S. Turns out the mission is very difficult for a U.S. player if he or she doesn't actually have spearhead, and we'll likely be playing a different mission this weekend. As always, Ryan was a great sport and always brings his A game to the table.

Saturday, 10 August 1985

After securing Marburg, I ordered the men to maintain and re-supply all of their equipment in anticipation of continued combat in this sector. Despite strong gains, the Americans and West Germans were still putting up stiff resistance, and our push to the Rhine and beyond has been delayed yet again. I was just sitting down to breakfast when new orders arrived via staff vehicle.

Given the urgency of the situation at the front, I had little time to say my goodbyes to the men and congratulate Alexi on his promotion. I, however, leave knowing that the unit is in good hands and that they will go on to great success.

Arriving at my unit, I realize how desperate the fighting around Frankfurt has been. A battalion of advanced T-64 tanks has been reduced to ten operable vehicles, with a further three or four in repair. While we have reconnaissance, AA, and artillery support, I'm informed the infantry was decimated in the last attack and will be unavailable for the upcoming battle. Inspection of the surviving tanks shows they are in reasonably good condition, but are not equipped with the guidance systems for the Kobra missile meaning that NATO tanks will likely still out-range my forces. Second Echelon forces are on their way, but have not yet arrived at the front.

My orders are to push through a gap between Marburg and Frankfurt, this should open the road to Wiesbaden and Mainz allowing our forces to encircle and reduce Frankfurt and its airport. We can then push on to the Rhine and into Belgium trapping remaining NATO forces in Germany in a pocket in the Ruhr with no easy source of supply.

11 August, 1985

We move out before dawn and head southwest. Our reconnaissance squadron indicates that American forces have been active in the area of Nieder-Oberrod, and that there may be a key supply dump and forward communication center in the area.

As we approach the town, it appears that an American mechanized infantry company is in the vicinity, but has moved away from the town. Perhaps they had been moving out to attack our forces further south at Frankfurt? Either way this represents a key opportunity to disrupt the American rear lines and pave the way for a breakthrough in this sector. Apparently alerted to our presence, the Americans have turned around and will not simply let us waltz in to the city.

American forces were well-deployed to cut off our advance toward the city. American anti-tank AFVs were well-hidden in a row of trees overlooking several agricultural fields. We could also barely see one of their heavy armored artillery vehicles at the edge of the woods as well. At least one company of mechanized infantry supported by four M1 tanks is poised to move into the town itself.

Our own forces consisted of ten T-64 tanks, a Shilka battery of two vehicles, a reconnaissance team of four BMP-2, and a battery of the heavy 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers. If we are able to get into the town and secure the objectives, we should be able to hold off any counter attack, but if the American mechanized infantry is able to infiltrate the town, the house to house fighting will invariably subject the flanks of the T-64 tanks to attack by infantry anti-tank weapons. We must drive to the city as fast as possible.

The reconnaissance unit leads the way for two of the reduced-strength tank companies to approach the town. I hold the third company in reserve in case the American tanks try to circle around and trap our armor in a crossfire. The improved stabilizers on the T-64 is a welcome upgrade as it allows me greater flexibility in deployment.

The Americans advance on the city, but their M1 unit splits to try and deal with the two reduced companies of T-64s along the way. The reserve company of T-64s was apparently identified by an artillery observer as rockets fired by their 155mm howitzers begin falling in our area. Fortunately no hits are scored, and it alerts me to the more immediate danger. Their anti-tank AFVs fire missiles at our formation, but the one hit scored glances off the hull of one of our tanks.

We start to move into the town to first secure the supply dump. American forces in this sector have been hard pressed over the past days, and it is unclear whether they have received any reinforcements yet. If we can secure their forward bases of operation, they will have no choice but to give ground. The reconnaissance team fires missiles at the enemy anti-tank team and observer team. The missile fired at the observer team goes wild and ends up in some trees, but one of the missiles strikes an AFV. From my vantage point it didn't appear to destroy the vehicle, but the crew evacuated the vehicle and the second vehicle withdrew.

With the enemy heavy artillery announcing its presence, our 2S3 Akatsiya battery was able to zero in destroying one of the enemy guns. Our other forces continued their way toward the town. Given the lack of American air power, I sent the Shilka battery on a flanking run to harass the enemy softskins and artillery, but now with their mechanized infantry working their way into the city, I wonder if I haven't made a poor decision.

The Americans continue their advance toward the down trading shots with their Soviet counterparts, costing us one T-64 destroyed and another shaken. The battle-weary company asked for permission to withdraw, but I ordered them to hold as they had substantial support. Our forces finally make their way into the town and locate a small supply center in the north eastern zone. The sentries attempt to check our advance with small arms fire, but they have nothing which can damage our armor.

We are able to bring a couple of their APCs under fire destroying two, but it appears all of the troops make it out alive. As expected, the Americans are going to try and turn this into a city fight with their infantry taking up firing positions in the buildings around what intelligence is calling a communications center. We have to be very careful not to expose our sides to their anti-tank teams or we'll be forced out of the city.

The American M1 tanks push their way into the city and open a hellish volley of gunfire. I'm certainly glad the Americans are still using the old British 105mm gun - I can't imagine how effective these tanks would be with a 120mm! A second T-64 is lost, this time from 3rd company, and 1st company takes such a pounding all three tanks are temporarily out of action. I immediately radio the commander and order them to hold at all costs, we are in a position to completely outflank the American armor if they can hold. The company quickly recovers and is soon active again.

With American infantry beginning to infiltrate through the town, the key is to eliminate the American tanks as quickly as possible, the infantry will then likely break off rather than be overrun by our forces. At this point my T-64s are in a position to envelop the American tanks, destroying three of them. The remaining vehicle flees allowing us to begin to secure the supply depot. The American infantry begins to withdraw from the town leaving us victorious.

While we are now in control of the town awaiting further orders, I remain concerned that we were not able to eliminate the American infantry. Our total losses were a mere two tanks, but my companies are already vastly understrength. Enemy losses were somewhat higher, but our goal is a lightning victory - not a long war of attrition. We must push on further and faster to complete the final liberation of Europe.

This was the first time I've used the T-64 formation, and I didn't equip them with the Songster missiles. Overall I liked them - they are a bit more flexible than a T-72 because of their higher speed. There was only one opportunity that having the missiles would have come in handy on this mission - because of the victory conditions, this particular game was destined to come down to a knife fight anyway where having a lot of long-range firepower in your core units was less important.

Speaking of the mission - if you're the NATO player, you really need to have something with Spearhead, because if your opponent has it, you'll start the game with one hand tied behind your back. Even having pre-ranged in artillery isn't enough of a boost to keep Warsaw Pact forces scraped off of the objective long enough for you to whittle them down and push them back.

Ryan was an amazingly good sport during this game as his key rolls generally came up poor while my key rolls generally came up good. I'd fully expected to sacrifice one or two of the T-64 units to destroy his Abrams platoon and use the third with the commander to hold the objective and keep the infantry backed off. I benefitted from no small amount of good fortune which resulted in the 6-1 victory.

Battle Honors!

Again, this was pretty much a team effort with only the Shilka battery uncharacteristically contributing nothing to the game. While the T-64 tanks did the lion's share of the heavy lifting, the BMP-2 recon team was what 1) allowed the T-64 companies to be in a position to quickly move on the objective and 2) scored a lucky hit on an M901 bailing it which led to their early exit from the game - otherwise they were in a perfect flanking position. So in honor of their contribution, here's a video on the BMP!