Firestorm: Red Thunder

Played a few quick missions last night - a 55 pt Annihilation Battle from the Quick missions, as there was not a current Theatre mission for the Leipzig Theatre.
We played in Daylight, use the random time of day, and the WARSAW PACT won the roll off for attacking.

This was a Leopard 1 Kompanie vs a Soviet T-64 Company

I put my Jaguars on the right flank in concealment to attack anyone coming over the hill, being concealed and gone to ground should protect me in the first exchange. The 2nd Leo 1 platoon was also in concealment for the same reason. Marder and Luchs in the forest, dug in, with the PAH providing cover. The Luchs on the left flank spearheaded, and provided a deployment bubble for the 1st Leo 1 platoon, HQ and Gepards. The Fliegerfaust occupied the building, but that is about all they would do, as there are no soviet air assets, oh well.

The soviets also used spear head on their right flank, and then it was a roll of to see who had first turn. And it was the Soviets, so we played chicken over the hill. Who is going to pop their head over first??

The BMP-1 recon and T-64s on the left flank took their man pills and crested the hill, the BMP-1s took aim at the Gepards and shot twice, hitting twice and bailing two. Obviously the fuses on their weapons must have been sabotaged by capitalist sympathisers. The t-64s next to them fired at the Leopard 1 ZUG, hitting one and blowing him away, his armour could not repel firepower of that magnitude!! Mein Gott! The Shilkas moved into cover to attempt to make life hard for the PAHs. The centre T-64 platoon shot at the Leo 1 ZUG in the field, but their cover and field craft was too good and all shot missed. The final T-64 platoon with the HQ took aim at the Jaguars, with one hit and one kill. First blood to the Soviets, but was it enough???

The Leopard 1 ZUG on the left flank, blitzed and then used their stabilizers to move 16" around the flank of the t-64 platoon in front of them. Deadly accurate fire ripped into the vulnerable rear and there was 3 smoking piles of communism as a result. One Gepard got back in, with the other tank still trying to get their weapon systems working (still bailed). The 3 functional Gepards show the scout BMP-1s the meaning of a hail of lead. Two dead BMP-1s.

The two milan teams in the woods fired at the closer T-64s in front of them. Hitting two, killing one and bailing the other. The 2 remaining Jaguars fired at the closer T-64s in front of them,hitting twice and only bailing one. What do these Soviets have? Stalinium Armour?

The PAH missed, the anti-aircraft fire from the Shilkas put off their aim, and the remaining Leo 1 ZUG fired at the far T-64s, bailing one.

Well we are in front so far, 2 less platoons for the Soviets!

Most of the Soviet tankers braved their smoking tanks and got back in, one stubborn crew refused, obviously cowed by the superior West German firepower!

The T-64s, with 3 remaining on the right flank stayed hull down and returned fire on the Jaguars but missed.

The shilkas reloaded after their fusillade in overwatch ( they sat pretty behind the woods).

The T-64 platoon on the far field, shot at the Leo 1 Zug in front, hitting one and killing one. The Leopard 1 had a great gun and mobility but cannot afford to take too many hits. The brave ZUG commander stayed on the feild wanting to take as many soviets with him if he died.

The left Leo 1 ZUG made their multiple cross checks, blitzed into the woods and then moved again to get nice and close to the shilkas. They then calmy blew them away. That should improve the PAHs aim!

The odd Gepard out, got in his tank, they then got up close to the NATO side of that hill, careful not to get shot by the t-64s.

The Luchs and Marders moved up behind the forest to support the Leo 1 ZUG on the left flank,

The PAH relocated to the right, ( I forgot they cannot move and shoot).

All other teams missed their shots.

Things were not looking good for the Soviets, but all their men remounted. The HQ T-64 moved down behind the hill into the wheat field. The remaining tank make its Good Spirits check and continued the fight. But his aim was off.

The far T-64s, the last remaining platoon in good spirits, finished off the final Leopard 1 in front of them. His sacrifice will be remembered.

The Leopard 1's on the left blitzed, (3+) and after another lot of successful cross checks to get out of the forest, (2+ is great!) used their stabilizers again to flank the t-64s in the field. Our guns can hardly touch them from the front. But in the side and 2+ firepower, well that's bad news for Soviet MBTs. the minus to hit is worth it! Again the dice gods were with me, 6 shots, 6 hits and 5 successful firepower rolls (2+) equals 3 dead T-64s.

The milans took out the Soviet HQ in the field.

The PAH's fired and bailed the lone T-64 on the hill, well atleast they hit..... why did I bring them again?

With only one tank left, he passed his morale and got back in. He fired at the Jaguars hoping to get them to flee?? But missed.

Wheres my vodka asked the commander?? Surely now is the time for vodka??

The PAH tried to finish off the job, and he was double bailed. He then failed his test and fled. Turn 4 Victory to the West Germans- 5-2. Time to get the the rear and create Chaos!!! Every Tank Theorists Wet Dream!

So this was a quick battle with my friend Andrew, I think he wanted to try the new T-64s tank on tank. The T-64s are a bit tougher than the T-72s, but dont know if they are worth the points??

By using Leo 1s I can affort more unit and take more losses, and still have alot of firepower.

For West German players looking for tips, this is another good example of using your blitz movement orders to get that little bit of extra movement, which turns a frontal shot into a sweet sweet flank shot!! The 3+ skill checks for German means you will usually make your check, but not always.

Also the great gun on the Leo 1 is still ROF 2 on the move, 40" range and 2+ firepower, so if you hit and penetrate you will most likely be killing it. That is why you need to use your movement and your special rules (stabilizers) and good cross checks to get the most out of this 3 pt wonder machine!!

It cant take hits very well, from MBT's or missiles, so its a bit of a glass cannon, but its bazooka skirts rule also means it actually has a better save from shots with HEAT rounds (10 armour instead of 9 frontally normally).

The PAH's, I'm not sure about, for 8 points, they cannot move and shoot, and really they can only shoot tanks/vehicles ( or dug infantry teams or helicopter - GUIDED means you can shoot helicopters with a 1+ penalty to shoot). So at 4 points each and one shot a round, i think I'd rather take 4 Tornados, but maybe I need to use them a bit more to be sure.

Well thanks for reading, and good luck in your battles.

Just for fun, a Leopard 2 firing below, because why not!