Firestorm: Red Thunder

Schwerin to Hamburg North
East German (Bryan Meyer) vs. Americans (Kevin Meyer)
(Armchair Adventures Game #1, Static Defense, Mission Rearguard)

The Bravo Commander had chosen a good defensive position along a wooded ridge line running north to South overlooking the Autobahn immediately below, fields to the East and a rest stop with hills behind to the Southeast. The Captain deployed 1st and 2nd Infantry platoons in foxholes from the south end of the Northern ridge covering across the front of the southern ridge and forests to the south. On the Northern ridge, he deployed an ITV section in ambush and placed 3rd Infantry Platoon behind the ridge as the company reserve. On the Southern ridge (middle of his position), 5th ITV section, the VAD platoon leader track and the Forward Observer track with the Cobra flight hidden behind the ridge to the west. In the woods to the south of the southern ridge were the Company Headquarters and 6th ITV section. In woods further south he deployed the 7th ITV section, a VAD vehicle, and two M-1 from 4th Platoon. Deployed behind a cement wall dividing the autobahn were the remaining M-1 of 4th Platoon and 8th ITV section.

The East German commander deployed his T-72 battalion to the North on his right flank. To the south (left flank) he deployed elements of the BTR battalion (Infantry from 1st Company, the 4th Recon BDRM, and Spandrels of the 3rd Co) with all the division support ground elements. He kept the remaining elements (BTR HQ, BTR’s of 1st Company and the 2nd Company of its Infantry) of the BTR battalion as a reserve.

The East German right flank advanced while the left flank held in place providing fire support to pin the Americans force in the southwest. Over the course of an hour, the combined TOW and Dragoon missiles overcame the T-72 Battalion destroying all the tanks, BMPs and Air Defense assets. On the left flank, the shooting duel between the Spandrels and Spigots vs. the American M-1 and ITV's resulted in all the Spandrel and Spigot teams being destroyed at the cost of one M-1 and two ITV's. With the entire East German air defense gone the A-10 flight took out the East German Artillery assets.

Captain Meyer sent the Situation Report (SITREP) to battalion Headquarters while his unit took care of the East German wounded. A few minutes later the Battalion Commander arrived to take a look at Bravo’s situation in person, simply known as “Big K” because very few could pronounce his Hawaiian last name. Big K had one question for Captain Meyer at the end of the debrief? “I gave you priority fires for the Battalion, why didn’t you use it?” At that point, the good captain realized that after the initial bombardment that he had received no further fire support mission. The Executive Officer (XO) had just returned from checking up on the verses battle position when he walked into the TOC to give the Commander an update. “Sir, The FO and his team are OK; The FROGS took out all his antennas when they bombed the ridges.”

As Meyer walked Big K to his M-113, Big K reminded the good Captain “Don’t forget the FO, Keep him in your hip pocket. When the situation gets really bad, he can bring down the hand of God on the enemy! "The XO came running out of the TOC, “Sir, Battalion want you back ASAP, the Scouts just reported a reinforced Russian BTR Regiment heading our way from the North East”. Big K told Meyer “you’re going to get hit first; my orders are for you to hold in place, adjust our field of fire to cover losses and a primary attack from the North East. I’ll get you another M-1 platoon from Charlie Company to your south; I can’t tell you when it’s going to arrive. Good Hunting!” Big K mounted his M-113 the “Big Kahuna” and departed Bravo area.

XO then told Captain Meyer that a local Grandfather just brought in two East German soldiers; they were the road guides for BTR Battalion which they misdirected to the south. The Battalion end up bogged down in a muddy field in the early morning.

American Victory 5-2