Firestorm: Red Thunder

Due to a small misunderstanding (me thinking I would play my Bundeswehr) I had to use the NVA of my opponent. Again.
And again, the game was fun and there were lessons learned.

We were playing a river crossing mission with 50 Points. The only objective being the bridge over it. I had the option of putting Platoons in Reserve and put both my T55 in because them being the only companies not being amphibious. My Scout BMPs pushed a bit into the center to get my BTRs closer.

Turn 1: The NVA made a general advance with the whole army towards the bridge. My shooting killed one measyly VATs. No Reserves arrived.

Turn 1b: The Americans stayed put and fired the Hammerheads, Paladins, Mortars and Vats which in turn removed most of the BTRs form my MOT company and killed three out of four Shilkas.

Turn 2: The remaining MOT Schützenkompanie dismounted and the shooting killed an American Infantry. Again, no Reserves, The last Shilka did not remount.

Turn 2b: The concentrated fire from the US Units continued to rip my MOT Schützenkompanie into shreds while the first of my Spandrels and one of the BMP scout platoons took a loss. A daring M113 started to move on my open flank to kill my Gophers (Strela-10).

Turn 3: The National Peoples Army remaing two Schützen took cover in a Building and very much ceased to be of any importance for the rest of the game. The BTRs were whiped out and the last shilka did again not remount. The attack in the center had failed. My first T55 arrived on the flank and pushed forward while my center forces fell back into cover.

Turn 3b: The american Paladins fired a Minefield between the advancing T55. The Hammerheads continued to blow stuff up. The last Shilka and the second Spandrel in this round. The M113 took a Gophers (Strela-10) out and bailed another in my deployment area two cover for the arrival of the two A-10 which were promptly shot down by the remaining two Strela-10.

Turn 4: The NVAs last Reserve T55 tanks arrived and rushed down the flank and used their mgs to kill one Hammerhead. The other T55 company moved partially up, also opened fire and killed a Paladin while losing a tank to the minefield. My remaining center units, 2x 2 Scout BMPs, a Spandrel, the Formation Commander in his T55 and the Carnations tried to kill the M113 and failed rather spectactular.

Turn 4b: The response of the US Forces was brutal. The Hammerheads, laser guided Missiles from the Paladins and the Dragons killed six T55, whiping out on platoon. The M113 did not do much trying to kill the Carnations.

Turn 5: In a heroic last stand the NVAs Forces attempted to get to the bridge, everything except the Carnations, who, in a stroke of luck, killed the M113, pushed forward into the center to get to the damned bridge. But as the smoke settled, there were no losses on the american side.

Turn 5b: The American Forces killed most of my army. After the shooting I only had my Commander, on T55, the Scout BMPs, two Schützen and the Carnations left.

Turn 6: I gave up. While we certainly could have played another turn, the outcome was more than clear. Also, I could not get into 4“ of the objective in this turn.

Outcome: A 4-3 win for the americans due to the loss of their A-10s and M113.

Lessons learned:
The push at the start of the game was a huge mistake. Should have pounded the Hammerheads for three turns with artillery while waiting for my reserves and attacked with all of the forces at once, instead of feeding them piece by piece into the killing zone.
A first attack could have been possible in the forest on my side on the river with the scout BMP1 and the Command T55 together with some Infantry to remove the four VATs and four M113 and gain a protected position beside the Bridge.
T55 are good if they Blitz. Which the NVA is quite often able to.
ITVs behind Infantry are a pest. A good reason to take Carnations. I don´t see any other way of dealing with them except lucky shots.
The Schützenkompanie seems only to do its job if I take at least a medium Kompanie. Less than that doesn´t have enough ablative soldiers.

Hero of the Game:
The NVAs Carnations the killed the M113. The only gus, who did their job.
The American ITVs did an amazing job. They soaked up so much fire it´s unbelievable.