Firestorm: Red Thunder

After his victory at Hanover General Leadgend was called to the Western Front Headquarters. NATO forces had invaded the neutral country of Austria and threatened to strike into Czechoslovakia from the south and turn the flank of the entire liberation of Western Europe! General Leadgend was needed to take command of a scratch Czech force that had established a bridgehead into Austria. On arrival at the front he found only half the force present, the remainder still making it's way to the fight. Co-ordination of the available forces would be critical and he adjusted his watch to local time.

Our forces deployed infantry to the front with tanks in supporting positions to the rear and the BMP2s in ambush. To our left recon units expanded the bridgehead. British forces had been snuck into Austria disguised as spare parts by the fiendish Darth Wal and now took the field not stopping event to apply paint! They rapidly advanced on our centre and right.

The Englanders advance to the crest of a small hill but decline to fire in the dark. The Ambush is sprung anyway while there is still space to do so but only gets one kill. The return fire by the Englanders is devastating wiping out most of the BMP2s and some tanks then they duck out of sight. The remaining BMPs rush forward to machinegun their infantry but miss their targets. Meanwhile the BMP1s advance on the left and take on some Englander APCs. Dawn is not expected for some time so spandrel units are moved to firing positions.

Just when we were getting used to fighting at night it was dawn! Hours before it was expected! The only explanation is enemy agents changing our reference clock! General Leadgend cursed the lax security in these parts, this never would have happened in his home East Germany!
With daylight streaming across the battlefield the Englanders opened fire all along the front destroying many tanks and missile vehicles without them firing a shot. However the bmps on the left did destroy some enemy apcs.

As reinforcements arrive for both sides most of the firing is on the flanks, only the Englanders mortars keep pounding away at the centre infantry company causing a stead dribble of casualties. We make an attempt to break through the freshly arrived Englander infantry on the left but we are thrown back.

Finally the bulk of the reserves turn up and one of the Englander tank platoons is destroyed but our numbers are steadily thinning. However there is a chance for victory.

With little time left both sides needed a decisive action! The Englanders surged forward on the right but were still short of their objective. Indeed there was only a few men keeping up the pressure on us. If they could be thrown back victory would be ours! With every tank and infantryman charging foward firing our infantry rose from their trenches and charged!......

...but we were thrown back. As the remaining infantrymen scrambled back the enemy seized their objectives and we had to fall back.

Notes on the game:
I used my East Germans but as the battle was from Czechoslovakia I called them Czech in the report.
The new rules for holding objectives for a win meant my deployment wasn't ideal. It seems you need to deploy as if forming square at waterloo to win as a defender, which is ridiculous for a modern period game.
The attacker rolled for and got daylight on turn 3, but shouldn't have rolled so we got daylight too early and much to the benefit of the attacker.
The British Artillery with medium mortars was quite effective. Generally artillery is useless in TY so I wasn't expecting that!