Firestorm: Red Thunder

Mutual Assured Destruction

+++

Denmark
Rearguard
Warsaw Forces Attacking
US Defending
100 Points

+++

+++

WARSAW PACT FORCES
COMMANDER RED ALERT
SOVIET TANK BATTALION

HQ
T-72

FORMATION UNITS
4x T-72
4x T-72
4x T-72
Medium BMP-2 Motor Rifle Coy
3x BMP-2 Recon
4x SA-13

SUPPORT UNITS
4x Mi-24 Hind
2x SU-25

+++

+++

NATO FORCES
COMMANDER GANDRI
MECH COMBAT TEAM

HQ
M113 Team HQ

FORMATION UNITS
Full M113 Platoon
Full M113 Platoon
4x M1 Abrams
2x M901 ITV AT
2x M901 ITV AT

SUPPORT UNITS
6x M109 Artillery
M113 Fist
4x M163 VADS
4x AH-1 Cobra
2x A-10 Warthog

+++

+++

With 100 points to each sides the forces deployed were formidable.

Standard Soviet Operating Procedure was to attack heavily against one objective and attempt to overwhelm the US defenders.

To this task the Soviet Commanders sent their Motor Company, both infantry and BMP-2 along with one T-72 Coy and the HQ.

The other two T-72 Coy and Recon moved to a central position to block the US forces from redeployment.

A bold plan and the US even sprung their ambush against the blocking force.

But by now the US Air Force had recovered and sent multiple sorties to the fray.

The Soviets advanced but their losses were starting to tell.

+++

+++

Both Armies were grinding each other down. But the Soviet infantry remained strong enough to attempt to destroy the defending US infantry so the NATO forces had to rush in new units to contest the objective.

By now the Soviets had lost ten of their T-72 with three remaining. The US had only lost a single M1 Abrams, with three remaining but a little away from the main action.

+++

+++

What followed was a bloody melee, as two tired boxers struggled to land the winning blow. Combined artillery, airstrikes and machine guns brought the Soviet Motor Company to a breaking point - but the stood their ground while the NATO forces withered away. For a moment it looked like the Soviets would have to test Formation morale, before we realized that the SA-13 platoon was also a core formation, still very much in good spirits. But it was the only one.

+++

The last two infantry teams were now in sole possession of the objective.

+++

But the Soviet casualties had been horrendous.

+++

"If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined"

- Pyrrhus of Epirus at the Battle of Asculum 279 BC

And this battle was exactly such a Pyrrhic victory.

+++