Firestorm: Red Thunder

The 2nd Guards Tank Army has been assigned to force a crossing over the IJssel and open up a route into Amsterdam.

Opposing us would be mixed remnants of West German troops formed into kampfgruppes to defend the Netherlands.

The night before VDV troops had been dropped off to hold the crossing before being relieved but a local counterattack saw them retreat westwards into the country side hounded by leopards in the night.

Darren and I agreed to 200 to 250 ish points and that we'd play a modified version 3 pincer mission.

One objective would be the bridge and another at the far end of the table representing the trapped and isolated VDV troops low on ammo.

The victory conditions were, After 10 turns:

If I held both objectives it would be a 6-1 victory for the warpact

If only the bridge was held a 4-3 victory

If the I still had forces west of the river but no objectives held a 4-3 victory to Darren

Any other result a 6-1 victory to Darren.

Darren has 10 units and starts 3 units of leopard 2's, luchs on and jaguars in ambush

I deploy very subtlety with 20 T72's lined up down the road ready to scream across the bridge at full tilt. With the bmps and other T72's fanned out ready to move up along the banks either side of the bridge.

Turn 1

I dash* two companies up the main drag and the rest moves to shoot the lone platoon guarding the crossing.

*oops only after the game did we realize you're not allowed to dash within 8" of an enemy. We were both guilty of this and it all panned out to be ok.

A company of T72's opens up on the Leopard 2's guarding the crossing and takes out the platoon.

Darren's Turn 1

He backs the luchs off they are of no use here. All the leopard and the ambushing jaguars focus fire on the two companies screaming down the high way.

He takes a heavy toll, as would be expected.

Turn 2. My surviving T72's on the road move to the kerbs to fire rounds into the leopard in the surrounding terrain. With the other two companies moving up and over the bridge

Darren's turn 2 is a bit more dramatic lighting up most of the remaining tanks on the road and the rest decided to high tail it back.

Turn 3

The other 20 Tanks with both formation commanders move up and open up on the leopards in the field as they can't see the ones behind the burning wrecks in the forest.

And finally i get some good rolls.

Darren's Turn 3 consisted of some shuffling back towards the objective whilst not scoring any hits.

In my Turn 4 I press on with the T72's towards the back objective knowing i need to hold it before his reserves arrive in my flanks.

Darren again not receiving any reserves decides he better do something. His luchs make it onto the back objective before i arrive and his leopards and formation commander seeing flank shots go for it.

These two leopards are easily dispatched in my turn 5 and my T72's take up positions in the stone walled fields...well those that passed their cross checks.

Those luchs were lucky all game never failing a single cross check by the way.

At the start of Darren's turn 5 all he has on table are two jaguars in the back corner who've been missing quite a bit, the two luchs and the CIC. Luckily for him he gets two reserves this turn. And so 6 leopard twos roll in dealing damage.

Turn 6 the tanks on the objective either stay where they are or move to get clear shots on the leopards in the open.

Whilst the second unit in the middle of the table both successfully blitz and use their stabilizers for a 1+ to hit but gain some nice side shots.....of which only 1 hits.

Turn 6 for darren sees some jaguars turn up out of the forest and move near the stone walls.

And almost everything misses

Turn 7 and no change in the battle as I do the same thing, miss!

We both stayed stationary and traded shots not wanting to get flanked by the other.

Darren's infantry and entire force is now on table and my remaining 5 T72's in the last unit all get taken out.

Turn 8 well i still have my Bmp's and my formation commander in his T72. With no hope of saving the VDV we pull back to try to keep the bridge are held.

Using the buildings as cover no shooting occurs from either of us this turn.

Turn 9 and my CIC promptly demonstrates how to get your Tank stuck on a log 101.

Turn 10. My only reaming BMP2's fire a volley of missiles at the advancing leopard scoring three 1's....great.

Turn 10, darren moves up and promptly fills the forest with a fusillade of 120mm rounds. And that's it everything i had is gone. Not a soul left.

6-1 win to Darren and the west germans have defended one of the approaches into Amsterdam.

I wonder why they are defending Amsterdam with much more gusto then their home country..... hmm...