Firestorm: Red Thunder

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Mission: Free for All
Points: 73
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Last night Mayór Platov had to retreat from the center of the village after several traps had been found. But he had gotten his destroyed tanks salvaged, one had been repaired after a simple patch job, and for the others Paltovs second echelon had been able to provide replacements.

As the morning broke the scouts reported that a strong force of germans had sneaked up on the village, apparently yesterdays battle was not enough to persuade them to get back in what hole they came from. Another dashing victory would suit his forces well!

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Hauptmann Ulf was looking out over the small village, it was deserted now, the few civilian still here yesterday had been evacuated just before yesterdays battle, now he had his forces had free reign and he would push these kommunists back from where they came!
With his forces poised for a strong flank attack and a few helicopters hovering on the other flank, the scene was set.

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As soon as Paltov got wind of the germans, he signaled for everyone to mount up and attack!

Taking the germans by surprise Paltov threw his T-72s forward and left Fock to delay the thrust by himself, Paltov would have his tanks take the fuel depot and deny any entry to the town, the germans would be cut off and cut down!

Seeing this dash of speed from the soviet forces threw Ulf of for a moment, he thought that he would make the first move here, but someone must have spotted them. Nevertheless he ordered his flanking force forward to blunt the tank company defending the entry to the town and then run them over. He would not let them get this position!

As they advanced, a few of the tanks had trouble navigating the thick forest, but most got there and opened up on the soviet line, trashing a tank and a troop transport behind them.

Also the helicopters got their shot, downing one of the tanks dashing forward, but intensive AA fire from the machine guns hit one of them hard and they made a crash landing in the forest below.

The attack was having momentum, but the firepower from all these germans was staggering. Paltov ground his teeth and pushed his companies forward, tanking positions to handle the helicopters and holding the depot. There would be no break in the lines here!

Fock was shocked at the enormous power behind the Leopards, only the thick forest saved all the other tanks, now he inched them forward in the thick wood to get proper any lines of fire on the behemoths and when hit company let loose he was greeted with a most satisfying jet of flame form one of the tanks, and saw the crew scramble from one of the others.

As Ulf watched one of his platoons went up in smoke, and plead for support was coming in from the choppers as they received heavy anti-air fire. This did not go according to plans. With a choice of curses he ordered all forces to break hard right and hunt the tanks that was about to surround his company. They must be stopped.

As the remaining Leopards lined them up tanks after tank was blown up, more than one of them was hit multiple times and not much was left of them, but it was still to little to late, they would still threaten the rear areas, and anyone approaching town would be blown away before they knew what hit them. Ulf gave the fall back order, this little part of the Netherlands was truly lost now.