Firestorm: Red Thunder

Mission: Bridgehead - 50 pts

American vs Warsaw (Polish)

Had enough time to get some small quick games in. The Americans are moving into Leipzig and the Polish forces are relatively unprepared in some positions. The Americans have stumbled upon a Polish Mechanized Battalion. The Polish must hold their ground.

Commander Sokoboski received intel of NATO forces breaking through the Czech lines and some forward Polish Battalions. However lacking much in the means of night fighting equipment and having just received a supply from an Mi-26 rerouted to supply surrounding Warsaw Pact forces in perhaps a feeble attempt to bolster an ammunition supply for the up coming battles.

"How do they expect us to defend their southern flanks with such equipment!" Sokoboski scoffed. "We are sitting ducks, with hand-me-downs about to face a full invasion by the Americans..." interrupted by a soldier

"Sir, we have lost communications with the front. The Americans are headed this way. What are your orders?"

"Set up positions around the Mi-26, we must defend this LZ until we are relieved, and get those BMPs to the front!"

"Tak, jest!"

Sokoboski contemplated his options, but even if he fell back the Americans would be hot on his heels and cut his forces down. Defending this position would give more battalions to regroup, even if that meant sacrificing his battalion to be a temporary speed bump.

Captain Parker and his company of under-strength Abrams Companies push together trying to wrap around a formation of Polish forces located by aerial recon.

The eager Lieutenant Lyons attempted to keep up with the Abrams, however falling short of being fast enough to avoid cover, however noticing the lack of speed he tries to take cover behind a patch of trees.

Sokobosky orders his men to stay put and only open fire when the enemy is in sights. A few BMP-2s have views on scout platoon and open fire. A score of hits on the M113s as they explode in a fireball.

First blood for the Polish.

Sokoboski looked around, his senses were overwhelmed. There were soldiers running around trying to tend to their comrades both alive and dead. Walking further he gazed upon the carnage of the engagement between the BMPs and the Americans. Shredded machine and man alike, it would have been hard to identify what either object was. One soldier shouted and pointed at the trees above, the commander of one of the BMPs had been ejected about 7 meters and was wrapped around a tree branch. He knew these men well, they were fearless, he would die for them and they for him but a sight such as this churned his stomach as he felt responsible for each death. The moans and screams of the wounded pieced the air and the smell of burnt flesh lingered, the smell of death. This, he thought, could not be the feeling of victory...if so they have lied to us about it's amazing feeling, something to tell young boys to join an old man's war. He shook his head is grief for both his comrades and the Americans, for he too knew they were fighting to defend what they believe and the feeling of fighting a foreign war.

A soldier jogged up to Sokoboski giving a quick salute " Comrade Major, we have the final reports of the casualties. The Americans have been wiped out and we have captured three of the crew inside of a tank. Our casualties were twenty-three KIA, forty-seven wounded and we have lost seven BMP-2s. Our casualties were relatively low compared to the spineless Americans, eh Major?." The Soldier chuckled a bit.

"Thank you, comrade." Sokoboski said with disapproveal of the soldier's comments. "Load the seriously wounded on the Mi-26, and those that can fight, have them prepare for a counter attack. We are not done here."

Sokoboski did not want to put these men's lives at further risk if he didn't have to, but he knew if he did not push the American soon while they had the element of surprise the blood of those would die from his inaction would be on his hands.

50 points was rather small and my opponent without infantry had little choices for an attack plan. However it was a good fight and he tried to take out my BMPs for the victory point, we almost had a larger battle where he would have reinforcements coming in acting as the larger spearhead force but we wanted to see how this would play out first.