In this scenario, I'm a company commander of the Danish Haeren (army), specifically a tank commander in one of the regular mechanized brigades of the Jutland Division. We are situated south of the city of Langaa, hastilly trying to set-up and allign our reserve forces into a counter-attack position. My co-commander is in a delaying action to the north against red forces comprising several companies of mechanized infantry supported by an unknown number of tanks. Sigint figures with all the comms traffic flying about that we are looking at something of a reinforced battalion heading our way. Earlier, there was a large air battle to the north from the direction of the reds. Russian Migs and Sukhois were in a battle agains Norwegian and Danish F-16s, along with help from Swedish Gripens. The battle resulted in heavy casualties for both sides with basically no one side claiming control of the air. The good; we shouldn't have to worry about the enemy's aircraft harassing us, the bad; we have no air support to call on either.
I am moving my C/O tank up into position in a pre-dug emplacement that our engineers have been working on all last night and this morning.
The position will give me a good field of view down into the valley along the highway. Here I am looking over to the right at the train tracks which I will use to travel up to the north when our counter attack is ready.
Looking up to my left, I see some of my company's tanks moving into their positions readying for the counter attack.
I'm getting a SITREP from my co-commander in action with the delaying force, things are not going well up to the north. He is taking heavy casualties and having trouble disengaging from the Russian advanced guard. Below are some pictures of his force up in the north.
The business end of our Leopard 1A5DKs, the tried and true L7A3 105mm rifled gun. Even today, it can still take care of business properly.
Looking from my command tank to the north. Heavy fighting is going on the the our delaying force moving back to the south under extreme pressure. You can see the smoke from buildings on fire from all the action. The sound of gunfire is forboding. There is a lot of confusion and fear coming through the communications net from the forces up north.
My co-commander in the delaying force is calling in ICM rounds from our supporting artillery platoon made up of towed 120mm artillery guns several klicks to our southwest. You can see the airbursts as I watch through my binoculars.
The code words come over the communications net signifying that the counter attack force is in position. I order them forward with all due speed. Our friends to the north are in desparate need of assistance. In fact, it may be too late.
My tanks move quickly down the highway in the valley, followed closely by our mechanized infantry mounted in the old M113 APCs. Their vehicle commanders manning those deadly .50 cal heavy machine guns, scanning their proper zones of fire. I scan them with my binocs, watching those young kids moving smartly to defend their homes and families.
I had already ordered my young driver to move out to the north. We are moving along those railroad tracks that were on our right from our emplacement position. We are coming up to our delaying force which has spent itself in the fight. My company lead elements find themselves in a firefight with T-72s which had overrun my co-commander's position. The sound of the big guns is deafening, there is smoke, fire and tracers everywhere.
I pop down into the turret of my tank, stand up in the commander's stirups and peer through my cupola's periscope views. The scene in front of me is devastating to my eyes. There is much wreckage, bodies (both friends and enemies)laying about. Heavying fighting is still going on about 1000 meters up. The Leopard's housing for the EMES 18 sighting system is obstructing my view through the periscope port in the cupola. I move down into my seat and take a view through my commanders TRP IA independent sight.
I quickly move to my commanders GPS Extension sight and take a look at the battlefield, seeing what my gunner sees through the Thermal Imaging System of the EMES 18 sighting system. Thank our lucky stars our forces were able to get the funding for modernizing these old tanks.
I look to my left, having moved back up and unbuttoned, there are my boys supporting me as we charge.
Small arms fire pings off my tank, I drop down and button up while ordering the two platoons forward. The mech infantry behind us will deal with the enemy troops. The site ahead of us has our jaws dropping.
Here you see one of my wingman.
Here is one of my company's tanks which were in the lead attack element. The poor chap didn't make it. Engineers need to move his tank off that bridge. We must keep the bridges clear.
A lead tank from my company's advanced guard moving up in front of my position.
I order my force to hold and reload while we wait for the mech infantry to form up behind us in order to continue.
Enemy infantry are spotted up to our front and to the right a couple a hundred meters. I don't want my tanks in that heavy foilage and I need to save the infantry for further north. I call in the HE from our towed 120mms several clicks back. In a couple of minutes they do the job and we can move on.
The sound of the shells flying overhead is deafening. Then the ordinance does it work in the trees ahead, nothing can survive the fire order.
Here are several views of my tank.
Looking left from my commander's cupola at one of my wingmen.
Here is one of my charges. Unfortunately the driver was a very young recruit who panicked.
Moving into a new emplacement, close to the second set of bridges where my co-commander started his delaying action.
Trouble ahead, one of my tanks takes a hit and he may be blocking one of the bridges.
Fighting continues several hundreds of meters ahead of me.
I send the infantry and the rest of my tanks over the bridges. I follow closely behind them.
This M113 APC commander sees something and swivels his .50 caliber heavy machine gun to the danger.
Infantry dismount and position themselves for an assault on the enemy infantry held up in buildings to our left flank.
The M113 APC commander took out an enemy BDRM-AT vehicle with the heavy machine gun. The enemy vehicle was hurt but not dead. The APC commander finished him off. There is no quarter given or taken in this fight.
Here I am moving past that killed BRDM-AT vehicle finished off by the APC commander.
Infantry continues the move up, we support with our tanks.
Suddenly, shots and RPG's start coming from a house on our right flank. The tanks deploy in support while the mechanized infantry deploy and assault the house. There is heavy smalls arms fire from within the house as my assault troops finish the job. They kill the enemy troops in the building.
We secure the line and position ourselves facing north again. We must wait for refit and resupply. We've taken too many casualties to move on. The positive, we did stop and drive back the enemy force to their pre-start line from earlier this morning. Tomorrow, we will continue north.
Mission created by JanTog and is recommended for the intense pucker factor.
