News From Firestorm Stripes

 Firestorm Stripes

When Firestorm: Red Thunder was happening we made newspaper stories and headlines so that people could see how events in the world were unfolding as the battle raged. Now with the second installment Firestorm:Stripes unfolding we've put up the news here you to read and see the story as it develops.


Send In The Marines!
The Daily Telegraph
17 August 1985:

Fighting has broken out across Germany; the Soviets have restarted their war effort and are pushing forward. A brief summary of the main events follows:

Ronald Reagan has green-lit the US Marine’s plan to attack Hamburg. However, as soon as the troops hit the beach, they hit strong Soviet defences. Heavy fighting has resulted in little headway for the Marines, and unless they are reinforced soon they may lose their beachhead.

The British and German counterattacks are making good headway in the Ruhr, pushing the Soviet forces further from the Kassel corridor to the beleaguered British forces around Hanover. As the battle still rages on, Soviets resistance seems to be stiffening, and the progress of the counterattack is slowing.

News From Firestorm Stripes

 In Frankfurt, the German counterattack started off strong, but they quickly bogged down and started getting overwhelmed by the Soviet forces. The timely arrival of a strong British battle group restored the momentum, and together they hit the Soviet forces hard.

Newly arrived US frces around Amsterdam are holding strong with some British support, but a renewed the Soviet attack is putting heavy pressure on the NATO forces. In the Hof Corridor, the Soviets have begun to gain ground after taking a beating from the US forces rushed to block the breakthrough.


News From Firestorm Stripes

NATO Forces Maintain Lines
The Daily Telegraph
18 August:

Fighting in Germany has continued to grow with intensifying fury over recent days. The Warsaw Pact and NATO forces both strive to strike at the heart of each other’s territory.

A quick summary of the fighting follows. In Amsterdam the NATO forces almost cleared the Warsaw Pack invasion forces out of the Netherlands, but a major Soviet counterattack has halted NATO’s momentum and is starting to regain lost ground.


Pentagon Investigates Friendly Fire
The Daily Telegraph
19 August:

It was revealed today that Pentagon officials have been investigating a number of blue-on-blue, or so-called friendly fire incidents in Europe. When questioned the Pentagon Press Officer responded that in the midst of a very confusing battlefield it is possible that Allied troops may have accidently engaged other Allied forces.

 

News From Firestorm Stripes

Speaking on the condition of annonimity he said that they mostly happened when tired soldiers, under the intense stress of combat, found tanks and troops in front of them and opened fire, convinced that any troops in front of them must be hostile as each unit had its assigned attack corridor. However, when minor errors in navigation led one unit to veer out of their corridor into that of a neighbour, the scene was set for tragedy, especially when both are convinced that they are where they are supposed to be.


News From Firestorm Stripes

War In Europe Rages On
The Daily Telegraph
20 August:

Despite days of heavy fighting since the renewal of the conflict, neither sides seems to be taking the upper hand. Sources inside the NATO headquarters have revealed that recent Warsaw Pact attacks have taken a heavy toll on Allied forces, but have cost the attackers dearly. 


Europe Burns. End In Sight?
The Daily Telegraph
21 August:

Fresh reports are coming from reporters that there has been heavy fighting across the whole front, particularly on Central Army Group’s counterattack towards Berlin. A massive Warsaw Pact offensive around Frankfurt and the Ruhr has been slowly closing the trap on the US forces around Leipzig. With much of their effort diverted to keeping their supply lines open, the push on Berlin has almost stalled.

News From Firestorm Stripes

 In the north, the Warsaw Pact troops pulled from Denmark have added to the Warsaw Pact’s attacks to re-open their route to their troops trapped around Bremen, Amsterdam, and the Ruhr.


News From Firestorm Stripes

Peace Talks In Switzerland
The Daily Telegraph
22 August:

Rumours continue to flow about Peace Talks between the NATO forces and Warsaw Pact today. Chillon Castle on the shores of Lake Geneva has been a hive of activity with the Swiss Armed Forces declaring a 5km no fly zone around the Castle and numerous check points on the roads.

The White House Press Secretary was quick to respond claiming that the military affairs of a neutral country was outside his area of expertise and was unable to comment.

Meanwhile sightings of Henry Kissinger and a number of other senior White House staff in Geneva continue to lend credence to the reports that both sides are looking for a way to finish the war without resorting to a nuclear strike.

To Be Continued...


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Firestorm: Stripes is the the second installment in our on-going campaign for Team Yankee that sees NATO and Warsaw Pact players fighting out the opening days of the Battle for Germany in August 1985.

Learn more about Firestorm Stripes here...

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Firestorm Stripes


Last Updated On Sunday, April 15, 2018 by Luke at Battlefront