From a session of ‘Bridgehead!’ a fiction classics scenario
0620— Massive Soviet divisional level artillery and SRBM missile strike destroys the NATO bunker atop the bluff on the northern bank of the Leine river killing the observers , a Stinger AA and TOW anti-tank crew stationed there. The barrage also destroys several buildings in the town killing civilians who had not evacuated.
0635— A lone concealed FRG Leopard tank destroys the lead tank of the 8th guards motorised division (which has entered the town) in an attempt to slow the Soviet assault and further block the streets. The next soviet T80 plus a couple of BMPS make a dash for the bridge.
0637 — An American M1A1 of the 2nd Armoured Division is dug in just next to the road on the north side of the bridge and engages the soviet lead tank despite a heavy smoke screen also laid by soviet artillerymen. The T80 is less than 100 metres from the bridge, prompting the Abrams commander to engage reverse when suddenly the T80 explodes. The T80, and a BMP are the victims of a lone A10 thunderbolt ground attack aircraft which had been circling just north of the river suddenly taking advantage of a clearance in the pall of smoke. The BMP is immobilized by the A10s gatling gun, but the riflemen passengers escape.
0639— sensing a chance to create more mayhem and further delay the soviet advance through Alfeld , a section of Bundeswehr troops armed with LAW take up positions covering the bridge, and the Leopard gingerly moves towards another concealed position in the industrial zone.
0645—Now alerted to the presence of dug in American armor on the left flank across the river, and with the tank regimental commander having taken out the lone FRG tank the Soviet Battalion commander decides to get infantry across further to the East so as to out flank the defenders through the forest and establish a bridgehead.
0649— Hind Ds of the 357th air assault Regiment take out a US machinegun nest which is the heaviest weapon covering the south bank of the river since the elevated NATO observation post was destroyed in the opening artillery and missile strike.
0652— The vanguard of the motorised infantry advance on the river bank also taking out a Humvee utility vehicle which was dashing across open country attempting to collect an isolated section of infantry in hasty retreat.
0658— Ascertaining that the last of resistance on the southern side had succumbed and hearing of the loss of the HMG crew and Humvee, the M1A1 commander decides to retreat to another protected position covering the East -West Autobahn near the outskirts of Limmer.
The bridgehead is there for the taking for the 8th M.R.D and the 20th Guards tank division.
0620— Massive Soviet divisional level artillery and SRBM missile strike destroys the NATO bunker atop the bluff on the northern bank of the Leine river killing the observers , a Stinger AA and TOW anti-tank crew stationed there. The barrage also destroys several buildings in the town killing civilians who had not evacuated.
0635— A lone concealed FRG Leopard tank destroys the lead tank of the 8th guards motorised division (which has entered the town) in an attempt to slow the Soviet assault and further block the streets. The next soviet T80 plus a couple of BMPS make a dash for the bridge.
0637 — An American M1A1 of the 2nd Armoured Division is dug in just next to the road on the north side of the bridge and engages the soviet lead tank despite a heavy smoke screen also laid by soviet artillerymen. The T80 is less than 100 metres from the bridge, prompting the Abrams commander to engage reverse when suddenly the T80 explodes. The T80, and a BMP are the victims of a lone A10 thunderbolt ground attack aircraft which had been circling just north of the river suddenly taking advantage of a clearance in the pall of smoke. The BMP is immobilized by the A10s gatling gun, but the riflemen passengers escape.
0639— sensing a chance to create more mayhem and further delay the soviet advance through Alfeld , a section of Bundeswehr troops armed with LAW take up positions covering the bridge, and the Leopard gingerly moves towards another concealed position in the industrial zone.
0645—Now alerted to the presence of dug in American armor on the left flank across the river, and with the tank regimental commander having taken out the lone FRG tank the Soviet Battalion commander decides to get infantry across further to the East so as to out flank the defenders through the forest and establish a bridgehead.
0649— Hind Ds of the 357th air assault Regiment take out a US machinegun nest which is the heaviest weapon covering the south bank of the river since the elevated NATO observation post was destroyed in the opening artillery and missile strike.
0652— The vanguard of the motorised infantry advance on the river bank also taking out a Humvee utility vehicle which was dashing across open country attempting to collect an isolated section of infantry in hasty retreat.
0658— Ascertaining that the last of resistance on the southern side had succumbed and hearing of the loss of the HMG crew and Humvee, the M1A1 commander decides to retreat to another protected position covering the East -West Autobahn near the outskirts of Limmer.
The bridgehead is there for the taking for the 8th M.R.D and the 20th Guards tank division.
'The War that Never Was' Polish troops of the 12th Mechanised Division (Szczecin) clash with FRG Territorials (Heimatschutzebrigade 51) defending the Lubeck-Elbe Canal in Alt-Mollin July 19-20th 1985
A Polish Mi 24 Hind attacks West German positions north of the canal with rockets in support of the 12th Mechanised (Szczecin) Division's Attack
A T55 of the 25th (Dresden) Tank Regiment is hit by a Milan ATGM as it passes a BMP 1 of the 16th Reconnaissance Battalion. The BMP had suffered the same fate the previous day.
Crewmen of the 2nd Artillery Regiment (Szczecin) unload shells for their 122mm Howitzer just after dawn on the 20th of July
An Alphajet of JaboG 41 burning in a carpark south of the Lubeck-Elbe canal. 23mm cannon shells from a ZSU23-2 brought this aeroplane down. The pilot failed to eject and died in his aircraft.
Soldiers of the 41st Mechanised Regiment cautiously cross the bridge over the canal in Alt-Mollin in the early evening of July 20th soon after clearing the south bank of all resistance by the West German Territorials. Ahead of them is an OT64 A.P.C. of Polish manufacture.
A ZSU23-2 of the 124th AA Regiment was first over the Vorkamp Bridge as elements of the 41st Regiment spread quickly around the northern bank only to find the remnants of HSB 51 had fled towards the Northeastern edge of Hamburg. An M!!3 personnel carrier of the HSB 51 burns furiously in the background.
Low on fuel, A BTR reconnaisance squad of the 5th Separate Tank Brigade probes its way into the old docks area of Hamburg
A PT76 light tank scores a hit on a Leopard tank which was supporting West German territorial units in the Hamburg docks area.
A reconnaisance squad gingerly checks a Hamburg shed which was earlier damaged by soviet rocket artillery strikes.
Hq staff of PnzBge3 (!st Panzer Division) peer across the Leine as the remnants of the brigade hold up the vanguard of the 153rd tank regiment in the village of Schloss Ricklingen north of Hannover. (a scenario inspired by Jim Storr's 'Battlegroup'
Luftwaffe in action over the Leine.... Above: A Tornado of JaBog 38 swoops low over the battlefield on an interdiction mission
Below: An Alphajet of Jabog 44 begins its attack run on Soviet recon units near the outskirts of Scloss Ricklingen
Below: An Alphajet of Jabog 44 begins its attack run on Soviet recon units near the outskirts of Scloss Ricklingen
1st Guards Tank Army move on the industrial zone of Mannheim
Soviet Infantrymen look on as the commander of a T80 tank takes aim during the battle of Mannheim.( a still from Sputnik tv )
A Soviet Mil 24 Hind goes on the hunt for Bundeswehr Territorial defenders on the outskirts of Mannheim
8th Guards Tank Army had by-passed large West German cities but second echelon divisions of 1st Tank Army entered urban areas to clear out pockets of resistance as Soviet armies closed in on the Rhine.
By the end of the second week of the war there were few serviceable tactical aircraft left on either side. Here a SU25 Frogfoot plumets to the earth over the BASF works in Mannheim Nord. The pilot didnt eject.
An SU 22 ground attack fighter of Frontal Aviation swoops low over Mannheim en route to attack remnants of the US 5th Corp northwest of the city.
A T72 of the 1st Guards Tank Army cooks off after being hit by a Milan ATGM..somewhere in Mannheim.
Soviet engineers set charges on West German razor wire defences
Artillery troops of the US 5th Corps provide support to their hard pressed NATO allies in the fight for Mannhiem's industrial zone
Troops of the first wave of 1st Guards army attack on Mannheim begin to withdraw from their positions. Was this the first sign of the loss of impetus of the WP armies' advance on the Rhine?
Nine Days to The River Oder, the NATO Counter attack. All Americans out on a Limb!
The 82nd Airborne has been tasked with safeguarding the right flank as the XIIth and XIIIth Corp attack north through Czechoslovakia into Southern Poland as WP forces are contained in West Germany. The 3 Battalions of the 82nd's 325th Infantry regiment have the seemingly simple task of guarding road and rail junctions on the Ostrava - Zilina axis.
An M551 Sheriadn of the 1st Battalion destoys a PT76 reco light tank of the 7th Motor Rifle Regiment (24th MRD) as it reconnoitres the forest road road leading down to the Podvysoka rail corridor near Zilina ( Czecho). The All Americans are about to feel the full force of the Soviet Reserve echelons stationed in the Carpathian Military district.
1st Battalion photograhers record that the Sheridan's Shillelagh ATGM made mince-meat of the Soviet PT76
The 82nd's 105mm artillery batteries were efficient and accurate but ultimately overwhelmed by the 38th Army's westward thrust aimed at foiling the Nato counter- offensive.
A slow grind through thge forest towards Podvysoka for the 7th Motor Rifle Regiment. Here, a T62 tank faces off with dug in troops of the 82nd Division in the depths of the Carpathian forest.
Cluster munitions are exploding below this pair of A10 Thunderbolts from the 40th Tactical Wing as they operate at the edge of their range against elements of the 24th Motor Rifle Division advancing near Zilina.. This strike dirupted the advance, but not for long.
An A10 Warthog flown by 1st Lieutenant Rory Browne streaks over the Carpathian foothills to deliver its deadly payload
Infantrymen of the Soviet 7th MR Regiment prepare to storm Podvysoka. The 82nd airborne put up stiff resistance but were forced to re-group near Zilina and hold their until relieved by forward elements of the 9th Mechanised Division which had driven through Austria in the preceding days.