Tanis
12-01-2006, 11:12 PM
A Prelude to Extinction
The story of the men and women who fought and died in Humanity's last great war
On November 27th, 1979, Soviet forces on the outside West Berlin begin a devastating advance into the Western controlled part of the city. Supported by MiG-27 ground attack fighters and T-72 battle tanks, the Communist Red Army managed to retake full control of Berlin within eight hours. American, British, French, and German forces were overwhelmed by sheer numbers, and many brave men fell in those first hours of the war. Acting immediately, the West German President declared war on the Soviet Union, followed by urgent requests to the rest of NATO for aid. French and English troops were quickly shuttled to West Germany, with tanks and aircraft backing up the West German Luftwaffe and Heer. It was just in time, as T-72 Tank Regiments began pushing in from all sides. Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, and other nations were used as staging points for the Communists. Despite this, they were halted about thirty miles into West Germany by huge artillery barrages and low flying bombers. American troops are starting to arrive, and are joining the fight. Nearly simultaneously, the first shot at Saigon was a Vietnamese, albeit Soviet built, 157mm artillery shell. Entire batteries of similar weapons opened up, pounding ever more of the city into dust as American and South Vietnamese troops scrambled for their weapons. Twelve hours of bombardment later the first Communist troops began advancing towards the ruined capital, but the advances were slowed by American aircraft from the nearby Pacific fleet. Even so, the Soviet and NVA are gaining the city, block by block. Things are not looking well, but the might of the NATO war machine has yet to be realized. The conflict will go down in history as the Last Great War. It was worse than both World Wars, much much worse. This is the story of those brave men and women.
Lieutenant Colonel Hans Reichtberg was finishing the last drops in his cup of coffee when his good friend and subordinate Major Otto Johansen knocked on the door to his office. Not a word was exchanged between the two West German Luftwaffe pilots, all that needed to be said was said in one look. Hans nodded and set the coffee aside, exiting the office with Otto and entering the Squadron briefing room. It was packed with almost fifty pilots, all in their full combat gear, helmets held ready in their hands. Everybody knew what had happened just days before, but no one knew what was going to happen in the future. In the front of the room was a map of West and East Germany, and in front was a table full of papers with a chair behind it. Without even thinking, he bent down, grabbed the table and flipped it over, spilling sheets and model aircraft onto the ground. Almost everybody seemed stunned. He reached for the chair, spun it around, and sat on it backwards like. He looked into the eyes of men, and he could see the fear and anxiety.
"Let's talk plain. We are fighting a losing battle in the North, and its our job to make sure that doesn't happen here. Two hours ago intel decrypted a coded Soviet message. A flight of six Tupolev heavy bombers left a Czechoslovak airbase, headed straight for Bonn. Long story short, we are the only operational air squadron that can intercept this flight. But that is not all. Two Soviet tank regiments are advancing straight for here. To do so they have to cross three bridges. Here's the battle plan. We have twenty five Alpha Jets and five F-104s plus my F-4. The F-104s, under my command and with eight of the Alpha Jets, will intercept those bombers. Ten of the remaining Alpha Jets will head for the bridges and destroy them under the command of Major Johansen. The rest of the jets will launch and patrol the area around this airbase to make sure no enemy fighters get through. Three quarters of you haven't even graduated yet, I know. So I am pairing you up, an experienced pilot with a trainee. Listen up, things are going to get hairy. MiGs have a low level of attack, so check your six. Thing fast, act even faster. And one more thing...its alright to be scared. Dismissed to your Flight Leaders, Good hunting gentlemen."
And with that, the pilots left the briefing room and headed to their assigned fighters. Hans was he last to leave the room, as he stepped out onto the tarmac and started towards his F-4E Phantom II fighter.
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Remember to post your char sheet before starting. Please include the following heading in your posts so we know where you are and such.
____________
Name
Location
Action
____________
The story of the men and women who fought and died in Humanity's last great war
On November 27th, 1979, Soviet forces on the outside West Berlin begin a devastating advance into the Western controlled part of the city. Supported by MiG-27 ground attack fighters and T-72 battle tanks, the Communist Red Army managed to retake full control of Berlin within eight hours. American, British, French, and German forces were overwhelmed by sheer numbers, and many brave men fell in those first hours of the war. Acting immediately, the West German President declared war on the Soviet Union, followed by urgent requests to the rest of NATO for aid. French and English troops were quickly shuttled to West Germany, with tanks and aircraft backing up the West German Luftwaffe and Heer. It was just in time, as T-72 Tank Regiments began pushing in from all sides. Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, and other nations were used as staging points for the Communists. Despite this, they were halted about thirty miles into West Germany by huge artillery barrages and low flying bombers. American troops are starting to arrive, and are joining the fight. Nearly simultaneously, the first shot at Saigon was a Vietnamese, albeit Soviet built, 157mm artillery shell. Entire batteries of similar weapons opened up, pounding ever more of the city into dust as American and South Vietnamese troops scrambled for their weapons. Twelve hours of bombardment later the first Communist troops began advancing towards the ruined capital, but the advances were slowed by American aircraft from the nearby Pacific fleet. Even so, the Soviet and NVA are gaining the city, block by block. Things are not looking well, but the might of the NATO war machine has yet to be realized. The conflict will go down in history as the Last Great War. It was worse than both World Wars, much much worse. This is the story of those brave men and women.
Lieutenant Colonel Hans Reichtberg was finishing the last drops in his cup of coffee when his good friend and subordinate Major Otto Johansen knocked on the door to his office. Not a word was exchanged between the two West German Luftwaffe pilots, all that needed to be said was said in one look. Hans nodded and set the coffee aside, exiting the office with Otto and entering the Squadron briefing room. It was packed with almost fifty pilots, all in their full combat gear, helmets held ready in their hands. Everybody knew what had happened just days before, but no one knew what was going to happen in the future. In the front of the room was a map of West and East Germany, and in front was a table full of papers with a chair behind it. Without even thinking, he bent down, grabbed the table and flipped it over, spilling sheets and model aircraft onto the ground. Almost everybody seemed stunned. He reached for the chair, spun it around, and sat on it backwards like. He looked into the eyes of men, and he could see the fear and anxiety.
"Let's talk plain. We are fighting a losing battle in the North, and its our job to make sure that doesn't happen here. Two hours ago intel decrypted a coded Soviet message. A flight of six Tupolev heavy bombers left a Czechoslovak airbase, headed straight for Bonn. Long story short, we are the only operational air squadron that can intercept this flight. But that is not all. Two Soviet tank regiments are advancing straight for here. To do so they have to cross three bridges. Here's the battle plan. We have twenty five Alpha Jets and five F-104s plus my F-4. The F-104s, under my command and with eight of the Alpha Jets, will intercept those bombers. Ten of the remaining Alpha Jets will head for the bridges and destroy them under the command of Major Johansen. The rest of the jets will launch and patrol the area around this airbase to make sure no enemy fighters get through. Three quarters of you haven't even graduated yet, I know. So I am pairing you up, an experienced pilot with a trainee. Listen up, things are going to get hairy. MiGs have a low level of attack, so check your six. Thing fast, act even faster. And one more thing...its alright to be scared. Dismissed to your Flight Leaders, Good hunting gentlemen."
And with that, the pilots left the briefing room and headed to their assigned fighters. Hans was he last to leave the room, as he stepped out onto the tarmac and started towards his F-4E Phantom II fighter.
----
Remember to post your char sheet before starting. Please include the following heading in your posts so we know where you are and such.
____________
Name
Location
Action
____________