Berlin, 20 June ’78.

Punch the video at the bottom for theme music while you read  Chapter 1: Baby Come Back

The sky had screamed and echoed all morning and half the night with violent streaks and flashes of whirling aircraft. Now the trouble became local, personal, immediate and deadly.
The residents of the British sector felt the first gut punch. With just 12 hours notice the poms settled into a stoic mood. The British Field Force knew their fate was ordained. No help would come. None would be asked for.

Lead elements of Soviet 6th Guard mechanized division advanced across bridges, thru narrow streets and into a hail of bullets, delivered by the 1st Btn, Royal Welch Fusiliers and 1st Btn, King’s Regiment. The 18 Chieftain tanks from the Kings Hussars were spread out in defense hull down positions rained havoc on the T-62s in the Soviet Motorized Division.

Wanton Soviet arty crashed down, demolishing buildings, trapping civilians who died for want of access to emergency services.

All day the battle throbbed and pulsed through the city.

At dusk a ragged cheer arose as the pride of England fluttered above the demolished Embassy once more. The Union Jack stood high and proud. Heavy losses forced back the first Soviet assault! Over a loud speaker someone tuned in a radio; Player blared – ” Baby Come Back” to raucous laughter as the rum ration was liberally shared with the survivors.

That same morning, the 14th Guard and attached assault engineers smashed and thrust into the US sector. Reeling from the savage attack the US loss the airfield and surrounds quickly. The US troops retreat and re group.

There is no where to run now. There never was. The 14th Guard prepare to assault again, taking advantage of their momentum.

Soviet doctrine did not prepare the commanders of the 14th Gd for what happened early morning the 21st of June. Their following assaults were rebuffed. Backed into a corner, the raw but tough Berlin Brigade fought back. Buildings burned, BMP’S were carved up by LAWS, assault engineers fought door to door. Two assaults, both inflicting heavy losses were repulsed by the US defenders.

[These atks; at 6:1 with +5 drm for US [[city and Berlin bonus]], 1 more for cadre advantage and -1 for Soviet engineers.]

The planned coupe de grace never happened against the US forces. Instead the Soviets attacked the French Berlin Bde. At first they (French) fought with great elan, but their smaller number of men and lack of decent anti AFV weapons compromised their position. After the third assault they were forced to retreat taking serious losses. They fell back into the British sector.

The noose tightened on Berlin.

In Bavaria, Soviet diversionary Special Forces attacks upon Ground to Air sites and Cruise missile locations were a disaster in and around Munich with only one attack going it. Which subsequently failed.

In the North near the Danish Border a critical kill site target was the German Herc unit which also sustained no damage,

In fact over half of all SF forces were wiped out between the hours of 0200 and 0400, along with highly valued Mi8 transports. Flak Suppression missions were rebuffed and took losses, further heightening the tension in the Politburo.

The air war raged over Greater Europe.

Fighters scrambled, both sides sought AS (Air Superiority), then once obtained they would fight off Interceptors and seek out ground support aircraft.

Despite this situation depicted here the NATO forces held their own. 22 Soviet steps down. 10 NATO. 31 damaged Soviets vs just 3 damaged NATO, 2 of which are Italian.

Across the board, Czech, and Eastern German units move out, the long trains of the Soviet Armies rumble down highways headed for Western Germany.

June 20th 1978. The shock wears off.  Reality begins to bite.