The SPz BMP-2 rattled violently as it left the 208. The ground in the area was unsuitable for an armoured spearhead, owing to the presence of marshes and the narrow bridgeheads scattered between the Dassoer See and the Ratzburger See. Eckhardt winced as he saw two other carriers, both the older BMP-1 models, loose their footing and swerve to a muddy standstill with buckled wheels. This "assault" had no more logic to it than the mobilisation. With a sigh, he put down his R126 Tactical Radio and looked at his men; they hunkered down in their seats, with Mpi-Aks gripped tightly. They were terrified, and they were right to be. 

From what Eckhardt had gathered from the intermittent radio bursts, his squad had helped to form a motley column of tanks and ATVs with the designated objective of deep penetration. Whilst the 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers of the British army were waging delaying operations against the Soviet offensive towards Lubeck and Hamburg, Eckhardt's miss matched task force was given the job of outflanking them and encircling Lubeck.

The theory, as far as Eckhardt could tell, was that if the PACT forces were quick enough, then they'd isolate a large Nato contingent within the town. However, there were reports that the garrison there was preparing to pull out, even though it had just arrived, and so time was of the essence. Peering out of the BMP's gun ports, the Feldwebel could see the 1K DMZ approaching. Even from far off, he could see the coils of wire, the blocks of hardened cement and sporadic bunkers of NATO's defences. He could also see that fires that had enveloped them.

 Huge clouds of smoke were climbing hundreds of feet into the air. Eckhardt could smell jet fuel, and explosive residue. The defiant tail of a Mig stuck out of a concrete bunker some five hundred yards further south; fire consumed it, and the Feldwebel hoped beyond hope that the pilot was already dead - or had bailed before it came down. 

"Lead Element. No contacts," crackled Eckhardt's radio, jerking him from his observations. 

It seemed the Brits were either diverting else where, had fallen back or had been buried beneath the fury of the Russian air force. This was good, because Eckhardt's faith in the column's sudden change from single file to a flimsy assault formation had fallen short the moment it was initiated. 

Molln was the first target of the NVA task force. It was a border town, sitting pretty in the dead centre of their offensive action. What little recon had been provided, and shared with Eckhardt, revealed that no NATO forces were operating in the area. If this was true, the Soviet offensive must have gained ground to the north and south - enough to force NATO to divert its sparse resources to fight the bigger fires. If this was true, then the task force may well appear in the enemy rear within hours. 

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The task force moved south, giving Ratzeburg a wide birth, and then headed hard to the west and joined the 207. There were innumerable vulnerabilities to this manoeuvre, especially given the dense woodland the tanks and BMPs had to navigate through. A hundred well trained Brits would've caused a great deal of trouble, and Eckhardt wondered how long his brothers in arms would stay in the field against a deadly enemy - no matter how small. However, as it was, the first phase of the manoeuvre precoded without incident. 

Whilst a small bundle of T-72s and BMPs had taken the smaller L202, the bulk of the force had decided to go on the 207 and hit Molln from the north. The man in charge, a Russian General by the name of Mirnov Adam Andreevich, had gambled on a hard-and-fast march through the town with the aim of securing it without the need for weapons. Recon had confirmed that no known NATO units were operating in the area, and as the town came into view, Eckhardt believed it. 

Then the leading T-72 exploded in a beautiful fury of fire and molten metal. The second T-72 fired indiscriminately towards the town, whilst those behind it broke from the road to form a loose skirmishing formation. Two more exploded - put to the sword by NATO TOWs. The narrow space either side of the road denied the tanks the option of spreading thinly, and so they made easy targets for their attackers. Eckhardt mounted the BMP-2's turret, more to gain a view of what was happening, than to use the 30mm mounted gun. 

Buildings on the northern face of Molln had been garrisoned enforce, but by who Eckhardt wasn't sure. Brits maybe, but then they weren't supposed to be here. 

"Infantry, break from the road, advance under the cover of the tanks," crackled Eckhardt's radio. 

"You heard the order; driver, get us off this road and find us a hole through the tanks," shouted Eckhardt.

The BMP swerved violently, and sped off to the east. The Feldwebel could hear the more cowardly members of his squad, designated 'Gustav', complaining about the lunacy of their objective. Luckily, the two Unteroffiziers were quelling them with indoctrinated passion. He peered out of the 30mm gun's optics, and saw several more TOWs launch from the lead buildings - their wires trailing behind in glittering sputters. Grabbing the firing handles, he pointed the weapon's singular barrel at the nearest of the structures, adjusted for distance, and let off a half dozen bursts. Even in his protective casing, and with anti-recoil measures in place, his arms went numb with the thudding vibrations of each discharge. 

The two dozen BMPs of the task force filtered through the beleaguered line of T-72s, which continued their barrage of shells and machinegun fire, and were soon speeding towards Molln. Eckhardt swung the gun left, and saw a BMP catch a TOW. It disappeared instantly as the explosion consumed the front compartment, then the rear. This spurred the Feldwebel on. He didn't want this war, and he sure didn't want to get killed - whether his ex-countrymen were firing the missiles, or whether it was the Brits, they had to die. He fired off another half dozen bursts.

When his BMP reached within four hundred yards of the nearest building - a single story warehouse, cratered and pot marked - he descended from the turret and led his men from the hull. Gefreiter Axel Zorner remained behind to fire the 30mm. Other BMPs repeated the same process, and soon a tide of over a hundred men were storming towards Molln under a comforting shield of weathering high calibre weaponry.