Colonel McInnis climbed out of the hatch of the M113 Fire Support Vehicle. As Brigade commander, Chester McInnis chose to commandeer the Artillery's vehicle rather than use the M60 Main Battle Tank the Army offered him. His Brigade S3, Major Thompson was an Armor Officer and had experience in the TC Hatch of a Main Battle Tank. Colonel McInnis on the other had spent his life in the infantry. Although the tactics used by the Infantry and Armor are interchangeable and the Colonel was comfortable with that aspect of his job, he felt it would be better to leave an experienced NCO in the TC seat of his tank. Staff Sergeant Ray Holmes served as Major Thompson's Wingman. Chet McInnis was fine with this arrangement. The FIST vehicle and Forward Air Control Vehicles followed the two Main Battle Tanks around the battlefield anyway.

"Maverick zero six, this is Dagger zero six, over," The battalion commander for the 4th battalion, 41st Infantry was calling the brigade commander. The 4-41 IN (M) was defending to the north end of the line tied in with the 7th Panzer Brigade with elements of the 73rd Panzergrenadier Battalion and the 74th Panzer Battalion. There were a handful of Leopard Main Battle Tanks and about a dozen Marders with their Infantry defending Molln with A Company, 4-41 IN. A Company had a Platoon from 2-66 Armor and 14 M113 APC along with their dismounted infantry.

"Dagger zero six, this is Maverick zero six, go ahead over," Colonel McInnis responded.

"The East Germans appear to be pushing about a battalion's worth of infantry armor into my position, break," LTC Tyler reported to his superior. "Artillery has been intense in this sector. More than closer to the Saber element, over."

"Roger out.

Colonel McGinnis received similar reports from 3-41 IN in the center and 2-66 Armor at the south end of the line. He held onto D Company, 2-66 AR as Brigade reserve. He considered sending these tanks to Molln to reinforce the 4-41 IN there as well as the German 73rd Panzer Grenadier battalion, but would need to coordinate with the German 7th Panzer Brigade Commander. He had spoken to Oberst Claus Werner on three occasions and found the man to be of a serious mind. The threats in the south and in the center appeared to be less than the one facing Molln. It appeared the East Germans were concentrating their efforts on Molln. Colonel McInnis believed this is where their attack would be the strongest and he should send his tanks there. 

"Hauptmann Wirth!" The 6' 2" Colonel called out. He needed the Liaison Officer to the 7th Panzers. "Get on the radio and tell your Brigade, we're moving a company of tanks up to Molln. They should be looking at a battalion and possibly more of T72s and BMPs. Ask them, if they could focus their artillery on targets at Molln. I will do the same with mine." Colonel McInnis looked at Lieutenant Colonel Bragg, the Fire Support Coordinator (FSCOORD) and Battalion Commander for 4th Battalion 3rd Field Artillery. The Artillery officer nodded at the Commander.

As the German LNO and FSCOORD spoke to their people, the Brigade Commander called Captain Hawkins, commander of D company, 2-66 and instructed him to move his company to Breitenfelde on the 207. Colonel McInnis would move his Tactical Command Post there as well for the two to link up. They would then coordinate their movement with LTC Tyler in Molln. They would push through the south side of town and hope to flank the East Germans in the forest east of town. What troubled Chet McInnis, is the forest. Wooded areas are great for infantry, but terrible for armored conflicts.

As the 2nd Brigade TAC headed toward Breitenfelde, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Mason in the center reported to the Brigade TOC, that his battalion had lost three main battle tanks, two armored personnel carriers, twenty KIAs and fourteen WIAs. The enemy continues to assault.

LTC Funari in the south extending to Lauenburg and the Elbe River had lost two Main Battle Tanks, two APCs, five KIAs and seven WIAs. The situation was still muddy in the north. Reports were conflicting and Colonel McInnis believed he needed to get up there to see what was going on.

Meanwhile at the Brigade Administrative and Logistics Operations Center (ALOC) in the Brigade Support Area which was set up along a small private airfield in southeast Hamburg near Lohbrugge, Major Grogan and Major Pasterneck were starting to receive reports of losses. The 3-41 had fourteen casualties in their Battalion Aid Station, ten of these were critical and enroute to C Co. 498th Forward Support Battalion. 2-66 was reporting seven casualties in their BAS and three of those were critical enough to send back to "Charlie Med". Also, 3-41 had one M60A3 on a wrecker being towed back to B Company, 498th FSB and 2-66 had 2 tanks and 1 APC being towed back to B Company, FSB. 

"What the hell is going on at Molln?" Lieutenant Colonel Combs uttered to Captain Vassar the Brigade Assistant Operations Officer (Asst. S3). The expression on the XO's face appeared as though he did not want an answer and Captain Vassar wasn't about to respond.

"Sir, the enemy may be focusing their effort on Molln," Major Juan Diaz interjected. Major Diaz is the brigade Intelligence Officer (S2) and should know what the enemy are doing. "Or they may be forcing our hand to deploy our reserve into Molln all the while focusing in the center or the south at Lauenburg."

"Yes, Juan, that is what is troubling me. What the hell are they doing?"

[b]Team Bravo, 3-41 IN, in the 2-66 sector near Lauenburg[/b]
"Saber fife two, this is White Bayonet zero six, over!" Captain Stewart yelled into the handset. Explosions erupted all around him. By this time, he was in the back of his M113 APCs. Corporal Rose was rocking the M2 .50 caliber Machine gun. East German infantry had crossed the canal and were pushing towards his position alongside Lieutenant Leahy's tanks. 2nd Platoon had fallen back to supplementary positions on the tank's right and 1st Platoon did the same on the tank's left.

"White Bayonet zero six, this is Saber fife two, go ahead over," Captain Zewinski, himself was talking to Captain Stewart on the radio. The Task Force Commander, LTC Funari was listening as well as most of the staff and the armor company commanders.

"Saber fife two, this is White Bayonet zero six, condition QUICK STEP is in effect, break," a six second pause. Proword Quick Step indicates that the enemy has crossed the canal and the company team has redeployed to supplementary positions. "We have lost three Alpha Papa Charlies and two Mike Bravo Tangos, break." He waited seven seconds. "We have taken twelve Kilo India Alphas and have seven Whiskey India Alphas. They are about to overrun us in the next three zero mikes. They have the town. We won't be able to hold out much longer. We are fixing bayonets, over." The order to 'fix bayonets' went out over the company net. The east Germans were getting very close to their position and the surviving members of B company, 3-41 IN would engage in hand to hand combat very soon.