They came from behind the curtain

[KarlXII]

Major Feldwebel Hans Freinden, Panzer commander, West German Heer, 1980.

Hans was walking down the barracks, in uniform, with his black beret. He heard a French infantry lieutenant talking to some Belgian officers. The sight was common these days. The French decided to pass the European Defence Community treaty, and now mixed nationality barracks and posts were common sight. This new sense of unification has boosted European/NATO morale and kept the Soviet Union in check. This was much needed, as the USSR have gotten more powerful, and war seemed to loomed. Hans's barracks was a few miles from the border, he would be the first line of defence in any conflict.

A few days later,

Hans was looking over training for the new tankers. He recieved a new second in command, and gunner for his personal tank the Guderian. His name was Corporal Heinz. He was eager, and looked like the one who can fire from a cramped space under fire. Hans was already beginning to like him. The barracks commander and veteran panzer commander of the Second World War, Lieutenant General Schultz, was next to him, looking on with a stern look on his face.

One of his aides brought him a telegram. He read it, and laughed. "Major Feldwebel, look, I recieved a telegram from HQ, saying the Russians are threatning an invasion if NATO didn't pay them" He laughed again, "They couldn't invade Iceland if they-" he never finished. Schultz went down as small arms fire erupted onto the barracks, Hans crouched to the ground, dragging the General to cover. He shouted as loud as he could, "Men! Get to your vehicles, and I need a medic!" he heard returning fire and shouts. He saw a French soldier man a machine gun, Belgians taking uip rifle positions, and his Panzer unit firing tank shells.

He saw where the attackers were coming from, and they seemed to have been carrying AK-74's and RPGs. He felt the General tug on his uniform, he had been hit in the chest and legs. Schultz looked at him and said, "Defend the base, message HQ"

And the General said no more. His eyes went blank, and he did not move. The Guderian arrived next to Hans, an Corporal Heinz got out, and helped put the General inside the tank. They both knew he needed a military burial. He got on the radio channel with HQ and said, "Major Feldwebel Freinden to HQ,

West Germany is under attack."

[RoadKill]

Its pretty good. I like where the story is going. But it would be better if you could be a little bit more descriptive, so readers can paint a picture of the scenerio in their heads.

[KarlXII]

First Lieutenant George Mark, Cavalry, twelve days after the invasion.

George was inside the Bradley IFV, back against the door, looking at his platoon. They all had just come from Fort Knox, fresh and eager for the new war against the Russians. However, where they were going, they were not so eager. They were arriving in Hamburg, Germany, the Russians had just launched an assault on the city, and much of it was destroyed.

The maps George looked at did not fill him with confidence. One showed the overall Russian advance in Europe, they had taken almost all of West Germany, excludng the North, and reports were showing up that they had reached the French, Italian, and Greek borders. The other showed the city of Hamburg itself, the Russians had spearheaded into the center, and the Allies were being pushed back to the outskirts. The wave of reinforcements George was part of was going to start a push back in the city. He knew at least 10 other Bradleys, each with a platoon, were in the wave.

Hamburg would be the key to the whole Northern Theater, it was the final stop to Holland and Belgium, then Northern France. They were given simple orders: "Hold against Ivan, no retreat, retake the city. He heard the driver shout "We are at the destination, prepare to deploy."

The door opened, and his platoon shuffled out. He led them into the city outskirts, were he was immediately fired upon. The shots werecoming from the buildings in front of them, and they soon stopped, he assumed they were preparing for an attack. He saw a piece of rubble, a potential nest. "Private Streetar! I want the M60 right there!" He pointed to the rubble. The soldier and his gunner got he machine gun set up, and the rest of his men got set up in rubble and blown out houses. He heard wheels turning, and around the corner of a street, a two T-74 tanks rolled towards them. "Bazookas! Get ready!" The tanks rolled closer, seemingly unknowing of their position.

"Fire!"

Same time, Franco-German border "The Ridge"

"Fire!" Hans shouted, upper half of him revealed from his position. He looked through his binoculars at the valley below. It was filled with Russian T-80's, advancing on "The Ridge", which was nothing more than a streched pile of debris, only about half of it was a natural ridge. Either way, it served as a great defensive position for the joint Euro-American/Leopard-Abrams defence.

Hans had been specially promoted to the rank of Lieutenant for his actions in the barracks at the first attack, and he was commanding the forces at the center of the ridge. The Guderian Leopard tank he commanded was marked with the number of tanks it destroyed. So far, the number was about 20, all from the retreat from Germany. This made him, at least to his crew and troops he commanded, the first European war hero. The Guderian had fired another round, hitting a T-80 below. They seemed to be coming endlessly, the Ivans must be willing to drive through the border.

With the Americans defending Hamburg, and the other NATO troops in Greece and Turkey distracting Ivan, the Russian advance seemed to have run out of steam. Hans thought of the dy he would drive his tank through Berlin, welcomed as a hero. His day dreaming was cut short by the Guderian firing another round.

[KarlXII]

(Just to make it clear, I want to include characters from different fronts, nations, branches etc., the three major characters my story will focus on will be Lieutenant George Mark, and Lieutenant Hans Freinden. I plan on including supporting characters, currently working on an S.A.S. Officer, an AC-130 crewman, and Navy crewman. Other supporting soldiers will come from different nationalities. Expect rescues, sea battles, and a charge against the Russians very soon ;))

Lieutenant George Mark, Hamburg, Germany, a day after his arrival.

It was the first time George actually thought he was going to die. Looking down the barrel of a T-72 was a frightening experience. Luckily though, the bazooka he ordered to fire hit it and disabled it. The crew was soon killed, and the tank was commandeered, and fixed with engineer reinforcements. Now they were driving deeper into the city, almost to the center, according to the maps. They were reincorced by another platoon, an Abrams, and a Bradley. So with the support, George's unit drove into Hamburg.

All was going well, and George took the time to talk to some of his men. He was talking about Minnesota, a state which he and the man he was talking to, the platoon medic, "Doc" Skysburm, were both from.

However, the discussion was cut short by an RPG hitting the Bradley behind them. The IFV exploded, and Doc and George quickly got down. AK fire came from the buildings on their flank, and the tanks started to fire. All hell broke loose, and George fired his M16 at a Russian coming out of a building. The Bolshivek crumpled to the ground.

A radioman ran to George and said "Sir, Northern Front HQ called in, they want us out of the city, we're supposed to regroup with the Big Red One down at the outskirts, Hamburg is lost, sir." George cursed, So much for the damned "no retreat" order. He shouted "Everyone, fall back, we're getting out of here, rendevous at the outskirts."

The soldiers started to scramble back, getting clear of the tanks path. They popped smoke, and retreated out of the city, to the same buildings that they entered from. He ordered a count for the men in the force. Everyone who wasn't in the Bradley was there, except one.

Doc.

He got the radioman, and took the phone "Lieutenant Mark to HQ" HQ responded.

"HQ, I have a missing man, possibly alive, requesting to go back in and get him."

"Request denied Lieutenant, we'll try to get an S.A.S. team to make sure he isn't being held for interrogation, but your orders are to meet the 1st Armoured, now get there ASAP. Out."

George was reluctant to agree. "Understood sir, out."

The 1st Armoured wasn't far from his position, and after meeting up with them, they were told to fall back to the Dutch border.

It was going to be a long war.

Franco-German Border, "The Ridge", night, a day after the battle started.

Hans had been inspecting the armor on the Ridge, making sure the engines were functioning, and the ammo loaded. The Ivans took up positions across from them, and they were regulary calling in artillery, most of it missing, and landing behind them.

When he got back to the Guderian, he got a radio message from HQ, in Paris. It was the commanding General of the Border Front (commonly called the Boring Front by the troops), Jeaq Mondeau, he said "Lieutenant Freinden, The Americans have retreated from Hamburg, and the Soviets are threatning to cut you off, fall back into French territory and await further orders." Hans obeyed, and ordered the tanks into France, which was about a mile or two away. It was obvious the war was not going well, and if Belgium and the Netherlands fall, it could all be over.

[KarlXII]

Corporal Prince, 22nd S.A.S. Regiment

"Rise and shine, shirley" Prince felt Sergeant MacTash's boot hit his stomach. Prince woke up to see the Sergeant, cammo cap on his head, gruff, unshaven face, looking down at him. Prince got up, and met MacTash at eye level. "What'd I say about "shirley"?" Prince said. MacTash laughed and told him "We're meeting Major Ingrem at the helipad. We have a mission today, mate!" MacTash left the room. Prince got ready, and headed out the door to the helipad.

There, he saw MacTash, and Major Ingrem, the 30 or so old commando, the man had a red beret on his head, dressed in camoflauge, and they all were, and he had the face of a battle worn warrior. They were accompanied by about 3 others. They were all looking at a map of Hamburg. "Corporal, word from command, a Yank soldier was captured in Hamburg, here, we're ordered to take him, and make sure he doesn't give any valuable information." he pointed at a large apartment, about halfway to the city center. Prince was confused, "Sir, the Yanks are already in the city, shouldn't they be handling this?" "Corporal, the Yanks have fallen back, as the NATO troops on the Franco-German border have done, however, we have the support of a Delta sniper team, we will be inserted by helicopter here" he pointed at a space of land near the building, "And we will advance from there, gentlemen, prepare, we will leave in 5. Remember, this is an insertion and extraction, get your silencers!" And with that, the Major walked away.

Prince went into the armoury with MacTash. Prince went for his favorite rifle, the M4 SOPMOD. MacTash laughed, "We aren't landing in Vietnam, mate, try this one, why don't ya?" He tossed an MP5 to Prince, who examined it before handing it back. "No thanks, the SOPMOD will do for me." After arming themselves, the men got onto the helicopter that arrived. They got aboard and prepared.

"Just another day at the office" MacTash said. Prince laughed. It was all too true.