Red Storm Rising

Comrade, time for you to show to the world the might of Soviet Union!
This hypothetical scenario takes place in early 1954 and is both playable on the NATO and Communist side against the computer. Nevertheless, as often, the game is much more fun when played against a human opponent.

The situation in Europe is quite strained since the death of Staline. The heirs of the dictator seem to be radically opposed to any compromise with the western powers. Active military build-up is conducted, while Soviet forces are conducting many large-scale training and deployments in Eastern Europe and in Albania. Ties are being tightened up with Yugoslavia, while extensive military cooperation is lead with China in the Far-East. The situation is getting worse when, in October 1953, the USSR sabotages the conference about the future of Austria and the occupying Allied troops withdrawal. USSR suddenly declare she was not paid back enough for the damages taken during World War II, and then demand to be given the whole Austria as a war compensation. Facing what looks like another bluff attack, the NATO answers hardly, sending troops from FRG to Austria in order to dissuade the Soviets from taking any offensive action. But suddenly, at a moment when discussing seemed to be blocked, USSR withdraws all its troops from Austria!

But is wasn't a simple bluff, as everybody seemed to believe it at first, it was the first part of a much more terrifying plan: the invasion of the whole western Europe! While allied units were being taken one per one from Germany to Austria, USSR was massing its armies along the German border. And while the T54 would be rolling with no resistance in the large German plains, in Austria the communist armies would surround and annihilate without mercy the NATO units moved to Vienna?

72 hours before the offensive, an important group of Spetnaz and KGB special agents is discovered and arrested in FRG. The document seized there are clear: the attack will take place on the 2 of January, taking advantage of the winter and new year holidays everywhere in Europe (including for the NATO officers). The Spetnaz's role is to paralyse Germany and the NATO logistic to prepare the ground for the advancing forces. Ten hours after the discovery, the units stationed in Austria were already running to Bavaria!

The scenario begins several hours after the first offensives: the communist troops have cut, with heavy losses, the axis linking Vienna to Linz, splitting the NATO Expeditionary Corps into two parts. The first one, under US command, managed to get four complete divisions out from the Austrian hell. The largest part of this Task Force is still blocked on the road and has to face heavy flank attacks.

The second part of the Expeditionary Corps is under British command. It is made of four British, one Belgian and one French divisions. It has only two choices: entrench into Vienna end try to resist to Czech and Hungarian units together, or try to rejoin Italy without crossing the Yugoslavian border. The Austrians have already blown all the Danube's bridges leading to the Eastern countries, and this gives the NATO a few hours before the final crossing by the enemy troops. But they have to run fast: the Italian alpine passes won't stay opened forever...

In Germany, the Task Force Simon advanced Elements have pushed back an attack on Regensburg launched from the Bavarian forest. They have inflicted heavy losses to the Soviets and stopped the offensive in the area, keeping the road to Munich opened. Here is the situation a handful of hours after the beginning of the war. And it's only a beginning!