NATO COMMUNICATION Urgent Transmission To: NATO CinC NORTHAG Date: 0530hrs - Sunday 4 th August 1985 Warsaw Pact forces have crossed the East German border checkpoint at Helmstedt Marienborn (Checkpoint Alpha) in strength at 04.14hrs initial intelligence and front line reports indicate that the attack is being led by significant armoured and infantry formations. Hannover fell to WarPac forces in the early hours of this morning. Estimates provide that as many as 5 battalions have broken away from the Hannover offensive and are driving westwards at pace along the I71 towards Bremerhaven. West German Border Police have been overrun and are no longer impeding Warsaw Pact forces. You are ordered to prepare for imminent action. West German and Dutch contingents are already stationed in the area. A US Armoured Cavalry Combat Team is expected to reach the area shortly along with British armoured units. A US Marine Corp Combat Team has been detached from Denmark and is on its way and will land at Bremerhaven within a few hours, provided the port remains under NATO control. Reports are also being received that a Soviet Air Assault company (with helicopter support) has been has been landed on the north east outskirts of Bremerhaven this is in all likelihood an advance unit intended to link up with a main thrust from the east. Rules of Engagement, at present, prevent you from using area effect weapons on built-up areas / towns. NATO HQ may advise changes to the ROE as the day progresses. 1
Your instructions are: 1) Primary objective is to delay / impede the Warsaw Pact offensive and to prevent Bremerhaven from falling into WarPac hands. Under no circumstances can Bremerhaven be lost. 2) Secure and hold the LoxProm Power Station. 3) Secure and hold the Stinstedt Airfield. 4) Secure and hold Loxstedt. 5) Secure and hold Beverstedt. Objectives: - Hold and secure Bremerhaven (no enemy ground forces in the town) - Hold and secure Beverstedt (no enemy ground forces in the town) - Hold and secure Loxstedt (no enemy ground forces in the town) - Hold and secure LoxProm Power Station (no enemy ground forces within 6 of the towers) - Hold and secure Stinstedt Airfield (no enemy ground forces within 6 of the runway) - Maintain unimpeded retreat route to the west (maintain free route west of table 3 edge) Note: table 1 is the eastern table, table 2 is the centre table, table 3 is the far west table (on which Bremerhaven is located) 2
Deployment Timetable: Your forces are deployed according to the following timetable: Turn 1 WarPac Air Assault Company deploy on table 3 first but may not move. WarPac recon elements enter table 1. Then NATO deploy all West German and Dutch units (and any AMBUSH units the owners wishes*) but may not move. Turn 3 - Turn 4 Turn 5 Turn 8 US Combat Team Alpha deploys. British 17 th /21 st Lancers may deploy. British Irish Guards may deploy. US Combat Team Bravo may deploy. US Marine Corps Combat Team Foxtrot may deploy if Bremerhaven is secure. Note* - AMBUSH units may be activated in any round from Turn 2 onwards. 3
NORTHAG Order of Battle The following forces are at your disposal according to the designated deployment note also the timetable for deployment): West German 1 st Korps units Panzer Kompanie - deploy on table 2 HQ: 1 x Leopard 2 1 Zug: 3 x Leopard 2 2 Zug: as 1 3 Zug: as 1 Aufkralungs Kompanie: - deploy in AMBUSH on table 1 Panzer Zug: 3 x Leopard 1 Infanterie Zug: 3 x Fuchs APCs Armoured Car Zug: 2 x Spahpanzers Panzerjager Zug: - deploy in AMBUSH on table 1 3 x Jaguar 2s Flak Kompanie: - deploy on table 2 2 x Roland launchers 2 x Gepards 2 x Fleigerfaust teams with Stinger missiles Panzermorser Zug: - deploy on table 2 HQ: 1 x Tracked softskin 3 x M125 Mortar carriers Panzergrenadier Kompanie HQ: 1 x Marder - deploy in/near Beverstedt 1 Zug: 3 x MG-3 teams w Panzerfaust 44 - deploy in/near Beverstedt 2 x Milan teams - deploy in/near Beverstedt 3 x Marders - deploy in/near Beverstedt 2 Zug: as 1 - deploy in/near Beverstedt 3 Zug: as 1 - deploy in/near Loxstedt Panzerartillery Batterie - deploy on table 2 3 x M109 SPGs 1 x M113 OP LARS Batterie - deploy on table 2 3 x LARS launchers 2 x MBB Bo105 AT helicopters 2 x Tornado strike fighters 4
Dutch 1 st Korps units Tank Eskadron (armoured) HQ: 1 x Leopard 1 - deploy on table 2(northern half) 1 Peloton: 4 x Leopard 1 - deploy on table 2(ditto) 2 Peloton: as 1 - deploy in AMBUSH on table 1(ditto) 3 Peloton: as 1 - deploy in AMBUSH on table 1(ditto) Verkennings Ploeg (recon): 2 x M113 C&V - deploy in AMBUSH on table 1 Pantserluchtdoel Peloton (AA): 3 x PTRL - deploy on table 2 (northern half) Antitank Peloton (anti-tank): 4 x YPR-765 PRAT - deploy in AMBUSH on table 1 (ditto) Pantserinfanterie Compagnie ( infantry): HQ: 1 x YPR-765+ FAL team 1 Peloton: 4 x GPMG/M72 teams 3 x Carl Gustav teams 2 x M47 Dragon teams 4 x YPR-765 Stinger Luchtdoel (AA infantry) 2 x Stinger team - deploy on table 2 (ditto) - deploy on table 2 (ditto) Veldartillerie Batterij (artillery): 6 x M109 - deploy on table 2 (ditto) 1 x YPR-765 OP - deploy on table 2 5
US 3 rd Corps units Armoured Combat Team Alpha: - deploy on table 3(southern half) western edge) HQ: 2 x M1A1 Abrams 1 Tank Platoon: 3 x M1A1 Abrams 2 Tank Platoon: 3 x M1A1 Abrams 3 Tank Platoon: 3 x M1A1 Abrams 4 Mechanised Platoon: 4 x M2 Bradley MICV 5 Scout Platoon: 2 x M113 APC 6 Mortars:2 x M125 Armoured Combat Team Bravo: - deploy table 3(from western edge) HQ: 2 x M1A1 Abrams 1 Tank Platoon: 3 x M1A1 Abrams 2 Tank Platoon: 3 x M1A1 Abrams 3 Tank Platoon: 3 x M1A1 Abrams 4 Mechanised Platoon: 4 x M2 Bradley MICV 5 Scout Platoon: 2 x HMMWV-M2 Support: 3 x M163 VADS AA 3 x M109 artillery 1 x HMMWV OP - deploy table 3(from western edge) 4 x A10 Warthog Marine Corps Combat Team Foxtrot: - deploy Bremerhaven port area HQ: 2 x M60A3 1 Tank Platoon: 5 x M60A3 2 Tank Platoon: 5 x M60A3 3 Tank Platoon: 5 x M60A3 4 Rifle Platoon: 2 x AAVP7 transports 9 x M249 SAW / M72 team 5 Scout Platoon: 3 x HMMWV M2, Mk19, TOW 6 Scout Platoon: 2 x HMMWV TOW Support: 6 x M109 artillery - deploy Bremerhaven port area 4 x AV-8A Harrier 4 x AH-1 Cobra 6
British1st Corps units Irish Guards: HQ: 1 x FV432, 1 x SLR team 1 st Platoon: 4 x FV432 4 x GPMG/66mm LAW teams 3 x Carl Gustav teams 1 x 2 mortar teams 2 nd Platoon: as 1st 3 rd Platoon: as 1st ATGW Platoon: 2 x FV432 4 x ATGW teams ATGW Platoon: 4 x Spartan Milan Mortar section: 4 x FV432 mortar carrier Recon: 4 x Scimitar 9 th troop: 3 x Chieftain - deploy table 3(from southern edge) 17 th /21 st Lancers C Squadron: - deploy table 3(from southern edge) HQ: 2 x Chieftain 13 th troop: 3 x Chieftain 14 th troop: 3 x Chieftain 15 th troop: 3 x Chieftain 16 th troop: 3 x Chieftain ATGW Platoon: 3 x Swingfire Recon: 4 x Scorpion Support: Artillery: 8 x Abbott 1 x FV432 FOO SAM: 6 x Spartan Blowpipe SAM: 4 x Tracked Rapier - deploy table 3(from southern edge) 4 x Harrier 4 x Lynx TOW 7