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Feb 1, 2001 - Iran

The last of the reinforcements from Europe have arrived and have been distributed among the divisions there. The convoys from Europe, protected by the French as part of their helping the US logistically and otherwise in the Middle East (so they can avoid having to fight the Russians themselves for the oil) have brought a total of 6000 men, 41 tanks, 48 Bradley AFV, 40 LAV-25’s and 60 M113 APC’s from Europe along with over a 120 HMMVW of various types. In addition some 30 105mm and 18 155mm artillery pieces, 10 M109 SPG’s and 30 various AA vehicles have also arrived. Over two dozen helos of various types and spare parts for them were also part of the convoys as well as ammunition to replenish the seriously depleted munitions stores of CENTCOM.

These stores and vehicles were considered separate from the deal made with the Germans for Omega as the fuel needed for the ships came from the French and not from the tanker found floating in the Baltic.

Some 600 men who arrived in early December have just graduated from parachute training, bringing the strength of the 82nd Airborne back up to 3600 men, and another 500 men and six M1A2 tanks are added to the 101st, bringing them up to 4500 men and 6 tanks. The remaining 900 men are put into a replacement pool, giving CENTCOM an operational reserve for the first time in years.

February 6, 2001

Pennsylvania

The 28th Infantry Division moves to the York PA area and makes contact with the York Garrison, a combination of local militia and a US Army battalion left there to safeguard the United Defence-BMY defence plant as well as the Caterpillar and Harley Davidson plants.

All three are still intact, lacking only electrical power to get them back into operation. There is considerable military material including vehicles either in process or in storage for reset or refit at the defence plant. A force of four M8 AGS, one M88A2, two M2 Bradleys, three M109A5 SPG and one FAASV are at the UD-BMY plant. The 28th incorporates a company of 100 men from the Garrison as well as one M109A5 and two AGS into its own force structure.

The reason for the survival of the York plant is found a kilometer away by scouts using rad detectors... a crater surrounded by the still very radioactive debris of a 50kt nuclear warhead that didn’t detonate due to a faulty fuse, leaving the plant intact and very useable.

Texas

The Mexicans make another attempt to get the refinery. A combined attack by the Brigada San Luis Potosi and the remnants of Brigada Tampica on Port Isabel is stopped dead as the two USN destroyers, now fully refueled, use naval gunfire to help break up the attack down the narrow peninsula. A US counterattack hits the disorganized Mexicans and shatters both brigades for good. The US forces include a contingent of 60 South Texas Grange members who arrived by boat a week earlier.

February 12, 2001

Outside Batesville AK a patrol is attacked by what the lone survivor identifies as a Goodyear Blimp. Two platoons of the 197th are assembled to find out what is going on.

At Norfolk, the 1st Armored Division is being prepared to be shipped to Texas, with 4 M1 Abrams, 3 M48A5, 4 Stingrays and 2 M109 SPG assigned to it.

A new unit that resurrects a famous name is formed at Norfolk. The 7th Cavalry Regiment, with an initial strength of 400 men mounted on horses, is formed from experienced cavalry troops in the replacement pool. Four M116 75mm pack howitzers, formerly used for ceremonial purposes, are attached to the unit.

Feb 14, 2001 – Europe

Near Riga the US 8th Infantry Division and the 26th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, who have come to an accommodation as allies against the Soviets, along with partisans from the Free Latvian Army, defeat the 11th Soviet Guards Army as they attempt to take the city.

The 40th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, being composed almost entirely of Latvians and Estonians, mutinies and joins with the 26th Guards at a critical moment in the battle, leaving the rear of the 140th Motorized, along with the Army HQ, completely open to being attacked by it and the Free Latvian partisans.

The 11th Guards Army takes catastrophic losses, with the 140th Motorized Rifle Division being totally destroyed in the fighting and the 107th Motorized reduced to scattered pockets of men totaling only some 800 men. The M1’s and Stingrays of the 8th, firing from camouflaged positions, along with hunter killer teams armed with RPG-16’s destroy the entire Soviet tank force of 36 T-55 tanks in 30 furious minutes of fighting.

The survivors of the 11th Guards Army are mopped up over the next few days by the renegade Soviet units and Latvian partisans. Two hundred ragged survivors eventually make their way back to the Soviet Union.