Die Festung Hamburg Campaign After Action Report
The Players:
Fredrik Voss, Warsaw Pact Commander
Elias Nordling, NATO Commander
The Authors:
Elias Nordling, Fredrik Voss
Edited by:
Fabrizio Vianello
Background
On June 8th, 1985 General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party Mikhail Gorbachev is deposed by a military coup. A State of Emergency Committee, formed by Kremlin hardliners and presided by Andrei Gromyko, take power in Soviet Union.
Tension between the two Blocs increases sharply, reaching alarming levels after mass protests in several Warsaw Pact countries are suppressed by local Soviet forces. Interpreting these events as a covert attempt by capitalist forces to bring the Socialist System to its knees, the new Soviet Politburo decides to play all its remaining cards and starts mobilising Class II and III Divisions.
NATO diplomatic attempts to defuse the conflict receive reassuring answers about Soviet Union’s desire for peace, not supported by a change in Warsaw Pact’s troop movements.
In the end, the last supporters of the diplomatic approach surrender to the harsh reality when faced with dozens of satellite photos irrefutably showing Warsaw Pact Armies moving in attack formation toward the German Inner Border.
On July 23rd 1985 Transfer of Authority to NATO finally takes place, and SACEUR immediately issues a GENERAL ALERT order. A few hours later, Warsaw Pact divisions smash into NORTHAG covering forces.
The Warsaw Pact Plan
The Warsaw Pact generals drew up three alternative plans for the campaign.
After some deliberation Plan B was selected for the operation. The components of this plan were for:
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