>>10734228Hoping for the element of surprise, the armored tan column rolled straight down the Pass without any supporting artillery bombardment or even a line of sappers out front to check for mines. Had they taken either precaution the outcome may have been quite different, as the Pass was in fact heavily mined at its narrowest point. The leading heavy tanks learned this fact in a most brutal fashion (red circle).
After the first tanks were knocked out by the mines our defending forces opened up a powerful preregistered barrage, pounding the Pass directly behind the chokepoint. Tan armor started maneuvering around the minefield through the more difficult terrain to the side of the Pass, exposing their flank to accurate fire from our tanks, one of which was knocked out by a brave tan crew still occupying their disabled tank amidst the mines and their burning comrades, though they were forced to abandon their vehicle shortly after (yellow circles). A few tan units survived long enough to briefly overrun one of our forward gun positions and destroy another tank but they advanced no further, succumbing to a hail of ATGMs from our valiant defenders (blue circle).
Seeing their last forward tank blossom into smoke and flame the demoralized second echelon turned tail and fled back up the Pass, taking their dead but leaving the field and much wrecked armor in our possession.
