Storming the Gap: First Strike reveals the explosive origins of the Third World War and delves into the opening salvos of the conflict between NATO and the Warsaw Pact in a world where the Cold War turns hot in 1985. This epic story is told from a range of viewpoints - through the eyes of the decision-makers in Washington as well as the tankers and infantry fighting through hills and towns of southern Germany. Based partly on the scenarios from the smash-hit game by Lock ‘n Load Publishing World At War 85, each tale is a pulse-pounding narrative of intense Armor clashes that will help determine the fate of the most valuable piece of real estate this side of the Inner German border – the Fulda Gap. Caught by a surprise Soviet attack, NATO hastily deploys its men and tanks on the first day of the war. Their mission: protect the bridges over the Fulda River in a desperate bid to halt the onslaught of Soviet Armor before it can strike west and bring the Western alliance to its knees. As the first volume of a series that tells one version of the war’s progress, First Strike can be enjoyed as a companion to the platoon-scale wargame or by casual readers as a close-up view of mechanized combat in a war that never was. “The M1’s round carved into the hull deck of the rear tank. A bright emerald glow filled the thermal sight. When, at last, it dissipated, the T-80 was nothing but a heap of smoldering steel. The remaining enemy tank was caught between the two dead T-80s. It pivoted left and right, but the thick woods on either side blocked its progress.”

The Second Wave has been Unleashed The forces of the Warsaw Pact storm west over the Inner German Border and unleash devastation on the first days of the conflict. Among the NATO defenders of West Germany are Captain Kurt Mohr and his company of Leopard tanks. Outgunned and outnumbered, the men must conduct vital delaying operations until reinforcements can mobilize to stop the communists in their tracks. After a harrowing battle to prevent the Czechoslovakian army from capturing a key bridge over the Danube, Mohr and his tanks are ordered to reinforce a battalion of grenadiers. The buy time for the rest of his panzer brigade to prepare defenses around the key city of Landshut. Attacked by endless waves of enemy tanks, infantry, and aircraft, they must hold at all costs while the pressure mounts and the number of casualties skyrockets. To make matters worse, Mohr's leadership is challenged at every step by internal politics that jeopardize the mission and his men's lives. Each critical decision brings the company to the brink of tearing itself apart - posing a threat as dangerous as the enemy itself. Can Mohr keep his men together and stay alive or will his first day of war be his last? "After increasing his magnification on the PERI scope, Mohr noticed infantry climbing out the roof hatches of several carriers. No doubt, they were there to suppress enemy armor with anti-tank missiles and RPGs while the rest of their regiment rushed forward. It was bad news. With a range of three kilometers, the wire-guided missiles could badly damage or even destroy a Leopard tank. If the infantry got close enough, the rocket-propelled grenades would burrow right through his thin rear armor. The OT-64s had to die." "After increasing his magnification on the PERI, Mohr noticed infantry climbing out the roof hatches of several carriers. No doubt, they were there to suppress enemy armor with anti-tank missiles and RPGs while the rest of their regiment rushed forward. It was bad news. With a range of three kilometers, the wire-guided missiles could badly damage or even destroy a Leopard tank. If the infantry got close enough, the rocket-propelled grenades would burrow right through his thin rear armor. The OT-64s had to die."

The Soviet Invasion Continues First Lieutenant Darren White is trapped behind enemy lines with the remnants of his cavalry troop. Together with his second-in-command, Maurice Fitzgerald, he waits for the right opportunity to strike back at the Russians in occupied West Germany. As they conduct joint operations with a Special Forces team in the Fulda Gap, a terrible secret is uncovered. The Soviets have found a sure-fire way to win the war. It’s up to White and Fitzgerald to stop them. A daring operation might just be enough to make or break the Soviet war effort in Fulda. Will Fitzgerald and White’s personal differences doom the attempt? Sergeant Will Harland is an Abrams tank gunner who wakes up in a Russian prison camp. Each day is a battle for survival. When he is “volunteered” to work at the local field hospital, a Russian doctor takes him under his wing. Harland discovers that a high-ranking American colonel under his care will be sent east to be tortured for vital information. To save him, Harland must give up his own chance at escape. Will he go with his conscience or give in to self-preservation? “What do you have for me?” “T-62. Range…580.” White gave him the all-clear and the main gun blasted out a round at the Soviet vehicle. The loader turned and grabbed another round from the ready rack. Both M1s on either side of his tank fired in rapid one-two succession. White looked through the vision blocks near his hatch and caught sight of three burning T-62s. The tank bounded up the hillocks and ran down the depressions as if it were a boat riding the waves of a frozen ocean. White felt his gut drop as they charged up another incline, only to spot a milky contrail to his right. “Missile!” he shouted. “Incoming missile. Drive!”