REAL WORLD EVENT

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Basra, Iraq—March 27, 2003: As Britain’s Desert Rats deploy to Basra in Challenger 2 tanks, they’re surprised by a convoy of enemy tanks. The twist of fate sparks a perilous battle between the mighty machines.

Much of the “shock and awe” that occurs in the opening phases of the War in Iraq focuses on the outstanding air strikes waged against Iraqi cities. Footage that isn’t brought into every living room is the power of the Coalition ground troops and the earliest battles that raged on the front lines.

Large cities like Basra, while stunned by merciless air strikes, must be conquered quickly. But the inherent nastiness of urban warfare is no military secret, and initially, Coalition troops hope the insurgent resistance will filter outside the city limits. But overrunning the enemy without the risk of civilian casualties is not to be. Reports of severe shortages of food and clean water in Basra emerge, and the decision is made to infiltrate the city.

With approximately 1,000 Saddam loyalists and an unknown number of other rebels known to be holed up in Basra, the Coalition decides to begin the operation with a push of troops to the city’s cusp, where soldiers can take out obvious Iraqi military targets, like tanks. In the early morning light, British units of “Desert Rats” in their Challenger 2s begin their trek to the outskirts.

Unbeknownst to the Challenger 2 units, an Iraqi tank convoy is leaving the target area at the same time. Between Basra and the al-Faw peninsula, the two tank convoys converge, and in an epic clash, the fiercest tank battle involving British forces since World War II begins.

Both sides have everything to gain and everything to lose. If the Iraqis manage to overrun the Coalition, they will widen the insurgents’ control, acting as bulldozers from Basra to al-Faw. If they lose, the Coalition will conquer the city of 1.3 million, and cut loose the noose the insurgents have around Iraq’s second largest city.

The battle is immediate and intense. Though the Challenger 2 tanks are far more advanced than the Iraqi’s T-55s, the insurgents are not deterred. They play to their tanks’ advantage of being low and strong and ultimately reliable. And they have, of course, the home-field advantage.

With boots fresh on the ground, the British immediately split into two units of seven tanks. Its first elements meet the first group of Iraqi tanks head-on, while the other units hold back. The show of force is designed to commit the enemy to action, and without hesitation, the insurgents step into the ring.

And with the first round of fire, the heavyweight bout begins.