A Load Of Horrocks - From the Meuse to the Rhine AAR

[TK421__]

So I've just completed my first play through of this "mega-scenario" in CO:HTTR and boy was it fun!

I was not taking screen shots throughout but I wanted to just post up a few "daily" shots to give anyone who has not yet bought the expansion pack a reason to fork out the 20 bucks

I used Realistic delays and standard reinforcements/supply/historical weather

On my style of play

I tend to do all my order at battalion level or individual for regimental/division assets (although I often group these together especially in defense)

Artillery was semi-manual - I usually have some sitting on call but then keep a few at my beck and call

Red lines in pics show assaulting units, blue show units defending (or at most assaulting to clear local area)

[TK421__]

So initial plans once everyone is on the ground

508th heads for NJ centre/Honinghutje bridge

505th take/hold Groesbeek heights

2 batts of 504 go for Grave and other for Heumen

[TK421__]

Arnhem Sector

3 batts try to sneak into Arnhem - I hope 1 will get through to disrupt movement south

2 batts to try and take Oosterbeek bridge

Divisional troops set up roadblocks to west

[TK421__]

9pm Day 1 Nijmegen

1&3 508th have hit a lot of troops so I'm just going to get them to defend and try and hold the south half of town till XXX Corp get here

2/508 are pushing for Honinghutje

505 are holding DZ N and DZ T with 1 Batt apiece and trying to take Groesbeek with 1 batt

2 & 3 504th have taken Grave bridge unblown with Eng help and are trying to clear road south to let XXX corp blitz through

1st 504th has taken Heumans bridge unblown as well and is clearing out area

[TK421__]

Arnhem Day 1 9pm

2 Para and Borders try to puch into Arnhem from North

1 & 3 Para has just had Osterbeek bridge blown in their face and aer going to try an push in Arnhem from West

KOSB are relocating back to NW of DZ as I realized my drop zone for reinfircements tomorrow is actually now occupied by German force!!

[TK421__]

Nijmegen - Day 2 07:00


1 & 3 508th are strugglng to hold on in NJ and have been cut off

2/508 have taken Honinghutje with help of 3/504 and are now assaulting into NJ from West

Div troops inc Eng took Mook Rail bridge unblown as well

1/505 are now assaulting from South into NJ

2/505 are holding DZ T, 3/505 hold Groesbeek with Div troops holding DZ N

However we have "leakers" all over the place and lots of supply is going missing

[TK421__]

Arnhem D2 0700

2 Para, Borders and South Staffs are still trying to push into Arnhem

3 Para is reacting to new push from SW and moving from Oosterbeek to rescue Div troops defending there

1 Para is trying to clear out local are of Oosterbeek

KOSB are about to start assaulting to clear DZ on for later today

Bases are all defending around Supply point

[TK421__]

Nijmegen - Day 3 07:00


1/2/3 508th plus 3/504,1/505 are in a rough line along NJ southern edge and are being pushed back esp on East side of town

2/505 have abandoned DZ T and are assaulting to clear some odd units who are sitting on top of Supply point

3/505 have been pushed out of Groesbeek but hold edge of town

2/504 are clearing last unit from Grave and 1/504 are clearing Heumen

Situation is not good, however the Cavalry has arrived - 2nd Household Cav to be precise

82 Recce Sqdrn has done a run up and down Hells Highway and its clear so we shoudl have Gds Armored Div in NJ by mid afternoon!!


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[TK421__]

Arnhem D3 0700

2 Para & Borders are defending in central Arnhem - they are not however able to stop flow of units over bridge

Arnhem is cut off from LZ

1 Para and South Staffs are hanging on in West Arnhem and trying to clear out to West as well

KOSB are holding NW of LZ after successfully clearing DZ for day 2 arrivals

3 Para,11 Para are holding SW of landing zone with Div troops

10 Para, 156 Para plus Div troops are fighting to clear out supply to Arnhem on SE approach

Div troops hold NW road into Arnhem and have located 9th SS PZ base and are in process of destroying it (4RE unit)


Bases are all defending around Supply point

[TK421__]

Just a note on progress to date

I nearly gave up at this point as I felt I had failed to get even close to either NJ or ARNM bridges, I'd lost the SEP for 82nd plus Grosbeek heights and Oosterbeck had been blown

However I thought that with Hells Highway opened up I owed XXX corps a chance to rescue the situation - Come on Jorrocks!

Casualties to this point were actually pretty even which would have surprised me if I;d checked when playing through

[TK421__]

Groesbeek - Day 3 14:30

Splitting Southern battle into 2

2/505 have cleared Supply point and are defending with Div troops

3/505 continue to try and gain Groesbeek, joined by 1/504

2/504 are moving to hold Mook rail bridge

1st and 5th Co Grds are on way to try and push back against large force coming up from Reithorst

Odd UK troops being used to clear out units that have slipped through lines

[TK421__]

Nijmegen - Day 3 14:30


1/2/3 508th plus 3/504,1/505 are still clinging on on edge of town

Germans seem to be intent on hitting them hard esp at East end of line

This has opened up the west side of the town and in particular there does not seem to be much guarding the rail bridge!!

So 69 Inf Bde is attacking into NJ from SW while the GR Guards go for the South end of the Rail bridge

If I can secure that by End of day then I may be back in business

[TK421__]

Arnhem D3 1430

Arnhem is still cut off from LZ

1 & 2 Para & Borders and South Staffs are trapped in there

KOSB are still holding NW of LZ after successfully clearing DZ for day 2 arrivals

3 Para still holding SW of landing zone with Div troops but have released 11 Para to help 10 Para, 156 Para clear out route to Arnhem on SE approach

Plan now is to try and hold on in West Arnhem if possible and rebuild bridge at Oosterbeek to let XXX Corps take Arnhem from the West

[TK421__]

Groesbeek - Day 4 03:00

2/505 continue to hold Supply point and are defending with Div troops

3/505 have pushed out beyond Groesbeek, but have troops behind them now

1/504 trying to clear out these troops

2/504 & 5th CO Gds have cleared to East of Mook and are holding there since mid afternoon on D3

1st Co Grds have moved north once defensive line established

[TK421__]

Nijmegen - Day 4 03:00

The 5 82 Para regiments are just holding ground, but have done their (unplanned) job of bringing German force against them

As a result I've been able to sneak 1 CO and 1 GR Grds across the rail bridge

They only wanted to seem to want to cross once it was dark, but as soon as the threats to them disappeared out of sight they zoomed across

This was first of 2 major mistakes AI made all game as they had NOTHING guarding either end of the bridge

I'm now going to use them to clear North Side of Highway Bridge, while 2 GR Guards attacks along south side of river as again there is not a lot in the way

69 Inf Bde will continue to attacking into NJ from South and West to clear NJ Centre

[TK421__]

Arnhem D4 0300

Not much changing here overall, but LOTS of local counter attacks to try and carve out a coherent area that the Div controls

Arnhem is still periodically cut off from LZ but South Staffs have fought their way out which opened supply temporarily

1 & 2 Para & Borders still holding on in Arnhem without a huge amount of trouble - Germans seem happy enough to hold them away from Central area and Highway bridge

KOSB have been pulled from NW edge of LZ after German troops pulled back and are now trying to fight back into Arnhem from NW to make supply more secure

3 Para still holding SW of landing zone with Div troops

11 Para 10 Para, 156 Para have mostly cleared out route to Arnhem on SE approach but still odd units blocking supply

[TK421__]

Groesbeek - Day 4 19:40


2/505, 2/504 & 5th CO Gds have defensive line established from Mook to LZ

Supply bases got badly caught trying to pull out but are now behind the MLR

3/505 are stuck out in open beyond Groesbeek and have taken heavy losses and are trying to sneak back through lines

1/504 failed to get through to them and are bunkered down to SW of Groesbeek

7SLI are next up take up challenge of taking Groesbeek

5DC are trying to take Berg en Dal to start to establish some sort of defensive line on Groesbeek heights

Still lots of infiltrating units here and most supply to 82nd regiments in NJ is being interdicted

The Household Cav units are fantastic at chasing these down and I will work them into the ground for next week!

[TK421__]

Nijmegen - Day 4 19:40

The 5 82 Para regiments are now "rescued" but because they are drawing supply from 82 base they are still exhausted and cannot do much other than hold ground

Exception if 3/504 which together with 69 Inf Bde is continue to attack into NJ from South and West althought they are all quite tired now

However I've seen an opportunity here - AI has most of his powerful units to the west of NJ centre

Therefore I have started to envelop him by getting 1 WO (214 Br) to attack East end of NJ from SE

2 GR Gds + the 4 WI (from 129 Brigade) continue to push along south side of river - if they can meet then I will have approx 3k of best German troops trapped in NJ Centre

North of the river 1 CO and 1 GR Grds have achieved nothing all day in trying to clear North end of Highway Bridge- the German units there seem VERY stubborn

However I did use various Engineer units to clear Fort Van Holland and open up a path for units north

I've got the rest of 129 Brigade (4 SLI and 5 WI) crossing now to clear NE and N of rail bridge and 8th Armd Brgde will cross tonight ready to push on in the morning

[TK421__]

Arnhem D4 1940

Again very confused and units are really suffering from lack of supply and rest

1 & 2 Para & Borders are holding on in Arnhem but beginning to be driven back - I've given up on "rescuing them" with Airborne - they will have to wait for XXX corps who should be here pretty quickly with a bit of luck


KOSB and 2nd Staffs form a 2nd pocket in West Arnhem, but they are getting spotty supply

3 Para still holding SW of landing zone with Div troops

11 Para, 10 Para, 156 Para are concentrating on clearing North Shore of Oosterbeek bridge in anticipation of bridge being rebuilt

At this point I have pulled roadblocks for NW back to edge of DZ but have left all my bases and HQ's on the DZ

This will prove costly

[TK421__]

So what a difference a day and a half makes

The Groesbeek heights are, if not good at least stabilised

I'm feeling good about doing some serious damage to the Germans in NJ city centre

I'm over the Waal in force and looking good to push north quickly in the morning

Only in Arnhem are things a bit dodgy and as long as they can hold on for 24 hours I think I'll be there with relief

Also German losses have started to rise

The units in NJ centre have taken a beating plus the units trying to attack Mook