AAR - The Big Chill Breakout

[Arjuna]

Hi everyone,

To wet your appettites of what's to come I'm writing up this AAR of a game I have just finished. It's from a new scenario I am designing called The Big Chill Breakout, based on the Veldhoven mini map encompassing the area to the south of Eindhoven. The scenario lasts for 36 hours over four days.

To fill you in, here is the scenario briefing:

Things have gone well for the Allies. Gavin's decision to focus first on the Nijmegen bridges has paid off with a swift drive by Guards Arm Div. Supported by 43rd Wessex Div they have punched through Appeldoorn to the Dutch coast north of Arnhem and cut off the retreat route of the German 15th Army.

Model in desparation orders a breakout of the 15th Army, led by Kurt Chill's veteran 85th Inf Div. With ony three days supply remaining Chill decides to launch his attack just west of Eindhoven. He hopes to catch off balance the thinly held line of Allied troops guarding Hell's Highway and then breakthrough to Geldrop to link up with the 107th Pz Bde who will be attacking from the east.

The scenario starts with the British pickets of the 50th Inf Div retreating from Geldrop in the east and from Oerle in the west. The stage is set for a desparate struggle. The British must hold open the vital line of communications or risk the destruction of its forces to the north. The German 15th Army must breakout or face certain destruction.

[Arjuna]

I'm playing the Germans - just call me Kurt, that's Gen Kurt Chill CO of 85th Inf Div. My troops are in pretty good shape, but I don't have much armour with the breakout force, though the breakin force has the 107th Pz Bde. Speed is important for I know those Brits will respond in force as soon as they realise this is a full blown breakout attempt. I reckon I've got 24hrs before their armour intervenes. Where will it come from? Maybe from the north or south, most likely from both directions.

I decide on a series of regimental attacks, designed to apply maximum pressure to the hard pressed brigades of the British 50th Inf Div. The Brits are still too strong to be broken by individual battalion attacks. My broad plan is attached.

[Arjuna]

All goes well initially, save for the 7th FJ Regt who runs into strong enemy forces SE of Gennep. Not only that they launch a violent counter-attack which pushes the 7th FJ Regt back. After regrouping in the woods I order it back into the assault. With the assiustance of its third FJ Bn it clears the enemy to the outskirts of Gennep. there it runs into a brick wall and not just the factory walls either.

Meanwhile the 107th Pz Bde barges into the southern Eindhoven suburbs just in the nick of time to prevent the first of the British reinforcements from using the highway bridge. The 1053rd Inf Regt storms Meerveldhoven. Following close behind the 1054th forms up just to the west of the town and continues the drive to Gennep. Alas after three kms just east of Blaartem its lead companies cop the full weight of the British artillery. With over half running backwards and the lot fatigued, I decided to rest them in place.

The 1024th easily secures Veldhoven. I order the HQ and one Bn to secure this important road junction. The other Bn I order east to Aalst. On the way it runs into a British Inf Bn and is stopped short of its objective, north of Heuvel.

Reinforcements arrive in the morning of Day 2. The 723rd Inf Regt from the east and the 21st FJ Bn and two beautiful armoured companies ( one a Tiger Coy ) from the west. I order the 723rd to hot foot it to Eindhoven. The 21st FJ Bn and the armour are immediately required to clear the area near my 85th Div HQ, which has come under attack by marauding enemy mot inf an armour. they deal with this threat in due course but it takes the rest of the day. I was hoping to commit them into the stalled attack on Gennep.

The 723rd takes all day to get into Eindhoven. First it runs into a British column crossing the canal and then is hit hard by British artillery.

Frustration starts to set in. Apart from the 107th Pz Bde my other three lead groups ( 7th FJ, 1024th and 1054th ) have been checked short of their objectives. Dusk is upon us and I realise I'll have to try something else to clear Gennep. With the 723rd now in a position to relieve the 107th I order the 107th to launch an all out attack on Gennep to the south.

The scene is now set for the battle of Gennep, which turned out to be a cliff-hanger. Check out the attached screen shot for the opening of the assault.

[Arjuna]

Check out the attached screen shot

[Arjuna]

Just when I started making headway the British infantry counter-attacked, and quite effectively too.

[Arjuna]

The wieght of shell and the shock of the enemy action causes the lead elements of the 107th to faulter.

[Arjuna]

Then shock of shock, the 1st Pz Coy ( originally 14 Panthers but now down to just two ) surrenders. This was indeed a bad blow.

[Arjuna]

At first light I got a further surprise when the sighting reports indicated a large number of enemy units on the charge. And not just from the south but from the NW as well. Note from the scren shot that I had ordered one Bn of the 7th FJ and the 1054th Inf Regt to attack Gennep. Something had to be done to relieve the pressure mounting against the 107th.

[Arjuna]

Realising that the 1054th was not going to be able to start its assault in time I turned to my trusty medium artillery units - all three of them and brought them down on top of the lead enemy units with devastating and almost instant success. Caught in the open ground between the factories and the town, many were cut to pieces. It cost me a fortune in precious arty ammo, but it was worth it.

[Arjuna]

In the full light of day the devastation rought by my artillery barrage could be seen with a mass of routing british infantry. At the same time the attacking Bn of the 7th FJ entered the factory complex. Little did it realise that this was very dangerous place to be.

[Arjuna]

As the 7th FJ started to receive an increasing volume of fire the 1054th began its charge to Gennep.

[Arjuna]

In an obvious attempt to relieve the pressure they were now under, the enemy launched his infantry force in the NW to assault the 107th Pz Bde. At first I wasn't too worried. But they just kept on coming.

[Arjuna]

While suffering severe losses itself the brave 2/85 AG Coy stymied the British attack. As it withdrew, the assault lines of the 1054th came under a severe barrage of enemy guns and mortars. Most of the lead companies broke.

I resisted the urge to be angry for I knew these were not crack or elite troops. They were very tired and had already suffered dreadfully the day before. More could not be expected of them. On the positive side they had forced the enemy to expend a huge amount of his precious ammo as well.

[Arjuna]

For the rest of the morning both sides licked their wounds. All my efforts to get the rest of the 7th FJ Regt into the factories failed. The enemy firepower there was too strong.

Just after lunch the enemy launched not one, nor two but three new attacks.

Earlier that morning I ordered the poor 2nd FJ Bn in the factories, to rest - it was exhausted after almost 48 hours of non stop fighting. Now it was awakend by two coordinated attacks. One from the NE and another from the SSW. At the same time those persistent enemy units in the NW of Eindhoven were on the march again.

To its credit the 2nd FJ Bn exacted a high price on the enemy assault forces. Calling in deadly mortar and artillery fire it caught the enemy in the open to the NW and it soon became a graveyard. I had previously placed a JagPz Coy to the east which poured fire onto any British unit which tried to retreat from this area.

At the same time I let the 1054th rest as well.

[Arjuna]

Despite the threat from the NW, I knew I had to strike south now with whatever I could muster or kiss the 2nd FJ Bn goodbye. The 107th Pz was not in any shape. Besides it was engages by the enemy on two fronts. This left the 723rd Regiment. I toyed with the idea of committing the entire regiment, but that would have opened the door to the north.

So leaving the 1st Bn and the Regt HQ and support troops to hold the bridges in Eindhoven I ordered the 2nd Bn to mount an attack into Gennep. I didn't specify any particular formation, but was delighted to see that it chose a left echelon formation. Given the enemy force to the SE, this was perfect.

Note the pile of crosses, marking destroyed enemy units NE of 2nd FJ Bn HQ.

[Arjuna]

Joy oh joy! To my delight and surprise the 2nd Bn 723rd Inf Regt makes great progress. The lead company reaching the factory complex in Gennep - just 500m from the 2nd FJ Bn.

[Arjuna]

Alas it is a short lived moment of triumph. The British in Gennep repel the 2nd Bn and send it packing. Further problems manifest with a Britih Armoured Regt ( probably from 4th Arm Bde ) making an end run from the south into Gennep. I deparately let loose the only arty Bn with any ammo spare. It manages to rout off one armoured squadron. But still the attack from the NE pushes into the factories next to 2nd FJ Bn HQ. And the attack from the NW in Eindhoven also makes ground.

Things are not looking too good.

[Arjuna]

Meanwhile in the south I have marshalled the 1024th Inf Regt and secured Aalst in a bitter struggle for this vital objective on Hell's Highway. It has cost me dearly. My Tiger company now has only two tanks left.

To achieve victory points for this objective I must secure out to 2km. So I order the 21st FJ Bn and a Bn of the 1053rd Inf Regt to clear the enemy from the perimeter. The enemy forces remaining in the perimeter are too insignificant or are routing or retreating. As soon as I secure Aalst the objective icon is highlighted in green - a wonderful sight indeed. About time. Now I block the highway in both directions.

[Arjuna]

Back at the factory complex in Gennep a desparate struggle ensues. More enemy units surrender - terrific. The lead coy from the relieving 1053rd Inf Regt retreats - bad. We lose control of Aalst - oh no! We regain it - thank God! The 7th FJ Regt AT Pl is disbanded and merged with another unit. How long can it last?

[Arjuna]

At dusk on Day 3, I look around at the sad state of my forces. Surely I am a spent force. But then I remember the old maxim that when locked in a tough battle you think you are lost so too must the enemy. Now is the time for a do or die attempt to snatch victory before the scenario ends at 5am the next morning.

To gain the VPs for Gennep I must either clear the enemy from 2km around or have at least 10 to 1 odds within the perimeter. Something must be done about the enemy attacks from the NW. I order the mauled 1054th to launch an all out attack on a wide frontage. Even if they are not strong enough to clear them out, then hopefully they will prevent them from intervening in what I hope will be the deciding assault.

This will come from the 107th Pz Bde, due south into the factory cauldron. In support the 1053rd Inf Regt will attack west into the factories in the south of Gennep.

The die is cast.