Market Garden Tyrone (Allies) vs Hellen (Axis)

[tyronec]

So first turn.

Sent 1st Airborne and 82nd Para to roughly historical locations up North, just landing more in the urban areas.

101 Para are a bit more spread out down South, to try and open up as much road as possible.

XXX Corps make reasonable progress (better than Monty anyway), am putting all my effort into getting them up the road as quickly as possible.

Put all the air groups on Combat Support, thinking that would help the Paras fight off any attacks. I think now that was a major mistake and should have put them all on Interdiction to inhibit Axis movement. Allies have 15 air groups with strengths around the 20's so strong for the rag tag of Axis units on the map with no air cover.

Have I blown this on T1 ? any feedback welcome.

[Hellen_slith]

I don't think so, but Arnhem is very well defended ...
many Germans there who will soon activate and possibly surround those Brits if they don't retreat south / southwestward or into or west of Nijmegen.

I might suggest working into the victory zones farther south from there,
there are lots of VP there and much less German defenders.

Had you dropped into Antwerp, you would have found virtually an open city.
I hope this helps! Allies haven't lost this by any means, still lots of play left.

[tyronec]

T3.

Arnhem is taking a real hammering, think that is 3 hexes lost now. Have been flying in what reinforcements I can and this turn sent the Poles up North on a Kamikazee distraction mission.

82nd Airborne have not been attacked yet.

XX Corps doing well, through Eindhoven and two bridges to repair.

Axis attacked all out last turn across the map, guess that damages my readiness. The ones around Antwerp are going to be a long way from supplies, not sure if there is enough time during the game to cut them off and eliminate or not.

Have captured an airbase on the map, sopply is about 10 but should go if once the bridges are repaired. Is it worth shifting the air groups from off map ?

[tyronec]

T4.
Looks like 1st Airborne will not last much longer.
XXX Corps getting close to 82nd.
No bridges repaired - useless xxxxxxx

[StuccoFresco]

A bridge too far indeed.

[Hellen_slith]

ORIGINAL: StuccoFresco

A bridge too far indeed.

It is not so far now:

[tyronec]

T8.

1st Airborne is saved, or what is left of them.

Had a few units wiped out going for the Axis supply, otherwise some of XXX Corp up close to Arnhem and have 12 turns to try and recapture it.

The rivers don't seem to be that much of a barrier as am so well equipped with engineers and HQs with good ferry factors.

Have taken the air force off interdiction as it seemed a bit excessive, though already done a lot of damage.

[tyronec]

Headlines on the news tonight between my moves, apparently our great leader Boris wants to build 'A bridge too far' to join my home in N. Ireland to Scotland and the rest of the UK.
European wars are still ongoing ...

[Zovs]

Lol, somehow I don't think that will go over to well at least 1:3 odds against.

[Hellen_slith]

Looking pretty grim for the Germans now.

[tyronec]

T11.
Allies closing in on Arnhem, three failed attacks this turn. More units on the way.

Probably the game was unbalanced by the early turns of Interdiction.

[Hellen_slith]

"Constanze!! Bring Der Fuerher's lunch, Bitte, he is chewing on the carpets agains!!"

[Hellen_slith]

I tried to edit the picture to show its a draw again.

[tyronec]

T13.

Three more failed assaults on Arnhem last turn.

This time it falls to the second attack, the garrison is all wiped out instead of retreating which I wasn't expecting. Actually this is just the outskirts, main hex still to go.

Time is getting short, 7 turns left but Axis get a couple of uber tank units on T15 which can no doubt slice through my Shermans.

This game is getting a bit like last man standing, like most of those old board games used to end up if it was close.

Axis have done a crafty flank move and cut my supply line, hopefully I can kill them next turn. Was not expecting that.

Have disbanded a lot of units away from the action this turn, hope they come back as replacements where they are needed

[tyronec]

T16.

Arnhem falls.

Axis Panzer reinforcements have arrived, lots of King Tigers, I think there is more than the two units I can see.

Have made a bit of a mess of my rear and allowed a lot of German units to run around behind the 'front line' which are difficult to dispose of. Takes some getting used to that captured terrain doesn't actually belong to either side.

[Hellen_slith]

Overwhelming Victory for the Allies!! Well done, tyronec, that was a fun game. I was surprised I held on to Arnhem for so long. Tried to squeak out some points from the north and east part of the map, but I was just about out of soldiers. Some of my units only had 1 or two rifle squads and a machine gun at the end.

Okay, well, thanks for playing me ... it was a fun game!

[tyronec]

Game over, final screens from Hellen.

Fun game, probably more for Allies than Axis.

A couple of thoughts about the scenario:
Allied air force seems too strong, even without Interdiction.
The rivers and bridges don't really matter than much, Allies are so well equipped to cross rivers that they could make it up to Arnhem by a few different routes.