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

[TK421__]

Groesbeek - Day 8 07:00

The newly arrived 327th is shoring up the South of my defensive line

I'm still chasing down odd units who sneaked through 2 days ago

Groesbeek attack now going forward

Plan is that once 327th have shored up line I can release UK 214th Bde to go north - I should have enough to hold everything I need with 82nd + 130th Bde

[TK421__]

Nijmegen/Elst - Day 8 0700

All quiet in NJ south of river - in fact no German attack will be made against it for the rest of the game

129 Bde + 8th Armd are now solely responsible for NJ- Elst stretch along with a few Gds Div Assets

4WI and RDG hold Elst

NY + 4 SLI are defending as they were last to assault

13/18 Hussars and 5WI are trying to take Kuilenburg

Once I have this area, I will hold with 4 & 5 WI and release 8th Amrd Bde (plus 214 Bde) to push north up HH on Day 9/10

[TK421__]

Arnhem D8 07:00

Brit Para units still hold in place

69 Bde are defending in Centre - 1 WE and 3 IR Gds (The inf batts) are assaulting beyond them toward Hwy Brdge Nrth Objective

3 Pol Para + 2 IR and % CO Gds are attacking NE to clear W Arnhem Objective - I've achieved it a couple of times for a few minutes at a time but need to clear out the remaining Germans for good

2 GR Gds are assaulting East on the outskirts of town to take advantage (I hope) of better terrain for armour

[TK421__]

Oosterbeek D8 07:00

10/11 Para hold SW approaches and remaining Brit Para Units are holding perimeter in situ

1 GR and 2 WE Gds are continuing to attack few remaining units threatening Div Base Unit

2 Pol Para are defending Supply Point for final day it will receive supplies

2 Hvy Tank (Tiger) Co's have pushed (unsupported) right into Oosterbeek so I've diverted 1 CO Gds to deal with them

Later on day 8, 1 CO Gds will destroy the first one with some ease (I'm guessing due to tight terrain) and I will then pull them out to help out in Arnhem

I will then leave 2 WE to clear up the other one which will be a big mistake - 2 WE only have Cromwell/Challenger tanks and are badly mauled before I use the Gd Hqs (with Fireflys) to knock out the 2nd Company

Point for Arjuna if he is reading this - even tho all 1st Airborne Div Base units are now in supply, I never see a single request go through for Brit Para units for the rest of the game - some of my para units will go 5 days with 0 basics, but they remain OK to hold ground!!

[TK421__]

Groesbeek/Nijmegen - Day 8 18:00

The Line here is now secure and I am in control of all remaining VP points

Aside from chasing down the last couple of infiltrators and pulling the 214th Bde out to go North, I don't do anything else in this sector for rest of the game as the Germans do not really put in any more significant attacks here so I can hold my objectives with ease

[TK421__]

Nijmegen/Elst - Day 8 1800

No Picture here as very little has changed!

13/18 Hussars and 5WI are getting bloody nose in their assault, so later on day 8 I decide there is nothing to be gained and just leave 4 SLI and 5 WI to hold the defensive line where it is and pull the Armd Batts back to push north on HH

[nate25]

TK421, you've re-inspired me to try this one again.

Arnhem's usually not an issue for me, Nijmegen's where I drop the ball. You've given me some new ideas.

Thanks,
Nate

[TK421__]

Arnhem D8 18:00

Brit Para units are still mostly holding in place but I'm trying to use them to shield the main attack east from any counter attacks from odd units to the north

69 Bde are now pushing SE toward Hwy Brdge Nrth Objective through 1 WE and 3 IR Gds who are now securing objectives

3 Pol Para + 2 IR, 1 CO & 5 CO Gds are continuing to attack NE

I've gained W Arnhem Objective but want to make sure no unit will sneak in and snatch it back just before completion

[TK421__]

Oosterbeek D8 18:00

Again no piccie as no massive change

2WE and 1GR Gds have finished clearing up (or being mashed by Tigers) and are resting up ready to go into Arnhem on Day 9

The rest of area is just being held by Paras in situ or I'm using Gds Div troops plus 2 Pol Para to
destroy any odd units I find inside perimeter

[TK421__]

North Island - Day 10 0030 THE FINAL DAY

Everything south of here is pretty static so no updates

North of Elst I have 4 Inf Batts plus 8 Armd Bde pushing along HH toward Elden

I've also got some composite groups of Grds Div AT troops attacking from the West

I've taken Checkpoint 4 and hope to secure (or at least deny) Chkpoint 5 and Elden to Germans by end of day

[TK421__]

Arnhem D10 00:00

Day 9 saw me secure North side of bridge and make big inroads into German defenses in North Arnhem

I now have all 8 Gd Batts in Arnhem and they will be thrown forward tomorrow to try and max out my points, including a push SOUTH from (a 50% strength) 2WE across the bridge

69 Bde + 1 Pol Para Bde will join in general assault which after some initial delays early on D9 really got moving in last few hours of daylight

[TK421__]

Oosterbeek D10 00:30

Perimeter is now secured by Paras with all bases nice and safe inside and Household Cav + Guard Regt HQ units "sweeping" up

As stated above even at this point no supply is happening to Para units

This did not really hurt me, but I would like to know if this was WAD??

[TK421__]

North Island - Day 10 2201 - GAME OVER MAN!!

So I did not manage to take either Chkpoint 5 and Elden, but I'm strongly invested in both

As a total bonus, I also rather easily managed to get the South end of the Hwy Bridge with just 2 WE plus 2 x Eng Coy plus Household Cav Coy

Germans are in tatters - given another 12 hours I would have secured HH from end to end

[nate25]

TK,

Initially at Nijmegen, how did you task the bns. assigned to take the town/bridge?

Thanks,
Nate

[TK421__]

Arnhem D10 22:01

No change on Oosterbeek front so final update is from the main stage!!

Mass assault on D10 has secured Nrth Arnhem (no real surprise) and the Rail Yards (BIG surprise)

I've also got a fair few units in East Arnhem so hopefully denied that to AI as well

Again the German resistance really faded in the last 24 hours - I did not really use any subtle manoeuvres just "bashed" on through

[TK421__]

FINAL AAR

So my end of turn report comes up with no great surprise

By 90-32 a Decisive Victory

[TK421__]

As I said at the start this was great fun

The real turning point was getting across the Waal on D4/D5 - get stuck there and you are in trouble (which is kinda like real life so another thumbs up to the game), but if you can get XXX corps rumbling they will get the job done

As I said previously I had some frustration with lock up on a couple of occasions and supply for the paras seemed to possibly to be not working (plus I NEVER had much arty ammo for anyone) but that to me just makes it seem more real - sometimes your sub commanders will just f%^k it up!!

Thanks to all for reading, apologies if the pictures are confusing but it was only really intended to be a quick AAR to encourage people to give the scenario a full run through

[TK421__]

ORIGINAL: nate25

TK,

Initially at Nijmegen, how did you task the bns. assigned to take the town/bridge?

Thanks,
Nate

The ones I "sneaked" over the rail bridge had move with min aggro and bypass

The ones actually assaulting I just had defaults except for Line formation

[nate25]

That's what I've tried with the 3 bns. of the 508th as soon as they land, but they invariably get caught up in firefights with either Hencke or SS units coming from Arnhem.

I'll try again.

Thanks,
Nate

[simovitch]

ORIGINAL: TK421__


As I said at the start this was great fun

...supply for the paras seemed to possibly to be not working (plus I NEVER had much arty ammo for anyone) but that to me just makes it seem more real -

Very nicely done TK421, this is not an easy one to win!

The game is working as designed. Para supply will usually peter out by D5-D6 as their ability to effectively deliver cargo drops to nil. You could consider abandoning your SEPS and relocating your bases closer to your front lines, but that may not buy you much.