Market Garden PBEM

[Roughtor]

Welcome to yet another take on Market Garden.

Been playing DB ever since the initial Ardennes Offensive came out. Still have the original box on the bookshelf beside the V4Victory series and the original PacWar... I'm so glad that after all these years the series is still here, and better... so without further adieu let's go back to Holland, September 44.

Playing the scenario for the first time... not sure about my opponent, but his strategy sure is interesting... it's a different Model this time.

[Roughtor]

September 16.

Market

Amidst heavy but inaccurate flak the 1 Airborne Division landed six miles to the west of Arnhem in the vicinity of villages of Wolfhese and Oosterbeek. The 1st Parachute Brigade tasked with taking the Arnhem bridges immediately set off towards its objectives. Colonel Frost's 2nd Battalion reached the north end of the Arnhem bridge. The other two battalions and the engineers entered the western suburbs of the city but there they were halted by strong enemy mechanized formations. Meanwhile the rest of the division started to establish a defensive perimeter around the landing zones.





all screenshots upto turn 5 will be from the beginning of the turn so the text may be "ahead" of the shot... this will change... I'll be posting two turns behind from where we're at.

[Roughtor]

South of Nijmegen the 82nd Airborne captured the vital Grave bridge and set up a blocking position centered on the Grosbeek Heights in expectation of German counterattacks from the Reichswald.

[Roughtor]

The 101st Airborne secured three of its five primary objectives including the Best highway bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal. However, the Son bridge was blown and two battalions from German 59th Infantry division have moved into Best itself. Further north several Mark IVs from 189 Panzer company were well dug-in at St. Odenrode.

[Roughtor]

Garden

The XXX Corps started its advance after heavy artillery barrage and air strikes. The breakthrough was achieved with moderate casualties to the spearheading units. On the approaches to Eindhoven the XXX Corps suffered the first setback as the bridge south of Valkensvaart was blown. The lead units were forced to take a time costly detour on a secondary road to the east of the main highway while the engineers were rushed to fix the bridge. On the flanks the German 7 Fallshimjeager Division holding positions to the east of the highway suffered heavy losses and started to disengage towards the east and German units to the west withdrew as well.

[Roughtor]

September 17

In Arnhem the Germans rush several SS units including Frundsberg and Hohenstafuen reconnaissance battalions into the city encircling Frost and eliminating any hope of quick linkup with the rest of the division. Because of this concentration the Deleen airfield is left undefended and elements of the 1st Air Landing Brigade are ordered to seize the airfield in hope of landing in the 155th Infantry Brigade. In light of the strong mechanized enemy presence Urquhart orders the Glider Pilot Regiment to defend the drop zones and the main body of the division to enter Arnhem hoping that street-fighting will somewhat level the field. The 1st Air Landing Brigade and newly arrived Hackett’s 4th Parachute Brigade swung through the woods north of the city and after a successful all-out attack which annihilated two SS infantry companies entered the north western suburbs of Arnhem. The battle of Arnhem has begun.

[Roughtor]

Elsewhere the German response was slow as the enemy seemed to be amassing strength rather than committing units piecemeal.

At 82nd, the 504th Regiment continued to strengthen its defenses around Grosbeek.
The 506th was ordered to fight its way through Nijmegen and made slow progress towards the bridges.
The 502nd swung to the west of the city to take positions for a possible river crossing and continued to clear the west flank of the highway.

[Roughtor]

Main effort of the 101st was concentrated on dislodging the tanks from St. Odenrode. Throughout the day several enemy tanks were knocked out but by nightfall the bridge remained in enemy hands. With the majority of division’s assets committed at St. Odenrode and the enemy entrenched in Best it has become impossible to clear the village for an undisrupted passage of the XXX corps before its arrival.

[Roughtor]

Meanwhile the engineers fixed the blown bridge and XXX corps was on the move again... only to be stopped at the outskirts of Eindhoven where several well hidden panzerjeager IV/70s dueled with the lead elements of the Coldstream Guards. In the ensuing firefight B company ceased to exist but the way was finally opened. Till dawn the city was cleared of enemy mines, barricades and snipers. Horrocks pledged to "step on it" in the morning. Provided that Taylor manages to clear St. Odenrode they should pass Veghel tomorrow. Provided that the enemy will still stay put.

[Timmeh]

nice!
 
  tough going around St. Odenrode, didn't believe all that talk about young boys and old men, did you?
 

[Roughtor]

I was expecting an even stronger initial response... and it did come.

[Roughtor]

September 18

A sucessful attack against the SS units in northern Arnhem opens up the way towards the city center. Seeing an opportunity to cut off several German units and possibly push through to Frost, Hackett orders the 156th Batallion to push on hard towards the bridge. The batallion reaches the city center and discover that Bitrich and Harzer have set up their headquarters there. Hackett underestimated enemy strenght and resolution. In the morning strong enemy reinforcements inlcuding Panthers together with the units threatened with encirclement strike hard at the 10 Parachute batallion which was rearguarding the 156th advance. Within hours the 10th is reduced to a few hundred man and completely distrupted. The Germans quickly rush in fresh units and the 156th is trapped in the middle of Arnhem. Later that day, Hackett mounted an all out assault to try and relieve the 156th and despite its enormous success and destruction of a panzer company they can’t get to the trapped batallion.

In the west von Tetau’s hodge podge units struck at the Glider Pilot perimeter encircling a company in the woods. A strong attack is mounted against a company of French R-35 tanks but it is repelled with heavy losses. Apparently those obsolete looking tin cans still pose a threat to infantry in an open field.

[Roughtor]

Germans also finally came in strength from Reichswald and striked at the pickets of 505 Regiment on Groesbeek heights. General Gavin reacted quickly and a well coordinated counterattack destroyed an overexposed company of grenadiers in halftrucks while the rest of the regiment prepared to offer stiff defence.
A bombing raid flattened downtown Nijmegen destroying many German fortifications in the city. A subsequent attack by 508 Parachute Regiment against the south end of the highway bridge cleared the remaining fortifications. Only German infantry stands in the way. Before nightfall the Irish Guards arrive. Horrocks hopes to take the bridge in the morning in an all out assault.

The 504th Regiment took positions on the west side of the city in preparation for possible river crossing in case of failure of the frontal bridge assault.

[Roughtor]

General Taylor once again concentrates all efforts on destroying the stubborn panzer company in St. Odenrode. Supported with tanks from Irish Guards the last few Panzer IVs running low on ammunition are finally dispatched. The last roadblock on the highway to Nijmegen is cleared. Taylor’s men scramble to take up defensive positions on the eastern edge of the highway while XXX corps immediately sets off towards the Veghel and Grave.

[Roughtor]

While main body of the XXX corps surged forward at the base of the highway 6 Falshirmjeager Regiment attacked and seized the village of Valkenswaart. King's Royal Hussars were dispatched to deal with the situation and reclaimed the village routing one enemy battalion. At least three more battalions hold Domelen reinforced with strong AA units.

[Roughtor]

September 19

The 156th Battalion trapped in Arnhem is quickly overrun by superior enemy forces. Germans rain extremely accurate artillery fire throughout the city. Frost’s battalion suffers 50% casualties. The 4th Parachute and 1st Air Landing Brigades make another all out assault and inflict very heavy losses on the enemy wiping out 16th SS Reserve Battalion. Again, despite enormous casualties the German SS troopen held on to every inch of terrain they occupied.

[Roughtor]

As the morning fog cleared the Irish Guards and the 504 Parachute Regiment attacked the approaches to the Nijmegen highway bridge. Even though the SS pioneer unit manning the position together with KG Henke has left during the night to defend the river bank the allied attack has failed miserably. KG Henke has taken significant casualties but did not give up the bridge. Hope of reaching Frost in time is dwindling.

At Groesbeek Heights the 406th Landeschutzen Division continued its attacks against the 505th Regiment. Elements of Grenadier Guards have been detached to help the hard pressed regiment.

[Roughtor]

Strengthened by the arrival of the 327 Glider Regiment 101st took the initiative and cleared the enemy strongpoint threatening the highway from the west. The 507th and 327th were ordered to advance towards Boxtel where enemy artillery has been spotted. The 501st captured Schinjdel and advanced towards Vught.

XXX corps continued its advance. The enemy continued to hold Dommelen which has been affecting the flow of supplies and has made several attacks at the scout units from the east.

[Roughtor]

September 20

After devastating artillery attacks the SS troops in Arnhem attacked 2nd Battalion at the bridge and overwhelmed it. With Frost gone the enemy started pouring in reinforcements towards Nijmegen.

At the same time von Tetau continued to hard press the Glider Pilot regiment and managed to capture a landing zone in a dire armored attack, only to withdraw later in the day in fear of a counterattack.

Urquhart decided to try to hold out in Arnhem and tie up as many German units as possible but had to send Hackett’s 4th Para. Bgd to reinforce the GPR on the western flank. Division artillery pounded von Tetau’s units throughout the day with good effect.

Despite the loss of the bridge Urquhart was still confident. The Red Devils had a good hold on the city and the Germans were using the bridge themselves. If XXX corps made a dashing attack there was still hope of catching the main prize.

[Roughtor]

At Nijmegen, sipping his tea with milk Horrocks couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The attack hasn’t begun yet but Germans were running over the Nijmegen bridge – to the north! The battered KG Henke was withdrawing leaving the highway bridge open!! The Irish Guards immediately raced through the bridge, the 44 Tank Regiment followed. As the tanks rumbled across the bridge the 3rd Battalion from the 504th Parachute Regiment made the planned river-crossing to the west of the city.

At Groesbeek Heights the enemy brought fresh paratroop reinforcements and continued strong attacks but the 82nd was now heavily reinforced by Grenadier Guards and XXX corps artillery pounded away at the enemy with devastating effect. The only problem was that the artillery was running out of ammunition.