The Nijmegen Campaign James Sulzen March 20, 2011 Defending against yet another panzer assault on his position in the Allied bridgehead just north of the Netherlands’ Waal River, Captain Grieg wondered anew into what buzz saw had he gotten he and his men, Company F from the 82nd Airborne Division’s 504th Regiment. The German panzer onslaught kept coming and coming, with Grieg having rallied his men into no less than four counter-attacks against the panzers. If his position fell, the Germans would crush the Allied bridgehead, making it impossible to relieve the British 1st Airborne Division cut off some eight miles further north near the town of Arnhem. “Oh my gawd,” cried Grieg, “here they come again!” Burning panzers among US A short few hundred yards directly paratrooper positions south, across the Waal in the city of Nijmegen, Hauptmann Frederich and his grenadiers were undergoing their own nightmare. “Götterdämmerung! Will these baggy-pants Americans never stop coming!” yelled Frederich almost despairingly as his men beat off yet another assault by US paratroopers. His supporting armor destroyed, his position cut off by British tanks, Frederich knew that if his position fell, the German bridgehead on the river’s south would collapse. Using the open bridge behind him, the Allies then would massively reinforce their own bridgehead just the other side of the river, drive north, and rescue the beleaguered British paras. Room-to-room fighting in Nijmegen

How did this dual nightmare come to be? Germans and Allies holding back-to-back bridgeheads, with key company-sized forces on the brink of collapse, the outcome of which controlled the fate of divisions? The scene above (slightly fictionalized of course) did in fact happen in a World War II Flames of War campaign that our club played earlier this year (2011) at The Battle Standard hobby store in the Hartford area of Connecticut, USA. Our experience illustrates how campaigns, by meaningfully linking a series of tabletop battles, can spontaneously create uniquely engaging and authentic tabletop scenarios. This article describes the campaign system, something of an extension to Battlefront’s Firestorm campaign rules, and gives an after action report concretely illustrating the system (for the campaign and scenario rules see http://tinyurl.com/nijmegencampaign). In its essence, the campaign system motivates players to stretch a single army list across a series of tabletop battles. Each participant selects an army list of 1500 points (we call this the player’s “force pool”), but fights tabletop battles with only 1000 points selected from the 1500. The initial 1500-point force pool can be any selection of platoons and headquarters desired, but a 1000-point tabletop force must be a strictly legal company force consisting (typically) of a single headquarters plus appropriate combat and support platoons. Casualties are permanently lost, so as a player takes losses in battle the player’s pool of available troops shrinks. For example, a player starting with an initial 1500 points loses 200 points of troops in the first battle; that player would then only have 1300 points left from which to select a 1000point army for the next tabletop battle. Provision is made in the rules for players to receive “replacements” if going below 1000 points of total available troops, so a player will always have 1000 points to put on the table, but the 1000 is likely to be less than ideal. As individual platoons lose tanks, guns, and infantry teams, those platoons are proportionately reduced in cost, but of course are also weaker for subsequent battles. As the campaign continues, battles are being fought with platoons at reduced -1-

strength and companies composed of motley platoon fragments. The resulting force structures start to mimic the fragmented forces we often read of in historical accounts. In addition, when players know “this is all they get”, they more realistically become concerned with casualties. Across our seven campaign battles, players twice retreated off the table rather than further suffer an unequal casualty exchange. The Strategic Situation Allied divisional commanders gathered for a conference immediately south of the city of Nijmegen in the Netherlands in the early hours of September 20th, 1944. They faced a tough challenge. They needed the city’s big road bridge to get major forces across the Waal River for clearing a way to rescue a division of beleaguered British paratroopers who had dropped some eight miles north of Nijmegen. The original master plan had the British paras capturing a bridge across the Nederrijn (Lower Rhine River) at Arnhem that would end-around the German Siegfried Line defenses. Instead, an unsuspected SS panzer corps refitting near Arnhem had turned the tables on the British, surrounding and threatening to destroy them unless help arrived within the next several days.

3

2

Waal Nijmegen MaasWaal

River

0

Damaged Bridge (foot only)

Halderen

0

Valberg

1

1

kilometers

2

N

miles

Elst Road

We fought a slightly fictionalized version of the real battle fought September 20-22, 1944 in and around the city of Nijmegen in the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden. (Operation Market Garden itself spanned September 17-25.) Our campaign system uses the Flames of War rules to fight tabletop battles with the campaign rules and map giving a strong nod to Battlefront’s Market Garden Firestorm game. As with the Firestorm system, each player’s company-sized forces represent what in real life would have been a much larger force, with the outcome of a player’s tabletop battles representing what would have happened with the correspondingly larger force.

Bridge North

The Flames of War Nijmegen Campaign Game

to Arnhem (8 miles)

At Nijmegen, the Germans controlled both sides of the big road bridge over the Waal River and were disputing the commanding hills west of the city known as Groesbeek Heights. The previous day a mile downstream of the main bridge, US troops had captured a damaged railroad bridge that allowed foot traffic to cross the river1. Allied engineers were hoping to upgrade the damaged bridge to handle vehicle traffic, but given the difficulties, it could not be ready for at least two days and even then, the main Nijmegen bridge would still be required.

Wyler Road Groesbeek

Heights In game terms (see Map 1), the strategic situation gave each side three tokens that identified the location of a side’s forces. German starting positions were the Bridge North zone, Nijmegen, and Map 1 – Nijmegen Operations Area Groesbeek Heights with Allied starting positions being Valberg, Nijmegen, and Groesbeek Heights. The campaign game had three rounds of tabletop battle with each round corresponding to one day of the real battle. To compensate the Allies for the extra difficulty of being on the strategic attack, one Allied player each round received priority air support from British Typhoons. Also, for the final round of combat, the damaged foot bridge was “upgraded” so it could support vehicle traffic, allowing any Allied force besides just infantry to fight on the North side of the river regardless of whether the Allies had secured the southern Nijmegen Bridge approaches by then.

1

The capture of the railroad bridge, while perhaps a credible historical possibility, is a fictionalized aspect of the campaign introduced for scenario balance. It gives Allied players a chance to simultaneously dispute both sides of the main Nijmegen bridge which seemed fairer to the Allied players than keeping things strictly historical, and it allowed for a much more quickly resolved campaign game than if we had followed a strictly historical scenario.

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Campaign Day 1 During the post-midnight conference on September 20th, the Allied commanders saw little choice but to attack from Valberg towards the northern end of the Nijmegen Bridge, and to clear out Nijmegen and Groesbeek Heights. Meanwhile, at a similar late night conference, the German high command decided to dig in and defend present positions, relying on the firepower and discipline of their troops to drive off Allied attacks.

The above decisions caused tabletop battles in the Bridge North, Nijmegen, and Groesbeek Heights zones. According to the campaign rules, since the Allies moved into it, the mission for the Bridge North zone was No Retreat with Germans as defender and Allies as attacker. In the other two zones, since both sides started in the zone, the mission was Assault (Free For All without the Mobile Reserve rule and with both sides having Prepared Positions). We had four Allied and four Axis players, with both sides secretly assigning players to each battle. Based on a dice-off, the Groesbeek Heights battle had two players on each side while the other two battles were fought one-on-one. In the campaign, battles can be all be fought one-on-one, but we opted to fight the two-on-two battle to avoid having to set up a fourth table and for the camaraderie it allowed. Battle for Groesbeek Heights (Day 1, Map 2) The battle for Groesbeek Heights was fought in a farmland-filled valley delineated by German-controlled elevations on the north (Hills 183 and 203) and by Allied-held hills paralleling on the south (Hills 195 ad 191). Extensive woods constrained mechanized maneuver at the eastern and western ends of the valley (see Map 2). To drive the Germans from Groesbeek, the Allies sent in the Welsh Guards commanded by Squadron Captain Cunningham, backed by the 3rd Armoured Squadron of the 28th British Columbia Regiment (4th Canadian Armoured Division) with Captain Chirsman commanding. The Welsh had two infantry platoons, an armored platoon of one Challenger and three Cromwell tanks, and a platoon of the 2nd Household Cavalry reconnaissance carriers. The Canadians had three platoons of armor totaling eleven Sherman Vs, and three Fireflies. The Allied battle plan called for repelling an expected German armor attack by setting up a killing crossfire in the valley’s open farmland in the center and then countering with a riposte to drive the Germans from the northern heights. Panzergrenadiers from the 3rd SS Totenkopf Division opposed the Allies, commanded by Sturmbannfuhrer Biermeyer and seconded by Hauptsturmführer Paetor. The 94th Grenadier Division provided a company of grenadiers, commanded by Hauptmann Frederich. Total German forces comprised two grenadier platoons in the west, a halftrack-mounted SS panzergrenadier platoon in the east, seven StuG G assault guns, and eight Mark IVH tanks. The German plan called for a massed armored attack from the east utilizing all the armor except three assault guns left to cover the valley’s western end.

Map Terrain

Fields & Crops

Hedges

Woods & Over-growth

Hill / Rise

Ruined Buildings

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Road

Stream & Bridge

Nijmegen River Bridge

GERMANS (have first move) l

3 StuG

 1

B

 B

3

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Obj

Biermeyer PzIV 1



4 B 3 PzIV

4

W4

C

 2

C

Hill 203

3

C

StuG 1

4

4

1

2 2

Hill 183

5

X

X3

W1

X4

1

4

W6

Rye field

W3

5

2

4

5

N

E

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Obj WG

WelshGd

1

3

WG

4

WG



2 

Crm+Chal

W5

0 

1

2

2HH

l

 C

C

D

Hill 191

ShV+FF

4CAD

Hill 195

5

X3

ShV+FF

C

X2

2

WG A

C

l







Obj

B 2

C

28BC

ShV+FF

ALLIES

Troop Maneuver Symbols (digits indicate game turns) Movement

1

3 X

Attempted (pinned) (color indicates assault victor)

1

1 United States

1 Canadian

Formation Destroyed or Failed Morale

Assaults 1 German

1 British & Polish

Not Pinned

Troop Identification Symbols

Infantry (& Dismounted Mechanized/PG)

Armor

Headquarters (Company HQ)

82AB

Map 2 Groesbeek Heights, Day 1,

2

B 5

1

C



Obj

Oat Field

W2

B

l

3SS

3

B



94



Armored Recon

l E

Parent Company Formation Identification (82nd Airborne (“Easy” Company) Division)

Platoons & Artillery Batteries Parent Company (“Easy” Company)

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Allied

German

Mechanized / Anti-tank Panzergrenadier Guns

Artillery / Mortars / Rockets 

E

2

Platoon Identification (2nd Platoon)

5 X

Paratrooper / Fallschirmjager

Sections (typically 2 teams)

Glider Infantry

 E

2

Groesbeek Heights, Day 1, Turn 1, looking west: "Panzers! Attack!” Biermeyer’s panzers crossing the crop field at center-right

Seeing the line of Sherman tanks ranged along Hill 191 south of him in the rising sunlight, Biermeyer expressed confidence in the ability of his concentrated panzers to destroy their Allied opponents opposite. A veteran of many panzer battles, he was well aware of the limited ability of the Sherman to penetrate his tanks at long range. In his characteristically aggressive way, Biermeyer personally led a Mark IV panzer platoon and precipitated an intense armored firefight, which raged across the valley. Biermeyer was indeed satisfied to see shot after shot from the Shermans bounce harmlessly off his panzers’ frontal armor. In return, his panzers started to range in on the Canadians hunkered down along the southern heights, picking off the hapless Shermans one by one. Chirsman ordered his second platoon from behind Hill 191 to try flanking the German armor from the east, but the platoon was handily destroyed as it emerged from the hill’s protection. The German panzers continued advancing south, with the Canadians suffering much the worse of the exchange.

As the panzers approached the valley’s middle, Cunningham sprang his trap, ordering his armor and his nearby supporting Canadians to set up the kill zone centered on the now exposed German panzers in the valley's low ground. With its 17 lb gun’s high rate of fire, the Welsh Challenger started a wholesale destruction among the Mark IV’s in the valley’s open farmland. In what seemed only moments, not only were the Canadian positions in the south aflame with burning wrecks, but also the valley floor was littered with German victims. Biermeyer, bleeding and badly wounded dragged himself from a burning Mark IV, and after dark made his way back to a German aid station. Decimation of the armor forces in the eastern half of the valley brought a halt to fighting there. The burning wrecks numbered five Mark IVs and three StuGs versus seven Shermans, three Fireflies, and the Challenger. Seeing the failure of Biermeyer’s attack, Hauptmann Frederich ordered his forces forward to pressure the British in the center and west, but this maneuver was soon discouraged by Cunningham’s counter-moves in repositioning his Welsh infantry and remaining Cromwell tanks. As night fell, neither Groesbeek Heights, Day 1, Turn 3, looking west: side had sufficient strength left to advance, resulting in a drawn Biermeyer’s destruction (center right) battle with heavy casualties on both sides. Losses Formation 4th Canadian Armour Welsh Guards

Pts 725 205

Total

930

Teams Lost 7xSherman V, 3xFireflies 3xRifle/MG, 1xChallenger

Formation 94th Grenadiers 3rd SS Panzers

Pts 190 440

Teams Lost 2xStuG G Biermeyer’s 5xMark IVH, 1xStuG G, 1xSdkfz 251/1

630

Computing Battle Losses Teams are permanently lost for campaign purposes only if destroyed on the tabletop by shooting, bombardment, etc., with surviving teams living on in reduced-strength platoons. Teams simply leaving the table due to failed moral or other reasons are assumed to survive and find their way back to their outfits. In other words, surviving teams return to the owning player’s force pool. -5-

Since platoon strength is reduced by loss of individual teams, losses need to be calculated on a team-byteam basis. For example, with StuG G assault guns valued at 95 points apiece, the two lost by the 94th Grenadiers were worth 190 points. Flames of War army lists of course largely price troops by platoons and sections rather than by teams. In the campaign, there are two ways to work out a team’s point value. The simplest calculation method assumes every team in a platoon has equal value. A late war confident veteran German grenadier platoon that costs 110 points with five rifle/MG teams gives each individual team a value of 22 points. This of course will not always produce an equitable value as for example when an artillery battery loses a single truck. In the alternative method, an individual team’s point cost often can be discerned by using the incremental cost of adding another vehicle, team, or section to a platoon’s cost as a whole. For example, adding another section (a pair of rifle/MG teams) to the above grenadier platoon increases the platoon’s cost from 110 points to 155, meaning the extra two rifle/MG teams cost 45 points or 22.5 points per team. While the two calculation systems can produce slightly different point values, the differences are usually negligible as Battlefront has tended to be amazingly consistent in assigning points, and discussion, or resolution by a game master or neutral party, can produce an accepted value. A player could use either calculation method, with the main requirement that the player post on our website forum (www.thebattlestandard.com) how point values were derived so the method and calculations were open for discussion. Letting players freely chose their method lets them feel they are getting a fair shake. The main principle for us was that things should overall seem reasonably consistent and equitable. GERMANS  4



 2

Obj

1

StuG+Bogwd

2

c rra a B

W2

4

X5 W1

5 Obj

 4

(Bogwa rd

aa Gr

Brick Factory

3

4 2 2

l 

1 2

80mor

ALLIES (have first move)

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W Church

3

ShV+FF

g we

s)

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1

f se

5

X

Obj

Hotel

Barracks

5 Mayor’s House 4 Bakery 2

1-

ks

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3

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4

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Map 3 – Nijmegen, Day 1

(HT only)

NW41

3

1-

B

1Pol

Typhoons

Hill 17



l

Lehr

To Nijmegen Bridge

N

(turn 1 & 2 A air attacks)

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D

1

   Obj 1

E

The Nijmegen Battle (Day 1, Map 3) Given the pivotal importance of the city’s control, the German command charged Hauptmann von Shaun of Panzer Lehr with the defense of Nijmegen. Von Shaun had a panzergrenadier company comprised of two panzergrenadier platoons, a platoon of three StuG G assault guns with Bogward radio controlled demolition carriers, and a battery of Nebelwerfer rockets. Von Shaun’s infantry covered his right and left (respectively west and east), and kept his rocket battery and armor in reserve at the center rear of his position. Attacking them, the 1st Polish Paratrooper Brigade under Captain Jermiski consisted of two paratrooper platoons, a battery of 80mm mortars, and a supporting platoon of veteran British tankers with three Shermans, one of which was a Firefly 17 lb gun tank. Jermiski concentrated his troopers on his right in the eastern end of the town, leaving the British tanks to cover his left, and with his mortars in the center supporting both flanks (see Map 3). Nijmegen, Day 1, looking west: Battlefield

In the opening stages of the battle, British rocket-firing Typhoons attacked German rear area positions, destroying a halftrack, a rocket launcher, and a demolition carrier. After these early successes, weather and communication difficulties prevented further air attacks.

Following his plan to concentrate in the east, Jermiski ordered his infantry into the town’s big church to position them for clearing the German flank opposite. He ordered his tanks from the west up the Graafseweg (main street) towards the center of town to support his paratroopers. Seeing the British tanks head east, von Shaun ordered his 2nd Panzergrenadier platoon to strike at the now exposed Nijmegen, Day 1, Turn 2, looking southeast; Polish western flank [the Polish western objective] while his armor pressured Wood #2 in foreground: Germans attack in the the Polish center. Realizing his vulnerability, Jermiski countermarched his, by center and west end of town which they caught the PG halftracks advancing across open ground, bailing or destroying every vehicle, and after an extended firefight, destroying the platoon to a man. While disastrous to his 2nd Platoon, by diverting the British tanks, von Shaun realized the abortive PG attack had opened the way for his armor to strike the Polish center. He hurriedly ordered his assault guns forward, sending his remaining two radio controlled demolition carriers barreling in against the Polish infantry positioned near the church. His expectations of decimating the Poles with a pair of massive explosions were dashed as expert PIAT and rifle marksmanship destroyed the carriers before they could detonate. In return, with Jermiski personally leading, the Poles counter-attacked and handily destroyed von Shaun’s unsupported armor. At this point, having finished mopping up the panzergrenadiers and ready to overrun the undefended German western flank, the British tanks were hit with a pinpoint accurate rocket barrage, throwing them into confusion by destroying or bailing them all. Failing to rally his tankers as darkness was falling [game time was up], Jermiski and von Shaun agreed to a temporary truce to gather and treat the wounded, enabling von Shaun just barely to hold on to the town. That evening as von Shaun re-organized his decimated forces, he could be heard cursing the wasted cost of his Bogwards.

Losses 1st Polish Paras

145

2xRifle/MG, 1xSherman V

Panzer Lehr 665

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3xStuG G+Bogward, 6xMG, 2xTank Hunter, 2iC, 3xsd.Kfz 251/1

N

W2 W

1

1

E

2

4

1

2

6 X

3

2 2 X 2 X

4

3

2

2

JgPzIV 

2

4

120Mor

8



3

1



2

1

5 39 Hil

28 Hil

 504

6

(ambush on Turn 2)

W5 E

3

5

2



W3



325G

105How

W1

5 X

3

6

82AB

1

1

l

B

Obj

A

4 

l

I

5

HMG 3

Obj 3SS

W6

E

ALLIES (have first move)

Map 4 – North of the Waal River, Day 1

4



4

bombed village



E

GERMANS



US AOP

W4

To Nijmegen

Waal River

Repulse of the 325th Gliders North of the Waal (Day 1, Map 4) North of the Waal, Captain Sullivan, commanding Easy Company of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 325th Glider Regiment, was tasked with clearing the northern end of the big Nijmegen Bridge. Because only a foot-capable bridge allowed his troops across the Waal, Sullivan had a mass of infantry troops consisting of three large glider rifle platoons, a platoon of tough veteran paratroopers lent to him from I company of the division’s 504th para regiment, and support from heavy machineguns and 105mm artillery. Opposing the Glider troops were two panzergrenadier and a Jagdpanzer IV platoon with heavy mortar support from the crack 10th SS Panzer division commanded by Hauptsturmführer Fillop (known as the “Winter Wolf” for his cold weather Eastern Front exploits). With a glider platoon on his left, one in the center, and the I Company paras covering his North of the Waal, Turn 2, looking right, Sullivan advanced between two woods lines (Woods 3 and 4, Map 4) to skirt to the east: US Glider troops (foreground) south the known German positions in Woods 2. Shortly after the advance started, German Jagdpanzers rolled over Hill 39 in front of the American advance, machine-gunning the cheer destruction of Jagdpanzer exposed US troops. However, prompt 105mm artillery fire called in by the air observer destroyed a Jagdpanzer, giving pause to the German counter-attack. As the American advance continued, a previously unreconnoitered German PG platoon in Woods 4 sprang an ambush on the I Company paratroopers on the American right flank, with an intense hand-to-hand combat that ultimately resulted in destruction or rout of both the US para and German PG platoons. The fight between the paras and SS being over before anyone else could intervene, the remaining US troops continued advancing eastward into the center woods (#3), harassed by German Jagdpanzer fire. At this point, Hauptsturmführer Fillop ordered his remaining infantry to attack southward to destroy the American left flank. Charging into the center woods under a hail of SMG fire, the panzergrenadiers pinned and destroyed the American left-flank platoon. Sullivan ordered his center glider platoon into a counter-attack to regain control of the woods. Charging in with BAR and automatic rifle fire, the glider troopers pinned the PG. As his men were about to be overrun, the Winterwolf demonstrated yet once again how he had earned his sobriquet. Fillop jumped up from his cover to take personal control of his armor. However, realizing the heavy Jagdpanzers would not be able to relieve his troopers in time, Fillop and his executive officer, using their personal weapons, instead sprayed the charging US infantry with SMG fire, just barely pinning the US assault. Rallying his pinned

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panzergrenadiers into an assault of their own, Fillop and his PG swept the remaining Americans from the woods, breaking the US attack. Having lost three of his four infantry platoons, Sullivan opted to withdraw rather than incur further fruitless casualties.

Losses 325th Gliders

495

21xRifle, 5xRifle/MG, 6xBazooka, 3x60mm mortar

10th SS Panzers 390

8xMG, 1xJagdPzr IV

Total Day 1 Losses Allied

1575

German

1685

End of Day 1 The first day’s battle had not gone well for the Allies, with progress made nowhere and an outright repulse in attempting to clear the bridge’s northern approaches. Losses had been heavy among the Canadians and Americans, but at least the veteran Welsh Guards and particularly the Poles had given a good account of themselves. On the German side, while managing to hold everywhere, doing so had not come without a price, with losses being particularly heavy in the Lehr. Canadian Captain Chirsman spent a sleepless night organizing newly brought up replacements of Shermans and crews into what was virtually a new Squadron built from scratch, replacing the devastation wrought among his tankers. Sullivan’s beatenup glider troops, though still a just-barely viable combat force, were replaced with the 504th Para Regiment’s F Company [a new Allied player entered the campaign]. Hauptmann von Shaun of Panzer Lehr was also badly off, needing to obtain from the Lehr’s division reserves a platoon of three new StuG G assault guns freshly arrived from the factory. Hauptmann Paetor in the 3rd SS Totenkopf Division, with his heavy armor losses at Groesbeek and with the great Biermeyer wounded, just barely had sufficient troops on hand to fill out his company for the next day’s combat. However, he would be fighting with very limited armor support. Each other battlefield commander, not having suffered catastrophic losses, shuffled personnel among his surviving units and brought up platoons from his own company’s reserves to prepare to renew the next day’s battle.

Re-organizing and Replacing Losses After each battle, a player may shuffle teams among the player’s surviving platoons. Only like teams can be moved between platoons, serving to adjust platoon strengths as a player desires. For example, our Polish Paratrooper player lost a rifle/MG team from each of his two on-table paratrooper rifle platoons, so he transferred two rifle/MG teams from a platoon which was in his initial force pool but left out of his 1000-point on-table list, bringing the two platoons back up to full strength (and of course leaving the third platoon down two teams). Similarly, the 10th SS player had a spare SS panzergrenadier platoon and a spare Jagdpanzer IV in the 500 points not included in his initial battle. Making good his tabletop losses by transferring some PG teams and the Jagdpanzer, his 1000-point army list was exactly intact again. All players made similar adjustments because of casualties, with most players forced to make changes in the make-up of the 1000-point armies for their second battle. A player is always guaranteed to have 1000 points of troops for each tabletop battle. Players losing less than 500 points of troops after the first battle of course still have a thousand points and more. To get as close as possible to 1000 points for their on-table list, players can shift teams between platoons as described above or can drop vehicles from a platoon to reduce the platoon’s cost. Players who suffered more than 500 points of casualties in the first battle could purchase what are called ‘catastrophic replacement’ platoons from the army list that they originally used to create their force. For example, the Lehr player lost 665 points in casualties. From the Battlefront list defining the Panzer Lehr army list, he ‘purchased’ a new Radio-controlled Tank Platoon for 345 points, which when added to his surviving 835 points gave him a force pool of 1180 points. To be fair to the opposing team, taking catastrophic replacements gives an equal number of “bonus” points to the other team. Players on the other team can use the bonus points to purchase any legitimate platoon. Therefore, in theory, the Lehr purchase gave 345 bonus points to the Allies; however, catastrophic losses counter-balance. Since the Canadians also took 580 catastrophic replacements (two 290 armor platoons), the Germans wound up with 235 bonus points. Players could not use bonus replacements the turn they suffer catastrophic losses. -9-

Day 2, Allied Successes Things seemed grim at that evening’s late-night conference among the Allied commanders. In the next 24 hours they needed to clear at least one end and of course preferably both ends of the Nijmegen bridge. The Germans also needed to be driven from the Groesbeek area to prevent reinforcements and attacks into Nijmegen. The tactical situation precluded subtlety, so once again the command ordered the same three attacks to clear Groesbeek Heights, Nijmegen, and an attack against the north end of the bridge. It would once more be up to paratroopers to expand the Allied bridgehead north of the Waal as the foot-traffic bridge was still the only means to funnel troops across the river. The command chose Jermiski and his Polish airborne for clearing the bridge’s northern approaches, what with their demonstrated ability in the first day’s manhandling of the Nijmegen Germans. The Canadians volunteered for another crack at clearing Groesbeek, while Cunningham’s Welsh Guards aided by nd 82 Airborne infantry were to capture Nijmegen. The German command for the most part was satisfied with the first day’s performance, but concerned with the narrow escape that had nearly cost Nijmegen. To secure the German hold on the town, overnight they sent the Winterwolf’s 10th SS across the river as well as bringing into town Hauptmann Frederich and his 94th Division grenadiers from Groesbeek. In exchange, von Shaun’s Lehr was moved from the urban confines of Nijmegen to Groesbeek, considerably more suitable ground for such a mechanized force. For protecting the north end of the bridge, the command had Hauptsturmführer Paetor’s 3rd SS, now with little armor but more than able to deal with the Allied infantry forces expected north of the river. The overnight massive reshuffling of German forces required no little miracle of staff work, but was all completed by the predawn light.

Campaign map movement is in effect similar to Battlefront’s Firestorm system. To “move”, each side had the three tokens designating where the side wanted to position forces or make attacks. Tokens start in any campaign map zone either in dispute or under a side’s control. At the start of each campaign turn, a side can move a token to an adjacent zone or leave it stay put. Each turn both sides secretly determine where their tokens start and move. Revealing the respective choices determines how many tabletop battles occur, where on the campaign map they occur, and the type of mission to be fought for each battle. Two tokens staying in the same disputed zone fight the Assault mission (essentially a Free for All); a token entering an enemy token’s zone foments a No Retreat Mission; two tokens starting in and jointly moving to an adjacent zone creates a Fighting Withdrawal Mission, and so on. See diagram below for all the possibilities.

Meeting Engagement

Free for All

No Retreat

Assault

Fighting Withdrawal

Breakout

Movement of opposing forces between campaign map zones determines tabletop missions

For this campaign, there was in fact little “map movement” as the campaign design in general and the choices each team made in particular kept battle to the same three map zones for the first and second campaign turns. In theory, either the Allies or Germans could have moved one of their three map tokens from say the Groesbeek Heights (on Map 1) to say the Wyler Road zone, leaving the other team in control of the Heights. This would have left only two zones in contention (Bridge North and Nijmegen), with only two tabletop battles resulting. A different campaign map setup can of course provide greater campaign movement. Our map worked well for creating a short three-turn campaign. Once the number and nature of the tabletop battles are known, each side secretly assigns players to each tabletop, with any player assignable to any tabletop. If there are more players on a side than tabletops, mutual agreement or a dice-off determine which tabletops have the extra players assigned. When there are fewer players than tabletops, again, mutual agreement or a dice-off decide battles not fought and instead assumed draws. Once table assignments are known, players set up mutually acceptable tabletop terrain and fight the mission just as with pick-up games.

- 10 -

GERMANS  Lehr

5

Hill 170

 

W1

Map 5, Day 2 – Groesbeek Heights

Obj

X

W2

W4

B

4

Stuart  1 1 C ShV+FF

4

W5

3

W3



C

2 1

Obj

l

Hill 185

hamlet 4

Hill 165 1

1

Wheat Field

3

Obj

4CAD



E

W Obj

5

2

0 C

NW41



3

4

Hill 194

4

1

W4

X3

B

Hill 284

StuG+ Bogwd

1

B

3

B

2

B

Hill 182

l

N

3

C

28BC

Hill 243

3

 2

C Sh+FF

M10 TD

ALLIES (have first move)

Groesbeek Heights (Day 2, Map 5) The Canadians attacked across the same valley as they had on the previous day, but rather further east in a more open area better suited for mechanized maneuver. The Panzer Lehr troops, commanded by Hauptmann von Shaun, were positioned forward of the valley’s northern rim, their position delineated by a line running in front of Hills 170, 182, and 284. The 4th Canadian Armour Division force, commanded by Captain Chrisman, attacked from the south over Hills 194, 165, and 243. Von Shaun positioned his two panzergrenadier platoons (minus transport lost the previous day) covering his flanks and placed his StuG platoon (with radio controlled Bogward demolition

Groesbeek Heights, Turn 2, looking west: Canadian armor advances

Groesbeek Heights, Turn 3, looking north: Canadian armor closes in on exposed StuG flank

carriers) in the woods centrally located in the middle of his line. His rocket battery was behind the heights of Hill 284 on his eastern flank. Scoping out von Shaun’s positions to the north, Captain Chrisman knew he would need to keep his distance from the German demolition carriers or risk destruction in their massive explosions. Chrisman tasked his assistant company officer to lead the 2nd Sherman Troop in destroying the Bogwards from the eastern flank with long ranged fire. With his 1st Troop of Shermans, Chrisman approached the German assault guns from around the eastern edge of Hill 194 where only one StuG could

- 11 -

effectively bear in his direction. The section of M10 Tank Destroyers in the center helped distract the StuGs with long-range fire. His 4th Troop, a reconnaissance unit of three Honey Stuarts, was sent zipping down the western flank in a raid on the German rear; unfortunately, it could little threaten the dug-in German infantry it found there. An extended long-range gunnery duel defined the heart of the battle as the Shermans, M10 TDs, and StuGs slugged it out, firing back and forth across the valley. The Canadian 2nd Troop, cautiously maneuvering in the east just south of Hill 185 was able to get a bead on the Bogwards, which had been left in an exposed position at the base of Hill 182. With its thin armor no match even for the Sherman’s 75mm gun, the executive officer and the 2nd Platoon soon eliminated the Bogward threat. With eight Shermans, two Fireflies and a pair of M10 Tank Destroyers blasting away at the three StuGs, the weight of numbers began to tell as two of the assault guns were knocked out, causing the third to pullout in a panic. With the defending German armor gone, the Canadians were free to blast the German defense on Hill 284, pounding it with high explosive and machinegun fire. Eventually deciding it was pointless to risk further casualties when unable to give any in return, Hauptmann von Shaun ordered his panzergrenadiers back over the valley’s rim and to safety, ceding victory and control of the Groesbeek Heights to the Canadians. Groesbeek Heights, Turn 5, looking east: Canadians overrun StuG position

Losses

Panzer Lehr

2xSherman V, 1xFirefly, 1xStuart

355

2xStuG+Bogwards, 3xMG, 1xNW41 (rocket launcher), 1xObserver

GERMANS

10SS

Hill 17

To Nijmegen Bridge

A

Obj

l

B

120Mor

PzIV

4

JgPzIV   

3

Ooesflek House Penfel House

X4

3

aat Stroomstr

2

1

E

3

ShV+FF

82AB

2 W1   



3 X2 X 4

l

s ck    ra B r Ba 2

E

Hotel 2

Gr

3 3

2

E

 1

WG

Church 2



2

Crom+Chal  4

E

80Mor



WG

1 4

WG

Schmitt House

W

2

504

Obj

eg ew s f aa

X2

Mayor’s  House Brick Bakery WG Factory  E

1

B

Barracks



3

StuG



3

3

5

5

A

W2 Shlunk House

5

5

5

5

1

Obj

Puma

3

B

2

3

X

A



2



B

4

B

1

X5

4

A

E

4

A



Map 6, Day 2 – Nijmegen



3

l 94



3

1 Crom+Chal Oocherst House

Wheat field

WelshGd

300

N

4th Canadian Armour

Obj

l D

Rye field

ALLIES (have first move)

The Nijmegen Battle (Day 2, Map 6) The second day’s battle in Nijmegen was fought over the same ground as the previous day, but with the Allied jump-off position being those gained the previous day by the Poles. Thus, the Allied start line ran from a stream bridge in the west, then eastward along the Stroomstraat (stream street) and then along the Graafseweg (main street).

- 12 -

The German defense comprised two companies, Hauptsturmführer Fillop’s 10th SS Panzer Division troops (the same force as the first day with two panzergrenadier platoons, three Jagdpanzer IVs, and mortars) and Hauptmann Frederich’s company from the 94th Division (two weakened grenadier platoons, three StuGs, two Panzer Mark IVs, and a pair of Puma scout cars). Fillop dug in around the Oesflek house on the extreme western flank and placed a panzergrenadier platoon to help defend the big barracks in the center. Hauptmann Frederich’s positions extended from the barracks to a hotel on the German eastern flank. Armor was deployed in support, to the infantry’s rear. Allied forces comprised the Welsh Guards under Guards Captain Cunningham (two tank troops and two infantry platoons) and Easy Company from the 82nd Airborne’s 504th Regiment under Captain Slopnick. Slopnick, having had his 3rd Platoon decimated under Sullivan’s Gliders the previous day in the debacle north of the river, had only two para platoons and mortars. To make up for the loss of his 3rd Platoon, he utilized the tank troop of two Sherman Vs and a Firefly provided by the British to support his company. Slopnick’s paras had the left (west) while Cunningham and the Welsh handled the right (east). The initial Allied plan called for testing the German center by bringing the Welsh tanks forward into covered positions opposite the German-held barracks. From there, the weight of the attack would swing to the left to capture the Schlunk house and Woods 2 just the other side of the Stroomstraat. The Welsh tanks, on reaching their designated positions, immediately came under telling fire from panzerschreks in the barracks, StuGs to the east, and the section of Mark IV tanks moving up just west of the barracks. After a short duel, the Welsh 3rd Troop was seriously weakened, with the survivors forced to withdraw. The Welsh 4th Troop swung around to engage the Mark IVs, destroying them with help from Easy Company’s 2nd Platoon, which had advanced in support from a nearby bakery. Coordinating fire from the Pumas and SS in the barracks, the Germans brought devastating fire on the exposed Nijmegen, Turn 2, British press forward in the center paras. The Welsh 4th Troop maneuvered and drove off the Pumas, destroying one, while the US paras attempted to storm the barracks but were pinned by defensive fire. In return, the SS counter-attacked, sending Easy Company’s 2nd Platoon packing. The Welsh 4th Platoon, unable to save the paras, moved along the Stroomstraat to support the Allied western attack. As the center attack had been heating up, on the extreme western flank Captain Slopnick ordered forward his 1st Paratrooper Platoon and supporting tank troop to take the Penfel House, which was located immediately in front of the German positions. A duel between Slopnick’s tanks and Fillop’s tank hunters, joined at its end by Cunningham’s 4th Tank Troop, ultimately resulted in loss of Slopnick’s British Shermans. With the armor’s loss, Slopnick’s 1st Platoon was exposed, and Fillop immediately took advantage, leading his panzergrenadiers in an assault that ejected the paras from the Penfel house. With the threatened collapse of the Allied western flank, Cunningham ordered his 4th Troop to charge into the German rear, hoping to collapse Nijmegen, Turn 3, looking west: Allies the German flank attack across the Stroomstraat instead. Unfortunately, it was quickly destroyed by fire from the Jagdpanzers to the west, the surviving Puma in the woods to its rear, and from the east, Frederich’s 3rd Platoon (StuGs) that had traversed the entire battlefield to be in on the final kill. With this loss, the Allied western flank fell into German hands and the battle ended. Nijmegen, Turn 5, looking west, German infantry commands the western flank

- 13 -

Losses Welsh Guards

540

4xCromwell, 1xChallenger

10th SS Panzers

200

2xMG, 1x80Mor, 1xJdgPzr IV

82nd Airborne

650

10 Para R/MG, 2xBaz, 1x60mm Mor, 2xSherman V, 1xFirefly

94th Grenadier Division

230

1xMG, 2xPzr IV, 1xPuma

TOTAL

1180

430

Capture of the Northern End of the Bridge (Day 2, Map 7) Jermiski’s 1st Polish Airborne Brigade, having come so near to clearing the south end of the bridge on the previous day, was determined to get the bridge’s other end. Besides his full company of three paratrooper platoons, he was promised RAF rocket-firing Typhoons. Regrettably, he had to leave his supporting armor behind as he had only the bridge capable of foot traffic on which his men could cross the river. On the German side, Hauptsturmführer Paetor’s 3rd SS Panzer’s losses the previous day at Groesbeek, particularly the loss of Biermeyer and his Mark IVs, meant Paetor could only field a motley collection of units. Under command, Paetor had a single platoon of panzergrenadiers (minus transport), a platoon of unoccupied halftracks, a mechanized machinegun platoon, a section of two StuGs, and several anti-tank guns including an 88. Not knowing where the Polish attack was coming, Paetor screened forward with his infantry and anti-tank guns, keeping his mobile troops in reserve [the mission was No Retreat, effectively keeping Paetor’s mobile troops off table at the start]. Jermiski’s attack plan was very similar to that which the Glider troops had attempted the previous day. He deployed his infantry on a broad front with his right protected by the river (1st Platoon on his left, 2nd in the center, and the 3rd on the right). Advancing eastward without opposition, his troopers took Woods 3 and 4. Swinging the 1st Platoon to the left, he sent them to clear out known enemy in the northern woods (Woods 2). As the 1st Platoon approached their objective, intense fire from the woods combined with heavy North of the Waal River, Turn 1, looking east: Initial positions anti-tank weapons firing in ambush from the north persuaded Jermiski to swing the 1st Platoon around to the south of Woods 2 where it was better sheltered from the heavy-caliber fire. Jermiski’s 2nd and 3rd Platoons meanwhile kept up a steady eastward advance. As the two platoons left the protection of Woods 3 and 4, German reserves started to appear from the east. Paetor’s 1st Platoon of machinegun-firing halftracks advanced down the main road, blasting the Polish 2nd Platoon caught in the open. Shortly afterwards, arriving behind Hill 39, Paetor directed his mechanized weapons platoon to hold the hill at all costs. His hope was that the advancing paras could be pinned in front of the hill while his other armor swept around the paras’ open northern flank. Paetor’s arriving StuGs helped winnow the Polish 2nd Platoon further. During the developments with the 2nd and 3rd Platoons, the Polish 1st Platoon engaged in a firefight with the panzergrenadiers dug in within Woods 2, with heavy losses incurred on both sides. The Typhoons managed several attacks, taking out a halftrack and a StuG, and further thinned the panzergrenadiers defending Woods 2.

- 14 -

The battle reached a crescendo with German vehicle machinegun fire destroying the Polish 2nd Platoon as the Pole’s 1st Platoon, after an extended firefight, assaulted into the northern woods (Woods 2), destroying its SS opponents and clearing the woods. As the last of the 2nd Platoon was holding off the German flanking attack, the Polish 3rd Platoon managed to work its way forward to Hill 39 and launch an assault that swept away the German defenders, leaving the 3rd Platoon in control of the Nijmegen Bridge’s northern ramp. With both flanks collapsed, the few surviving Germans withdrew.

Losses 1st Polish Brigade

440

2iC, 12xPara R/MG, 2xPIAT

3rd SS Panzer Div

810

Germans

1595

4xCmd/Faust, 8xMG, 1xStuG, 6x251/1 HT, 1x8.8 PaK43, 2x7.5 Pax40

Total Day 2 Losses Allies

1930



(turn 3 ambush)

(air attacks turns 1, 3, 5)

D

C



N

75s & 88

X4

(have first move)

1Pol

W6

6 3 

l D D

1

W3

4

W5



X X5

5

4

251/1 HT 



3C

Waal River

3

4

X6

End of Day 2 The Germans lost the battles north of the river and at Groesbeek, forcing them to withdraw from those operational zones (see Map 1), leaving the Germans in Nijmegen isolated. In campaign terms, this meant that the German players fighting in Nijmegen should remain unchanged between Turns 2 and 3 (if feasible). In addition, by being isolated, the Nijmegen Germans could not take bonus replacements, though they were still entitled to catastrophic replacements. For the 10th SS player, being down to 910 points after his Day 2 Nijmegen battle, he selected a support platoon consisting of a single Jagdpanzer IV, which brought his on-table force back to almost exactly what he had been fighting with all along (two SS PG platoons, three Jagdpanzer IVs, and mortars). The 94th Division grenadier player, having only lost 420 points from the first two campaign battles still had a force pool that let him fight with a 1000-point army. So, as seemed so often the case in the historical record, the Nijmegen Germans though cut-off, basically shrugged and continued fighting. - 15 -

2

251/1 + HMG

To Nijmegen

2

5

3

StuG

6

28 Hil D

W4

1-

C

5

1

1 3



4 C

81Mor 

W1 2

3

5

2 2

D

C

German reinforcements arrived on turns 2, 3, & 4

39 Hil



8

Typhoons

Obj

2 1

l

Obj

4

3 D

3SS

X5

bombed village fountain

W2

1

C

D

GERMANS

ALLIES Map 7, Day 2 – North of Waal

E

W



Two Allied force pools were below 1000 points (Welsh Guards at 760 and 1st Polish AB Brigade at 915), as was the 3rd SS Panzer Division pool at 260 points. The two Allied players took 460 and German player took 665 points of catastrophic replacements, providing a net of 205 bonus replacement points to the Allies. However, given the small quantity and as the final campaign turn was coming up, the bonus replacements were largely academic. The tactical situation for the final turn essentially mandated each side to wrest control of one end of the bridge while maintaining its hold over the bridge’s other end. Given this intriguing scenario, a pair of back-to-back bridgeheads, we decided to fight a single giant Total War battle using a pair of back-to-back tables, with each table holding a bridgehead. The tables were separated by a foot-wide gap (30 cm) representing the River Waal’s width (see Map 8). Players could fire across the gap at enemy on the opposite table, measuring the distance between a firing and target team exactly as they lay. We had ten players for this game, making this a 10,000-point Total War scenario.

The Final Push Certainly, the second day had gone much better for the Allies than the first. The Germans, while inflicting a bloody defeat on the Allies at Nijmegen, had been thrown back on either flank, isolating the Germans in the city. The Allies also controlled the northern end of the bridge and now only needed to clear the Nijmegen side to gain complete control over the passage northwards. For the hardened German veterans in Nijmegen, being cut-off was certainly nothing new. They needed to continue holding the southern bridgehead only until the coming German counter-attack cleared the river’s north bank. To shorten their lines, the German defense fell back to a perimeter formed tightly within the neighborhood located at the base of the bridge. This literally placed them back-to-back with the enemy, separated but by the width of the Waal. [This “fallback” rationalized the Total War scenario.] Allied engineers had finally upgraded the one bridge under Allied control so it could take a limited amount of heavy traffic. To bolster the Polish bridgehead against the coming morning’s expected German onslaught, the Canadian armor was rushed over in the night, as were more US paratroopers. See Map 8 for the exact composition and initial dispositions of all forces. In brief, attacking the Allied bridgehead were three German commands (from west-to-east, recently organized Volksgrenadiers, Panzer Lehr, and 3rd SS Totenkopf Panzers) against three defending Allied commands (1st Polish Paratroopers, 4th Canadian Armour, and F Company of the 82nd Airborne’s 504th Regiment). Sturmbannführer Biermeyer, badly wounded on the first day, had dragged himself from the hospital to once again commandeer a Mark IV platoon for the 3rd SS. In the southern bridgehead, two German commands defended (10th SS Panzers and 94th Grenadiers) against two attacking Allied commands (Welsh Guards and E Company, also from the 504th Regiment). To hold out, each bridgehead had to maintain control over both of its flanks as well as holding onto its side of the bridge’s base.

- 16 -

Day 3, Total War Battlefield, looking south

5



15cm 

1

4

3

NW41

1

3

StTiger

1

1Pol

2

ShV+FF



D

3

l

5

4 1 X

5 X

XD 5

l D

Obj

504

C

ShV+FF

1

5 Hill 2 4 3 3 

Waal River

10ss

(German back table edge)

4 3 

1

A

2-

A

Nijmegen

PzIV

Naboor Park

l

X3

E

W

M

X

NW41 3 

6

5 X

4 4

Boorin Park

 WG

2HH

WG

 4

WG

1

3

l

F 504

Crom+Chal

ALLIES

F

(have first move)

 1

F

2

1



l 82AB

1

WelshGd

2

2

Willsen Park 1

F

2

 1 3

ShV+FF

 4

F

25lb

2

X4

4

3

2

WG

5

B

5

3

1



6

3



X4

B

m eu us

4



Library B

Obj    B 1

5

Plaza 2

3

StuG

4

B

2-



B



 A



X3

Warehouse

1 A JgPzIV



Obj

5

N

A 4 120Mor

A

3

Stuart

Corn

Barley

GERMANS 

C

1

C

mines

Alfalfa

(have first move)

l

X

X

ShV+FF

80Mor

ALLIES

5

X5



28BC

3

D

3

5

 4

D

Village of Lent



2

2

Hill 31

4





1

C

2

(Allied back table edge)

Map 8 – Day 3, Total War

5

4

1

3

3 D

M10 TD

X3 C

Obj

2

D

X3



4CAD

1

5

E



DD

Hill 56 3

W2

3



2

4 4 ch a rd

4

X4 l

5

2

1

2

82AB

N

E

1

(dismount)

Typhoons

Or

(air attacks turns 1-3)

W

4

8

D

1

3



W1

3

StuG 1 

PzIV



2

4

3



2

Biermeyer

1

W3

StuG+Bogwd



C

2



Rye

2

1

PzIV

B



94

X 3

4



5





l

Hill 36

A



Lehr

ErstzVG



l

3SS

GERMANS

l

Waal River Allies – Nijmegen (attacking)

Germans – Nijmegen (defending)

Allies – North (defending)

Germans – North (attacking)

Initial positions, all views looking west Opening Phase As dawn rose over the battlefield and enemy positions became visible through the early morning mist, a great cannonade broke out between German armor on the southern bank and the Canadian armor to the north. The Canadians were at a distinct disadvantage as the north side of the river was gently upward sloping cropland with almost no cover for the tanks; the Germans, located on the river’s city side, had the cover of ruined buildings. Canadian tanks started burning on the western

German western flank PzrJgr IVs blast Canadian armor across the river Canadian western flank takes it on the chin

Canadian eastern flank blasts StuGs across the river German eastern flank StuGs annihilated by Canadian expert semi-indirect fire

flank as the 10th SS’s three Jagdpanzer IVs quickly found the range. On the eastern flank however, matters transpired quite differently. As each of the 94th Division’s supporting panzers gave away its position with an opening salvo, expert long-range Canadian marksmanship returned fire, almost instantly annihilating the 94th’s supporting armor. The German bridgehead’s eastern flank was suddenly seriously weakened. However, the Canadian armor paid its own price with all its Shermans soon knocked out, leaving the Canadians but their Stuarts and M10 tank destroyers. During the exchange of fire across the river, the

Turn 3, Nijmegen, looking east: Allies close in against vulnerable German eastern flank

Turn 2, north of river, looking east: Germans advance from the north

respective attacks maneuvered forward, the three German commands from the north and two Allied commands from the south, closing the distance with the enemy front line. The Panzer Lehr in the north danced its assault guns forward and back, trying to tempt the Canadian tank destroyers to expose their positions in center of the line; the M10’s held fire despite the tempting targets. A pair of massive Sturmtigers fielded with the Volksgrenadiers drew the immediate attention of RAF Typhoons. The attacks were without result due to ground mist obscuring the targets. Completely ineffective as the RAF attacks seemed, the distraction obviously rattled the raw Sturmtiger crews as they got off but two bombardments during the battle, both of which were without result. Except for a brief duel with British tanks, the Volksgrenadiers then did little else the rest of the battle, being caught up by inexperience of command in battle. The Battle Develops In the north, on the eastern flank, Biermeyer rolled forward in his typical aggressive style, cresting Hill 31 and blasting away at the dug-in US paratroopers before him on Hill 25. Two halftrack-mounted platoons from the Lehr covered his immediate right flank, while the Lehr’s assault guns covered the center. Lehr panzergrenadiers dismounted and cleared the US paras out

Turn 3, north of river, looking east: Germans enter orchards in center to clear them of US paratroopers

Turn 4, north of river, looking southwest: Biermeyer’s Mark IVs close with US paras (Hill 25), while Polish paras launch counter-attack against German right flank (extreme upper right)

of their forward positions in the orchards just west of Hill 31. An abortive counter-attack by the remaining Canadian armor around the eastern end of Hill 25 was also summarily destroyed. Jermiski, the Polish commander, from his western perch on Hill 56, witnessing the mechanized onslaught to the east, ordered his 2nd Platoon to assail the exposed German right flank, trying to relive pressure on the US paratroopers. Assaulting under the protection of smoke, the 2nd Platoon drove back the Lehr’s assault guns and persuaded still-mounted panzergrenadiers to hold up their advance. However, given the exposed ground, the Poles, were forced to fall back to their start positions in the center. During this fracas, in between smoke screens and other distractions, the Lehr’s StuGs destroyed the Canadian M10 tank destroyers in the village of Lent by directing in their Bogward radio-controlled demolition carriers, setting off a massive explosion in the village.

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In the southern bridgehead, the Germans were having their own problems. With support from a small troop of British Shermans, the US paras’ Easy Company advanced their 2nd Platoon along the eastern Allied flank, closing with the dug-in 94th Grenadiers located within and to the immediate east of a museum. Due to some command confusion, the paras were slow in closing with the 94th. The delay gave the Welsh armored troop sufficient time to destroy the 94th’s last armored vehicle, traverse the battlefield’s width, and position itself to cut off the Germans in the museum. At this point, having gotten into position, Easy Company’s 2nd Platoon assaulted and cleared the German positions outside the museum. A follow-up assault into the museum was repulsed, sending Easy Company’s 2nd Platoon packing. The 94th was left with only a pair of small platoons holding but a single room in the museum. Turn 4, Nijmegen, looking west: British armor and US paras about to overrun German defenses outside the museum Climax At this point we pick up the dual threads of the story with which this account started. Biermeyer and his panzers were bearing down on Captain Grieg’s Fox Company on Hill 25. Simultaneously, directly southward across the river, Hauptmann Frederich’s surrounded 94th Division grenadiers in the museum were preparing to ward off further assaults by Easy Company’s paratroopers. Failure by defenders on either side of the river would mean loss of the respective flank and certain collapse of the respective bridgehead. In the north, the 3rd SS commander, being well aware of Biermeyer’s predilection to “attack first and recon later”, adroitly maneuvered his other forces to keep Biermeyer in support, bringing heavy covering fire down on the paratroopers defending Hill 25. In went Biermeyer – there was no way to keep him out. Back and forth waxed the battle on the hill as Grieg’s men took assault after assault from Biermeyer’s panzers, rising up again and again to attack the panzers in their midst. Turn 5, North of river, looking east: Germans overrunning At last, down to only his own command tank, Biermeyer himself succumbed, but not without having decimated Grieg’s forces. Before the village of Lent; Biermeyer’s panzers burn in the distance the few surviving Americans could more than crawl back into their foxholes, the 3rd SS assaulted with a small platoon of dismounted panzergrenadiers who wiped the paratroopers off the hill. Almost anti-climatically, an assault by Lehr Panzergrenadiers sent Grieg’s engineer platoon packing, which largely cleared the Allied center. As the Allied bridgehead was collapsing, to the south Easy Company brought up its fresh 1st Platoon, approaching the museum from the west. Unfortunately, the platoon’s tardy arrival had given Frederich and his men time to consolidate and prepare, pulling back more deeply into and occupying all access paths into the German-held part of the museum. Immediately on arriving at the museum, in went the stalwart 1st Platoon, going hand-to-hand with the grenadiers. Each time the paras assaulted in, they were thrown out. The skillful Germans, taking advantage of the cover afforded by the ruble would not yield, continually winnowing down the paras. Finally, one side or the other had to break and it turned out to be the paras. Frederich’s men had held. So ended the battle as night came on. Turn 6, Nijmegen: Hand-to-hand fighting in In a battle post-mortem, a senior British commander was asked why the British infantry had not been more aggressively employed. He replied, “We thought the the museum paras could do it.”

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Day 3 Losses 1st Polish Para Brig

485

4th Canadian Arm Div

775

F Coy, 82nd AB Div

720

E Coy, 82nd AB Div

720

Welsh Guards TOTAL

105 2805

Allied Campaign Total

2xSherman V, 1xFirefly, 4xR/MG, 1xPIAT, 1xObs 7xSherman V, 2xFirefly, 1xM10 19xR/MG, 4xBaz, 1x60Mor 11xR/MG, 2x60Mor, 2xBaz, 2xSherman V, 1xFirefly 1xCrom

6305

Volksgrenadiers

295

3xPzIV, 1xTruck, 1xKubWg

Panzer Lehr Div

140

3rd SS Panzer Div

330

94th Grenadier Div

550

1xMG, 2xTank Hunter, 2xHT Biermeyer+5xPzIV, 1xTruck 1xR/MG, 2xStuG, 2xPzIV, 2xNW41

10th SS Panzer Div TOTAL

0 1315

German Campaign Total

4585

Final Thoughts This was a great campaign with a truly climactic finish. It has been my experience that, with a bit of flexibility and a little imagination (the Total War scenario certainly seemed inspired), campaigns tend to produce great battles and engaging fights. A significant difficulty with campaigns is avoiding player discouragement should one side or the other gain an early advantage. The system used here, a force pool that players must work from, tends to keep players engaged despite early or markedly unequal losses. Players are always guaranteed a fair chance in any subsequent battle, though they may be challenged to fight with a motley mix of their own troops. In addition, having a decisive objective whose control only has meaning at the very end of the campaign tends to insure that players have reason to fight on. Seven players participated in all three campaign turns, but we also had five players making only a single battle. As it happened, all the 82nd Airborne players were such one-shots, which perhaps explains why the US paratroopers seemed to have suffered so, what with the inherently lower commitment to one’s forces that one-time play entails. Campaign participants enjoyed the challenge of stretching out their forces and making do with what they had available. By the end of the Total War battle, every player’s force pool at one point or another had dropped below the 1000-point catastrophic level. Even though able to draw on replacements, players seriously paid attention to their force pools, particularly as taking replacements was a public act requiring on-line posting. Twice players chose to forego (minor) replacements to which entitled; twice players outright retreated rather than suffer further casualties. Providing graphic feedback regarding the consequences of earlier casualties, all of the seven repeat-players fought with forces they never would have chosen through normal army design. The system also well afforded demonstration of skill and command. The 10th SS Panzer Division player (perhaps not coincidentally a USA National’s Best General) suffered the fewest casualties as well as gained the most victories. We could have played this campaign in a single day by following the time format of a typical three-round tournament with a campaign turn in the morning and two in the afternoon. The advantage of a one-day event of course is that everyone can make every battle. Our facility’s scheduling precluded this option, but we found stretching out the schedule over several weeks also allowed much wider participation as evidenced by the number of players who could make only one battle. Both formats have their advantages, but the flexibility and convenience of partial participation does allow for a more inclusive activity and for promoting the hobby to new players.

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Overall, the format and system allowed participation at many levels of commitment and skill levels, and it provided a most collectively enjoyable Flames of War experience. Do feel free to download the scenario and rules, and adapt them to your own needs.

Acknowledgements Thanks to the GREAT support, facilities, and terrain from the Battle Standard hobby shop in Manchester, Connecticut and particular thanks to Tommy Smith the store’s owner. With feedback from club members, Michael Cunningham and I designed and wrote up the campaign scenario using the general campaign system developed by myself. Pete Howard provided a number of photos, and it was Phillip Messier’s idea to do the Total War scenario as the campaign’s climax. Thanks to the club members who provided feedback on this article (Mike especially), and provided the detailed information and materials from which this account was written. And especially thanks to all the participants: Mike Cunningham, Steven Fielding, Michael Flickinger, Pete Howard, Chris Kadish, Rick Lavoie, Sean Maloney, Phillip Messier, Gregg Siter, Tom Slopnick, and Jeremiah Walters. Any errors found in this article are entirely my own. I can be contacted at [email protected].

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