Arnhem at 1600 18th September 1944

Arnhem to 1550 18th September 1944

 

 

 

Arnhem to 1500 18th September 1944

Arnhem to 1410 18th September 1944

 

Arnhem to 1330 18th September 1944

 

Arnhem fighting ebbs and flows..

This is a more interesting playing than my previous attempts. The German strategy of gradual infiltration wherever their probing finds a weakness is paying off - though the Paras are deadly and have exacted a heavy price for the lost ground.

The attacks by 10th SS PG Bn and 21 SS PGR troops on the western approaches to the bridge have made good progress, but the troops are now down to about 50% strength and can't achieve much more now.

The factory area is proving a tough nut to crack and a whole platoon of KG Knaust has been wiped out after achieving very little. The other factory is stronger than ever.

The 2nd company of KG Knaust is due to be available soon and I'll send it in against the HQ building, which is weakly held and vulnerable from many angles. If this can be taken it will provide superb locations to support the attacks on the schools and the blocks either side of the bridge.

There is no easy solution - the British must be eliminated in bloody attritional fighting one unit at a time.

In order to have much impact the bridge has to fall before midnight on the 18th.

Arnhem up to 1300 18th September 1944

Arnhem 18th Sept 1944 1226 hours.

About an hour after Grabner's attack was decimated and Brinkmann plus Knaust plus the SSPG on the Western flank and making steady progress. The power plant has fallen and some severe losses have been inflicted on Frost's men. Quite a lot of SNAFUs from the British are to blame and some lucky breaks for the Germans too. A lot of ill-advised Whoa Mohammad! attacks (from HOB rolls) led to some British units being cut down too. More interesting than before this time, and playing very smoothly too.

Brecourt Manor June 6th 1944

Very close to the real battle, except for taking about 80 minutes. US losses were 7 men KIA. Since some of these might not actually be dead only seriously wounded or ineffective due to other factors it is not too far off. Malarky and Spiers both died! 3 new heroes including Lipton were created which mitigated what would have been higher losses. All the Germans died or were driven off.

BdF to 0630 20th Dec 1944

 

This shows the high water mark of the German attack. The remnants of the German VG company faded away into the woods to the south.

BdF 2 0510 and 0520 20th Dec 1944

After numerous playings I think the best tactic for the Germans is to ride their bikes as far down the road as they can, then get off and spread out into the fields to infiltrate forward on a broad front. The US are best served by holding fire until Germans are inside NVR, are firing or lost concealment. Otherwise they burn through ammo too fast to little effect.

BdF to 1730 20th Dec 1944

BdF 1702 20th Dec 1944

BdF to 1650 20th Dec 1944

BdF 1630 20th Dec 1944

BdF 1620 20th Dec 1944

BdF to 1610 20th Dec 1944

BdF 1520 20th Dec 1944

BdF 1500 20 Dec 1944

BdF 20th December

BdF 0610 20 Dec 1944

BdF 0600 20 Dec 1944