Flames Of War - Campaigns: July 2015

A total of 10 battles were to be fought for campaign turn one as the Allies made a concerted attempt to move their drinks cabinet one step closer to Berlin with the opening of Operation Market Garden in Holland.

Airborne Action

British and American Paratroops leapt from perfectly good aircraft across the lowlands in a unique daylight drop. The British 1^st Airborne Division landed furthest into enemy territory, on the far side of the Rhine and a good 7 miles to the West of their objective; the Arnhem bridge. Having secured their drop zones against a German counter attack from Renkum they moved to cut the Ede Road, and the lead battalion (Colonel Frost presumably) pushed on to capture Arnhem West on the road to the bridge. German resistance on the bridge is stiffening however, with a panzer unit and security troops both moved to defend it. The Americans of the 82^nd secured the Groesbeek Heights above Nijmegan, and briefly held the town itself before a German counterattack forced them out. The 101^st landed either side of the main route that XXX Corp need to take through Holland, and moved to cut a major German supply route by capturing the Uden and Yokel Roads, but their assault upon the Veghel Bridge didn’t go to plan and they were thrown back. The airborne will find the second campaign turn much more difficult, with the weather preventing the delivery of supplies to much of the troops on the ground. More elements of the British 1^st Airborne and the 101^st Glider troops landed.

Airborne Battles:

Peter’s Germans defeated James Underwood’s 101^st on the approaches to Veghel Bridge.
Phil turned coat to defend the British drop zones against Marks attack at Renkum, before turning defender in a bloody encounter with Andy’s paras as the British secured Arnhem West.
Dennis commanded the 82^nd in a successful attack on Dafydd’s armoured defenders in Nijmegan.

The British Push

The British charge up the narrow roads and dykes of Holland was initially difficult, with VIII Corp running into stiff resistance from Fallshirmjager units on the Weert Road, and failing twice to capture it. No such issues on the Valkswaard Road, where XXX Corp drove straight through the defenders to reach Eindhoven, and then exploited further to capture the Son Bridge bridge and link up with elements of the 101^st. They also spread out to the East where they captured Helmond Bridge, cutting off the troublesome falshirmjager, and some panzergrenadiers, on the Weert road. In response the Germans have withdrawn their troops to the Weert Road in the hope of a breakout Northwards, and moved troops to block the Veghel Bridge against the expected armoured assault in turn 2. For the British yet more Shermans have been released to assist in VIII Corp and XII Corp respective pushes up the road. The Germans gained an additional FlaK36 unit and some more security units.

Armour Battles:

Aidan firstly tried to push his VIII Corp through Dennis on the Weert Road unsuccessfully, before leading his Cormwells in another effort, this time being foiled by Ben’s Germans.
Dennis switched his attention to the Valkswaard Road, where Ricks Shermans pushed his Falshirmjager back into Eindhoven, and then followed up with an attack on James Taylors Panzer Kompanie , capturing the town.
The two rolled for battles in turn 1 saw the British win both times, capturing the Son and Helmond Bridges.