Flames Of War - Campaigns: Operation Market Garden

Campaign turn 5 and a mighty 9 battles were just the stuff for the Allies to try and claw back the Germans from their cake walk to victory.

Battles:

The Germans opened the show with an initially unsuccessful attempt to capture Helmond Bridge. A second attempt sliced through the British flank guards and the Panzers stood on the outskirts of Eindhoven and in position to cut off the entire British position in Holland (a James T victory over Rich’s 11^th Armoured). The British armour, unaware of this potential catastrophe was finally having a good day, with the Veghel Bridge recaptured (by Rich’s Shermans – Pete the defender) and the Uden Road overrun by Shermans relieving the 101^st and 82^nd Paratroopers. The defenders of Veghel Bridge being forced to flee into the Son Forest to escape capture. British infantry drove away the threat to Einhoven from the North West by capturing the Wilhelmina Canal Bridge, and also claimed Turnout Bridge.

The 82^nd Airborne, buoyed by their linked up with the armour, pushed over the Maas-Waal Canal Bridge, and forced the German heavy tanks out of Nijmegen during bitter street fighting. The German Konigstigers retreated to the approaches to Nijmegen Bridge. Finally the very real threat to Eindhoven was nullified when the weak German attack overreached itself and fell victim to British mountain troops in the streets of the town, tumbling back so far that Helmond Bridge also fell into Allies hands once more.

Helmond Bridge is lost to James Taylors Panzers.

Panzers bracketed by 25pdrs on the approaches to the bridge.

The British overreach themselves on their right and pay dearly for it.

British left prong stalls.

Approaches to the Veghel Bridge.

The Standings:

At the end of campaign turn 5 the Germans lead has slipped, but not too enough to make it a disaster for them. They lead the Brits by a mighty 103 victory points (219 to 116), primarily because for all their losses in that final turn they still hold the Nijmegen and Arnhem Bridges. It end on a German Operational Victory which means Knights Crosses and Hitler smiling because we can all carry on killing each other for years to come.

Or does it….

This Saturday/Sunday a geologist by the name of Andy is generously organising a rather large Operation Market Garden battle, and not to stake part of the campaign upon it would be careless and a missed opportunity. The Germans need a mere 47 more victory points to move to a Strategic Victory and champagne in Paris, while the desperate Monty needs 53 to drag it back to a bore draw which he can claim was all to help the Yanks elsewhere. The battle continues for one more weekend!