Operation Market-Garden The long shot
History Statistics Allied forces German Forces	Historical background After the break-out from the Normandy bridgehead, the allies raced northward without meting a lot of oppositon. Eisenhower’s strategy for a ‘broad front’ quickly ate up the meagre supplies that were still being offloaded on the invasion beaches. Inevitably the whole offensive had to behalted for lack of supplies. At that moment Patton’s third army was making it’s way to Aachen, the French first Army was fighting near the Swiss border and the Montgomery’s 21^st army group was nearing the Dutch border. There were still supplies getting through, but the allied supreme commander had to allocate them to those troops that stood the best chance of making the best gains! At that moment, Montgomery presented a very bold plan : Market-Garden. It was to be a combined air-ground assault that would hopefully end the war quickly! The plan was as bold as it was simple : 1^st Allied Airborne Corps would seize three major river crossings from Eindhoven to Arnhem, a distance of 120km. Then the reinforced XXX Corps would use these bridgeheads to cross the Rhine and gain a foothold just northwest of the Ruhr. From there an envelopping attack, in combination with 3^rd US army would encircle the Ruhr and end the war quickly. History has however proved once more that no plan survives the first contact with the enemy! In early september, the German army was pulling back in dissarray toward the Westwall. One could no longer talk of divisions and corps, but groups of stragglers and left-overs from the once proud divisions. To change this situation and to save the Westfront, Hitler appointed fieldmarshall Model as commander of OB West. Quickly he started to assemble all troops in his command and tried desperately to form some sort of defensive line. Both 9^th and 10^th SS Panzer Divisions were grouped near Arnhem in preparation for rest and refitting and the last remaining reserve formations were put in the line in preparation for the expected assault by the British. When the first of the allied paratroopers started descending from the skies, the germans were caught by surprise, not I the least by the scope of the forces involved, but reacted very quickly! The commander of II SS Panzer Korps, Bittrich, quickly realised that the bridges at Arnhem and Nijmegen would be the pivotal points for the whole operation and ordered both of his divisions (re-grouped into battlegroups) to take control of these two cities (and their bridges). Meanwhile other forces put pressure on the ‘Arnheim Salient’ which was quickly forming. In the end the combination of bad weather over England, the presence of strong forces near the dropzones, lack of communication and the single road leading to Arnhem resulted in the annihilation of 1^st British Airborne Division and the prolongation of the war… Statistics Turns 32 Complexity 10+ Players 6 First side Allies Axis supply 65 Allied supply 80 Axis smoke 12 Allied smoke 28 Axis Airsupport 4 Allied Airsupport 24
Allied Forces
Back	General There are three formations to be commanded by three players. Your team has to decide who takes overall command 1^st British Airborne (Arnhem) As commander you will have the most difficult task! You’ll have to defend the bridge at Arnhem and meanwhile hold yourself from attacks coming from all directions 82^nd US Airborne Division (Nijmegen) Your landing went well and only moderate resistance was encountered. But now things are beginning to get difficult! Your orders are first to secure the landing zones (still one lift is incoming) and take the Nijmegen bridges. Meanwhile forces from II Fallschirmjäger Korps are leaving the safety of the Reichswald and are attempting to gain the city of Nijmegen XXX Corps (southern sector) Your formation is the most powerfull on the map, but again you also have the most difficult task to perform! Your vanguard has almost reached Grave and it won’t be long before your tanks reach Nijmegen. From there on, you’ll be able to strike north toward Arnhem. One of the other problems you face is keeping open ‘Hell’s Higway’. Troops of 101^st US Airborne have secured the area around the highway, but every minute the Germans are getting stronger on both flanks of it! You must make sure, that the higway remains open!

German Forces

Back

General There are three Corps formations to be commanded by three players. Your team has to decide who takes overall command II SS Panzer Korps (Arnhem) As commander you will have the most difficult task, but the best forces at hand! Your force is composed of three major formations : Kampfgruppe 9^th SS Panzer Division Tasked with eliminating the 1^st British Airborne division and retake the Arnhem bridge Kampfgruppe 10^th SS Panzer Division Tasked with securing Nijmegen, but hampered by the occupied bridge at Arnhem (therefore the units are forced to make a detour via the ferry at Pannerden) · Divisionsverband ‘von Tettau’ This division-sized formation is composed of training schools and about every capable man in the Netherlands command area. It is to envelop the British from the west II Fallschirm Korps (west and east of Nijmegen) Your command consists of mainly Paratroop training batalions with regular army units underway. The task ahead is extremely difficult as you have to clear the 82^nd US Airborne Division from it’s flanking positions to reach Nijmegen · Kampfgruppe "Becker" Is the training battalion of 3^rd Fallschirmjäger Division · Kampfgruppe "Greschick" Is the training battalion of 5^th Fallschirmjäger Division · Kampfgruppe "Herrmann" Is the training battalion of HG Fallschirmjäger-Panzer Division 60. Lehr Panzergrenadier Abteilung Is underway from it’s training area in the east · Kampfgruppe 85 Infanterie Division This refitting infanterie division is sending all combat ready troops to the area, it too will be arriving soon Kampfgruppe 180 Infanterie Division A regiment sized battlegroup is transferred from armed forces command ‘Netherlands’ and is coming from the east. LXXXVIII Armee Korps (southern sector) This formation has been fighting against the 101^st Airborne and XXX Corps. For the moment it’s efforts are aimed at closing the highway between Grave and Veghel. The formations under it’s command are growing every minute as more troops are directed toward ‘hell’s highway’ · Kampfgruppe "Mickl" Part of 59 Infanterie division, is moving up from the west · Kampfgruppe "Hubert" Also part of 59 Infanterie division, is moving up from the west 6th. Fallschirmjäger Regiment Only two of it’s three battalions are at the scene (third one is still fighting further south, also attacking from the west Kampfgruppe "Walther" Is an adhoc formation composed of two fallschirmjäger battalions and the full strength 107^th panzer brigade. KG ‘Walther’ is securing the western flank fo the salient