Constellation: Overloon - The Matrix Games version of West Front

[Version 1.2 21-10-2005, This scenario is a sequel to "The Woods of Overloon"] On October the 13th the second phase of the operation by the 3rd British Infantry Division commenced. Originally the plan was for 9 Brigade to pass through the positions occupied by 8 Brigade the previous day and advance on Venray. 185 Brigade, which was to have remained in reserve if all had gone well, was also thrown into the battle. Committing the entire reserve shows how difficult the 3rd Division's assignment was. Reveille was earlier for the tankmen of the Grenadier Guards: 0245 in the night. "Friday the thirteenth," they grumbled as they warmed up the tank engines in the cold autumn darkness. Two squadrons of their battalion had received orders to support 9 Brigade in mopping up the woods southwest of Overloon. This task had been assigned to two infantry battalions: the Royal Ulster Rifles were to clear the woods west of the Overloon-Venray road, the King's Own Scottish Borderers farther west of this area. For the tank squadron of the Coldstream Guards this would be the second day of the battle. They were to support 185 Brigade, whose objective was the woods east of the Overloon-Venray road. The first push was to be made by the Warwicks and the King's Shropshire Light Infantry. They were followed by the Norfolks, who were to launch the final attack on Venray. Again there was a great discrepancy between plans on paper and reality. Eventually the first phase of O'Connor's plan "Constellation" was to take six full days instead of two. The first few days were used to reach the Loobeek, a stream that traversed the battlefield from the southwest to the southeast and crossed the Overloon-Venray road halfway. On October 15, preparations were made for the crossing of the Loobeek, and in the next 24 hours this obstacle was overcome, after strenuous efforts and at the cost of many casualties. [NOTE: this scn is best played with the optional rule Armor Facing OFF. Also note Panther 222 in this scn picture was knocked out on October 13th by a PIAT and is now on display in the Overloon war museum where it is currently undergoing a restoration.]