Overview: With this battle taking place shortly after the airborne landings, the assumption was made that both sides would be on the move to start, and both sides would feed reinforcements into the battle. Thus this game was played as an encounter battle, with both sides tasked with seizing and holding a number of objectives that were placed in key terrain. Killing or breaking the enemy while preserving one’s own force was also an objective for each side.
Terrain: We set a 20 X 4 foot table, with the terrain being based on a contemporary G.S.G.S. map and modern satellite photos. The table presented the strip of ground running along the former Dutch-German border, from the towns of Berg en Dahl and Smorenhoek on the left, past the Duivelsberg hill in the center, to the sprawling town of Wyler on the right (all directions are from the US perspective). The left and central sectors were generally covered with densely forested hills with a few clearings. The right sector was generally open fields, broken up by some tall hedges and tall crops. A main road ran along the German baseline. A parallel road ran across the table about 12 inches from the US baseline. Just off the table, a very long lake behind the German baseline blocked direct access to the central sector, hence German reserves would have to enter the table in the two flanking sectors. One of the photos shows a sketch of the table layout.
Objectives: Three objectives were placed in each sector. On the left, one objective was placed in the center of the hamlet of Smorenhoek, one in the center of Berg en Dahl (represented by the town fountain), and the third objective was on the crest of the ridge along the road between the two towns. In the center, the forested summit of the Duivelsberg was one objective, and the other two objectives were placed in defiles where the lateral road passed through the woods. On the right, one objective was on the crossroads in the center of the town of Wyler, one at the crossroads on the German baseline, and one halfway along the connecting road between the other two objectives. To win the game, each team had to control a majority of the objectives in a majority of each of the three sectors. This would replicate the generalized fighting in this area, and it would also put every part of the table and every player’s force in play.
US Forces: Three players commanded the US force, which was composed of five parachute rifle companies (with a total of 12 rifle platoons). Each rifle platoon had seven automatic rifle teams, a 60mm mortar team, and a bazooka team. Every platoon also had one or two attached .30 cal LMGs (16 total LMGs). We ruled that the 60mm mortars did not have enough ammunition to fire bombardments, and thus could only be used for direct fire against point targets. Three off-table 75mm pack howitzer batteries came on line on Turns 1-3. We imposed a scenario rule to represent the limited supply of howitzer ammo — at the conclusion of every bombardment, a roll of “1” on a D6 would result in the battery temporarily going out of ammo until it subsequently rolled a 5-6 to reload on a later turn. The US side also had four 57mm antitank guns as additional support. All the US formations were rated as Fearless Veteran.
German Forces: Four German players commanded eight infantry companies (with a total of 25 infantry platoons). To represent the historical lack of heavy weapons, each company only had two HMGs to attach to its platoons (16 total HMGs). To represent the mixed bag of German forces that fought in this area, the German companies were classified as follows:
One company of veteran soldiers drawn from NCO schools, rated Confident Veteran and armed as rifle/mg teams.
Two companies of training and replacement soldiers, rated as Confident Trained and armed as rifle teams.
One company of “Stomach-and-Ear” troops, who were WW1 vets employed as POW camp guards. This unique company was rated as Reluctant for morale, Cautious for being shot at, and Poor for skill tests and close combat, and were armed with rifles. The company commander, Major Rasch, could raise the morale of any platoon he joined to Confident.
One company of Luftwaffe ground troops, rated as Reluctant Trained and armed with rifles. This company had a fourth rifle platoon, and also had two Quad-20mm armored halftracks in support.
Three companies of Fallschirmjagers. These were newly trained young recruits led by veteran cadres, and their historical performance was very inconsistent. They were rated as Confident Trained troops armed as rifle/mg teams. As a special rule, they were rated as Fearless when testing morale to counterattack in close combat, but if this morale test was failed, the platoon automatically broke. One of the companies had a patrol of three 20mm-armed half-tracked recon vehicles as additional support.
The Germans also had three batteries of 10.5 cm guns in off-table support, coming on line on Turns 1-3. These batteries had the same special rule for limited ammunition as the US batteries.
US Deployment: Able Company started with one platoon in Berg en Dahl on the far left of the table. Because the Dutch citizens of this town greeted the first Americans to arrive with cold beer, this platoon started the game pinned down. Two 57mm ATGs were also deployed to defend the town, and one 75mm battery was dedicated to supporting this flank. Able Company’s second rifle platoon was patrolling in the woods in the direction of the Duivelsberg. Baker Company started with one platoon in column on a road entering from the right-center edge of the table, followed by two more platoons. Charlie Company started with one platoon deployed on the US baseline near Wyler on the far right, to be followed by two more platoons and two 57mm ATGs, with two 75mm batteries in support. The two platoons of Easy Company would enter on Turn 3 in the left corner of the table, on either of the two roads leading into Berg en Dahl. The two platoons of George Company would enter the table on Turn 3 behind Baker Company on the road.
German Deployment: On the far left, two platoons of Training Kompanie 1 deployed to defend Smorenhoek, with one 10.5 cm battery in support. The third platoon would follow, and on Turn 3, one FJ Kompanie with the recon halftracks in support began to enter to reinforce this sector. In the center, one platoon of the second FJ Kompanie started dug in on the Duivelsberg. Its nearest support was a second FJ platoon some distance away on the main road near Smorenhoek, where the third FJ platoon and the third FJ Kompanie would enter as reinforcements on subsequent turns. On the right, the NCO School Kompanie started with one platoon across the table from the US platoon, with the remainder of this Kompanie and the second Training Kompanie following. Finally, on the far right flank, the Stomach-and-Ear Kompanie started entering at the end of the table, followed by the LW Kompanie. Two 10.5 cm batteries were available to support this flank.
Opening Moves: The US players determined that Able Company would hold Berg en Dahl with one platoon until Easy Company arrived to relieve it, while Able’s other platoon attempted to isolate the German platoon holding the Duivelsberg. Baker Company would angle to the left and attack the Duivelsberg with its full strength. Charlie Company would engage the Germans in Wyler, and wait for George Company to reinforce the combat in this sector. The initial US moves went accordingly.
Heavy fighting immediately erupted on the right, as the opposing forces aggressively moved into Wyler. Both sides started using off table artillery with some effect, although one German battery ran out of ammo and was off line for several turns. In an early close combat, a platoon of German NCOs drove back a platoon of US paratroops and seized control of the central objective in this sector. On the far right flank, a LW platoon ran into a storm of small arms and light mortar fire as soon as it entered the table and was quickly eliminated. Both sides then took up covered positions and began exchanging fire.
On the far left, the Germans moved quickly to take the objective on the crest of the ridge, then dug in within the woods. Unfortunately for the German commander, his forward observer was taken out of action, and his company command team was in position on the reverse slope of the ridge, so no German artillery was used on this flank. The US commander used this respite to bring in Easy Company to defend Berg en Dahl, while both platoons of Able Company moved into the woods in the central sector.
In the center, the Germans started moving two Kompanies of Fallschirmjager through the woods towards the Duivelsberg. However, two platoons of Baker Company got to the hill first and immediately assaulted the defending FJ platoon, sweeping the FJ away in two turns of close combat.
Mid-Game: In the central sector, the two German FJ Kompanies found themselves strung out in the woods, opposed by Baker Company on one flank and Able Company on the other flank. Both US companies moved swiftly to envelop the FJ. While Able Company’s first attack was repulsed by defensive fire, Baker Company was irresistible, assaulting and eliminating one FJ platoon per turn. By the end of the mid-game, both Kompanies of FJ were destroyed, with the survivors fleeing the table.
On the left, the fighting in the mid-game settled into a temporary stalemate, with the US holding Berg en Dahl with Easy Company and the Germans holding the ridge and Smorenhoek. Neither side was able to use its artillery given the lack of observation into the woods. Both sides exchanged small arms fire, and the Germans rotated their damaged Training Kompanie platoons out of the front line, moving them back to Smorenhoek and replacing them with the fresh FJ Kompanie. The 20mm-armed halftracks supported the end of the German line and were never engaged by the US.
On the right, the fighting spread from Wyler into the fields toward the center of the table, as both sides attempted to turn this flank with their reinforcements. One platoon of George Company was met head on by another German NCO platoon, and the NCOs were again victorious, driving back the paratroops. Both sides continued to probe forward but neither side could gain an advantage here. Meanwhile, in the town itself, the Stomach-and-Ear troops and LW troops continued to slowly work their way forward through the houses. The two Quad-20mm halftracks began ineffective long range fire into the town, staying out of range of the US 57mm antitank guns. Artillery continued to have an effect for both sides.
End Game: At the end of the game in Wyler, one final US attempt to capture the central objective was driven back, leaving this objective in German control. The Germans managed to move close enough to contest control of the crossroads objective. The objective on the German baseline was never threatened. Thus, the Germans won with a 2:0 edge in this sector.
In the central sector, the only Germans left alive were prisoners of war, and the US controlled the Duivelsberg objective and the two objectives in the road defiles, for a 3:0 US win in this sector.
On the left, the final acts played out. Able Company disengaged from mopping up the FJ in the central woods, and moved to attack the Germans holding the ridge between Berg en Dahl and Smorenhoek, while Easy Company made a frontal attack on the ridge. One platoon of Easy Company managed to assault a FJ platoon and pushed it off the crest, but a German counterattack on the last turn regained the lost ground and the ridge objective remained contested. Finally, one platoon of Baker Company marched all the way through the woods to Smorenhoek and put in an assault on the last US turn, which resulted in the capture of half of the village. The weakened German Training platoons decided not to risk an attack in their last turn, leaving the objective contested. With the objective in Berg en Dahl in US control, the US wrested a 1:0 win in this sector.
Results: After 10 turns and 3.5 hours of play, the Americans had uncontested control of four of the nine objectives, winning the left and central sectors. The Germans had uncontested control of two objectives, winning the right sector. So based on control of the objectives and sectors, this game was a US victory. Counting the casualties after the game, the Germans lost a total of 98 infantry teams, of which some 18 routed off the table. These 98 teams represented about 47% of the German infantry strength. The US lost a total of 40 teams, which represented 30% of the total US infantry. Once again, in Flames of War, a lost team does not represent everyone in the team being killed, wounded or captured. Nevertheless, the attrition was high on both sides, with a clear edge going to the US. Thus, this action would have to be assessed as a solid US victory.
- TJ