Background
The Battle of Arnhem was a major battle of the Second World War at the vanguard of the Allied Operation Market Garden. It was fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel, and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944.
The British 1st Airborne Division landed at Arnhem to secure bridges across the Nederrijn, supported by men of the Glider Pilot Regiment and the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade. British XXX Corps were expected to reach the British airborne forces in two to three days.
The British airborne forces landed some distance from their objectives and were hampered by unexpected resistance, especially from elements of the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions. Only a small force was able to reach the Arnhem road bridge while the main body of the division was halted on the outskirts of the town. After four days, the small British force at the bridge was overwhelmed and the rest of the division became trapped in a small pocket north of the river, where they could not be sufficiently reinforced by the Poles or XXX Corps when they arrived on the southern bank, nor by the RAF’s resupply flights. After nine days of fighting, the shattered remains of the division were withdrawn in Operation Berlin. The British 1st Airborne Division lost nearly ¾ of its strength and did not see combat again.
The Game
This was our fifth game of the Market Garden Campaign. On the campaign map, the Neder Rijn River marks the southern edge of the battle area. The town of Hellum with the Utrectseweg road running through it is in the hex next to the river. In the adjoining hex NE of Hellum is the 2nd South Staffordshire Bn. (2 S Staffs). Two hexes away from 2 S Staffs to the NE is the 7th King’s Own Scottish Borderers Bn. (7 KOSB), at the crossroads of the Amsterdamseweg road and the Wolfhezerweg road. Two hexes away from 7 KOSB to the SE is the 1st Border Bn. (1 Border), further along the Amsterdemseweg in the direction of Oosterbeek. The three British air landing battalions are noted as being at 90% strength.
In contact with the British are three battalions of Kampfgruppe Tettau, a division-sized ad hoc formation comprised of several disparate units. No guidance was given as to the exact composition of these three battalions, so we used a mix of troops based on the historical elements of KG Tettau and their historical deployment in this area. One German battalion is in contact with 2 S Staffs to the northwest. The second battalion is in contact with both the 7 KOSB and 1 Border to the north-northeast. The third battalion is in contact with 1 Border to the northeast. The first battalion is at full strength and the other two are at 2/3 strength. An artillery battalion is in support, and a second artillery battalion will become available at 1200.
All of the British battalions are depicted with counters having values of 2-2-7. Assuming this gives them a total combat value of 6 in the campaign, in the game we gave them an aggregate 5.4 combat value (90% of 6). All of the German battalions are depicted with counters having values of 3-3-7. This gives the Germans a total combat value of 7 (3 + 2 + 2), plus the artillery.
Our total available collection of late war British infantry and airborne figures provided a total of 16 platoons plus supporting units of HMGs, 3″ mortars, and 6-pdr ATGs. This force was just the right size to fit our 14 foot table, giving each platoon an average frontage of about 12 inches along their historical extended perimeter. The total points value of this force (using points from the Flames of War V3 Market Garden book) was a bit over 5000 points.
To have the proper force ratio, we needed about 7,000 points of Germans, which buys a lot of Germans, especially ones who are poorly armed and unmotivated. To make the game more playable and to accommodate a late arriving-player, we included the cost of the artillery in this total, and some of the German forces would arrive later in the game. This also replicated the historical command confusion within KG Tettau!
We thus created these orders of battle for the game:
Orders of Battle:
British: All rated Fearless Veteran
2 S Staffs: Battalion HQ with FO
A Company: Three platoons, with two attached HMGs, mortar platoon, and three 6-pdr ATGs (two in ambush)
B Company: Three Platoons with two attached HMGs and one 6-pdr ATG
7 KOSB: Battalion HQ with FO
A Company: Three platoons, with two attached HMGs, mortar platoon, and two 6-pdr ATGs
B Company: Three platoons, with two attached HMGs and two 6-pdr ATGs in ambush
1 Border: Battalion HQ with FO
A Company: Four platoons, with four attached HMGs and mortar platoon
(Only one company was provided to 1 Border due to space limitations of the table, and the presumption that some of the battalion would be concerned with a fourth German battalion that was in contact on their eastern flank.)
German: (Note all the Germans infantry platoons except where noted have nine rifle teams and no LMGs, representing the lack of heavy weapons in these training and rear-area formations.)
KG Eberwein: SS Battalion HQ with FO (rated Fearless Veteran as these troops were drawn from SS NCO schools)
1 Kompanie: Three SS platoons with two attached HMGs, mortar platoon
2 Kompanie: Three SS platoons with two attached HMGs
KG Krafft: SS Battalion HQ with FO with platoon of four Stuka zu Fuss rocket-armed halftracks. Fearless Veteran
1 Kompanie: Two SS platoons with two attached HMGs, mortar platoon
2 Kompanie: Two SS platoons with two attached HMGs, HMG platoon with two HMGs (note this was supposed to be a platoon of two 20mm AA guns but we forgot to bring the models!)
Kriegsmarine (KM): (These troops operated in Kompanies with 17 rifle teams). HQ with FO. Reluctant Trained
1 Battalion: KM Battalion HQ and two Kompanies with four attached HMGs
2 Battalion: KM Battalion HQ and two Kompanies with four attached HMGs
Artillery Battalion 1: (off-board in support of KM)
One 15.0 cm. battery
Two 10.5 cm. batteries
Herman Goering Training and Replacement Battalion (HG): LW Battalion HQ with FO. Arrive Turn 5. Confident Trained
1 Kompanie: Three LW platoons with two attached HMGs, and two Quad-20mm AA halftracks
2 Kompanie: Two LW platoons with two attached HMGs
Panzer-Abteilung 224: (14 Flammpanzer Char Bs that historically supported this attack). Arrive Turn 5 Confident Trained
PLT 1: Three tanks (supporting KG Eberwein)
PLT 2: Four tanks (supporting KG Krafft)
PLT 3: Three tanks (supporting KM)
PLT 4: Four tanks (supporting HG)
Artillery Battalion 2: (off-board in support of HG). Available Turn 5.
One 15.0 cm. battery
Two 10.5 cm. batteries
Terrain: The attached photo shows the map we made depicting the historical terrain in this area. The Neder Rijn River runs along the short southern edge of the table. Next to the river (to the NW) is the town of Hellum. To the east of Hellum, a tree-lined stream flows into the river and an open field is across the stream. The open heath of LZ Z separates Hellum from the town of Wolfheze in the center of the table. Wolfheze is surrounded by a belt of woods. To the east of LZ Z and Wolfheze, the stream flows from its source near the Wolfheze Hotel, and beyond it is a large forest all the way to the British baseline on the eastern edge of the table. North of Wolfheze and the forest, a railway running from west to east bisects the table. The railway borders the open heath of LZ S (to the west) and LZ L (to the east), both bounded on the north by the Amsterdamseweg highway and some woods. Covering the entire northern end of the table is another large area of forest, with some open fields. The table size is 14 X 5 feet.
Objectives: The Germans are trying to penetrate or turn the southern flank of the British position. At the same time, the Germans are trying to capture or contest LZ S and LZ L. LZ L is of particular importance because it is the designated drop zone for future supply drops. The Germans are also trying to reduce the British perimeter in general, pushing it to the east toward Oosterbeek. The British are trying to hold their ground and protect LZ L. Both sides are also trying to cause maximum casualties to the other, while minimizing their own casualties.
British Deployment: We used the campaign map to determine initial deployment. The British set up first, and we ruled that each battalion must deploy units in its marked location and could also place units in any empty hex within their counter’s zone of control on the campaign map. Accordingly, 2 S Staffs set up with A Company occupying the buildings of Hellum, with one ATG guarding the bridge over the stream, and the mortar platoon dug in behind the stream. Two ATGs were in ambush near Hellum. B Co. 2 S Staffs dug in behind the stream as far as the Wolfheze Hotel, with one ATG guarding the bridge near the hotel, and one platoon in reserve. A Co. 7 KOSB deployed one platoon in Wolfheze. The second platoon dug in across LZ S, with the third platoon, two ATGs and the mortar platoon in support to their rear. B Co. 7 KOSB set up to defend the woods around the intersection of the Wolfhezersweg and Amsterdamseweg roads, with two ATGs in ambush, and one platoon linking with 1 Border on the right. 1 Border set up in the woods forward of the Amsterdamseweg, blocking the approaches to LZ L from the north. The British deployment was largely dictated by the campaign, and their position was very extended, with only a few local reserves.
German Deployment: The campaign map also determined German deployment, with additional guidance drawn from the historical account. KG Eberwein agressively advanced one company toward Hellum and the second company toward Wolfheze. KG Krafft tentatively advanced one company through the woods toward the Amsterdamseweg crossroads, holding back the second company. The Kriegsmarines were even more tentative, only advancing one company through the forest to engage 1 Border. The KM were hoping their artillery support would soften up 1 Border, but the limited observation into the woods made it very difficult to hit the dug in defenders. The late-arriving HG battalion was split between Hellum and Wolfheze, and the Flammpanzers were divided among all four German groups.
Action at Hellum: The first KG Eberwein company immediately ran into trouble. Accurate small arms and mortar fire took a heavy toll as the SS advanced toward the town, and their first attempts at assaulting were halted by defensive fire. The SS called in their own mortar support, and managed to take the first row of houses, but they were taking losses at a 2-to-1 ratio. At 1200, a platoon of three Flammpanzers arrived and were ambushed by two 6-pdr ATGs. Two tanks were destroyed, and the third withdrew. One small company of the HG Luftwaffe battalion was committed to the battle for Hellum. This company assaulted and eliminated the ATGs, and took the second row of houses, but also suffered heavy casualties. By the end of the game, the remnants of A Company, 2 S Staffs had defeated the remnants of the KG Eberwein company and the HG company, breaking both German companies. 2 S Staffs were left holding the town with only a handful of survivors after this intense combat.
Action at Wolfheze: The SS NCO trainees of KG Eberwein’s second company also found trouble at Wolfheze. After occupying the woods in front of the town, the SS started taking heavy casualties from the town’s defenders and fires coming from LZ S. One SS platoon assaulted the town. A prolonged melee destroyed half a platoon on both sides before the Germans cracked first, leaving 7 KOSB still holding around the Sanitarium. An advance by one platoon of B Company, 2 S Staffs caused further harm to the SS and the attack on the town was stalled. At 1200 four Flammpanzers and the larger company of the HG battalion arrived, along with the support of an artillery battalion. These additional forces were enough to renew the attack on Wolfheze with unstoppable force, and the defending platoon was eliminated. 2 S Staffs shifted to contain the German advance near the hotel. The capture of Wolfheze would affect the course of the overall battle.
Action at LZ S: The remainder of A Co. 7 KOSB were never directly threatened on LZ S. The Germans were apparently hesitant about advancing across open ground into a strong defense. The defenders of LZ S provided mortar support to the actions on their flanks, but saw little actual combat. However, the capture of Wolfheze on their left, and adverse events along the Amsterdamseweg on their right would leave the defenders of LZ S in a very precarious position.
Actions along the Amsterdamseweg: B Co. 7 KOSB saw little action at the crossroads as the battle started. KG Krafft cautiously advanced only one SS company though the forest into contact. After 1200 the action heated up considerably, as four Flammpanzers started slowly driving down the highway, flaming the defenders along the route. KG Krafft then made a big push with both SS companies, and began to successfully assault the 7 KOSB defenders who were left pinned in the wake of the flame attacks. 7 KOSB would manage to fall back a short distance and make a stand, but a dangerous gap was created between 7 KOSB and 1 Border.
Further along the Amsterdamseweg, the Kriegsmarine attack also gained impetus when three Flammpanzers arrived to support them at 1200. The KM then committed their three remaining infantry companies, giving them a 3-to-1 manpower advantage over the men of 1 Border. 1 Border successfully halted several attempted assaults by the raw troops of the KM, but their left flank platoon had been weakened by the constant German bombardment, and this is where the crack appeared. When the three Flammpanzers reached the highway, they were ambushed by two 6-pdr ATGs, but only lost one tank. The remaining two tanks eliminated the ATGs, and then proceeded to attack 1 Border, in conjunction with KG Krafft and the KM. 1 Border lost their left flank platoon, and the British perimeter was broken.
Aftermath: At that point we had to call the game, after four hours of play and ten turns (representing 3.5 hours of campaign time). The British left flank at Hellum was secure, although only held with a weak force. The British center in the woods near the hotel would soon be under pressure once the Germans resumed their advance from Wolfheze. On their right, the British position was broken. The remaining troops of 7 KOSB and 1 Border would have to beat a hasty retreat across LZ L and regroup in the forest behind the railway. Both battalions would undoubtedly take additional casualties as they crossed the open heath. Over the next few turns, the Germans would capture LZ S, occupy the woods north of LZ L and could begin advancing across LZ L. However, at 1500 the British will be saved (if the campaign proceeds historically) when the second lift is dropped on Ginkel Heath (off table behind German lines to the NW). This airdrop historically was of great concern to the Germans who quickly withdrew from the combat around LZ L to confront the new threat behind them.
- TJ