1200 Sep 17, 1944 (played 2011-06-23)

INTRODUCTION

We are playing Highway to the Reich, 2nd ed. (c)SPI 1977.  This is our third attempt at this game in 2011.  First we tried the Landing of the 1st Airborne scenario.  After a few turns, we thought we had the rules down, so we decided to move on to the main event.  Over the course of three months, we managed to play through the end of Turn 12.  At that point, we had discovered and/or realized that we had made so many mistakes that any future results would be meaningless.  SO...  Now that we really do know the rules, we are starting afresh.
- Allied Player, Dave
-German Player, Steve

SETUP

Pre-Game Flak suppression was very successful.  All of the Flak units on Maps D & C were disrupted, as were the two units in the Grave area.  Unfortunately, only half of the Flak units on the Maas-Waal Canal and in Nijmegen were disrupted.  The Flak in the Arnhem area isn't really in play at this time.

South end of Maas-Waal Canal

North end of Maas-Waal Canal

XXX Corps (Map D)

The basic philosophy of the Allied Player (me, Dave) is "What would Patton do?".  Consequently, we are not using the Optional Rule regarding the five hex front limited to the main road.  And I am un-historically kicking off the assault 4 hours early, prior to the completion of the pre-attack barrage.  Since I can't leave travel mode until Turn 3 (1600), this is risky and possibly even stupid.  But you don't win battles by sitting on your ass, so CHARGE!  I have the 15*19ii Battalion? on the west flank,

the 5th Armored Brigade of the Guards Armored division in the center

and the Welsh Guards Battalion? of the Guards Armored division on the east flank.

Note that all units in the three pictures above are in travel mode.  I left the markers off for these photos, so that the units could be identified.

The German Player may not destroy bridges before Phase 13 (2nd Allied Conditional Movement)(according to our interpretation of the rules), so the GA division pushed forward without knowing if the bridges behind them would still be there at the end of the Turn.  As it turned out, the only bridge destroyed on the Meuse-Escaut Canal was the one on the west flank.  Most of the 15*19ii Battalion is cut off, and will remain so until I can get the bridge repaired.  The German Player (Steve) elected to pull back the units defending the canal in this sector after the Allied units crossed the bridge.

West flank at the end of Turn 1

The infiltration of the German entrenched positions by the 5/GA brigade seems to be working.  They only suffered one casualty and are close to cutting off the southern-most German positions held by 2iii Ind.  The un-entrenched German units in the center are retreating in an orderly fashion to the road behind the 2nd line of entrenchments.

Center, north of the Start Line at the end of Turn 1

The Welsh Guards are across the canal in force and Steve elected to retreat some of the German units on the east flank allowing the capture of two entrenchments without combat.

West flank at the end of Turn 1

101st Airborne (Map C)

The 101st landed without casualties or scatter.  The German SS tank units in Eindhoven moved to cover the Wilhelmina Canal crossings.

Area between Best and Zon at the end of Turn 1

82nd Airborne (Map B)

The 82nd landed without casualties or scatter.  Some German units occupied the high ground overlooking the Drop Zones.

South end of 82nd Airborne drop zone at the end of Turn 1

Arnhem (Map A)

This got real ugly, real fast.  The 1st Air Landing Brigade of the 1st Airborne Division landed without scatter, but the 1AL/1 HQ and 1AL/1 Eng company suffered losses during landing.

1AL Drop Zone at the end of Turn 1

The 1st Parachute Brigade landed N and NE of Oosterbeek.  The 3rd Battalion scattered into the nearby Forest and was disrupted.

KG Kraft was sandwiched between the 1st AL and 1st Para Brigades and elected to retreat west.  OKW HQ (Model) was in an even worse predicament in Oosterbeek and exited at a high rate of speed (Travel mode) even further west.  The 9th SS tanks north of Arnhem reacted forcefully to block the entry points into Arnhem and put the disrupted units of the 1st Para at risk.

Arnhem area at the End of Turn 1

This concluded play for the day.  We began the day with about 1 and 1/2 hours of setup, then played all of Turn 1 in approximately 3 and 1/2 hours, which might be the fastest we have ever played.