Highway to the Reich 2011: Turn 004 - 1800 Sep 17, 1944 (played 2011-07-28)

OVERVIEW of Turn 004

The only remaining special rule is that all of the Allied paratroopers are automatically in supply until the end of this turn.

The XXX Corps advance continued while the fight near Best intensified and a new struggle developed near Grave.

XXX Corps (Map D)

On the west (left) flank, the Germans continued their slow and steady withdrawal. The Allies used the space created by the first German movement phase to pull out the 15*19 independent tank regiment and replace it with the 32nd Infantry Brigade of the Guards Armored division.

In the center and east, a couple more German units were eliminated by the massed fire of the Guards Armored divisional artillery. This created a larger gap that sped up the pace of advance and infiltration. As the infiltration continued, the Germans withdrew the remaining mobile units in the third row of entrenchments to the last row, leaving behind a single static Flak unit in the second row to stem the tide. That unit was eliminated by fire in the Allied Free Fire Phase. The Turn ended with the Allies regrouping and moving forward in preparation for an attack on the last entrenchment directly on the highway.

On the east flank (right), the Welsh Guards tank regiment took advantage of the gaps created by artillery and advanced up to the retreating German paratroopers. In the pictures below, you can see the 15*19 Regiment, that started the Turn on the east flank, in Travel Mode moving in behind the Welsh Guards.

Behind the lines, German units moved to create new strong-points to delay the Allied advance.

32nd Guards Infantry brigade takes over in the west

Guards Armored advance in the center and east

German build-up in Eindhoven

Map D - Start Line to Eindhoven at the end of Turn 4

101st Airborne (Map C)

With the main highway bridge blown at Zon and the crossings secured at Veghel, all of the action centered around the German counterattack towards the 101st's drop zone. The Americans finally destroyed the last German Flak unit in the Broken hex on the south end of the German line and used their numerical superiority to infiltrate the German positions, forcing them to pull back. Heavy casualties were inflicted by both sides with the Americans losing at least 6 Strength Points and the Germans losing their Artillery and Heavy Weapons units plus some damage on their only Headquarters.

The battle near Best

Map C - Hell's Highway from Eindhoven to Veghel at the end of Turn 4

82nd Airborne (Map B)

While the 505th Regiment patrolled the drop zone and the reduced 508th regiment crossed the highway bridge at Nijmegen, the 1st and 2nd batallions of the 504th tried desperately, and unsuccessfully, to eliminate the Flak unit in Grave before a large counter-attack exploded in front of them.

The 505/82 Regiment enjoys peace and quiet in the drop zone

The calm before the storm at Grave

Map B - Grave to Nijmegen at the end of Turn 4

1st Airborne / Arnhem (Map A)

Another relatively quiet turn in the North. The only combat was the destruction of KG Kraftt via artillery and direct fire, followed by a Close Assault. After that attack, the units of the Air Landing Brigade rushed to their positions on the front line north of Arnhem. The Germans advanced towards Arnhem from the northeast.