A Bridge quite close....(near Surbiton actually !)

On Sunday a group of seven met at the SHED to play a game based on a ficticious engagement fought during Operation Market Garden. With three aside and Captain V umpiring the scene was set for some hard WW2 action.

Scale: 15mm
Rules: Homebrew set  (similar to crossfire)
Terrain: All scratchbuilt except trees and manor house
Figures: Variety of sources


By extending my existing table we managed to field a game across fifteen feet by five - this included three villages, two rivers and three key bridges.

The German had to hold the crossing in the west (there is a bridge just below village in picture), and secure the two bridges in the east - you might be able to make out the river in the distance.

The Paras held the Northern Villages (far left of picture) and the Manor House (right) - At some point in time an allied armoursed column would enter from the west.

Map of battle...

Given that I was commanding the SS at Western Edge of the table (closer to the house - I was afterall the host and tea,coffee, bacon sarnies and pizza were all in demand) the focus of this write up will be on this end of the battle.

Turn 1: The Paras in the Manor advanced....just before the battle looked very peaceful....

and aerial reconaissance revealed no activity....

Think....This would be a cool way of building game maps...

Paras advancing on the Western Village....

the red disc indicates a unit under fire and suppressed...

A bloody firfight erupted in the hamlet with both sides taking casualties....German SS Stormtroopers fire back....

Meanwhile the Germans advanced on the far bridges only to be held up by minefields, anti tank guns and stiff Polish resolve....

6lb in action - ovrer;looking central hamlet - this made short work of the German armour.

The heavily fortified church, minefield and fast river all prevented the first company of Germans from securing their objectives.

Despite armoured support the 2nd Company of German regulars crossed the river but just could not seize the town...

Allied reinforcements were landed regularly at the landing zone.....white paper denotes parachutes

Unknown to the Allies were the SS armoured units hidden in the woods to the North of the west village. However these vehicles were out of ammo and fuel. A frantic dash by a German supply column through the village - under fire lead to 75% of this force becoming available. A fortunate smoke barrage blocked the Allied line of sight.

Things were getting desparate for the Germans - no headway was being made in the centre and the east.

Allied paratroopers were everywhere with spotters directing accurate artillery fire....I love ther way the this figure appears to be looking around the roof ! One of those chance photos.

The German armour finally began to move....first the MK1Vs moving into the village....

But the Panther - believe it or not got stuck in the road - two ones (dice) in succession bogged down the tank in the worse position possible....

With German forces stuck in the centre, losing close assaults to determined polish paratroopers and the imminent arrival of the allied armoured column - defeat was staring the Germans in the face. Real time was also an issue - after 7 hours of real time dice rolling, lots of banter and too many cups of tea (plus a few beers) the game closed with an Allied major victory.

Mentioned in Despatches....

Captain V for a great scenario....

Mr Waitrose for giving me such a hard time in the West village - some of our dice rolls were phenomenal - to get 3 kills from one Heavy MG in the first round I though I had you beaten.

Mr History - well done for holding the allied flank in the East - your placement of the minefield transformed the game...!

To the Mr Fireman & Son  - well one of you got across the river and the other tried valiantly

Heroes all...