A Bridge Too Far

[Smiley Miley 66]

Thanks i will compare that with information i already have.
But like i said for the moment, i am now dealing with Beachhead, and working out the tanks we need for the game. So with Xmas, the 3 weeks of work after( hate this !) The month beforehand getting the (hopefully) models made for the event.

[Leslie BT]

So now we are into a new year, Happy New Year, Belle et Heureuse Annee Deuxmille Dix Neuf.
Where are the outlines for the big WW2 game this year, Is there a list of troops required, of terrain required, special features required?

Is it still Arnhem or is it now Stalingrad?

Beachhead is planned and done.

[Leslie BT]

How are the requirements for the game coming along.

Are the dates Friday 20, Saturday 21, Sunday 22 September still the ones that are booked.

What is the programme for the 15mm players for the three days?

[Colonel Kilgore]

The "missing" order of battle from Mr Beevor's Arnhem book is available online here:

http://www.antonybeevor.com/order-of-battle-operation-market-garden/

It looks to be pretty comprehensive (it's certainly long!): I wonder whether the printers were supposed to include it and somehow forgot.

Anyway, it's hopefully going to be useful for this year's game.

[Smiley Miley 66]

Thats a more comprehensive list to the other one you gave us a while back.
I was thinking that it might be better to do certain parts of the Hells Highway. The battle over the Son Bridge ? I found a lovely 1/87th Bailey Bridge. The Battle of Helmond, Easy company and 11th Armoured division (episode 4 BofB) Stewarts crossing of Waal river and another battle ? Paras at Arnhem Bridge itself ? Or where ever ?
As this Gold Beach game has taken a lot more of my time than i ever anticapated....
We need to put on some games for the weekend(s) in June and September at Entoyment.
As we need to put on 2 games at Entoyment for June (DDay) weekend. Colin, myself and Micheal have Gold Beach, we will need some more players to play the game, Stewart was thinging about a Peagus Brudge tyoe game. I was thinking maybe a Villers Bocage game for the next day ? Across 2 PBI tables ? The British defending and the Germans attacking ? The British units woukd be on the table but you bring them up to strenght in the normal  reinforcement phase ? All British forces woukd be Motorised !  But as Wittman travels down the table he might "shoot off" chuncks of your force if your too slow bringing them too the table ?
The Germans woukd also have Reinforcements turns like the defender as we know their forces didnt all arrive at once ? So it woukd be a race to see who can bring their forces up to "full" strenght the quickest ?

[Colonel Kilgore]

Miles,

Glad you liked the Beevor Order of Battle - it looked good to me!

Thanks for all these PBI thoughts too. A few comments / thoughts of my own:

- as we saw with the Ardennes event, a 2-"day" game, with something happening (reinforcement arrival, progression onto a new table, etc.) on the second game-time day can work well and is fun - your plan for Villers-Bocage sounds good!
- the Market Garden bridges could look spectacular, but will take up a lot of table space, when we're generally concerned about action at one end or the other (or both!)
- a Hell's Highway "duck-shoot" game might work well - do you stop and risk getting blown up and blocking the road while dealing with ever-reinforced Germans, or do you try and escape towards Arnhem at the far end of the (long?) table?
- a scenario around Frost's battlegroup in Arnhem itself should be fun


Incidentally, I stumbled across this detailed online Villers-Bocage write-up, by Major General Michael Reynolds:

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/disaster-at-villers-bocage-wittmanns-tigers-vs-the-desert-rats/

Might be helpful?

[Sean Clark]

Can any one remember the Market Garden game put on by I think the Ponders End group using an older version of PBI. Martin took part I think. XXX corps being passed from table to table aiming to get the end table where Arnhem bridge was. I think there was a problem with the amount of terrain on each table.

[Smiley Miley 66]

The Gold Beach game and the tank building for it has taken a lot longer than anticapated. So what i was hoping to present as a game for the Arnhem game has been chopped. As it needed 6 months of my full attention. Also DDay commitments have come up as well. As Entoyment are going to do a games weekend for for both events. To be confirmed.
Gold Beach( over 2 tables) game and Peter wants an after invasion game. So Villers Bocage(over 2-3 tables)(as this is relatively easy to set up and do).
Arnhem i was thinking Battle of Son (Zon)Bridge (over 2 tables), newly constructed Bailey Bridge. I found a lovey 1/87th Bailey Bridge you can buy. Also Easy Company and elements of 11 Armoured division at the Battle of Neunen, both would make ecelent PBI games leaving space for a couple of other games a long the corridor of Hells Highway and beyond
Stewarts River crossing ? Martins Arnhem Bridge ? Nijmegen Bridge crossing ?

[Stewart 46A]

Hi Miles, I was going to help you with hells high way if I am free, to far ahead to say if I am working or not.

[Smiley Miley 66]

I am not abandoning Hells Highway as such. But very much duming it down. To a series of managable little games that can be played over that weekend in September. Because in reality we would have need 16-20 players for my orginal idea, where as we would only need about 6 on any given day for these games i propose which is a realistic target. Also these games would also include things that most people have right now rather than buildind a load of extras.
I ve now come across to Bailey Bridge models that would make the "newly" constructed bridge. Then i would have to make a canal/river section to put along the board but every thing else i know i got or could get hold of. 
Plus we can keep these games more to a normal PBI game, without having to have too many "house" rules to contol them, even though they will be probaly be up 800 points each rather than the normal 400, but over 2=3 tables each.
Example the Battle of Nuenen will involve about 6 British tanks with supporting  British troops and Easy compay, against up to about 6 panthers plus supporting troops and local guards in prepared defences.
The Son Bridge game would be roughly similar forces, as it was the same panthers that went on to attack the bridge after the battle with Easy company !
These 2 games are only good examples of what can be done thst woukd look good, play well and are easily put together with what is too hand given the time.
Same with the River crossing game that you (Stewart) wants to put on ! We can use the Hammering Iron mats for that, and get Martin to cast a few boats for us in resin or metal ?
I know Martin was keen on doing an Arnhem bridge type game, its not impossible, hard work over the next few months but not impossible.

[Stewart 46A]

Ok, I have an Airfix bridge, I may have found some boats that would do, how many would you want for the assult?

[martin goddard]

All those ideas sound good Miles. This shoaled be good to see.

Hope i did not give the impression i was going to make an Arnhem bridge.  That would be very wrong. it would be difficult scenery piece to use again.
If someone else makes an Arnhem bridge I will happily play the game though.

If you split the highway game into smaller games that is a good idea.
I would suggest that you list the smaller actions.

Then get  people to volunteer for which one they would run.
This might prevent 2 of the same game or an overlap with what Peter at Entoyment has already booked in (Is it published what other groups are doing? What other groups are involved? Is Peter himself organising it or someone else?)).
If you do that, gamers can get on with the job without you needing to supply troops, terrain and associated materials?

[Wardy64]

Guys, I am happy to have a go at building an Arnhem Bridge, something like War games Illustrated did in Feb 2010. I have time on my hands at the moment so let me know?

Wardy

[martin goddard]

If you build it we will come.

[Wardy64]

Will give it a go, not promising a art work, but will be playable.

Wardy