CMBN AAR Cut off at Kovering What If

 Re-opening Hell's Highway - a counterfactual scenario

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This AAR has been a Sisyphean task and long overdue. I shan't waste time with lengthy introductions or life updates, because this one is going to grab a lot of white space as it is. The scenario is "Cut off Kovering What If", which shipped with the Market Garden module. I imagine many of you never played it due to the sheer, intimidating, size of it. 

The scenario is largely historical; there was a scrap at the Logtenburger Bos, at this time, for roughly the same purpose, with roughly these forces. The main difference between this scenario and reality is that an armoured kampfgruppe (which in reality was counterattacking elsewhere), has side-slipped west to provide much needed support to these blocking positions. 

So, to briefly set the scene: it is either the 24th or 25th of September, 1944. After successfully defending Eerde and its sand dunes from several attacks, the 101st Airborne find that the enemy have managed to infiltrate into forested terrain and establish strong blocking positions astride Hell's Highway, once again severing the much-needed supply line to the armoured spearhead formed by XXX Corps. I think, for most readers, the implications of this are self-explanatory.  The road must be re-opened, and American parachute units that can be spared to counterattack, do so. In reality, the attacks were piece-meal and pell-mell, but this scenario puts us into a more deliberate scenario. Like in reality, we are supported by elements of 44 Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), some divisional artillery from a British armoured division and medium howitzers from an Army Group Royal Artillery (ARGA). We also have elements of a 'Route Security Detachment' formed from a British motor battalion and armoured recce regiment. The majority of the force is assembled in a very small space, though some elements are yet to arrive. 

The AAR will be divided into three parts:

1. The initial break in to the forest;
2. Actions on the initial objectives; and
3. The push south.

I will provide rough times in the section titles, so a reader can have an idea of the scale of time in which the described actions occur. However, I have never done 'minute-by-minute' AARs, I'm not a fan of them for singleplayer scenarios.

Friendly Forces: 

In short: I have the equivalent of a strong brigade group; 3 battalions of airborne infantry with all their organic weapons, a full squadron of armour and a company of mechanized infantry. All supported by, in addition to battalion-level mortars, 8x25lb "Sexton" artillery and 4x5.5inch medium Howitzers. This puts my total force at just under 2000 men. 

Additionally, a group of drivers have taken cover in the eponymous hamlet of Kovering, after their convoy of supply vehicles was shot-up by enemy small arms and cannon fire. 

Enemy Forces

As has been the situation all up and down the supply route, the enemy forces arrayed against us are  likely a rogue's gallery of ad-hoc units thrown together to sever the route between SON-EINDHOVEN-VEGHEL, et cetera, et cetera. 

What we know of the particular unit in front of us, is that it is a battle group based around the nucleus of the 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment. Hardened veterans of Normandy, mauled as they may be by the breakout and pursuit of July and August, they will be formidable defenders. Other than that, we have no real idea of their strength or dispositions, beyond "in the woods", presumably in an all-around defence. It is suspected they are supported by assault guns and 88mm dual purpose guns. 

Fighting is occurring to the east, off map, in the direction of Logtenberg. Any reinforcements the enemy may receive are likely to come from my left flank. 

Scheme of Manoeuvre and Terrain

Present and to hand immediately is the entirety of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Across the road, G company of 3/501PIR is present and ready to receive orders. The promised Squadron of the 44RTR has not yet arrived, save for a single troop with G company. On the left flank, I can shortly expect the 1/506 to arrive a company at a time. Two platoons of the route security unit, dismounted, are on the extreme right flank. They will stay there until further notice, screening and observing. Artillery is already on call.

The terrain is, almost without variation, largely flat. There is a barely perceptible slope rising up from our line of departure to the south, but it is negligible and it means I will be exposed to the enemy from the word "go." Agricultural land defines the area of operations and few, if any, obstacles separate fields. There are occasional fences, and even less frequently, low hedges. The best 'cover' of any note are wheat fields, which may hide the advance of our men in this early fall weather. In addition to the ready-to-harvest wheat, these fields are almost universally dotted with hay bales. These might provide some illusion of hard cover. 

The view from the right flank of the start line

Two things are immediately apparent: I don't have a scrap of substantial cover, and my forces are packed into a very tight space. This is a potential recipe for disaster. The plan is basically to get up and go. There's little time for any real finesse in the circumstances. Artillery will have to 'shoot' me onto the objective. What little innovation there is to imbue into my initial movement will come from my fire plan. While the entire near-side of the treeline will be hit by mortar fire (including consolidated 60mm fire), the heaviest concentration will come along the north west and south west side of the forest. A thick smoke screen will also be laid across the majority of the treeline, to allow my men to deploy along the low hedge in relative peace. 

The scheme, therefore:

• D and F Co, 506th, to push towards Logtenburger Bos. F Co to assault the treeline to its front and, if possible advance towards the centre of the forest (a clearing with a junction of footpaths). D Co to attack via the wheatfield and secure the NW objective.
• G/501 to swing left and provide fire support to D Co's attack. Any flanking fire they may take whilst making this move will be dealt with by attached MGs, armour.
• 1/506 and 3/501 to, upon arrival, operate in conjunction with expected armour to carry on the attack to the southern objectives. 
• E/506, in reserve, to carry through secured positions to secure final objectives, if possible. 

I have kept it deliberately loose based on the fact that I possess basically no intelligence on the enemy dispositions, asides from the knowledge an enemy is ensconced in an all-around defence . This turns out to be a fortuitous decision, as I basically have to modify the roles of D and F companies almost as soon as the shooting begins, typical! 

The ground G/501 must advance over

The open ground E/506 is to attack and exploit over, or so it is hoped

Part 1: Breaking into the Bos (0900-0914 hours)

As soon as the battle commences, spot reports flood in of StuG IIIs and 88mms in the treeline. Prepositioned machineguns from battalion headquarters put the latter under fire. From the get-go, there is a loud, violent exchange of fire, abated only by the timely arrival of the scheduled artillery support. The battle, as so often the case in infantry-centric efforts, opens with the voice of the guns. 

In a short amount of time the treeline is smothered by the combined fires, dust from explosions mingling with the deliberate smoke from the 25lbers. As so often is the case with such awe-inspiring barrages, however, their practical effect doesn't necessarily match the spectacle. At the edges of the artillery beaten zone, the enemy dust themselves off and get to work laying into F/506, who are driven back to the start line with losses. As can be expected, the MG fire is heavy and accurate.

Already, the initial scheme is in tatters. F company's woes increase, as what seems to be the enemy's own pre-planned artillery begins impacting among them. 

The enemy's spoiling artillery fire is not limited to F company, as rounds impact along D company's route of advance. This fire compels D to temporarily fall back as well, and they slip to the right a platoon at a time to advance past the artillery, whilst the smoke begins to build and obscure them from accurate small arms fire. Not all aspects of the plan are off the rails, however: the reinforced G company, with tanks and a section of MMGs in tow, have reached their positions unmolested and begin hammering the left flank of the enemy positions. This should ease D/506's entry into the treeline, despite the artillery interruption. 

The actual plan in action

The main effort now falls to G/501 and D/506. F Company has managed to reorganise itself along the start line and can, once the smoke thins, give fire across the slight reverse slope to their front. This should at least keep some heads down as D and G companies' attacking platoons break in and roll up the enemy's left flank, but they are otherwise unable to press forward.

This isn't strictly speaking ideal. I was hoping to keep the supply route as a dividing line between 3/501 and 2/506 and I am worried that it will create an administrative nightmare later on in the battle, and a rich target for enemy artillery, as companies find themselves stacked upon one another. The scale of the scenario is large enough that such considerations must be taken into account, and would otherwise be beyond the scale of the simulation. 

G/501 is a particularly beefy combat team and its reinforcing armour and MGs help it gain fire superiority over a series of enemy positions in the north west objective. The firefight, at this point, is one-sided. The enemy is still reeling from the artillery and his return fire is negligible. Positions that dare to fire are rapidly put out of action by the accompanying Shermans. Fortuitously, an 88m sited over the wheat field D/506 is advancing through is one of the victims of this covering fire. 

As the barrage is lifted to avoid fratricide, inbound fire remains  light - a good sign. Indeed, the advancing paratroopers spot glimpses of their counterparts falling back into the woods proper. Many other fighting positions, however, remain intact and gamely fight on from their foxholes. The enemy is clearly much reduced, however, and the balance of G/501 is able to commit itself to a close assault as a result. 

Elements of G company press forward to attack.

G company engaging, with effect.

At the same time the lead platoon of D/506 has gotten close enough to fight, launching a standard attack on-line against remaining enemy in foxholes. The smoke begins to dissipate just as the lead platoon of D company breaks into the NW objective. Further behind them, asides from ongoing mortar fire, the rest of the company takes no further fire. The assaulting platoon of D/506 report a satisfying number of German casualties in the artillery beaten zone. There is a bit of fighting for D/506, but it generally involves short, sharp firefights with die-hards in individual foxholes.

Further south, G/501 continues to roll up the defences, wheeling to the south. This gets them moving towards the SW objective. Their entire route of attack remains visible to the original base of fire established at the treeline across Hell's Highway and under this covering fire they make short work of the line of foxholes. Over the next several minutes the 3rd platoon storms forward in short rushes, one foxhole at a time.

At this time A/506, the lead company of the reinforcing battalion, has arrived. They come under immediate fire and are shot up quite badly by enemy machineguns that are no longer masked by smoke or suppressed by artillery. The men break towards a wooden fence and a small group of trees near the original line of departure, desperate for any cover. Adding to their woes, StuGs lob some HE into the huddled masses for good measure. 

However, also arriving shortly after A/506 is the remainder of B/44RTR. They quickly confer with the lead troopers and motor into decent battle positions - you'll recall that my deployment area was in a slight downhill depression, providing just enough for partial hull downs. The StuGs shoot first, but miss high. The Squadron leader and his "fighting HQ" are able to identify two of the StuGs and slam a round into each, causing them to retreat.

The unfortunate StuGs' retreat takes it onto the small footpath just south of the initial treeline, and one of them expose its side to the riflemen of D/506 who are consolidating and mopping up on the NW objective. M1 rifle grenades make a rare, competent appearance, immobilizing the StuG.

With the intervention of the Shermans and their weaponry, F company and 2/506's MG platoon begin to gain fire superiority. The situation is reaching a point where I can begin a more broad advance; D/506 has begun to wheel to their left (the East), to roll up the defences in the treeline, and G/501, despite light mortars impacting on the covering units, are beginning to cross the road in force and prepare for an attack on the SW objective. We have broken into the Bos, in relative strength, and have created the ever-needed space for some freedom of action. 

Light mortars impact among elements of G/501. Accurate and flexible enemy mortar fire will be a constant throughout the battle.

Actions on Initial Objectives (0914-0941 hours)

Despite mortars bursting in their rear, the forward elements of G/501 break into the SW objective, and get sucked into a vicious grenade duel with the German occupants of several foxholes. In such close quarters the heavier squad weapons of both sides are much reduced in effectiveness; visibility is rarely further than fifteen or twenty metres. The engagements, nevertheless, go my way.

Further east, A/506 has managed to reorganise after its hot reception. They begin to push forward again, under the cover fire of F/506 and manoeuvring with supporting armour to engage and defeat the enemy heavy machineguns still in action to their front. All the while, D/506 continues to smash into the flank of this same defence line, with the trailing two platoons having passed through the initial assaulting one. A third StuG is taken in the flank by this attack and overwhelmed in a close assault. 

Note the satchel charge being tossed, highlighted

A/506's advance forward is a start-stop affair. As a platoon or two gets up to advance after silencing a position, a new one opens up. The overwatching armour and their coax do yeoman's work against any position that unmasks. A pair of infantry guns, positioned just back from the edge of the treeline, require a volley of high explosives to finally silence. The frontal firepower, coupled with the assault out of the NW objective, begins to unravel the stubborn enemy defence.

Fire superiority is gained

D/506, much like G company to the south, engage in a series of blistering grenade duels with the German Fallshcrimjager. Here too, the engagements are point blank. Eventually, D wheels to the right, orienting to the south, engaging and defeating enemy stragglers that had earlier fallen back into the heart of the forest. 

Elements of D/506 exchanges grenades with the enemy

Then turn south, pursuing enemy remnants

All the while, more reinforcements arrive. Like A company, B and C/506 find themselves under fire as soon as they arrive. Instead of machineguns, however, they enter amidst a pair of punishing mortar barrages.

B/506 is punished before they could spread out effectively. They take multiple casaulties.

To the west, the remainder of 3/501 also arrives on the field. H and I company arrive in an absolutely disastrous formation, which takes considerable time to rectify. The intention is to press them forward and sweep towards the objectives of Boerderij Jansen and Hofstee. For now, however, they will organize and remain firm while the fight over the northern edge of Logtenburger Bos is ongoing.

The only other thing of note occurring on the right flank of the battle is a well-directed mortar barrage of our own striking enemy infantry and mortars in the open.

G/501's assault begins to run out of steam when it encounters a pair of 88s on the SW objective that they have trouble outflanking or suppressing. At almost point blank range the guns repel the troopers several times with HE, and small arms fire from supporting foxholes. Soon, heaps of dead and wounded troopers litter the undergrowth and footpath around the gun positions.

G/501's casualties mount, alarmingly fast

G/501 fall back to their toehold in the objective and await their supporting Sherman troop, which was in the process of picking its way forward along the forest path - now possible since the NW objective was cleared. It becomes necessary to engage the stubborn holdouts with the tanks in direct support.

Even then, the Germans sell their lives dearly. One of the 88 crews is successfully kept off the gun by a renewed tank-infantry effort before being destroyed by grenades. Nevertheless, the second gun is better protected by German infantry and a pair of Shermans from the troop attempt to flank it without the support of the now-pinned paratroopers. It appeared to be working, the troop leader keeping the majority of the crew off the gun with his hull MG while his "wingman" moves up to a position where his main gun can actually be brought to bear. To my astonishment (and the tankers' grief), the 88 slowly traverses under this withering fire and manages to knock out the Sherman before they finally succumb to small arms fire from the tatters of G company. Only two British troopers emerge from the stricken tank.

The last stand on the southwest objective

A final attack on a MG42 by G company's leader and a scratch force of his mortarmen, sees all enemy resistance on the objective extinguished. The struggle leaves G/501 completely fought out: squads are either down to a fraction of their strength, on the brink of panic, or running out of ammunition. Some platoons in the company are completely bereft of NCOs. It is, by far, the hardest hit of all the forces in the battle; but they've performed extremely well and account for what I estimate to be a company plus of Fallschirmjäger, if not more. The tired remnants go firm on the objective, adopting a defensive stance, and attend to their dead and wounded. 

D/506, better off in terms of losses but also running extremely low on ammunition, similarly goes firm, having driven the enemy from the northern edge of the treeline. They ultimately are pulled back, to the NW objective. There they remain for the rest of the battle. 

The fighting typical of D/506 in its brief sweep to the south. This type of fighting is point-blank, high in ammunition expenditure and always deadly quick.

The weight of the attack shifts to A/506, who now begin their fight for the NE objective. The objective is isolated by 5.5 inch fire falling on the SE objective in a medium, long pattern. The company, despite its earlier losses, has a much easier run of things than its sister company. The forest cover is not so thick in this area, and they benefit from the overwhelming fire support from the balance of B/44RTR. In short order a platoon from the company is able to slip around the left flank of the enemy positions, overwhelming the enemy paratroopers from the flank and rear.

A/506 assaults the NE part of the Bos under the cover of British fire

Fire and manoeuvre

A/506's assault is so overwhelmingly effective and results in so few casualties that it's 2nd platoon, with a troop of armour, are able to take positions that not only overwatch the SE objective, but the road from Logtenberg proper. While the accompanying armour engages with effect the more exposed enemy positions near the SE objective, bazookas and machineguns set up to help seal off the battlefield from the expected enemy reinforcements - should they, as I suspected at the time, enter from this position.

The action peters out by 0933 hours, as the first three objectives are declared clear. Time is taken to clear casualties and consolidate platoons. The only action that occurs between 0933-0941 hours involves 3/501's machinegun platoon, engaging enemy infantry in the vicinity of the Boerderij Jansen. Enemy mortar fire continues to fall in my rear areas, albeit mercifully without much further effect. 

The MG platoon of 3/501 engages enemy positions, to the west, that they unwittingly discovered as they enter new positions.

The enemy, equally surprised it seems, do not fare well.

By 0941 hours I am comfortable with declaring the entire treeline of the Logtenburger Bos secured, and am eager to carry on with the plan as originally envisioned - getting the balance of 1/506 and 3/501 into action. H & I Companies and the Headquarters company (-) of 3/501 move up to the northern edge of the forest to their front, ready to sweep it for enemy contact before proceeding to the objectives on the far side. 

3/501 (-) moves up to their start line.

In Kovering itself, the stranded transportation troops begin to spot further enemy contact to the west, arrayed along a small hedge/treeline between Anna's Hoeve and Hofstee. The 5.5 inchers give them priority of fire and call down the remainder of their ammunition - it was hoped with devastating
effect.

Cut off but not out of contact, British supply troops in Kovering do well as erstaz observers.

The Push South (0941 Hours - 1010 Hours)

With four fresh rifle companies now on the field and three objectives secured, the second, and final, phase of the action begins. 3/501, as mentioned above, is now committed to action west of Hell's Highway, with an eye to covering the right flank of any push out of the Logtenburger Bos and the securing of Boerderij Janssen and Hofstee. 

The balance of 3/501 get into action.

Again, the terrain does not allow for anything complex nor flashy. H company is ordered to push up on the left, two platoons forward and one in reserve, while I company pushes forward in one long skirmishing line. The engineer platoon is to their rear as a reserve. They will pick their way forward, slowly, engaging any enemy they discover on their sweep in a deliberate manner. As they exit the forest to the South, their further advances will be covered by the prepositioned MG platoon, relieved from its support of G company. 

To the east, B and C company of the 506th will similarly pass through D/506 and advance to the South in line of platoons, sweeping forward. A section of Shermans are assigned to each company, though they will remain bound to the foot paths which criss-cross the forest. A/506 remains firm on the extreme left flank and E/506 remains in ultimate reserve. F/506, which had found itself in a role quite different from what I had envisioned, is nevertheless not fit for further combat. Their losses are relatively low, but their extended role providing cover for A and D companies has left them low on ammunition of all types. 

Things start off well; particularly for C/506, who steam roll over small groups of enemy infantry in hasty fighting positions in the forest. In reality, these are nothing more than stragglers. One of C company's platoons is able to secure the central objective in the Bos with ease, finding it devoid of enemy. The open sightlines provided by the footpaths allow for their accompanying Shermans to engage a handful of poorly concealed fighting positions to the south. 

Things go less well for I/501, on the extreme western edge of this general advance. The right-most platoon get contact with enemy to the south and all appears to be going well at first, with sightlines being just open enough for actual fire and manoeuvre.

Yet, when the attacking fireteams advance, they run into other enemy that had remained undetected in thicker undergrowth. More often than not, the only indication of enemy presence is the bursts of hand grenades among the advancing Americans. Casualties mount alarmingly fast as the rest of I/501 finds itself in similar situation all along its front. The troopers go to ground, spraying wildly at hidden assailants that are mere meters away but completely undetected. Casualties are particularly heavy in I Company's 3rd platoon, in the centre of the company, as they run into an enemy squad deployed abreast of a footpath leading through the woods and towards the Jansen objective. A squad is all but wiped out in the opening firefight and it takes a second platoon and the timely intervention of the company leader to avoid a complete bloodbath. 

This enemy squad proves the single toughest position for 3/501 to overcome during the entire battle. They easily account for 20 of my men and fight with particular tenacity, using the corpses of their comrades as cover. 

A bloody end to a bloody firefight

To the east, the Sexton battery begins to fire a concentration on the SW objective as B and C companies reorganize from their own, local fights. They go firm for now while the artillery softens up any enemy to their front-left. 

As this barrage begins to impact, a group of half-tracks makes a sudden entrance to the east. It is, ultimately, the first of several attempts to reinforce the hard-pressed Fallschirmjäger in the Bos. Over the next twenty or so minutes, what appears to be an enemy tank-infantry team attempts to break into the battle area. A series of short, furious firefights are waged between B/44RTR and supporting anti-tank teams from A/506, and the Panzergrenadiers.

The affair reaches a bloody crescendo when a trio of Panthers make a belated apperance. One is immediately brewed up before it could influence the affair, but the other two surge through the carnage of burning vehicles, despite several punishing penetrating shots. They are able to knock out two Shermans before they are finally destroyed. Its an awe-inspiring display of the Panther's tactical strengths. 

While this drama is playing out, the fire on the SW objective is ultimately lifted and B and C companies resume their advance. 

C company enjoys a particular success when, as two platoons of the company push into a clearing with a small logger's hut, they engage what appears to be an enemy command post. The occupants resist gallantly but cannot contest the sheer amount of fire coming their way. This allows a corporal and several riflemen to rush the house and blow their way in, quickly killing and wounding all the Germans within. Post battle analysis would indeed confirm that the heap of bodies belongs to various headquarters units; the enemy in the Logtenburger Bos is robbed of higher command at a critical junction. 

B company, to the right, fares less well. Like I/501, it begins to take appalling losses as it presses south, and gets locked into a battle against a platoon of German infantry in foxholes deployed at the southern edge of the forest. Even with support of the armour, the affair is bloody. At one point, a successful assault on a foxhole by a fireteam turns to almost instantaneous tragedy when a MG42 in a secondary position makes all the paratroopers fatalities. This type of tit-for-tat fighting defines the rest of the battle for C Company, but the balance of numbers and firepower make a successful assault inevitable. 

B/506's final assault is a confusing, bloody action

Finally, to the west, I company's left most platoons finally overcome the bloody resistance to their front. The platoon on the right, are halted in their track by the enemy in the thicker part of the forest - they do little more for the duration of the battle, simply containing the enemy to the front. 

H company fares much better, being able to constantly slip to the left (towards Hell's Highway) when they run into contact. They suffer few casualties as they overrun the enemy and are ultimately able to push the enemy out of the treeline into the waiting guns of the machinegun platoon. The results are as inevitable as they are satisfying. 

H company is ultimately able to push a platoon, under the cover of the rest of the company and the balance of I company, onto Borderij Janssen. The assault on the objective goes off with little further incident, the platoon suffering only two casualties as they clear the buildings of enemy machinegunners. Ample use of their satchel charges trivializes the affair. 

All across the front, the enemy finally appears to be caving in. The once-resolute defenders are finally abandoning their positions and running, pell-mell, to the South, often with disastrous consequences. B/506 ultimately evens the butcher's bill as they cut down fleeing enemy.

Small sections of enemy cut and run - a sure sign of frayed and failing nerves.

The general collapse of the enemy's resistance allows for A/506 to resume their advance, walking through the carnage of their early firefight with the enemy halftracks and occupying the SE objective in conjunction with B company. 

***

What is happening to the extreme south, however? As mentioned previously, the units in Kovering had directed artillery onto enemy positions which had been identified around Anna's Hoeve, and indeed were in the process of redirecting the Sextons' attentions onto Anna's Hoeve itself, when the long-awaited Cromwell platoon entered the fray. 

Ostensibly part of the Route Security Detachment, whose infantry had been protecting the extreme right flank of the attack, the Cromwells arrive unsupported save for a HQ element mounted in halftrack. I frankly had no idea what to do with them, and thus employed them in a limited probe towards Anna's Hoeve. They advance carefully, in pairs, and soon come under small arms and Panzerschreck fire. 

The squat, speedy tanks respond robustly, spraying down suspected positions with coax and HE. A section slips to the left, taking positions along the edge of a small pond, allowing them to hit the enemy from the flank and rear. A Cromwell is struck twice by an infantry gun emplaced on the far side of the pond, which boldly is traversed to face the threat. The weapon has little effect, however, and the platoon ultimately overwhelm the gun, and a second spotted soon thereafter, with return fire. 

They pull back as the first rounds of the barrage land on Anna's Hoeve, but the battle ends before anything further occurs.

End State & Debrief (1010 Hours)

With twenty minutes left to achieve my objectives, the enemy quits. Fallshcrimjager march out of the forest with their hands raised in surrender, or otherwise slip away to fight another day. The enemy had still been in control of Anna's Hoeve and Hofstee when they elected to cut their losses, and were holding them in not inconsiderable strength. I doubt the remaining time would have allowed me to effectively deploy and engage E/506 in time to secure Anna's Hoeve - no matter how effective the preparatory artillery may have been. Nevertheless, the most important objectives were secured - the five key points in the Logtenburger Bos, and for that alone I'm well satisfied with the results. 

Dispositions at the close of the battle

In all, just under 300 Germans remain unscathed, but they leave a considerable amount of dead men and material on the field. My own losses are far from insignificant: 150 KIA, 184 WIA. The hardest hit company by far and away is G/501, with I/501 coming in distant second. The casualties of the latter unit are largely concentrated in one platoon, as so often is the case. Many of my losses came from enemy artillery, which took full advantage of the small area in which we deployed and the sparse cover which it offered. 

The butcher's bill; a hefty one, given the scale of the fighting.

Our own artillery, however, accounted extremely well for itself and was clearly the decisive factor in the battle. 

The main observers and the results of their competent direction of artillery.

Perhaps what is most unique, however, is how many losses came directly from small arms fire and grenades. A rarity, in my view, in the Western theatre. Many squads - on both sides- account for casualties comfortably in the double digits. The fight clearly came down to the cliché man and his rifle once the push to the south began in earnest. 

 The battle can be defined, generally, by the stubbornness of both sides' infantry: they lay in heaps around the fighting positions and heavy weaponry. This type of carnage is only possible when both sides consist predominantly of well-led, extremely motivated and competently trained units. While much is made of the poor quality of many of the expedient units used by the Germans in MARKET-GARDEN, there was a highly visible minority of battle-scarred veterans. KG von der Heydte, built around the remnants of his own regiment, are an excellent example of such a unit. Most of the men are set to crack, with similarly sterling soft-stats in the other categories. 

The early success against the StuGs, and the sealing off of the battle-area, likely trivialized the battle somewhat - and the latter only occurred because the 'What If" in the scenario title raised my suspicions. Something a real life commander would not necessarily have the benefit of! I suspect the battle would have become a charnel house if the reinforcing units had been allowed to rendezvous with their compatriots. 

Lessons to Learn?

What, if any? The battle was large, but it was fought over a relatively small area, so I only wish to reiterate the following:

• Keep it simple, stupid. The larger your force and the less information you posses, the more straightforward your scheme of manoeuvre. You will have enough complexity to deal with in the simple administration of units. Let dynamism creep in at the company and platoon level as and when the opportunity arises. 
• Forest fighting will never not be bloody. It took nearly an hour to comb through 300m of forest and resulted in literally hundreds of losses on both sides. Engage in strength, make sure firepower is maximized to an overwhelming degree, and make sure units stop, look and listen frequently - think in minutes, not seconds. 

Hope you enjoyed this monster, I certainly enjoyed playing it. 'Till next time.