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A Bridge Too Far: Operation Market Garden
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Author |
File Description |
Meat Puppet |
Posted on 01/21/05 @ 06:41 AM
DESIGN: This scenario was designed using RON Thrones & Pariots Scenario Editor, without custom scripting.
PLAYER: This scenario was designed for the straight-up wargamer. There is no economy in this scenario, just a straight military campaign. It's also for the player who likes to juggle and likes things high-speed; you have to hold and advance on three fronts.
SITUATION: "It did seem like a complicated way of committing suicide." - British glider pilot on being shown the plans for Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was a desperate gamble to win the war in August of 1944. The concept was to land American and British paratroopers behind enemy lines to secure three bridges creating a link for the armored XXX Corps to leapfrog. The prize was Arnhem, with its bridge. If that could be taken and held, the British Army would spill over the Rhine into Germany's industrial heartland and end the war. Unfortunately, the British paratroopers landed on top of an SS Panzer Division, which split their force and slowly tore them to pieces through constant assault and bombardment. The Market Garden campaign was one of the most dramatic operations ever attempted, with tens of thousands of airborne troops. (For a really good war movie about this operation, see "A Bridge Too Far.") In history, the operation failed. The Allies secured two bridges but couldn't keep Arnhem. Against all odds, with light arms and a few anti-tank guns against tanks and infantry, the British paratroopers held out for days--and eventually surrendered or retreated across the river. Arnhem was left a smoking ruin.
This scenario is based on the desperate battle at Arnhem and XXX Corps' attempt to get to them in time. Can you change history and win the war against Germany?
SITUATION: You have three forces concentrated around four bases of power--Osterbeek, a town west of Arnhem, held by a thin line of 1st Airborne paratroopers; Arnhem (two cities inside a large urban area), held by Frost's "Red Devils" with a few anti-tank guns and anti-tank rifles; and Nijmegen, whose bridge has just been taken by the American 82nd Airborne Division. At Nijmegen, you have all of XXX Corps--a long column of tanks, vehicles, long-range howitzers and infantry.
Your objectives are to:
1. Hold Arnhem (critical, this is your capital).
2. Cross the Nijmegen Bridge with XXX Corps, fight your way down a narrow road through the German lines and secure the southern end of Arnhem, taking Arnhem Bridge (you already hold the northern part of the bridge).
3. Amass reinforcements and secure the German regional HQ (enemy capital) to end German resistance in the region and establish the base for the invasion of Germany.
VITALS: Pop limit is 150. Building is disabled. You cannot do river crossings by transport, you must cross the bridges. Due to bad weather, you have no airpower available. You cannot build towers, forts, spies, or a number of other types of units and buildings. This is a straight-up military campaign. You start with a lot of resources, but the Germans have more because they are closer to their supply lines while yours are precariously stretched. You start with a few buildings for the purpose of upgrading. In particular, pay attention to your metal-factory and upgrade your forage capability so you suffer less attrition in German territory.
GAMING SYSTEM: This scenario basically came up with its own gaming system. You only get 3 howitzers, but they can shoot much farther, ideal for pounding positions before your troops come in and mop up. Conversely, German artillery will wreak havoc on Arnhem. After that, tanks and other armored vehicles are highly effective against infantry, while infantry are very, very weak against armor. Tanks, meanwhile, can destroy each other with a single shot. Anti-tank rifles also take out tanks with a single shot, and so do anti-tank guns (WWI artillery batteries) modified to destroy tanks. Infantry also kills each other much easier. Towers and forts go down much easier to concentrated tank fire.
Another innovation is that flamethrower units are still slower than other infantry but have twice the range and kill other infantry with one shot. This was very entertaining in the game. A whole clump of my paratroopers got killed by two flamethrowers in a horrifying manner.
The effect of this gaming system is a very fast, fluid game. In Arnhem, it makes your situation very difficult. Your paratroopers (played as American marine riflemen and Jaguar infantry in the game) have a few anti-tank guns and anti-tank rifles, but otherwise they're fairly helpless against the tanks. The German tanks are fairly smart in this game, they will come in behind the infantry and support their attack.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: Hold Arnhem, get XXX Corps into Arnhem as quick as you can, and then take the German H.Q. in the north.
STRATEGY: I play-tested this scenario a lot to get a good balance. I think you'll find it challenging. If not, let me know and I'll make it even harder! Basically, at the start your paratroopers are being squeezed at Arnhem and there isn't much you can do about it except watch your lines of defense crumble. You can, however, make sure your anti-tank rifles and anti-tank guns are aiming at the enemy armor instead of their infantry. There's not a lot you can do at Arnhem, in other words, except tweak your defense against tank and infantry attacks that will come from the south (across the bridge from the southern part of Arnhem across the river), the west, the north and the east (in short, all sides).
There are many strategies you can use to first get into Arnhem and then take the German H.Q. The Germans lines surround Arnhem in the south, so XXX Corps will have to break their lines, take southern Arnhem from the south, and then shore up Frost and the Red Devils, who will very glad to see you. After you secure Arnhem, you can build up a new assault and move out to take objectives in the area.
NOTE: If you see vertical white lines, those are artillery shells dropping from yours or enemy howitzers. Remember you have them, and that they can fire a long way, ideal for pounding areas where you think the enemy might be.
THANKS FOR PLAYING: I had a good time play-testing this one and enjoyed getting a different flavor from the game by tweaking its mechanics. I hope you have a good time yourself. If you like this scenario, give me a good rating. If you don't like it, give me constructive feedback so I can make it better.
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Author | Comments ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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No messages found |
HGDL v0.8.2 |
Rating |
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4.3 | Breakdown |
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Playability | 4.0 | Balance | 4.0 | Creativity | 4.0 | Map Design | 4.5 | Story/Instructions | 5.0 |
Statistics |
Downloads: | 2,168 |
Favorites: [] | 0 |
Size: | 202.45 KB |
Added: | 01/21/05 |
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