Holland 44, End of the Road

Lawrence and I finished up the Holland 44 game we have been playing.  His Germans managed to hold the line against a poorly led XXX Corps.  One big mistake really cost me the game and I won't make that mistake again but will most likely make others.  Pushing the tanks too far forward while the 101 area was still threatened by German units.  The elite bonus does not help one whit on Defense so a turn or two needs to be spent attacking the Germans to knock them out of contention.  Not doing that allowed them to cut the road and knock the spearhead OOS.

End of Turn 13 and the game.  Seven more turns left in the game but it would not have been enough to counter the losses XXX Corps had suffered.  Another two turns might have been enough to throw units across the Rhine for a VP win.

XXX Corps still held up, for the most part, just beyond Eindhoven.  Another two turns would have cleared out the Germans but that was two turns 1st Para just didn't have.  The 82nd probably didn't have them either.

The other edge of XXX corps advance.  Next turn the bridge over the canal would have been started and the turn after would see it complete but once again too late.

Nijmegan is under strain.  The Germans are pushing the 82nd back steadily.

At Arnhem the Red Devils are holding their own for now but are being whittled away and every loss brings them closer to a catastrophic loss.

Next month we go from Holland to the Pacific with Avalon Hill's classic game Midway.

Holland 44

The continuation of the Holland 44 game, really late posting and few comments.  Such is the way of things when I suffer a stomping.

XXX Corps Supply is cut. 

82nd holding well at Nijmegan

Red Devils holding in Arnhem.

XXX Corps bridge still cut and Germans have pushed in more troops.

Nijmegan starting to feel pressure.

Arnhem still holding out.

XXX Corps spearhead still out of supply.

Nijmegan still holding.

Arnhem is still holding. 

XXX Corps supply line is even WORSE off after successful German advances.

Nijmegan still holding.

Arnhem is holding by a thread now.

XXX Corps supply is still cut and not looking better any time soon.

Nijmegan holding on.  I was darn near ready to concede so took no picture of Arnhem but it was much the same as before. 

XXX Corps supply cut and all bridges to top of map are blown by retreating Germans (a 1/3 chance you would think ONE of them wouldn't be blown).

Nijmegan.

Arnhem will fall soon.

Germans are finally falling back from the Supply road near Eindhoven, only a few days behind schedule now...  Other side of the canal is even more of a disaster then before.

Nijmegan - I made a mistake and should have stacked units!  Remember ZOC Bonds always!  Luckily the Germans did not get a retreat due to my stupidity.

Arnhem still holding - but it was the Allied turn so I was not going to attack...

XXX Corps area and the Germans are still holding between the canal and Eindhoven.

Nijmegan - Germans are moving in.  Should have ZOC blocked the entry from the bridge to leave only one space they could have reached - next game.

Arnhem Falls and the Germans start the advance to Eindhoven.

MBT Scenario 3

Finally had a chance to play MBT again.  Forgot a couple important rules that helped me and hurt my opponent but we both forgot them so I don't feel TOOOO guilty.  Going to remember for next game though.

The setup.  A US recon unit composed of 5 M1 tanks, 4 Bradleys and an M106 arty unit try to blunt a Russian attack by 10+ T80 and a bunch of BMP3.  Russians enter from the left and get points for exiting on the right.  US gets points for every Russian not exited at game end.  Both sides get points for unit kills.  That line of trees between the hills effectively chops the battlefield in two since even at the highest hill height they block LOS since the trees are taller.

First kill of the game.  

End of turn 1.  The US has done very well with the shooting so far.  This keeps up and it will be all over by turn 3.

End of turn 2.  The US won initiative and then rolled lousy for the shooting part.  

End of turn 6 (Lots of mostly ineffective shooting by both sides in between though there are losses including 3 US Bradleys and an M1 while the Russians lose a number of BMPs and a few T80s).  The Russians skirt around the remaining US defense to make a run for the map edge.  If we had looked at the results so far it would almost be no chance for a Russian win but I think a draw was still possible.

End of turn 16 and the game.  I don't think the US forces suffered any more losses after turn 6 other then the M106 (which I was surprised lasted as long as it did, a couple of ND hits and a mobility loss and the crew stayed inside the whole time).  The Russians lost all but a single BMP and 2 T80s that managed to exit the map. 
I thought for sure I was doomed when the US forces missed all those shots on turn 2 but the Russians didn't do much better and also did not have enough commands to move everyone.  The pattern repeated itself through a large part of the game till the last few turns when my vassal dice got hot again. 
I had a game of Panzer set for yesterday but had to answer a support call instead.  Looking forward to another game of MBT on the 3rd and a Panzer on the 24th.

Holland 44

Played turns three through six of Holland 44.  A lot can happen in 4 turns...

Allied turn 3.

Arnhem.  The Allies keep the lifeline to Arnhem Bridge open.  The Germans move to tighten the perimeter.

Nijmegen.  German units in the town outisde Nijmegan had attacked and nearly taken the 82 supply head.  A last unit is not surrounded and attacked AND manages to hold!

Einhoven and XXX Corps.  Lead units of XXX corps with air and arty support attack and route the Germans defending the main highway.  A couple of the armor units in that attack then swing back to attack a German unit that was next to the road blocking supply and quick movement (the rightmost star).

German turn 4.

Arnhem.  Filling in the line.

Nijmegen.  The Germans attempt to break the ring around the unit in town and this time the Allies hold!  With a step loss but they manage to hold.  The German player then moved the unit at the top right to just above the town - which breaks the ZOC bond too.  Could have moved there all along but we were both getting breaks for slight mistakes in placement if they did not cause a problem.

Eindhoven.  The German forces pull back from the road.

Allied turn 4.

Arnhem.  The Devils slip in another unit to Arnhem.

Nijmegen.  The lone German unit in the town is eliminated even with the other unit there to allow an escape route.  After the combat the 82nd used the normal advance (one hex any direction) to clean up the line.

Eindhoven and XXX Corps.  Nothing can stop them now!  OOOPS!  Can cross a blown bridge!  Units past the bridge were moved back behind it after this picture was taken...

German turn 4.

Arnhem.  The Germans attack and disrupt a unit of the Red Devils near the drop zone!  Later we remembered the attachment rules but I think it still would have been a victory.  The line to Arnhem is cut!

Nijmegen.  Germans file in a bunch of reinforcements.

XXX Corps (outside Eindhoven now).  German reinforcements are coming in to threaten the road.

Allied turn 5.

Arnhem.  A new unit is moved up to hold the line where the 123 was beaten earlier (123 moved up to support another unit in the town).

Nijmegen.  A unit of the 82nd attacks and pushes back a German unit but it comes at the cost of a step loss.  Can't do that much more.

XXX Corps.  The Star at the bottom is a German 7 strength (on defense) unit that is also elite.  We keep trying to kill it and keep getting ENG results.  Happened 3 times in a row.  The top star is where a German AT gun pops up (hidden unit just revealed).  It puts a major crimp on the drive to Arnhem.

German turn 5.

Arnhem.  Frosts boys (no matter what counters are there I call them Frost's boys from here on) are not attacked this turn since the Germans do not have the strength yet.

Nijmegen.  The Germans counterattack the unit that attacked them last turn and force a retreat.  The 82nd drop zones are vulnerable.

XXX Corps.  Just outside Eindhoven a German unit moves to block the road (and thus supply).  Came darn close to reaching the bridge and rewiring it.  Attacks on 101 units push them back to the road as well allowing the Germans to cut off supply there as well.

Allied turn 6.  Overcast!  No airlandings or air support in the morning.  In the afternoon 4 units can land and 1 air support point is available.

Arnhem.  Nothing happening here.  Waiting for the Poles to arrive. 

Nijmegen.  82nd pulls back the line.  Waiting for airborne reinforcements here too.  Overcast meant no resupply for the Arty too.

XXX Corps.  Strung out on the road they try to take the town again and are not successful again.  A German unit is eliminated though so it will be easier next turn.  One of the German units holding the road is forced to retreat.  Two left to go (one near the bridge and the other right next to the battle hex).  All those OOS markers are a sad sight.

German turn 6.

Arnhem.  The reduction of Frost's boys begins.  A Desperate Defense holds the line but causes a step loss.

Nijmegen.  Landing reinforcements is going to be a problem now.

XXX Corps.  At the bridge another German unit was moved up to add more oomph.  The German unit near the bridge was moved one more hex so it could form a ZOC bond.  Any attacks on the Germans will now have to be across a minor river.

The more I play this game the more I like it, even with my supply line being cut due to bad play on my part. When XXX Corps got past Zon bridge we thought it was over and then supply was cut.  Partly it was learning that the Germans are better at attacking then defending in regards to 101 area.  The reason is they can attack a single unit and unit quality does not come into play.  When attacking the 101 units get a column shift for being elite and sometimes two if the defenders are green.  There is also the distinction between unit types well represented.  Armor does great till it runs into an AT gun like the XXX Corps units did in that town.  Infantry can cross small rivers and get double defense in towns.  Mechanized units are very fast on roads while non-mechanized can move more quickly through woods in most cases.

Looking forward to the next game session.