Market Garden Campaign: Turn Two

I was able to get another game in at NorCal's second Market Garden game day, this time against Russ and his British 1st Airborne force.  This time I would be attacking the Apeldorn Road in an attempt to cut off retreating Allied forces after the Germans successfully retook Deelen Airfield in the previous game (which I was forced to miss).  The mission would be Breakthrough, and Russ would receive a Para platoon in support, while I would have no extra troops.

I'm outnumbered!

Russ had a Para platoon deployed right in the center and it was pretty isolated so I aggressively moved right at him with my larger platoon.  After some fire from my mortars pinned them, I went in for a successful assault, destroying half of the unit and driving it back.  My second platoon advances through the field behind the town, but failed a Follow Me to get closer to the vineyard.

There was a Para HMG platoon hiding in those vines, and they let me have it!  I lost half of my platoon, and they were force to move elsewhere.  My 2cm FlaK guns would spend the game firing on the HMGs and keeping them from redeploying.

I assaulted the Paras again, this time destroying the unit and half of the HQ unit, which retreated towards the other side of the board.  Russ had another Para platoon nearby, which moved into the shelter of the cratered road in order to keep the objective contested.

Russ' reserve Para unit quickly made it onto the board and to the second objective, with a pair of 17 pounders sighted in behind them.  My StuGs arrived from reserve a bit later, but would concentrate their effort on the Paras in the craters.

A pair of Recee Jeeps made their way over to distract my guns from firing on the HMGs, and threatened my mortar battery, but the weakened FJ platoon saw them off.

Russ' artillery and a pair of 6 pounders arrived late, and would have little effect on the game, save for knocking out my PaK 40s, which were too close together.  

On Turn Six I made another assault, this time on the nearby Paras, clearing them back from the objective for an 8-1 win.

I had another really fun game that has kind of restored my enjoyment for Flames of War, as when the forces are smaller and more evenly matched, it makes for a better game.  MidWar is a mess right now, and the tournament "Meta" has left me behind, but I'm really having fun with this casual campaign.  This time the Germans have airfield in the north and have mostly secured the area around it, but he Allies have made advances in the south.  XXX Corps is finally moving!