Close Combat A Bridge Too Far E16 Oosterbeek Landing Zone (Operation Market Garden)

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Welcome to Gus McDoll Games (Strategy and Tactics), and thank you to our subscribers! In this series we play Close Combat A Bridge Too Far, a game based on the Battle of Arnhem, Operation Market Garden. We are playing the Allied Grand Campaign at the Veteran level of difficulty. In Episode 16, a company from the British 1st Airborne Division must defend the Oosterbeek Landing Zone to ensure resupply and reinforcement to the Arnhem sector. It is Day 2 of Operation Market Garden, 0600hrs on 18 September 1944. We use each mission to illustrate one or more aspects of WW2 infantry minor tactics at the company level and below: frontal and flanking attacks; use of indirect fire; suppressing fire; enfilade and defilade; infantry/tank cooperation; defensive positions; ambushes; and so on. Each episode we conduct basic mission analysis, consider the terrain and what the enemy might do, develop and analyse courses of action, make a decision, then execute the plan in real time, followed by lessons learned. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:38 Mission 01:20 Troops 02:29 Terrain 03:42 Enemy 04:48 Courses of Action 06:20 Doctrine 06:35 Decision and execution 06:56 The Battle 25:23 Results 26:50 Lessons learned 27:57 Conclusion Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe, and support us with a donation on: Patreon: www.patreon.com/GusMcDollGames PayPalMe: www.paypal.com/paypalme/GusMcDollGames #gusmcdollgames, #closecombat, #arnhem, #marketgarden, #tactics

[@badgersauce44]

I’m not one to comment on videos, usually, but this is easily my favourite series on KZbin right now. It’s an engaging game and engaging commentary. Thursdays can never come quickly enough, and I’d love to see more. As to the contents of this video- this is the second engagement in a row where you’ve pretty clearly won, but most of your casualties occur at the tail end once the matter is decided. Certainly painful losses to take in the face of increasingly intense German counter attacks. I don’t think I can come up with a solution either, though, especially with the close-in nature of most of the last few combats. Perhaps some more area denial on the woods? But I can’t think of a moment in which that would be possible. Anyway, excellent video as always. I’m looking forward to the next one.

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Thanks for the kind comment Michael, much appreciated! I will definitely keep going with the series! You are right - I am worried about those losses, especially towards the end of the battle. At the moment I am covering the woods with mortar and MMG fire, my troops at least have the benefit of some cover and concealment provided by the buildings, and I can target the enemy as they cross open ground to attack me. If I move into the woods, I lose that protection and may be exposed to direct fire from any tanks/machine guns on the landing zone. No easy answers, but I need to do something to keep down the casualties...

[@spencerrathbun4141]

The conclusions you came to at the end were very interesting and the farmhouse humor got an unexpected laugh! I have never placed my first gun at that location, and was expecting the worst. Very surprising to see you get the kill! My position for the gun is the two story building, as it provides protection for the gun crew and covers the landing field completely, including the chunk of the road ahead of the woods. It does not cover the north section, but any tank trying to break out there is close enough for piat fire. This is important because any tank wanting to stay back and hammer your defenses in the woods or the two story building to support an infantry assault will wreck you from beyond piat range with those open sightlines. You will get forced away and then the germans can press up to the farm house as you noted.

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Thanks for the comment! I put the Vickers MMG and PIAT team in that building for much the same reasons you put the gun there! The advantages of the depth position include that the anti-tank gun is concealed by trees and buildings and thus less exposed to enemy observation and direct fire, and my infantry provide a protective screen against enemy infantry assault. But you are right that it is not as effective against stand-off attacks by tanks against the building or tree line. The good news is that both positions conform to the advice in the UK Field Service Regulations: "Concealment by camouflage, or other means, of machine-gun positions and anti-tank weapons is of special importance" (1935, Ch IX Position Warfare, Sec. 84, para 5).

[@anarchylad]

Good stuff as always, victory soured by four SS lunatics lobbing grenades about at the end. I perhaps would have gone after them with hand to hand once you had everyone in the platoon shooting at them but maybe that would have led to even more casualties.

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Thanks Elliott! I need to do something different next time to win the battle at the farm house with fewer casualties. I usually prefer keeping the enemy at a distance, but perhaps I should try suppression followed by a bayonet charge!

[@laurentpremel]

Pretty well done ! I just wonder why not to use your rifle sn, on you far left to assist your vicker's team, thus enhancing your cross fire abilities ? Or were they short on ammo or fighting spirit ?

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Thanks, and glad you are enjoying the series! At the start, I kept SGT Ballard's rifle squad on my left flank concealed until I had dealt with the tank, otherwise they are just a target. Once the tank was in the engagement area, and the Vickers was threatened, the rifle squad opens up with crossfire around 13:40. Task: block the enemy on the left flank, purpose: secure the Vickers. Hope this answers the question!

[@chrisbillington4269]

Just lost this battle and I fear that's the end of my campaign. Too much damage done to my company day one thanks to my Vickers gunner panicking and firing off less than 100 rounds. It does create an interesting situation though @gusmcdollstrategy have you ever fought on any of the other battlefields in this operation?

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Sorry to hear that, although it sounds like your next campaign is just about to start! During the campaign, I mostly defend the Oosterbeek LZ. But when you get to Ep 49, I start fighting on other battlefields in the Oosterbeek operation. No spoilers, though...!

[@chrisbillington4269]

@@gusmcdollstrategy Oh I'm sorry I'm sort of rewatching up to the point my last campaign ended so there's episodes I've not seen. Yeah it's obviously a massive blow losing the landing zone but they must have given me the full 7 hour ceasefire because I'm still yet to fight that operation since. Not optimistic about retaking it I must admit. But we fight on!

[@ladela7348]

The only thing that irks me about this game is that enlisted men can get the MC. Enlisted men were not eligible for the MC before 1993. Before then the won the MM instead.

[@gusmcdollstrategy]

Good point, the medals are a nice touch, but not historically accurate.