Command Ops: "Fight For Best" AAR

The Fight for Best is a new scenario that I have made for Command Ops.  It simulates the 101st Airborne division push to grab the town of Best and it's road and rail bridges as part of the Operation Market Garden campaign. 

Historically, the fight for Best lasted almost three days and is described by participants as one of the most "bitter battles" of the Netherlands campaign. The outclassed Germans fought bravely and gave the 101st all they could handle. 

Situation:

At the start of this scenario (just before sunset on Sept 17th), as the Allies player, you find yourself in command of the 502nd Parachute regiment.  1/502 is in St. Oedenrode on the northern edge of the AO holding the Dommel river bridge there, 2/502 is in reserve protecting the 2 regimental drop zones and the 3/502 is pushing it's way to the southwest towards Best and it's bridges.  With the Son bridge blown, division commander General Taylor has tasked you with grabbing and holding the crossroads town of Best and it's two vital bridges.

My first move was to send 3/502 to grab the town of Best objective first.  I am facing a mixed KG of German forces (including some weak static companies).  There is a company of German parachute infantry there also but I am able to push them back.

The majority of the Allies reinforcements arrive on the 2nd day, including a battalion from the 327th Glider regiment which lands on DZ-B and DZ-C north of the Zonsche Forest.

I need their immediate help because I've fully committed 2/502 and 3/502 into the fight at Best but I am worried about the main highway running on a north to south axis through the fields just east of Best.  A probe up the highway early in the morning by 2nd battalion revealed German reinforcements moving south.  I order the 327th in to hold the right flank.

After establishing a blocking position north of Best, I am issuing a counterattack order to the 327th against the German left flank.  Note the British Household cavalry squadrons south of the canal fighting their way north.  As the Allies player you will receive reinforcements north and south of the canal.

Day 3 begins and I am locked in some serious fighting.  1/502 is under attack in St. Oedenrode to the north.  I am defending it minus 1 company (which is to the west at the Fraeterhof bridge objective).  In Best, the fighting is back and forth.  I am losing ground now with attacks from the north, south and west.

Fully joined -- I am holding the drop zones, the Son Bridge, the Fraeterhof bridge and fighting for my life in St. Oedenrode and Best.

A new German attack against the Fraeterhof objective.

It is late in the day on the 19th and now German forces are hitting the Fraeterhof bridge (above) and launching a late attack against the drop zones that causes me to withdraw forces out of the fight in Best (below).

It's late and I am out of reserves.  German attacks are being launched at every objective and I am forced to withdraw units from the fight at Best to protect against this threat to the drop zone objectives.

This time the "Fight for Best" has ended in a draw. I've yet to win as the Allies.  My main mistake was to not hold the rail objective when I had it. I decided to commit almost everything in the south towards the fight for Best itself.  Had I held the two Best bridges, contested Best and held onto St. Oedenrode, the Fraeterhof and Son bridge objectives I would have scored a marginal victory.

I also didn't use the British armor units well. If I had held some forces back on the eastern approaches to the drop zone I would have been able to keep the heat on Best.

The results.  My losses are heavier than the Germans.  

The final situation map.

To download this scenario please use the links below:

You can get the scenario file here.

The map file here.

The map cache file here.