Dev Log: Monty's Front--MARKET-GARDEN

[bcgames]

Essayons!

[bcgames]

Serious question...the area circled in yellow was an area recovered from the ocean commencing 1942. Was this a land space by 1944 or was the draining still in progress? Historical maps are conflicted on the correct answer.

[bcgames]

EXTRACT: Operational Directive m 525, issued 14 September 1944:

"...4. Together with 12 (US) Army Group we will now begin operations designed to isolate and surround the Ruhr; we will occupy that area as we may desire.
Our real objective, therefore, is the Ruhr. But on the way to it we want the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, since the capture of the Ruhr is merely the first stop on the northern route of advance into Germany.

INTENTION

5. To destroy all enemy west of the general line Zwolle-Deventer-Cleve-Venlo-Maastrict, with a view to advancing eastwards and occupying the Ruhr..." -- The Memoirs of Field-Marshal Montgomery

Eindhoven? Nijmegen? Arnhem? No. Zwolle, Deventer, Cleve, Venlo, Maastrict? Yes! These are the objectives for the win in Operation MARKET-GARDEN according to Montgomery.

So...Go get them.

[Remmes]

I think you will like our solution to the logistical problem presented by Hell's Highway.

I have no doubt I will like it. Definite purchase.

[Remmes]

Would you like to try to drive a truck over that drain or a tank? see how you get on
Where I live in England our landscape is Fenland ,reclaimed from the sea many years ago but it's littered with drainage channels similar to the one you picture, the land adjacent would swallow trucks or tanks should they venture off-road.

I work for a firm that locates ERW (Explosive Remnants of War) from WWII and hands them over to the EOD. When we search for aerial bombs the maximum penetration depth in the south is only a couple (2-2,5) of metres because of the sandy soil here in the south. In the areas next to rivers or the coast in can be as much as 10+metres.

NL ground.jpg (22.82 KiB) Viewed 468 times

(klei = clay/ zand = sand, veen = peat)

I know that popular narrative is that the whole of the Netherlands is one big swamp intersected by streams and rivers but there should be some nuance to that.

[Remmes]

Serious question...the area circled in yellow was an area recovered from the ocean commencing 1942. Was this a land space by 1944 or was the draining still in progress? Historical maps are conflicted on the correct answer.

The area you circled is call the Noordoostpolder and it was declared 'dry' in September 1942. I'd say the draining was still very much a work in progress in 1944.

Dinah Might.jpg (24.56 KiB) Viewed 467 times

This picture of a downed B-17 (Dina Might) on February 10 1944 illustrates the still-wet nature of this area.

[bcgames]

Great info! Thanks.

[bcgames]

Would you like to try to drive a truck over that drain or a tank? see how you get on
Where I live in England our landscape is Fenland ,reclaimed from the sea many years ago but it's littered with drainage channels similar to the one you picture, the land adjacent would swallow trucks or tanks should they venture off-road.

I work for a firm that locates ERW (Explosive Remnants of War) from WWII and hands them over to the EOD. When we search for aerial bombs the maximum penetration depth in the south is only a couple (2-2,5) of metres because of the sandy soil here in the south. In the areas next to rivers or the coast in can be as much as 10+metres.
NL ground.jpg
(klei = clay/ zand = sand, veen = peat)

I know that popular narrative is that the whole of the Netherlands is one big swamp intersected by streams and rivers but there should be some nuance to that.

Thanks for sharing this image. It explains a lot about the terrain in Holland. The clay regions say it all. Clay keeps the water "up"--large parts of Holland act as a large clay bowl--holding the water "up". That's what clay does. We have a pond on our farm that depends on this very idea of clay being true. Holland holds water because of its clay foundation.

[bcgames]

I'm going to squeeze-in a small story about MARKET-GARDEN that caught my attention while researching the topic. Hans den Brok has written the definitive story of Allied air transport units during Operation MARKET-GARDEN. It's an 11-volume opus that only a dedicated fan of the battle could truly appreciate. Volume 1 gives you the big picture:
Market Flights Volume 1: Airborne Troop Carrier Operation Market Garden
https://a.co/d/jfE3Iyi

In Volume 1 at the back of the book is a great set of day-by-day listings of unit drops and supply drops by drop zone. After all that scenario-designer information GOLD--is an appendix labeled Roll of Honor. It is a list of the 150+ air transport crewmen that lost their lives while flying in support of the operation. One name caught my eye because he is buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Kansas--2Lt. John F. Richards, Navigator, Killed in Action 17 September 1944. I've walked through this cemetery on numerous occasions and used to jog past it every night back in the day.

When the snow melts and the weather improves, I'm going to pay this man a visit.





More to follow...

[bcgames]

The Monty's Front Trilogy introduces Airheads to help support the airborne operations portion of the game engine. An airhead is the location where supplies will be dropped to support a specific airborne division. Air resupply is not as robust as ground-based resupply...but it can be good enough until the cavalry arrives. Just don't lose your airhead...stuff goes south fast if you do. Here's the lowdown for MARKET...same-same for OVERLORD (except 6th Abn Div):

[Fraggo5]

Thats a good mechanic to have in game for realism

[bcgames]

We'll see how it works out in playtest. Hope springs eternal...

[bcgames]

NEED INFORMATION FOR SCENARIO DESIGN.

Can anyone point me to information/maps that describe/show the locations of British VIII and XIII Corps and US XIX Corps division locations on/about 17 September 1944?

Thanks in advance.

[bcgames]

Found the info at Library of Congress. But MAN! Do I have questions...

Q: Why wasn't XIX US Corps/1st Army/12th Army Group moving in support of British 2nd Army/21st Army Group?

A: Cuz the Army Group boundary wasn't adjusted to support the Market-Garden concept of operation. That boundary line was drawn by SHAEF. It was not challenged (as far as I can determine) by either 21st Army Group nor 12th Army Group. Bradley was against MARKET-GARDEN so he would not have requested a boundary change. Eisenhower promised full support to Montgomery but did not adjust the boundary to facilitate that full support by 1st US Army.

General Corlett, Commander XIX US Corps (protector of the 21st Army Group's right flank) is surprised by Market-Garden's axis of advance--away from his capability to protect its flank because of the Army Group boundary. So he halted the advance of his corps on 20 September because of the widening gap between his corps and British VIII Corps.

Strangely, before the Market-Garden "good idea" came to fruition, Montgomery and Bradley discussed a plan for a direct route to Wesel and the Ruhr. The boundary between the Army Groups would have supported this concept--and would explain XIX US Corps concept of operation and their surprise when they discovered the force who's flank they were to cover was nowhere in sight, and to proceed forward with their original plan would put their own left flank flapping in the wind.

On 25 September the decision was made to evacuate 1st British Airborne.

On 26 September 1944, SHAEF finally changes the boundary between the 21st and 12th Army Groups to better support the operation that had commenced on 17 September...and had been adjudged a failure on the 25th.



Working Hypothesis: Seeing the bigger picture explains the smaller picture. Market-Garden planning appears to have gone past the "good idea" cut-off line.

If it isn't coordinated--it won't be.

[bcgames]

Fixing stupid takes time--every time.

[bcgames]

"Early in September Montgomery had reasoned that he could finish the war with a single deft stroke from the Rhine all the way to Berlin across the North Sea Lowlands. Instead of battering ahead toward the Ruhr as part of the three-corps offensive to which we had committed First Army, he would prefer to outflank Model's new line of resistance with a bold dash to the North. This venture was thereafter to be remembered as the gallant defeat at Arnhem." -- Omar Bradley, A Soldiers Story, pg.416

So sez the Commander of the supporting effort...that didn't even try to support THE MAIN EFFORT.

Wat?

[bcgames]

I think this is an excellent subject for a hypothetical scenario...What if the 1st US Army actually performed their assigned task and covered the right flank of 21st Army Group as directed. 2nd Armored division and 30th Infantry Division comin' your way...

But who cares about paragraph 3--The Concept of Operation? Absolutely NOT Omar Bradley.

[bcgames]

The far left flank of MARKET-GARDEN is now defined; the Poles of the 1st Armoured Division have arrived:

[springel]

Serious question...the area circled in yellow was an area recovered from the ocean commencing 1942. Was this a land space by 1944 or was the draining still in progress? Historical maps are conflicted on the correct answer.

The area you circled is call the Noordoostpolder and it was declared 'dry' in September 1942. I'd say the draining was still very much a work in progress in 1944.

Dinah Might.jpg

This picture of a downed B-17 (Dina Might) on February 10 1944 illustrates the still-wet nature of this area.

Error Alert!

The area of the yellow circle is not the 'Noordoostpolder', but a newer polder, Oostelijk Flevoland that didn't exist during WWII, but was only created in 1955. It shouldn't be on your map at all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flevopolder

The Noordoostpolder, the one to the Northwest of Zwolle, was being developed during WWII and would have been mostly a mudflat with reeds.

[bcgames]

So I’ve got a yes and no answer to my question. I already had the yes and no answer from my own research. The current football position hasn’t been moved past the B-17 photo entered into evidence as a true representation of this terrain. The terrain is either sea, marsh or polder—or a combination of the three. Which is it? Show your work. I appreciate your efforts in resolving this question.