As part of Operation Market Garden, 82nd Airborne Division dropped across Holland on September 17, with very little reaction from the enemy. But the next day the Germans showed they had a bit of fight left in them at the Groesbeek Heights. Elements of two battalions of American paratroopers hold five of seven objectives; the Germans hold two objectives, and attack with seven battalions of poor-quality infantry. If the paras can hold three objectives, they win. We played our game on the 67th anniversary of the historical battle! The game was fought by the Gourmet Wargaming Club with 20mm figures, using our Hail of Lead homebrew rule set, at Richmond Game Central. The scenario was adapted from Jake Strangeway's scenario 3 from his Operation Market-Garden campaign supplement for Command Decision: Test of Battle. Scroll down and peruse the photos to see how the game turned out.

The battlefield viewed from the east. Note the three towns along the road that runs across Groesbeek Heights (the wooded hill). The Americans hold a front along the towns.	In the first hour, the two infantry battalions of Kampfgruppe Herman attack down the road from the south.	A German smoke screen in front of the town of Mook covers the advance of a battalion from an NCO "demonstration group." These are German regulars, some of the few the enemy will face.	The battalion's 8cm mortar platoon keeps up a steady fire in support.	Another battalion of German regulars--this time NCO trainees--moves up from the east, coming under fire (note krump markers) from American 75mm pack howitzers.
In the German center, a phantom force of numbered markers approaches the edge of the woods at the southest edge of the table. They are preparing for the push.	A snapshot of our warriors in action. You need long arms--or at least limberness and determination--to reach the center of the 6-foot-wide table.	On the German right, another paratrooper company has been discovered near the town of Kranenberg.	Overlooking Mook, a paratrooper company opens up with long-range small arms fire from its weapons platoon. The Germans reply with 8cm mortar fire.	The German left flank continues its move towards Mook, now supported by high explosive fire from the mortars.
A battle-damaged paratrooper company holds out in Mook.	One company of a replacement battalion (green troops) moves just south of Drop Zone "N" (open area just above the figures).	Now things get interesting--in the sense that interesting means a bad day for the Americans. A reinforced German infantry battalion (green troops) swarms in from the north to assault Kranenberg. They wipe out a U.S. para battalion HQ in the process.	A platoon of German SdKfz 234/1 armored cars zips past Kranenberg and into cover beside Drop Zone "T." This represents the full extent of armor that appears in the game.	The German right flank continues its advance, but with a certain amount of caution brought about by continuing attention from the U.S. pack howitzers.
Let loose the center! German infantry of poor quality break from the cover of the woods and make their way towards the Groesbeek Heights.	An overview of the action so far. Mook (top left) and Kranenberg (right) are under direct threat of capture by the Germans.	Another view of Kampfgruppe von Furstenberg (the unit attacking from the right flank) with the flakwagon in support. The appearance of the quad 2cm gun was not a morale booster for the enemy.	Kranenberg is now in German hands--as is Drop Zone "T," to the bottom right of this photo. American withdraw to the top of the Groesbeek Heights with the aid of a smoke screen.	The first U.S. reinforcements arrive near Mook. The Germans spot a company of paratrooper engineers, and immediately bring them under fire.
Things have changed on the German left. The paras have re-occupied the town, and this company of paratrooper engineers strikes out to flank the Germans and take the entry point of the road to Mook.	Heavy fighting around Mook, with both sides taking hits. The high firepower and better quality of the paras wins out.	As green German troops ascend the Groesbeek Heights in the center, a company from a "stomach and ear" battalion (right) moves into position to guard the flank of Drop Zone "N" (center).	The 234/1 armored cars drive across the table in no time, and take up a position astride the Mook road to protect the entry point from any marauding paras.	The German center pushes up onto the heights.
The U.S. para company from the area of Kranenberg continues to fall back in the woods, pursued by all the Germans in the world.	The Germans drop smoke to screen their movements in front of the town of Groesbeek (its template can be seen in top center of photo, manned by another para company).	The German left flank has been effectively destroyed, and an aggressive company of paras moves into the cover of a field to try to threaten Drop Zone "N." The "stomach and ear" company on the hill can only offer desultory resistance.	Some green infantry and the armored cars move up to challenge the advancing paratrooper engineer company.	The far German right flank holds Kranenberg and Drop Zone "T" from a possible American counter-attack.
The lead flies as German regulars push forward in the woods, supported by mortar fire. Only one platoon of the para company in front of them remains, but more Americans lurk nearby.	The potentially-deadly flakwagon drives towards Drop Zone "N" in the center of the table.	The German far left flank is attacked by the engineers, who lose two-thirds of their number just getting close to the SdKfz 234/1.	Another para company moves up to strike the German regulars moving to flank Groesbeek.	The para engineers blow up the armored cars, but are assaulted by green German infantry in turn. This is as far the Americans will get.
The Germans get a solid victory, as they control both entry points, both drop zones, and Kranenberg. The deadly determination on these faces tells the whole story of what really happpened on the Groesbeek Heights.	And the delicious chocolate spoils go to all of us! Thanks to the usual suspects for dessert.