MSG's Biggest Game Yet!
Stretching across 9 full size maps (with a kink in the middle, no less!) and 3 outside inserts, the combined maps for
The Devil's Cauldron and
Where Eagles Dare fit diagonally across the entire main playing space at Metro Seattle Gamers. This is the largest single game ever to be played at the club.
This combined campaign, which we are calling
To the Devil's Cauldron, covers Operation Market-Garden: one of the most daring operations of the Second World War. A game of this size will be played by teams of players over a number of months. The current plan is to meet 1-2 times per month and players will cover for the inevitable absences of others. Two overall commanders will provide the operational structure for their respective teams. The game system itself is pretty straightforward. Some of our participants say it is the best WWII grand tactical system that they have played. While sessions are in play, the back room at MSG will remain available for other reservations.
To provide a basic idea of what is going to happen on this map that you see, Allied paratroopers and glider-borne troops are going to land to secure the bridges and the single long road that stretches down at the length of the map. At the far end of this picture is the Dutch city of Arnhem, whose bridge across the Rhine is the final objective (the legendary "Bridge Too Far"). That is Operation Market.
Below is a picture of Arnhem and that final objective. The boys in red are the Red Devils of the British 1st Airborne Division. The opposition is a hodgepodge of German units who had no idea that the Allies were coming but they do start with good antiaircraft protection. One Allied gambit of dropping glider borne troops onto the ends of this last bridge has already fallen to German antiaircraft guns.
Then the mechanized forces of British XXX Corps will break through the German front line and march all of the way down that road (starting at the near end of the map on the first picture) to link up with the valiant paratroopers along the way. That is Operation Garden. Then on to Berlin! Unfortunately for the Allies, the corridor is mostly secured by only one long road, it is no freeway, and it is often surrounded by reclaimed land that often is little better than marshland, or still is marshland.
But what about the Germans, you ask? They will be coming in from all sides and may have the opportunity to defeat one force, mostly likely the British 1st Airborne Division, in detail. Below is a picture of XXX Corps off to a fairly good start.
Needless to say our players are going to be busy!
Slots for local commanders will pop up from time to time. To obtain further information please consult the event entry for this game.
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