85. " Standing up gloriously out of the flames and smoke of surrounding buildings, St. Paul's Cathedral is pictured during the great fire raid of Sunday December 29th." 1940. 306-NT-3173V. National Archives Identifier: 541922
Recent communication with a fellow gamer has drawn renewed attention to the old Flames of War Remagen or Ludendorff Bridge scenario featured in the July 2014 issue (#321) of Wargamer Illustrated. WR remembers reading this scenario but at the time had no late war American Pershing tanks to play out the scenario. Now, several years later, the American tank pool is vast and deep, including the Pershing tank 20mm miniatures required in the scenario American force. So, looking for a small scenario to hopefully play this holiday period, basically and somewhat with the flavor of the historical action, and having a trestle bridge to feature on the tabletop, the scenario green light is lit. Just need to manufacture the four grey stone towers bookmarking the bridge corners.
Bridge At Remagen Flames Of War Pdf 23
All the Ludendorff towers are rated as bulletproof terrain and can house one infantry team each apart from the HMG nest. Entrance by a door on lowest level (facing bridge embankment) and small windows dot all sides of the upper levels of the towers to fire from. They are not as tall as the Erpeler Ley mountain but taller than any building structure for LOS purposes. The map notes the two towers on the German side of the Rhine river. There was two other towers on the American side where the German Volksgrenadier platoon (B) is placed besides the anti-tank obstacle (blown bridge arch #2 on scenario map). WR added those additional Ludendorff Bridge towers to the tabletop. While crossing the bridge model itself, infantry teams can use the steel girders for bulletproof protection except during assaults. All vehicles on the bridge are totally exposed and receive no concealment. Firing across or through the bridge structure is blocked LOS if same level as bridge structure till blown into the Rhine river.
Some photos showing the bridge approach ramp which was raised ground near the bridge. The railway ramp actually was a series of stone arches leading to the actual bridge. A miniature vehicle can drive under the archway (except the blown arch for A/T obstacle) and stop to hide if desired during scenario play.
The scenario notes has two stage bridge damage. On turn four the bridge is blown into its damaged but still standing state if a German team is near the bridge. On turn five and six possible 2nd explosion if German team on bridge near bridge center (roll d6 for six). Starting with turn seven, a second German attempt can be made to drop the span into the Rhine river and limit the crossing to just infantry teams if German team within six inches of the bridge model. The scenario notes file .pdf covers all the bridge demolition attempt rules. If for any reason there is more than one German team on the actual bridge model at start of the German turn, the bridge demolition roll or attempt is delayed till next German turn. Note that the tunnel portal defensive position is assumed to be more than six inches from bridge model edge.
Note: The written scenario states if no American team is across the bridge on turn six, the Germans win the scenario immediately. WR recommends a slight change for scenario play: 1) The bridge is destroyed (2nd explosion triggered) and, 2) no American team across the Rhine river.
The scenario map shows several brown image fields near the American side of the Ludendorff bridge ramp. Treat these as concealing terrain (+1) for firepower if the target team is positioned in the fields. They provide no cover for all vehicles. For line of sight treat as open ground with no visibility restrictions except for the +1 concealment given for infantry teams.
The tunnel portal should have a low barricade position at the tunnel mouth. Place a barricade piece to reflect this bulletproof cover. This position is greater than six inches from the bridge model so the German teams cannot be used to perform the final bridge demolition stage on turn seven (or later). They would need to advance from the tunnel barricade position forward towards the bridge model to trigger the final demolition rule.
Apart from German aircraft trying to bomb the bridge span, the Germans launched V-2 rockets at the area and fired large artillery from Karl Morser 54cm howitzers as mentioned in this excellent site with loads of photos and first hand reports: V2 Rocket at Remagen 2ff7e9595c
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