Welcome to the Battle of Arnhem...

ARNHEM: THE THIRD BRIDGETM is the long-awaited module depicting the battle for aRNHEM. Designer Kurt Martin held nothing back, compiling years of research and on-site visits to ensure the accuracy of the game map, scenarios and campaign presentation. With a wealth of never-before seen detail, ATB is the ultimate Arnhem game ever published. Players of The Third Bridge experience something of the difficulties faced by the Germans and British in this historic battle.

What You Get...

ARNHEM: THE THIRD BRIDGETM includes a well-researched historical game map of the battlefield, eight new scenarios and a Platoon Leader 2.xTM campaign game. You will also receive extensive new rules providing the flavor of the battlefield and its combatants, including high walls, a new form of breach, and SS engineers. As a special bonus, ATB includes a sheet of color, die-cut game pieces providing Red Devil squads and SMC counters for historical leaders including Colonel Frost and armor leader Captain Gräbner. Everything is included to play but you must also own BV and WOA.

A key section of the actual game map - the Motorway bridge over the Rhine, where the following Action takes place:

Small Unit Action...

ARNHEM, THE NETHERLANDS 18 September 1944: SS Captain Gräbner had been awarded the Knight’s Cross just hours before the British landings around Arnhem. Most of Gräbner’s unit, the 9th SS Recon, was comprised of vehicles that German administrators tried to have withdrawn. Gräbner had his vehicles temporarily ‘disabled’ by removing tracks, wheels, etc. Once re-assembled, this group became the 9th’s main armoured force. As the Germans reacted to the threats at both the Arnhem and Nijmegan bridges, Gräbner was ordered to rush south along the highway between the two cities to verify reports of paratroopers in that area. But even as Gräbner’s column drove across the Arnhem bridge in the failing light on the 17th, the British 2nd Para Battalion was approaching the bridge from the west. The Paras had slipped through the tightening German line outside of Arnhem. In the absence of solid defenses, they easily captured the north end of the bridge. When Gräbner and his men returned from their fruitless recon, they found their way was now blocked. Gräbner quickly decided that his unit would make a daring rush across the bridge in the morning...

Ongoing SUPPORT ...

CH provides ongoing support in the form of clarifications and CH ONLINE free to its customers.

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The airborne strike to the Rhine...and the heart of the Third Reich...

The British insisted that their airborne division take on the toughest assignment at the very point of the 60-mile salient which was Operation Market Garden. Montgomery said the operation was a ‘springboard for a powerful full-blooded thrust to the heart of Germany.’ But the plan had one fatal flaw: Allied intelligence had reported few German units in the vicinity of Arnhem—but it turned out that two SS Panzer divisions and Field-Marshal Walther Model, known as the ‘Führer’s Fireman’ were awaiting the British at ground zero. The one British battalion which was able to fight its way to the bridge was cut off, becoming ‘a collection of individuals holding on’ awaiting relief that would never arrive.

Above: a section of the NW game map corner.
Below: a look at the full map.

No overnight sensation: 8 years of research, battlefield visits design and testing ...

Critical Hit!, Inc. is proud to announce a series of important new game releases! Our study of the Battle of Arnhem begins with this new squad-based Arnhem: The Third Bridge, seen on this page. We will continue with a stand-alone game based around the hard-core of research, and our detailed and accurate map. We'll be announcing additional book and game-related Arnhem products soon in keeping with CH's OWN THE BATTLETM approach for 1999.

What about your battle?

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