Allies’ combined ground and airborne attack in the Netherlands.
Designer: Mark Simonitch
Artist: Antonis Karidis, Rodger B. MacGowan, Mark Simonitch
Publisher: Ediciones MasQueOca, GMT Games, NAC Wargames
Holland '44, Operation Market-Garden, September 1944 is a two-player game depicting the Allies’ combined ground and airborne attack in the Netherlands during WWII, which was code named Operation Market-Garden.
The game starts with the airborne landings on September 17th and continues until September 23rd. The Allied player must rush his ground forces forward as fast as possible to relieve his beleaguered airborne divisions and capture a bridge across the Rhine.
The scale of the map is 2 kilometers per hex and covers the battlefield from the Belgian border to Arnhem. The map also includes the area where the British 8th Corps fought on the right flank of 30th Corps.
Most units in Holland ‘44 are battalions, but units range from Company to Brigades.
Holland '44 uses a system very similar to Ardennes '44: The Battle of the Bulge. It is basically a simple move-fight, I-go then u-go game. If you have played Ardennes '44: The Battle of the Bulge or Normandy '44 you will have no trouble learning the game. Rules such as ZOC Bonds, Determined Defense, Extended Movement, and Traffic Markers all make their reappearance. Due to the terrain of the Netherlands, special attention was given to river crossings, bridge building, and fighting in the flat polder terrain.
Game Scale:
Game Turn: 3 turns per day (AM, PM & Night)
Hex: 1.24 miles / 2 kilometers
Units: Company to Brigade
Game Inventory:
One 22 x 34" full color map
One 17 x 22" full color map (together = 22 x 43.5")
Two dual-side printed countersheet (468 9/16" counters)
One 40-page Holland '44 rulebook
Two dual-side printed Player Aid cards
One single-side printed Setup Card
Two 6-sided dice
Solitaire Playability: High
Complexity Level: Medium-High
Players: 2 or more
Playing Time: 4-15 hours