Prufrock's Wargaming Blog

Prufrock's Wargaming Blog

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Normandy '44, first turn

One board game in my collection I purchased with high hopes but haven't properly sat down with is Mark Simonitch's Normandy '44. I decided therefore to lay it out and play through at least a couple of turns.

The rules are fairly straightforward, but there are some interesting additions to your bog standard hex and counter rules. Firstly, there is a special kind of zone of control called a hex bond which allows very tight defence lines to be established through which enemy units may not advance, retreat, or trace supply. Secondly, attacking units must nominate a 'main attacking formation' which fights at full strength and that can be supplemented by other units which attack at half strength. Thirdly, there is a 'determined defence' rule, which allows defending units that receive retreat results in combat to roll on a table which may permit them to stand fast, possibly at a cost to themselves.

Anyway here are a few shots of my progress. As usual, the game is being played solo.


Bad jumps for the 82nd and 101st Airborne. High casualties, and the troops are badly scattered.


The British jumps don't have a lot of joy either.


The invasion forces: American.


The invasion forces: Canadian and British.


Sword Beach.


The landings at Utah are very successful.


Those at Omaha less so, but they are there.


The forces landing at Gold and Juno take a lot of step damage, but all units survive.


So too at Sword.


The overall view is of success. The troops have got ashore. Most of the armour is spent, but there is quantity and quality to resist the German counter-attacks.

German and then Allied turns follow the landings. At close of June 6th the positions look like this.


The US sector has seen German units converge on the bridgehead. The 82nd Airborne is isolated and in all kinds of trouble, but if they can last the morning of the 7th they will be rescued.


The Canadians and British have done well in their sectors. The have avenues of advance and Caen looks inviting.


And the overall position at close of day.

There are 22 turns to the game, so I'm not sure that I'll get through them all. It does look already to be a game worth learning properly with a view to playing face to face or over VASSAL.

8 comments:

  1. Looks a lovely game. I played his France 40 game, not sure if it is the same system, but there was an oddity in which I won a combat and my opponent 'retreated forward'. he said the rules gave a reason why that was possible, but I am never convinced by a retreating forward arguement. I have never wanted to return to the game because of that.

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    1. I'm with you, Norm. There are some things that put you right off a game, and a retreat forward rule would do that for me, too. Doesn't seem to be one here, thankfully!

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  2. Another handsome looking game, Aaron. Of late, I have been picking up a few more boardgames to add to my collection. Intentions are to begin getting a few onto the table. The game pile is high but time is dear especially with so many miniatures to paint and game.

    VASSAL might be a good solution for me too. I could likely get away without setting up the physical game although there is something satisfying about pushing counters around a beautiful map.

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    1. It is a nice looking game, and I'd recommend VASSAL without hesitation. Find yourself a reliable game buddy or two and you'll get a lot of gaming done!

      Cheers,
      Aaron

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  3. What is best about Mark's system is that once you learn this one, you can easily jump into his others, like France 40 (or "The Caucasus Campaign", "Ardennes 44", "Ukraine 43"), which by the way I had a blast at and thought was one of the more exciting designs. I would highly recommend getting a copy of France 40. Each one of the systems has something unique about it, but the main rules are roughly the same.

    By the way his Holland 44 game is getting very close to production. I'm looking forward to this one.

    Cheers
    Kevin

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    1. Thanks for the info, Kevin. Will keep an eye out for the others.

      Cheers,
      Aaron

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  4. I soloed this a couple years ago on June 6th and played a turn a day and updated my progress via a video a day.
    It was fun but the exceptions drove me crazy.
    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOP-iw7aEM3VUBHP1H2We7jYs_raq-35q

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    Replies
    1. Excellent, I'll check those out. Thanks for the link!

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