(This review is in response to Ben_Phillis; Anniversary game)
This scenario also has an After Action Review, including video, by goncalo; Omaha Beach Overlord - June 06, 1944
Set up: slow
Game time: medium
Solo play: suitable (if you are patient!)
Historical Background:
The US assault waves on Omaha Beach were led by the 116th Regimental Combat Team, destined for Dog sector on the left; and the 16th Regimental Combat Team hitting Easy and Fox sectors. The first wave also included two battalions of tanks from the 741st and 743rd. A persistent swell and strong undertow kept pushing the incoming troops toward the wrong sections of the beach. Heavily-fortified German positions delivered a withering roll of fire the moment any LCA crashlanded in. Exhausted and sea-sick survivors reaching the water’s edge would find no protection, save for a 200-yard dash to the seawall. Many simply collapsed, or tried to find cover behind the numerous beach obstructions. Yet in the face of intense small arms and artillery fire, a handful of young soldiers rallied and began to act. The first infiltrations were made between the E-1 and E-3 exits. Advances against other strong points were also successful and while it was not apparent at the time, German defences were starting to crumble.
Briefing:
Axis 8 cards, move first. Allies 8 cards.
Conditions of Victory:
8 Medals
An Allied unit that captures a town counts as 1 Victory Medal. As long as the Allied unit remains on the Town hex, it continues to count toward the Allied victory.
An Allied unit that exits off the Axis side of the battlefield, counts as 1 Victory Medal.
Special Rules:
The hill that runs along the beach is a sea bluff. Moving up the bluff from the beach is a 2 hex move. Tanks may not move up the bluff from the beach. From the inland side, treat it as a normal hill in battle and for movement.
Treat the Sea Walls as a permanent improved position for the Allied player. The seawall offers protection, but has no effect on the movement of units.
The Axis player is in control of the Bunkers and may claim them as a defensive position.
The Allied Special Forces are Ranger units. They may move 1 or 2 and still battle.
Either side may choose to play a ‘Recon’ command card as a Barrage Tactic card instead.
Scenario link
This is from the original main game, but here is the online version:
Report:
Set up: 45 minutes.
Playing time: 60 minutes (much quicker than I expected).
All the early action in Fox sector. The Americans had a number of cards for their left flank so I decided to focus on that section. That was probably a big mistake! There is no cover, and they got cut to pieces. The US used two Infantry Assault cards, one Attack 3 units, and a Move Out. But they got nowhere and were defeated by repeated good German cards. 4-0 after 20 minutes!
I desperately tried to get the Allied armour into action but was totally out of luck with cards and only managed to push a few tanks slightly forward. Then the Germans then destroyed 3 tank units in a Firefight to make it 7-0!
Again the US could not get their forces into any meaningful action and were finished off by a Behind Enemy Lines which pushed a tank unit back into the sea.
An 8-0 whitewash! Not only that – German losses were negligible. This was largely because the American dice kept falling as flags rather than infantry or grenades.
Most of the units in Dog and Charlie sectors didn’t even get out of the water, so it really felt like a bit of a waste of time setting up that end of the board.
So, ultimately a disappointing game.
BUT – there is a solution!
MAKE IT 12 MEDALS!
Most (if not all) double-board scenarios (Overlord/Breakthrough) have 12 medals. This would have made this particular scenario more playable. Yes, there would still be heavy American losses, but even at 7-0 I could see possibilities for a breakthrough at E-1 and D-3.
In fact, I have just decided to play it again with a 12 medal Condition of Victory!
Set up:
Finish:
