Omaha Beach (Doubles game for Operation Overlord Campain, 2013)

The German Hinterland just before the preliminary bombardment

Two American divisions assault a narrow gap in the Bluffs, defended by German 352 division.


The German Defenders: (1800pts 352 Festungkompanie) (MJS101 and Lt. Ian Moore)
HQ with panzershrek and 2x8cm mortars, three full veteran festung platoons, HMG pltn,Ost Platoon

Stug platoon, 2 each 7.5cm pillboxes, HMG pillboxes, HMG nest, trenches, barbed wire, mines and an anti-tank obstacle, oh my!
  - vs. - 

The US 1^st infantry division (1200pts My brother Unlucky Jeff)

HQ, 3 veteran boat sections, 5 trained DD shermans, HMG platoon, Naval support

The US 29^st infantry divAssault Company (29th Infantry)  (DWRobby)

HQ, 3 trained boat sections, 5 trained DD shermans, HMG plt, Field Artillery, and priority air

SET UP

The beach covers the north end of the board, with a range of hills substituting for bluffs. The bluff was difficult-going for infantry but impassible to vehicles, leaving the tanks a single road off the beach--which the Germans would block with an anti-tank obstacle. The objectives were placed at the fork in the road leading off the Bocage country and on a central hill with an anti-tank pillbox. The sea wall is shown with a row of anti-tank obstacles. This terrain put the Americans at a real disadvantage – but hey, this is OMAHA BEACH!

The Americans advance into stiff opposition

 

The Americans stormed ashore, sadly we lacked the DD tank models, so, like us, you'll have to pretend.  Once ashore, they fired smoke on the anti-tank pill boxes. The German counter fire was withering and knocked out a tank. It would be the only American tank loss, excluding three to the rough seas.

End of turn One

End of turn One, the 1st infantry division troops piled up right in front of an HMG pillbox. Due to the current, the 29th are even more packed in, also in front of an HMG pillbox (off camera to the right). Although obscured by American direct-fire smoke, the anti-tank pill boxes destroy a single sherman. The Americans called for air but advancing G.I.s called it off. The German machine guns destroyed a boat section from each division, but more are coming...

End of Turn Two

Turn two, in spite of terrible fire, both the 1st and 29th divisions got teams in position against the barbed wire. American air proved ineffective. German machine gun fire destroyed another boat section from each division, and yet more are coming...

End of Third Turn

A tough time for the Germans. Both American divisions have destroyed barbed wire in front of each HMG pill box. The Germans lost the platoon in the north east trenches and the platoon guarding the hill objective was looking spare.  Naval artillery failed to range in. Germans sweated in their trenches, asking, "Reserves, where are you?"

End of Turn Four, it gets worse for the Germans

Losing a key bunker to the 29th, Turn four was another tough one for the Germans. The 1st I.D. attempted a parallel assault on a the western-most AT gun (just to the bottom of the picture), but were stopped cold. The western German platoon abandoned the front line to consolidate on the secondary objective. German HMG teams appeared, too late, strolling in the late spring sun through the bocage. No luck with Artillery or Air for the Americans.

End of Turn Five, Game Over

Turn Five, the last turn. After wiping out the 2nd german platoon on the hill objective with artillery and combined fire, the 29th positioned itself in the German trenches, ready to pounce on the first objective. The 1st division struggled, failing to cross a mine field.The much vaunted Allied Air and Naval fire did nothing.

Game called due to lack to time. Four players is four times more fun than two, but time consuming. Too many points on the table, first time playing 'Hit the Beach', and first time playing with fortification. So many models, so little time. Still, five hours well spent!


German 4-3 victory. Yeah, the allies were not in possession of any objectives by end of game, but next turn they'd have had it and very little the Germans could have done to prevent them taking the second objective by a hypothetical turn 12.

This game was a lot of fun and it was great to game with two new guys, 'Lt. Ian Moore' and 'DWRobby'. It is great to play with someone new, and think, "I can't wait to play with them again."


(*) Uncertain, we decided something as big as a house (e.g. a bunker), would force air support to range in with air support. The American players were such good sports they voted 'Yes, bunker counts as a Building' while the one German player abstained and the other voted No.