Digital Axis & Allies D-Day map

@andrewaagamer

In my first game, there was some battles around Caen, I abandoned Utah Beach (too far from reinforcements), and then Germany threw as many starting forces at that beach as possible, whilst I concentrated my reinforcements on the British and Omaha, who got their reinforcements faster than the Americans-it was a battle of attrition that the British could not win, especially with British tanks defending at two, and once most British forces have been destroyed, the Americans have finally broken out of Utah Beach, and easily took Cherbourg-no matter, the Americans and British couldn’t take Caen or St.Lo.

As for aircraft, I tried to avoid as many artillery pieces as possible (in hindsight, I was overly cautious regarding this), and I concnetrated as many fighters into a single zone as possible.

Another thing I want you to think about is my policy (I control both sides) for both sides, where I delay reinforcements until the single unit (usually a division, but sometimes Werfer brigades), units made up of one piece (such as the British armoured brigades) are moved immediately after deployment. I just like doing this, because I think that reinforcements not be poured in piecemeal and destroyed piecemeal, as I feel like this is what happened in real life (even if it didn’t, I still would like for divisions to operate together, even if individual units aren’t more powerful when operating within their own division. Is that a good idea? I look forward to hearing your response!

Shouldn’t it read:

Don’t be such a Gargantuan Contrarion?

Just saying.  :P

Nice use of sacrasm here…

You are right little boots the game is horribly unbalanced in the axis favour. It is so unbalanced you were able to notice it after only your first play. Th#e more you play it the more you realize how unbalanced it is.

Played my first D-Day game last Thurday with a work friend.  I usually play Revised/Anniversary/Some new Pacific/Global.  First let me say, it was nice not to have to decide what units to purchase with IPCs.  Well to the battle…

I did a scant bit of research on what the game might involve, glossed over the rules, and printed out the FAQ.  We flipped a coin and I got allies.  I knew that blockhouses were bad because they could pick the unit to remove so I made it a point to try to kick those in the teeth near the Brits so they couldn’t pluck my shermans out of the water.  The ones that did survive to shoot, missed everything.  I had a good UK landing and pushed Caen hard, taking it turn 2.  When placing my airpower I tried putting them in reinforcement zones and cut quick approaches to my stacks.  I’ll say that positioning the strafing helped steer his units, but the ones that walked through the strafing were probably safer, because my planes could not hit the broad side of Caen.

I rushed into Caen so then turned my sights toward St Lo, while trying to clear out units around Cherbourg.  We traded units pretty steadily outside of St Lo and I couldn’t seem to muster my way inside.  I reinforced Caen landing zones once with units to help against reinforcements, but then prioritized capturing St Lo.  An error to almost lose my the game later.  My units near Cherbourg took some heavy losses and I needed to start pushing more US that direction, while focusing on St. Lo.  Reinforcements started massing around Caen and I realized I needed to shift units toward it to either intercept the Germans outside of Caen or to retake it if it was lost.

Turn 8 I took St Lo and flung 3 UK shermans towards Cherbourg that would make it to attack on turn 10 (with other US forces).  I piled aircraft around Caen to protect it to no avail.

Turn 9 my UK forces attack blocks of Germans around Caen and score victories, but Germans still remain.  My attack into Cherbourg is practically obliterated, leaving 5 German units still on the city.  The follow-up US forces combined with the 3 shermans need to clear it turn 10.

Turn 10 two Spitfires decimate 3 Axis units out of a sizeable force that move to attack Caen and UK forces finish off the rest.  The attack on Cherbourg finished the remaining units.

I wish I kept track of my shots taking by fighters and bombers, because their hitrate was horrendous, even by 17% standards.  Bombers are better at needing 3’s, but I am sure their rate fell below 50% in the last few turns.  My UK reinforcement rolls had my last reinforcements hitting the beach on turn 7, while the US finished landing on turn 9.

The game was fun and different, which made it a cool experience.  Next time we’ll try the fortune cards or maybe hit up Guadalcanal.  I think what was a real shocker was having the game only take a few hours, where Anniversary can take much much longer.

I think the Germans were a different color too. One set was dark black and other was i little lighter in black. Got 2 different blockhouse colors. Man I was pissed when bought 2nd set. I needed more infrantry for Uk and Germany for IL’s WW2 game that starts with 600 pieces. I try not to use chips if I can. Ended up buying like 2000 pieces of each kind of piece on e bay couple years ago. because I also needed Russian infrantry and tanks. That was nice got like 100 infrantry for each country and all the tanks you needed and ships. Just waiting for Coach and FMG to come up with the L crusiars, L AC, tankers,air transporters for game with the added pieces. also pacific sold Japan as red as well but use them for neutrals do to needed ships. painted rest.

@conanthelibrarian:

While I’m on here, any other of the smaller AA games (like battle of the bulge) that you guys recommend?  Im playing this with my 8 year old, and I like that he can understand and play with me.

Thanks alot.

@Krieghund:

D-Day is the easiest A&A game of all.  Battle of the Bulge and Guadalcanal are a little bit more involved.  However, if your son can handle D-Day, maybe he can handle one of those as well.  I think I’d try Bulge before Guadalcanal.  If you do, let him be the Germans, as it’s harder to play the Allies in that game.

I’d agree with this. Looking at the rules it might seem Guadalcanal is ‘simpler’ but you have to make many more “if I do this what will my opponent do,” decisions a lot faster and GCNL eliminates the reinforcement charts creating a daunting set of decisions regarding reinforcements.

If you are also new to BOTB playing the Allies will be a good handicap for you as it is tougher to play the Allies and will be easier and more interesting for him as the Axis on the attack.

I’d wait till you’re bored with D-Day though.

“The Allies can’t lose , you just park aircraft over the central city and annihilate anything that tries to get into it.The other two cities are either swamped by the British , or cut off by the Americans….”

this is what i found. Allies park 4 planes into caen and 4 planes into St lo literally the entire game. half of all german artillery  sent in is anihilated by the straffing the other half his cleared by the ground forces before the germans even get the chance to fire at them. the only advantage is the allies run out of reinforcements faster but its evened out by the carnage the germans suffer from the airplanes

great.  thanks a lot.