If you have played Axis and Allies D-Day before you probably suffered or gloried in an Axis Victory before due to first-time-played-syndrome. I lost horribly the first time I played as the Allies because I didn’t know how to structure my attack around the Fighter advantage. But after 2 or 3 plays the game play started to change; Allied Forces gained dominance of the “Cherbourg” Sector; Air Power was allocated properly; and Blockhouse threats were removed faster then a Grognard breaking out a counter sheet on Christmas Day. Eventually whoever plays the Allies will realize the most effective way to establish a solid attack structure is to reduce your Armor stacks with Fighters before they leave the “safe” reinforcement zones. The few that make it out of this Fighter Cover are mainly a monotony of Armor that survived the strafing and made it to Caen and suffer the adverse casualties usually absorbed by Infantry.
Turn 1-4 Considerations: First things first, your advantages; the designers were able to completely represent the Axis superior armor advantages available at Normandy. Overall you have a said 8 additional tanks and keeping them alive will afford more Allied losses in cities. You also have a painful little piece called the blockhouse, something new in this game which I talked about in my Axis and Allies D-day Review on this site. Its ability to target might give you the crushing power to destroy the limited tank power of the Allies before it ever comes to the shore. In turn one consideration understand that the Allied move first gives you a chance to survey your opponent’s first 3 turn structure. Is he structuring his US Airborne Forces Northeast, hoping to avoid your armor around Cherbourg or is he staying put? Is there any fighters placed on Caen, on obvious early push sign on that city? Where did his bombers hit, and what possible motive is his targeting? How many beaches did they clear and how many possible units can come ashore? The most important question is of course the fighter placement. If they were smart and have read my Allied Review then no doubt you are facing a loaded Reinforcement zone crowded with Tan and Green pieces too.
Your forces deployed on the board not on Reinforcement Zones are used not to attack but delay. In Cherbourg’s Sector I don’t stack my units in the center or counter attack, I stack them in Cherbourg: 3 Artillery, 2 Armor, 3 Infantry, and have reserve units stationed in the Territory behind it. I would rather force the Americans to commit a late game Armor to clear up north and prevent it from helping in St. Lo, then allowing it to push the Main Army closer to the Zone and be more easily allocated.
Blockhouses obviously should try to hit Armor first then Artillery. They are a powerful advantage but in reality you have no real “control” over the piece, so I will not mention anything about them. Units deployed close to Beachheads that can reinforce them should do so, or move to the closest city.
Turn 8-10: This point in the game should be decided. If you are able to hold the 2 “Main” Reinforcement Zones, shove your reinforcements, if you have any, and disregard casualties. You must hold at least one unit in St. Lo until game end, hell or high water. You should be able to do this. Again I cannot guarantee the success of any of my material but what I have laid out should get you rolling off on a good footing. Allied advantages are can be countered with the right mix in your reinforcement zones and in the cities. Structure these well, and then go claim that Ice Cream Sundae the group promised you 2 hours ago. Happy Gaming,Guerrilla Guy
