Normandy 44 Bunkers
I am at present playing the Allies in Normandy 44 Advancing Inland Alt scenario.
There are a couple of issues with this scenario I am not too happy with and these generally concern the Bunkers and Pillboxes.
From the start my opponent has had a free hand to move his forces in a rapid response to the Invasion and I was expecting this from the description of the scenario.
What he did and this seems perfectly allowable and I must stress he has done nothing wrong here, was to move everything immediately towards the beaches. Given the scenario I would have done exactly the same.
He then proceeded to fill up all the bunkers and pillboxes with everything he had to an absolute maximum. Which once again according to the game was OK
The problem I have here is the on Omaha beach the Pillboxes are full to bursting making it all but impossible to get off the beach.
Many of these Pillboxes must have over 600 men in them, plus a number of guns and this seems to me to be totally unrealistic.
Having visited Normandy and seen many of the pillboxes which still exist, I am certain they could not hold anything like that number.
Also in the game these pillboxes cover the entire beach there are no gaps at all in them.
I would expect in this scenario everything the Axis had to be moved to the beach as soon as possible. But not everything that turns up there to have the protection of these pillboxes.
I would also expect much more in the way of casualties from Naval fire from these units turning up at the beach, more than I am able to inflict because of the bunkers.
I know these pillboxes could cover the beach with fire, but there were places in between them, gullies and the like, which I understand many men in the real battle got off the beach up these.
I know that the game cannot allow these gaps because of the one kilometer hexes, but I really feel there should be some limitation as to the number of men these pillboxes can hold in view of this.
At one point I have taken one of these pillboxes there is nothing in front of these men at all only occupied pillboxes either side of them. Because of ZOC they they still can't move out and get behind the other ones which looks pretty silly. It means I have to take three adjacent bunkers before I can move men out. Nothing I can do but it really does look silly.
I think this is all too far in the way of an advantage for the Axis which in reality I believe they wouldn't have had.
It now makes for an interesting game to see what can be done if Omaha has failed as it looks like now.
I would be grateful to know what others think of this.
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