Normandy '44 AAR

[Ashcloud]

Excuse the new guy question but is there an optional rule that allows artillery damage to effect all units in a stack not just the one targeted? I find it ridiculous that units in a hex can be immune to artillery just because they were not the selected target - surely the target is the hex not the unit?

[ComradeP]

Surprising that Allied interdiction is that deadly as interdiction effectiveness is 25%, or is this one of the scenarios with big 36-48 plane air units?

A recovery percentage of 5% for both sides is generous, it does keep setbacks from permanently ruining units in this longer campaign.

No bunker probability should keep the fighting fluid, as you can't simply fortify a line and wait for the Allies to launch futile attack after futile attack.

I like scenarios where terrain firepower reductions are higher than the fortification bonus from improved positions/trenches, as positioning becomes more important. 40%-50% terrain+fortification firepower reductions are also still levels D quality units can overcome with their additional -20% penalty.

50% stockpiling seems rather extreme.

Excuse the new guy question but is there an optional rule that allows artillery damage to effect all units in a stack not just the one targeted? I find it ridiculous that units in a hex can be immune to artillery just because they were not the selected target - surely the target is the hex not the unit?

With alt indirect fire, that is what happens, just like in FWWC. The effect is distributed amongst the defending units according to size. There are some issues on the high end (close to the stacking limit) but it generally works well.

Keep in mind that a hex covers a 1x1 km area, so it's unrealistic that a unit which can theoretically be almost a 1km away from the frontline is not hit by an artillery barrage. It's a matter of abstraction where the units are within the hex. As artillery is mostly 105mm, and shells are explode-upon-contact rather than air burst shells, a short WWII barrage isn't particularly lethal.

The "cherry picking" that you can do without Delayed Disruption Reporting (I also do it, it's just not very realistic) is a situation where alt indirect fire works better.

[Plain Ian]

Mmmh this scenario/campaign uses the Normandy.pdt. Beach is set at 10%. The allies probably had an easier time getting off the beaches than they possibly should have.

Have a look at the Normandy_Alt.pdt or just open up an alt scenario and you'll see that Beaches are set to 200%. You don't get off Omaha that easy with 200%.

But if you are trying to play a 750 turn campaign as far as you can then its probably best not to discourage your allied opponent too early. 

Edit: I'll check that 200%. My Normandy_Alt.pdt is set to 100% but I think I changed it from 200% for testing.

[CountryBoy]

Yes, I think it probably does make it easier for the Allies to get off the beaches, but as you say, it would also be unplayable from an Allied perspective if you can't get off the beach.

Delayed disruption reporting would have been an optional rule that would help the Germans.

Regarding Allied air interdiction, I don't know how many Allied air units there are exactly, but it seems like a massive amount!

[CountryBoy]

Next update: Turn 22, 6:00am 8 June 1944.

Jumping ahead a little bit to Turn 22.

In the Caen region, there has not been much movement. 21st Panzer and 12th SS are in position here, not being overly troubled by the Allies. I have blown most of the bridges across the L'Orne, with only one bridge still intact in Caen, which will be blown if the Allies push on here.




In the Bayeux area, the defensive line is taking shape, shared by the left flank of the 12th SS and the right flank of the 352nd Infantry Division. Like Caen, there is not too much Allied pressure here.



Near Omaha, the Allies have made some strong gains, with German forces falling behind the marshland around L'Aure. As mentioned in Turn 16, German forces are thin on the ground here and simply cannot stand up to the Allies. 



But wait! The cavalry are on the way! In the last few turns the Panzer Lehr Division arrived east of Caen and I have sent them on a long trek westwards, with their destination the sector south of Omaha. Their progress is shown below:




Elsewhere, the battle is not going well. Around Carentan, the 4th US Infantry Division has captured the village, although at great cost. German forces are outnumbered here and struggling to hold back the tide. Unfortunately, no German reinforcements are anywhere near this area. I'll be  pulling back to a defensive position on Hill 30.



North west of Utah beach, in the Cherbourg peninsula, the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions are monstering the German defenders. The 709th and 243rd are all E rated, with the 91st slightly better at C, however none of them are any better than mere speedbumps for the paras. No reinforcements available for this area either. I am building defensive positions in depth, however....



The jump map shows the big picture and importantly, the reinforcements heading to the front line.




And finally, the victory points. The Allies have lost around 3,000 more men than the Germans, although German gun and vehicle losses are greater (mainly many fixed guns in bunkers overrun near the beaches).



Summary:

In general, things are going ok. I am worried about the area south of Omaha, although the Panzer Lehr should arrive over the next few turns. Likewise Carentan and the Cherbourg peninsula are a mess, but I can trade space for time here.

[Fhil]

Looks like Normandy will be always popular. It is a great title indeed, I have played the campaign twice.
I was also suprised by the rules you have picked up, so I´m curious how things develop.
Meanwhile, thanks for posting, you also seem to have a good pace!

[CountryBoy]

Looks like Normandy will be always popular. It is a great title indeed, I have played the campaign twice.
I was also suprised by the rules you have picked up, so I´m curious how things develop.
Meanwhile, thanks for posting, you also seem to have a good pace!

Hi Fhil,

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, my knowledge of the impact of various optional rules is not great, so perhaps there are one or two which are not appropriate. To be honest I find the whole optional rules thing very confusing and a bit of a distraction.

Regarding the game, we are actually on turn 80, so these posts are just catching up.

[Fhil]

Until both of you are happy with the rules and the game works fine for you, it´s absolutely ok with any optional rules you pick   That´s why they are called optional rules. Anyway, there is a great article about all of the rules between the Articles Thread, you might want to check it for future games.

Turn 80? You are already at 10% of the game. Although I know from my own experience that the longer this campaign is, the more units arrive and the longer the turns are. 

Is it still valid that there is not that much direct fire involved? That definitely speeds things up. I sometimes have to fight that feeling that I have to shoot with everything in my games   It all depends on the risks involved, like you have mentioned with enemy artillery.

[lezgo killemall]

I see some of the British units N of the 21st Panzer (and US units in the NW of the 2d picture) have a vertical darker stripe running down the middle of them and don't ever recall seeing that.  They all appear to be airborne.  Has that always been there and I just haven't seen them in a while and forgotten or some type of mod?

[CountryBoy]

I'm not sure if it's a mod - the only mod I have installed is Jison's mapmod, which might contain some modified unit art, so perhaps that's it?