Mike & Gort have suggested using some of our GJS'44 maps for a simple BA tournament, outside of the full campaign... which seems like a great idea to me!!
Please sign-up if you're interested in a four-map tournament, including:
1. Sword - Classic Normandy beach landing
2. Hillman - Assault/defend an inland stronghold
3. Carpiquet - Airfield assault, which is not as easy as it looks
4. Caen - Urban street fighting around a port, bridges and a castle
Battle details and approximate snapshots for each of the maps below...
Everyone plays everybody else twice, on each of the four maps, once as Germans, once as Allies, which I admit is a lot of games, but we'll take it easy so everyone gets their games in. You'll be able to storm a beach (or liberate a French city) in your sleep, when you're done...
We will copy Gort's method of asking players to post the games that they start and their finishing results. I'll setup the four maps, balancing force selection options fairly realistically, so it should be possible for either side to win (Hillman and Carpiquet will be tough for the Allies tho).
Players please sign-up on this thread -> viewtopic.php?f=115&t=39693&p=372118#p372118
SWORD BEACH
Stretching for 5 miles from St Aubin sur Mer to Ouistreham, Sword beach lies 10 miles northwest of D-Day target city of Caen. Expect Rommel's asparagus, dragon's teeth, tank traps, MG nests, and fearsome 88s and Pak40s. Allies enjoy naval artillery, medic and rally. Germans can call down Fw190G-2 air cover, medic and rally.
Brits: Force selection mostly from 8th brigade, 3rd British infantry division, including 1st Bn Suffolk regiment, 2nd Bn East Yorks regiment, plus elements of 27th armoured Staffordshire Yeomanry and 41 Royal Marine commando
Germans: Force selection predominantly from 716th grenadier division (weaker coastal defence), supported by 352nd infantry division (regulars) and a vanguard of Feuchtinger's 21st panzerdivision
HILLMAN BATTERY STRONGHOLD
Two miles inland from the Sword landings, Hillman was the site of approximately 12 coastal guns, defended by extensive underground bunkers, interlocking trenches, MG nests and barbed wire. Allies enjoy naval artillery, medic and rally. Germans can call down inland artillery, medic and rally.
Brits: Force selection includes 185th brigade, 3rd British infantry division, again with its mix of 1st Bn Suffolk regiment, 2nd Bn Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI), 1st Bn Royal Norfolks, MG platoon from 2nd Middlesex regiment and 27th armoured Staffordshire Yeomanry, supported by 17pdrs from 20th AT regiment
Germans: Force selection predominantly from Krug's headquarters and defence staff of 736th regiment 716th grenadier division, supported by counter-attacking elements of Feuchtinger's 21st panzerdivision
CARPIQUET AIRFIELD
A western gateway to Caen, Carpiquet airfield stood on high ground with surrounding woods. It was supposedly lightly defended by outnumbered Hitler Youth SS, but their sheer zeal, fortifications, trenches, rapid mobility through interconnected underground blockhouses and excellent radio communications cost the Canadians time and desperate losses. Allies enjoy naval bombardment from the battleship HMS Rodney, Typhoon air support, medic and rally. Germans have access to inland artillery, medic and rally.
Canadians: Force selection from North Shore and Queens Own Rifles regiments of 8th brigade 3rd Canadian infantry division, reinforced by Royal Winnipeg Rifles, and supported by Canadian 10th armoured regiment Fort Garry Horse and 79th Armoured Division
Germans: Force selection mostly panzergrenadiers of Meyer's 12th SS Hitlerjugend panzerdivision and AA/AT of 16th Luftwaffe Field Division, with armoured support from 1st Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler division
CITY OF CAEN
Normandy's regional capital and originally a target for D-Day itself, Caen was not taken until two months later, after dogged fighting by the Germans who deployed some of their best infantry and armour reserves attempting to repel no less than eight major ground offensives, Operations Neptune, Perch, Martlet, Epsom, Windsor, Charnwood, Jupiter and Goodwood. Caen is divided into a university district, factories and warehouses, with narrow streets, ports along the Caen Canal, and the River Orne with its several bridge crossings. Caen Castle dominates. For this urban close combat, neither side has artillery support. Allies can summon Typhoon air support, medic and rally. Germans have medic and rally only.
Canadians: Force selection includes 7th and 8th brigades of 3rd Canadian infantry division, supported by 46 Royal Marine commando, with engineers, specialist tanks and flamethrowers from 79th Armoured Division
Germans: Force selection includes armour and panzergrenadiers of Feuchtinger's 21st panzerdivision, Meyer's 12th SS Hitlerjugend panzerdivision, 101st SS Heavypanzer and artillery battalions, 346th infantry division
References:
Zalgoa S, D-Day Fortifications in Normandy
Bailey R, Forgotten Voices of D-Day
Hastings M, Overlord
McKee A, Caen: Anvil of Victory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Beach
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_for_Caen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27th_Armoured_Brigade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Canadi ... y_Division
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_SS_Div ... olf_Hitler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_ ... _of_battle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Windsor
http://www.canadaatwar.ca/content-20/wo ... carpiquet/
http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/hillm ... gpoint.htm
http://www.normandy-sightseeing-tours.c ... sword.html
http://www.thegermanwarmachine.com/waff ... ition.aspx
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