Normandy anniversary game. Breakout:Normandy.

Every year in June, an old friend and I play a Normandy game. This year was more poignant as we played the game in the evening of June 6th. 

This year we played Breakout:Normandy, an old favourite from Avalon Hill. This year I played the Allies. 

This particular game is my home-made double sized version. I scanned the map and counters and doubled the size. The map fits on a 6ft x 4ft table.

1. American airborne assault, capturing bridges. Forces off Utah and Omaha ready for the main assault. The counters flip to their white 'spent' side after they take an action. They recover at the end of the day. 

2. The British airborne have landed and seized the bridge to Sword. The remaining British forces are ready to land.

3. After the initial bombardments and landings. All this action taking place on June 6th.  

4. A wider view.

5. The US landings. Per history, forces make it ashore in Utah but stall at Omaha.

6. A wider view. Sorry for shaky picture.

7. June 7th was a short turn due to my poor Allied die rolls, but did allow me to resupply and reorganise the forces. The following pictures show the situation after the June 8th turn with the Allies more established on the beaches. We called a halt at this point, at the end of June 8th. 

Here at Omaha the US forces are in a strong position to resupply and move inland. 

8. The British beaches linked up. Only at Merville have the British stalled at bit. The main forces are ready to push forward though the Germans have managed to blow some of the bridges. 

9. Utah beach with the US forces again poised to push forward. 

We called a halt at this point, judging it an Allied victory so far. 

In previous years we have taken a note of the positions at the end of a game night in order to carry on playing the following week. This time however, the German player thought he'd left too many gaps in front of the US forces and was likely to lose. 

But a great game. Roll on our anniversary Arnhem/Market-Garden and Battle of the Bulge games later in the rear.