As part of playing out the 5 invasion beaches this year we revisited Utah beach . We last did this one in 2019 , since then the terrain and my US forces have had some further augmentation. It was good to get the various new items on the table . We met at Pendraken HQ’s gaming room and had the table set up as 16x6 .
Utah makes an interesting game as of course there is the Para drop behind it . Particularly the 101st at Brecourt , Holdy and St Marie du Mont . They also have to clear the end of causeways 2 and 3 .
The -area drops were pretty scattered as they were historically . Though the quality if the US Paras allows them to pull themselves together and set about their missions .
 |
| The DZ is overshot and the paras are dropped over the town . |
The mechanism for the para drops entails being on target for the DZ , plus height and speed , so they can drift a long way depending on the dice rolls - and this happened to most of the troops. Some dropping into flooded areas , or onto built up areas .
 |
| Losses are around 50% |
 |
| Maj Gen Theodore Roosevelt starts the invasion from here .. |
 |
| Paratroops had landed direct on the Holdy battery taking loses , but making it ineffective |
 |
| German caueway 3 defenders |
 |
| LCMs delivery the engineering assists on turn 4 |
 |
| The area around the Grand Chemin at causeway 3 is liberated |
 |
| Brecourt Manor |
 |
| The guns at Brecourt hammered the beach as the paras were widely dispersed |
 |
| The beach build up,continues |
 |
| US assault units get into the defenders |
 |
| It takes a while the breach the sea wall |
 |
| LCT’s disgorge more armour in deep wading kit |
 |
| Holdy battery is overwhelmed . |
 |
| Easy Coy Co leads the way at Brecourt Manor |
 |
| Fully in control of the beach . |
The US players had played the Brits at Gold beach a few weeks ago and the lack of Engineering assets in the form of the Funnies was an eye opener for them at Utah . They had to use assault infantry at greater cost to get ashore .
Another great D Day game - next up Juno, but with a different theme , town fighting and the new big 12x6 beach mat will have an outing .
Impressive battle Dave beautifully put together 👍
ReplyDeleteCheers - the next one will be different as well , it’s being done on June 6th too .
DeleteGreat stuff - I think it's appropriate, being the 80th anniversary, to get some D Day based games in this year - I hoping to do so myself, but they won't be anything on this scale! Interesting what you say about the Allied player and the Funnies - that's exactly what the US commanders discovered, to the cost of their infantrymen, eighty years ago - particularly, of course at Bloody Omaha!
ReplyDeleteThanks - yes we will do all 5 in some form this year .
DeleteOooo that's looking rather tasty!
ReplyDelete