RoundHammer: Normandy 1943*
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USA vs Germany*
July-August 1943*
13 Battles*
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Design: Doug McBratney*
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This campaign is based on a hypothetical Allied invasion of Normandy in 1943. At the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, the USSR and to a lesser extent the US pushed for an early opening of a "second front", which was understood to mean an invasion of France, before the end of the year. Great Britain pushed equally strongly for a Mediterranean strategy, and what the Allies ended up with was a compromise: a promise to the USSR for a second front sometime in 1944, and an invasion of Italy in 1943. This campaign assumes that there was a full commitment to an invasion of France in 1943. No Italian campaign, no division of resources. This will be a knock-down, drag-out fight for France and therefore the supremacy of Europe against a German army at the peak of its tactical prowess.*
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Background to ROUNDHAMMER*
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In January 1943 the Casablanca Conference took place. Despite worries over the delays in the conquest of North Africa, and despite the losses the allies were experiencing in the battle of the Atlantic, the UK yielded to tremendous US and Soviet pressure and agreed to an early and massive invasion of France, to occur sometime during the Summer or Fall of 1943. Many code-names were floated around, but the final decision was ROUNDHAMMER.*
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During May 1943 the conquest of Tunisia was completed and work on the upcoming invasion of France sprang into high gear. The exact location of the invasion was decided: The Cotentin Peninsula. At least 9 divisions would be landed within the first 24 hours: 4 British and 3 US to be transported by sea, and 1 British and 1 US to be dropped by air, against an estimated 4 weak static coast defense divisions. Elaborate deception plans for Pais de Calais, Brittany, Sicily, Greece, Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, and Norway attempted to disguise the actual target.*
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It is a fact that throughout 1943, the Germans stripped France bare of combat effective divisions to replace losses on the Russian Front. This tendency reached its peak during preparations for the Kursk offensive. The Atlantic Coast was at its weakest point since the conquest of France. Furthermore June was the best month ever for the Allies in the Battle of the Atlantic in terms of U-boats sunk and shipping lost. Final go-ahead for Roundhammer was given.*
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In July, German signals intelligence pointed to a likely invasion in northern France, but the exact location was unknown. Coastal defense divisions began feverish preparations, digging trenches and building makeshift bunkers with whatever materials were available. However Normandy got low priority in concrete and Anti-Tank guns compared to the Pas de Calais or even the Channel Islands.*
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In the invasion plan the British 1st Army would land on the North shore of the Cotentin, and the newly formed US 7th Army under General George S. Patton would land on the South shore around Lessay. The first objective of the invasion was to solidify the landing zones and link the northern and southern forces by D+2, forming a line roughly Carentan-Perriers-Lessay. *
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The second phase would be to hold that line against any Axis counterattacks while Cherbourg was captured by D+5. With that major port in Allied hands, the combined US, and British armies could push east and south, expanding the bridghead as reinforcements were brought in. It was planned that by D+10, they would be on the line Bayoux-St.Lo-Coutances and by D+20 Caen-Vire-Avranches with over 30 divisions. After the invasion, allied tactical air forces would be extremely active and play a major supporting role.*
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Although the initial invasion was expected to easily overwhelm the weak defenders of the Cotentin, it was also expected the Germans would react violently to the invasion once allied troops were in France. The first reinforcements would probably be second-rate divisions from elsewhere in France. Later German units committed to the battle might include veteran mechanised and armored divisions, possibly transferred from the Russian Front.*
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Gameplay Notes:*
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1. You will have 2250 points to purchase your starting core force. Suggested is a company of armor and a "Armd Inf Co 42" of mechanized infantry. You will have ample build points during the campaign to upgrade and/or expand it.*
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2. In many of the battles you will have auxiliary forces. Read your combat orders before you purchase units.*
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3. The campaign is linear and in most cases a draw or victory will take you on to the next battle. Pay attention to the combat orders for the exceptions.*
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4. The first battle in North Africa is there in order to use auxiliary units (naval, air, and ground) in the second battle, the actual invasion. Auxiliary units cannot be used in the first battle of a campaign.*
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5. The BPR divisor is 50. Every 50 unspent points gains you 1 victory point.*
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6. The maps are based on 1:100,000 topographical maps of Normandy and are accurate to the level of detail found on that scale of map.*
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Special thanks to Jake Cornmesser for playtesting and his insightful suggestions.*
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