Amphibious Assaults

Each Amphibious assault has its D-Day, whether it was on the shores of North Africa and Italy, or the biggest amphibious assault in history, Normandy. This section allows you to recreate the drama of a small part of a landing operation.

Beach Tables Understandably, an amphibious landing requires some rather The beach will usually be 8”/20cm deep and is Difficult Going. specific terrain—a beach to land on. You can either create a The landing-craft obstacles that litter the beach zone do fully-modelled beach or simply use a strip of blue cloth for not hinder the movement of teams once ashore and do not the sea and a strip of sand-coloured cloth for the beach. provide any cover or concealment for troops on the beach. The table needs a small area of sea at the edge of the table Sea Wall giving way to surf crashing on the beach. Between the beach and the hinterland, there are usually sand dunes, a bank or Above the high water mark there is usually some form of sea wall, cliffs, or marshes. You will need a side table to hold bank or sea wall with shingle washed up against it. the troops still in their ships off the table as well. A bank is Very Difficult Going. A sea wall is an Anti-tank Obstacle (see page 231 of the rulebook) that provides Sea Zone Bulletproof Cover to Infantry and Man-packed Gun teams The sea zone is where landing craft load up and line up for sheltering on the seaward side. their run in to the beach. It should be about 4-6”/10-15cm deep, just big enough for the landing craft to fit Beach Exits comfortably. The landing zones were, naturally enough, chosen for their accessible exits. There is little point in landing somewhere Surf Zone were you need to be a commando to get off the beach! The surf zone covers the last few metres of sea up to the The beach should have at least one exit through the Sea Wall point where the landing craft beach. It should also be Zone that is Difficult Going. 4-6”/10-15cm deep, again just enough space for the landing craft as they beach to discharge their cargo. Hinterland Zone Like the sea zone, the surf zone is Impassable to all teams Once off the beach, the countryside quickly assumes the except amphibious vehicles. normal rural Normandy character. Generally the coastal areas are more open than the inland areas with larger fields Beach Zone and fewer houses and woods. The beach zone starts from the shallow water at the landing- craft ramp and goes up to the spring high-tide mark where the dunes or sea wall begins.

Beach Exit

Sea Wall Zone

Hinterland

See our website, www. B each FlamesOfWar.com for how to make a beach table. S Z urf one S ea Z Z one one as the Floating Reserve. Reserve. Floating the as known are and sea at ships their in remain platoons other All current). the with drift will they that mind in (bear ashore come to are they place the opposite zone platoon’s sea the the in craft Place craft. landing a landing in loaded is your platoons of these of Each half wave. first to your as up platoons select to need you begins game the Before reload. craft to sea at ships the to landing the as soon as the firstcarrying wave have and unloaded, beached, returned land will sea at left Troops waves. follow-up the for ships their in left be will which and wave first the in land to want at once. Youashore available you units which to decide need troops the of all put to craft landing enough never are There S beach. the across the flowing is current the direction select the determine and to wave first are the in land landing will that your platoons making in steps first The either! landings their coordinate succeed with real this—the Generals didn’t always manage to don’tDon’t you if time. land right worry the at place troops right the at right the that sure am making an is managing assault of phibious parts trickiest the of One scenarios. most than work more little a require landings Amphibious elect

the F irst W ave S etting up - direction the current is running. is the current the direction determine to Table Current the consult and die one Roll current. heavy a in course off drift will current is Thisrunning. is since important your landingcraft Before the game begins you will need to know which way the C landing. amphibious an making when all targets. easy at it deploy with not and behind transport enemy their leave may the Platoons present simply they troops the with land these If beach. the crossing difficulty have will that transport unarmoured other and trucks include platoons Many craft. landing their in ashore travel and wave first the in platoons to attached are They craft. own landing their have not do teams Warrior Independent and Current rightward runs whenfacing the 4to6 Current leftward runs whenfacingthe 1to3 Die Roll urrent beach beach Fate D irection C urrent

AMPHIBIOUS Assaults Delayed Landing Craft Coming Ashore In the pre-dawn darkness and the confusion of hundreds of craft milling around and making for the beach, it is easy for The current is running strongly and the beach obstacles limit a coxswain to get separated from their flotilla. At the same their choices, so coxswains have difficulties landing exactly time beach obstacles and artillery take their toll of landing where they want to. Most end up somewhere down current craft, requiring replacements from following waves to be of where they intended to land. Some fall victim to beach hastened into action. obstacles or defending artillery. Others go completely astray in the confusion, only locating the right beach much later. Delayed landing craft return to the sea zone carrying their load and attempt to land again next turn. Once the landing craft are in place, roll a die for each landing craft to see how far it drifted off course during the run in, This may represent either landing craft being unable to beach or if it even made it to the beach. The Landing Craft Table or the delay as landing craft destroyed by the enemy defences gives the distance down current the landing craft drifts before are replaced with follow-on troops. beaching in the surf zone, or their fate if they do not make it safely ashore. Disembarking If another landing craft already occupies the place a landing craft drifts to, it drifts further down current to the first avail- As soon as the landing craft ramp goes down, the troops aboard rush ashore, eager to get across the killing zone as able space in the surf zone. If the landing craft drifts off the fast as possible. table it returns to sea and attempts to land again next turn as if it had been delayed. Passengers and vehicles disembark from a landing craft during the Movement Step. They begin their movement from the Landing Craft landing craft’s ramp as if they had occupied the same position Die Roll Result as the landing craft. 1 Drift 4”/10cm down current. Remember, the Beach Zone is Difficult Going. If a vehicle Bogs 2 Drift 8”/20cm down current. Down when disembarking, place it on the beach adjacent to 3 Drift 12”/30cm down current. the landing craft’s ramp (leaving room for following vehicles to 4 Drift 16”/40cm down current. disembark) and mark it as Bogged Down. 5 or 6 Delayed. Landing craft cannot shoot or be shot at, and take no part in The landing craft was unable to find a gap assaults. through the beach obstacles and does not beach. Place the loaded landing craft back in the sea zone.

Coming Ashore

On a roll of 3 the landing craft drifts 12”/30cm Since another landing craft On a roll of 5 or 6 On a roll of is already there, it drifts the landing craft is 1 the landing down current until it finds a delayed and does craft drifts clear space not land 4”/10cm

Current craft may attempt to return to sea and reload. Roll a die for zone. for surf the in die craft landing a empty each Roll reload. and sea to return to attempt landing may craft empty unloading, after Step Movement same the In the land. to wave next with return and troops follow-up with reload to ships their to back head quickly craft landing the unloaded, Once R On aroll of1to3the landing craftisstuck and cannotreturn to eturning for Vehicles thatBogDown exiting thelandingcraft do soimmediatelyafter sea thisturn R eturning D i sembarking F • • land againnext will attemptto or landing craft Delayed On any lesser roll, the craft is stuck fast and must try to to try turn. must next again sea and to return fast stuck is craft the roll, lesser any On turn. next again land to zone sea the in craft landing the place and load the to Reserve from Floating platoon a Select reloading. for Reserve Floating tothe and returns craft refloats landing On the a of 4+, roll M turn ore landing craft at seaload another platoon Empty MORE landing craftreturns zone in thesurf On aroll of4or more anempty to seareload Landing craft cannot move The beachzone is Difficult Going Teams disembark intheMovement Step sea zone ready to anywhere inthe Landing craft land again can move

AMPHIBIOUS Assaults DD Tanks

One of the more unusual weapons landing on D-Day is the Duplex Drive or DD tank (unsurprisingly nicknamed the ‘Donald Duck’ tank in the US Army!). This is a Sherman tank fitted with a collapsible canvas screen around the top hull and propellers to allow it to swim. Unfortunately, its low freeboard means that it is vulnerable to being swamped by large waves, making its use risky in stormy seas. A British Armoured Platoon or US Tank Platoon equipped solely with Sherman tanks armed with 75mm guns may fit them out as DD tanks at no extra cost. The platoon retains all of its previous ratings. However, Sherman DD tanks cannot use their hull MG due to the collapsed screen covering its position. Fighting Ashore Coming Ashore Since DD tanks can land before the first landing craft, they The DD tanks are scheduled to land ten minutes before the are ready and able to provide fire support for the first wave first wave of landing craft. Sitting at the water’s edge, they as it comes ashore. This extra fire support can be vital in the will give covering fire as the infantry disembark and then crucial first few minutes of the landing. Some DD tanks left help them deal with bunkers and defences as they force their the rear of their screen erected on landing and remained in way inland. the surf giving fire support. Others moved up the beach to engage targets they could not reach from the water’s edge. DD tanks do not require landing craft as they can swim ashore on their own ahead of the first wave of landing craft. Once ashore DD tanks may either remain in the Surf Zone Because of this, you would not normally select a DD tank providing fire support for the attacking infantry, or move on to platoon to be in the half of your force initially loaded into the beach as normal. landing craft. DD tanks that remain in the Surf Zone do not count as moving However, you can bring your DD tanks ashore in landing and may shoot at their full rate of fire, but must roll a die in craft as normal tanks, landing ‘dry shod’ as the expression each Movement Step. goes. If you want to do this, have them occupy one of your landing craft instead of swimming them ashore. • On a roll of 1, the rising tide washes over the tank, which is Destroyed. Before the game begins place DD tanks in their swimming form in the sea zone opposite the place they wish to land (bear in • Otherwise the tank is fine and can keep shooting. mind that they will drift with the current). Roll a die for each DD tank and consult the DD Tanks Table to see how far it Command and Control drifted off course beaching in the Surf Zone, or if it even made DD tank platoons are very likely to come ashore scattered it ashore. and piecemeal making it difficult for the platoon commander to coordinate their actions. As a result they are trained to and DD Tanks expect to operate independently. Die Roll Fate DD tank platoons that swim ashore (as opposed to arriving by landing craft) operate as Independent teams. 1 Drift 6”/15cm down current. 2 Drift 12”/30cm down current. 3 Drift 18”/45cm down current. 4 Swamped. The DD tank was swamped by heavy waves on the run in. It is Destroyed and removed from the game. 5 or 6 Delayed. DD tanks are not fast swimmers. This tank has not yet reached the beach. 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AMPHIBIOUS Assaults HIT THE BEACH Mission Special Rules

D-Day Fortifications Preliminary Bombardment The German defences on the coastline can be formidable. Before a major attack the defender is subjected to a prelimi- They can include bunkers with the latest and heaviest anti- nary bombardment from every heavy gun, bomber, and bat- tank guns as well as emplaced tank turrets. tleship available in order to pin the enemy down and weaken defenders before the battle begins. The defending force is best represented by a German Festungskompanie from page 22 of Earth & Steel. You may To conduct a preliminary bombardment, the attacking player like to defend in a Hit the Beach mission with another type works through the defending platoons deployed on the table one of Fortified Company, though not all of these are ideally at a time, including platoons that are held in Ambush. suited to defending a beach front. The attacker rolls a die per team in the platoon as if the whole A Defending force in a Hit the Beach mission counts as a platoon were under the template of an artillery bombardment. Fortified Company. In particular, remember the Armoured For each roll of 4+ the defending platoon takes a hit on a team Reserves special rule on page 269 of the rulebook. in the platoon chosen by the defender. Hits must be assigned as though they were caused by an Artillery Bombardment (see page 132 of the rulebook). fending Armoured vehicles on the table start the game Bailed Out. ingplatoons on the table start the game Pinned Down and all de To reflect the mind-numbing fury of the bombardment, all defend Save. Pit are in a they unless Tanktable 4+ their get Tankthey where Pit the from removed automatically are and bombardment the of intensity the to due save any have not do vehicles Unarmoured table. on remain and unharmed are if they this, pass Save they If Save. Pit Armour Tank normal 4+ their fail they extra their roll Pits Tank in Vehicles the roll higher a unharmed. is On vehicle game. the from removed is vehicle the less, or 5 vehicle’sis Topthe armour plus roll die the if so 6, is thebombardment firing guns of theheavy rating The Anti-tank vehicles. armoured for roll Save Armour an gets defender The Cover. Bulletproof in is it if even game the from removed is save their fails that team Any hit. was that team Gun or Infantry each for save a rolls then defender The - - The Defending player’s Delayed Reserves arrive on rolls of 6 of normal. as 5+ than rolls rather on arrive Reserves Delayed player’s Defending The uncertain. and slow very movement their making attacks air by interrupted continually is march their However, anywhere. landing a to respond can they so trally the over skies the dominate and landings far inland. The Germanare reserves placed cen totally forces air Allied The I Checks. Morale Company and Platoon affect not do play of turn first the before taken losses that Remember them. hit to roll not do so bombardment, preliminary a Warrior survive always other and veterans hardened are and teams teams Command Higher and Company remounted. have crew the until tanks or vehicles transport Out Bailed up their mount not may in normal, as and, tanks mounted on or vehicles game transport the start not may teams Defending nterdicion -

AMPHIBIOUS Assaults Overwhelming Force No Retreat, No Surrender Amphibious assaults require overwhelming force. The troops The troops landing on the beaches know that it is do or die land in the teeth of the enemy defences, scattered and disor- time. There is no going back, only death or victory. Likewise ganised. It is only through overwhelming force that they will the defenders have no contact with their headquarters and secure a lodgement. have no option but to fight on. The Attacking force has 25% more troops than the Defending Neither side needs to take Company Morale Checks. They will force. A good force for most tables would be 1500 points for the fight until the end. Attacker against 1200 points for the Defender. otal ir uperiority When an Attacking platoon is Destroyed, the player returns T A S it to the Floating Reserve to represent a fresh unit landing in This battle is the focus of the attacker’s strategic plan. Their its place. Infantry and Man-packed Gun teams in the platoon air force is working overtime attacking enemy airfields and return to the Floating Reserve and can land again as long as flying extra fighter patrols to keep the defender’s air forces the platoon contained at least four such teams at the start of the out of the battle. game. However, all other types of teams are permanently lost. The defending player must roll a 6, instead of 5+, in order to As usual, Destroyed Armoured vehicles remain where they are. receive ground-attack air support. Warrior and Independent teams are also permanently lost when they are Destroyed. The Attacking player may voluntarily destroy platoons and return them to the Floating Reserve in the first part of the Starting Step. Victory Points Table Outcome Results Attacker’s Defender’s Points Points Attacking player holds both objectives by turn 9 Stunning Attacker’s Victory 6 1 Attacking player holds both objectives Major Attacker’s Victory 5 2 Attacking player holds the objective placed by the Defending player Minor Attacker’s Victory 4 3 Attacking player holds the objective placed by the Attacking player Minor Defender’s Victory 3 4 Attacking player holds no objectives, but has troops in the Hinterland Zone Major Defender’s Victory 2 5 Attacking player holds no objectives and has no troops in the Hinterland Zone Stunning Defender’s Victory 1 6 2. 1. B 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. P objectives. You both beaches. hold the on must destroyed circum stances can no they be allowed Under to gain begun. a beachhead. They finally must be has invasion enemy The D so as objectives both and secure the beachhead at any cost. It is essential to capture fi the are Your troops A Y 28). Total (page Superiority Air rulebook) the of Prepared264 Positions (page 26) (page Bombardment Preliminary 28) NoNo(page Retreat, Surrender 28) Force (page Overwhelming 27) (page Interdiction rulebook) the of 269 (page DelayedReserves 26) (page Fortifications D-day 25), to 20 (pages Rules Assaults Amphibious Rules: Special Mission Hitler’sstick? invasion Wall the Atlantic make and Your force is landing in the firstwave. Can youbreak through Thetime has come to liberate Europefrom the Nazimenace. ttacker efender reparing eginning our in DUKW amphibious trucks, in the Sea Zone. Sea the in trucks, amphibious DUKW in carried batteries artillery any and ashore, swim will that platoons tank DD any places player Attacking Next the Zone. Sea the in craft landing their of half in platoons their Floating Place Reserve. the rest in least their at hold must player Attacking The are teams Zone. Hinterland the in placed now Independent and platoons remaining game. The the of start the at Reserve Delayed in their platoons of half least at hold must player Defending The exit. beach the or roads across placed be not fortifications may Bunkers Zone. Hinterland the in their anywhere places player Defending the Next within nor table the of 8”/20cm table, the of rear the of or 20”/50cm dunes within or beach the of 12”/30cm within cannot placed be Objectives theirs. places player Attacking the then first, objective their places player Defending The The Attacking Player conducts a Preliminary Preliminary a conducts Player defender’s the on forces. Bombardment Attacking The prepared Ground. in to Gone and Foxholes game in are troops the their so positions, begins force Defending The O rders F

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AMPHIBIOUS Assaults