barca

Despite teh crowd at GG filling most of the tables for MAGIC The Gathering Pre-Release, with Natha's help, we secured a table. Lazarus and I compltedte the strategic parts to end turn 1, and started turn 2. Panzerkyle and lazarus fought the first battle of turn 2. Tragedy for the Allies, elation for the Germans. With the help of Jagdpanthers and Tigers, the Germans captured SWORD beach and destroyed an allied supply point. Mission was "No Retreat" and Allied reserves never showed. British Airpower - Typhoon with rockets - did kill a Jagdpanther. Will reserach the strategic impact of a defeat on the beach, and post results here. I will also post the turn 2 battles this evening - Sunday, and post the new map pics tomorrow -Monday. Anyone have Churchill tanks? We have a British Firestorm: 31st Tank Brigade landed at Juno Beach: CT, Tank Platoon, 2x Churchill VI + 1 Churchill IV If not, then we can proxy...

Update on our table reservation request: Response from Angel, @ GG: Tomorrow is Magic PreRelease. We can't take any further reservations until we know what turnout will be. Odds are the general gaming area will be sold out and we MIGHT have space at The Sip. But again we won't know until about 12:30pm.

Yeah, Germans beat Canucks 6 to 1. I am reserving two tables at GG for Saturday, July 11 from 12 to 4 PM. On Saturday, we plan to do the following: 1) lazarus and I will wrap up the Generals Game/Strategic stuff for end of turn 1 2) We will setup the start of turn 2. 2) quickly list out the Forestorm/tabletop battles to be played out in Turn 2. 3) Kick off one or two tabletop battles, using the cammanders who show up and forces available. Potentially, we could have 1 US vs. German battle, and one Brit/Canadian vs. German battle. NOTE: For army lists, you are NOT limited to 1250 points plus Firestorm units. If you and your opponent want a different size points list, then simply agree to that before the battle begins. Will post text here and pics on ThisLife website when new turn is set up. I am looking at free blogging sites to create a better Campaign narrative and updates. This forum is OK, but would like pics and text to be posted together. Can't do that on ORDO (at least, not that I have seen). If I go that route, I will explore how to get the campaign contributor's comments posted to the blog. Comments and ideas always welcome.

generalripphook and JMGraham, Thanks for the report. Wish I could have seen it... The German general - lazarus - is dancing, or at least popping the cork on a bottle of good French vintage. The Allied general - myself - is disapointed, but scowls, shifts his cigar around, and scratches his head on how to trap and destroy the 716th Infanterie. Also, sad about the brave Canuck zipperheads getting koshed. They measured up to the motto "death before dismount". Some of the crews found their way back. If the lads are up to it, they will be leading the next charge, which is coming soon. For the next battle, the Herbies at Corps checked their powder, prepped the fuses and are eager to deliver some high-caliber stonks on the 716th. Looks like Zeke, myself, and maybe lazarus will be thrashing about on battle 4. Panzerkyle, will you be at GG on Thursday? if u need translations, see https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Canadian_English_military_slang

I am painitng up Germans, but I am very slow. I am improving my painting technique, and hopefully doing a better job than in the past. I will have a Pak40 platoon (cmd + 2 guns) by this Thursday. Next week, I can roll out 1-2 German Grenadier platoons. The StuG III G's (x5) are assembled and primed, and can be mustered on short notice with a plain coat of middiestone, or panther yellow, or yellow ochre, if needed. After generalripphook posts the results of Battle #4, we will have battle 3 to do on Thursday, July 9: Battle #3) From JUNO Beach, south: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack bypassing 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 2 (Can) ARM BDE: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = open farmland Battle #4) From JUNO Beach, east: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack attacking 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 1 (BR) Corps Arty: Comd Rifle, Observer/OP Carrier, Staff, 4x BL 5.5”, AOP Germans: Scattered defenders, Base force = 1250 pts, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 716 (GE) ID: Command Panzerfaust SMG, 6x Rifle/MG Terrain = open farmland

Kewl. Push the Jerries back to Paris!

No Firestorm game/battle occurred yesterday, Thursday, 2 July. Americans (represented by Zeke) were willing to proxy for the Brits/Canadians, but the Germans did not show. So we still do not have a resolution on battle #4.

No, just a company list taken from Atlantik Wall.

Also, battle report for last Sunday, 28 June: Turn 1 battle, battle arrow #7 2.3. Report on the battle: 2.3.1. WHO: -- Player’s names and/or avatars. PANZERKYLE, BARCA and LAZARUS -- Attacker’s nationality and company type. Independent Armoured Squadron (p. 128), including: "A" Squadron, The Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) Motor Infantry platoon from the 2nd BN, 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment -- Defender’s nationality and company type GERMAN GRENADIER COMPANY -- Firestorm units, and if they were destroyed: # ALLIES: - 27 (BR) Armd Bde: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC (Not Destroyed) # ALLIES: - Priority Air, BR Typhoon 1B (Not Destroyed) # GERMANS: - variable firestorm unit = Grenadier Platoon, (2 sec + Pak 40) (CT) from the 736. Grenadier Rgt/716. Infanterie Division (Not Destroyed) -- Warriors used, and whether they were killed or captured: GE=VON LUCK (SURVIVED), BR=NONE 2.3.2. WHAT: -- Mission played: No Retreat 2.3.3. WHERE: British Sector -- Sector the attacker started in: SWORD BEACH -- Sector that was the target of the attack:SE of Luc sur Mer, direction Caen (battle arrow 7) -- Basic terrain type. OPEN FARMLAND 2.3.4. OUTCOME: -- Winner GERMANS WON THE GAME, BUT LOST THE SECTOR -- Victory Points 4-3

I look forward to the your report of the allies gaining ground and driving Jerry back to Paris (or at least Caen, for now). Questions are quite OK. Sometimes, the process of asking the question allows you to think about the issue in a different way, then gaining insight or understanding, perhaps answering your own question. Happens to me, too. Please use one of the British warriors. You don't have to stick his neck out. As long as he is on the battlefield, his "esteemed peers" will stay off my back (and the Allies won't be penalize for NOT using him) <Damned Monty!> References: Hollis (UK) - Overlord book, p. 55 Pine-Coffin (UK) - Overlord book, p. 21 Lovatt (UK) - Overlord book, p. 42 Young (UK) - Overlord book, p. 43

Choices, decisions, adjustments, your request might be do-able.. 1. If lazarus agrees, you could "re-do" one of the Turn 0 battles (see section 2, below). If no redo, or you are not set on turn 0, then a choice of turn 1 battles (section 3, below) 2. Technically, turn 0 is over and we have moved on to turn 1. At the end of turn 0, follow-on units landed on the beaches, and the Germans moved. However, if you wanted to do the turn 0 battles that we did not play on the table - other than Omaha and Sword - which we did at GG on 6 June - then we could adjust. Although JUNO was abstracted, we cannot redo that, since turn 1 units are attacking from there for the last 2 tabletop battles of turn 1. Although 82nd Abn and 101st Abn battles were abstracted, we have already moved units based on those non-historical outcomes. These were abstracted - played out at the end of turn 0 as "General's Battles", BUT could be "redone" on the tabletop, as tactical battles, with the least disruption to turn 1: Utah Beach/Brecourt Manor Gold Beach/Battle of Breville Pointe Du Hoc I'd like to get confirmation from lazarus (The German General) that this would be something we could manage. 3. If you were willing to play a turn 1 battle, then this is what we have left: 3) From JUNO Beach, south: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack bypassing 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 2 (Can) ARM BDE: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = open farmland 4) From JUNO Beach, east: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack attacking 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 1 (BR) Corps Arty: Comd Rifle, Observer/OP Carrier, Staff, 4x BL 5.5”, AOP Germans: Scattered defenders, Base force = 1250 pts, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 716 (GE) ID: Command Panzerfaust SMG, 6x Rifle/MG Terrain = open farmland Since we are playing one of those two on Thursday, July 2, starting at 6 PM, I would have to know your choice before then, or you are left with the last turn 1 battle, whichever that one is.

Zeke, lazarus informed me that you have painted up a company of Rangers. If you want, we can incoporate one of the Ranger Battalions as a Firestorm Unit in the campaign, and we can have a Turn 1 battle that involves them. I can make a custom unit counter for them and put them at either Pointe Du Hoc (2nd Bn), or on UTAH Beach (5th Bn), poised to retake Vierville. In the campaign and tournament for D-Day, two Ranger Battalions are listed (p. 29), and their Insignia is shown on the campaign Map at Pointe Du Hoc, but there is not a token for them in the tokens pdf. My sources indicate that the 2nd Ranger Battalion was fighting on 6, 7 and part of 8 June, and possibly some elements up to 10 June. That would put them in Turn 0 and Turn 1. The 5th Battalion was engaged from 6 June up to 10 June That would put them in Turn 0 and Turn 1. Here are my sources: SMALL UNIT ACTIONS - POINTE DU HOE, 2d RANGER BATTALION, 6 June 1944 http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/smallunit/smallunit-pdh.htm Cross Channel Attack Gordon A. Harrison http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/007/7-4-1/index.html Chapter 8 http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-4/7-4_8.htm Chapter 9 http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-4/7-4_9.htm Endnotes: http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/7-4/end-IX.htm Footnote [46] The 116th Infantry with the 2d and 5th Ranger Battalions attached spent 9 and 10 June mopping up. The U.S. Army's 2nd Ranger Battalion: Beyond D-Day Alissa Marie Quistorf http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3989&context=etd

generalripphook, FIRESTORM: OVERLORD Battle Report NOTE: All page numbers refer to the Firestorm: Overlord pdf document, unless stated otherwise. 1.0. Before the battle: 1.1. Tactical (tabletop) Commanders coordinate with the General on who will fight which battles. 1.2. CoordinateDetermine the mission: See page 16. 1.3. Determine the troop lists. 1.3.1. Core force: -- 1250 points, unless both players agree on a different number. -- Core force identity on each side should reflect the unit token (Usually Division or Brigade), if there is one on the map for this battle. -- If no unit token is shown (e.g., for the Germans, this means “Scattered Defenders”), then players are free to select any company in the Overlord and Atlantik Wall Books 1.3.2. Firestorm Units: Three sources 1) Both Germans and Allies: As assigned by the Generals. 2) Both: Under General Points, page 7: German Fortified Sectors, Allied Beaches 3) Germans: Scattered Defenders (pp. 7-8): ...in a Flames of War battle, roll a die on the Scattered variable troop table (see page 17 "German Variable Firestorm"). 2.0. After the Battle: 2.1. Calculate the Victory Points 2.2. Determine whether the Attacker gained the sector they invaded. -- See p. 6 of the Firestorm Overlord campaign book, under “Gaining Sectors”. -- When defending, a German Player must win 5-2 or better in order to retain a sector. If the Germans win 4-3, they still lose the sector, being driven back by the superior Allied numbers. 2.3. Report on the battle: 2.3.1. WHO: -- List player’s names and/or avatars. -- List Attacker’s nationality and company type. -- List the Defender’s nationality and company type -- List firestorm units, and if they were destroyed (p.16, "Tournament Game Roll to Destroy") -- List Warriors used, and whether they were killed or captured 2.3.2. WHAT: -- List the mission played 2.3.3. WHERE: -- Sector the attacker started in (can substitute with photo of campaign map and tokens). -- Sector that was the target of the attack (can substitute with photo). -- Basic terrain type. 2.3.4. OUTCOME: -- Winner -- Victory Points 3. EXTRA: post pics, brag, taunt, invite players and/or spectators to the next game.

Thx. I will be @ GG between 6:15 and 9:30, on Thurs.

Brit/Canadian players: Plan on bringing a Warrior team to your next battle. If the Allied CinC does not get these guys into battle soon, they will be calling their powerfully "Fine Chaps" back in the UK, and bust my chops: (Also, the Alllies get penalized on Victory Points if we don't get them into battle). These warriors are available, and do not count against the Firestorm limit of 2 FS units per battle arrow: Allied Warriors, BR Sector: Hollis (UK) Pine-Coffin (UK) Lovatt (UK) Young (UK)

Short answer is yes, you are welcome to join. lazarus and I work out the Firestorm strategic moves face-to-face here in PDX. But for the tactical/tabletop battles, so long as you have one or more opponents on your tabletop there in Bellingham, you could pick one of the battles posted here, and play that out in Bellingham. We would just need a brief battle report ASAP after the battle. We would be glad to have you participate. You should download and read the Firestorm Overlord doc here: Firestorm: Overlord http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=4495 If you so desire, you can track the campaign by setting up your own copy of the map and tokens, but that is not essential. Here is a brief report by another group that played out the campaign. Firestorm: Overlord Event Report http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=4184 I will continue to update the turn action here, and add more strategic and tactical/tabletop pics to the ThisLife website. If you have a place to post pics, that would be awesome, but not required. I will extract the minimum essential communucation requirements and post them this evening. I swear that I can keep the communication instructions (Battle Report) to less than a page.

xipetotec, I would like the pair of "Bunker Flak primed w/ no crew" Willing to pay the asking price. That is a good deal. I can meet you at GG on most Thurday evenings, 6-9.

Had a game Sunday: panzerkyle, lazarus and myself. This is the battle we fought:: 2) From SWORD Beach, south: BR Firestorm attack bypassing 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 2 Firestorm units - 27 (BR) Armd Bde: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC - Priority Air, BR Typhoon 1B Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = open farmland Hans von Luck made an appearance again, and continued to be annoying. Despite that, and the nastiness of STuG's and and a pupchen, at the cost of many Allied tanks, the Brits pushed out of SWORD Beach, and flanked the German 716th Infantry Division. It was a close battle, and the Germans defended respectably. The Allies just won "by a whisker", but the ground is now ours. The British Firestorm unit - 27 (BR) Armd Bde - survived, but just barely. Next battle, which should be fought on Thursday, 2 July, will be: 3) From JUNO Beach, south: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack bypassing 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 2 (Can) ARM BDE: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = open farmland

I'll see ya there. Made reservation for a table 12:00-3:30 PM.

panzerkyle I can make Sunday.Earlier better than later. But I have none of the troops for this front, so I would have to borrow Brits or Germans. On Sunday, GG opens at noon. If we start shortly after that, we could be done before the heat is too oppressive. Let me know if that works for you and I will reserve a table.

Updated this post - 22 June 2015 - 06:58 PM - with additional warriors and details of Firestorm units.

Additional Warriors available on Turn 1: Allied Warriors, US Sector: Turnbull (US) Cota (US) GERMAN WARRIORS, BR Sector Von Luck (In Kubelwagen or PzIVH)

Pics Uploaded: D-Day Battles https://it.thislife.com/QEmRWPdX Firestorm-Overlord-Setup https://it.thislife.com/teyUe8ft Firestorm-Overlord-Turn0 https://it.thislife.com/fvThkSCM Firestorm-Overlord-Turn1 https://it.thislife.com/1Kj3Wdsa

Here are the battles we can play on Thursday, 25 June, at GG, in Portland: 1) From Utah Beach: US Firestorm units are fighting to retake Vierville. Allies: Base force = US (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 2 Firestorm units: - 4 (US) ID: Cmd Rifle, Bazooka, 9x Rifle Teams - 8 (US) Corps Arty: Comd, Staff, Observer/Jeep, 4x M1 155mm, AOP Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = forest or bocage, or a mix of the two. 2) From SWORD Beach, south: BR Firestorm attack bypassing 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 2 Firestorm units - 27 (BR) Armd Bde: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC - Priority Air, BR Typhoon 1B Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = open farmland 3) From JUNO Beach, south: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack bypassing 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 2 (Can) ARM BDE: 2x Sherman V, Firefly VC Germans: Scattered defenders, 1250 pts, NO Firestorm units Terrain = open farmland 4) From JUNO Beach, east: BR/Canadian Firestorm attack attacking 716 (GE) ID. Allies: Base force = BR/Can (inf or armor) @ 1250 points, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 1 (BR) Corps Arty: Comd Rifle, Observer/OP Carrier, Staff, 4x BL 5.5”, AOP Germans: Scattered defenders, Base force = 1250 pts, plus 1 Firestorm unit: - 716 (GE) ID: Command Panzerfaust SMG, 6x Rifle/MG Terrain = open farmland NOTE on Warriors: These warriors are available, and do not count against the Firestorm limit of 2 FS units per battle arrow: Allied Warriors, BR Sector: Hollis (UK) Pine-Coffin (UK) Lovatt (UK) Young (UK) Allied Warriors, US Sector: Turnbull (US) Cota (US) GERMAN WARRIORS, BR Sector Von Luck (In Kubelwagen or PzIVH) If you would like to add a warrior to your battle, then let me know before the battle begins. If you cannot make the 25th, but you can make the following Thursday (2 July), and you plan on fighting one of the battles listed above, add a note to this thread. I will be posting pics on Flickr, ThisLife soon. Will post info here when pics are up.

We seized the beaches. We are landing reinforcements. We've since had a few setbacks. The 82nd Airborne took some heavy hits and are reconstituting. But now we are primed and ready to break out from the beach heads. We thought we would miss our chance to kick the butts of the Waffen schutzstaffel. Last that we heard, they were running from the Russians on the Eastern Front. But we got lucky! They are coming to us. Let's whup them now and send'em packing. "I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!..." ― Dwight D Eisenhower