Jul I 44 Axis Player Turn

Initial Phase

All units are in supply. All German infantry become permanently ATEC neutral.

Movement Phase

The Allied bridgehead is now too strong for a counterattack. AECA is neutralized by the bocage, naval TFs wait offshore, and DAS is on call, to say nothing of the modifier for bocage and its halving effect on the German c/m units.

The lack of mobility of German infantry, combined with the destruction of their static infantry defending the beaches has left the Germans with a panzer force out of its element in the bocage. The bocage, which will be cursed by the Allies for hampering their own advance, is also their best protection against the only thing that can lose the campaign for them - a massive German counterattack.

Reinforcements continue to arrive. Two complete SS Panzer Corps are in Normandy, including 2nd SS Panzer XX from the south of France, 1st SS Panzer XX from Belgium, and 9th and 10th SS Panzer Grenadier divisions arriving from Poland.

Combat Phase

There are no German attacks.

Air Operation Summary

By early July, the feeble German attempt to challenge Allied air supremacy has ended. What is left limps back to Germany or to the furthest reches of the West Theater.

Jul I 44 Allied Player Turn

Initial Phase

Port construction units begin to repair Cherbourg. Allied engineers complete fort construction in hexes 0711 0810, 0910, and 1009 and begin permanent air bases.

Movement Phase

More reinforcements continue to come ashore. The British move three armored divisions over the Orne into 17A: 1009 for Operation GOODWOOD. The US X1X Corps is now in line between V Corps and VII Corps and attacking south.

Combat Phase

GOODWOOD

The Allies try three attacks. GOODWOOD hopes for an HX or EX result to, in Montgomery's words, 'write down the German armour'. In this it succeeds although German reserves prevent a breakthrough. SF reflects this well, as Montgomery opts for the conservative three hex-on-one attack, disdaining any one-on-one daring-do against 1109 or 1110. In our recreation, the Jul I attack also represents the Canadian attack on northern Caen and Carpiquet early in July.

The result is as Montgomery wishes, a bloody EXchange. The exchange of queens cadres 1st SS Panzer, eliminates 16th LW Field XX and some supporting units, while cadreing British 11th Armoured XX and eliminating some independent brigades.

[We stretch the Jul I turn to cover up through 20 July. St. Lo fell on 18 July; the GOODWOOD battles were fought 18-21 July. Both Allied armies had further attacks in July however. Bradley will launch COBRA on 25 July, while the British and Canadians will launch an unsuccessful attacks dubbed Operation SPRING]

St. Lo

While Montgomery launches his massive attack south of Caen, the Americans battle through difficult country to the key road junction of St. Lo Possession of hex 17A: 10 12, will finally give US First Army some breathing room, but it will not come easy. Yet another EX result cadres German 3rd Parachute XX and eliminates the cadre of 352nd Inf XX, for the cost of also reducing the American 29th and 30th Inf XX to cadre status, along with eliminating some non-divisional units on both sides.

"Battle of the Hedgerows" / La Haye du Puits.

In the western Contentin, VII Corps fights southward in some of the worst bocage in Normandy, taking 17A:0713 and 17A:0812 and reducing the German 353rd Division and 17th SS PzG XX to cadre. Less renown than the battle for St. Lo, the fighting in this hedgerow country is almost as important in securing a proper position for a breakout.

Battle for Normandy Europa as History

The Players
The Plans
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Set Up
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Combat: Douve and Carentan
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Combat: Merderet Valley
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Combat: Utah Beach
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Combat: Omaha Beach
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Combat: Gold and Juno Beach
The Game (Allied June I 1944 Turn) Combat: Sword Beach
The Game (Axis June II 1944 Turn)
The Game (Allied and Axis Jul I 1944 Turn)
The Game Poised for a Breakout