Steve Boone
United States
Unspecified
Maryland
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I'll do my best to keep this short.
This is a solitaire game where you play the US and the game system plays the Germans. The landing zone is divided between the East Sector (1st ID) and West Sector (29th ID). By dividing up the two sectors, you can make this a two-player game, but it's still the players versus the game. Each turn encompasses 15 minutes of real-time for the basic game, and stretches to 30 minutes in the expanded game. Both systems are included in the same box.
The German forces are in fixed placements whose strengths are hidden until attacked. US forces are broken down into Company-sized markers. By hiding the strength of the defenders, the gaming system does a very good job of simulating missing intelligence for an invading force against a fixed position. The random nature and fog of war is simulated by using a deck of cards that perform multiple functions in order to determine such actions as beach landing results, combat results and random event occurrences.
The historical element was very well researched. The US units are those that participated in the battle with an Order of Battle that is supported by historical documentation. The German units, although mostly generic in substance, are in the positions that were available to throw the invasion back into the sea. You could overlay battle maps from the time-period and see the resemblance. There are also "what if" scenarios available if you wish to game-play alternative histories.
I'm usually into relatively light gaming and I found the rules a bit daunting. Even though I find myself referring to the rules frequently, it's usually just to confirm what I already knew to be true. The rules are that intuitive. In my meticulous and agonizing "Analysis Paralysis" I am able to complete the most basic game (utilizing only the 1st ID) in a couple of hours, or less. As you scale up the complexity, the time element grows rather linearly. I have to admit, part of my AP is because I grow attached to my units. I have genuine concern for a unit thrown into the crucible of well-sighted crossfire. Historically, these were/are real men. I can't shake that and for me, this game simulates that fact all too well.
Winning is determined by taking the game to the end, 1000 hrs in the basic version, and totaling victory points. Losing can happen much earlier. If you haphazardly send your men to "take the bluff" or have a series of cards drawn against you, you can find that your landing force has suffered so many losses that the beach has been declared "Closed". You may also be so cautious with your men that you aren't able to open the draws (exits from the beach) for further landings. This result would also be determined at the end game. To my surprise, I find the game system extremely balanced in this respect. Sometimes the game goes to the end and I lose on VP's, sometimes I win, sometimes my losses are too heavy and the game ends early. This is an impressive accomplishment for a solitaire game. I couldn't imagine playing a human opponent with such balanced results unless our abilities/strategies/luck were truly that well matched.
If you haven't noticed, I love this game. If you've got the space, basically the size of an office desk, you can play a turn or two and leave to come back to it later if you haven't got the time to finish all at once. The limitations on US actions require very deliberate planning and strategy to succeed. As progress is made in the landing area, more defenders are revealed to increase the pressure on the invaders. The tension is palpable.
Next time, I'm planning to limit myself to try and make "real-time" maneuver decisions to avoid AP and increase the "stress" of command pressure. Maybe I should consult my doctor first.
Have fun,
Steve
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Brad Heath
Australia
Brisbane
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Yes I have the game set up right near my computer. I'm looking at it while I type this
 . A great game that you can pay for a few turns if you wish or sit down for a hopefully long session, depending on your losses
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Russ Williams
Poland
Wrocław
Dolny Śląsk
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SteveB wrote: Each turn encompasses 15 minutes of real-time for the basic game, and stretches to 30 minutes in the expanded game.
...
Winning is determined by taking the game to the end, 1000 hrs in the basic version, ...
Whoa, seriously? The basic game lasts 4000 turns? Is there an extra 0 or two by mistake? 
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Oliver Graf
Germany
Weissenthurm
[Ø]
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It seems hours means hours of the day in military writing.
Time scale is 15 minutes per turn from 0600 hours to 1000 hours, shifting to 1/2 hour turns from 1000 to 1800 hours.
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Russ Williams
Poland
Wrocław
Dolny Śląsk
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Aha, "1000 hours" meaning "10 o'clock" makes much more sense indeed!
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Mike Windsor
United States
Fort Worth
Texas
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I love the "What's the draw" title.
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Gene Baker
United States
Ocean Springs
Mississippi
Games with dragons, spaceships, and bears aren’t wargames. Call them conquest games or strategy games or crap but they aren’t wargames.
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mwindsor wrote:
I don't know if it was meant to be a pun but my first thought is it was terrain rules question.
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Phil Sauer
United States
Willow Street
Pennsylvania
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russ wrote: SteveB wrote: Each turn encompasses 15 minutes of real-time for the basic game, and stretches to 30 minutes in the expanded game.
...
Winning is determined by taking the game to the end, 1000 hrs in the basic version, ... Whoa, seriously? The basic game lasts 4000 turns? Is there an extra 0 or two by mistake?
Now a game like Silent War on the other hand... 
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Christopher O
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
Summer grasses / All that remains / Of soldiers' dreams. - Basho.
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Quote: Aha, "1000 hours" meaning "10 o'clock" makes much more sense indeed!
Being used to military times being written as "1000h" or spoken as "ten-hundred hours", I too thought (initially) that the original poster was talking about 1000 hours (2000 turns)? I was about ten seconds into the thought process of figuring out where US forces were 1000 hours after the landings (42 days later) when I realized he was doing the military time thing.
Long story short, you're not alone.
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Mike Windsor
United States
Fort Worth
Texas
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gbaker59 wrote: mwindsor wrote: I don't know if it was meant to be a pun but my first thought is it was terrain rules question.
Because of the bluffs that front the beach, much of the early game involves trying to secure the few draws that run down to the beach, and move your heavier equipment up the draws to get it engaged. I assumed that the title was a really clever play on words.
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Steve Boone
United States
Unspecified
Maryland
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About the title:
Yes, I was trying to be "pun"ny. Use a double-entendre. Evoke curiosity. I saw no danger, so I took the shot. Thanks for getting the joke.
Also, In my effort to be brief, I left out the all too critical "starting at 0615h and lasting until 1000h." Oops. Thank you for the review of my review and I'll work to do better next time. (I used the "hrs" abbrev. to attempt to be more universal to those less familiar with military time. Apparently, created more problems than I solved. Sorry.)
I don't post many reviews (is this my third after 5 years?) But, I hope to get better at them with each new submission.
Thanks again,
Steve
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