Scenario Notes: Behind the Beaches
By Patrick Callahan
February 2008

The “Behind the Beaches” scenario puts the Allied player in the position of a battalion commander just at the point when the drop plan has to be revised. The U.S. player must plan and execute an airborne drop on objectives not of his or her choosing. The objective, if captured, then has to be defended from any direction.

The German player also has a formidable challenge. He must try to determine the Allied intentions and thwart them. This is not easy with U.S. paratroopers scattered all over the board. The Germans can be sure of reinforcement, but when, and where? The terrain and scenario and units are hypothetical but capture the flavor (we hope!) of that time and place.

	A German 105 mm howitzer on display in modern Normandy.

Before play starts the U.S. player rolls a die to determine which objectives he or she must capture. This represents higher headquarters (regiment) assigning objectives to a lower echelon (battalion), represented by the U.S. player. The player is then free to plan the drop and assault within scenario limitations and special rules. The player must also plan the timing of the drop and follow-up forces. The player must try to pick a landing zone that is safe but close to the assigned objectives and that allows for a defendable place for follow-up forces to land.

Both players must also plan for any reinforcement the Axis may receive. Axis reinforcement may come just about any direction. This complicates the choice of landing zones for the U.S. because it would be bad to have the landing zone (LZ) overrun before the second lift arrives.

The Axis player is also at the mercy of higher headquarters. The German’s most powerful unit, the105 mm battery, is also placed by a die roll that represents higher headquarters orders. The Axis must try to position his Captain, Grenadier platoon and HMG to cover potential objectives AND his artillery, a tall order for a short force. They will also hopefully be positioned to assist incoming reinforcements. A lot depends on the status of the strongpoints and the position of the AA battery. Any of these units are potentially in a position to give the U.S. fits. Just one of them in the right place could be decisive. Even if it eventually is eliminated, its presence can dump U.S. plans in the recycle bin.

Just a note of clarification, United States airborne doctrine of the day designated any area that paratroopers dropped into as a drop zone (DZ). Any area slated to receive gliders was designated as a landing zone. U.S. doctrine did not include direct glider assault on objectives as did the British at the Ranville (Pegasus) Bridges and the Merville battery. The Germans also used direct glider assaults in Belgium, Holland and Crete. Generally speaking the U.S. doctrine had gliders coming down in friendly-occupied areas as reinforcement to troops already on the ground.

There were exceptions to this. Donald Pratt, 101st Airborne assistant division commander, chose to make the initial landing in a glider so as to have his staff and communication equipment assembled right away. Unfortunately his glider was fixed with armor plating that ruined the glider’s flight dynamic and the glider crashed, killing all aboard. General Matthew Ridgeway, 82nd Airborne Division commander, also planned to land via glider but changed his mind at the last minute and decided to drop into Normandy just like one of his privates. He lived into the later 20th century.

The Pathfinders

As to the pathfinder’s accurate drop in the scenario, playtesting suggested that on such a small board any enhanced realism that a variable pathfinder drop produced was more than offset by special rules and conditions necessary to deal with a drop zone that was partially or completely off the playing surface.

This was a fairly common occurrence. Situations developed where units would be off board but still in the drop zone. How do you get them back on? What happens if the pathfinder misses the board all together? It was realistic but it did not make for a balanced scenario. For the sake of simplicity and play balance we decided to simply ensure that the pathfinder landed in the intended assembly point. Even with this, the U.S. are typically scattered around to varying degrees but are never all bunched together in the DZ. This forces them to march on their objectives from all points of the compass just as they would if landing off board. The distance they travel is less but the challenges are the same.

La Fiere Causeway, just after the war.

The board seems to be a close approximation of the area around the La Fiere Causeway, which was the objective of the 1st Battalion of the 505th PIR on D-Day. The 505th had one of the best drops in the entire Normandy invasion, landing in Drop Zone “O”. So if our hypothetical battalion is landing on similar ground, why not, for the sake of play balance and simplicity, give them the benefit of the same good fortune? Just as it is with pain, some people have higher thresholds for realism and the its complications than others. It is the never ending struggle between realism and playability, with no “correct” answer.

With this in mind, optional rules are included to allow players to explore the possibilities of a jump gone really bad. When using this method the U.S. player’s sweat glands often become dilated. Note that any of the optional rules pertaining to swamp hexes as drop zones apply to the “first lift” units also.

When simulating drops on larger boards the pathfinder could possibly land on any of them, but there is still the chance he will land off board. We are back where we started from a scenario design point of view, but you do end up with the larger playing surface.

The disrupted and demoralized condition of Allied units when they first land simulates the disorganized condition of the troops when they first hit the ground. They must assemble, get oriented, collect bundles, also duck fire and swim for their lives in some cases. It takes time to get organized.

As far as the German reinforcements are concerned, they come from any compass direction for the sake of variability. They represent the local regimental mobile force and thus could be anywhere in the regimental area of operations at any given time.

We modified the troop collection process for the paratroopers to reflect the time factor involved. The sooner after a drop the assembly process begins the more likely men are to be collected. As time progresses most of the men in a given area that want to assemble have already assembled. Since there is no limit to the number of steps that may be collected, part of the decision making process for the Allied player becomes, when is enough enough?

The die roll to determine if the drop arrives late is historical but is included mainly to add complications to planning and execution. A drop or landing planned for nighttime or a turn with limited visibility may find itself coming down in broad daylight. That isn’t necessarily bad! Late troops from the “Second Lift” could find their drop zone overrun and have to divert to less attractive LZs. Late arriving troops may also find their objectives heavily defended.

Students of the Normandy drop will note that the timing of the second lift is somewhat fast. Historically, many glider landings were scheduled for noon on D-Day and many later around dusk depending on an individual unit’s “revised plan” and logistical considerations. Players will also note that those reinforcements were from different units not the same unit split into half paratrooper half glider. For the sake of brevity and play balance I arbitrarily adjusted the timing of the “Second Lift”. Players who don’t mind waiting 45 to 75 turns for the possibility of reinforcement are encouraged to modify the procedure in any way they see fit. As far as the split-unit identification goes, players may designate them any way they see fit also. A single-unit identity was included for simplicity and flavor only.

The German reinforcement rolls also come early. Again this is for brevity. They are timed to compete with the just coagulating paratroopers. This kind of race would be difficult to simulate 45 to 75 turns into the game.

Allied Strategy

Allied strategy starts with placement of the DZ. It should be near the objective. It should have as much clear terrain as possible. It should contain areas where the gliders can come down safely later.

The second thing that the Allied player must consider is the timing of the drop. After looking at the drop procedure modifiers the Allied player may be tempted to make the drop during the daylight hours instead of at night. It could work. But the reinforcement die roll for the Axis is then 1-2 from the start, making it much more likely that the Germans could interfere before the U.S. has reached or taken their objectives. It allows the AA battery to fire early and often. The U.S. often wants to bypass German units at night to reach the U.S. objectives. They can’t do that after daylight. Landing in daylight also shortens the game.

	Know your mission!

Once on the ground and in a reasonable condition the U.S. must move to the objective as soon as possible. This is the trick. Can you assemble enough, fast enough? The temptation always exists to stay put to try to assemble just a few more steps. A balance must be struck between time taken recovering and assembling and time taken attacking objectives in a timely manner. The placement and strength of platoons and leaders once on the ground will have a large influence on this. The more scattered the drop the more complicated and time-consuming the assembly and approach to the objectives. Remember, as the Allied player you have to go where you have to go regardless of the landing position or condition of the paratroopers. In the meantime the Germans aren’t just sitting around waiting for a call. They’re going to the dance regardless.

Stay focused on where you are going. It is easy to get sidetracked by Axis units. Fight only on and for ground you NEED to take or hold. If possible, try to knock out the German 105 mm battery even if it is not a rolled-for objective, or it will harass you all game long. This may also help conceal your real objectives.

The second lift can be the salvation of the Allied player. Here are the heavy weapons that are so desperately needed. Coming in with them is some semblance of transport in the form of the Jeep platoon. Also included are some much-needed infantry. Play has shown that the safest thing for the second lift is to come in during daylight hours inside the original DZ, thus trying to reap the benefits of the daylight and DZ modifiers. This is not always possible because Axis platoons or the AA battery, if positioned awkwardly from a U.S. perspective, could raise Ned with the glider landings. The U.S. player has the advantage of choosing the landing hexes for “Second Lift” platoons. Hopefully “Second Lift” units will be able to land in a hex that is not under the AA fire landing modifier, even if the landing is out of the DZ, as the AA battery may still be hidden. (See landing modifiers.)

If the U.S. can get their “Second Lift” troops down in good shape, getting the battery/mortar into action is Mission One. If nothing else it may draw the attention of Axis forces that should most likely be concentrating on other things. Garrison the battery in a spot that can cover all rolled for objectives, if possible, and dig in if necessary. If the battery/mortar sets up in a separate hex from an objective hex, that is not necessarily bad. The Axis may spend valuable time and effort trying to attack the battery/mortar in a non-objective hex.

The Allied seaborne reinforcements are small and late but represent the only armored unit that the Allies can count on during the scenario. The sooner this reinforcement comes up from the beaches the better, especially if the second lift goes bad.

Axis Strategy

Axis stragety starts with placement of the Grenadiers. They should be placed in a potential objective hex somewhere near where the battery sets up. The wagon should set up with the 105 battery or possibly the AA battery. The strongpoints at least are a known quantity before play begins. Hopefully they will be operational and will positively affect the overall Axis setup. The AA battery should garrisoned with at least a half step of Grenadiers and placed in any objective hex. The hex with the longest LOS would be a good spot or a hex that is centrally located to maximize the adverse landing modifiers on descending paratroopers.

Once the Allies are on the ground the placement of the DZ may be an indicator of where the U.S. objectives are. At least it may tell you where they are NOT.

When the reinforcements arrive try to combine the 81mm and the 105 battery under a good leader for a hefty punch. This kind of firepower can break up an attack and it can open the way to an objective. This combination can become a game winner for the Axis player. The Allies 75mm Pack Howitzer can’t match them, even if they get it.

Once all Axis reinforcements are all on the board, their strength equals a reinforced company with some armor in support. Once committed they should try to stay together in order to counter attack any objective already attained or currently under assault by the Allied player. As they move toward the Allied units they may pick up friendly isolated units along the way. Again here the trucks can be of value shuttling units to trouble spots.

Try to avoid small knots of paratroopers that have been scattered around the board and have not yet assembled on an objective. These are the victims of “Fog of War” rolls or off board late arrivals. Individual steps and platoons that landed in out of the way places and were lower-priority units in the race to the objectives hexes. They may try to harass the Axis relief column. These Allied “lost” units that have been struggling to get into position can suddenly become addicted to the nasty habit of coming into play just at the wrong place and the wrong time for the Axis.

Don’t be afraid to use your wagon to shuttle units to trouble spots. It is faster than it looks and gets the road bonus and possibly a strategic move also. A quick move to a contested objective by a single platoon can stave off disaster just in time.

If your artillery becomes insecure, use the wagon to try to move it to a safer hex. If you detect a U.S. build-up near the battery position and time and position allow, try to move the battery away. Keeping the U.S. chasing the battery around could really upset their plans. But note that this takes timing. If the U.S. can catch the battery while limbered it could get ugly and the U.S. player could gain a cheap objective. Also to be considered is the fact that every turn the battery is moving, it is not firing.

Special Events

This optional special events table is a compilation of actual historical events that took place all over the Cotentin on D-Day. General Wilhelm Falley, commander of the 91st Airlanding Division, really was ambushed and killed by Lt. Malcomb D. Brennan and a small party of troopers from the 3rd Battalion of the 508th Regiment. The general was returning to his command post in Picauville from the war games in Rennes. The reinforcement die roll that follows his successful escape is just another nasty variable for the Allies and a big lift for the Axis if it comes.

General Gavin did show up unexpectedly here there and everywhere on D-Day. Someone similar to him just might make an appearance here too. These are naturally one-time events. Follow the instructions on the special event chart if the event is rolled again.

Names and Numbers

Author James Jones used the method of placing hypothetical terrain and units in a historical setting to help readers maintain the proper historical perspective and emotional connection to his fictional novel The Thin Red Line. As C for Charlie impaled itself on the “Dancing Elephant” it somehow took on a different timbre knowing this was Guadalcanal and not a fictional island as was depicted in other lesser novels about the South Pacific war. Because D-Day holds a special place in the American mindset I decided to keep it as the scenario location rather than inventing a whole fictional drop. The following list of hypothetical location names serves the same function that the “Dancing Elephant” and “Giant Boiled Shrimp” did for Jones.

• Hex 0803 Chateau Tessier
• Hex 0613 Manoir Lalime
• Hex 0604 Dion-du-plain
• Hex 0412-0409 Mandville and Mandville causeway
• Hex 0516 Station Moreau (rail crossing)
• Hex 1013 Chapelle-Cherbourg RR Bridge
• Hex 0509 Ste. Ambrose
• Hexes 0707-0708 Bois du Parente (Parente’s Woods)
• Hexes 1105-1106 Bois du Marcell
• The river is still the Merderet.

The U.S. unit is fictional. It is representative of all U.S. airborne infantry battalions on D-Day. If players wish they may assign any unit designation, historical or not, or simply refer to it as Task Force (put your last name here). For additional chrome the U.S. player is encouraged to name or letter the drop and landing zones.

I hope players will enjoy this scenario. I’ve tried to incorporate the trials and tribulations of both sides in the scenario design. I also tried to make the situation as variable as possible thus enhancing replayability. None of the preceding would be possible without a good game design to build on. I welcome any feedback. Contact me at

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