AAR: 15mm Flames of War - Utah Beach

Hi folks,

Playing catch-up with blog posts, as per usual. This game was the second in our series of D-Day Beach games we are playing this summer, and is a re-vamp of a similar scenario we played back in 2019. This was our May 2024 game. It took place in the Pendraken gaming room. 

This game had a representative German beach defence, with causeways #2 and #3 inland from the beach. It also had the inland Para drops and fighting. Again, a condensed map, with less historically accurate beach defences in order to fit both causeways on one table. 

As usual, DaveD provided the scenery. I set up the table and myself and DaveD umpired for the players. 

This game is both similar and different to the Gold Beach one. In both areas, flooding behind the beach confined the exits. However, the area inland of Utah did see para drops specifically to capture the ends of the causeways, which gives more action inland. Also, the lack of engineering equipment makes a big difference as to how the US forces deal with beach defences. 

US forces begin the beach landings. For the purpose of the game, we did the Para drop at the start of turn 1. 

Lack of engineering vehicles makes this initial phase costly for the US infantry. With no choice but to attempt to breach the minefields and wire on their own, while under fire from the largely unpinned Germans. The preparatory bombardment had led to all German defences starting pinned, but a good number of them unpinned quickly. 

The Para landings were a mixed bag. One stick scattered badly into the flooded areas, and other than command and bazooka teams most of this platoon was drowned. Another stick scattered over the town, landing some squads in the middle of the church square. They did not last long. The third drop was pretty tight and landed safely on the drop zone. Combat for the town and some of the gun batteries started very quickly. 

Down on the beach, some engineers and engineering tanks had arrived, allowing breach of the sea wall. Meanwhile, the DD tanks and infantry were engaged in clearing the defences. 

Elements of Easy Coy, 506th PIR taking on the battery at Brecourt Manor. 

The beach defences are more or less overcome...

Fighting intensifies in St Marie Du Mont, with Paras infiltrating the town and street fighting erupting. 

With breaches made and expanded, armour also starts moving off the beach. 

Airborne reinforcements arrive via glider - just in time to help deal with some German counter-attacks. 

US troops and armour reach the causeways. 

Reinforcements keep landing as the fighting continues. 

Recently landing AT guns deal with the repurposed French tanks being used by the Germans. 

German counter attacking StuGs come under bazooka fire from the town. 

Great game, fun to set out and use the table again, with some of Dave's models getting to see the table for the first time. 

Next game - Juno Beach - on 6th June.