Monday marked the 72th anniversary of D-Day. So while I was browsing through Boardgamegeek entries and spotted this for a mere twenty bucks, it was written I'd need to buy it. I never owned Avalon Hill's D-Day, but it is such a game changer (pun intended) that I thought I'd need to add it to my stock of games.
Did you know? D-Day, in 1961, was the first game to use a hex layout over the map :smitten:
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic52769.jpg)
Nice score. I picked up an unpunched copy of AH's Submarine for $20 a few months back.
Nice - it's a classic, that's for sure. I remember enjoying my copy of the game many, many years ago. And then my brother got Fortress Europa for his birthday. I wanted to break out colored pencils to color in my D-Day map.... ???
My first wargame at this scale was The Rise and Fall of Third Reich, by Avalon Hill as well. I still view the boardgames as whether their mapping follows the similar style. FE is very similar to that in its map art :smitten:
AH's D-Day was the very first wargame I ever played. I was maybe 12 ('77 or '78)? My cousin brought this to our grand-mother's house in St. Paul, Alberta at Thanksgiving, and we set this up on a table in the spare bedroom. Not long after, I bought Midway. I just recently gifted my copy of Midway to a friend's son who took an interest in WWII Pacific Theatre.
Many of the AH games from that era are real gems and still very playable if you can get past the dated maps and counters.
Boy oh boy oh boy, the parcel arrived today and turns out the box is of the original 1961a print! :smitten:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.matrixgames.com%2Fforums%2Fupfiles%2F32195%2F0923AB179CB34E3F905AC80AF8769FEF.jpg&hash=a595232e1dc396b980b249f51a398584c6f6782c)
I will definitively need to bribe either of my sons to have a game with me. Will cost me dear, but will be totally worth it!
Quote from: Crossroads on June 16, 2016, 11:31:06 AM
I will definitively need to bribe either of my sons to have a game with me. Will cost me dear, but will be totally worth it!
OK, that sounds like I need to quote this here next
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on June 10, 2016, 12:00:10 PM
I imagine that getting out and playing it, regardless of ownership, counts...it's sort of social...
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmememaker.org%2Fwp-content%2Fthemes%2Fviralimagehubpro%2Fimages%2Fmemes%2F53f7214b45e8f08dfe940ca4f5fab741.png&hash=ca2935a3397dca93860042360b4d675c9a7b23ae)
O0
Edit: nevermind...thought they had different boxes.
This is what the BGG D-Day forum (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/878851/telling-versions-apart) said about the versions:
First, the question:
QuoteI'm thinking about picking up a copy of this game, but I'd like to be able to tell from looking at pictures or asking a potential seller some questions exactly what version of the game I'm looking at. The 1977 one is obvious, but the older editions are less so to my untrained eye.
1961A/B - I assume both of these have 1961 copyrights on the board and rules. If that's true, what key differences would I be needing to ask about in the rules to differentiate them?
1965 - I've seen pictures of boards with a 1965 copyright. I assume that the matching rulebook also has a 1965 date?
Thanks for your help.
Then, the answer:
QuoteDD61A -
#1. 4-page Rules: Title page says:
"D-Day" (in letters about 1-inch tall),then
"Instructions" followed by
"This Instruction Manual contains the entire rules of play. You do not have to read the Reference Folder to play D-DAY. Refer to it only for diagrammatic clarification of play."
Incidentally, that statement is not true. You need to read the rules, portions of the Reference folder and the "Combat Factors Card" and finally, I think there's a minor detail or two on the Combat Results Table that is missing or hard to find elsewhere.
The Instruction folder says (c) 1961 at bottom of first page
#2 - 8 page Reference Folder has the large-font "D-Day" followed by "Reference folder", (c) 1961 on the last page.
DD61B -
#1 - 4-page Rules have a smaller font title (about 3/8 inch), saying
"D-DAY - INSTRUCTIONS- READ FIRST"
At the bottom of the first page is (c) 1961
#2- 8 page Reference Folder has the large-font "D-Day" followed by "Reference folder", (c) 1962 on the last page.
For both versions, most of the rules are in the Instruction Folder, but some details are not mentioned there and are only to be read in or deduced in the Reference folder (victory conditions, for one). Yet other rules are on the Combat Factors Card which looks merely like an examples of play sheet but actually has rules not stated in the main rulebook.(a single 8.5x11 cardstock sheet with examples of play, including terrain and combat odds calculation details not found in the rules.
DD65
#1 4-page Rules cover page says
"D-DAY" (in giant font) then
INSTRUCTIONS- READ FIRST"
then , in a box, "BASIC GAME"
and (c) 1965 at the bottom.
#2 Battle Manual - 12 page, half-size folder with optional rules and examples of play.
(c) 1965 on page 2.
As far as the other components go, there's only one map difference that affects play between the 1961 and 1965 versions. The units are the same (but for possible differences in ink shading and a few unit IDs, none of which are consequential to play).
Quote from: GJK on June 16, 2016, 04:57:21 PM
Edit: nevermind...thought they had different boxes.
So maybe the newest boxes were different, as the question mentions 1977 box as
obviously different.
I wasn't too bothered at all when making the order, but was curious and checked it, only to find it is of the original print.
:)
Slow day at the office, so thought I'd take a little coffee break and look a bit deeper.
Found this from BGG, under D-Day (2nd ed):
QuoteAt the time of this writing, BGG lists D-Day as having two versions, the 1961 and the 1977. However, this is a bit odd. Here is what I have gleaned:
Here is the cover of the original 1961 game:
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic2298082_t.jpg)
This game had two versions, the original release of 1961, and a revision in 1962. Charles S. Roberts was the original author, although it is less clear if he authored the revisions of 1962.
Then in 1965 a major revision was released. Here is the cover to that version:
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic2298083_t.jpg)
While very similar to the original release(s), the cover is slightly different. Note that the words INVASION GAME are now prominent. Larry Pinsky is credited as the author of this version.
In 1977, D-Day was redesigned, and the cover changed again:
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic2298084_t.jpg)
In my opinion, the 1977 edition of D-Day should be called the 3rd edition.
Now we know O:-)
D-Day - Roll Call!
What better to do on a rainy Saturday than to set up a boardgame and have few boardgamegeeks come over for some nice action.
In my case that means a solo play, but hey at least I am playing an opponent I know well.
Preparing for battle; roll call results in an absolute 100% availability of men and armour! How nice :smitten:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/6qr8xspmii45m3f/00rollcall.JPG?raw=1)
German Set-up
BGG (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1116858/does-anyone-have-historical-setup-d-day) forum suggested a historical set-up for the Germans, so I tried to replicate that to my best. How cool, that already in 1961 the game designer included unit markings for both Allied and Axis chits. To their places they went. The mapboard I have doesn't have Lettering / Numbering available though, so I sort of winged it when it comes to those units which were not set-up in any of the many cities in the map.
Blimey, forgot to add the picture. Here goes:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhmuxjtkpyay050/01historicsetup.JPG?raw=1)
D-Day Calais!
To try out something different, I thought I'd see what happens if I invade the coast of Calais, instead of Normandy. Dieppe, here we come! :knuppel2:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dci2zwqno3sko07/02calais.JPG?raw=1)
News news read all about it! The Allied have landed in Europe!
What the news are not telling is the initial fighting is not going well at all. The two infantry divisions securing the left flank, with 2-1 odds, rolled "6" for instant elimination. They were never able to leave the beach, the brave souls... :-[
The 47th ID bravely attacked at 1:1 odds, only to be thrown back to sea :buck2: The surviving men evacuated themselves into what ever landing craft they found, under a thick cover of smoke.
The spearhead on the right flank went better however, but at bitter costs, as each attack resulted in exchange of strength factors. Here's the situation after the Allied landing took place, with the armored units and Paras meeting each other to form a secure front for the reinforcements to join the fight!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9nmczlalvw32y9/03calaisallied1.JPG?raw=1)
The German counterattack!
I was not quite sure after the first read of the rules whether the invading forces were supposed to stay yet in their water hexes (beach hexes), or if they were allowed to move in one hex. I did the latter, thought it would be OK as one turn equals a week of fighting.
The German Panzer formations, having drilled for exactly such occasions as this one, moved quickly in for a kill.
From a distance, they might look innocent enough in their pink uniforms, but there's nothing innocent about them when they actually stack next to you!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/4f5hxi4n5b8mdqf/04calaisgermanmove1.JPG?raw=1)
"We'll fight in the beaches", or is it; "We'll fight in a beach..."
Sure enough, during the previous turn the Nazis in Pink crushed pretty much everything under their treads. Remarkably, the Canadian 2d Armored having made into Dieppe, took everything out coming at them, but the odds were just too great. :-\
Never say die, so another wave hits the beaches, err, beach. I make a call that there's two friendly hexes available, and with a stacking limit of two, I can only bring four divisions into the fray. I opt for two armored and two infantry divisions, and make it towards Dieppe. At 1:2 odds, the inevitable result is retreat, with the few survivals again escaping to the Channel under thick smoke.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ae8db1llzou37k/05calaisalliedmove2.JPG?raw=1)
Dieppe, The Sequel
Again not sure about the rules, but I move the surviving formations inland, to dig in against what seems a huge wave of Pink Steel coming their way. By now, the elite German Panzer formations are all in to see the unfortunate landing off. It can't be long now...
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zd7pe9x47a7ayps/06calaisgermanmove2.JPG?raw=1)
Fortress Europa, Unconquered
And so it ends, seems the bad guys did not even break a sweat ensuring another unfortunate Allied Blunder against Dieppe seen off. Champagne for everyone in pink!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/munswtuoxk23wb6/07calaisgermanvictory2.JPG?raw=1)
Well that was fun, wasn't it :)
Quote from: Crossroads on June 18, 2016, 08:59:45 AM
German Set-up
BGG (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1116858/does-anyone-have-historical-setup-d-day) forum suggested a historical set-up for the Germans, so I tried to replicate that to my best. How cool, that already in 1961 the game designer included unit markings for both Allied and Axis chits. To their places they went. The mapboard I have doesn't have Lettering / Numbering available though, so I sort of winged it when it comes to those units which were not set-up in any of the many cities in the map.
Blimey, forgot to add the picture. Here goes:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhmuxjtkpyay050/01historicsetup.JPG?raw=1)
This seems like another way to tell an early print box. My map indeed does not have letters or numbers for hex coordinates, while the later ones do. I just loaded a VASSAL D-Day module, which very handily has the hex coordinates in place of course. Next time, I will try Normandy, with those few evil pinkies in their correct positions as well! O:-)
And one more. There was a pointer to AH General #1/Vol11, and true enough it comes with a historic deployment guideline O0
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/uhskxe1f6d5t3ai/AHGENERAL_11_1_DDAY_Deployment.PNG?raw=1)
I just quickly glanced at your pictures in the order that you have presented them here and thought "my word, Ike would be reading the 'I made a big boo-boo and it's all my fault' speech at this point!". :O
Pas de Calais turned out to be quite a tough nut to crack.
With the three fortress cities in the middle, tripling the defence values of those pesky 1-2-2 formations, and with the stacking limit of two units per beach hex, even with a Para unit dropped behind them I could not get better than 1:1 odds, perhaps a 2:1 odd for one of the assaults. So I thought I'd hit the stronger units in the right flank and get them out of equation from the very beginning. Then came the hideous die rolls.
With the historical setup, Brittany seems likes the weakest link of German defence, with Normandy another good candidate. I will try out the Normandy scenario next.
Not before I've managed to play a solo with the S&Ts October War first though. But that's another story.
Picture links restored, after Dropbox cut off the Public folder from actually being public. What a classic this game indeed is :clap:
My very first wargame was Tactics II, which I played in about .. 1967 I think.
I played Panzer Leader and Panzer Blitz in Berlin in the early '70's. For you true grognards, it was at the home of the US Air Force Templehof AFB Wing Commander, Gail Halvorson. Yep...the Candy Bomber of the Berlin Airlift.
The Air Force promoted him several more times, from 1948 to 1971, and sent him back to Berlin as the Air Force Commander. Pretty cool...when I met him, as a teenager, I immediately recognized his name, and his accomplishments. His son and I became pretty good friends. This son eventually joined the Air Force, and became a C-130 pilot.
Still, I believe that I played just about every Avalon Hill, SPI, GMT, Victory Games, and others through the years. Still have a pretty sweet collection that I will pull out and review. DDay was one of my favorites.