Ike's Biggest Gamble (Overlord'44)

[gliz2]

Decided that while waiting for the patched FITE2 I will have a go at the Overlord'44. I did a bit of planning and have decided not to follow historical DZ for paras but to do some more risky business in order to secure main bridges so as to disrupt any movement between Caen and St.Marie Eglise (which turned to be a quite successful operation).

The big plan is to cut off the Peninsula from the rest, link up the Yanks and Brits and catch Caen and beat the hell out of ze Germans [;)]

Setup:
Both sides controlled by me.
Intelligence: minimal

[gliz2]

Situation on 5/Jun/44 pm

[gliz2]

T4 6/Jun/44 <PM>

The Germans offer little resistance except Omaha. I want to do a swipe with 7th Armoured on the main road to Caen.

[gliz2]

T7 8/Jun/44 <AM>

So far so good. I'm pushing with US on the right flank expanding the beachhead, still struggling at Omaha (this one was quite bad). On the other hand Brits are enjoying a good run and only the poor Red Devils are getting hammered pretty badly. I think following the east-most DZ for them was a silliness and I should have dropped them on Caen.

[gliz2]

T11 10-Jun-1944 <AM>

[gliz2]

T13 11-Jun-1944

[gliz2]

I'm on 50 turn (will update pics later).
So far I have to report the following:
1. For the Germans the key is planning. Once you commit your troops it's pretty much a done deal. Very hard to disengage. I made a mistake of committing 12 SS.Pz.Div. on Caen when it was overflooded already with Brits and basically it evaporated with no success (in reality they did some heavy lifting).
2. It's a kind of slow campaign. But relativelly easy on Allied forces side. You bomb pretty anything that moves or can substantially decrease defensive capabilities wuth airstrikes.
3. Germana have no means to defend Cherbourg. I have committed very limited number of Yankees to the task hence I'm really creeping towards it but with the proper use of Paras and heavy spearhead it could have been already in my hands.
4. You must stay focused on supply. Sometimes a hex next to "20" has only "8". Occupying such a hex makes no sense.
5.Allies need to punch through, it's about to get inland fast and hard. Caen I was able to take with first blow. German counterattack (12.SS, 2.Pz and 101 Sch.Pz.Bat.) was effectively stopped by airstricks (the RAF literally nailed the Jerries).
6. It is becoming rather boring event. Germans cannot do a thing as they getting nuked by RAF and USAAF, while the Allies lack the supplies to push. Therefore it is really slow game.
7. Number of airstrikes per turn can be irritating. I have to press Enter frantically for a minute to get it over with. Maybe it's just me but I do not see any value in the pop-ups as there is just info what was attacked and you are not getting any details. So what is the purpose? Whish it could be disabled so I could just not to have to keep pressing the bloody Enter :/
8. British infantry is like moving bunker. I have literally a stack of them with 188 Def.Points. Any attack on it would be suicidal for Germans.
9. I'm playing with the lowest intelligence level setup yet the Germans have perfect overview of Allied units (I mean what is where, without their strenghts). It's a bit odd as Germans had poor intelligence in Normandy.