D-Day - Smithsonian, 1944

Rules

A PDF of the rules is available through the Help menu. Please note that it may take a little while for your PDF viewer to launch

Optional rules

At the start of a new game, you will be presented with a window to select which optional rules should be in effect. You will not be able to change these settings later in the game.

When the game is progressed to the first turn Allied move points phase, then game pieces that are not in used are removed and the optional rules are locked.

I you play by email, then one of you should select the optional rules, save the game before moving to the Allied move points phase. , and send it off to the other side for validation. Only then should you progress to the next phase.

Historical setup

 Press the Wehrmacht button (Ctrl-Shift-G) to load the historical (more or less) German setup.

 Press the SHAEF button (Ctrl-Shift-A) to load the historical (more or less) Allied setup.

These buttons are only available in the first turns Weather phase.

Turn and phase tracker

Use the Turn tracker interface in the menubar. A number of automatic actions are implemented in this module, which heavily depend on the use of that interface.

You can go to the next phase by pressing the + button, or by pressing Alt-T. This is the only possible way of moving the turn marker.

Phases that are not in use - because some optional rule was disabled, like the replacements phases - are automatically skipped.

 Weather

If the weather optional rule is in effect, then the weather will automatically be resolved at the start of the Weather.

Supply points

Next to each supply point on the map, are markers to keep track of which faction controls that supply point. This must be managed by the factions - the module does not do this automatically.

A control marker can be "flipped" via the right-click context menu, or by selecting the marker and pressing Ctrl-F

If the Alternate move points optional rule is in effect, then it is crucial that these are managed correctly, as they determine how many move points a faction receives

Move points

Move points are automatically allocated to the factions in the relevant phases, including if the Alternate move points optional rule is in effect.

Move points are not automatically spent by movement and such. The factions must take care to do so themselves. There are two buttons in the menubar of the OOBs to help with this.

If the Alternate move points optional rule is in effect, it is imperative that the factions record control of supply points by flipping the faction markers on the map.

Reinforcements

Reinforcements units are not moved on to the map automatically.

Replacements

Only applicable if the optional replacements rule is in effect.

Replacements must be built the turn before they can be taken as reinforcements. Eliminated units are therefore placed face-down on the OOBs, and move points must be spend to bring them face up. As with other movem point expendatures, this is not enforced by the module.

 Battle declaration and resolution

Battles must be declared in a factions movement phase, including Allied strategic bombing missions.

The module can automatically calculate odds and resolve combats via the use of battle markers. To place a battle marker, select the attacking and defending units and press the battle marker button () or Ctrl-X. This will place markers on the invovled units that identifiy the battle uniquely.

This only works if the pieces are on the map. That is, if the units are in an army holding box it will not work.

If the user preference Calculate Odds on battle declaration is enabled, then the module will also calculate the odds (inluding bonuses and penalties for terrain), and place an odds marker (e.g., ) on one of the involved units.

The rules says that only one hex may be attacked at a time. The module assumes this, but does not enforce it, so be careful to not select defending units in more than one hex.

In the factions Combat phase, you can right click the odds marker and select Resolve (or Ctrl-Y) to resolve the combat. The module will do the appropriate calculations and roll the dices needed, and a replace the odds marker with a result marker (e.g. ).

The module will not apply the result to the invovled units. This must be done, according to the rules by the factions.

To clear a battle declaration, select one of the involved units or battle markers, and select Clear (or press Ctrl-C) from the context menu. All battles can be cleared by the button in the menubar.

 Allied strategic bombing missions

Allied strategic bombing missions, if that optional rules is enabled, can be declared in the same way as regular combat. Note that the rules says that only one German unit per Allied bomber may be attacked.

However, the mission should be resolved in the Allied strategic air missions phase, rather than in the Combat phase. Resolution follows the same principle as above.

If the result of a strategic bombing mission contains NT (no terrain bonuses), then an NT marker () is placed on the defending unit, and the terrain modifiers are automatically ignored. Note that you must recalculate the odds by clearing the previously declared ground combat and redeclaring it.

If the optional rule Alternate move points is enabled, then the German faction is automatically awarded 1 MP per strategic bomber mission resolved by the Allied faction.

Eliminated units

Eliminated units will be sent back to the OOB. Eliminated units are automatically flipped to their reduced side. This is to mark them as eliminated units and can therefore not be taken as reinforcements until the faction has spent the necessary move points (optional rule).

 Supply

Use the right context menu item Isolated (or Ctrl-I) to mark one or more units as isolated.

The menu button Show unit status (Ctrl-S) shows all units divided by supply status (flipped or with isolated marker). Use this to quickly find units that may need checking. Note that the module cannot by itself figure out the supply status of a unit. This must be checked by a player.

About this game

This VASSAL module was created from LATEX sources of a Print'n'Play version of the D-Day game. That (a PDF) can be found at

https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/sdday_tex

where this module, and the sources, can also be found. The PDF can also be found as the rules of this game, available in the Help menu.

The original game was release by the Avalon Hill Game Company.

Credits

Design, development & rules:
Samuel Craig Taylor, Jr.
Cover art:
George Parrish
Graphics & typesetting:
Charles Kibler
Packaging:
Monarch Services & Eastern Box
Playtesters:
Jeff Buchaneau, Kevin Hewitt, George Petronis, Edward Philips, Everett Post, James Turner, & Byron Wolfe

Copyright and license

This work is 🄯 2022 Christian Holm Christensen, and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

or send a letter to

Creative Commons
PO Box 1866
Mountain View
CA 94042
USA