kb9sog Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 I decided to create a scenario based on a scene from the movie the Longest Day. I've got the ground work done and the map. It's the scene where the allies have to take the Ouistam Hotel? (sp?) First off, since my wife will kill me if I run to the video store and rent this movie for tonight. (She puts up with my WW2 fetish but she doesn't want to be involved in it. hehe) Therefore, I've been doing the unit OOB for both sides from memory. Please help me to spell Ouistem correctly. Also, I can't remember if the Allied elite task force was French or British. The scene in the movie is the one where they have to cross a bridge and take the hotel from a heavily dug in prepared Axis defense. The end of the scene is the one where the commander says, "We need armor support." And he runs off back across the bridge to get it. During the scene, some nuns head down the high road to tend to the wounded soldiers in the midst of hostile cross fire. I realize that I am going to improvise a bit but I definitely want to get the nationalities correct as well as the model of tank that the allies get in support. I promise that the scenario will be a tough one for both sides. I've been play testing it from the allied side and so far it is very good. Now I need to tweak it to make it as correct as possible. Currently I am using British Airborne and Heer troops. Any information and help with the OOB's for both sides would be fantastic. Thanks much in advance. ------------------ BJ Simpson Visit www.arrl.org for information about Ham Radio. IN HOC SIGNO VINCES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 It's spelled Ouistreham and the elite commandos were French. Beyond that I haven't found anything in my sources. They may have been attached to either 4 or 6 Commandos. ------------------ Blessed be the Lord my strength who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb9sog Posted August 14, 2000 Author Share Posted August 14, 2000 Wow, Wayne! Thanks a bunch! That was quick. I'll get to editing. I'd like to get an idea on what the gun was that the German troops had in the bunker and the model of tank that the French commandos had to help turn the tide and take the hotel. If anyone else has any ideas please don't hold back. Thanks. ------------------ BJ Simpson Visit www.arrl.org for information about Ham Radio. IN HOC SIGNO VINCES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoffel Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 The gun the germans used was a pak40. I am not quite sure about that sherman but I thought it was a 75mm I have the movie but my vcr broke down. I shall check it when my new vcr arrives later this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Just FYI, the movie "The Longest Day" was based on Cornelius Ryan's excellent D-Day book, "The Longest Day." I don't know if this raid is detailed much in the book (although I suspect it is), but you might find answers to your questions, as well as some good background, there. Ryan also wrote "A Bridge Too far," and the movie of the same name is based on his telling of Market Garden. (Apologies if you knew this already.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kb9sog: Wow, Wayne! Thanks a bunch! That was quick. I'll get to editing. I'd like to get an idea on what the gun was that the German troops had in the bunker and the model of tank that the French commandos had to help turn the tide and take the hotel. If anyone else has any ideas please don't hold back. Thanks. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> No problem. Glad to help although I didn't know much. Check out Cornelius' Ryan's book "The Longest Day". It's out in paperback and you can probably get it fast from amazon.com. I love the movie based on his book except that the Omaha Beach scene looks lame compared to "Saving Private Ryan". ------------------ Blessed be the Lord my strength who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martiniman Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 KUDOS that is the BEST scene in that movie it is one of, if not THE longest single camera shot Ive ever seen. Right before they go there is a long shot from across the river It is one continuous shot. It must be over a minute long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. W W Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Great idea for a scenario. That was certainly one of my favorite scenes in that movie. Can't wait to try it! Too bad you can't model the nuns.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
von Lucke Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 The man who commanded No. 1 and 8 Troops of No. 10 Commando, Cmdr Philippe Kieffer, wrote a book about the action, called The French Green Berets of 6 June 1944. Unfortunately, I have no idea if it's available in English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Aitken Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 C'est un Char! The Omaha sequences are a bit different from Saving Private Ryan. I think I saw a couple of guys fall over, but they might just have tripped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Pike Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 4 commando (part of No 1 SS brigade commanded by Lord Lovat) were involved in taking Ouistreham Casino and Battery from the rear( map)which comes from "swiftly they struck" Most of the unit took the Battery but 2 French Troops (under Phillipe Kieffer) detached to take the cassino (the bit shown in the longest day, I think) The assault on the battery is detailed in "Swiftly they struck, the story of No.4 Commando by Murdoch C. McDougall, (member of F troop at the battery. But the book makes only passing mention of the assault on the cassino. He does say that the guns on the battery "in the most were 75mm and light automatics" were all pointing seaward with only "a simple MG in an open postion" guarding the rear. He also mentions emplacements with "revolving tank turrets" (dug in tanks??) Also the only tank support mentioned is from a Centaur which took out a sniper in a house. hope this helps. [This message has been edited by Private Pike (edited 08-14-2000).] [This message has been edited by Private Pike (edited 08-14-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lale Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 The german defenders was most likely part of I/736/716 Static ID. Regards, Rasmus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatAWilson Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Going from memory here, but here it goes anyway: The gun looked like a 75mm AT. Did they also have a 20mm? At least one HMG too. IMHO the troop quality of the Germans should probably be "regular" or a cut below. The static defense troops were not the best in the German army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb9sog Posted August 15, 2000 Author Share Posted August 15, 2000 Wow! You guys! I ask for gold and in return I get diamonds and jewels! What a great resource this has turned out to be. Private Pike, what an incredible map. Thanks for posting that link with all of your information. Pat Wilson, thanks for your input on unit OOB. The movie showed a 20 mm flak and I put that into OOB. (Of course, the movie is most likely not accurate.) I am going to rework the map with all of this detail in mind. I'm going to try to blend the best of the resources here and from reading other people's suggested sources to try and make a decent Ouisterham scenario. Back to the drawing board for me but I don't mind! Thanks to everyone that provided input. Cheers! ------------------ BJ Simpson Visit www.arrl.org for information about Ham Radio. IN HOC SIGNO VINCES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Pike Posted August 15, 2000 Share Posted August 15, 2000 Just a thought, although the troops were French they would have had British equipment/uniforms so should be modelled as British Infantry and not French Infantry which use US equipment/uniforms I think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoffel Posted August 17, 2000 Share Posted August 17, 2000 Well I have a new vcr and looked at this piece of the movie picture by picture. Here is what I have seen, On top of the roof from the casino were one 20mm flakgun(bofors)two mg42's and one infantrysquad Down in the first floor was a pak 40 75mm atgun with another infantrysquad The tank was an M4 a1 version with amphibian skirt. Please send me the scenario if it is finished. Henk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb9sog Posted August 17, 2000 Author Share Posted August 17, 2000 Well, I've rewritten the map for the scenario and have been play testing it using some example OOB's for the Axis. I've tried a few different ones. It can be a very difficult scenario for the human attacker. So far, I've discovered that the German AI defender is somewhat too cautious on utilizing its assets. I've mimicked the map that Pvt. Pike provided and it looks really good in my opinion. However, because of that, I don't have a river in front of the casino, but, rather have a nice anti-tank ditch instead. I want to tweak some of the elevations on the map until I am satisfied and I think that I am going to change the Axis OOB to somewhat reflect what is in the movie a little more as well. I will keep everyone posted on my progress. Stoffel, Pvt. Pike, Wayne, PatWilson and other contributors to this thread may have a beta copy of the scenario within the next 24 hours upon request to play test it if anyone is interested. Just drop me an email. Thanks fellas! ------------------ BJ Simpson Visit www.arrl.org for information about Ham Radio. IN HOC SIGNO VINCES [This message has been edited by kb9sog (edited 08-17-2000).] [This message has been edited by kb9sog (edited 08-17-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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