La Fiere bridge and manor. Dawn. D-Day.

[LemuelG]

La Fiere bridge and manor - note: for complex reasons the map has been rotated somewhat, the top of the map is more like north-east in reality - the master-map is about ten times as big and there was only one way I was gonna fit it all in the way I wanted without wasting space.

From on-high, I couldn't resist a Close Combat-like landmark on the road leading off the map.

Compare it to a aerial photo taken in '47:

It was a weird format and the program I re-sized it with left a whopping watermark - but I hope you can see the resemblance. For shame, I can't remember how I got that photo - someone on the forum made a sweet thread with step-by-step directions (little help?).

Looking at the bridge and manor complex from the north (east). The building nearest the bridge today is a B&B - it was my good fortune that the road leading past the manor and over the bridge is covered by Google Street - go have a look around: http://maps.google.co.nz/maps/place?cid=6397615695765638423&q=la+fiere&hl=en&ved=0CBwQ-gswAA&sa=X&ei=FPM_TvLJNvCKmQWHve33AQ&sig2=LfHCddhfecuMyGPNrelshw

It's much like it was then, except with fewer orchards.

Looking up the hill, in the direction of the beaches. Today on that hill-side field stands the Iron Mike statue, with a marvelous view of almost the whole Merderet valley.

[LemuelG]

Looking down the hill, past the bridge. About 50m up the road to your right, lies general Gavin's foxhole, still there today.

You share the view of the engineers who manned the 57mm gun positioned there; there is a gentle bend just after the bridge on the causeway, but in this 45-degree angled world we play it is just an ugly kink to limit the view of those on the hill down the causeway.

A view of the swamp on the southern side of the manor, troops can ford it, but the route the river runs is still impassable. I discovered a single marsh-tile planted in shallow/deep ford displays just as some swamp-grass poking out of the water (so awesome!); hopefully one can follow the river by lack of grasses in the water where it runs.

I have to cut this short, but I'll return with pics of what I did with the manor building itself (in the absence of having a whopping castle's-tower stuck onto it's rear).

Some reading I did:

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=h3qgjf5AhT8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=la+fiere+82nd&hl=en&ei=2Ps_TsX0CobNrQeK5uz2Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-preview-link&resnum=9&sqi=2&ved=0CFUQuwUwCA

The definitive account of the battle, from someone present.

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=V4dWVxgpWwUC&pg=PA124&dq=la+fiere+82nd+505&hl=en&ei=Bvw_TvexEs_yrQfi_MUM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-preview-link&resnum=5&ved=0CD8QuwUwBA

Fascinating unit-history of the 505PIR, tasked with taking St Mere Eglise and the Merderet crossings on D-Day.

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=K8XUetN4mJoC&pg=PR5&dq=la+fiere+82nd+genevieve&hl=en&ei=YPs_Ts6eDY7prQftgaUR&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-preview-link&resnum=1&ved=0CCwQuwUwAA

That one's different - the account of a French girl who lived on the edge of the flooded area. The book gave the whole battle and area a totally new dimension to me, more personal and intimate - you'd either like it or not, I guess.

[Broadsword56]

Outstanding map -- really shows what's possible using all the tools to create historical battlefields. Can't wait to play this one.

[patboy]

Well done !!!

[rocketman]

Looks like an intriguing map/scenario.

[kipanderson]

Hi,

Yup... I agree with others... well done.... great job.

All the best,

Kip.

[Frankster65]

Beautiful work!

[Broadsword56]

Do you find that the units handle the pathfinding OK over the bridge/causeway and through the flooded areas (except of course the river itself)?

[Aragorn2002]

There's no other game in the whole wide world that can make a map like that possible. Very impressive.

[Ithikial_AU]

Damn it! You beat me to it. Silly me and going back to CMSF. My map is about half way done and was rotated like yours as well. I was going back to the train line towards St Mere Eglise and to the village (forgot the name at the moment) on the german side of the bridge.

Looking forward to having a battle or two on the map.

[LemuelG]

Hey - it's not out yet! Actually I'm loathe to release it 'officially' without the proper para OOB I successfully lobbied for earlier on; I also have a much bigger master-map which stretches from La Fiere to the outskirts of Amfreville - it includes Le Motey, Les Heutes, Timmes' Orchard and Chateau de Amfreville (Grey castle); I've even mapped a large area of swamp and the rail embankment crossing it toward the north - so I can do the night-time attack over the sunken road by the glidermen.

Do you find that the units handle the pathfinding OK over the bridge/causeway and through the flooded areas (except of course the river itself)?

Sure, if I learned anything about this experience it's that pathfinding in this game is terrific: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qj9u2JWOE4

A little video I made of an AI jeep because it really amused and pleased me for some reason - i.e. it was incredibly competent.

But back to your question - even when the river is only deep-ford, troops still go to extreme lengths to use the road and bridge - this is from testing on the large map, and guys asked to travel from one side to the other; they can be encouraged to enter the swamp when there is a road tile underneath the water - which there is often was in reality; if they taking a lot of heat, particularly on the causeway they don't mind bugging-out into the water - and hilariously, when they lie down they are totally submerged. And if they are ordered into the swamp, they'll do it - it's slow and tiring stuff though, and everyone can see you.

[LemuelG]

I wanna thank everyone for their gracious compliments - I put lots of effort into this, and for my rookie map I'm satisfied with the results so far.

This scenario will be centered on A co. 1/505 and their attack on the manor on the morning of D-Day, extending the map to the western edge of the swamp to Cauquigny isn't necessary.

I'm still debating internally about whether I should go ahead and stage the German cross-causeway counters with P.IVs instead of waiting for some French tanks which may never come; I'm not sure it would matter too much, maybe there'll just be less of them.

A view of the manor orchards - the topography around there is plain crazy, I've done my best; modest dirt-tracks in reality have become fully-fledged roads in my map, I felt their tactical importance warranted it.

The manor building, from the rear - as you can see it's a combo of three different buildings - I agonized over this endlessly... how to properly represent this building?:

In the end, I've got something I'm happy with - the buildings are all connected, there is an attic and a walled-in basement only accessible from inside; in reality the paras had to use bazookas and shoot up at the Germans inside through the floorboards, and that's more-or-less how it works in-game with this set-up. Opinions welcome - have I been too free with my design of the manor?

From the front. The wall in the bottom left of the screen is the famous wall behind which the glidermen launched their June 9th assault across the causeway. By that stage German howitzers had stoved-in the front of the manor completely.

I have design-philosophy issues - I'm worried that as a stand-alone battle there is not enough incentive for the US side to be careful with it's forces (you don't have to worry about beating-off several battalion-sized attacks over the causeway in the next few days) and that the Germans do not have adequate forces to defend themselves properly - in reality they didn't manage to get any battalion-level support into the fray until late afternoon on D-Day, well after the time-frame available to this battle.

I'm sorely tempted to just throw uncompromising historical accuracy to the wind and assume the Germans were competent enough to adequately defend such a vital location, they lost hundreds of guys and most of their strength in tanks in the area trying to recapture it in the next few days. A weapons company in support of the defenders could have made a dramatic difference; exact numbers of Germans at the bridge are uncertain, but I estimate no more than a very weak rifle company (60-70 guys max). No German officers were captured or found among the dead, so they either escaped somehow or were never there. There were at least two HMGs positioned on the causeway behind the bridge.

Anyway, it's more-or-less ready to go, there is an AI plan for the US which beats a static defence every time, so hopefully it's pretty playable as either side, or even head-to-head... in fact it's my desire for a decent head-to-head battle which drives me to give the Germans some (very limited) mortars.

I'll get something ready and release for testing to anyone who cares to play.

[mjkerner]

LOL, Ithikial, join the club! I was planning to do the battles of A Co. 1st Batt 505th AB from taking La Manoir through the German attacks, then do the 325th's attack across to Cauquigny and beyond. But when Normal Dude announced that his La Fiere map was almost done about a month or so ago, considering his expertise from CMSF and with CMBN, I let it drop for the time being. Than sdp's Italian Mod took over, and I'm now firmly in Italy for a while.

LemuelG, great job and I like how you kinked the bend on the east end of the causeway. On mine, I've only got the marsh, causeway and roads (partially) laid out, and the Cauquigny church almost done. The building to the north is a placemarker for La Fiere village, and the two on the south of course mark the Manoir. I'll finish it one day...just to finish it if nothing else. But I'm looking forward to playing on yours.

[Ithikial_AU]

Hehehe. Maybe a thread up at the top of the forum detailing what map builders are working on is in order.

LemaelG - Ever need a play tester for a scenario on this map, PM me.

[pagskier]

It looks astonishing!

[Heckenschütze]

Outstanding map - good work!

[Sgt Schultz]

Beautiful.

[LemuelG]

Here's a view up the causeway:

I agonized over this, the road is raised slightly so anyone using it is clearly visible above the low bocage - it's purpose is to create small 'ditches' for the cowerers to crawl into; there are patches of bocage+tree serving to break up LOS and provide some modest protection from grazing fire - the road is a death-trap, to be sure.

Here's what I've got for the western side of the flood-plain:

Landmarks of interest are highlighted. It's in a 'pre-alpha' state, unfinished - but that's pretty much everything you could need for any La Fiere scenario, and a few more. In the north of the flooded region you can see the rail embankment, from here a slightly submerged road runs to Timmes' orchard:

I'd like to do another D-Day scenario here, once I figure out just what went on. Hill 30 is another location of interest to me.

I still can't help but tinker with the Manoire De La Fiere scenario every time I open it up, but it's more-or-less in 'beta' state. Needs a bit more play, I'll do a little bit more tinkering and put it on MegaUpload for anyone who wants to try it. I'd really like some feedback on reasonable victory conditions.

I want to be clear - this is not exactly a historical scenario, this idea was scotched early on as terminally dull - too many paras, too few Germans, too long - this is after all, a game. I have endeavored to replicate the tactical situation that did exist though. I'd like to have a historical version - but in a campaign which also covers the defence of the causeway over the next couple of days.

So, there are more Germans (if they had the guys to lose several hundreds trying to re-take the bridge in the next couple of days, they had the guys to defend the bridge properly in the first place - this bungling sealed the fate of the Cotentin), there is a full company supported by part of an HMG platoon; there are less Americans (there are still roving pick-up bands of paras entering the fray alongside A co., but they are greatly limited); the time-frame is compressed to 70 minutes (this gives a chance for a reasonably careful and co-ordinated American approach, without being too long for the Germans). At one point, the Germans had mortars - but this wasn't a part of the tactical reality of the situation, so they're out. The paras consist of A co. (it's platoons are bought up to 3-squads each by adding some squads from the non-existant B co. to the roster, it's ugly - but I will have 3-squads per platoon, no guff), elements of C co., most of 1/505 HQ co. will show up at some point, some 507 troopers under captain Shwartzwelder, and a platoon of engineers with a 57mm AT gun; it's a lot of guys, and co-ordinating your assets is, appropriately, a big hassle for the American player.

The aim is for the scenario to be playable any way you want, there's only one AI plan each side; ideally I'd say play it real-time head-to-head, US side has an advantage in WeGo in more easily being able to co-ordinate himself, Germans may have seconds to react to mortaring and will suffer if they can't displace their guys immediately.

[Rocky Balboa]

Beautiful job with this map. From the historical pics I've seen as well as current day photos, it looks like you nailed it. I'll be looking forward to playing this one for sure ....

[Broadsword56]

Just a thought on the scenario design, since I always greatly prefer historical ones...

How about just picking one several-hour slice of the real battles over the causeway, and making that the scenario? It might be more manageable than trying to either create the whole massive multi-day thing, or distorting the forces and situation so much that it becomes a fictional battle on a historical map.

[LemuelG]

Just a thought on the scenario design, since I always greatly prefer historical ones...

How about just picking one several-hour slice of the real battles over the causeway, and making that the scenario? It might be more manageable than trying to either create the whole massive multi-day thing, or distorting the forces and situation so much that it becomes a fictional battle on a historical map.

I know what you mean... I have thought over it, and decided on 'semi-historical'.

The reality is a four-hour battle with 500 paras vs. no more than 50 Germans... it's barely worth playing as US, and 100% un-winnable as the Germans - to me, that is hardly even worth loading up, let alone spending my free time creating.

If and when I make a 3-day campaign for A co. and their defence of the bridge then there will be an uncompromisingly historical version - the battle for the manoire takes on new meaning when the US player must keep in mind his ability to defend the bridge later on - in that context woefully inadequate defences are less fatal to the fun, but in a stand-alone scenario it renders the whole exercise boring.

This scenario is a throwback to the knock-down, drag-out head-to-head RT battles of Close Combat I used to love to play so much, I want it to be like that - the Merderet will flow red.

This is not to say I've disregarded the historiography - just massaged it a bit. Maybe it is folly - but I'd rather people played it and said "that was fun" than "that was an interesting history lesson". For what it's worth, it would be quite hard to prove there weren't that many Germans there that morning

[LemuelG]

I have tired of tinkering - scenario is 'playable' and close to my 'vision', there will not be a final version until 3-squad para organization is added to game. I thought about extending the German deployment a bit, but haven't gotten around to it - my energy for personally testing this has reached it's limit!

I think it is fun though, I have played this a lot - the last match I squared-off against my flatmate for a more-than-satisfactorily violent and competitive encounter, I am pleased I did this.

http://www.mediafire.com/?rq9h2b1vxj32aqs

There is an AI plan for the US on attack, and is IMO most fun and challenging to play HTH. Real-time (no frivolous pausing) is recommended by the designer, for Germans to make it easier for them to displace without delay when they are about to be over-run/mortared, and the US to replicate a sense of inertia as they attempt to co-ordinate their numerous and fragmented forces in the assault (if I could have disabled their comms I would have).

US and German teams are pre-split for the benefit of the AI, feel free to re-combine them in deployment - no complaining. Some German defenders are pre-placed in corner-positions which you will not be able to move them back into once they leave it, keep it in mind. If you don't agree that the 505 had 3-squad platoons, or BARs - you're welcome to leave those extra guys I've added to A co. behind.

Feedback is much appreciated - I am interested in victory conditions, timing of the progress of US players (when did German position X fall? When did you capture building Y? etc.) and the displacement of German AI defenders, is there too much/too little time? Would the scenario be fun with even less Germans? Would an objective for the US of exiting some troops over the causeway be worth putting in? How's the US AI plan? Did it do enough to keep you on your toes as a defender?

I'm already working on the German cross-causeway counter-attack later on D-Day, coming soon.