From Roberto Chiavini

Normandie 1944 (Vae Victis)

Here is the normal fair to good proposal from that wonderful French
magazine that is Vae Victis. This time is Normandy at operational level
with the usual very almost alluring graphics (just a bit far from
absolutely gorgeous). Unfortunately, there more errata than usual for
the magazine and this time a few are annoying (you definetily need the
errata in the following number of Vae Victis to fully enojy the game). 

As always, the game is not particularly difficult, playable without much
effort even by a beginner, but there a few interesting rules inside,
like a sort of pre-exploitation phase for HQ and their units that are
sustained during the turn (1 or 2 for both sides, depending on a roll of
a die for the Germans, and weather for the Allies). 

The iconic units have rating for attack, defense and movement, plus a
stacking point number (that is wrong for most of them – really an
annoyance). In each hex the stacking limit is 6 stacking points (roughly
two division sized units). There are also HQ that are used as a movable
supply source (the other ones being ports or beaches for the Allies and
map edges for the Germans), for a combat shift (1 or 2 columns left or
right depending on the HQ) and for the possible double movement and
combat phase that is possible for sustained HQ. 

Combat is very easy, with a ratio CRT that takes in account only column
shifts, not die roll modifiers, with results that are numbers that you
may take as step losses or hexes retreat (no more than two hexes each
retreat). 

There are the usual rules for retreat, replacements (unlimited for the
Allies outside an enemy ZOC), reinforcements (with debarking rules that
forces the Allies to take as soon as possible the few usable ports on
the map, and a sort of strategic movement table for the Germans passible
of air interdiction and partisan warfare), a nice rules for air
interdiction, carpet bombing and naval bombardment, nothing particularly
difficult to use. 

There are a very small scenario (4 turns, a small part of the map, about
ten units for each side) for the conquest of Cherbourg, a medium sized
scenario for Operation Cobra (6 turns and many more units, especially
the panzers!) and a campaign scenario that takes in account even rules
for debarkment and para drops. 

All in all, the game, other than for the errata, plays well, fast and
furiously (even if the CRT is not very bloody) and historically enough
to be a good addition to any wargamer library on Normandy. 

I rate the game 7 in a 1-10 scale