Normandy: The Beginning of the End

About this board game

Normandy: The Beginning of the End is a tactical World War II game for 2 players, with 120-minute sessions focused on the D-Day battles fought on the American beaches. It is a standalone game in the War Storms series, with good solitaire suitability.

Players command either Allied or Axis forces across 17 scenarios, directing infantry, tanks, artillery, aircraft, and specialized units. The game uses a platoon-level scale: infantry units represent groups of roughly 30 to 40 soldiers, while weapons units and armored formations represent larger crews and vehicle groups.

At the heart of the system is simultaneous execution, known as “WE GO”. Players activate officers to move, fire, assault, coordinate units, request artillery or air support, place smoke screens, and influence morale checks. A turn represents approximately 12 to 15 minutes of action and proceeds through Command, Initiative, Activation, and Marker Removal phases.

• Landings, paratroopers, reconnaissance, and amphibious tanks
• Waffen-SS, Fallschirmjäger, and Free French troops
• Battalion officers and special actions emphasizing command and coordination
• Seventeen scenarios covering tactical battles on the Normandy front

The game includes four isomorphic mapboards and eight overlays. Because the boards can align along matching edges, they support many terrain combinations, including a large beach map and player-designed scenarios. Each hex represents approximately 150 to 200 metres.

Normandy: The Beginning of the End includes German, American, and Free French counters for troops, officers, vehicles, transports, and weapons, along with charts, tables, rulebooks, and two six-sided dice. Its moderate complexity and flexible map system provide a detailed framework for recreating fierce tactical engagements.