Overlord

Overlord Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction

The game of OVERLORD has been designed to make as much use as possible of existing wargame mechanics. So, if you are familiar with other wargames you will probably pick it up very quickly after glancing over the rules. However, if this is your first wargame, don't panic. Read the rules very carefully until you get a drift of what they are trying to portray, and then study the parts that seemed particularly confusing to you. In any case, you should feel completely at home after a few games.

The Objective

OVERLORD, as you probably know, was the code name for the Normandy invasion. It was to be the opening of the second front on Eurpoe. In reality, it was highly unlikely that the invasion would fail. With the Allies overwhelming air and naval superiority there wasn't much questions of them getting on the beach. The real hassle of the whole campaign was getting off the beach and breaking out into the heart of France. And as the summer of '44 proved, that was no easy task. No less than four breakout attempts were seriously attempted until OPERATION COBRA finally sprung Patton's Third Army. And this is what the game is all about. If the Allies don't breakout before September the Germans would've gained enough time to make an orderly retreat back to the Siene River which could have greatly prolonged the war.

Victory Conditions

The Allies to win, must exit off either the south or east edge of the board no fewer than nine divisions by the end of the game. These divisions must be supplied on the turn they are withdrawn off the edge of the board. Also on the German move immediately following any Allied breakthrough, the German player must immediately withdraw off the board, by the quickest available route, an equal number of combat factors. And the units withdrawn must be those that were closest to the point of breakout. If the Allies fail to get the nine divisions off by the end of the game then the campaign is a German victory.

The Playing Pieces

Punch out all the playing pieces. These are your combat units. The Germans are in gray and the Allies are in buff. Take a look at a typical counter. Here is what all the numbers mean:

                  X  <-------- Size of Unit
  Nationality ----->  BR [O] =  <---- Parent Division
  Combat Factor ---->  6-6      <---- Movement Factor

Also for your reference, here is a list of standard military symbols used (the symbols themselves are shown as pictures in the booklet): Armor or Panzer; Armored Infantry; Infantry; Recon; Paratroopers; S.P. Guns.

Size symbols: II = Battalion; III = Regiment; X = Brigade; XX = Division.

On nationality a BR is British, CDN is Canadian, FR is French, and PL is Polish. On Allied Units with no nationality assume American.

The Initial Set-Up

Look at your Board. Welcome to Normandy. Now, the part of the board that has the word OVERLORD is north. The units that are in red outline are the initial positions of the German units. The units in the black outline are the initial placement of the Allied units. The initial placement is by division, and from the Order of Battle Charts you can tell which regiments are in what division.

Stacking

Stacking refers to the relative number of combat units that can be coordinated in a single hex. In OVERLORD you may stack three units high or one division. We say this because a stack of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division is four units tall, as is Panzer Lehr.

Combat

Now, combat is resolved by moving your unit adjacent to an enemy unit and attacking it in your portion of the turn. To resolve combat, compare the total combat factors you have attacking, to the total combat factors the defender has and resolve it on an odds basis. As an example, should three armored units (6-6's) be attacking one armored unit it would be a total of "18" combat factors to "6". This boils down to a "3 to 1". You then look under the "3 to 1" column on the Combat Results Table, roll the die and interpret the results from the appropriate column. Also should the odds not work out even, you always round off in favor of the defender. Combat factors are often abbreviated as "CF's".

Selective Attack

When you attack enemy units in a hex, you must fight everybody in that hex. However, you may fight them selectively; that is hit one unit in the enemy stack, very hard at high odds, and "soak off" on the rest. This type of attack is usually more trouble than it's worth, but sometimes it can be very useful, particularly if you want to kill a particular unit.

Order of Appearance

The Order of Battle Table shows you when each side gets re-inforcements. The German units appear on roads. In the case of road five, the German has his choice of which road five. If a road entrance would be blocked by an Allied unit, ZOC, or interdiction, he comes in on the nearest non-obstructed hex to the road. Allies, in general, come in on the beaches.

Zone of Control

Another key concept in wargames is "zone of control". This is the ring of hexs around a unit. This is the area a unit influences with its firepower. As soon as you move into an enemy "zone of control" you must stop. You do not have to fight an enemy unit when you are in its "zone of control", but you must stop as soon as you enter it. You may never retreat through an enemy "zone of control". If your retreat would take you through an enemy "zone of control" you are eliminated instead.

You may move, during your movement portion, through an enemy "zone of control" one hex provided that is your only movement for that turn. So, in other words, you may always move one hex and fight, irregardless of enemy "zones of control". For future reference we will abbreviate "zone of control" as ZOC.

Sequence of Movement

A complete turn, representing three days of time, is composed of the following steps:

German Movement: German player moves all his units he wishes.
German Combat: German player resolves any combat he wishes.
Allied Movement: Allies player moves all his units he wishes.
Allied Combat: Allied player resolves any combat he wishes.

Movement

In general, movement is a function of a unit's Movement Factor. This is the number of "Movement Points", hereafter abbreviated MP, a unit has to spend on movement. A unit can move as long as it has MP's left. It may not make a move that would use up more MP's than it has left. Different types of terrain use up MP's in different amounts.

However, you may always move at least one hex per turn, irregardless of the terrain costs.

Terrain Consideration for Movement

Terrain	Cost
Plain terrain	Costs 1 MP to enter
Boccage	Costs 2 MP to enter
River	Costs 2 MP to cross
Swamps	Pure armor/panzer costs 4 MP, all other units cost 2 to enter.
Cities	Costs 1 MP to enter.
Hills	Costs no additional MP to climb onto.
Roads	Costs ¼ MP to move along

All movement costs are cummulative. As an example, to enter a boccage hex, and cross a river would cost 4 MP's.

Terrain Consideration for Combat

Terrain	Effect on combat
Plain terrain	No effect on combat.
Boccage	Defender is doubled, ie.: a "4-4" would be worth 8 CF's.
River	Attacker is halved, if he attacks across a river.
Swamps	Pure armor/panzer fights, for both attacks and defense, at half factor. All other units are unaffected.
Cities	Defender is tripled, ie.: a "4-4" would be worth 12 CF's.
Hills	Defender is doubled.
Hill/Boccage combination	Defender is tripled.

All effects of terrain are cummulative. That is, should you attack across a river against a city, the defender would be tripled, and the attacker would be halved. Not a fun attack. On "EXCHANGES" only the effects of BOCCAGE, CITIES, HILLS, and HILL/BOCCAGE COMBINATION hexs are considered. The "halving" effect of rivers is not considered. And the effect of "swamp" on armor is considered only if the armor was defending.

Cost to Land

Obviously it would take some time to debark onto the beaches for the Allied re-inforcements. So, during the month of June it cost Allied units 2 MP to land on the beach hexs. During July it costs 1 MP to land, and during August it costs nothing. Simply place them on the appropriate beach hexs and begin movement.

Explanation of Combat Results

A ELIM: Attacker must remove as many combat factors as the defender was worth, taking into account all the effects of the defender's terrain and if he was, or was not isolated. Any remaining attacking units must retreat one hex.
A BK 1: All attacking units must retreat one hex.
EXCH.: An exchange, first the defender removes all of his units and then the attacker must remove an equal number of combat factors. Any remaining attacking units may occupy the hex where the defender used to be.
D BK 1: All defending units must go back one hex.
D BK 2: All defending units must go back two hexs away from the battle, the attacking units may advance one hex.
D BK 3: All defending units must go back 3 hexs away from the battle, the attacking units may advance two hexs.
D ELIM: All defending units eliminated. Attacker then rolls one die for "breakout", and that is the number of Movement Points the attacker may advance. Yes, that means if an armored unit gets a D ELIM on a unit on the road and then rolled a six, the armored unit would be able to move 24 hexs along that road, in its breakout.

Retreat/Blocking Terrain

It is much easier to retreat across open terrain, or down a road than through boccage, or across a river. So, if a unit's retreat would cost more MP's than he is worth, that unit is considered eliminated. As an example, a "2-2" garbage infantry could not retreat two hexs in boccage, as that would use up 4 MP's. Also, in general a unit's retreat would always take place along the line of least resistance, ie.: it would retreat along a road, before retreating along plain terrain, or into plain terrain, instead of boccage.

Supply/Isolation

If a unit is isolated, it is considered out of supply, and it fights both offensively and defensively and moves, at half factor. This is effective immediately from the instant of isolation. A unit is defined to be isolated if it cannot trace a line of supply, unmolested by enemy zones of control, back to a friendly board edge, invasion beach, or port. Now, for supply purposes only, the presence of a friendly combat unit, negates the effect of an enemy ZOC. Or to put it in other words, you may always trace a line of supply through your own units.

Exchange Factors

Now, on exchanges, only the effects of Boccage, Cities, Hills, Hill/Boccage Combination hexs and the effect of isolation is considered when calculating how much the attacker has to give up on exchanges.

Overlord Examples

(The examples page of the booklet, with its diagrams, is summarized in the captions below.)

Terrain Illustrations

The booklet illustrates four terrain types: Boccage, Swamp, City and Hill. Rivers are shown in blue and roads in red.

Isolation and Supply

In this scene the U.S. 4th Infantry has been isolated by strong German Panzer forces and is now fighting and moving half factor.

Now, however, by moving the 90th Infantry forward the 4th Infantry is no longer isolated.

This is what is meant by: "Supplying through your own units..."

Zone of Control

The "Zone of Control" of the 11SS is the six shaded hexs surrounding it.

Interdiction

Normally it would cost the 12SS one M.P. to go along road from A to B.

But with 4 factors of interdiction as so, it would cost five movement points.

Corrections and Clarifications

U.S. 4th Armored Disision: The Allied OB calls for the 4th Arm. Div. to have three "6-6's". This is an error, it should be two 6-6's and one 4-6. The counters for the 4th Arm. are correct.

German 341st Infantry Division: This division is composed of three "4-4" infantry regiments. One of the counters is mis-labeled as a "3-4" of the 331st Div. It should be a "4-4" of the 341st.

German 346th Infantry Division: This division was originally composed of three "4-4" infantry regiments. One of the "3-4" counters for it should be a "4-4". Now notice that the 346th appears twice in the OB, once on June 9, and again on July 21. That is not an error. What happened was that after its initial committment in June it was almost completely destroyed in the bitter fighting around Caen. Only a handful of officers and cadre had survived. So, in late July, the Germans scrounged up a division from assorted remnants and occupation troops and assigned the surviving officers of the 346th to it. And, logically, defined it to be the reconstitued 346th division.

British SS: To satisfy curiosity the British "SS" in the initial landings are the "commandos". However, the official designation of these units was 1st and 4th "Special Services". It has no relevance to the British SS unit; "Britisches Freikorps" which was composed of British ex-POW's fighting for Germany.

Beach Hex, Cost of: When landing re-inforcements on the beach hexs the Allies are penalized the MP based on the "cost-to-land" only, irregardless of the type of terrain the beach hex may be.

Beachead Destruction: Should the Germans be able to move onto an Allied beach hex the unloading facilities of that hex are destroyed and the Allies may not land troops there again until they are re-built. They are considered re-built 3 turns after the Allies re-capture them.

Fortress Cherbourg: The Germans had designated Cherbourg as a "fortress" and consequently stock-piled supplies there in anticipation of a siege. To reflect this, any German units actually in Cherbourg are immune to the effects of isolation as long as they remain in the city.

Victory Conditions: For figuring the nine divisions for Allied victory consider any three brigades and/or regiments equal to one division.

Attack from a stack: If one unit in a stack is attacking the rest of the units in that stack are not obligated to attack. They may sit and hold the position if they choose.

Board Creases: The creases in the plastic board come out very easily and permanently by folding the board both ways along the crease. Unlike conventional mounted boards, the plastic board improves with repeated foldings. The more it's folded the flatter it lies. It will, of course never rip from repeated foldings.

Airborne Troops: Due to the airborne's special training they are partially immune to the effects of isolation. Hence, if they are isolated only their movement factor is cut in half. Their combat factor remains the same. This applies to both Allied and German airborne troops.

Balance: Game balance is a very delicate thing. We do feel that OVERLORD is balanced. If you disagree it is very simple to correct; simply increase or decrease the amount of TAC factors the Allies get, as you see fit.

Breakout Restriction: On a breakout following a "D ELIM" a unit may never go more MP's worth than he has, i.e. even if a "4 - 4" infantry rolled a "6" for breakout, it could only go 4 MP's worth of terrain.

German Confusion: Following the initial Allied landings the Germans were thrown into an understandable confusion. To reflect the reaction delay this would cause subtract one MP from all German movement on turn one.

Game Link: For those of you, who wish to play the complete campaign of France 1944, including the actual landings we recommend "linking" the following games: First play S&T's game: NORMANDY - since it is six days long it translates to two OVERLORD turns. Then transpose its result on the OVERLORD board. Finally, should the Allies breakout and off the OVERLORD board, transpose those results onto S&T's: BREAKOUT AND PURSUIT. Admitedly some fudging will have to be done, but it will work.

Allied Order of Battle

The Allied Order of Battle lists each unit by the turn it appears. Each entry is the parent division or brigade number, the nationality where printed (an Allied unit with no nationality is American), the unit type shown by its symbol (Infantry, Armor, Armored Infantry, Recon, or Paratroopers), and the combat-factor and movement-factor value printed on the counter. Each "×3" means three counters of that unit. Where the scan's small numerals were hard to read, the division number was taken as printed in the chart.

At Start, June 6:

4th Infantry (III): 4-4 ×3 (three counters)
82nd Paratroopers: 5-4 ×3
1st Infantry: 4-4 ×4
BR 56th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
BR 2nd Armored Infantry: 4-4 ×1
BR 3rd Infantry: 4-4 ×3
CDN 3rd Infantry: 4-4 ×3
BR 6th Recon: 4-6 ×1
101st Paratroopers: 5-4 ×3
BR 4SS Infantry: 5-4 ×1
BR 27th Armor: 6-6 ×1
BR 8th Armor: 6-6 ×1
BR 6th Paratroopers: 5-4 ×3
BR 1SS Infantry: 5-4 ×1

June 9:

90th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
2nd Infantry: 4-4 ×3
29th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
BR 7th Armor: 6-6 ×3
BR 51st Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 12:

9th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
2nd Armor: 6-6 ×2, 4-6 ×1
BR 49th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 15: 79th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 18: BR 43rd Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 21: BR 11th Armor: 6-6 ×3

June 24: BR 15th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 27: BR 59th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 1: 8th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 3: 30th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 6: 83rd Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 9: 3rd Armor: 8-6 ×2, 6-6 ×1

July 12: BR 53rd Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 15: BR 2nd Infantry: 4-4 ×3; BR 39th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 18: CDN 2nd Infantry: 4-4 ×3; 5th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 21: BR GDS Armor: 8-6 ×3; BR 5th Armor: 6-6 ×3

July 24: 4th Armor: 6-6 ×3; 6th Armor: 6-6 ×2, 4-6 ×1

July 27: 87th Infantry: 4-4 ×3; 35th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 30: BR 11th Infantry: 4-4 ×3; 7th Armor: 6-6 ×2, 4-6 ×1

August 3: BR 33rd Armor: 6-6 ×3; CDN 4th Armor: 6-6 ×3

August 6: FR 2nd Armor: 6-6 ×2; PL 1st Armor: 6-6 ×2

August 9: 5th Armor: 6-6 ×2, 4-6 ×1; CDN 4th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

August 12: BR 5th Infantry: 4-4 ×3; 26th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

August 15: 11th Armor: 6-6 ×2, 4-6 ×1

August 18: 84th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

August 21, August 24, August 28: 16 Factors Replacements each.

Notes printed on the Order of Battle:

All U.S. reinforcements appear on any U.S. invasion beach.
All British, Canadian, Polish and French reinforcements appear on any British invasion beach.
All replacements appear at any invasion beach or any Allied controlled port.

German Order of Battle

Each German entry is the division number, the unit type shown by its symbol (Infantry, Armor or Panzer, Armored Infantry, Recon, Paratroopers, or S.P. Guns), the combat and movement factors, and the road on which the unit enters where printed. Units "At Start" are on the board at the beginning of play. The booklet notes that the units listed "At Start" in the second block may be released for movement on June 6 only on a die roll of 1, 2, or 3, rolled for each division individually; all may move on the June 9 turn.

At Start, June 6:

709th Infantry: 2-2 ×2
243rd Infantry: 4-4 ×3
91st Infantry: 4-4 ×3
352nd Infantry: 4-4 ×3
711th Infantry: 2-2 ×2
716th Infantry: 2-2 ×2
21st Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×2; 21st Armor: 8-6 ×1

Released on a die roll of 1, 2, or 3 on June 6 (all may move June 9):

77th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
275th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
265th Infantry: 4-4 ×3
3rd Paratroopers: 5-4 ×3
17th Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×2; 17th Armor: 6-6 ×1
12SS Armor: 8-6 ×1; 12SS Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×2
P.L. Armor: 10-6 ×2; P.L. Armored Infantry: 8-6 ×1; P.L. Recon: 6-6 ×1

June 9:

Road 6: 116th Armor: 6-6 ×1; 116th Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×2
Road 5: 346th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 12:

Road 2: 271st Infantry: 4-4 ×3
Road 6: 2nd Armor: 6-6 ×1; 2nd Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×2

June 15:

Road 6: 715th Infantry: 2-2 ×2
Road 1: 5th Paratroopers: 5-4 ×3
Road 5: J.P. S.P. Guns: 6-6 ×1

June 18:

Road 6: 1SS Armor: 8-6 ×2; 1SS Armored Infantry: 8-6 ×1
Road 3: 341st Infantry: 4-4 ×3
Road 4: J.T. S.P. Guns: 7-4 ×1

June 21:

Road 5: 10SS Armor: 8-6 ×1, 6-6 ×1; 10SS Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×1

June 24:

Road 3: 276th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

June 27:

Road 6: 9SS Armor: 8-6 ×1, 6-6 ×1; 9SS Armored Infantry: 6-6 ×1

July 1:

Road 6: 16LW Infantry: 2-4 ×3

July 3:

Road 6: 51SS Armored Infantry: 4-6 ×1; 49SS Armored Infantry: 4-6 ×1

July 6:

Road 4: 353rd Infantry: 3-4 ×3

July 9:

Road 2: 12th S.P. Guns: 4-6 ×1

July 12:

Road 6: 266th Infantry: 4-4 ×2

July 15:

Road 1: 277th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 18:

Road 2: 272nd Infantry: 4-4 ×3

July 21:

Road 2: 30th Armored Infantry: 4-6 ×1
Road 3: 346th Infantry: 3-4 ×2
Road 4: 365th Infantry: 3-4 ×3

July 24:

Road 6: 265th Infantry: 3-4 ×3

July 27:

Road 4: 84th Infantry: 3-4 ×3

July 30:

Road 4: 85th Infantry: 4-4 ×3

August 3:

Road 6: 708th Infantry: 2-2 ×2

August 6:

Road 5: 331st Infantry: 3-4 ×3

August 9:

Road 3: 9th Armor: 6-6 ×1; 9th Armored Infantry: 4-6 ×2

August 12:

Road 4: 89th Infantry: 3-3 ×3

August 15:

Road 6: 17LW Infantry: 2-4 ×2

Note printed at the foot of the German Order of Battle: "Roads indicated are where unit would appear unless it is in an Allied 'ZOC' then the unit appears on the nearest road on the" (the sentence is cut off at the bottom of the printed page in the scan).

Explanation of Combat Results (Combat Results Page)

A ELIM: Attacker must remove as many combat factors as the defender was worth, taking into account all the effects of the defender's terrain and if he was, or was not isolated. Any remaining attacking units must retreat one hex.
A BK 1: All attacking units must retreat one hex.
EXCH: An exchange, first the defender removes all of his units and then the attacker must remove an equal number of combat factors. Any remaining attacking units may occupy the hex where the defender used to be.
D BK 1: All defending units must go back one hex.
D BK 2: All defending units must go back two hexs away from the battle, the attacking units may advance one hex.
D BK 3: All defending units must go back three hexs away from the battle, the attacking units may advance two hexs.
D ELIM: All defending units eliminated. Attacker then rolls one die for "breakout", and that is the number of Movement Points the attacker may advance. However, a unit may never advance more MP's than he is worth. Yes, that means that if an armored unit gets a D ELIM on a unit on the road and then rolled a six, the armored unit would be able to move 24 hexs along the road, in its breakout.

Combat Results Tables

Why the two Combat Results Tables? Actually, the reason is fairly simple - battle fatigue. In June both armies were fairly fresh and fit and consequently the individual units tended to keep their coherence much better. However, after a month of fighting they tended to dissolve much easier on both attack and defense. On lower odds attacks there was an increased tendency for both attacker and defender to be militarily useless after the battle. On the higher odds attacks, since the attacker's spirits were raised by having so much firepower supporting him, only the defender would be significantly affected by fatigue, and hence he would crumble more easily.

So, in June all battles would be resolved on the June CRT, while in July and August all battles would be resolved on the July-August CRT.

In general, the result of using two CRT's will work to the Allies advantage. But this would be realistic, as the Germans were hurt more by battle fatigue than the Allies since the Allies could afford to rotate the really bad cases of "shell-shock" while the Germans could not.

June Combat Results Table

Odds worse than "10-1" are auto "D ELIM".

Die	1-6	1-5	1-4	1-3	1-2	1-1	2-1	3-1	4-1	5-1	6-1	8-1
1	A ELIM	A BK 1	A BK 1	D BK 1	D BK 2	D BK 2	D BK 3	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM
2	A ELIM	A ELIM	A BK 1	A BK 1

July-August Combat Results Table

Die	1-6	1-5	1-4	1-3	1-2	1-1	2-1	3-1	4-1	5-1	6-1	8-1
1	A ELIM	A BK 1	A BK 1	A BK 1	D BK 1	D BK 2	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM	D ELIM
2	A ELIM	A ELIM	A BK 1	A BK 1