Axis & Allies: D-Day is a strategy game based on World War II. It's designed to be played by either two or three players and includes a card deck with three variations of cards to range from beginning to advanced game play. Axis & Allies: D-Day is the third game in series following, Axis & Allies Europe and Axis & Allies Pacific.
Game Setup
The game board for Axis & Allies: D-Day is divided into 41 different zones. These zones include historical points of entry used by Allied forces on June 6,1944, the day represented in the game. The person representing the Axis side of the game should setup the pieces so that they match the various silhouettes located on the game map. The person or people representing the Allied forces will be located mostly in the Ocean area of the game board. The Allied forces should follow the charts on the board to ensure the pieces are placed correctly.
Order Cards
The Order cards will dictate the game play. Players will draw Order cards following their number sequence and then each player will complete the tasks as instructed on the card. One turn is over when all of the cards have been played and the deck is started again. Players do not have to move their units simply because the Order card tells them to.
However, if they choose to keep the units in place, the unit cannot move until that unit is specified on the Order card again. Players should remember that land units can only move into a zone that is adjacent to the unit's current zone.
If a land unit moves into a zone occupied by their opponent's unit then a combat situation is created. These will only be solved when the corresponding order card is drawn. While a unit is "locked in combat" that unit cannot move from the specific zone.
Attacking and Defending
When an Order card directs one side to attack, the card will also direct the opponent to defend. If the Order card tells a player's unit to attack, they must follow this order. Both the attacking units and the defending units are placed on the battle board in the appropriate column. These columns will match the attack and defense numbers assigned to that specific unit. In order to attack and defend players will roll the dice in sequence.
The attacking side will roll first and the defending side next. The player attacking will roll one die for each unit attacking. In order to score a point they must roll a number that equals the attacking unit's attack number or less. For each die that matches the attacking team scores a point and the defense team needs to move one unit per hit into the casualty zone.
The defending player then will roll one die for each unit, including the ones in the casualty zone. To score a hit the dice need to land on a number at or below the unit's defense number. For each hit scored, the attacking team will move a unit to the casualty zone. One both sides have rolled the casualties are removed from the game play and remaining unit's placed back in the original zone.
Winning the Game
In order for the Allied players to win the game, the Allied players must control the zones that contain Cherbourg, Caen and St Lo. The Allied forces must retain control of these zones for one full turn. If the turn ends and the Allies have lost control of a zone the game play will continue. If the Allied forces don't have control of the proper zones by the end of turn ten the player representing the Axis side wins the game.
Advanced Play
For more advanced players, Tactics cards can be used. The Tactics cards represent a new maneuvers that each side may or may not choose to act on. The Tactics cards will be used just once and then should be removed from the deck. Players are not required to use a Tactics card when the card is drawn, but that card should be removed completely from the deck regardless of if it is used or not.
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