Overview

Axis & Allies: D-Day recreates Operation Overlord, the June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy. One player controls the Axis (Germany) defending the beaches, while one or two players control the Allies (United Kingdom and United States) landing their forces. The game is driven by a deck of 16 order cards that dictate the sequence of actions each turn. The Allies must capture and hold Cherbourg, St. Lo, and Caen for one complete turn to win; the Axis wins by preventing this through 10 turns.

Components

• 1 Game board (map of Normandy divided into 41 zones)
• 1 Battle board
• 16 Order cards
• Reinforcement charts (1 per power: Germany, UK, US)
• Dice
• Plastic playing pieces for 3 powers (gray/Axis, tan/UK, green/US): Infantry, Artillery, Tanks, Blockhouses (Axis only), Fighters (Allies only), Bombers (Allies only)

Setup

1. One player takes the Axis; one or two players take the Allies. In a 2-player game, one player controls both UK and US (keeping units separate). Axis sits at the southern edge, Allies at the northern edge.
2. Place the turn marker on space 1 of the turn track.
3. Place the battle board and dice next to the game board.
4. Sort order cards in numerical order (1 on top, 16 on bottom) and place face-down in the “Orders” box.
5. Axis setup: Place gray pieces matching the silhouettes printed on the map zones. Place reinforcements on the German reinforcement chart.
6. Allies setup: Place UK and US units on their respective beachhead boxes (Utah, Omaha for US; Gold, Juno, Sword for UK) and airborne boxes. Place reinforcements on the British and American charts. Place air units on the Airfield.

Turn Structure

A turn consists of one pass through all 16 order cards, followed by a victory check. Each order card specifies which side is active and what action to take. After completing all cards, check for victory, then flip the deck and begin the next turn.

Cards may be removed from the deck once their effects are no longer applicable (e.g., card 1 for the airborne assault is removed after turn 1).

Actions

Unit Types

Unit	Attack	Defense	Move	Special
Infantry	1	2	1 zone	Basic land unit
Artillery	2	2	1 zone	Can shoot down air units (roll 1 per artillery vs air unit; hit on 1)
Tank	3	2 (Axis: 3)	2 zones	Must stop if first zone contains enemies
Blockhouse (Axis)	3	1	Cannot move	Fire to Sea at beachheads within firing arc
Fighter (Allies)	-	-	Unlimited	Patrol zones; strafe enemy units that move in/out
Bomber (Allies)	-	-	Unlimited	Strike on entry; hit on 3 or less; cannot enter zones with Allied land units

Order Cards

Order cards drive all game actions. Each card specifies:

• Which side is active (Axis symbol, UK symbol, US symbol, or combined)
• The action to perform (movement, attack, defense, special action)
• Detailed instructions at the bottom of the card

Movement

• Land units move to adjacent zones when directed by order cards.
• Units entering a zone with enemy land units create a combat situation and are “locked in combat” (cannot leave while enemies remain).
• Tanks can move through an empty first zone to a second zone but must stop if the first zone contains enemies.
• Maximum 8 land units per side in a zone. Air units and blockhouses do not count.
• Maximum 4 fighters patrolling any single zone.

Combat Resolution

1. Place units on battle board in appropriate columns matching unit type.
2. Attacking units fire: Roll 1 die per unit. Hit if result is equal to or less than attack value. Defender chooses casualties and moves them to casualty zone.
3. Defending units fire: Roll 1 die per unit (including casualties). Hit if result is equal to or less than defense value. Attacker moves casualties.
4. Remove casualties: Clear both casualty zones; destroyed units return to inventory.
5. Determine control: If only one side has land units remaining, that side controls the zone.

Each order card triggers one cycle of combat (one set of rolls). Units may fire multiple times per turn but only once per order card.

Special Combats

• Blockhouses Fire to Sea: Blockhouses attack Allied units in beachhead boxes within their firing arc (targeted attack).
• Antiaircraft Fire: When directed by an order card, each artillery can fire at one air unit in its zone. Roll 1 die; hit on 1.
• Fighter Strafing: Fighters on patrol strafe Axis units moving into or out of their zone.
• Bomber Strike: Bombers strike immediately upon entering a zone. Roll 1 die per bomber; hit on 3 or less.
• Naval Bombardment: Allied naval units offshore can bombard coastal zones when directed by order cards.

Reinforcements

Each power receives reinforcements as indicated on their reinforcement chart when directed by order cards. Reinforcements enter from specific board edges or sectors.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• Allies win by capturing and holding the zones containing Cherbourg, St. Lo, and Caen for one complete turn (all three must be under Allied control at the start and end of a complete turn).
• Axis wins by preventing the Allies from achieving their goal by the end of turn 10.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Locked in combat: Land units in a zone with enemy land units cannot move out until all enemies are eliminated.
• Targeted attacks: Blockhouses firing to sea and some special actions target specific units rather than allowing the defender to choose casualties.
• Air units return to base: After completing their actions as directed by order cards, air units return to the Airfield.
• Card removal: Remove order cards from the deck when their listed units have all been eliminated or the card’s event no longer applies.
• Beachheads: These are special landing zones where Allied units arrive. Only blockhouses can attack into beachheads.
• Airborne assault: Card 1 covers the initial airborne landings; this card is removed after the first turn.

Player Reference

Victory: Allies hold Cherbourg + St. Lo + Caen for 1 full turn, OR Axis survives 10 turns

Order of play: Follow 16 order cards sequentially each turn

Combat: Roll 1 die per unit; hit if roll <= attack/defense value. Casualties are simultaneous.

Unit costs (Attack/Defense/Move): Infantry 1/2/1

Artillery 2/2/1

Tank 3/2(3)/2

Blockhouse 3/1/0

Zone limit: 8 land units per side per zone

Air units: Allies only. Fighters patrol and strafe; Bombers strike (hit on 3 or less)