Overlord Military Events Tournament and Show Report
On the 2nd and 3rd of June, we brought Bolt Action and Blood Red Skies to the Overlord Military Events, an exhibition of all things D-Day. The event was hosted by the wonderful museum at Colleville-Sur-Mer, not far from the memorial on Omaha Beach.
Saturday
On Saturday, while the engines of historical vehicles thundered outside, we hosted a massive series of games. These centred around some outstanding tables designed by Nicolas of Double 6 in Caen, the dedicated delegation from Bolt-Action.fr, Antoine (Le Fou de Bastogne) and fellow Warlorders Steve and Eric.
Our battlefields stretched from Pegasus Bridge to the Reichstag, from Sainte-Mère-l’Église to the treacherous hedgerows of the Bocage. With such eye-catching tables and beautifully painted armies, there was plenty of eye candy on show and something for casual visitors and hardcore gamers alike.
Between games, visitors could enjoy a complete tour of the Museum’s impressive vehicle collection. With a bit of luck, you could hitch a ride inside a jeep, an M3 halftrack or on the iconic Sherman tank. Impressively, the museum even had an Sd.Kfz 9 halftrack in working condition to shuttle visitors around.
Sunday
On Sunday, the first official French Bolt Action tournament took place. The 1st place trophy will be displayed in the Overlord Museum, inscribed with the names of every winner from now on.
We were impressed by all the players who attended. Everyone showed excellent fighting spirit and good sportsmanship.
Tournament Winners
The winners of the tournament were:
1st place: Pascal Fournier with his Canadian Recce Force from the “Régiment la Chaudière”, who fought his games in full battle-dress!
2nd place: Pierre Lecardonnel with his camouflaged Panzergrenadiers (Waffen-SS).
3rd place: Walfroy “Jambon Purée” Deleage with his US GIs who sweated through the summer heat in their winter uniforms.
Well done to the winners and everyone who took part.
Pierre’s SS Panzergrenadiers
After the tournament, we caught up with Pierre to find out about the choices behind the selection of his 750pt SS Panzergrenadiers.
“First of all, it was a historical and local choice. I live in Normandy, in the Saint-Lô area. I’m a member of the wargaming club Les Guerriers du Marais in Carentan which has based its army choices on the battles that took place in this area during 1944. I am also fond of the SS troops’ gear and various camouflaged uniforms.”
“For this tournament, I have selected four small squads of infantry, in order to keep a good number of order dice. They are led by a first lieutenant, which allowed me to better coordinate fire and movement with his special ability. Instead of picking mortar or MMG teams to support my infantry, I have chosen a Panzer IV for its mobility and firepower. And in case my infantry ran into any enemy tanks without armoured support, each of my squads carried a handy panzerfaust.”
“I think this force captures the historical situation well: A shortage of manpower but excellent offensive firepower and armoured support.”
Warlord Games would like to thank the Overlord Museum’s staff for its warm welcome.
We’d also like to thank all participants and visitors who shared this wonderful moment with us.
This event has got off to a great start and has been a huge leap forward for the French Bolt Action community.
We took a whole load of photographs over this inspiring weekend, and we’ve included a gallery below to show off the best ones.
Inspired?
If you’ve been inspired by Pierre’s excellent SS force, why not pick up some for yourself? All these models are available in our online store.
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon