This game was a hypothetical paradrop operation based on the 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division. Historically, this exemplary battalion fought in no less than 8 campaigns, more than any other engineer battalion in WWII. After dropping in both Sicily (Operation Husky) and in Salerno to save both operations from disaster, the scenario designer thought it fit to base a scenario on the possibility of another emergency paradrop, this time in Normandy. The call comes in on the evening of D-Day as Omaha Beach is being ravaged by a German heavy artillery battery. With the Allied toehold in jeopardy, Company C of the 307th is ordered to drop as close as possible to the German position and take it out.

Photo and scenario descriptions provided by the game master. Our host in Vacaville provided the excellent terrain and miniatures. Game played on Sunday, March 4, 2007.

The game table: an exquisite representation of Normandy terrain made by someone who obviously has too much time on their hands.

A P-38 Lightning flying a recon mission to locate the battery gets a little too close to the business end of a FLAK gun.

C-47 Dakotas swoop in low for the drop. Geronimo!!!

An unlucky para recon section lands too close to an enemy patrol and on the other side of the creek from friendly forces. Say Jim, is that a Schmeisser over there?

Other paras land in better order and quickly rally up.

More bad luck: while dropping close to your objective is preferable, this close is not!

Overall, the Allied paradrop goes well though and results in immediate assaults on outlying German positions. Here one para squad has taken an entrenchment while two others attack a machine gun team.

The German HQ. A great shot of Carey's outstanding workmanship.

Fortified positions filled with AA and AT guns protecting the battery.

Back at the bridge and far from the main action, the unlucky para recon section fights for its survival with fire support from the rest of its platoon.

Airborne MG and mortar teams take up positions at the edge of a field to support the main assault.

A right flanking attempt is quickly blunted by the fire of the entrenched PAK 40.

A group on the left flank prepares for its turn . . .

The battle for the outlying bridge now over, the remnants head out to assist the rest of the company.

An airborne MG keeps troops at the German HQ pinned down.

The final drop: the company's heavy weapons arrive on time and on target.

Evidence of the ferocious Allied assault: dead Germans lie rotting in the field.

The pitched battle at the German HQ ends after a 60mm mortar scores a critical hit and wipes out the defending Germans.

Two-pronged attack: the paras close in on a German outpost.

Counterattack! A SdKfz 251 charges up the hill to oppose the paras. Say Hans, is that a bazooka over there?

Indeed - it was!

On the right flank, the paras begin directly attacking the AA and AT gun positions . . .

...while in the center, 81mm mortars lay down a smokescreen on a German trenchline.

Finally, on the left the timely arrival of an American mech cavalry platoon bodes ill for the Germans.

The German battery braces for the assault.

The quad FLAK 20mm hammers on the approaching Allied column.

While enjoying some success, the gun is now faced with a coordinated attack from paras on its left . . .

...and Allied greyhounds pairing up for the hunt.

Not so fast! A German MG opens up on the approaching Americans.

A U.S. patrol flings a satchell charge into the trench under the smokescreen. Some of the German defenders are vaporized!

The final resistance. Allied paras and armor swarm over the German positions.

A shot of the relatively calm rear area where the brave rally and the others, well, flee.

The wolves close in. For the FLAK crew, it's too many targets, not - enough - time . . .

On the stubborn right flank, Allied artillery finds the range on the German MG and AT positions.

Aftermath: The group's bloodlust is satisfied - until next time!