Devil's Lair - The Matrix Games version of West Front
| Rating: | 8 (4) |
| Games Played: | 3 |
| SM: | 6 |
| Turns: | 19 |
| Type: | Custom |
| First Side: | US |
| Second Side: | Germany |
| Downloads: | 226 |
Best played HvH. Objective is to capture the Devil's Lair...... Maisy Battery (The Devil's Lair) was one of the largest German defensive positions in the American landing area on D-day. It had the role of defending the coast behind the western end of Omaha Sector and at the southern edge of Utah Sector. The battery is located 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from Pointe du Hoc, a key objective for the US Rangers during D-Day. The battery was garrisoned by elements of the 352nd and 716th Infantry and Artillery Divisions, plus Flak Regiment No. 1 consisting of twelve 88-mm anti-aircraft artillery pieces sent to protect the battery shortly before D-Day on 5 June 1944.[1]:162,175–176
Fouchers' Farm was destroyed by naval shelling from the USS Shubrick (DD-639) on 7 June 1944. The other two sites remained operational until they were assaulted by the US 2nd Rangers and the US 5th Rangers on 9 June.[1]:130–131,265,269
The batteries at Maisy were D-Day mission objective Number 6 as given to Colonel James Rudder in his Operation Neptune intelligence and US 1st Infantry Division orders. However, he did not brief his men to carry out the mission to Maisy. Historian Gary Sterne, in a book published in 2014, suggests that Rudder disobeyed orders calling on him to continue to Maisy after taking Pointe du Hoc. The Rangers stayed at Pointe du Hoc for some days until relieved, which kept them from completing their D-day orders and away from the Maisy site - as well as the D-day Phase Line which was their main target for the evening of 6 June.[1]:293 This allowed the guns at Maisy to continue to shell troops in both the Omaha Beach and Utah Beach sectors for three days after the landings.
Fouchers' Farm was destroyed by naval shelling from the USS Shubrick (DD-639) on 7 June 1944. The other two sites remained operational until they were assaulted by the US 2nd Rangers and the US 5th Rangers on 9 June.[1]:130–131,265,269
The batteries at Maisy were D-Day mission objective Number 6 as given to Colonel James Rudder in his Operation Neptune intelligence and US 1st Infantry Division orders. However, he did not brief his men to carry out the mission to Maisy. Historian Gary Sterne, in a book published in 2014, suggests that Rudder disobeyed orders calling on him to continue to Maisy after taking Pointe du Hoc. The Rangers stayed at Pointe du Hoc for some days until relieved, which kept them from completing their D-day orders and away from the Maisy site - as well as the D-day Phase Line which was their main target for the evening of 6 June.[1]:293 This allowed the guns at Maisy to continue to shell troops in both the Omaha Beach and Utah Beach sectors for three days after the landings.
| Player Voting Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
| Member | Balance | Enjoyment |
 majog |
Well Balanced | 8 |
 Tankertony |
Moderately Pro US | 7 |
| Tankertony |
Well Balanced | 8 |
 Panzerjaeger |
Slightly Pro Germany | 7 |
| Gaming Records | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Side Player | 2nd Side Player | Result | Score | ||||||
 |
 |
Tankertony | vs. | Panzerjaeger |  |
 |
Germany Major Victory | 72 | 12 |
|
|
Tankertony | vs. | Zap |  |
|
US Major Victory | 72 | 12 |
|
 |
majog | vs. | Yossarian |  |
|
Germany Major Loss | 12 | 72 |
Tough for the US
Although the Americans have no leaders, they have several key advantages, particularly with artillery. The 6 inch offboard, combined with the cruisers and destroyer, are absolutely devastating on the Germans fixed positions. The Germans primary defensive zone is studded with Pillboxes (impervious to the aforementioned artillery) and wire. It's up to the Americans to skillfully use their smoke and engineers to breach this defense without incurring too many casualties. I recommend a tactical withdrawal of the Germans outer defensives or else they just become fodder.
I have now played this excellent scenario from both sides. The Allies MUST be aggressive and carefully use their smoke in order to breach the perimeter of the Lair. I consider the guns and objective hexes along the coast of secondary/minor importance. The Americans need that 500 pt objective hex to ensure victory. The Germans must also play aggressive. I did this by allowing my outer troops along the eastern edge to fall back, assisted by troops moving out of the Lair. If you keep those outer troops in place, they're be overwhelmed (by an aggressive American player). Basically, I won as both sides by playing very aggressive. If one player is superior, they should take Allies, because properly using smoke will be essential for gaining victory.
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