So...how will D-Day unfold!

Battle for Normandy 2007
24hr battle weekend, Candleston, South Wales.
3rd - 4th November 2007

Welcome to Gunman Airsoft 24hr WWII Battle weekend

The battle will kick off 12pm Saturday and finish 12pm Sunday with players allowed on site from 6pm Friday.

The site has 4 miles of sand dunes and 100+ of acres of woodland and scrubland. Perfect for a Normandy landing weekend, this area around the coast of the Bristol Channel was used for training by Allied soldiers during the war and makes the most fitting site for such a game you’ll ever play on.

GUNMAN will be providing a number of vehicles to be used in the game as well as field artillery, outposts, gun emplacements and the very best props and set dressings. GUNMAN is made up of experienced organisers that have been running professional events since 1993.

June 6th Omaha Beach - 1200hrs

With a start slightly delayed from the planned dawn assault, the Allied forces will storm the beach to be met by the veteran Landsers defending the West Wall from behind their bunkers. As one of the main troop transports was hit by a mine in the channel some UK forces have been diverted to help their US Allies, all under the overall command of Colonel Josh Smith .

The Landsers defending this stretch of beach are not the usual collection of fortification troops, but include elements of elite Panzer and SS Regiments. Having fought in Russia, Africa and Europe, they will be aware that the eyes of the Reich are on them and will not yield ground without great loss.

D-Day will be won or lost in these crucial first few hours, with the Allies needing to get off the beach and push inland to establish a forward command point to support the waves of troops following up . If the Allies are successful in establishing a beachhead, their next task will be to clear the roads and tracks to allow armour and reinforcements inland, all the while under threat of German counter-attacks that could scupper their invasion within the first six hours of landing on French soil.

Intelligence has also suggested that the Germans have heavy artillery hidden deep within woods approximately 1km behind the beach. If the Allies can’t break through quickly, then Airborne troops will be used to attack these guns. Destruction of this threat will be key to the Allies making progress up the beach.

On D-Day +1 from dawn until midday, the battle will take to the hinterland, as both sides wrestle to control the many vital points of defence and communication. This will be a war of annihilation, as both sides fight all-out to push the other out of areas of control.

There can be only one winner; your blood, sweat and tears will decide who.

Referees

Due to the size of the site and the numbers taking part, there will be a number of referees keeping an eye on the action and dealing with any issues, be they in-game or out-of-game, so you, the player, can enjoy the experience. They will be clearly identifiable. Each referee will carry a radio, whistle and med pack for scratches and scrapes.
Marshals will also be present to help keep the public away and to keep the game running smoothly.
We hope to have the St Johns on board as well although this will be confirmed closer to the event.

Your Comfort – This is important

Players are strongly advised to consider their personal comfort should the weather be less than perfect. Bring a spare uniform if you have it, even if it’s non authentic, better to play the Sunday in Flecktarn or Olive Drabs than in your soaking cold uniform from Saturday. Spare boots, if you have them, are also a good idea, as are four or five spare pairs of socks - a change of socks every six hours is a great boost if you are wet . Also a good idea are Zeltbahns and Ponchos which can be bought cheaply from Surplus and Ebay suppliers. Helmets generally keep your head much dryer than fabric headgear.

If you don’t plan on leaving your sleeping gear in the car during the day on the Saturday then bring either bin bags or ideally a Goretex bivi bag to keep it all dry whilst it’s in your tent.

There is running tap water on site, but please make sure you bring plenty of food to keep you going and stuff to make hot brews . A small thermos tucked away in your webbing is another good way of keeping you going.

The site has several large buildings with hot showers and proper toilets and fires will be going throughout the night, so there will be a chance to return to some sense of normality after 12 hours or so living in 1944.