"Visit" to North West France

ibncalb

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Dear Chaps,

I'll be in NW France (based in Rennes) from the end of October until, well, possibly permanently.

Do any developers need pictures of places there, any research done?

If any gamers want pictures of their favourite scenario location let me know.

b e n
 

benj

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If you feel like it, do not hesitate to subscribe to the (French-speaking, but English is OK) local forum : http://forum.cote1664.net/

There are players in Nantes, which is 1h30 away from Rennes, as well as in St Malo and Vannes. And of course, a large group in Paris.
 

ibncalb

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So, been living and working here a while now. Recently visited a little village off the St. Lo/Bayeux highway, small place called Purple Heart Draw.

Not sure if anyone will appreciate ..........this....

GEarth map included for an overview, if you got the PHD map, that is also notated for reference.





vid 1


vid 2



vid 3


vid 4


vid 5


vid 6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmQkPWDkLbk

vid 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGe-gjkCxAQ

vid 7a

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHmMlkDlX-k

vid 8

not sure where this went...

vid 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70FSXf4BZH0

vid 10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hqo78jglLc

vid 11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE40DtvXogQ

vid 12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rObhNrxoTcg

B e n
 

Tooz

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Could use some up close pics of the Maginot Line. Especially the entrance trench leading to the bunker entrance.
 

Robin Reeve

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Could use some up close pics of the Maginot Line. Especially the entrance trench leading to the bunker entrance.
You won't find much of the Maginot in NW France, as it stopped far before...
 

Tooz

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Duh. OK, then how about some Westwall pics?
 

Tooz

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I have been trying to see how Maginot Line/Atlantic Wall style fortifications could realistically be ported over into the ASL rules. Regular pillbox rules at present are not enough.
So, I am currently researching the designs, strengths and possible weaknesses of these style forts. They cannot be breached in the regular ASL rules fashion. So, I could use pics of the rear entrance doors and firing slits. The french called these forts "ouvrages" which just translates into "works".
If, during your travels you do get to the German/Swiss border and get to the Maginot Line area (yes, swiftandsure, I know where these are located) I could use some more pics as well. I already have some pics of some forts taken by me from last summer. i just never had enough time to do a thorough walkthrough being with the wife on vacation. Not her idea of fun.
Anything you take will help.
I have been to Pointe du Hoc, and have taken many pics from there.
 

Paul M. Weir

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I would distinguish Maginot and Atlantic as being very different. The Atlantic stuff are more a collection of strong points with ASL style Bunkers and both open and enclosed artillery positions with trenches and lesser fortifications linking them. The Maginot were more akin to cave complexes with little above ground. The German Westwall forts might originally have been intended to mimic the Maginot but never became as comprehensive or as deep and until '44 were effectively abandoned with their guns move to the Atlantic positions.
 

Yuri0352

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I have been trying to see how Maginot Line/Atlantic Wall style fortifications could realistically be ported over into the ASL rules. Regular pillbox rules at present are not enough.
So, I am currently researching the designs, strengths and possible weaknesses of these style forts. They cannot be breached in the regular ASL rules fashion. So, I could use pics of the rear entrance doors and firing slits. The french called these forts "ouvrages" which just translates into "works".
If, during your travels you do get to the German/Swiss border and get to the Maginot Line area (yes, swiftandsure, I know where these are located) I could use some more pics as well. I already have some pics of some forts taken by me from last summer. i just never had enough time to do a thorough walkthrough being with the wife on vacation. Not her idea of fun.
Anything you take will help.
I have been to Pointe du Hoc, and have taken many pics from there.

If you are unable to actually visit the Maginot line forts, you might consider acquiring a few back issues of After The Battle magazine (nearly all of which are available through RZM.com). I've seen some very detailed before and after photos of fortifications in some rather obscure locales in this publication. I wouldn't be surprised if they have done a decent examination of the Maginot Line as well.
 

ibncalb

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I'll update this thread as my trsvel plans mature. Currently living in Brittany.

B e n
 

lionelc62

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Could use some up close pics of the Maginot Line. Especially the entrance trench leading to the bunker entrance.
Hi
I live 5 kms away from the main fort of the Maginot line (Ouvrage du Hackenberg). Can I help here ?

Lionek
 

bendizoid

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Could we please see more pictures of old bullet holes.
 

Tooz

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I do have those magazines of which you have mentioned. I am more interested in looking at the damage caused by 88s and anything showing embrasure breaches. As I understand it, one tactic was to keep firing at the apertures until room was available to toss in demo charges.
Not one German soldier entered a Maginot Line fort in combat (source; The Battle For the Maginot Line, by Clayton Donnell. This guy is an avid fan of fortifications and has also wrote a very good book about Sevastopol.) The achilles heel of the forts were their ventilation shafts.
There is also an awesome FB page: Ligne maginot-est.
Highly recommended.
In 1944 the US Seventh Army had many battles with the Maginot Line and did actually enter some forts via their breached entrance doors only to be repulsed by counterattacks or defense in depth further down the fort's entrance ways.
Seems that these forts had only one way in--the rear but these were defended by trenches and often camoflauged so well they were hard to find.
I did a scenario for BFP (Training Day) where I tried my best to create the "feel" of attacking a casemate (in this case a Vauban inspired fort designed for the Russian Czar) and the responses from this effort were favorable enough to attempt others of this nature.
The next attempt is on some of the Mannerheim Line casemates/bunkers. Nowhere near as formidable as its French (and French designed) fortifications further south but formidable nevertheless.
As I head towards my own "Golden Pond" in life any new scenarios I design will have be just that--something new. Something different. Otherwise why bother when there are so many capable scenario designers out there. My only lament is that what has come out lately lacks innovation--unless they are HASL designs. It is hard for me to be happy with a design where one wins by taking four out of six stone buildings on Board x.
Then there is the opus by footsteps (A Little piece of Ground). I am sure many here have seen his map (and my pics) of Brest Litovsk. This is a work in progress held up by realism. Regular ASL rules will not provide realism for this to be put into the ASL loop. Not yet anyway.
So, ANY help is appreciated.
May God allow me enough time to complete this task.
 

Tuomo

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Hi
I live 5 kms away from the main fort of the Maginot line (Ouvrage du Hackenberg). Can I help here ?
Yes. Go outside and bang some pots and pans together while yelling vaguely Germanic things. Meanwhile, Rommel will swing right.
 
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