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St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins
1986
Rules assistance for St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.9/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins is a board game released in 1986 for 1–2 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Joseph M. Balkoski and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins was the first board-wargame to cover this unique battle. Designed by Joe Balkoski, creator of Atlantic Wall and Sixth Fleet, St-Lô offers a challenging system for the simulation of World War II battalion-level combat. Unit morale is the crucial factor in this game. Morale fluctuates as units move, rest or attack. Should you pull this battalion out of the line to rest ? Or will one more push carry the position ? Artillery plays a crucial role too. Good observation posts are essential for accurate fire. You will find yourself fighting many desperate actions for control of hilltop vantage points or church steeples. The innovative movement system makes uncertainty another key element of St-Lô. You never know who will move next. Even units that have already moved may move again the same turn. You will need to plan ahead, rest your troops and then spring your offensive. Outstanding for solitaire play. The rulebook has extensive designers notes throughout and each chapter has numerous quotes from commanders at the battle for St-Lô. Designed by a master craftsman this is an innovative, tense and accurate portrayal of World War II battalion command - the way it really was. 18 July 1944 13:40 Hrs Gen. Gerhardt: "Capt. Putenny, you sure did a masterful job and are going up for promotion; you'll keep that battalion. Where is Howie's body?" Contents: 22" x 34" paper map of St-Lô and surrounding areas. 400 multi-color back printed counters Rulebook Player-aid cards
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- West End Games
- War Drum Games
- Quarterdeck Games
- Quarterdeck International
Questions and answers
St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins supports 1–2 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins is 360 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins has a complexity rating of 2.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins are: Joseph M. Balkoski. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists St-Lô: Normandy 1944 – The Breakout Begins as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.