1944: D-Day to the Rhine

1944: D-Day to the Rhine is a two-player hex-and-counter wargame covering the Western Front from the Allied landings in June 1944 through the drive across France and toward the Rhine in March 1945. The Allied player must land, break out from Normandy, and push east as quickly as possible, while the German player must set defenses, delay the advance, and hold the West Wall long enough to blunt the Allied offensive.

Designed by Dan Fournie, this game follows Worthington’s 1944: Battle of the Bulge and uses concepts from the Holdfast wargame series. It keeps the campaign fast and playable, with a target play time of about two hours and rules aimed at accessible but tense operational decision-making.

Variable objectives are chosen before the game begins, creating uncertainty over each player’s real priorities. Optional rules also allow for Allied landings outside Normandy and hidden German units, giving the campaign added replay value without turning it into a heavy monster game.

Publisher: Worthington Publishing
Designer: Dan Fournie
Players: 2
Playing time: 1–2 hours
Format: Standalone WWII hex-and-counter wargame
Setting: Western Front, June 1944–March 1945
System note: Uses concepts from Worthington’s Holdfast series.
Complexity: Accessible / low-to-medium wargame complexity.

Contents include: one large 22" x 34" hard-mounted game board, two sheets of large 7/8" counters plus 5/8" markers, two sets of rules, Allied and German order of appearance cards, custom combat dice, objective cards, a game record sheet, and a custom counter tray.