How to Play Shadows Over Normandie

Back at it again.  Today’s game is the Shadows Over Normandie (SON).  It is a spin-off of Heroes of Normandie.  SON is a stand-alone game, but it is compatible with Heroes.  This took a while to do because I had to read the instructions a few times to get the mechanics as well as put it in a logical flow (Thankfully AI helped with that as well as polishing my writing)

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1 Choose the Scenario & Set Up the Board

1.1 Scenario Selection

• Choose a scenario from the scenario book (e.g. “D-Day Maelstrom”)
• Identify scenario goal (e.g. hold location X for 6 turns)
• Note initial deployment zones and turn limits

1.2 Board Assembly

• Select and arrange the terrain tiles dictated by the scenario map
• Place terrain features (obstacles, rivers, bunkers) with tokens
• This ensures correct line‑of‑sight and move planning
• Core Game Components (Get familiar with them)

• • 3 Complete Factions: U.S. Rangers, Black Sun, and Deep Ones
  • 11 Hero Units: Unique characters with special abilities
  • 42 Order Markers: Used for unit activation and order management
  • 6 Dice: Two each for Majestic, Deep Ones, and Black Sun factions
  • 6 Double-Sided Game Boards: Modular terrain tiles for varied battlefield setups
  • 1 Turn Counter Track: To keep track of turns during gameplay
  • 3 Decks of 50 Cards Each: Action cards that introduce tactical elements
  • 5 Destructible Houses: Buildings that can be damaged or destroyed during play
  • 8 Footbridges: Terrain pieces that affect movement and strategy
  • 1 Rulebook: Comprehensive guide to game rules
  • 1 Campaign Booklet: Contains 10 scenarios that form the game’s narrative

1.3 Unit & Deck Setup

• Sort and deploy units by faction, following zones in scenario
• Shuffle and set aside three decks: Orders, Event, Mythos
• Arrange tokens (activation, wounds, morale) into trays for easy access

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2 Understand Factions & Game Components

2.1 Faction Roles & Style

• Allied U.S. Rangers: Balanced melee/ranged, tactical flexibility
• Nazi Black Sun: Dark magic & experimental tech, heavy offense
• Deep Ones: Monstrous, immune to standard attacks, psychological play

2.2 Unit Token Details

• Each token shows: HP (health), MP (movement), Attack/Defense dice icons, special ability icons
• Learn iconography:
  • Attack dice = number and type of dice
  • Shield icon = defense threshold
  • Ability icons = Thirsty (vampire), Stealth, Ranged, etc.

2.3 Deck Mechanics

• Order Deck: Assign movements/actions
• Event Deck: Trigger random events (weather, reinforcements)
• Mythos Deck: Summon horrors, cast rituals, change terrain

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3. Understand the Turn Structure

3.1 Phase Breakdown Each round consists of these five phases:

1. Initiative Phase: roll or use scenario rule
2. Order Assignment Phase: secretly assign tokens
3. Activation Phase (Section 4): reveal and execute
4. Event/Mythos Phase (Section 5): draw and apply effects
5. End‑of‑Turn Phase (Section 6): recover, clean, and prep

3.2 Initiative Phase

• Both players roll for initiative or use scenario instructions
• Player with higher initiative reveals Orders first
• Initiative can define “who strikes first” which can have a major tactical impact

3.3 Order Assignment Phase

• Each unit receives one hidden Order token (1–4 or Bluff)
• Tokens determine priority: Reveal in order (1→4), higher number reveals later
• Bluff token forces reveal before others which can be useful to bait the enemy

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4. Execute Player Turns: Detailed Actions

4.1 Activation Phase: Step-by-Step For each revealed Order:

1. Reveal Token – execute in sequence
2. Move – spend MP to move across tiles, obey terrain rules
3. Attack – choose target within line‑of‑sight, roll dice
4. Play Ability / Spell – cost MP or activation, apply effects
5. Interaction – loot tokens, open doors, trigger ambushes
6. End Action – mark unit as activated, place tracking token

4.2 Movement Rules

• Each MP moves across open ground; some terrain cost more
• Line‑of‑sight blocked by terrain taller than token height
• Watch for cover and flank positioning

4.3 Combat Mechanics

• Roll attack dice per token icon
• Sum dice equal or above defense threshold → hit
• Apply wounds; once HP = 0, unit removed
• Multiple hits might cause morale checks (dice against tokens)

4.4 Special Abilities & Mythos Effects

• Hero units unlock abilities like “Inspire” or “Sniper”
• Mythos Phase can trigger global effects: fog, summon monsters, warp terrain
• Always read card effects fully; they may override standard rules

4.5 Activation Order Strategy

• Assign low Order tokens to key units to act early
• Use Bluff to conceal turn order or delay major units
• Observing enemy assignments can help plan counters

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5. Conduct Event & Mythos Phases

5.1 Event Deck

• Single card drawn; can grant reinforcements, environmental changes, or missions
• Effects resolved immediately or set up for later

5.2 Mythos Deck (Triggered per Scenario)

• Summons supernatural effects:
  • Spawn Deep Ones or Lost Heroes
  • Alter battlefield with eldritch terrain
  • Apply curses—experience drain, movement flag, morale penalties

5.3 Sync with Scenario Timing

• Check scenario sheet for when Event/Mythos draw occurs (usually after activation)
• Some events may trigger mid-turn or during certain enemy actions

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6 End‑of‑Turn and Reset

6.1 Cleanup Actions

• Remove spent Order tokens and activation markers
• Exhausted events resolved
• Refresh used cards, shuffle discard back into decks (if needed)

6.2 Recovery & Morale Checks

• Some units recover 1 HP or shake morale effects
• Check morale states: Frenzied, Panicked, Steadfast

6.3 Turn Tracker and Victory Check

• Advance turn counter on sheet
• Check scenario victory conditions or termination rules
• Prepare for the next round

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7 Winning the Game: Victory Conditions & Tips

7.1 Scenario Objectives

• Common goals:
  • Control objectives for N consecutive turns
  • Eliminate enemy leaders or factions
  • Retrieve and carry X item to map edge

7.2 Victory Condition Types

Victory Type	Description
Territorial Control	Hold marker spaces for specified turns
Assassination	Eliminate named hero or high-value unit
Survival	Hold on for scenario‑defined turns without unit loss
Artifact Recovery	Acquire and extract rare items from map

7.3 Strategic Tactics

• Prioritize objective control over pure kills
• Use cover and flanking to force enemy rounding up
• Secure terrain early to restrict enemy movement
• Save Order 1 for decisive actions or ambush

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8 Advanced Strategies & Common Mistakes

8.1 Advanced Tips

• Initiative manipulation: use Bluff or delay orders to counter strong enemy activations
• Route planning: calculate terrain MP cost for hero runs on objectives
• Mythos anticipation: prepare for supernatural events that may flip tables

8.2 Pitfalls to Avoid

• Misjudging line‑of‑sight: don’t assume ranged dominance without checking angles
• Order token mistakes: never use multiple of same number unless bluffing heavily
• Ignoring morale: panicked units can ruin best-laid plans

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Summary: Quick Play Reference

1. Deploy per scenario
2. Initiative roll → high goes first
3. Assign Orders secretly
4. Reveal/Activate Units by Order priority
5. Move, Attack, Use Abilities
6. Draw Event/Mythos per scenario
7. End Turn Cleanup and check win conditions
8. Repeat until Victory or Defeat

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My Final Thoughts Shadows Over Normandie combines tactical wargame mechanics with Lovecraftian supernatural horror for an immersive 60 to120 minute experience per scenario. Understanding each player turn in granular detail—Initiative, Orders, Activation, Event/Mythos, Cleanup—lets you strategically control the waste-filled dunes and silent woods of Normandy. Keep your resource management and terrain awareness sharp, watch your Order tokens, and never underestimate the next Mythos twist. Victory isn’t just about elimination; it’s about smart positioning, timing, and keeping horrors at bay.  Thank you for reading and I hope this piqued your interest.