Big Red One at Bloody Omaha – 2 books, 2 posters & solo / 2-player game

Big Red One at Bloody Omaha – 2 books, 2 posters & solo / 2-player game

Help us publish 2 Keith Rocco illustrated books, 2 dramatic D-Day posters, plus a solo/2-player game by Hall of Fame designer Dana Lombardy to commemorate the 80th anniversary year of the D-Day invasion that broke through Hitler’s Atlantic Wall in 1944.
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$6,100 🎉
of $1,944 (USD) goal
61
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Help us commemorate & honor those Americans who fought at Omaha Beach on D-Day in Normandy, France in 1944.

Acclaimed historical artist Keith Rocco (in the photo above) created two murals for the First Division Museum outside of Chicago. These extraordinary images, along with additional portraits and scenes Keith painted for this project, were used to create a 112-page hardcover book (top left) – selected as a finalist for an Indie Book Award in the military category – a 20-page illustrated historical guide and overview (top center), a solitaire and 2-player board game (top right) conceived by Hall of Fame wargame designer Dana Lombardy, and a foldout poster (below) showing the entire murals for both June 6 & June 7.

The foldout poster shows both Rocco murals in full, back-to-back.


A second foldout poster featuring the research and original art of historian and filmmaker Michael Akkerman portrays the German defenses the Americans faced at Omaha Beach.

A portion of Akkerman's German Defenses foldout poster.

A unique map on the back of the Akkerman poster, by prominent cartographer Phil Schwartzberg of Meridian Mapping, shows the five invasion landing areas and incorporates a commentary by Dana that includes several thought-provoking "what-if" scenarios.

Dana's game includes the elements of the American 1st Infantry Division, the 29th Infantry Division, and Army Rangers that conducted the amphibious assault at Omaha Beach. For more details, go to the A FREE downloadable Print-n-Play game for playtesting section below.

Big Red One company far left, 29th Division company center, Rangers company far right.


PLUS backers who pledge $25 or higher will receive a special bonus 80th anniversary decal sticker shown below.

Keith also has a traveling exhibit with 3D dioramas, uniforms, and his art. See below for where it is currently on display. Backers will be updated on future locations.

PLUS...

Click the Add-ons section (on the nav bar above) for other exceptional items that are part of this campaign.

Almost all of this amazing artwork has never been seen before this project.

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How are these books different from others about D-Day?

The primary narrative throughout the illustrated overview and hardcover book are the eyewitness words of the men who were there at D-Day. Many of these men lost their lives or were wounded in body and spirit. Their eloquent testimonies, intermixed with Keith Rocco's powerful illustrations, are compelling stories assembled by award-winning historical researcher and nonfiction author Gerald D. Swick.

See more of Keith's art HERE.




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A FREE downloadable Print-n-Play game for playtesting

Bloody Omaha: D-Day Amphibious Assault™️" is a challenging solitaire and 2-player board game that comprises multiple landing waves and drift, beach obstacles, fortified defensive positions and strongpoints, hedgerow terrain inland, large 1-inch counters representing American infantry companies and battalions, U.S. engineers and tanks, hidden defense die-cut marker tokens including German armored vehicles, plus playing-card-enhanced tactical opportunities and challenges.

Final version will include the playtested rulebook and movement/engineer/combat and Random Event tables, plus a 6-sided die.

Help us finish developing Bloody Omaha: D-Day Amphibious Assault™️ by downloading and printing the paper components HERE for FREE. (Cutting, folding, and gluing required.)

OR... a limited number of copies (150) of a READY-TO-PLAY playtest version are available HERE.

Everyone who fills out and sends us the playtester feedback form gets their name printed in the game credits.

Print-n-Play and ready-to-play backers receive a collectible PLAYTESTER decal sticker created by Michael Akkerman. (Digital sticker on the rules for print-n-play, or a printed sticker for ready-to-play buyers.)

SUPERSIZE YOUR GAME (click on Add-ons in the nav bar above)

A deluxe expansion has thicker die-cut counters (playing pieces), a larger 18-by-18 inch mounted game board map, a storage box for everything, and new illustrated battle notes with more illustrations and commentary by Dana as an Add-on item.

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BONUS for $25 and higher backers

A printed version of the commemorative decal sticker created by Michael Akkerman specifically for this crowdfunding campaign will be included for every backer who pledges to the $25 or higher level. (Note: The PLAYTESTER decal sticker is different and goes only to supporters who download the Print-n-Play version or buy the limited-edition printed version of the playtest game.)


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Limited edition items for collectors

Get everything with artist- or designer-signed signed copies of the books, posters, and game PLUS actual sand from Omaha Beach in a collectible glass bottle. Only 200 are available and only at this level.


Dana personally collected this sand from Omaha Beach on a recent trip to Normandy. A certificate of authenticity is included with the bottle of sand.
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A special traveling exhibit with 3D dioramas


Keith Rocco and a team of talented miniaturists and model builders constructed several dioramas of the Omaha Beach amphibious assault. Along with displays of Keith's art and American uniforms and equipment, this exhibit will be traveling to museums and other locations throughout 2024.

On June 6, 2024 the D-Day Omaha Beach Exhibit was installed at the WWII American Experience Museum in Gettysburg PA. The museum is hosting this exhibit for six weeks until July 18. Tickets are available online or at the door. Visit WWII American Experience on Facebook for details. Backers will be updated on future locations.

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SHIPPING

All shipping fees will be charged separately, AFTER the campaign ends. The prices below are estimates. Actual shipping prices will be determined after production is finished and we prepare to ship the books, posters, and game.

This is an Estimated shipping cost for the BOTH BOOKS & BOTH POSTERS pledge level. Lower pledge levels should be less expensive, and the ALL IN and Collector levels will be slightly higher to accommodate the game and carefully and securely pack the glass bottles of sand:

  • $10 USA

  • $25 Canada

  • $25 UK


Please contact [email protected] for shipping to other countries.

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Achievement Levels

When you help us reach higher financial goals we will produce more posters with additional illustrated pre-invasion details backstory and June 6 details. VOTE HERE for the stories you want first, second, and third.

Click on the COMMUNITY link in the nav bar at the top of this page.

If you believe that this project is not in compliance with BackerKit’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, you can file a report by sending a message via this link: Report this project