Normandy

**Normandy** is a map in World of Tanks Blitz.

## Descriptions

The Normandy map is set in German-occupied Normandy in northern France during D-Day, which was part of Operation Overlord (the Allied invasion of France). Dark clouds block the sun, and many fighter aircraft circle overhead. Early in the match, three bombers fly overhead coming from the east, one of which crashes in the center of the map. The coastal border of the map is fulled by many warships and landing ships, some of which are on fire.

### **Zones**

The map is divided into ten zones, each offering its own possible tactics.

#### **Zones 1 and 2**

Zones 1 and 2, located at the center of the south and north edges of the map, respectively, are the starting points of the map. Nicknamed "Small City Life", the zones each contain three spawn points and are studded with various small houses. From this area of the map, players can see the bomber formation lose one of its aircraft with a largely unobstructed view, only losing sight of the bomber when it nears its crash site.

#### **Zones 3 and 4**

Zones 3 and 4, nicknamed "The Fate of the Bomber Plane", are located in the center of the map. Zone 3 is the crash site of the bomber as well as the location of the base in Encounter battles. In Supremacy, Base A is located in Zone 4, Base B is located in Zone 3, while Bases C and D fall just on the east border of Zone 3. On the west of Zone 4 are several bunkers firing on Zone 6 below.

#### **Zone 5**

As its nickname "Anti-Aircraft Battery" suggests, Zone 5 is home to three anti-air guns. This zone covers a majority of the east side of the map is considered the high ground of the Normandy, making it perfect for tank destroyers as the front line is almost always located in the center of the map. However, there is almost no cover in this zone, making the snipers in it easy targets.

#### **Zone 6**

The largest zone in the map, Zone 6 "The Sea Breeze" covers the entire west side of the map. It is much lower in elevation than any other part of the map due to being a beach. It is relatively open, though there are a few large rocks and destroyed tanks that can provide cover. The shore is lined with many landing craft, which can be boarded for extra cover. Tanks in this zone are safe from snipers in Zone 5.

#### **Zones 7 and 8**

Zones 7 and 8, nicknamed "Support from the Wings", are located to the west of Zones 1 and 2, respectively. While tanks in Zone 6 may be safe from snipers in Zone 5, they must beware of snipers in these zones. There are plenty of bushes in these zones to provide cover from Zone 6, but tanks in these zones are exposed from the rear. Because of this, snipers in Zones 7 and 8 can be picked off by snipers in Zone 5, 9, and 10. Like Zone 4, these zones each have one bunker firing down on Zone 6.

#### **Zones 9 and 10**

Zones 9 and 10, nicknamed "Field Support", are located to the south and north of Zone 5, respectively. These zones provide a good balance between field of vision/fire and cover, making them ideal for tank destroyers. The zones have several buildings for "hard" cover, some of which have bushes for concealment.

## Trivia

* The development code name for the map was **Neptune**. This is a reference to Operation Neptune, the code name for the actual landings of Operation Overlord.
* Normandy is based on the World of Tanks map Overlord, which is also themed after the D-Day landings.
* It is possible to board the landing craft in Zone 6. These landing craft are accurately sized, being capable of fitting two M4 Sherman tanks side-by-side.
* The lighting in Normandy is quite dark as a result of a heavy overcast. This is one of the few maps in WoTB to have poor lighting, with another map being Canal.
* In the game modes Uprising, Mad Games, and Gravity, it is possible to speed to the bomber's crash site and be squashed by the plane. Under normal circumstances, though, this is not possible even with the fastest light tanks.

* The bullets that the bunkers fire toward Zone 6 do not do any damage. This makes sense, as guns of such a low caliber would have been almost useless against tanks of Tier V and higher. However, the bullets fly right through the tank as they are simply a decoration on the map.
* The bomber that crashes in Zone 3 (as well as the other bombers that fly overhead) is not a real life aircraft. However, it is clearly based on the Heinkel He 111, but has six engines instead of the He 111's two. This could indicate that it is supposed to represent a development of the German *Amerikabomber* project, which was intended to strike the US mainland with an atomic bomb. Many real life developments of the *Amerikabomber* project were actually versions of existing bombers with more engines, but a six-engined He 111 is not known to have been considered.

* Despite strong evidence that the bomber is German, such as its design and the fact that it comes from inland, it has no markings confirming its allegiance. While the lack of a swastika on its tail can be understood because the symbol has been banned in many countries, the *Balkenkreuz* (the symbol generally found on the wings and fuselage) is also missing. Unlike the swastika, the *Balkenkreuz* has not been banned by any country since it has been considered a symbol of Germany since long before the Third Reich, and a variant is still in use by the German military today.
* In real life, the bombers would most likely be heading in the direction of England. This would make sense if the bombers are indeed German, but the fact that the *Luftwaffe* apparently sent long range bombers does not, as England is just a short hop from northern France.
* A similar He 111 wreck (with the proper number of engines) can be found on the dunes in Desert Sands.