This was a fictitious scenario that was based on some units of the 21 Panzer Division moving closer to the Sword Beach landing area than they did historically on June 6th.

A very open area (no buildings) wiith a low ridge in the center of the table, 8th Company and Panzer Grenadiers of the 192 Panzergrenadiers Regiment were tasked with meeting the British advance from Hermanville sur Mer as far forward as possible.

Periers Ridge looking north

The German player -Sebastian- had a grenadier platoon mounted in U304 (f) halftracks and three S307 (f) self propelled halftracks with PaK40s. There was also a unit of 8cm mortars and two PaK43s offboard for support

They entered from the south edge.

U307 (f) Panzerjaegers

They moved up to a hedge on the back slope of the ridge awaiting the British (H&R models).

Grenadiers deployed

Sebastian placed his infantry along another hedge and lateral road below the ridge. The FO for the 8cm mortars was back to the right in the trees. The Platoon CO off to the right with his 37mm armed halftrack covering a road from the north.

British appear quickly and move around the left flank

John and Jon had the British units consisting of Z company of the King Shorpshire Light Infantry (KSLI) and three troops of three M4s from the Staffordshire Yeomanry and one attached Flail tank

They made short work of the PaK commander who was out scouting in his Kubelwagen and failed to get back in cover quick enough. The gun halftracks had no radios so the CO went out to find the opposition. A platoon of the KSLI came under fire from offboard 88s when they came over the top.

Grenadiers waiting

There was a sniper with the unit also.

First Sherman destroyed

The Panzerjagers got off the first killing shot. A platoon of the KSLI are pinned by 88s on the right.

PaK line overrun

Two of the panzerjager halftracks are destroyed but the advancing troop of M4s is also KO'ed. Two platoons of Z Coy are on this flank and one heads south to the woods.

The British left flank

The platoon on this flank was also taking hits from offboard 88 fire. The two troops of M4s cautiously came over the ridge while the flail managed to get bogged down in the center.

Intense close range fire

One of the U307 (f)s managed to survive this point blank exchange It then turned and fled back down the slope dodging fire from the other Shermans. With an armor factor of 2 it somehow shrugged off two hits!

KSLI troops heading down hill

One platoon was pinned but the other moved down hill and came under fire from the grenadiers along the road.

Grenadier leader destroyed by PIAT

Sebastian's grenadiers vacated the road position in the face of overwhelming odds and moved back through the woods; but their CO halftrack tried to zoom around the left and was hit and blown up by a PIAT. At this point there were no German Big Men left. The remaining PaK halftrack was also trying to escape from the advancing M4s and had to turn left to avoid the British infantry blocking its flight.

After taking a hit (the fifth overall in the game) from a PIAT that slowed it down, the crew decided its luck was about to run out and bailed to head south through the woods following the fleeing grenadiers.

More 88 fire on the advancing British

The sniper also took out a platoon CO.

The 88 fire killed six men in this platoon. The 8cm mortars never did get their fire on target!

This game was one that the Germans could not reasonably win, but presented a plausible action with neither side knowing what was on the other side of the hill.

Overall the Germans lost every Panzerjaeger halftrack and the platoon leader, along with the command halftrack and two Big Men, and four of 24 grenadiers. The KSLI had a total of 20 casualties in its three platoons and one platoon leader killed One troop of the Staffordshire Yeomanry was destroyed by the halftrack PaKs.

A simple game that had some interesting kit for a June 6 scenario.

Mark Luther