RAPID FIRE!

Normandy Battlegames
Breakthrough to Lion-sur-Mer
6th June 1944
A Scenario by Don McHugh
For use with Rapid Fire! fast play WWII wargaming rules
Lagrune N

Luc-sur-Mer The Sword Beachhead

6th June 1944
Lion-sur-Mer

Hermanville
Douvres-la-
Délivrande
Cresserons
Ouistreham

21st Panzer Division

Counter-Attacks
Sallenelles
Périers-sur-la-Dan
British
Against the 3rd Infantry
Division
British
Sword Beachhead Kampfgruppe Beuville
Benouville
6th Airborne
Division
Rauch

Bieville Amfreville
Ranville

Kampfgruppe Hérouvillette
Lébisey
Oppeln

Kampfgruppe
Luck
Colombelles
CAEN
 Breakthrough to Lion-sur-Mer
June 6th 1944
Kampfgruppe Rauch, 21st Panzer Division v British 9th Infantry Brigade

3rd British Infantry Division’s Right Flank approximately the same time as von Oppeln’s tanks. With
The 185th Infantry Brigade were leading the advance on von Oppeln’s attack faltering in front of Periers Ridge,
Caen, with the 2nd Battalion Warwickshire Regiment General Maracks realizing that all now depended on this
covering the right flank of the 2nd Battalion Shropshire attack, personnally joined Rauch’s HQ to add his weight to
Regiment’s attack on Périers Ridge. the attack. Having met little or no opposition to his front,
Kampfgruppe Rauch soon joined up with 3rd Battalion,
9th British Infantry Division landed in the third wave on Infantry Regiment 736th and Battery ‘Graf Waldersee’
Sword Beach and was tasked with taking over this flank around Plumetot and continued its advance to the sea.
and linking up with the Canadians to the west. As the
Brigade collected in its assembly area around Lion-sur- What Really Happened
Mer, it was hit by artillery and mortar fire and the Brigade It is unclear if the British battalions fought for the villages
Commander, J.C. Cunningham, was wounded and had to of Plumetot and Cresserons, but Kampfgruppe Rauch is
be evacuated. His second in command, Colonel A.D.G. credited with recapturing them during its advance to the
Orr, was over towards St Aubin d’Arquenay, as it had been sea.
decided to redirect 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers to
this area, to reinforce the push to Pegasus Bridge. 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Regiment 736th and Battery ‘Graf
Waldersee’ had begun the day in Plumetot, but accounts
After some delay the remainder of the brigade and their talk of them moving to the attack later in the day, so I
new commander, Colonel A.D.G. Orr, moved to cover the assume they had been forced out of Plumetot earlier in
Division’s right flank and engage the Germans in Plumetot the day. With Kampfgruppe Oppeln struggling to break
and Cresserons. As with the 185th Brigade, the supporting through the British forces on Périers Ridge, 1st Company,
tanks of the East Riding Yeomanry were held up in the 1st Battalion Panzer Regiment 22 continued the move to
traffic jams on Sword beach. the west in an attempt to out flank the British positions.
By doing so, it inadvertently joined Kampfgruppe Rauch’s
Kampfgruppe Rauch had assembled on the left flank attack.
of Kampfgruppe Oppeln and had moved forward at
Rauch’s combined force reached the beach at Lion-sur-Mer
at about 1900 hours and found there were still positions
in German hands. Lacking the tank numbers to put in a
meaningful attack on the British flank, the Kampfgruppe
took up positions awaiting armour reinforcements. During
the evening a large Allied glider force flew in over the coast
and landed to the east.

With no sign of the reinforcements, worried he was going

to be cut off and with an Allied armoured attack in progress
on Cresserons, Rauch fell back to his starting positions.
Later that evening, under the cover of darkness, Rauch was
ordered to take up new positions around Cambes.

9th Brigade, weakened by the loss of The Kings’ Own

Scottish Borderers, was not able to close the gap between
the Sword and Juno beaches, but it did put the gap under
pressure later in the day and it was the 9th’s attack on
Cresserons that added to Rauch’s concerns. On the 7th
June, with the Brigade now back to full strength, it closed
the gap with the Canadians and put in an attack on Cambes.
This attack was repulsed, but a more successful, formal
attack was made on 9th June. This action is covered in our
‘Normandy Battlegames’ book.

The area to the south west of Plumetot was to become the

site of an Allied airfield. The construction was completed in
Above: General Marcks moving forward with Colonel
ten days, between 10th to 21st June and became the home
Rauch’s command half-track.
of 131st wing RAF.

2
The Game
This represents Kampfgruppe Rauch’s advance to Lion-
sur-Mer. The game is limited to 12 moves. The German
forces move first.
................................................
Table Size
7’ x 5’
................................................
German Orders
Advance to the sea and roll up the British flank.

British Orders
Stop the German advance and protect the west flank of
the 3rd Division.
................................................
German Victory Conditions
To win: They must achieve two of the following three
objectives:
• Get 8 figures & 1 AFV to within 6” of the Northern
table edge.
• Take and hold* the village of Plumetot.
• Take and hold* the village of Cresserons.
To draw: Achieve one of the above objectives.
Above: The recce and pioneer platoons of 192nd
Panzergrenadier Regiment checking the route forward.
British Victory Conditions
To win: They must deny all three of the above objectives Below left: British 9th Infantry Brigade HQ near Lion-
to the Germans. sur-Mer before disaster struck.
To draw: Deny two of above objectives to the Germans.
German Deployment
* Hold means there are friendly troops and/or vehicles in • 3rd Battalion 736th Infantry Regiment and Battery
the village and no enemy units. ‘Graf Waldersee’ are deployed up to 6” in from the
table edge at G1.
Terrain
• All woods are open. German Reinforcements
• Move 1 - 1st Battalion, 192nd Panzergrenadier
• All buildings begin the game intact.
Regiment; HQ, 192nd Panzergrenadier Regiment;
2nd Company, Pioneer Battalion 220; 2nd
Battalion; 155th Panzer Artillery Regiment and the
Battlegroup HQ arrive on move 1 at G2.
• Move 3 - 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Panzer
Regiment arrives at G3.
• SP artillery regiment may be deployed to fire from
off-table.

British Deployment
• B1 - 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles and A
Squadron 13th /18th Hussars in and around
Plumetot,
• B2 - 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment in and
around Cresserons.
• 7th Field Regiment is deployed off-table. The OP
can be with either of the infantry battalions.
• Troops may not start the game dug in.
• Troops may not carry out ‘ambush fire’ in their first
move.

British Reinforcements
• Move 3 - B Squadron, East Riding Yeomanry. On
the road to the east of Cresserons at B3.

3
 LIon-SUR-MER BATTLE MAP (7' x 5')

Cresserons B3
B2

G1

Plumetot B1

G2 G3

4
 German Forces Deployed
3rd Battalion / 736th Grenadier Regiment
HQ 9th Company
CO + 4 figures 8 figures, Panzerfaust

10th Company 11th Company

8 figures, Panzerfaust 8 figures, Panzerfaust

4th (Heavy) Company Attached from AT Company

9 figures, 2 x MMG, 81mm 4 figures, 2 x Panzerschreck
mortar
Battery ‘Graf Waldersee’ /
1716th Panzer Artillery Regiment
Lorraine self-propelled howitzer (150mm)*

Morale: CO + 41 figures (Regular).

Above right: Lorraine SP 150mm howitzer of ‘Graf

Waldersee’ * Direct fire only
Below: 3rd Battalion / 736th Grenadier Regiment
advances towards the village of Plumetot. Morale: Artillery unit.

5
 German Reinforcements - Move 1
Battlegroup Headquarters HQ / 192nd Panzergrenadier Regiment
(Col Rauch accompanied by General Marcks in his staff car)
Recce Platoon PioneerPlatoon
CO + 5 figures, 4 figures, 4 figures, Panzerfaust
SPW P107 command half-track, Latil M7 field car 2 x motor cycle combinations* Latil M7 field car

Attached 2nd Company / Pioneer Battalion 220

9 figures, MMG, flamethrower, Panzerfaust
Morale: Higher level CO + 5 figures. Somua pioneer half-track (VMG)

1st Battalion / 192nd Panzergrenadier Regiment

(Captain Ratzer)

HQ 1st Company
CO + 8 figures, Panzerschreck 6 figures, Panzerfaust, * If the riders are on the motorcycle they can fire a VMG.
SPW P107 half-track (VMG) SPW P107 half-track (37mm)
Morale: 18 figures (Regular).

2nd Battalion / 155th Panzer Artillery Regiment

2 x Lorraine self-propelled howitzer (105mm),
2nd Company 3rd Company
Lorraine self-propelled howitzer (150mm)
9 figures, MMG, Panzerfaust 9 figures, MMG, Panzerfaust
Lorraine OP vehicle*
SPW P107 half-track (VMG) SPW P107 half-track (VMG)

9th Company
(With attached mortar carrier from the 10th Company) * The Lorraine OP carries a 2 figure artillery observer team
Somua self-propelled anti-tank gun (75mm), which may dismount to occupy buildings etc.
SPW P107 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (20mm),
Somua multi-barrel mortar half-track* Morale: Artillery unit.

Move 3
1st Battalion / Panzer Regiment 22
1st Company
* Indirect fire from the multi-barrel mortar is controlled by the Panzer IV (75mm) CO, 2 x Panzer IV (75mm)
battalion HQ group.

Morale: CO + 47 figures including 4 independent AFVs (Regular)

German Three Gun Artillery Battalion

One radio test is made for all three guns, but when
firing treat the Lorraine 105s as a two gun battery and
throw for the Lorraine 150 as if it was ‘another’ second
gun.
Morale: CO AFV + 2 AFVs (Regular).

6
 British Forces Deployed
9th Infantry Brigade Headquarters 2nd Battalion / Lincolnshire Regiment
(Colonel A.D.G. Orr) (Lt Colonel C.E. Welby-Everard)

CO + 5 figures, Bren Carrier, radio truck HQ Carrier Platoon

CO + 6 figures, PIAT, 2" mortar 3 figures, PIAT, Bren Carrier*

A Company B Company
8 figures 8 figures
Morale: Higher level CO.

2nd Battalion / Royal Ulster Rifles C Company D Company

(Lt Colonel I.C.H. Harris ) 8 figures 8 figures
HQ Carrier Platoon
CO + 6 figures, PIAT, 2" mortar 3 figures, PIAT, Bren Carrier*

Support Company
9 figures, Vickers MMG, 3" mortar, 6 pdr anti-tank gun,
2 x Bren Carrier, Bren Carrier tow

A Company B Company
8 figures 8 figures

C Company D Company
8 figures 8 figures * If the crew is in the carrier the vehicle may fire a VMG.

Morale: CO + 50 figures (Regular).

Support Company
9 figures, Vickers MMG, 3" mortar, 6 pdr anti-tank gun, 7th Field Regiment Royal Artillery
2 x Bren Carrier, Bren Carrier tow
Battery
2 x Priest self-propelled gun (105mm) (off-table),
Bren Carrier obsevation post (OP) *

* If the crew is in the carrier the vehicle may fire a VMG.

Morale: CO + 50 figures (Regular).

* The Bren Carrier obsevation post carries a 2 figure artillery
observer team which may dismount to occupy buildings etc.
13th / 18th Hussars
A Squadron Morale: Artillery unit.
Sherman DD Tank (75mm)

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people for their help
with this scenario: Alan McCoubrey, Rob Beswick, Ian
Willer, Graham Douglas Phil Portway, Richard Marsh
and Colin Rumford.
Morale: Independent AFV (Regular)
All models from the author’s collection.

7
 Move 3
East Riding Yeomanry
B Squadron
Sherman (75mm) CO, Sherman (75mm),
Sherman Firefly (17 pdr)

Morale: CO AFV + 2 AFVs (Regular).

Right: Priests of 7th Field Regiment Royal

Artillery fitted with deep wading kits.
Below: The unusual mixture of captured
French half-tracks form the bulk of
1st Battalion / 192nd Panzergrenadier
Regiment’s vehicles.

8
 PÉRIERS Ridge And Lion-sur-Mer Combined

TABLE 1 TABLE 2
German Deployment German Deployment
Move 5 3rd Battalion / 736th Infantry Regiment
Move 1 2nd Battalion Panzer Regiment 22, 1st
and Battery ‘Graf Waldersee’ arrive on
Battalion, Panzergrenadier Regiment 125
the table at G4
and artillery arrive on move 1 at G1.
1st Battalion / 192nd Panzergrenadier
Move 3 1st Battalion / Panzer Rgiment 22 &
Regiment, HQ / 192nd Panzergrenadier
Battlegroup HQ arrives at G2.
Regiment, 2nd Company / Pioneer
Artillery can fire from off-table. Battalion 220, 2nd Battalion / 155th
Panzer Artillery Regiment and the
British Deployment Battlegroup HQ arrive at G3.
All but A Squadron / Staffordshire Yeomanry begin Move 10 1st Company / 1st Battalion / 22nd
the game deployed north of the line B1 – B1. No Panzer Regiment arrives at G5
troops or vehicles start the game dug in. Artillery can fire from off-table.
Move 3 A Squadron / Staffordshire Yeomanry
arrives at B2. British Deployment
Move 1 2nd Battalion / Royal Ulster Rifles and
A Squadron / 13th/18th Hussars arrive at
B5 and must advance to take up position
Lion-sur-Mer Table (Table 2) within B3.
Move 2 2nd Battalion / Lincolnshire Regiment
Cresserons arrive at B5 and must advance to take up
positions in B4.
Move 4 7th Field Regiment’s OP arrives at B5.
B5 The Priests are off-table and available to
B4 fire from this move.
Move 7 B Squadron / East Riding Yeomanry
arrive at B5.

G4
Plumetot B3

Périers Ridge Table (Table 1)

B1 B2

G3 G5

Périers-sur-la-Dan
Lion-sur-Mer can be
combined with our Périers B1
Ridge scenario to play a mini
campaign. This is how the
tables could be arranged.

G2 G1

9
 Reloaded Vehicle and Gun Statistics
British
Target
Vehicle Speed Main Weapon 2nd Weapon
Class
Sherman 75mm 24 / 12 3 Gun class 3 / HE 4 x D6 (or VMG) Hull VMG
Sherman Firefly 24 / 12 3 Gun class 1 (or VMG) -
Achilles 17pdr 24 / 12 4 Gun class 1 (or VMG) -
Priest SP 105mm 24 / 12 3 HE 5 x D6 -
Bren Carrier 30 / 15 5 - -
Guns
6 pdr anti-tank gun Gun class 3
PIAT Gun class 2 / HE 4 x D6 Maximum of three shots per game

German
Target
Vehicle Speed Main Weapon 2nd Weapon
Class
Panzer IV 75mm long 24 / 12 3 Gun class 2 / HE 4 x D6 (or VMG) Hull VMG
SPW P107 half-track 24 / 12 5 VMG -
SPW P107 37mm 24 / 12 5 Gun class 5* / HE 2 x D6 -
SPW P107 20mm AA 24 / 12 5 Gun class 5 / autocannon -
Somua pioneer half-track 24 / 12 5 VMG -
Somua mortar carrier HT 24 / 12 5 HE 4 x D6 ** -
Somua 75mm 24 / 12 5 Gun class 2 / HE 4 x D6 -
Lorraine SP 150mm 24 / 12 5 HE 6 x D6 -
Lorraine SP 105mm 24 / 12 5 HE 5 x D6 -
Lorraine OP/radio 24 / 12 6 - -
Guns
Panzerschreck Gun class 2 / HE 4 x D6 Maximum of three shots per game
Panzerfaust Gun class 2 / HE 4 x D6 Single shot weapon
* Three Stielgranate rounds (gun class 2) per game. Ranges: short 0 to 6”, normal 6” - 12” and long 12” - 18”
** Fires on alternate moves. Throw four D6. 6 to hit a moving target. 5 or 6 to hit a stationary target. Throw again for
each hit for casualties / damage.

Above: Somua multi-barrel mortar half-track being

reloaded. It can only fire every other move.
Right: DD Sherman of 13th/18th Hussars and the RUR
prepares to defend Plumetot.

10