Little Fish

Little Fish By Rich Hamilton and Ken Camel One the night of 6 June Kurt Meyer was given the orders to take part on an attack the following afternoon against the Allied beach head north east of Caen. Upon receiving his order Meyer was reported to have said, “Little fish we shall throw them back into the sea.” The attack was to begin at 1500 on 7 June 1944, but Meyer was presented with an opportunity he could not pass up. The Sherman tanks of the Sherbrooke Fusiliers moved directly in front of Meyer’s Panzers and clearly had no idea of the danger they were in.

Meyer ordered the Panzers of 8 kompanie to attack around 1300. The Canadians suffered heavy losses and were driven back to the village of Villons-les-Buissons. The Canadian North Nova Scotia Highlanders had a well-prepared defensive position at Villons-les-Buissons. In fact the position was so well defended it was described be a fortress.  The Scenario On the afternoon of 7 June Panzer Meyer led his 25. SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment in an effort to drive the Canadian 3rd Division into the sea. The heavily defended town of Villons-les-Buissons stood in his way. The Canadians had constructed a defensive line and were waiting for him. The Little Fish scenario uses the Reserves special rule and Infantry and Gun teams start the game in Foxholes.

Your Orders German Your mission is to drive the Canadians out of the town and back towards the beaches. Victory here will enable Hitler’s Guard to split the Allied invasion and throw the fish back into the sea. Fail and the Allies will be allowed to expand their hold on Normandy. Good luck. Canadian You must not allow the SS to push you off your objectives. You must hold until relieved. Break the German attack so our bridgehead can be consolidated. Deployment 1. Set up terrain using the map as your guide. 2. Place the two objectives as identified on the map. Both objectives must be at least 12”/30cm from any table edge. 3. The defender deploys their forces and holds the designated forces off the table in reserve. The defender deploys his forces within 12”/30cm of either objective and at least 12”/30cm from the center of the table. 4. The attacker deploys all his forces in the attacker’s half of the table at least 12”/30cm back from the centerline. 5. The German Player has the first turn.

Winning the Game The German Player wins if they endtheir turn Holding an Objective. The Canadian Player wins if they end their turn on or after the sixth turn with no Attacking Tank, Infantry, or Gun teams within 8"/20cm of an Objective.

25. SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment (page 42 of D-Day: Waffen-SS)   SS-Panzergrenadier Company HQ 2x MP40 SMG team with Panzerfaust anti-tank - Add 12th ‘Hitler Jugend’ SS Panzer Division Schnell Command Card                    4 points 2 points SS Panzergrenadier Platoon 7x MG42 team with Panzerfaust anti-tank 1x Panzerschreck anti-tank 9 points 2 points SS Panzergrenadier Platoon 7x MG42 team with Panzerfaust anti-tank 1x Panzerschreck anti-tank 9 points 2 points SS Panzergrenadier Platoon 7x MG42 team with Panzerfaust anti-tank 1x Panzerschreck anti-tank 9 points 2 points sMG42 SS Machine-gun Platoon 2x sMG42 HMG    2 points 8cm SS Mortar Platoon 2x 8cm mortar    3 points SS Panzer Company HQ 2x Panzer IV 10 points SS Panzer Platoon 4x Panzer IV 18 points SS Panzer Platoon 4x Panzer IV 18 points 10.5cm SS Artillery Battery 4x 10.5cm howitzer 11 points Total 101 points

North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Canadian Rifle Company page 30 of D-Day: British)   Rifle Company HQ 2x Sten SMG team Canadian Division Relentless Command Card 2 points 0 points Rifle Platoon 7x Ben & SMLE rifle team 1x 2-inch mortar team 1x PIAT anti-tank team 9 points 3-inch Mortar Platoon 6x 3-inch mortar 9 points 6 pdr Anti-Tank Platoon 6x 6 pdr gun 15 points M10 SP Anti-Tank Troop 2x M10 3" SP   8 points Vickers Machine-gun Platoon 4x Vickers MMG 4 points Carrier Patrol 3x Universal Carrier (MG)   2 points Carrier Patrol 3x Universal Carrier (MG)   2 points Off-board Artillery   25 pdr Field Troop 4x 25 pdr gun  14 points 25 pdr Field Troop 4x 25 pdr gun  14 points Universal Carrier OP Observation Post 1x Universal Carrier OP  1 points In Reserve   Sherman DD Armoured Troop 3x Sherman (75mm) 12 points Rifle Platoon 7x Ben & SMLE rifle team 1x 2-inch mortar team 1x PIAT anti-tank team 9 points Total 101 points

Terrain The Germans attack down the road toward the town. Two small woods flank the road, but it is not bocage country. The Canadians have the advantage of the cover of the town.    The Historical Battle Meyer attacked with elements of the first battalion of his 25. SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment with support from the Panzer IV H tanks of 8 kompanie. He was facing the Canadian North Nova Scotia Highlanders with support from the 27th Armoured Brigade. Meyer was reported to be often well ahead of his forces directing the attack from his motorcycle. Just as the Canadians were on the verge of collapse Meyer saw that he was ahead of the rest of the German lines. With his position exposed and fresh Allied forces moving up on his flanks Meyer was forced to call off his attack.   More about Kurt 'Panzer' Meyer… More on the fighting between the Canadians and the 12. SS-Panzerdivision...