Category: AWW AAR No 1 (Page 2 of 2)

Beginning with the easiest sectors, the farthest north Finnish unit, the 1-6 Ski III 41 at wooded swamp road hex 1013, retreats southwards six hexes to wooded swamp rail/road junction hex 1516 on the Kandalaksha-Salla-Torino transportation line. It is maneuvering to possibly take the place of the imperiled 1-6 Ski III 1/LR at wooded swamp road hex 1511, which is confronted by the much more powerful Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 14 at adjacent Salla, at woods road hex 1510. The beleaguered 1-6 Ski III l/LR retreats one hex westwards to wooded swamp road hex 1512. This will likely force the Soviets to ultimately keep the 1-6 Inf III 529 behind at Salla as its garrison; right now it’s close by at wooded rough road hex 1509. In the meantime it’s unlikely that the Soviet winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 at Petsamo (0304) will begin marching southwards down the road towards Ivalo (0610). In any event it probably should stay at Petsamo as its garrison per Rule 37F.

However, an informative off-line email from an interested EA member has brought to my attention that the Soviet winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 at Petsamo is likely in regular supply in SoS NTO scenarios per Rule 12B4-Tracing Supply: Naval. In other words, a “naval element of a supply line” can apparently be traced from the Soviet owned and controlled port of Murmansk to Soviet occupied and controlled Petsamo, at least until perhaps Allied intervention occurs. By the same token, I’m thinking that a Finnish ground unit at Petsamo, say placed there at the beginning of a SoS NTO scenario (and using all the SoS maps), could be in supply by the same “naval element” rule perhaps until German intervention occurs in the game. What does the EA Answer Guy think regarding both situations at Petsamo?

Farther south, the *1-6 Ski III 2/LR stays put at woods road hex 2114 on the Loukhi-Kestenga-Kuusamo-Oulu transportation line. The Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 163 four hexes eastwards at Kuusamo (2010) is likely going nowhere and will probably remain there as the captured Finnish point city’s garrison.

Continuing southwards, the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR stands fast at Soumussalmi, at woods road hex 2612, on the Kem-Ukhta-Soumussalmi transportation line. The Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 54 and the 0-5 Const III 9 stacked together three hexes away at woods road border hex 2510 just inside the USSR will likely linger in that remote and desolate vicinity for a turn or two.

At woods road hex 2913, right on the A weather line, the 1-2-8 Ski X Rv still blocks the Soviet invasion penetration along the Rugozero-Kuhmo transportation line up to adjacent Kuhmo, just to the east at woods road hex 2912. At Soviet occupied Kuhmo the 2-6 Art X 45 uses the remaining air dropped supply point (done on the Dec II 39 Soviet turn) two hexes away at wooded swamp hex 3010 as a special supply source. The winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 stacked with it becomes black U-3 in the Finnish initial phase and is perhaps both cold and hungry.

In the vast Ladogan Karelia region stretching between Lieksa (3312) just below the A weather line southwards to Sortavala (4211) on the north shore of Lake Ladoga, the Finnish front line probably could be described as broken. There is a wide open three hex gap precisely in the middle of the front line of this important region at 3912-3812-3712, directly between the Lake Janis and the Lake Keitele zones. At the start of the movement phase the strongest Finnish unit in their flimsy front line in the Lake Keitele zone is the solitary *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR at forest hex 3611. Should the Finns maneuver to stand fast in the Ladogan Karelia or should they attempt a “run away” retreat to positions perhaps just beyond the Soviet regular supply limit of four overland hexes and four road hexes in snow weather to the Soviet rail net?

In the initial phase the *3-4-6 Inf XX 12 and the *1-6 Ski 2/KR units lost in combat last turn are resurrected with Finnish infantry replacement points and placed at Helsinki. This leaves the Finns with ½ accumulated infantry replacement points. A new resource point is also placed at Helsinki. Then, as if once again proving desperate men will do desperate things, the Finns burn their new resource point at Helsinki early in the movement phase per Optional Rule 44B2-Temporary Rail Capacity Increase, in order to add 2 ½ REs to their regular rail cap of 5. They then rail the *3-4-6 Inf XX 12 from Helsinki to woods rail/road junction hex 3713. Afterwards the Finns rail the *1-6 Ski III 2/KR to 4313, where it spends its remaining MPs to regular move across the frozen full lake hexside to the western end of Valamo Island at clear terrain island hex 4312. The Finns still have a remaining resource point at woods rail junction hex 4314. The 0-6 RR Eng III Yhd ends the movement phase at adjacent woods rail junction hex 4414, having moved one hex.

The reinforcement 1-2-6 Inf III 23/67 is brought on at Viipuri (4517) in the initial phase and in the movement phase it regular moves to Mannerheim Line fort hex 4615 at the center of the Karelian Isthmus. The reinforcement 1-6 Inf III 22/63 is brought on at Kotka (4521) and rails to Line fort woods hex 4617, as is also the Foreign Aid (via Sweden) reinforcement pos flk unit initially placed at Torino (1820) up by the Swedish-Finnish border. The reinforcement 1-6 Inf III 21/61 is brought on at Kuopio (3417) and rails to Sortavala. The 0-1-6 Const III Kar at Sortavala spends MPs to upgrade the 2-cap temporary airfield there to a 3-cap. The 0-1-6 Inf III HL at Viipuri moves one hex to Mannerhiem Line fort hex 4717 on the Gulf of Finland coast and the 0-1-8 Cycle III VL there moves one hex to occupy Viipuri, just in case. Then the *2-6 Inf X 1 starting the turn at 4616 first rails to 3713 and then regular moves one hex west to forest road hex 3712. The 0-1-6 Const III Kan remains at Gulf of Finland coast hex 4617, beginning the second and final turn of its two turn fort construction there.

By the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Finnish ground units in the Lake Keitele zone are as follows:

Forest hex 3211 (on the A weather line): guerrilla unit 1-6 Ski X Kymen in combat mode, from 3311

Lieksa (3312): vacant

Wooded intermittent lake hex 3410: dummy guerrilla unit, never moved

Forest rail hex 3512: 0-6 Lt Tnk II 1, never moved

Woods hex 3511: guerrilla unit 1-6 Ski X SH in combat mode, never moved

Woods hex 3510: dummy guerrilla unit, never moved

Forest hex 3611: *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR, never moved; and 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J, regular moved from 3411

Woods rail/road junction hex 3713: *3-4-6 Inf XX 12, replacement railed in from Helsinki

Forest road hex 3712: *2-6 Inf X 1, railed from 4617 and regular moved.

By error the Finnish side accidently brought in a guerrilla unit and a dummy guerrilla unit on the previous Dec II 39 Finnish turn. These Finnish conditional reinforcements are supposed to come in on the “I” turn of each month. This error was also spotted by the interested EA member, who politely brought this to my attention. Consequently, no Finnish partisan units were brought in this turn and I think that fortunately the current war game has not been skewed or ruined by this error.

By the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Finnish ground units in the Lake Janis zone are as follows:

Woods rail hex 3912: *3-4-6 Inf XX 13, regular moved from 4112

Woods Janis coast rail hex 4011: *1-6 Ski III B, regular moved from 4112

Woods rail junction hex 4112: 4-5-6 Inf XX 6 and 1-2-6 Inf III 21/60, regular moved from 4011

Sortavala (4211): 4-6 Inf XX 1, 1-2-6 Ski III 1/KR, and 0-1-6 Const III Kar, never moved; 1-6 Inf III 21/61, railed in; D.XXI F type and C.X A type air units @ the 3-cap temporary air field there

West end of Valamo Island hex 4312: *1-6 Ski III 2/KR, replacement railed from Helsinki and then regular moved.

By the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Finnish ground units in the Mannerheim Line in the Karelian Isthmus zone are as follows:

G. of Finland coast hex 4717: 4-5-6 Inf XX 5, never moved 1-6 Inf III 40, never moved 1-6 Inf III 22/64, never moved 0-1-6 Inf III MLR, never moved 0-1-6 Inf III UR, never moved 0-1-6 Inf III HL, moved in from Viipuri 0-1-0 Art II SHRT, never moved

Viipuri-Leningrad woods rail hex 4616: *3-4-6 Inf XX 9, never moved *1-6 Inf X 4, never moved 1-6 Inf III 22/63, railed in reinforcement 1-6 Art III 3, never moved pos flk unit, railed in reinforcement

Central fort line wooded intermittent lake hex 4615: 4-5-6 Inf XX 4, never moved *1-2-6 Inf III B, never moved 1-2-6 Inf III 22/65, never moved 1-2-6 Inf III 23/67, never moved 2-6 Art III 2, never moved pos flk unit, never moved

Vuoksa Lake/Causeway woods rail hex 4614: 4-5-6 Inf XX 11, never moved 0-1-6 Inf III RR, never moved

Ladoga coast hex 4613: 4-5-6 Inf XX 10, never moved *1-2-6 Inf III B, never moved 1-8 Ski III 1-2 J, never moved pos flk unit, never moved.

It appears that at the Mannerheim Line in the Karelian Isthmus a critical mass, or tipping point, has been reached in the current SoS NTO scenario study. Next turn the Soviets have their big 9-6 Art XX 1 in place at the Karelian Isthmus front line at 4816, have at least two Pltcl Pol IIIs in the zone, and will very likely have two corps markers flipped to their regular stacking sides. The two most vulnerable Finnish Mannerheim Line fort hexes appear to be the G. of Finland coast hex 4717 and the Central fort line hex 4615. The latest calculations I’ve done for a maximum Soviet two hex attack next turn, using two Pltcl Pol IIIs, their art XX in place, 1/7 engineering attack capability, and the maximum SoS rules allowable GS addition adds up to around 49-51 ½, depending upon which of the two hexes are attacked. In my game, in these particular circumstances, a 3 to 1 -2 is prohibitive and a 4 to 1 -2 signifies a certain battle for a Mannerheim Line hex. All things considered, the Finns don’t want to add any more ground units to the Mannerheim Line, regardless of consequences at the Isthmus. In this situation the Finns will apparently “offer” G. of Finland hex 4717 to a likely 4 to 1 -2 and see what happens; right now it appears to be the expendable Mannerheim Line hex.

Kotka is still guarded by the 0-1-6 Inf III KL. At Helsinki (4526) are the Finnish govt. marker, the 0-1-6 Inf III HaL, and two pos flk units. At Turku (4230) are anchored the 2-pt BD TF Ilmar and the River Flotilla Sissa. This turn Finnish icebreakers keep the port of Turku open per Rule 37E1-Finnish Icebreakers. The factory still functions at Tampere (3825).

The winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 at Petsamo (0304) becomes red U-3 in the initial phase. At Murmansk are the 3-6 Inf XX 49, a pos flk unit, the light TF Flotilla-1, and the reinf 1-15 F type air unit.

In preparation for an attack on the Finnish 1-6 Ski III 1/LR at Salla (1510), the 4-6 Inf XX 14 stacks with the 1-6 Inf III 529 at adjacent eastern wooded rough road hex 1509. The 1-6 Inf III 19 admin moves from Kandalaksha to Allakruti (1508) in order to maintain the 1 RE garrison at the captured Finnish point city.

In the combat phase the Finnish ski III attempts to retreat before combat per Rule 14F-Ski Units, but rolls a 4: Failure. However, the Soviets manage to roll a 2 on a 9 to 1 -3, and so the 1-6 Ski III 1/LR retreats one hex westwards to wooded swamp road hex 1511. The 4-6 Inf XX 14 advances into Salla after combat.

Farther south the 4-6 Inf XX 163 continues to garrison captured Finnish point city Kuusamo (2010). Its rearguard, the winterized 1-6 Inf III 8 A, admin moves away to now guard Ukhta (2508). The 0-5 Const III 9 beginning the turn at Ukhta moves to USSR woods road border hex 2510 and stacks with the 4-6 Inf XX 54 already there. An at start I-152 still bases at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at Kestenga (2107). The 0-1-5 Const X 7 rails all the way from hex 4815 one hex north of Leningrad, to nearby Loukha on the Murmansk railway, at woods rail junction hex 2104 (w/ a 1-cap permanent air strip). A reinf 1-152 air unit is also placed at the airstrip.

From the freshly upgraded 3-cap permanent airfield at Ukhta, the three T type air units based there fly another supply point airdrop mission to wooded swamp border hex 3010, 5 hexes to the SW just inside Finland. Of the six supply points air dropped only one successfully lands, and so a single status point marker is placed atop the 0-1-8 Bdr 5 guarding the hex, along with the other status point marker placed there earlier during the Dec II Soviet turn. The TB-3, the G-1, and the G-2 return to base at Ukhta.

The winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 and the 2-6 Art X 45 remain at Kuhmo (2912). The winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3 advances one hex SW to forest road border hex 3111, still inside the USSR, in an effort to better secure the south flank of the Soviet drive down the Rugozero-Kuhmo transportation line. In an expensive effort to strengthen the Soviet invasion penetration up to captured Kuhmo, the 1-2-6 MG X 7 A (from Murmansk railway hex 5112) and the 0-5 Const III 8 from Medvezhyegortsk (3704) rail all the way down to the secondary rail line terminus at Rugozero and end their admin movement stacked together at forest road hex 3207. The 0 strength const III could have admin moved one hex farther to forest road hex 3208, but stayed put with the MG X due to the risk of guerrilla attack.

In the Lake Keitele-Ilomantsi zone of the Ladogan Karelia the Soviets move to close in with ZOCs and attack the Finnish 3-4-6 Inf XX 12 at Ilomantsi at woods road hex 3711; the zone lynch pin is a weak spot. At the beginning of the combat phase the Soviet Army’s disposition in the zone’s front line is as follows:

Woods hex 3610: 3-6 Inf XX 122, from 3310 on the A weather line Wooded intermittent lake road hex 3710: 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44 from 3610 and 1-2-8 Para-Inf III 214 from 3708 Wooded intermittent lake hex 3810: two 4-6 Inf XXs, 18 from 4010 and 50 from 3710; 1-6 AA III 8 from 4010 Woods hex 3811: 3-6 Inf XX 56 from 3810.

This tallies to a total of 20 attack factors against the Finnish 4 at Ilomantsi. It is out of range of DAS from the C.X A type at Sortayala (4211). The Soviets attack at 5 to 1 -2 and roll a 4: DR, which means elimination for the Finnish Inf XX 12 because the unit is ZOC’d by the Soviet XXs. The following Soviet units advance into Ilomantsi after combat: the two 4-6 Inf XXs 18 and 50, and the 1-6 AA III 8.

Meanwhile, the Soviets are careful enough to rail and admin move down the Medvezhygorsk-Ilomantsi transportation line the reinf 3-2-8 Arm X 28 to USSR forest road border hex 3708; to adjacent wooded swamp road hex 3707 is railed the winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142 from the Karelian Isthmus.

Things also begin to warm up in the Lake Janis zone of the Ladogan Karelia. At the end of the movement phase the Soviet dispositions in the Lake Janis zone are:

Woods Lake Janis coast hex 4010: 3-6 Inf XX 155 from nearby and the 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 1 from 4111 Woods s. rail junction hex 4111: winterized 4-6 Inf XX 168, never moved; 3-6 Inf XX 1 FNA from 4108; two 3-2-8 Arm Xs 20 and 34, never moved Woods Lake Ladoga coast s. rail hex 4210: 3-6 Inf XX 136 from 4510 and 3-2-8 Art 8 from 4111 Woods Lake Ladoga coast s. rail terminus/road hex 4310 (Pitkaranta): 3-6 Inf XX 139 and 3-2-8 Arm 13, from nearby Clear terrain Lake Ladoga coast road hex 4410: 1-2-8 Par Inf X 204 from 4409 and 2-6 Art X 56 from 4608. The rearward Soviet forces in the Lake Janis zone of the Ladogan Karelia are as follows: Woods s. rail hex 4110: 1-2-8 Para Inf 201 from 4109 Woods border Finnish hex 4309: 2-3-6 Inf XX 2 FNA from 4109 Woods hex 3909: 1-8 Cav III 1 from 3809 Wooded intermittent s. rail line border hex 4008: (Soujarvi): 0-1-8 Bdr III 6 Woods s. rail terminus Finnish border hex 4108: reinf 4-6 Inf XX 11 railed and admin moved in from SW Leningrad partial city hex 5114 Woods s. rail terminus USSR border hex 4207: 2-1-8 Lt Arm X 1 admin moved, railed, admin moved again, and exploited to here from Kronshtadt.

Although the northern wing of the Soviet Lake Janis zone was depleted to reinforce the attack against the Finnish inf XX at Ilomantsi in the Lake Keitele zone, the Soviet’s southern wing is still strong and has enough artillery plus some GS A types in range to possibly attack with good odds the Finnish *1-6 Ski III 2/KR at the east end of Valamo Island hex 4311. Near the end of the movement phase the Soviet player sends a reinf I-16/t17 from Leningrad and an I-152 from the at start 3-cap permanent airfield at nearby Ladoga eastern shore hex 4608 on CAP missions over the Finnish 2-cap temporary airfield at Sortayala. Afterwards the Soviets send an I-16/t10 from hex 4608 on the CAP mission over Valamo Island hex 4311. The Finnish D.XXI F type based at Sortayala declines to intercept either of the phasing player’s CAP missions. Shortly later in the movement phase the Soviets send an air strike against the Sortayala airfield utilizing the tac factors of the two old SB-2s and the two R-5Sh’s from the Leningrad zone; the mission is escorted by the other new reinf I-16/t17 F type from Leningrad. Yet again the Finnish fighter based at the to be bombed airfield refuses to intercept. The bombers add their tac factors together to get a chance on the 2 bombing strength column of the SoS Bombing Table, but in the end roll a Miss.

Early in the combat phase the Finnish air force makes its move and sends the C.X A type on a DAS mission to Valamo Island hex 4311 with their fighter as escort. The I-152 patrol attacks the Finnish fighter and rolls a 1: attacker Aborted. The I-16/t17 patrols the A type and rolls a No Effect. When the Finnish air force reaches the target hex at 4311 the last operative Soviet I-16/t10 F type at the at start 3-cap permanent airfield at USSR hex 4608 intercepts, joining the other I-16/t10 unit already there on its CAP mission. Both line up against the two Finnish air units and the first Soviet I-16/t10 F type is killed by the Finnish D.XXI F type and the other Soviet fighter Returns the Finnish C.X A type. After both sides’ air units that participated in the lively Finnish DAS air mission return to base inoperative, the Soviets then send two SB-2bis’ from Leningrad on the GS mission to Valamo Island hex 4311; by now there is no need of a fighter escort. The Soviets, attacking the Finnish *1-6 Ski III 2/KR at Valamo Island hex 4311 across three full lake hexsides, have an attack factor tally as follows: 5 artillery combat factors (the 2-6 and 3-2-8 art X’s) + 2 ½ inf and arm terrain factored combat factors (10 total, quartered) + 1 weather factored GS tac factor = 8 1/2; against 1 supported Finnish defense factor is 8 to 1 -1 (for winter). The Soviets roll good and get a 5; which modified to 4 is still a DE. After combat the Soviets move into Valamo Island hex 4311 the 2-6 Art X 56 and the 3-2-8 Arm X 13.

By the end of the exploitation phase the Soviet air force dispositions in what might be called the vast Soviet Lake Onega region is as follows:

At swamp frozen White Sea port, coast rail, and 1-cap permanent airstrip hex 2901 (Belomorsk): one SB-2bis, from the GS mission At Medvezhyegortsk’s 3-cap permanent airfield at woods Lake Onega coast rail hex 3704: one SB-2bis, from the GS mission; one transferred I-16 At reference city Pertrozavodsk at clear terrain Lake Onega coast rail junction hex 4305, w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield: the two vintage SB-2s from the airfield bombing mission and a transferred I-16 At start 3-cap permanent airfield at Lake Ladoga coast road USSR hex 4608: one I-16/t17, a transferred I-153, and the transferred R-10.

Per the AWW Soviet OB, presumably in the initial phase, the Soviet player this turn “flip[s] any one Corps HQ to its regular stacking side.” In the SoS NTO Study game the Soviets do just this to the 3rd Inf XXX marker already on-map at woods rail hex 4716 in the unit crowded Karelian Isthmus zone. Now, per Rules 8C and 38H2a-Reduced Stacking, units in the 3rd Inf XXX marker box can regular stack per Rule 8A1-Stacking Limit: Regular. By the end of the exploitation phase the 3rd Inf XXX marker box for the 3rd Inf XXX marker on-map at hex 4716 in Finland contains the three 5-6 Inf XXs 24, 70, and 100; the two Eng IIIs 7 and 8; the 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 3; the 4-2-8 Art X LVO, and the 3-2-8 Art X 7.

At G. of Finland clear terrain coast rail border hex 4816 in Finland are the 4-6 Inf XX 43, the reinf 9-6 Art XX 1, the 1-6 Eng III 9, the Pltcl Pol III 2, and a pos flk factor. At rearwards USSR woods border hex 4814 are the 4-6 Inf XX 138, the 1-6 Lt AA III 7, the 2-0-6 Siege Art X LVO, and the two 2-6 Art Xs 1 and 3. At G. of Finland clear terrain coast rail border hex 4815 in Finland are the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 25, the 3-2-8 Arm X 39, the *1-2-8 Mot MG X 50, and the two 2-6 Art Xs 19 and 50.

At the center of the Soviet front line in the Karelian Isthmus zone, at woods hex 4715 in Finland are the two 4-6 Inf XXs 4 and 75, the two 3-2-6 [Heavy] Arm Xs 35 and 40, and a pos flk unit. At USSR Lake Ladoga coast border hex 4713 are the two 4-6 Inf XXs 41 and 90. At Finnish woods rail border hex 4714 are the two 4-6 Inf XXs 52 and 123, the 2-6 Art 34, and a pos flk unit. The rest of the Soviet Karelian Isthmus forces are at 4813, at three Leningrad hexes (including this turn’s new resource point, the 0-1-8 Bdr III 4, the two Nvl Trps IIIs), and Kronshtadt.

The 3-6 Inf XX 150 and the 1-8 Cav III 5 advance across the frozen sea ice to the Gulf of Finland Finnish sea isle of Tytar at 4820; I believe this is the maximum limit of their regular supply line to the Soviet rail net at 5118.

The two reinf 3-6 Inf XXs 33 and 62 admin move six hexes from Leningrad along the Murmansk railway to Murmansk railway hex 5009 on the southern shores of Lake Ladoga.

Late in the exploitation phase the Soviet air force launches another big terror bombing raid against Helsinki (4526) with six SB-2bis A types and the DB-3b, the DB-3t, and the DB-3m B types, all based in the Leningrad-Kronshtadt zone. One SB-2bis is aborted by Helsink’s two pos flk factors. After doing the terror bombing die rolls against Helsinki, the Soviets score one terror bombing hit.

By the end of the exploitation phase the deployment of the Soviet air units in the Leningrad-Kronshtadt-Tallinn region is as follows:

Tallinn (4816): one 1-153, one conversion I-16/t18 Kronshtadt (4916): an I-153, the two R-5Sh’s, and the DB-3m Leningrad NE partial city hex 4914: one 1-16, one 1-16/t10, and one I-16/t17 Leningrad central full city hex 5014: three SB-2bis’ East Leningrad partial city hex 5013: two SB-2bis’ SW Leningrad partial city hex 5115: the DB-3b SE Leningrad partial city hex 5114: the DB-3t.

Using 4X6 index cards and an assortment of colored perma markers and highlighters, homemade SoS NTO Scenario Finnish and Soviet Union Game Charts are made with boxes for their respective Replacement Pool, Aborted Air Units, and Eliminated Air Units, as evidently neither the AWW nor the SoS game box kits provide any.

In the Finnish initial phase the 0-1-5 Const III Kan at clear terrain Gulf of Finland coast hex 4617 in the Karelian Isthmus begins building a two turn fort there. The resource point at adjacent Viipuri is expended. Also, early in the movement phase the Finns expend the resource point at Helsinki to add 2 ½ REs to their rail net capacity, increasing it to a total of 7 ½ this turn; this is per Optional Rule 44B2-Temporary Rail Capacity Increase.

Starting with the farthest north Finnish unit, the 1-6 Ski III 41 remains at woooded swamp road hex 1013, thirteen road hexes away from the red U-2 Soviet winterized inf XX at Petsamo (0304) and six road hexes from Finnish secondary rail/road junction hex 1516.

The likely unfortunate 1-6 Ski III 1/LR at Salla (1510), on the Kandalaksha-Torino transportation line, prepares for the worst by staying put. It’s probably unrealistic to expect it to stand up to and survive a combined stack attack by the Soviet 1-6 inf III at road hex 1509 & the 4-6 inf XX at 1508 (Allakurtti). Due to the Soviet inf III’s Arctic ZOCs it cannot escape the looming Soviet attack.

Farther south, the now black U-2 *1-6 Ski III 2/LR at woods road hex 2113 on the Loukhi-Kestenga-Kussamo-Oulu transportation line retreats another hex westwards to woods road hex 2114. This puts it six road hexes from rail/road junction Gulf of Bothnia coast hex 2119 (Oulu, a reference city & standard port on the frozen Gulf); hence it should be back in supply in the Jan I 40 Soviet initial phase.

The 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR at Soumussalimi (at woods road junction hex 2612) advances one hex eastwards to wooded swamp road border hex 2611, still inside Finland. Three hexes farther south at woods road hex 2913 right on the A weather line, the 1-2-8 Ski X Rv stays put, facing down the adjacent Soviet stack at Kuhmo (2912). This Soviet stack, containing a 2-6 art X and a winterized 1-6 inf III, becomes black U-2 in the initial phase. But also in the Finnish initial phase the “delivered” air dropped Soviet single supply point status marker two hexes away at wooded swamp hex 3010 is designated as a special supply source for the 2-6 art X at Kuhmo. The current defense strength of the Soviet stack at Kuhmo therefore appears to be 2 ½: 2 for the 2-6 art X in special supply and stacked with a 1 RE inf III, and ½ for the winterized 1-6 inf III, currently (black) U-2 for lack of supply. I believe in the historical Winter War campaign the road to Khumo was a frozen Finnish death road for the unsupplied Soviet invaders there. Soviet stack at Kuhmo is perhaps a potential Soviet combat defeat waiting to happen.

There is a flurry of Finnish maneuvering in the entire Ladogan Karelia region from Lieksa (3312) just south of the A weather line all the way down to Sortayala (4211) on the northern shores of Lake Ladoga. In the initial phase the 1-6 Ski X Kymen guerrilla unit is brought in as a Conditional Reinforcement in its initial hidden guerrilla mode at woods hex 3510. This is adjacent to the Soviet 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44 at 3610 and the Finnish guerrilla dummy unit at woods hex 3511, brought in the last Finnish turn. A new Finnish dummy guerrilla unit is placed at woods hex 3809, to the rear of the Soviet mot inf XX. A little later in their initial phase the Finns flip to their revealed side both the new 1-6 Ski X Kymen guerrilla at hex 3510 and the 1-6 Ski X SH hidden guerrilla brought in last turn at nearby forest hex 3611. Now both formerly hidden guerrilla units are operating in combat mode. By the end of the Finnish movement phase the Finnish deployment in the Lake Keitele zone of the Ladogan Karelia is as follows:

At Ilomantsi (3711):*3-4-6 Inf XX 12; never moved
Forest hex 3611: *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR; moved in from Lieksa (3312), now vacant
Forest rail hex 3512: 0-6 Lt Arm II 1; railed from 4415 @ 1 RE cost for being mot
Woods hex 3511: guerrilla unit 1-6 Ski X SH in combat mode; moved in from 3611
Woods hex 3510: new dummy guerrilla unit; moved in from 3809
Woods hex 3411: 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J; never moved
Woods hex 3410: dummy guerrilla unit from last turn; moved in from 3511
Forest hex 3311 (on the A weather line): new guerrilla unit 1-6 Ski X Kymen in combat mode; from 3510.

The first unit moved in the Finnish movement phase is the Finnish D.XXI F type air unit based at the dot city of Tampere (3825) to help protect the factory there from an air strike. The Finnish fighter transfers to the 1-cap temporary airfield at Sortayala (4211), where the C.X A type air unit is also based. The Finns are anxious to move it before the Soviets wise up and maybe send their fighters on a CAP mission over the hex, which they could have done in the initial phase. At Sortayala the 0-1-5 Const III Kar spends 5 MPs to up the 1-cap temporary airfield there to a 2-cap, with a net of 2 construction MPs pocketed for further possible airfield build use later. Later, the resource point at Sortayala rails to woods rail junction hex 4314.

The two *2-6 Inf IIIs 2 & 3, beginning at Mannerheim Line fort hex 4614 on the Lake Ladoga coastline, move one hex north out of enemy ZOCs to wooded intermittent lake rail hex 4514 (Kakisalmi) and then rail to Sortayala. At the end of the movement phase they assemble into the new 4-6 Inf XX 1 placed on the Finnish breakdown chart per this turn’s AWW Finnish OB reinforcements. In other games the 4-6 Inf XX 1 would perhaps make an impressive appearance at Lieksa.

The 1-2-6 Inf III 21/60 reinforcement is brought on-map at reference city Kuopio (3417) and is railed to 3912, from where it regular moves to adjacent woods rail hex 4011, behind Lake Janis. The *1-6 Ski III B, a breakdown of the 4-5-6 Inf XX 8 at Mannerheim Line fort & rail hex 4614, rails to 4212 and then moves to woods rail junction hex 4112. At the end of their movement phase the Finnish deployment in the Lake Janis zone is as follows:

East end of Valamo Island hex 4311: *1-6 Ski III 2/KR, never moved
Sortayala (4211): 4-6 Inf XX 1, newly assembled; 0-1-5 Const II Kar, never moved; 1-2-6 Ski III 1/KR moved in from 4210; 2-cap temporary airfield, D.XXI F type & C.X A type air units
Woods rail junction hex 4112: *3-4-6 Inf XX 13, moved in from adjacent hex 4011; *1-6 Ski III B railed from the Mannerheim Line
Woods Janis coast rail hex 4011: 4-5-6 Inf XX 6, moved in from adjacent hex 4112; 1-2-6 Inf III 21/60, reinf railed from Kuopio.
At woods secondary rail hex 4111 the Soviets have a winterized 4-6 inf XX, two 3-2-8 art Xs, the 3-2-8 Art X 8, and the 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 1. At 4010 they have a 4-6 inf XX and the 1-6 Lt AA III 8. At nearby Pikaranta (4310) is the 3-6 Inf XX 139. At woods secondary rail hex 4110 is a 3-6 inf XX & the 3-2-8 Arm X 13.

In the Karelian Isthmus it is realized that a misunderstanding of Rule 37A4-The Vuoksa River System (NTO Scenario) has led to the Mannerheim Line being too stoutly defended at the beginning of the game. The two appropriate Q&As on the AWW Errata, Sept. 13, ’94 help clarify the situation there. Accordingly, the two *2-6 inf Xs from fort hex 4613 move and then rail to Sortayala. At the start of the movement phase the 4-5-6 Inf XX 8 at fort hex 4614 is broken down to the “B” Inf XX’s supported III components and then dispersed. On the other hand, the “A” Inf XX’s unsupported IIIs & HQ unit components are reassembled at the end of the movement phase and the *3-4-6 Inf XX 9 is placed on-map at fort hex 4616 in order to have there a XX with ZOCs. The 1-6 Inf III 22/64 reinforcement is brought on at Viipuri and moved into the Mannerheim Line. In the naval movement sub-phase of their movement phase the Finns sea transport to Viipuri the 0-1-8 Cycle III VL from Helsinki and the 0-1-6 Inf III HL from Turku (4230). The 0-1-6 inf III remains at Viipuri and the cycle III moves into the Line. The pos flk unit at Line fort hex 4616 is railed to Helsinki. The 0-6 RR Eng III Yhd rails to woods rail junction hex 4415. At the end of the movement phase the Finnish deployment in the five Mannerheim Line hexes is as follows:

G. of Finland coast hex 4717:
4-5-6 Inf XX 5, never moved
1-6 Inf III 40, moved in from 4616
1-6 Inf III 22/64, reinforcement moved in from Viipuri
0-1-6 Inf III MLR, never moved
0-1-8 Cycle III VL, sea transported to Viipuri from Helsinki, then moved in
0-1-6 Inf III UR, moved in from 4616
0-1-0 Art II SHRT, never moved
pos flk unit, never moved

Viipuri-Leningrad woods rail hex 4616:
*3-4-6 Inf XX 9, assembled here
*2-6 Inf X 1, moved in from 4717
*1-6 Inf X 4, moved in from 4717
1-6 Art III 3, never moved

Central fort line wooded intermittent lake hex 4615:
4-5-6 Inf XX 4, never moved
*1-2-6 Inf III B; broke down this turn, moved in from 4614
1-2-6 Inf III 22/65, never moved
2-6 Art III 2, never moved
pos flk unit, never moved

Vuoksa Lake/Causeway woods rail hex 4614:
4-5-6 Inf XX 11, never moved
0-1-6 Inf III RR, moved in from 4615
Ladoga coast hex 4613:

4-5-6 Inf XX 10, never moved
1-8 Ski III 1-2 J, moved in from 4615
*1-2-6 Inf III B; broke down this turn, moved in from 4614
pos flk unit, never moved.
The Soviets have the following defense factor totals in the southwards hexes adjacent to the Finnish Mannerheim Line: 4816-10 defense factors plus one pos flk; 4716-13 defense factors plus 2 AA factors; 4714-12 defense factors plus one pos flk; 4714-12 defense factors plus one pos flk; & 4713-10 defense factors. In both the Karelian Isthmus and the Ladogan Karelia the forward Soviet stacks seem to be strong enough to prevent the Finns from attacking, certainly looking for successful combat die rolls aided by the + die roll modifiers found in Rules 15 I.-Winterization & J.-Woodsmanship.

The 0-1-6 Inf III HaL vacates now empty Hanko (4530) and admin moves to Helsinki (4526), stacking there with two pos flk units (one of them railed from the Line), and the Finnish govt. marker. The 0-1-6 Inf III KL remains at reference city/sea isle Kotka (4521); and the 0-1-6 Inf III HL is at Viipuri (4517). The 0-1-8 Cycle III TL garrison remains at the Aland Islands. The SoS 2-pt TF Ilmar and the Sisa river flotilla (moved in from the Aland Islands), both anchor at Turku. It would have perhaps livened up the game this turn by sending the Ilmar TF, the river flotilla Sisa, and one of the pos flk units at Helsinki to Viipuri, but not this game. At the turn’s end the Finns have 2 ½ inf repl points and 2 ARPs, per the SoS Errata Sheet 18 Jan 1999. On the Jan I 40 turn they will receive a new resource point at Helsinki.

At the start of the new game turn the Soviet player rolls a 3 on the GE Weather Table, and so the weather is the same as the scenario’s Dec I 39 starting conditions per Rule 41G2: snow in zones A, B, & C, winter in zone D. A 3 is rolled on the Sea Conditions Table: stormy in the Arctic Ocean and calm in the Baltic Sea. No Soviet amphibious operations were planned for this turn. Right now the Finnish Coast Defenses’ naval combat strength levels indicated on the AWW Coast Defenses Chart: Finland (used in the SoS NTO Scenario), along with an 0-1-6 inf III Coastal Command unit at each of the two apparently most vulnerable Finnish coastal hexes for Soviet amphibious operations in terms of war game victory, eg., Helsinki & Kotka, inhibit any Soviet amphibious operations this turn.

In the Soviet initial phase the winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 occupying Petsamo in Finland becomes red U-2. The ribs of these Reds will no doubt soon be sticking out, as there seems to be no ready way the Soviets can somehow “deliver” supply points to them. Although I believe the Arctic Ocean isn’t icebound in the winter between Petsamo and Murmansk, the three Soviet NTPs available in the game are found only in the soon to be frozen Gulf of Finland region. Also, the SoS DD Flotilla-1 (light) TF anchored at nearby Murmansk has a naval combat strength of just 1, and so therefore per Rule 27A1-Strength and AA, doesn’t have a cargo capacity. Maybe more later on how to possibly supply the winterized inf XX at Petsamo.

Meanwhile the 3-6 Inf XX 49, three rail hexes south of Kandalaksha, rails on northwards to Murmansk; then the 4-6 Inf XX 14 beginning the turn at Murmansk rails southwards to rail terminus hex 1605 on the Kandalaksha-Torino transportation line and then admin moves westwards down the road to wooded rough road border hex 1508 (Allakurtti), just inside Finland. In Soviet occupied Finland the 1-6 Inf III 529 moves one hex westwards to road hex 1509, just in front of the Finnish 1-6 Ski III 1/LR at Salla (1510). On the Murmansk railway where it runs along the frozen White Sea coastline at woods coast hex 1904, the 1-6 Inf III 119 admin moves into Kandalaksha (1504), for now being a kind of small Soviet reserve in this frozen far north Arctic region.

Continuing southwards, the 4-6 Inf XX 163 marches into Finnish Kuusamo at woods hex 2010, where it ends its movement. It would have liked to move one more hex to adjacent wooded rough road hex 1911, deeper into the frozen Finnish Lapland(?), but Rule 37G-Occupation compels it to garrison the Finnish dot city for now. The winterized 1-6 Inf III 8 A admin moves from the Ukhta airfield (2508) inside the USSR to Finnish wooded intermittent lake road border hex 2110, adjacent to now Soviet controlled Kuusamo. The whole Soviet deployment in the remote & desolate Lapland region described above puts increasing pressure on both the Finnish Ski III five road hexes to the north at Salla and the still black U-1 Finnish *1-6 Ski 2/LR, located three road hexes westwards at woods road hex 2113.

The 4-6 Inf XX 54, beginning the turn U-1 at wooded swamp road border hex 2511 just inside Finland, retreats one hex backwards to USSR woods road border hex 2510 in order to get back into regular supply via a regular Arctic overland and road supply line to the secondary rail terminus six hexes away at Kestenga (2107), having been busted by an EA posse & the Law for tracing a three hex (in the Arctic) overland supply line to on-map supply points generated at the Soviet Ukhta airfield, but apparently per the Answer Guy not yet “delivered.” Three overland hexes away at the Ukhta airfield the Soviets still have 3 supply points generated in the Finnish turn and 7 supply points generated this Soviet turn. However, as a possible defense of the Answer Guy’s ruling, I will admit that found in the AWW Errata, Q&A Sept. 13, 1994 document, at one of the Q&As some apparent effort was made to indirectly imply that supply points ought to be “delivered” before “…they are represented by the use of status markers.” I still don’t like this, but am playing my war game at the EA’s game room, so to speak, and not my own, and so will try to show the owners some due respect for putting up with me; and of course I can still hope that maybe A. Goodwin will give my complaints some consideration when the AWW revision comes along, like he’s talked about in earlier EA postings.

Before proceeding further in their movement phase, the Soviets now send the G-1 & G-2 T type air units based at Ukhta on a supply point airdrop mission to wooded swamp hex 3010, 5 hexes away to the SW. Each air transport unit carries and airdrops into the hex 2 supply points; all four were generated earlier in the turn at the Ukhta airfield. Three supply points are scattered, but one successfully lands; and so the Soviets place a large numbered “1” status marker there, indicating the successfully air dropped (read: “delivered”) supply point. The two Soviet air transport units return to base inoperative at Ukhta. At Ukhta the 0-5 Const III 9 spends 3 MPs to finish rebuilding the at start 1-cap permanent airstrip there to a 3-cap permanent airfield. After some fretting, it decides to remain at the Ukhta hex.

The winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 and the 2-6 Art X 45 remain at woods road hex 2912 (Kuhmo). Both of these units are black U-1. The 0-1-8 Bdr III 5 moves into Finland to wooded swamp border hex 3010, guarding the recently air dropped supply point from Finnish guerrillas. The winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3 admin moves westwards down the Rugozero-Kuhmo transportation line to USSR forest road border hex 3110, adjacent to the bdr III. The black U-1 3-6 Inf XX 122 essentially retreats one hex eastwards along the A weather line to forest hex 3310. The three previously mentioned Soviet ground units should be in regular supply the next Finnish initial phase, but not the stack at Kuhmo.
Proceeding farther southwards, the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44, after much mulling, stays put at woods hex 3610, adjacent to the Finnish *3-4-6 Inf XX 12 at Ilomanti (3711) and the two guerrilla units at forest hexes 3611 & 3511. It’s tempting to attack at least one of the two Finnish guerrilla units in the adjacent forest hexes, but this turn the Soviets demur from attacking and occupying their forest hexes and opt for an alternative local strategy of maneuver. The 3-6 Inf XX 56 at woods road hex 3710 moves one hex SW to wooded intermittent lake hex 3810. The 4-6 Inf XX 50 the regular moves 3 hexes along the road and ends its move at 3710, in front of Ilomanti. The reinforcement 1-2-6 Para Inf X 214 rails from Leningrad and admin moves down the Medvezhyegorsk-Ilomanti road to USSR forest road border hex 3708, hoping to protect from guerrillas the rear of the Soviet front line forces two hexes westwards in the vicinity of Lake Kietele & Ilomanti. At Medvezhyegorsk (3704) the 0-5 Const III 8 spends all its MPs to finish rebuilding the 1-cap permanent airstrip there to a 3-cap permanent airfield.

Furthering their effort to steadily strengthen the Lake Janis zone, the Soviets begin three of their reinforcement ground units at SE Leningrad partial city hex 5114 and first rail them up the Murmansk railway to Lodeynoye Pole (4807), then admin move them up the coast road running along the eastern shores of Lake Ladoga towards Pitkaranta. The 3-6 Inf XX 136 ends its move at coast road border hex 4510, just inside Finland. The 1-2-8 Para Inf X 204 stops at adjacent Finnish wooded swamp border hex 4409, and the slower 2-6 Art X 56 finishes at USSR coast road hex 4608, guarding the at start 3-cap permanent airfield there.

The 0-1-8 Bdr IIIs 2 & 3, beginning their turn on the Murmansk railway on or above the A weather line, continue their long rail journey southward into the Leningrad-Karelian Isthmus Soviet zone in anticipation of their Jan I 40 conversion to Pltcl Pol IIIs. The 0-1-8 Bdr III 6 at Leningrad rails up the Murmansk railway to Petrozavodsk (4305), then admin moves westwards along the secondary rail line to Soujarvi (4008), in Finland, in order to garrison the captured Finnish point city.

The reinforcement 2-3-6 Inf XX 3 FNA from Petrozavodsk admin moves along the secondary rail line to woods secondary rail hex 4109 and stacks with the 1-2-6 Para Inf X 201, which was also moved there to guard against guerrillas. Two hexes to the NW the 1-8 Cav 1 ends the movement phase at wooded intermittent lake hex 3809.

In the Lake Janis zone of the Ladogan Karelia the Soviets begin a series of ground unit maneuvers obviously progressing towards a violent combat attack in the vicinity, either against the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/KR at woods secondary rail hex 4210 or, probably more likely, at woods secondary rail junction hex 4111, guarded by the Finnish HCR 4-5-6 Inf XX 6. By the end of the movement phase the Soviets have 14 attack factors (five units in all, including two inf XXs, an arm X, the 3-2-8 Art X 8, & the just converted 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 1 that moved in from 4409) at woods secondary rail hex 4110, adjacent to the Finnish inf XX. 11 attack factors (four units including an inf XX) are at woods hex 4010, adjacent to both Finnish occupied hexes. The 3-6 Inf XX 139 is at woods coast road/secondary rail terminus hex 4310 (Pitkaranta), adjacent to the Finnish ski III at 4210. At the very end of the movement phase the Soviets send a veritable Ladogan Karelia summertime mosquito swarm of fighter units on CAP missions over the zone from the two north Leningrad partial city hexes and the at start 3-cap permanent airfield at 4608. An 1-152 is over Sortayala at 4211; an 1-16/t10, an 1-16, and an 1-153 are over the 4-5-6 inf XX at 4111; and two 1-16s are over the 1-2-6 Ski III at 4210.

Early in the Soviet combat phase the Finnish C.X A type air unit based at the 1-cap temporary airfield at Sortayala fearlessly takes off on a DAS mission. The 1-152 flying CAP over the airfield hex patrol attacks, but rolls no effect. The Finnish A type flies to its target hex at 4111 to defend the 6th Inf XX and is then intercepted by the three Soviet fighters flying CAP over that hex. After much firing & missing, the third Soviet fighter to engage, the 1-153, rolls and Returns the C.X air unit. The only place it can land is back at Sortayala.

In their combat phase the Soviets attack the 4-5-6 Inf XX 6 from the two hexes at 5 to 1 -2 (w/ no GS) and roll a 5: DR. The Finnish inf XX retreats west to woods rail hex 4112, in between the 3-4-6 Inf XX 13 to the north at woods rail hex 4011 and the 0-1-5 Const III Kar to the south at Sortayala, on the Lake Ladoga coast. The Soviets advance some ground units into the hex after combat. For two turns in a row the lucky Finns have avoided the loss of an infantry division in the Lake Janis zone.

In the Leningrad-Karelian Isthmus Soviet zone there is a reshuffling of the forces there; the following is only a partial highlight listing. In USSR hex 4814, two hexes south from the Mannerheim Line front, there are five art Xs. This enables the Soviets to move them against any of the Finnish Mannerheim Line hexes. At Finnish Gulf coast border hex 4815 are the three 1-6 Eng IIIs, the 0-1-5 Const X from Kronshtadt, and the remaining art X in the zone. A two cap temporary airfield is built there this turn by the two reinforcement Eng IIIs 8 & 9 (per Stagliano’s “A Winter Additions: [Soviet] Order of Battle” from Europa #61).

A hard look is given to the idea of a big combat attack against the Finnish Mannerheim Line wooded intermittent lake Gulf of Finland coast fort hex 4717 (containing 10 def factors & a pos flk unit), liable for attack from the two adjacent Soviet occupied Karelian Isthmus land hexes south of it and perhaps also seawards by the two 5 strength SoS TFs Marat & O. Rev. Using also this turn’s available three eng IIIs to gain the +1 modifier, it appears that the Soviets could muster up to 32 ground attack factors (total of 16 non-artillery attacking REs) from the two adjacent land hexes. However, only 4 Soviet air units can provide GS for an attack as described, per Rule 20G2b-Ground Support(‘s) chain-hobble stipulation calling for a Soviet limit of one GS air unit for every 5 REs (or fraction thereof) of non-artillery units attacking. Finally, the Soviets scrap plans for the attack this turn, not wanting their heavy TFs to tangle with the Finnish CDs at hex 4717 (& also 4617 when the Soviet naval group is in 4717) and risk handing to the Finns a generous +3 VPs per hit on their TFs. What do other EA members think about such an attack this turn?

West of Leningrad at the Gulf of Finland USSR coastline, the 3-6 Inf XX 150 is joined by the 1-8 Cav III 5 at USSR woods coast hex 4919. Both are poised to begin island hopping towards Kotka, in Finland, across the frozen Gulf next turn when it freezes.

In their exploitation phase the Soviets have practically no armor or other motorized units capable of movement due to the mobility limitations per Rule 38H2b-Mobility Limits. They do, however, have available on the war game map plenty of operative B, A, & F type air units. Accordingly, the four SB-2bis A type air units at Petrozavodsk fly to Finnish woods rail junction hex 4313 and execute a pinpoint bombing mission against the rail line, but fail to roll a 5 or 6 for a hit.

The two SB-2s, the R-10, and the R-5Sh air units, all A types, take off from Leningrad/Kronshtadt air bases and fly to rail juntion hex 4321 (Kouvola), but for the second Soviet turn in a row fail to score a hit on the rail line here by rolling a 5 or 6.

Then four SB-2bis A types and the DB-3t & the DB-3b B type air units fly from Leningrad to Helsinki on another big terror bombing attack and, after evading Helsink’s one flack factor, score one terror bombing hit.

Finally the TB-3 T type air unit at Leningrad does a transfer mission to Ukhta above the A weather line, joining the G-1 & G-2 T type air units already based there.

In the reinforcement segment of the Finnish initial phase the 1-2-8 Ski X Rv is rebuilt using one of the three currently available regular inf repl points. Per Rule 40B1-Production, Finnish replacement built units may be brought in only at Helsinki. Later in the movement phase it rails from Helsinki to Finnish woods rail junction hex 2815. It then has just the available remaining regular MPs to move two hexes farther to woods road hex 2913, right on the A weather line and also adjacent to the invading Soviet stack eastwards at Kuhmo, at woods road hex 2912 just north of the A weather line. In a fit of nervousness the Finns spend another regular inf repl point and rebuild the *1-6 Inf X 4 lost last turn with the 1-2-8 Ski X Rv and rail it from Helsinki to Viipuri, where it regular moves to G. of Finland coast & fort counter hex 4717. This still leaves 1 inf repl point in the Finnish regular replacement pool; but there’s also available ½ special inf replacement point (per Rule 40B4-Special Replacements) generated by the Finnish losses from the previous Soviet turn.

In the initial phase the reinforcement Inf XX HQ unit A is brought on-map at island reference city Kotka (4521) and in the movement phase it admin moves six hexes to woods rail coast hex 4417, just one hex NW of the strategic Karelian Isthmus dot city of Viipuri (4517). Next, the initial phase reinforcement 1-2-6 Inf III 22/65 is brought on-map at Viipuri; then it regular moves two hexes to the central Mannerheim Line fort counter wooded intermittent lake hex 4615. Then the reinforcement 1-6 Inf III 40 is brought on-map at Helsinki and rails to fort counter woods rail hex 4616, at the angle point in the Mannerheim Line. Renewed nervousness about the security of the Mannerhiem Line drives the Finns to rail the single pos flk unit from Tampere to 4616. Then a pos flk unit from Helsinki is railed to fort counter wooded intermittent lake rail hex 4614, north of unnamed Lake Suvanto(?) on Europa map 35, with two frozen full lake hexsides facing southward toward the invading Soviet Seventh Army’s front line. This leaves at Helsinki one pos flk unit, the 0-1-8 Cycle III VL Coastal Command unit, the Finnish govt. marker, a resource point, and the F & A type Finnish air units (2 in all). At Viipuri, the 1-6 Inf III A remains in place this turn per the Coastal Command deployment stipulation in the AWW Finnish at start OB; along with it is a resource point. However, the 0-1-5 Const III Kan, starting at 4616, moves one hex east to clear terrain Gulf of Finland coast hex 4617. Also from 4616 the 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J rails to 3412, then moves east one hex to wooded intermittent lake border hex 3411, adjacent to the supported 1-6 Ski III 2/PKR at Lieksa at woods rail hex 3312, which doesn’t move this turn. From 4617 the 0-6 Lt Tnk II 1 moves and finally exploits to woods rail junction hex 4415. There is some other shuffling of the units in the Karelian Isthmus zone’s five Mannerheim Line hexes, and the Line deployment at the Finnish turn’s end is as follows:

G. of Finland coast hex 4717:
*1-6 Inf III 4
4-5-6 Inf XX 5
0-1-6 Inf III MLR
*2-6 Inf X 1
0-1-0 Art II SHRT
pos flk unit

Viipuri- Leningrad woods rail hex 4616:
1-2-6 Inf III A
1-6 Ski III A
1-6 Inf III 40
0-1-6 Inf III UR
1-6 Art III 3
pos flk unit

Central fort line wooded intermittent lake hex 4615:
4-5-6 Inf XX 4
1-2-6 Inf III 22/65
0-1-6 Inf III RR
1-8 Ski III 1-2 J
2-6 Art III 2

Frozen Lake hex 4614:
two 4-5-6 Inf XXs 8 & 11
pos flk unit
Ladoga coast hex 4613:
4-5-6 Inf XX 10
two *2-6 Inf Xs 2 & 3
pos flk unit.

In the Ladogan Karelia region the 0-1-5 Const III Kar at clear terrain Ladoga coast rail hex 4211 (Sortayala) spends five MPs to build a 1-cap temporary airfield there with one MP pocketed in case the airfield’s cap is further expanded the next Finnish turn. This construction unit build is done per Rule 43A8-Incremental Construction of Airfields. A 1-cap temporary airfield counter from WW is used to mark the airfield. The unexpended resource point remains at the same hex. At the end of the Finnish movement phase the Finnish deployment in the Lake Janis zone is as follows:

East end of Valamo Island hex 4311: *1-6 Ski III 2/KR; never moved
Woods Ladoga coast secondary rail hex 4210: 1-2-6 Ski 1/KR, plus hit marker on the rail line
Woods secondary rail junction hex 4111: 4-5-6 Inf XX 6; moved here from 4210
Woods Janis coast rail hex 4011: *3-4-6 Inf XX 13; never moved.

At Ilomantsi (woods road hex 3711) the *3-4-6 Inf 12 stays put, menaced by the Soviet 3-6 Inf XX 56 at 3710 and the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44 at 3610. However, in the reinforcement segment of their initial phase the Finns deploy two guerrilla units in guerrilla mode. The 1-6 Ski X SH (in guerrilla mode) is placed at woods hex 3511 and a dummy counter (in guerrilla mode) is placed at 3510. In the movement phase the first Finnish guerrilla unit moves one hex to forest hex 3611 and the second (dummy) guerrilla unit moves one hex to 3511. Thus at the end of the movement phase the Finnish deployment in the Lake Keitele zone of the Ladogan Karelia is as follows:

At Ilomantsi (3711): *3-4-6 Inf XX 12; never moved
Forest hex 3611: 1-6 Ski X SH in guerrilla mode
Woods hex 3511: dummy guerrilla unit in guerrilla mode
Wooded intermittent lake hex 3411: 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J; first railed, then moved here
At Lieksa (3312): *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR; never moved.
The 0-6 RR Eng III Yhd moves one hex west to forest rail hex 3513.

The replacement built 1-2-8 Ski X Rv was railed and then moved to woods road hex 2913, on the A weather line. Three hexes north of it the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR remains at woods road junction hex 2612 (Soumussalmi).

At far north Ivalo, at woods road junction hex 0610, the 1-6 Ski III 41 (out of supply at red U-1) retreats southwards down the road by admin movement to wooded swamp road hex 1013, in order to get back into supply in the initial phase of the Dec II 39 Soviet turn. At 1013 it is six road hexes to the secondary rail line at wooded swamp hex 1516.

At remote and likely freezing Salla, at woods road junction hex 1510, the 1-6 Ski III 1/LR is in supply & stays put, standing down the Soviet 1-6 Inf III 529, two road hexes eastward at captured Finnish point city Allakurtti (1508).

At Kuusamo, at woods road junction hex 2010, the *1-6 Ski III 2/LR becomes black U-1 in the initial phase. Like the Finnish ski III beginning the turn at far north Ivalo, it is simply too remote from the Finnish rail network to be in supply north of the A weather line: three overland hexes & three road hexes. Reluctantly, it moves back three hexes to desolate woods road hex 2113, exposing the Finnish point city Kuusamo for a likely Soviet walk-in and capture next turn.

The Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 54 at wooded swamp road border hex 2511, just inside Finland, is technically also black U-1 this turn. In the SoS NTO Scenario Study Dec I 39 Soviet Turn report, a mistake was made in saying it was in regular supply. However, there is another way to get it back in supply this Finnish turn. The unit is three hexes away from the Soviet 2-cap permanent airfield in regular supply at Ukhta (2508). Rule 12C2a-Supply Points says “the player owning…an [in regular supply] airbase or port may place…supply points at the airbase or port as he desires.” Right now to me this means the non-phasing Soviet player may place three supply points (aka gsp’s in WW) at Ukhta in the supply determination segment of the Dec I 39 Finnish initial phase and presto, the Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 54 three road hexes away at 2511 is in supply this turn via a special supply source. Small numbered status markers from FitE, I believe, are used to indicate supply points generated during the Finnish turns and large numbered status markers are used to indicate supply points generated during the Soviet turns.

Other Soviet ground units becoming black U-1 in the supply determination segment of the Dec I 39 Finnish turn are the winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 & the 2-6 Art X 45 at Kuhmo (2912), and also the 0-1-5 Bdr III 5 at adjacent hex 3011. The 3-6 Inf XX 122 at nearby hex 3311 becomes black U-1 this turn, too. All these Soviet units are on or above the A weather line.

Late in the exploitation phase the Soviets do a non-phasing air transfer of the G-2 T type air unit at Leningrad to the Ukhta airfield.

At the end of the exploitation phase the Finnish D.XXI F type air unit attempts to transfer from Helsinki (4526) to Tampere (3825), as the factory there is now devoid of any flack protection. The Soviet I-153 and I-16/t10 F type air units based at Tallinn (4826) fly a patrol attack mission against the Finnish fighter beginning its transfer mission at the Helsinki hex, three hexes from Tallinn and at the patrol attack range limit of the I-153. A random drawing pits the I-153 against the D.XXI first and the Soviets roll on the “-1 or less” differential on the Patrol Attack Table and get a 3: no effect. The I-16/t10 then rolls on the “0 to +2” differential on the Table and roll a 5: defender return. The two Soviet fighters then return to Tallinn and become inoperative. Right now I believe that per SoS Rules 20D-Patrol Attack, 21C-Patrol Attacks, and in particular 21B2-Combat Results (as it applies to patrol attack results) a “R” result on the Patrol Attack Table means the affected air unit “Turn(s) Back-a turned back air unit immediately returns to base and becomes inoperative.” This means the D.XXI Finnish fighter must return to base at Helsinki, and only to Helsinki, and not “return” essentially to any friendly airbase of its choosing in a typical normal transfer mission range, as if either “No Effect” was rolled and/or if in fact nothing in particular had happened during the transfer mission. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong here.

Finally, the Finnish C.X A type air unit based at Helsinki flies a transfer mission to the new 1-cap temporary airfield at 4211 (Sortayala) on the northern shore of Lake Ladoga in the Ladogan Karelia.

Right now I believe many of the SoS NTO Scenario air unit mission capabilities are nearly identical with those found in WW’s Air Unit Mission Capability Chart, found on the WW chart sheet labeled K: Game Calendar.

Beginning with the farthest north Soviet forces, the winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 at remote & frozen rough terrain border hex 0402 moves one hex west, crossing the border into Finland, and enters the minor port of Petsamo at rough terrain Arctic Ocean coast hex 0304. It takes this inf XX four MPs to move across one rough terrain hex side north of the A weather line in winter weather. Both this unit and the Finnish 1-6 Ski III 41 at Ivalo (at woods road junction hex 0610 in Finland) begin the Soviet turn at U-1. Red U-1 supply status markers from FitE (I think) are used to indicate their status. Meanwhile Rule 38H3b-[Soviet Arctic Coast] Garrison is complied with by the Soviet side in keeping “…at least 6 REs of units in coastal hexes adjacent to the Arctic Ocean….” We assume that that Murmansk’s intrinsic defense of 6 strength points, per Rule 38H3a-Murmansk Forces Defenses, does not count towards the RE garrison requirement.

Proceeding south to the first east-west transportation line crossing the Soviet-Finnish border, the 1-6 Inf III 529 moves one hex westwards across the border and occupies ice cold Allakrutti at wooded rough terrain road hex 1508. Two hexes farther west along the same road (at 1510) the Finnish 1-6 Ski III 1/LR blocks the road at Salla.

Farther southwards at the second east-west transportation line crossing the Soviet-Finnish border, the 4-6 Inf XX 163 crosses the border and moves one hex westward along the road to chilly woods road border hex 2109, just inside Finland. The Soviet inf XX ends its movement phase one hex to the east of the supported Finnish 1-6 Ski III 2/LR at Kussamo, located at important woods road junction hex 2010. From nearby Kestenga (2107) the 0-1-8 Bdr III 2 admin moves eight hexes to Murmansk rail line hex 2502, along the frozen White Sea coastline.

Continuing farther southwards (still above the A weather line) to the third east-west transportation line, the 4-6 Inf XX 54 cautiously moves one hex across the border into Finland and stops at wooded swamp road hex 2511, two road hexes away from the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR at Soumussalmi (2612). This Soviet inf XX decides to go no further because I believe it is at the supply line limit north of the A weather line per the EA Answer Guy’s earlier posting here, counting overland (down the road) three hexes, then four road hexes down to the (secondary) rail line terminus at Kestenga (2107). A little ways back (eastwards) from the aforementioned inf XX, at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at woods road junction hex 2508 (Ukhta), the 0-5 Const III 9 spends all 5 MPs to do one airfield hit fix (+1 extra pocketed for the second hit) at the airstrip there. Note that per Rule 41G1-NTO Scenario…Setup, “…when the [SoS/AWW] OBs specify a [1-cap] permanent airstrip, use a 3-capacity permanent airfield marker with 2 hits on it.” Also note that per Rule14A1b-Weather, all const/eng construction ability MP’s are doubled in poor (here, snow) weather, although to be sure it seems that this const/eng ability MP cost is not doubled yet again north of the A weather line, as Rule 37B-The Arctic, says “all units pay double MP costs for terrain when moving in the Arctic, except when moving on roads or railroads.” Late in the movement phase the two T type air units (a TB-3 & G-2) at Leningrad partial city hex 5115 air transport the winterized 1-6 Inf III 8 A (a reinforcement) to the Ukhta airfield, then return to Leningrad.

Farther south at the Rugozero-Kuhmo east-west transportation line, the 2-6 Art X 45 and the winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 cross the Finnish border and boldly move 3 hexes westwards along the road to occupy unguarded Kuhmo at woods road hex 2912. The 0-1-8 Bdr III 5 moves just behind it to adjacent woods/forest road hex 3011, hoping to cover its rear. Later in the movement phase the G-1 type T air unit based at Ukhta flies five hexes and air drops two gsp’s (a total of 1/2 REs, the air unit’s transport maximum in poor weather) at wooded swamp hex 3010 and returns to base. However both gsp’s are scattered per the Disruption Table found on Game Play Chart (1): there’s a -1 for dropping into a non-clear terrain hex, -2 if the weather is snow, and -1 for every 5 hexes flown to target by a Soviet transport unit per the SoS Errata Sheet dated 18 Jan 1999. The 3-6 Inf XX 122 moves to forest hex 3311, putting it adjacent to and menacing somewhat the supported 1-6 Ski III 2/PKR guarding Lieksa, a possibly important geographical bottleneck zone just south of the A weather line at woods rail hex 3312. All four of these Soviet Ninth Army ground units will be black U-1 on the Dec I 39 Finnish Turn. Meanwhile, the 0-1-8 Bdr III 3 admin moves from nearby road hex 3208 to Segeza, at Murmansk railway hex 3303, right on the A weather line.

Beginning with the Soviet Eighth Army south of the A weather line, the 3-6 Inf XX 56 moves eastwards on the east-west Medvozhyegorsk-Ilomantsi road to 3710, adjacent to the Finnish 3-4-6 Inf XX 12 at woods road hex 3711, at Ilomantsi. Reinforcing it from the north is the Ninth Army’s primo 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44, ending its movement at adjacent woods hex 3610. The 0-6 Const III 8 at road hex 3706 moves two hexes east to Medvezhyegorsk (3704) on the Murmansk rail line, where it expends its remaining 3 MPs to begin repairs on the 1-cap permanent airstrip there.

A mass of Soviet ground units (6 in all, including 3 inf XXs) form a three hex arc around the beleaguered 3-4-6 Inf XX 13 at woods hex 4010 in front of frozen Lake Janis. In the combat phase they are joined by four SB-2bis B type air units from airfields along the Murmansk railway and attack the Finnish inf XX from 4110, 4009, & 3910 at 5 to 1 -2 (-1 for woods & -1 for winter) and roll a 4, which modifies to a 2: DR. The relieved 3-4-6 Inf XX 13 retreats westwards across the frozen Lake Janis full lake hexside to woods rail hex 4011. Some units advance into the hex after combat.

The 3-6 Inf XX 139 moves into Pitkaranta at woods road/(secondary) rail terminus Ladoga coast hex 4310 and is reinforced in the exploitation phase by the 3-2-8 Arm X 13, which was railed from Leningrad towards this destination and them admin moved onwards in the movement phase. Guarding this stack’s rear is the 0-1-8 Bdr III 1 at wooded swamp border hex 4409.

From Murmansk the winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3 rails south to 3103, then it doglegs west and admin moves along the Rugozero-Kuhmo transportation line to wooded swamp secondary rail hex 3105, intending to eventually arrive as a needed reinforcement farther down this remote Soviet invasion route into Finland. From Leningrad the 3-6 Inf XX 49 rails north to Murmansk railway hex 1804, three hexes south of Kandalaksha, and the 1-6 Inf III 19 is railed from Leningrad to 1904, one hex south of it. The 4-6 Inf XX 60, also from Leningrad, rails and then admin moves to wooded swamp road hex 3707, along the Medvezhyegorsk-Ilomantsi road.

The reinforcement 1-2-6 Para-Inf X 201 at Leningrad first rails up the Murmansk railway and then admin moves down the Petrozavodsk-Soujarvi transportation line to Soujarvi (4008). Next, the 3-2-8 Arm X 20 rails from Leningrad, then admin moves and finally exploits down the same transportation line to woods secondary rail hex 4108. Some fretting is done regarding what to do with, of all units, the 1-8 Cav III 1 at Leningrad, as per the SoS Errata Sheet dated 18 Jan 1999, Soviet cavalry units also exert AGZOCs, along with Soviet Para-Inf, Bdr, & NKVD units. Of course we want to carefully study the SoS guerrilla rules in their Winter War context, as we believe Finnish guerrilla warfare is a special and important feature of this particular & unusual WW II campaign. The cav III is finally railed (doubled for being a cav unit, as were the two arm Xs) to Petrozavodsk, then is admin moved down the transportation line to woods secondary rail terminus border hex 4109. This uses up the Soviet turn 15 RE rail movement capability. The cav III, the arm X, and the para-inf X, strung along the Petrozavodsk-Soujarvi transportation line, create a Soviet ground unit “rat tail” from the Soviet’s 3 hex front line shield at 4110-4010 (facing westwards towards frozen Lake Janis)-3910 back to the Soviet-Finnish border. The 3-2-8 Art X 8 is at wooded intermittent lake hex 4009, as it did not advance to 4010 in the combat phase. Note: Two rail terminal marker counters from the Wavell’s War counter sheet are used to mark the rail break on the Petrozavodsk-Soujarvi secondary rail line at the 4108/4207 Soviet-Finnish border hexside, per the AWW Errata, Q&A-September 13, 1994.

At the important Karelian Isthmus zone to the north of Leningrad, the large Soviet Northwest Front lumbers across the border and invades Finland. Large Soviet ground unit stacks end their movement or exploitation at Finnish hexes 4714, 4715, 4815, & 4816. In this congested zone care needs to be taken by the Soviet side to comply with Rule 38H2a-Soviet Ineptitude…Reduced Stacking. The 4-6 Inf XX 90 guards Soviet woods Ladoga coast hex 4713, adjacent to the Mannerheim Line. The supported 1-2-8 Mot MG X 50 occupies Finnish clear terrain seacoast rail hex 4815. A mixed bag of other Soviet ground units are at hexes 4813 & 4814, and also at north Leningrad partial city hexes 4914 & 4915. Five F type air units are based at Leningrad city hexes along with the other air units mentioned elsewhere in the post.

In the combat phase at the Karelian Isthmus the Soviets attack (w/ no GS needed) the Finnish forward defense blocking stack (2 ½ defense factors) at woods rail hex 4716. The Finnish 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J & the 1-2-8 Ski X Rv attempt to retreat per Rule 14F-Ski Units. The 1-8 Ski III succeeds and retreats to Mannerheim Line woods rail fort hex 4616, but the other ski X’s attempt fails and must take its stand with the supported 1-6 Inf III 4. The Soviets roll a 4 on a 9 to 1 -2: DE. The two Finnish units are eliminated and the Soviets enter the hex after combat.

In the initial phase the Soviet const X & eng III at Kronshtadt begin to quick construct a 3-cap permanent airfield using the Dec I Soviet turn’s single resource point reinforcement appearing at Leningrad.

From the Leningrad SW partial city hex 5115 the reinforcement 3-6 Inf XX 150 admin moves to woods coast hex 5018 on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. It plans to eventually begin island hopping across the Gulf towards Finnish island/reference city/standard port hex 4521 (Kotka) on the Jan I 40 turn, when the Gulf of Finland freezes, starting from mainland USSR woods coast hex 4919. For details on the island hopping see AWW Rule 27B-Sea Ice. This will likely pin down at least one Finnish ground unit at the Kotka hex and will thus hopefully weaken the Karelian Isthmus and Lake Janis/Ladogan Karelia zones, where the decisive battles of the Russo-Finnish War are expected to be fought.

To let the Finns know for sure what they’ve got themselves into by not agreeing to the Soviet Union’s border adjustment demands, the Soviets send a large terror bombing mission (aka “Molotov bread baskets” in the contemporary British press, I believe) against Helsinki late in the exploitation phase with four SB-2bis A type air units and the DB-3b & DB-3t B type air units, all based at or staged to Leningrad. They are escorted by the I-16/t10 & I-153 fighters based at Tallinn. The Finnish D.XXI fighter intercepts, but there are no aborts or kills. Helsinki’s two pos flk factors fire, but miss. The six Soviet A & B types combine (their strat factors halved due to poor weather) into pairs to do three 2 point bombing strength die rolls and score one terror bombing hit.

Finally, two perhaps Spanish civil war vintage SB-2s, the R-10, and the R-55h A type air units based in the Leningrad/Kronshtadt hexes fly to Finnish woods rail junction hex 4321 (Kouvola) and attempt to bomb the rail line, but fail to roll a 5 or 6 for a hit.

At the end of the Dec I 39 Soviet turn the Soviets have scored 9 VPs, I believe: 5 tentative for the capture of five Finnish point cities, 1 tentative for the capture of a Finnish minor port, 1 for the terror bombing hit at Helsinki, and 2 for two Finnish non-c/m REs eliminated. The Finns have no VPs yet. For SoS NTO scenario VPs, see the back page of the SoS Rules booklet (p. 70).

At first we were interested in possibly combining the SoS Campaign forNorway Scenario with an updated historical FoF game and perhaps create akind of preliminary “basic Grand Europa” 1940 epoch battlescenario. However, the SoS NTO scenario caught our attention as perhapsan initial format to maybe somehow also include the Winter War campaign(aka the 1939-40 Russo-Finnish War) into the project and make the basicGE battle scenario cover the 1939-40 period, at least for north andnorthwest Europe.
Per SoS Rule 41G-NTO Scenario, the game begins on the Dec I 39 Europagame turn and the Finnish player sets up first, except for his HCRunits. Per this same rule and along with SoS’ GE Weather Table we candetermine that the SoS NTO Winter War game begins on the second turn ofWinter weather on map 35 (Finland). When the game starts the Sovietsmove first, then the Finns. Right now this study of the SoS NTO scenario& rules is likely to develop into a solo initial game with myselfplaying both the Soviet and Finnish sides in the Winter War epoch.
Areas of the final Finish set-up are similar to what is found in GaryStagliano’s “Historical Finnish Deployment” in Europa #42. Northof the A weather line the set-up is quite similar except that both theHCR units 1-8 Ski III A at Oulu and the 1-2-6 Inf III A at Kemi (bothports at the northern end of the frozen Gulf of Bothnia) have been movedto reinforce the Karelian Isthmus zone. The 1-6 Ski III 41 is still thefarthest north Finn at remote and certainly freezing Ivalo (0610); thesupported 1-6 Ski III 2/PKR is still found at Liksa (3312), just southof one of the dogleg turns in the A weather line crossing overScandinavia. Just as in Stagliano’s historical Finnish deployment, Khumo(at forest road hex 2912) and the zone surrounding it, all just north ofthe A weather line, are completely unoccupied. Ditto for the ArcticOcean minor port of Petsamo (0304).
In the northern sector of what might be called the Lake Janis zone (theFinnish region to the NE of Lake Ladoga and south of the A weatherline), the 3-4-6 Inf XX 12 is placed at Ilomantsi (3711). In front offrozen Lake Janis at woods lake coast hex 4010 is the 3-4-6 Inf XX 13.Two hexes south of it on the icy northern shores of Lake Ladoga at woodssecondary rail coast hex 4210 are the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/KR and the primoHCR 4-5-6 Inf XX 5, guarding one of the main rail elements of supplyroutes (actually, the secondary rail line running on the 41xx hexrowjust above) for a Soviet invasion. Positioned behind this Finnish strongpoint, at Sortayala, on clear terrain rail Ladoga coast hex 4211, is the0-1-5 Const III Kar along with a resource point. Defending the easternend of the Ladoga lake isle of Valamo is the supported 1-6 Ski III 2/KR.However across the frozen full lake hex side just to the east of it, themainland Finnish point city of Pitkaranta at woods coast road hex 4310is left unprotected, just like at Soujarvi, a couple of hexes to the NEat wooded intermittent lake secondary rail line border hex 4008. Boththese point cities in eastern Finland are near the Soviet border andtheir transportation lines cross the border and penetrate eastwards intothe Soviet Lake Onega region, ultimately connecting to the Murmanskrailway.
Care is taken to punch out and clip the SoS Finnish and Soviet navaltask force & flotilla units which replace the vintage Europa “navalunits” found on the earlier AWW counter sheets. I believe all othercounters currently on the SoS NTO scenario game board are from AWW. Wedo not use the Aland Islands Holding Box found on the AWW Finnish GameChart (used in the SoS NTO scenario) and instead place the 0-1-8 CycleIII TL and the 1 pt River Flotilla (AA=1) Sisa in island hex 5021 on SoSmap E5C (at the point city/minor port of Marienhamn in the AlandIslands).
At the important Finnish Baltic port of Turku (dot city) are the 0-1-6Inf III HL and the 2-pt BD TF Ilmar (AA=1), another SoS naval counter.At Hango is the 0-1-6 Inf III HaL. At Helsinki are the Finnishgovernment counter, two positional flack factors, the 0-1-8 Cycle IIIVL, a resource point, and the D.XXI F type and the C.X A type air units,eg., the entire two unit Finnish air force. Farther east along the coastat Kotka (a clear terrain island/reference city/standard port/rail hexwith separate narrow straits & rail causeway hex sides connecting to theadjacent Finnish mainland just to the north) is the 0-1-6 Inf III KL.All these army ground units are part of the Coastal Defense Command.
At the strategically important Karelian Isthmus the Finnish set-up is aworrying headache with the need to keep in mind the particulars of theweather rules, the terrain, the Soviet set-up requirements of theLeningrad zone (Soviet Northwest Front), which is done after the initialFinn set-up, and a myriad of tedious but important SoS special groundunit rules. At strategically important Viipuri (a major port & dot cityat 4517) are a resource point and the 1-6 Inf III A, the final CoastalDefense Command unit. The five AWW Mannerheim Line at start fort counterhexes 4717, 4616, 4615, 4614, & 4613 spanning the land isthmusseparating Lake Ladoga from the Gulf of Finland contain the bulk of therelatively plentiful Kannaksen Army ground units listed in the AWWOrders of Battle booklet, along with the two HCR inf & ski IIIs”A” mentioned above. This mass of Finnish ground units in theKarelian Isthmus-Viipuri region contains nearly half the defense factorstrength total of the Finnish army (48 in this region compared to 28everywhere else in Finland, I think). Peter J. Rogers’ hard workingarticle “Defending Finland” from Europa #46 was referred to anumber of times, especially regarding the Karelian Isthmus.
Mannerheim Line Fort Counter Hex Initial Deployment:
G. of Finland coast hex 4717:
HCR 1-2-6 Inf III A
0-1-0 Art II SHRT
4-5-6 Inf XX 5
0-1-6 Inf III MLR
pos flk unit
Viipuri-Leningrad woods rail hex 4616:
0-1-5 Const III Kan
1-6 Art III 3
Central fort line hex 4615:
4-5-6 Inf XX 4
0-1-6 Inf XXX UR
2-6 Art III 2
HCR Ski III A
Frozen Lake hex 4614:
4-5-6 Inf III 11
0-1-6 Inf III RR
*2-6 Inf III 2
*2-6 Inf III 3
L. Ladoga coast hex 4613:
4-5-6 Inf XX 9
4-5-6 Inf XX 10
1-8 Ski III 1-2 J
pos flk unit
In front of the “angle” in the Mannerheim Line at importantKarelian Isthmus woods rail hex 4716 are the supported 1-6 Inf X 4(likely a “sacrificial lamb”), the 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J, and the1-2-8 Ski X Rv. Here, and perhaps at hex 4210 in the Lake Janis zone,and also on the Lake Ladoga isle of Valamo we hope to maybe utilize Rule14F-Ski Units and use the Finnish Ski units’ ability “…to attemptto retreat before combat during snow weather only.” Finally, thepractically worthless 0-6 Lt Tnk II 1 guards the Gulf of Finland clearterrain coast hex 4617, behind the Line .
The HRC 0-6 RR Eng III Yhd is placed at forest rail hex 3513, a littlesouth of the A weather line, to hopefully prevent Soviet motorizedexploitation (perhaps the Soviet Mot Inf XX 44) into the hex via theeastward facing frozen full lake hex side with a rail causeway. The lastFinnish positional flack factor is defending the factory counter atTampere (dot city at 3825).
From Gary Stagliano’s “A winter War Additions” from Europa #61we use the Soviet OB Changes, Fighter Superiority, and (J. Astell’s)Additional Soviet Deployment Restrictions. And from his “MoreAdditions for A Winter War” published in Europa #66 we take theSoviet Replacements Additions. We use some of the Ground Rulesstipulations mentioned in “NTO Replay” by Dean Moon & Mark Royerin Europa #67 along with the Europa Answer Guy’s comments (on 9-10-12)to my EA rules query a little earlier regarding some SoS NTO rulesquestions, in particular about the overland supply line lengths north ofthe A weather line in snow weather. For now we don’t consider the AWW OBat start Finnish forces at the Aland Islands as a required garrison perSoS Rules and believe they can be moved to the mainland in in the courseof the game. However, I currently consider the Aland Islands Garrison tobe essentially part of the Coastal Defense Command and therefore shouldnot move until the Dec II 39 turn, per the Finnish AWW OB.
From the SoS Scenario Rules booklet we intend to use all the AdvancedRules found in Rule 43. From Rule 44-Optional Rules we plan to use A, B,C, & D. We allow the Soviet player to utilize in the Soviet set-up athis option Optional Rule 44E6-10th Tank Corps. We say that the Sovietplayer does not have to inform the Finns what it has done regarding thisNTO Scenario Option until after the initial Finn set-up. We also allowthe Soviet player the option of utilizing Optional Rule 44E5-SovietParachute Brigades, but suspect that the Soviet player will likely optto bring in most, if not all, the parachute brigades as para-inf Xsrather than full fledged para Xs, so as to use them against Finnishguerrillas per Rule 39-Guerrilla Warfare.
Because I want to play the Europa Winter War campaign (for the firsttime) using the SoS NTO Scenario as the preliminary superstructure foran essentially historical “basic Grand Europa” 1939-40 battlescenario war game project rather than perhaps right away possibly goingdown what could be called a particular “advanced Grand Europa”Western Allied Winter War Scandinavian intervention rabbit trail, I willin some manner turn a blind eye to the Allied intervention die rollstipulated in Rule 41G3a-NTO Scenario Special Conditions: AlliedIntervention. That is until possibly the Mar II 40 Finnish turn,assuming the perhaps unlikely prospect that the Winter War doesn’t endbeforehand per the stipulations of Rule 41G3d-NTO Scenario SpecialConditions: End to Russo-Finnish War, which will be used. Of course thelast rule by its nature should be a factor in determining at least someof the necessary strategies of the Soviet & Finnish sides in the battlescenario. Here might be a good time to confess to likely turning asecond blind eye to the last sentence of Rule 41G3d: “If theRusso-Finnish war ends before any Allied or Axis intervention occurs,the scenario ends at that point,” if the project in fact gets thatfar.

As an initial study guide for the SoS NTO Winter War Soviet at startset-up we use the information in Sam Dahman’s “A Soviet Response tothe Finn Judgment,” in Europa #65. In a short article he presents aninteresting Soviet set-up, a good description of his Dec I 39 Sovietturn movements & activity, and a good summary.

Starting at the top northern end of the European continent with the AWWSoviet OB’s Fourteenth Army, the winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 is placed atfrozen rough terrain border hex 0402, which is “…within five hexesof Murmansk” per the OB stipulation and also happens to be adjacentto Petsamo, in Finland. This placement also complies with thestipulation in J. Astell’s recommended Additional Soviet DeploymentRestrictions from Europa #61 which states that only “winter-capableand NKVD units may deploy anywhere in their army’s deployment zone.”Otherwise the non-winterized 4-6 Inf XX 14 might be a better choice forthis remote and desolate spot in the Arctic tundra, except that per theabove Additional Soviet Deployment Restrictions, non-winterized Sovietground units “…may only deploy in or adjacent to hexes containinga road or rail line.”

At Murmansk (dot city & Artic Ocean major port) are a positional flackfactor, the winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3, the 4-6 Inf XX 14 and the SoS DDflotilla-1 (AA=1).

To the south of Murmansk the 1-6 Inf III 529 is placed at remote andlikely quite cold wooded rough terrain road border hex 1507, on theKandalaksha-Torino transportation line. Facing it in Finland at Salla(at woods road junction hex 1510) is the 1-6 Ski III 1/LR.

Up against the frigid Finnish border at wooded swamp road hex 2108 isthe 4-6 Inf XX 163. Two hexes eastwards down the road from it atKestenga’s 1-cap permanent airstrip (at wooded swamp secondary railhead/road hex 2107) is based an I-152 F type air unit. Also at Kestengais the 0-1-8 Bdr III 2. This remote Arctic road is the Loukhi-Oulutransportation line. Facing it three road hexes westwards in Finland atKussamo (at woods road hex 2010, one hex NW of the border) is thesupported 1-6 Ski III 2/LR.

A little farther south at another remote & freezing woods road borderhex (2510) is the 4-6 Inf XX 54. A little behind it (eastwards) at Ukhta(at woods road hex 2508) are a 1-cap permanent airstrip, the 0-5 ConstIII 9, and a G-1 T type air unit. It is likely that beginning the firstSoviet turn the const III will begin upgrading the 1-cap airstrip to a3-cap permanent air field. This is along the Kem-Ukhta-Soumussalmitransportation line. Facing it down the road in Finland at Soumussalmi(at woods road junction hex 2612) is the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR.

The remainder of the Soviet Ninth Army is clustered next theSoviet-Finnish eastern frontier border along the Rugozero-Kuhmo roadarea just above the A weather line. At forest road border hex 3110 arethe winterized Inf III 88/273 and the 2-6 Art X 45. At adjacent foresthex 3210 is the 0-1-8 Bdr III 5. Next to it at forest hex 3310, right onthe A weather line, are the 3-6 Inf XX 122 and the primo 4-8 Mot Inf XX44. Here in the AWW OB’s Soviet Ninth Army’s set-up J. Astell’srecommended Additional Soviet Deployment Restrictions perhaps for thesecond time begins to rub against what might be called the”otherwise” AWW Soviet OB set-up. For in this particular gamethe Soviet deployment restriction compels the placement of the 4-8 MotInf XX 44 here at this remote and desolate hex “adjacent to…aroad,” instead of maybe farther south along the 35XX hex row (theNinth Army’s southern limit of deployment), which would enable it tomore quickly get into battle, at least in the Lake Janis/Ladogan Kareliazone. Finally, at forest/woods road hex 3208 is the 0-1-8 Bdr III 3.Both this bdr III and the 2nd Bdr III farther north are poised to therear of the Soviet Ninth Army’s Finnish border front so that on thefirst Soviet turn they can march back to the Murmansk rail line andeventually arrive in the Karelian Isthmus zone in time for their Jan II40 conversion to Pltcl Pol IIIs. Here at this important war zone theycan in their converted mode likely better facilitate Soviet victory inthe Winter War per Rule 38H6-Political Police Units.

Beginning with the Soviet Eighth Army, the 3-6 Inf XX 56 is at forestroad border hex 3708, facing Ilomantsi three road hexes west in Finland.Two hexes behind it (eastwards) at woods road hex 3706 is the 0-5 ConstIII 8, implying that on the first turn it may intend to move eastwardsdown the road towards Medezhyegorsk on the Murmansk rail line.

Proceeding farther south at woods border hex 4007, adjacent to thePetrozavodsk-Soujarvi secondary rail line penetrating into the LadoganKarelia, is the 3-6 Inf XX 155. Two hexes to the south at woods”border salient” hex 4208 (w/ 4 Finnish border hex sides) is thewinterized Inf XX 168. Directly east of it at woods secondary railborder hex 4207 are the 4-6 Inf XX 18, the 3-2-8 Arm X 34, the 3-2-8 ArtX 8, and the 0-1-8 Bdr III 1.

Guarding the eastern shore of Lake Ladoga at wooded swamp coast roadborder hex 4509 are the 3-6 Inf XX 139 and the 1-9 Lt AA III 8.

A SB-2bis air unit is based at each 1-cap permanent airstrip at thefrozen White Sea port Belomorsk and at Medvezhyegorsk, both along theMurmansk railway. A little farther south on the same railway threeSB-2bis air units are based at the reference city of Petrozovodsk(4305), where there is an at start 3-cap permanent airfield. To the SWof it at the 3-cap permanent airfield at wooded swamp Lake Ladoga coastroad hex 4608 are based an I-16, an I-153, and an I-152, all F type airunits.

Skipping the quite important Leningrad-Karelian Isthmus Soviet zone forthe moment and jumping to the farthest west AWW Soviet OB forces placedon game map 35, the Soviets base at their recently acquired militarybase at Tallinn, in Estonia, a positional flack unit, an I-16/t10, andan I-153 air unit. This important Baltic military base was obtained bythe USSR through the auspices of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.

At the Leningrad-Karelian Isthmus Soviet zone is found the rest of theAWW Soviet OB at start set-up forces. The following is only a partiallisting of the AWW Soviet OB forces and their hex locations for thecurrent game.

At the sea isle of Kronshtadt (4916) are the two SoS Task Forces Marat &O. Rev., the two winterized Marine Cmdo Xs A & B, the 0-1-5 Const X 7,the 1-6 Eng III 7, and the R-10 A type air unit. On the first Sovietturn the eng III & const X will likely begin to quick construct a 3-cappermanent airfield. In this game it is assumed that Kronshtadt is animproved fortress (w/ an intrinsic airbase capacity of 1 per Game PlayChart 1), although I don’t believe Kronshtadt’s fortress status isspecified in either the AWW or SoS rules or OBs.

At woods “border salient” hex 4814 (possessing three northernborder hex sides) are the two big 5-6 Inf XXs 24 & 70, the two 3-2-6 ArmXs 35 & 40 (for these two unique units, see Optional Rule 44B12-HeavyTanks), the 3-2-8 Art X 7, and a positional flack unit.

At woods road border hex 4813 are the winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142, the 4-6Inf XX 123, the supported 0-3-0 Fortified Area X Kar, the 2-6 Art X 19,the 4-2-8 Art X LVO, and a positional flack unit. Woods (see the AWW maperrata slip) Lake Ladoga coast border hex 4713 is left vacant.

At the SE Leningrad partial city hex 5114 are the 3-6 Inf XX 49, the 4-6Inf XX 50, and the two 3-2-8 Arm Xs 13 & 20. These units are poised tolikely leave the Leningrad partial city hex the first game turn eitherby admin movement and/or by rail movement and move farther north up theMurmansk rail line. The appearance of the 13th & 20th Arm Xs revealsthat the Soviet side did not opt to utilize the 10th Tank XXX unit perOptional Rule E6-10th Tank Corps. Based at adjacent Leningrad partialcity hex 5115 are the G-2 & TB-3 T type air units and the primo DB-3t Btype air unit.

All the remaining AWW OB Soviet Northwest Front ground units and Sovietair units are stacked in the other Leningrad full & partial city hexes(4 hexes).

My first intention is to attempt to study & explore specifically the Winter War in its most updated Europa war game form, which is evidently in the SoS NTO Scenario. The goal here is to hopefully identify both the positive & negative features of the published SoS/AWW games, both in the context of the historical campaign and in the context of a “basic (read: historical)” Grand Europa schema. In using the term “basic Grand Europa” and it’s counterpart “advanced Grand Europa,” I will confess to trying to resurrect two perhaps archaic and currently frankly unused Europa war game terms which I believe will aid & abet the Grand Europa project in the 21st century war game market. To be sure, the concept of Western Allied intervention into the 1939-40 Russo-Finnish War War is a decent, worthy, and viable “advanced GE” project & concept. Western Allied intervention into Norway just prior to or essentially at the same time of the historical Nazi German invasion of Norway and/or a protracted Winter War dragging on to the same date may perhaps be a different kettle of fish. Perhaps more on this important topic later as (& if) the 1939-40 GE battle scenario project develops.

Right now tonight even more important than the angle of Western Allied intervention into the Winter War is the concept of the valiant and proud Finnish nation fighting against all challengers to their sovereignty, come what may, even against the demands of powerful Soviet hegemony under the leadership of the likes of Stalin & Molotov in their prime, who at that particular time followed a European foreign policy worthy of the early 19th century Tsar Nicholas I in his prime, and not at all of Litnitov, the recently deposed early 20th European representative of by then perhaps a more exquisite but definitely shattered and “long gone” epoch of “collective security” and the likes of the by then practically defunct LN. In this context Finland joins a stirring and rousing list of 20th century fighting nations like Poland, Greece, nationalist China, and even in the 21st century currently “politically incorrect” nations like Serbia/Yugoslavia who, in the WW II epoch, fought to the death for their national freedom and who immediately overthrew their government when they returned to Belgrade from Vienna after it servilely joined Tripartite in March 1941 because they evidently believed at the time that struggle and battle even unto death was the only road for oppressed nations of the 19th century to take to achieve genuine long term independence in the 20th century. I believe I could go on and on with particular examples. If Europa doesn’t carefully, faithfully, and accurately recreate these particular nationalist struggles for sovereignty against larger nations, like I think what is happening in the Winter War, then they miss the bus, I think, of one of the primary lessons of WW II and the 20th century for the 21st.

NOTE: Starting this turn at least, SoS NTO Scenario players playing the Winter War campaign might ought to take a look at and perhaps get acquainted with the SoS Master Sequence of Play Summary. It appears to me now after some study that both the SoS Rules & its one page Master Sequence of Play Summary is an early version of what was later refined into the much expanded & much thicker Wavell’s War Rules & its own enhanced two page Master Sequence of Play Summary.