The Soviets roll a 6 on the weather die roll, and so it’s still Snow in weather zones A, B, and C. The Arctic Ocean is stormy and the sea is rough in the Baltic.

The winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104 remains idle garrisoning Petsamo (0304); at Murmansk (0701) are still the 3-6 Inf XX 49, a pos flk unit, the 1-pt DD TF Flotilla-1, and the I-15 F type air unit.

Allakurtti (1508) is still garrisoned by the 1-6 Inf III 19 and the 1-6 Inf III 529 moves one hex west along the Kandalaksha-Salla-Torino transportation line to garrison Salla (1510). The 4-6 Inf XX 14 moves one hex west down the road from Salla to wooded swamp road hex 1511, where in the combat phase it attacks the Finnish 1-6 Ski III 1/LR at woods road hex 1512. It rolls a 6 at 8 to 1 -2, and eliminates the Finns; after combat it advances into hex 1512.

The 4-6 Inf 163 remains at Kuusamo (2010), having by default become its garrison after initially occupying it. Five road hexes eastwards at Kestenga’s 1-cap permanent airstrip is still the I-152 F type air unit, perhaps by now so iced over it can’t take off. Another I-152 air unit sits idle at the 1-cap permanent airstrip at Loukhi, 3 secondary rail hexes eastwards at woods rail junction hex 2104 on the Murmansk railway. The 0-5 Const X 1 at Loukhi admin moves 5 rail hexes northwards to wooded rough rail junction hex 1604.

The 4-6 Inf XX 54 and the 0-5 Const III 9 remain stacked at woods road border hex 2510, just inside the USSR, but the const III spends 5 MPs to begin building a 1-cap temporary airfield there per Advanced Rule 43A8-Incremental Construction of Airfields. I believe it will take a total of 8 MPs to complete this feat in a woods hex north of the A weather line. This Soviet stack is at the six hex regular supply limit north of the A weather line in snow weather, counting overland 3 hexes and then road 3 hexes to the secondary rail terminus at Kestenga (2107).

At Ukhta (2508) are the winterized 1-6 Inf III 6 A and the three T type air units based at the 3-cap permanent airfield there. In the movement phase the G-1, the G-2, and the TB-3 T type air units there fly yet another supply point air drop mission to wooded swamp border hex 3010, five hexes to the SW just inside Finland. But this time all six supply points are scattered per the SoS Disruption Table die rolls, with no sixes being rolled. The remaining supply point already in the hex (dropped on the Jan I 40 Soviet turn) is removed at the end of the Soviet initial phase after supplying the 2-6 Art X 45 two hexes away at Kuhmo (2912) one final player turn. All three air transports return to base at Ukhta.

On the Rugozero-Kuhmo transportation line the 1-2-6 MG X 7 A and the 0-5 Const III 8 move three road hexes west from 3207 to forest road border hex 3110, still inside the USSR. The MG X has to stay with the 0 strength const III to protect it from Finnish guerrillas. The 1-8 Plctl Pol III 5 at wooded swamp border hex 3010, now having no more air dropped supply points to guard, moves one hex west to forest road hex 3011 to help form a three road hex long rat tail to the winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 and the 2-6 Art X 45 stacked together guarding and garrisoning Kuhmo. In the combat phase the winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3 at forest road border hex 3111 attacks the Finnish 1-6 Ski X Kymen guerrilla unit at forest border hex 3211, right on the A weather line. The Finns attempt to retreat before combat per Rule 14F-Ski Units, but roll a 4 and the attempt fails. However, the Soviets roll a 1 on the 8 to 1 -3 combat attack die roll and the relieved Finnish guerrilla unit retreats to Lieksa (3312), just south of the A weather line. After combat the Soviet inf XX perhaps timidly stays put at its defensive position on the supply road rat tail leading to Kuhmo.

By the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Soviet ground units in the Ladogan Karelia are as follows:

Woods hex 3610: 3-6 Inf XX 122, never moved; 4-6 Inf XX 50, moved from 3810

Woods border hex 3609: winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142, moved from 3707

Ilomantsi (woods road hex 3711): 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44, from 3710; 4-6 Inf XX 18 and the 1-6 Lt AA III 8, both from 3810

Wooded intermittent lake road hex 3710: 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 214, never moved; 3-2-8 Arm X 28, from 3708

Woods hex 3811: 3-6 Inf XX 56, never moved

Wooded intermittent lake hex 3810: 2-1-8 Lt Arm X 1, admin moved from 4207

Woods hex 3911: 3-6 Inf XX 155, from 4010

Wooded intermittent lake hex 3909: 1-8 Cav III 1, never moved

Woods hex 4010: 4-6 Inf XX 11, from 4108

Soujarvi (wooded intermittent lake s. rail hex 4008): 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 1, from 4010

Woods s. rail junction hex 4111: winterized 4-6 Inf XX 168, 3-6 Inf XX 1 FNA, two 3-2-8 Arm Xs 20 and 34, all three never moved

Woods s. rail hex 4110: 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 201, never moved

Woods lake coast s. rail hex 4210: 3-6 Inf XX 139, from 4310 (Pitkaranta); and 3-2-8 Art X 8, never moved

East end of Valamo Island hex 4311: 3-6 Inf XX 136, from 4210; and 3-2-8 Arm X 13, from 4310 (Pitkaranta); 2-6 Art X 56, from 4410

Pitkaranta (woods lake coast road hex 4410): 0-1-8 Bdr III 6, from Soujarvi (4008

)
Woods border hex 4309: 2-3-6 Inf XX 3 FNA, never moved

Clear terrain lake coast s. rail hex 4410: 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 204, never moved.

Like wily wolves attacking only the weakest in the herd, the Soviet army attacks the Finns in the Ladogan Karelia only where the odds are optimal. The Finnish *1-6 Ski III 21/PKR and the 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J, both stacked at forest hex 3611, are attacked by the Soviet stacks at 3711 and 3610 at 9 to 1 -3 odds. Both Finnish ski units attempt to retreat before combat and both retreat attempts fail. The Soviets roll a 3 and the modified result is a DH. The 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J is eliminated and the *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR unit retreats to forest hex 3612. the two 4-6 Inf XXs 18 and 50 advance into forest hex 3611 after combat.

The Finnish *1-6 Ski III B at Janis coast woods rail hex 4011 is attacked by the Soviet stacks at hexes 4111, 4010, and 3911 at 9 to 1 -2. The odds are so high the Finns don’t bother to send their C.X A type air unit in as DAS; it can’t change the odds. Nor do the Soviets bother to attempt add the combat strength of the 3-6 Inf XX 1 FNA to their attack per Rule 38H4-FNA Unreliability; it’s simply left out of the attack. The Finnish ski III attempts to retreat before combat, but rolls a fail on the SoS Success Table. The Soviets roll a 6 and the *1-6 Ski III B is eliminated: DE. The Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 11 from 4010 advances after combat across the frozen Lake Janis all lake hexside into 4011.

Near the end of their movement phase the Soviets send three 16/t10 F type air units from bases within range on the CAP mission over the west end of Valamo Island hex 4312. They are certainly harbingers of a Soviet attack there in the combat phase. Early in the combat phase the Finns send their C.X A type air unit on the DAS mission over hex 4312 with their D.XXI F type air unit as an escort, come what may. But this turn Fortune does not fly with them; the D.XXI fighter unit is aborted and the C.X A type is eliminated after the I-16/t10’s flying CAP there intercept the DAS mission at the target hex. Just before combat the *1-6 Ski III 2/KR attempts to retreat before combat but the attempt fails. The Soviets attack at 8 to 1 -1 and roll a 1, which modifies to a DR. The Finnish ski III happily retreats across the frozen full lake hexside to clear terrain coast rail hex 4313. After combat the Soviet 3-6 Inf XX 136 moves in to occupy the west end of Valamo Island hex 4312. The three surviving I-16/t10 fighter units return to Soviet airbases.

In the initial phase the Soviets have a total of 9 ARPs. For ARP availability in the SoS NTO scenarios see the SoS Errata Sheet 18 Jan 1999. They use 1 ARP to replace the aborted SB-2bis, which is placed at Leningrad. This leaves an I-152 in the aborted box and an I-16/t10 in the eliminated box.

Early in their movement phase the Soviets rail and then admin move the 3-6 Inf XX 33 from Murmansk railway hex 5009 to wooded swamp road hex 2603 on the Kem-Ukhta-Suomussalmi transportation line. Then the reinf 4-6 Inf XX 82 brought in at SE Leningrad hex 5114 rails and admin moves to adjacent swamp road hex 2703. The reinf 3-6 Inf XX 113 brought on at SE Leningrad hex 5114 rails and admin moves to wooded swamp road hex 3709 on the Medvezhyegorsk-Ilomantsi transportation line. The 3-6 Inf XX 62 at Murmansk railway hex 5009 rails and admin moves to woods s. rail border hex 4108, just inside Finland on the Petrozavodsk-Soujarvi transportation line. The reinf 3-6 Inf XX 72 brought on at SE Leningrad hex 5114 rails and then admin moves to wooded swamp lake coast road border hex 4509 on the Lodeynoye Pole-Pitkaranta transportation line. With their 15 RE rail cap used up, the Soviets admin move three reinf 3-6 Inf XXs 16, 60, and 86 brought in at Leningrad central full city hex 5014 to Murmansk railway hex 5009. One hex ahead of them is the admin moved reinf winterized 1-2-6 Inf X Dol at Murmansk railway hex 5008, from the SE Leningrad hex.

In the Karelian Isthmus the Soviets attack forthwith the Finnish Mannerheim Line fort hex 4717, jutting out like a chin waiting to be punched. They attack it from the two adjacent hexes at 4816 and 4716, using the full array of available Soviet attack advantages: two corps markers flipped to their regular stacking sides, the big 9-6 Art XX 1 in place at hex 4816, a pltcl pol III in each attack hex stack, and 1/7th engineering attack capability. The Finnish hex has 11 def factors plus a pos flk unit. Using no GS, the Soviets attack with a total of 47 attack factors, using the above mentioned attack advantage additives; which tallies to a 4 to 1 -2. They roll a 6, which modifies to a DR. The Finns are able to retreat most of the attacked stack to adjacent G. of Finland coast hex 4617, there joining the 0-1-6 Const III Kan nearing completion of the fort under construction there. The 0-1-0 Art II SHRT is eliminated, as it cannot retreat, and the 1-6 Inf III 22/64 must retreat two hexes to Viipuri (4517), due to stacking limitations at 4617.

In their exploitation phase the Soviets still have available a large operative air armada to do air bombing attacks with against Finnish target hexes. For starters, after some preliminary staging, the Soviets send four SB-2bis’ on a pinpoint bombing mission to rail hex 2715 to bomb the rail junction there, but roll a 2: a miss.

Then after doing the appropriate staging, the Soviets once again send the two old SB-2’s and the two R-5Sh’s on a pinpoint bombing mission to rail hex 4321 (Kouvola) to bomb the rail junction there, but roll a 1: a miss.

Finally, late in the exploitation phase another Helsinki terror bombing attack is done using the strat bombing factors of the two DB-3m’s, the DB-3b, the DB-3t, and three SB-2bis’. All seven B and A type air units make it through Helsink’s two flack factors. Seven dice rolls are made on the 2 Bombing Strength column of the SoS Bombing Table and the results are three terror bombing hits against Helsinki (4526).

By the end of the exploitation phase the Soviet ground forces in the Karelian Isthmus zone and in the G. of Finland region, including also the dispositions of the Soviet air force, are as follows:

Tallinn (4826): pos flk unit, I-153, I-16/t18 G. of Finland north end of Suur Is. (4621): 3-6 Inf XX 150, from 4820 G. of Finland Tytar Is. (4820): 1-8 Cav III 5, never moved

Wooded intermittent lake G. of Finland coast hex 4717: two 4-6 Inf XX 43 and 97, moved in after combat 9-6 Art XX 1, moved in after combat 3-2-8 Arm X 24, moved in after combat 1-6 Eng III 9, moved in after combat 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 2, moved in after combat pos flk unit, moved in after combat

Woods rail hex 4716: three 5-6 Inf XX 24, 70, 100, never moved two 1-6 Eng III 7 and 8, never moved 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 3, never moved 4-2-8 Art X LVO, never moved 3-2-8 Art X 7, never moved

Woods hex 4715: two 4-6 Inf XX 4 and 75, never moved two 3-2-6 [Heavy] Arm X 35 and 40, never moved pos flk unit, never moved

Woods rail hex 4714: two 4-6 Inf XX 52 and 123, never moved two 2-6 Art X 23, reinf moved in; and 34, never moved pos flk unit, never moved

Clear terrain lake coast hex 4713: two 4-6 Inf XX 9 and 41, never moved G. of Finland clear terrain hex 4816: *1-2-8 Mot MG X 50, exploited in from 4815 3-2-8 Arm X 39, exploited in from 4815

Clear terrain rail hex 4815: 4-8 Mot Inf XX 25, never moved 3-2-8 Art X 13, reinf moved in three 2-6 Art X 15 reinf moved in; 19 and 50, never moved

Woods hex 4814: 4-6 Inf XX 138, never moved 3-2-8 Art X 9, reinf moved in 2-0-6 Siege Art X LVO, never moved two 2-6 Art X 1 and 3, never moved

Woods road hex 4813: 4-6 Inf XX 17, never moved *0-1-0 FA X Kar, never moved

Isle of Kronshtadt (4916): 5-pt BB TF Marat 5-pt BB TF O. Rev 1-6 Lt AA III 7, moved in from 4914 I-153 two R-5Sh SB-2bis

NW Leningrad hex 4915: 1-5 Pltcl Pol III 4 two SB-2 I-16/t17

NE Leningrad hex 4914: *2-6 winterized 2-6 Marine X VF/5 I-16 I-16/t17 DB-3m

Central Leningrad full city hex 5014: resource point DB-3b Db-3t

Eastern Leningrad hex 5013: two SB-2bis DB-3m

Petrozavodsk (reference city) w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield (4305): I-16 two SB-2bis

Medvezhyegorsk w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield ( 3704): I-16 two SB-2bis.

In the exploitation phase the Soviets move the 3-2-8 Arm X 28 at hex 3710 to woods hex 3811, where it stacks with the 3-6 Inf XX 56.