The Soviets roll a 1 for the weather die roll, so it’s Snow everywhere on map 35; eg., in weather zones A and B. To be sure, if we were playing the NTO scenario with all the SoS maps on this turn, it’d be Mud in weather zone C and N in weather zone D, which I believe would mean Winter weather there. In any event, there are on this turn rough seas in the Arctic Ocean and the sea in calm in the Baltic.

The Soviets have 2/5 accumulated special inf replacement points for their losses incurred the last Feb II 40 Soviet turn. In the Soviet replacement box are a 3-2-8 art X, a 1-6 eng III, the 2-1-8 lt arm X, and an eliminated I-153. Per the SoS Errata Sheet 18 Jan 1999 the Soviets get 10 new ARPs for this turn’s new air cycle and they accumulate one additional ARP from the previous pool, giving them a total of 11 ARPs. In the initial phase they spend 2 of these 11 ARPs to replace the eliminated I-153, and place it at SE Leningrad hex 5114.

In the Mar I 40 Soviet initial phase the Finnish demoralization point (DP) tally is currently 14: 8 for captured Finnish point cities (1 point each), 4 for two “owned” Mannerheim Line hexes (2 points each), and 2 for the two Finnish *1-2-6 inf cadres on the map (1 point each).

By the end of the Soviet movement phase the dispositions of the Soviet forces north of the A weather line are as follows:

Petsamo (rough terrain Arctic Ocean minor port hex 0304): winterized 4-6 Inf XX 104, never moved; fulfills a garrison requirement

Murmansk (rough terrain Arctic Ocean major port and rail terminal hex 0701): 3-6 Inf XX 49, pos flk unit, an I-15 and I-152 F type air unit, and the 1-pt DD TF Flotilla-1, all forces never moved; the inf XX fulfills a garrison requirement

Salla (woods road junction hex 1510): 4-6 Inf XX 14, never moved; functions as a garrison

Wooded rough road hex 1509: winterized 1-2-6 Inf X Dol, never moved

Allakurtti (wooded rough road border hex 1508 inside Finland): 3-6 Inf XX, admin moved from 1604; functions as a garrison

Wooded rough road border hex 1507 inside the USSR: 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 4, admin moved from Loukhi (2104)

Wooded rough road hex 1606: 1-6 Inf III 19, from Allakrurrti

Kandalaksha (wooded rough Murmansk railway White Sea standard port hex 1504 w/ a 1-cap permanent airstrip): 0-1-5 Const X 7, admin moved from 1507

Kuusamo (woods road junction hex 2010): 4-6 Inf XX 163, never moved; functions as a garrison

Wooded rough road border hex 2109 inside Finland: 1-6 Inf III 529, never moved

Kestenga (wooded swamp s. rail terminus/road hex 2107 w/ a 1-cap permanent airstrip): winterized 1- 2-6 Inf X BOS, never moved; I-152, air transferred in from Loukhi during the movement phase

Loukhi (woods Murmansk rail junction hex 2104 w/ 1-cap permanent airstrip): 3-6 Inf XX 42 reinf railed in from the Leningrad central city hex 5014

Wooded swamp road border hex 2611 inside Finland: 4-6 Inf XX 81, never moved; black U-1, but in special supply by 3 supply points two hexes away at the temp. airfield at 2510 that were delivered there on the Feb II Soviet turn; 4-6 Inf XX 54, from 2510

Woods road border hex 2510 inside the USSR w/ a 1-cap temp. airfield at the start of the turn: 0-5 Const III 9, never moved; spends 5 MPs to complete the build of a 2-cap temp. airfield here (1 MP needed) and does an initial 4 MP spend on the next cap level build; 3-6 Inf XX 51, admin moved from 2308

Woods road hex 2509: 3-6 Inf XX 33, never moved

Ukhta (woods road junction hex 2508 w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield): winterized 1-6 Inf III 8 A, never moved;TB-3, G-1, and G-2 T type air units. All three air transports air transport six supply points to the friendly temp. airfield at 3010, then return to base at Ukhta.

Kuhmo (woods road hex 2912): winterized 1-6 Inf III 88/273 and the 2-6 Art X 45, never moved, both are black U-4; at least one RE acts as a garrison

Forest/woods road hex 3011: 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 5, from 3209

Wooded swamp border hex 3010 inside Finland: 0-5 Const III 8, never moved; spends 5 MPs to complete the build of a 1-cap temp. airfield here (2 MPs needed) and does an initial 3 MP spend on the next cap level build; 1-2-6 MG X 7 A, black U-1, from 3011

Forest Border hex 3112 inside Finland and right on the A weather line: winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3, black U-2, from 3211

Forest border hex 3211 inside USSR and right on the A weather line: 3-6 Inf XX 16, from 3111.

In the combat phase the two 4-6 Inf XXs 54 and 81 at hex 2611 attack the Finnish 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR at Soumussalmi, at woods road junction hex 2612, at 8 to 1 -2 and roll a 6: DE. After combat the 4-6 Inf XX 81 enters and occupies Soumussalmi.

At the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Soviet forces in the vast Ladogan Karelia on or south of the A weather line and north and east of Lake Ladoga are as follows:

Forest border hex 3311 in the USSR and right on the A weather line: winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142, black U-1, never moved

Wooded intermittent lake border hex 3410 inside the USSR: 3-6 Inf XX 122, black U-1, from 3411

Wooded intermittent lake border hex 3411 inside Finland: 4-6 Inf XX 50, from 3511; 3-6 Inf XX 60, from 3510; 1-6 Lt AA III 8, from 3611

Forest/woods rail hex 3512: 3-6 Inf XX 113, from 3611

Woods border hex 3510 inside Finland: 1-2-6 Para-Inf X 201, from Ilomantsi (3711)

Forest hex 3611: 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44, black U-1, from 3512

Forest hex 3612: 4-6 Inf XX 18, from 3712

Forest/woods road hex 3712: 3-6 Inf XX 128, admin moved from 3707

Ilomantsi (woods road hex 3711): 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 6, admin moved from Pitkaranta (4310)

Wooded swamp road hex 3707: winterized 3-6 Inf XX 91 and 3-6 Inf XX 173, both reinfs railed from SE Leningrad hex 5114 and then admin moved in

Woods rail/road junction hex 3812: 3-6 Inf XX 155, black U-1, from 3713

Woods hex 3813: 3-6 Inf XX 62, from 3912

Woods rail hex 3912: 3-6 Inf XX 86, from 4111; 3-6 Inf XX 1 FNA, from 3811

Woods L. Janis coast hex 4010: 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 204, never moved

Woods L. Pyha coast hex 4012: 4-6 Inf XX 11 and 3-2-8 Arm X 34, never moved

Woods L. Pyha coast hex 4113: 3-6 Inf XX 139, from 4211; two 3-2-8 Arm X 13 and 20, both from 4112

Woods rail junction hex 4112: 3-2-8 Arm X 28, from 4012

Woods rail L. Ladoga coast hex 4212: winterized 4-6 Inf XX 168, from 4112; 3-6 Inf XX 72 and 2-6 Art X 56, both from 4211

Sortavala (clear terrain L. Ladoga coast rail hex 4211): 3-2-8 Art X 8, never moved

W. End of Valamo Island hex 4312: 3-6 Inf XX 136, never moved

Pitkaranta (woods s. rail terminus/road L. Ladoga coast hex 4310): 1-8 Cav III 102, from 4410

Wooded swamp L. Ladoga coast road border hex 4510 inside Finland: 2-3-6 Inf XX 3 FNA, never moved

Wooded swamp L. Ladoga coast road hex 4608 w/ an at start 3-cap permanent airfield: two SB-2bis and the R-10 air units, never moved

Wooded swamp L. Ladoga coast Murmansk railway hex 4908: 1-8 Cav III 116, admin moved from the Leningrad central city hex 5014.

In the combat phase the 3-6 Inf XX 60 at 3411 attacks the dummy guerrilla unit at Lieksa (3312). The dummy guerrilla unit automatically retreats before combat to forest hex 3212 right on the A weather line and stacks with the dummy guerrilla unit already there. After combat the 3-6 Inf XX 60 advances into Lieksa.

The 3-6 Inf XX 16 at 3211 then attacks the two dummy guerrilla units stacked at 3212. Both dummy guerrilla units automatically retreat before combat to 3213, and the Soviet inf XX advances after combat into hex 3212.

Then the Soviet 4-6 Inf XX 50 and the 1-6 Lt AA III 8 stacked together at hex 3411 attack the Finnish 1-6 Ski Kymen guerrilla unit in combat mode at 3412. The guerrilla ski unit attempts to retreat before combat and rolls a 6 on the Success Table, and thereby successfully retreats before combat westwards across the frozen full lake hexside of Lake Pielinen to forest hex 3413. The 4-6 Inf XX 50 advances after combat into hex 3412.

The 1-8 Ski X Kraj guerrilla unit in combat mode is then attacked by the 4-6 Inf XX 18 at hex 3612 and the 3-6 Inf XX 113 at hex 3512 across the rail causeway crossing the frozen full lake hexside of Lake Pielinen. The guerrilla ski unit attempts to retreat before combat but rolls a Failure on the Success Table. The Soviets roll a 2 on their 9 to 1 -3 combat attack die roll: DR. The 1-8 Ski X Karj guerrilla unit retreats westwards to hex 3514 across the frozen full lake hexside of Lake Hoytianen. The 3-6 Inf XX 113 advances after combat across the rail causeway across Lake Pielinen to hex 3513.

The Soviets also attack the *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR at hex 3913 from four hexes: 4012, 3912, 3812, and 3813 at 9 to 1 -3 odds. The Finnish ski III attempts to retreat before combat, but rolls a Failure. It’s an automatic Elim for these Finns due to the high odds and the enemy ZOCs blocking retreat. The 3-6 Inf XX 86 advances into hex 3913 after the combat, leaving the 3-6 Inf XX 1 FNA it was stacked with in hex 3912 to block the hex from guerrilla placement next turn.

In the exploitation phase the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44, currently black U-1, moves into hex 3512 to block that hex from guerrilla placement next turn. This will certainly make it black U-2 the next Finnish initial phase.

By the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Soviet ground units in the important Karelian Isthmus zone are as follows:

Clear terrain G. of Finland coast hex 4617:

three 5-6 Inf XXs 24, 70, and 100; all three never moved

three 3-2-8 Arm Xs 32, 39, and 51; all three never moved

4-2-8 Art X LVO, never moved

3-2-8 Art X 13, never moved

Woods rail hex 4616:

three 4-6 Inf XXs, 77 and 84 never moved; 43 from 4716

two 3-2-6 [Heavy] Arm Xs, 35 and 40, railed in from 4714

1-8 Pltcl Pol III 3, railed in from 4714

3-2-8 Art X 9, from 4716

3-2-8 Art X 15, reinf railed in from NW Leningrad hex 4915

pos flk unit, from 4617

Wooded intermittent lake G. of Finland coast hex 4717:

4-8 Mot Inf XX 25, from 4816

4-8 Mot Inf XX 95, reinf admin moved from NW Leningrad hex 4915

3-2-8 Arm X 24, from 4815

3-2-8 Arm X 33, admin moved from 4814

2-6 Art X 50, never moved

Woods rail hex 4716:

9-6 Art XX 1, never moved

4-6 Inf XX 41, never moved

4-6 Inf XX 17, from 4813

2-1-8 Eng Tank III LVO, never moved

two 2-6 Art Xs 1 and 40, both never moved

Woods hex 4715:

Note: This turn the Soviet corps marker here flips to its regular stacking side per Rule 38H2a-Reduced Stacking.

two 4-6 Inf XX 4 and 75, both never moved

1-6 Eng III 13, from 4716

2-6 Art X 3, never moved

2-6 Art X 23, from 4714

Woods rail hex 4714:

three 4-6 Inf XXs 52, 123, and 138; all three never moved

2-6 Art X 34, never moved

Clear terrain L. Ladoga coast hex 4713:

Note: This turn the Soviet corps marker here flips to its regular stacking side per Rule 38H2a-Reduced Stacking.

4-6 Inf XX 41, never moved

4-6 Inf XX 17, from 4813

two 2-6 Art Xs 1 and 40, both never moved

Clear terrain G. of Finland coast hex 4816:

winterized *2-6 Marine X VMF/5, from 4715

*1-2-8 Mot MG X 50, never moved

3-2-8 Arm X 31, reinf from NW Leningrad hex 4915

Clear terrain G. of Finland coast hex 4815:

1-8 Pltcl Pol III 2, from 4715

Woods hex 4814:

4-6 Inf XX 37, from 4816

Woods rail hex 4813:

*0-1-0 FA X Kar, never moved

1-8 Pltcl Pol III 1, from 4713

2-0-6 Siege Art X LVO, from 4713

pos flk unit, from 4714

Isle of Kronshtadt (4916):

5-pt BB TF Marat

5-pt TF O. Rev

two 1-6 Lt AA IIIs 7 and 14, never moved

1-6 Lt AA III 15, reinf from NW Leningrad hex 4915

NW Leningrad hex 4915:

1-6 Eng III 7, from 4717

NE Leningrad hex 4914:

1-6 Eng III 8, admin moved from 4717

Leningrad central city hex 5014:

reinf 0-5 Const III 15, never moved

resource point

SE Leningrad hex 5114:

0-5 Const III 13, never moved

Near the end of the initial phase the Soviet player sends on the CAP mission over the Viipuri hex (4517) the replacement I-153 based at the SE Leningrad hex 5114. The Finns refuse to intercept with either of their two fighters based at Viipuri.

Early in the combat phase, when it’s time for the non-phasing player to fly DAS missions, the Finns send up the C.X A type on the DAS mission over Viipuri with the Glad F type as escort. The Soviets intercept with all seven F type air units in range from their airbases at Kronshtadt (4916) and the NW Leningrad hex (4915), both 4 hexes away from Viipuri. That’s three I-16’s, two I-16/t10’s, and two I-16/t17’s. All 7 intercepting Soviet fighters opt to bypass the Finnish Glad fighter. The I-153 performing the CAP mission in the Viipuri hex declines to participate and remains on its CAP mission. A random drawing pits the Glad against an I-16/t17 and the Finns roll a 4, which modifies to a 3 and per the SoS Air CRT: a Kill. Then the six remaining Soviet I-16’s (of various model types) close in on the C.X A type performing the DAS mission. The very first Soviet fighter randomly picked to intercept, an I-16/t10, rolls a 6 and Returns the C.X A type. The A type rolls a 9 for no effect. At the end of the air op the Soviet fighters return to base at Leningrad and Kronshtadt and the Finnish Glad and C.X air units return to base at the nearby at start 3-cap permanent airfield at Lapenranta (4318).

Then the Soviets send no less than 16 of their A and B type air units (eg., the whole available lot in the game) based at Leningrad and the permanent airfield at hex 4608 on the GS mission to Viipuri, with the other I-153 based at NE Leningrad hex 4914 as escort. That’s seven SB-2bis’, two SB-2’s, two R-5Sh’s, the R-10, two DB-3m’s, the DB-3t, and the DB-3b air units. At the last hex of the mission movement step the I-153 performing the CAP mission over Viipuri switches to the escort mission over the hex. The Finnish D.XXI F type air unit based at Viipuri intercepts the entire Soviet air op over the Viipuri mission hex and attempts to bypass the two escorting I-153s. The first I-153 rolls high and misses; but the second one rolls a 4: an Abort for the Finnish D.XXI F type air unit.

Then the 16 Soviet A and B type air units performing the GS mission must run the gauntlet of the 3 Finnish pos flk factors at Viipuri. The dice rolls of the SoS Antiaircraft Fire Table return two SB-2bis’, the R-10, and the DB-3b. The AA rolls also abort an R-5Sh and both DB-3m’s. Of the 9 remaining A and B (just one, the DB-3t) type Soviet air units, only 5 (owning player’s choice) can contribute their factored tac factors (due to poor weather) as GS to the upcoming battle, per Rule 20G2b-Ground Support. The Soviets pick the DB-3t and three of their SB-2bis’ (raw tac factor total of 5) for a factored GS total of 2 ½ to add to the combat attack for Viipuri. The Soviets attack Finnish held Viipuri with 31 attack factors from hex 4617, 25 attack factors from 4616, including a pltcl pol III, and the 2 ½ factored GS factors for a total of 58 ½ to 19, which equates to 3 to 1 -1 for Winter (Snow) weather. The Soviets roll the die and get a 5, which factors to a 4: DR.

The three Finnish pos flk units, the *3-4-6 Inf XX 23, the *3-8 Ski X RVV/1, and the 1-6 Art III 3 retreat to hex 4417, where the 0-6 RR Eng III Yhd is. The 4-5-6 Inf XX 4, the 1-2-6 Inf III 22/65, the 1-2-6 Ski III 1/KR, and the *1-2-6 Inf Cadre 11 all retreat to hex 4416.

The Soviets advance into Viipuri the three 5-6 Inf XXs 24, 70, and 100, the two [Heavy] Arm Xs 35 and 40, the 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 3, the two 3-2-8 Art Xs 9 and 15, and the pos flk unit.

The surviving Soviet air units participating in the battle for Viipuri return to base at Leningrad.

But the Soviets aren’t done just yet in their combat phase. They then attack the Finnish *3-4-6 Inf XX 9 at the central M.L. wooded intermittent lake hex 4615 from hexes 4715 and 4716 at 9 to 1 -2. They attack with 1/7th combat engineer capability (one combat eng capable type III in each hex) and the 9-6 Art XX 1 at hex 4716. They roll a 4, which modifies to a 2: DE. After combat the Soviets advance into hex 4615 the two 4-6 Inf XXs 90 and 97.

In the exploitation phase the Soviets advance the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 25 and the 3-2-8 Arm X 33 into hex 4617, the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 95 into hex 4615, and two 3-2-8 Arm Xs, the 24th and 31st, into hex 4616. The 1-2-8 Mot MG X 50 exploits into hex 3717.

At the end of the exploitation phase the dispositions of the Soviet air units based in the Leningrad/Kronshtadt zone are as follows:

Kronshtadt: three I-16, one 1-16/t10

NW L. hex 4915: I-153, I-16/t10, I-16/t17

NE L. hex 4914: two SB-2, I-153

L central city hex 5014: R-5Sh, SB-2bis, DB-3t

Eastern L. hex 5013: R-10, two SB-2bis

SW L. hex 5115: two SB-2bis, DB-3b

SE L. hex 5114: two SB-2bis

The 3-6 Inf XX 150, currently black U-3, lingers perhaps miserably on the north end of the Isle of Suur (4621) in the frozen G. of Finland. At its rear the 1-8 Cav III 5 watches out for Finnish guerrillas on the small Isle of Tatar (4820).

At Tallinn (4826) only the pos flk unit remains. At the end of the exploitation phase the I-16/t18 and I-16/t17 F type air units based there since the start of the turn do an air transfer mission to Soviet occupied Viipuri.