Month: March 2013 (Page 1 of 2)

If one searches either the original AWW or the newer SoS rules for the Soviet replacement rate in Winter War Europa games, it will be in vain, I believe. Evidently the only replacements the Soviets get in either AWW or SoS NTO games are special (infantry only) replacements generated at 1/5 of the previous turn’s unisolated attack factors lost in combat and in the Soviet replacement pool. Nevertheless there are in Gary Stagliano’s “More Additions for A Winter War,” found in Europa #66, under Replacements (Addition): Soviet Replacement Limitations, a host of restrictions on what and how many of what the Soviets can bring on using presumably only their special replacements. By the way, the only Finnish replacement limitation per the same article is that the Finns may not replace any artillery units until the Mar I 40 Finnish turn.

Accordingly, the Soviets bring on with their single freshly available special inf replacement point the recently eliminated 1-6 Eng III 8 at NW Leningrad hex 4915. The Soviets also use one ARP to replace the aborted I-152 and another two ARPs to resurrect the eliminated 1-16/t10. This leaves them with six ARPs just prior to the Mar I air cycle. At the beginning of the Soviet initial phase the weather die roll is a 3: still Snow everywhere on map 35 and stormy in the Arctic Ocean and calm seas in the Baltic. In the Soviet initial phase there is now a tally of 11 Finnish demoralization points (DPs), the one extra being for the Finnish *1-2-6 inf cadre currently on the map. They need a total of 25 DPs to force Finland to sign peace and end the Winter War, per Rule 41G3d-End to Russo-Finnish War.

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

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, the I-15 F type air unit, an initial phase repl 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, from 1605

Allakurtti (wooded rough road border hex 1508 inside Finland): 1-6 Inf III 19, never moved, garrision

Wooded rough road border hex 1507 inside the USSR: 0-1-5 Const X 7, never moved

Kandalaksha (wooded rough Murmansk railway White sea standard port hex 1504 w/ a 1-cap permanent airstrip): I-152 F type air unit transferred from Kestenga

Wooded rough Murmansk rail junction White Sea coast hex 1604: 3-6 Inf XX 80, reinf railed in from SE Leningrad hex 5114

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, red U-1 this turn, admin moved from 1810

Kestenga (wooded swamp s. rail terminus/road hex 2107 w/ 1-cap permanent airstrip): winterized 1-2-6 Inf X BOS, from Loukhi; I-16 F type air unit transferred from NE Leningrad hex 4914

Loukhi (wooded rough Murmansk railway White Sea coast hex 2104 w/ 1-cap permanent airstrip): 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 4, railed in from NW Leningrad hex 4915; I-152 F type air unit, never moved

Woods road hex 2308: 3-6 Inf XX 51, admin moved from Loukhi

Wooded swamp border road hex 2511 inside Finland: 4-6 Inf XX 81, from Ukhta

Woods road border hex 2510 inside USSR w/ a 1-cap temp. airfield: 0-5 Const III 9 and 4-6 Inf XX 54, both never moved. The const unit spends 5 MPs in the hex to continue building to the second cap level the 1-cap temp. airfield already in the hex, adding to the 2 MPs of initial construction done the previous Soviet turn.

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

Ukhta (woods road junction hex 2508 w/ 3-cap permanent airfield): winterized 1-6 Inf X 8 A, admin moved from Kestenga; G-1, G-2, and TB-3 T type air units. Two T type air units air transport four supply points generated at the Ukhta airfield to the 1-cap temporary airfield at hex 2510, then return to base at Ukhta after delivering the supply points. The G-1 T type air unit attempts another supply point airdrop at hex 3010 five hexes to the SW just inside Finland, but both airdropped supply points are scattered.

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 a Soviet garrison for Kuhmo

Forest/woods road hex 3011: 1-2-6 MG X 7 A, from 3010

Forest /woods road border hex 3111 inside Finland: 3-6 XX 16, admin moved from Rugozero (3106)

Wooded swamp border hex 3010 inside Finland: 0-5 Const 8, never moved. The const III spends 5 MPs in the hex to continue building a 1-cap temp. airfield in the hex, adding to the 1 MP of initial construction done the previous Soviet turn.

Forest/woods road hex 3209: 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 5, admin moved from 3011, still black U-2

Forest border hex 3211 inside USSR and right on the A weather line: winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3, never moved, black U-1.

In the combat phase the 4-6 Inf XX 81 at hex 2511 attacks the Finnish dummy guerrilla unit at wooded swamp road hex 2611. The dummy guerrilla unit automatically successfully retreats before combat to hex 2512, ignoring the inf XX’s regular ZOCs. The Soviet inf XX advances into hex 2611 after combat; it is now adjacent to the Finnish 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR at Soumussalmi (2612).

At the end of the movement phase the dispositions of the Soviet ground units in the Ladogan Karelia south of the A weather line and north of Lake Ladoga are as follows (air unit dispositions are for the end of the exploitation phase):

Wooded intermittent lake border hex 3410 inside USSR: winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142, from 3510

Woods border hex 3511 inside Finland: 3-6 Inf XX 122, never moved; 4-6 Inf XX 50, from 3611; 2-1- 8 Lt Arm X 1, from 3610

Woods border hex 3510 inside Finland: 3-6 Inf XX 60, admin moved from 3707

Forest hex 3611: 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44, from 3711; 3-6 Inf XX 113, from 3810; 1-6 Lt AA III 8, from 3712

Forest/woods road hex 3712: 4-6 Inf XX 18, never moved; 3-6 Inf XX 155, from 3912

Ilomantsi (woods road hex 3711): 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 201, from 4010

Forest/woods road border hex 3709 inside Finland: 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 214, never moved

Wooded swamp road hex 3707: 3-6 Inf XX 128, reinf railed and admin moved from SE Leningrad hex 5114

Medvezhyegorsk (Murmansk railway/road junction hex 3704 w/ 3-cap permanent airfield): I-16, never moved; two SB-2bis, returned to base here from GS missions in the Ladogan Karelia

Woods rail hex 3812: 3-6 Inf XX 56, never moved

Woods hex 3811: 3-8 Inf XX 1 FNA, never moved

Woods rail hex 3912: 3-6 Inf XX 62, from 4111

Woods hex 4012: 4-6 Inf XX 11 and 3-2-8 Arm X 28, both never moved; 3-2-8 Arm X 34, from 4112

Woods hex 4010: 1-2-8 Para-Inf X 204, from Pitkaranta

Soujarvi (wooded intermittent lake s. rail border hex 4008 inside Finland): 1-8 Cav III 1, never moved

Woods rail junction hex 4112: winterized 4-6 Inf XX 168 and 3-2-8 Arm X 20, both never moved; 3-2- 8 Arm X 13, from Sortavala

Woods s. rail junction hex 4111: 3-6 Inf XX 86, from 4108

Sortavala (clear terrain L. Ladoga coast rail hex 4211): 3-6 Inf XX 139, 3-2-8 Art X 8, and the 2-6 Art X 56, all three never moved; 3-6 Inf XX 72, from 4311

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 Pltcl Pol III 6, admin moves back again from 4908

Petrozavodsk (Murmansk rail junction/reference city hex 4305 w/ a 3-cap permanent airfield): I-16, never moved

Clear terrain L. Ladoga coast road hex 4410: 1-8 Cav III 102 railed and admin moved from SE Leningrad hex 5114

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: I-16/t10, I- 16/t17, and the R-10 air units; all three never moved.

In the combat phase the Soviets send an SB-2bis A type from Leningrad on the GS mission over the Lieksa hex (3312), containing the 1-6 Ski X Kymen guerrilla unit in combat mode. The DB-3t B type and the two old SB-2 A type air units, all based at Leningrad, are sent on the GS mission to forest hex 3512, containing the *2-6 Inf X 1; finally another SB-2bis A type air unit based at Leningrad is sent over woods hex 3713, containing the 1-6 Ski X SH guerrilla unit in combat mode.

In the Ladogan Karelia the Soviets follow a sequenced combat attack procedure. First, the 3-6 Inf XX 12 at hex 3511 attacks the Finnish dummy guerrilla unit at 3411. The dummy guerrilla unit promptly retreats before combat to woods rail hex 3412, stacking with the 1-8 Ski X Karj guerrilla unit in combat mode. The 3-6 Inf XX 122 enters hex 3411 after combat.

Then the winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142 at 3410 attacks the Finnish dummy guerrilla unit at forest hex 3311, right on the A weather line. The dummy guerrilla unit can only retreat to Lieksa, stacking there with the 1-6 Ski X Kymen guerrilla unit. It cannot retreat into either forest hex 3310 or 3210, due to the nevertheless reduced APZOCs of the black U-2 1-8 Pltcl Pol III 5 at hex 3208. The winterized 3-6 Inf XX 142 enters hex 3311 after combat.

Afterwards the black U-1 winterized 4-6 Inf XX 3 at hex 3211, right on the A weather line, attacks at half strength the 1-6 Ski X Kymen at Lieksa (w/ the recently retreated dummy guerrilla unit stacked with it) along with the SB-2bis A type on GS at 5 to 1 -2, and rolls a 1: which modifies to an AS. The SB-2bis air unit returns to base at Medvezhyegorsk.

The Soviet stacks at hexes 3511 and 3611 then attack the *2-6 Inf X 1 at forest hex 3512, along with the quartered tac factors of the DB-3t and the two SB-2 air units providing GS. The mot inf XX and lt arm X attack factors are duly halved, and the factored attack factors tally to a 12, which equates to a 6 to 1 -3 combat attack. The Soviets roll a 3, which modifies to a 0: EX. The Finnish *2-6 Inf X 1 is eliminated for the second turn in a row and the Soviets place the 2-1-6 Lt Arm X 1 into their replacement pool. After combat the Soviets advance the 4-8 Mot Inf XX 44 into forest hex 3512. The three Soviet air units providing the GS return to base at Leningrad.

Finally the Soviets attack the 1-6 Ski X SH guerrilla in combat mode at 3713 from hexes 3712 and 3812 along with the SB-2bis from Leningrad providing GS; the odds are 9 to 1 -2. The guerrilla ski X attempts to retreat before combat but rolls a 4: failure. The Soviets roll a 3 for the combat, which modifies to a 1: DH, which means the guerrilla unit is eliminated. Per Rule 40B2-Replacement Pools it is not placed in the Finnish replacement pool, but instead is returned to the “…pool of guerrillas available for deployment.” The 3-6 Inf XX 155 at 3712 advances after combat into hex 3713. The SB-2bis returns to base to Medvezhyegorsk, joining there the other SB-2bis and an I-16 F type air unit based there.

By the end of the movement phase in the important Karelian Isthmus zone the dispositions of the Soviet forces are as follows (air unit dispositions are for the end of the exploitation phase):

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 from 4717

4-2-8 Art X LVO, never moved

3-2-8 Art X 13, never moved

pos flk unit, never moved

Wooded intermittent lake G. of Finland coast hex 4717:

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

4-6 Inf XX 77, reinf from NW Leningrad hex 4915

4-6 Inf XX 84, from NW Leningrad hex 4915

1-6 Eng III 8, repl from NW Leningrad hex 4915

1-6 Eng III 7, from 4815

three 2-6 Art Xs 15 and 19, from 4815; 50 from 4816

Woods Viipuri-Leningrad railway hex 4716:

9-6 Art XX 1, never moved

two 4-6 Inf XXs 43 and 97, never moved

1-6 Eng III 13, from 4814

2-1-8 Eng Tank III LVO, from 4814

3-2-8 Art X 9, from 4814

pos flk unit, never moved

Woods hex 4715:

two 4-6 Inf XXs 4 and 75, never moved

winterized *2-6 Marine X VMF/5, from 4716

1-8 Pltcl Pol III 2, from 4716

2-6 Art X 3, never moved

Woods rail hex 4714:

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

two 3-2-6 [Heavy] Arm Xs 35 and 40, from 4715

1-8 Pltcl Pol III 3, from NW Leningrad hex 4915

two 2-6 Art Xs 23 and 34, never moved

pos flk unit, never moved

Clear terrain L. Ladoga coast hex 4713:

4-6 Inf XX 41, never moved

1-8 Pltcl Pol III 1, from NE Leningrad hex 4914

two 2-6 Art Xs 40, never moved; 1, from 4814

2-0-6 Siege Art X LVO, from 4814

Clear terrain G. of Finland coast hex 4816:

4-6 Inf XX 37, reinf from NE Leningrad hex 4914

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

Clear terrain G. of Finland coast hex 4815:

4-8 Mot Inf XX 25, from 4717

3-2-8 Arm X 24, from 4716

Woods hex 4814:

4-6 Inf XX 90, from 4713

3-2-8 Arm X 33, from 4815

Woods rail hex 4813:

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

4-6 Inf XX 17, never moved

Isle of Kronshtadt (4916):

5-pt BB TF Marat

5-pt BB TF O. Rev

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

I-153, never moved

two R-5Sh, returned to base here after pinpoint tac bombing attack in Finland in the exploitation phase

SB-2bis, returned to base here after Helsinki terror bombing attack

NW Leningrad hex 4915:

I-16/t17, never moved

two SB-2, returned to base here after GS attack in Ladogan Karelia

NE Leningrad hex 4914

I-16/t10, initial phase repl, never moved

SB-2bis, returned to base here after Helsinki terror bombing attack

Leningrad central city hex 5014:

1-8 Cav III 116, reinf from SW Leningrad hex 5015

resource point

SB-2bis and DB-3m, both returned to base here after Helsinki terror bombing attack

Eastern Leningrad hex 5013:

SB-2bis and DB-3m, both returned to base here after Helsinki terror bombing attack

SW Leningrad hex 5015:

DB-3b, returned to base here after Helsinki terror bombing attack

SE Leningrad hex 5014:

0-5 Const III 13, never moved

DB-3t, returned to base here after GS attack in Ladogan Karelia.

In the combat phase the Soviets attack the Finns at woods Viipuri-Leningrad railway Mannerheim Line hex 4616 from hexes 4617, 4717, and 4716. The Finns defend with two 4-5-6 inf divs and the *3-8 Ski X RVV/1 for a total of 13 def factors. The Soviets attack with 31 attack factors at 4616 (one of the most powerful possible Soviet attack stacks in the game, I believe), 16 attack factors at 4717, and 23 attack factors at 4716, including the 9-6 Art XX 1. They attack with 1/7 combat eng capability, but with no pltcl pol IIIs. They attack the Finns at 5 to 1 -2 and roll a 6, which modifies to a 4: DH. The Finns first flip the 4-5-6 Inf XX 11 to cadre and then remove the *1-2-6 Inf cadre 11 for a total of 7 printed def factors lost for the DH combat loss, per Rule 9D-Losses and Rule 9E-Cadres. The two surviving Finnish units retreat to 4516 and stack atop the pos flk unit already there. After combat the Soviets advance the following units into hex 4616: the 9-6 Art XX 1, the two 4-6 Inf XXs 77 and 84, and the two 2-6 Art Xs 15 and 19.

Then the Soviets attack the Finns at woods Lake Ladoga coast Mannerheim Line hex 4613, defended by the 4-5-6 Inf XX 10. They attack it from 4714 across the “open water” river hexside, per Rule 37A4-The Vuoksa River System (NTO Scenario) and from 4713 across the frozen full lake hexside per A Winter War Errata, Q and A, September 13, 1994. They attack it at 4 to 1 -3 odds, with no combat engineers but with a pltcl pol III in both attacking hexes, and roll a 3, which modifies to a 0: AS.

In the exploitation phase the 4-8 Mot Inf XX at 4815 moves to adjacent hex 4816.

Late in the exploitation phase the Soviets do another large Helsinki terror bombing attack with the DB-3b, the two DB-3m’s, and five SB-2bis’, all from Leningrad/Kronshtadt. The I-16/t18, an I-16/t17, and an I-153 from Tallinn (4826) fly escort. The Finnish D.XXI F type based at Helsinki intercepts, and a random drawing pairs it up first with the I-153. The Soviet escort returns the Finnish fighter, but the Fokker fighter rolls a kill and eliminates the I-153. Except for one returned SB-2bis A type, all the Soviet B and A type air units successfully fly past Helsinki’s two pos flk factors and score two terror bombing hits on the Finnish capital.

Then the two R-5Sh’s based at Kronshtadt fly another pinpoint bombing mission against the railway junction at Kouvola (4321) in Finland, but fail to roll a 6 and miss.

The 3-6 Inf XX 50, now black U-2, remains at the northern end of the Isle of Suur at hex 4621; and the 1-8 Cav III 5 guards its rear from guerrillas at nearby Tytar Island (4820). A pos flk unit still guards the fighter units based at Tallinn.

Finally, seeing that the surviving Soviet fighters based at Tallinn are inoperative, the Finnish Glad F type air unit based at Tampere (3825) does a non-phasing air transfer to Helsinki, joining the D.XXI fighter unit based there.

The Finns begin their turn with ¼ accumulated inf replacement points. During the previous Feb I 40 Soviet turn combat phase the Finnish attack strength point loss was 6, which equates to 1 ½ Finnish special inf replacement points per Rule 40B4-Replacement Points. This turn the Finns receive another inf replacement point as a reinforcement. With their total of 2 ¾ inf replacement points the Finns rebuild the *2-6 Inf X 1, which they must bring on at Helsinki per Rule 40B1-Production, and pocket ¾ inf replacement points for later. The Finns have 2 remaining ARPs.

The 23rd Inf XX HQ unit reinf is brought on at Kotka (4521), the 1-6 Inf III 23/68 reinf is brought on at Lahti (4223), and the 1-6 Inf III 23/69 reinf is brought on at Kuopio (3417). The 0-6 Lt Arm II 1 does its conversion to a 1-0-8 arm II at forest rail hex 3513. The Foreign Aid via Sweden Glad F type air unit reinforcement is brought on at Tampere (2825); see Rule 40A3-Foreign Aid to Finland for placement details.

Per the AWW Finnish OB, under Conditional Reinforcements, a new guerrilla unit, the 1-8 Ski X Karj is placed in combat mode at forest border hex 3212 inside Finland. The third and last available Finnish dummy guerrilla unit is placed north of the A weather line at wooded swamp road border hex 2511 inside Finland. There are so many well positioned Soviet anti-guerrilla units in the Ladogan Karelia that it cannot be placed there. The 1-8 Ski X Karj guerrilla unit was placed in the only available Finnish hex in that zone not covered by an APZOC or occupied by a Soviet ground unit or adjacent to a Finnish non-guerrilla ground unit.

At the beginning of the movement phase the 4-5-6 Inf XX 6 at woods hex 4113 breaks down into the supported component inf IIIs of the “A” Infantry XX.

By the end of the exploitation phase the Finnish ground unit dispositions north of the A weather line are as follows:

Kemijarvi (wooded swamp road hex 1514): 1-6 Ski III 41, never moved

Woods road hex 2114: *1-6 Ski III 2/LR, never moved

Soumussalmi (woods road hex 2612): 1-2-6 Ski III 1/PKR, never moved

Woods swamp road hex 2611: reinf dummy guerrilla unit, from 2511

Woods road hex 2913 right on the A weather line: 1-2-8 Ski X Rv, never moved.

By the end of the movement phase the Finnish ground unit dispositions in the vast Ladogan Karelia region are as follows:

Lieksa (woods rail hex 3312): 1-6 Ski X Kymen guerrilla unit in combat mode, never moved

Forest border hex 3311 inside the USSR and right on the A weather line: dummy guerrilla unit, from 3411

Wooded intermittent lake hex 3411: dummy guerrilla unit, never moved

Woods rail hex 3412: 1-8 Ski X Karj reinf guerrilla unit in combat mode, from 3212

Forest/woods rail hex 3512: *2-6 Inf X 1, repl from Helsinki railed at double cost to 3513, then moved in

Joensuu (woods rail junction hex 3613): freshly converted 1-0-8 Arm II 1, from 3513

Forest hex 3612: *3-4-6 Inf XX 12, never moved

Woods rail/road junction hex 3713: 1-6 Ski X SH guerrilla unit in combat mode; from 3512

Forest hex 3913: *3-4-6 Inf XX 13 and *1-6 Ski III 2/PKR, never moved

Forest hex 4013: *1-2-6 Inf III A, from 4113

Woods hex 4113: *1-2-6 Inf III A never moved; 1-2-6 Inf III 21/40, never moved; 1-2-6 Inf III 21/61, from 4212; 21st Inf XX HQ unit and 1-6 Inf III 21/62, both from 4313. At the end of the movement phase these last four units assemble into the *3-4-6 Inf XX 21.

Woods L. Ladoga coast rail hex 4212: 4-6 Inf XX 1, 1-2-6 Ski III 1/KR, and 0-1-5 Const III Kar, all three never moved

Clear terrain L. Ladoga coast rail hex 4313: *1-6 Ski III 2/KR, never moved *1-6 Inf III A, from 4113.

In the Karelian Isthmus zone the campaign appears to be approaching the decisive period of the Winter War. Recent battles have made things desperate here. Last turn, at the big Soviet combat attack in the Isthmus against the Finnish stack at important hex 4617, the Finns had a 1 in 3 chance of staving off for at least another turn this current desperation if perchance the Soviets rolled a 1: which modified by a -1 for Winter weather would be an AR, or even rolled a 2: which modified by the same -1 would be an AS, instead of the 4 that they did roll, which modified to a HX by the -1. The point here is to keep in mind, I think, that even in this game the Finns have up to now had a fighting chance of holding out until the historically critical Apr I 40 game turn. Although this accomplishment of continuing the war with the Soviet Union until the historical date of the German invasion of Norway does not in itself buy the Finns much in terms of the existing SoS NTO scenario rules without any prior Allied intervention into the Winter War, it does perhaps add food for thought in the pondering for a possible future Basic Grand Europa 1939-40 Scandinavian Campaign scenario,which might accompany the SoS war game.

Note: in the SoS NTO Scenario Study posting for the Feb I 40 Soviet turn the Soviets erroneously took combat losses for an EX instead of for a HX. What was I thinking? Accordingly, to correct this play error, the Soviet *1-6 Inf Cadre 24 that advanced into hex 4617 after the combat has been flipped back to its full strength 5-6 Inf XX 24 side. The other Soviet losses for the HX remain in the Soviet replacement pool as reported in the EA posting.

By the end of the exploitation phase the dispositions of the Finnish ground units in the Karelian Isthmus are as follows:

M.L. woods L. Ladoga coast hex 4613: 4-5-6 Inf XX 10, never moved.

Kakisalmi (wooded intermittent lake Ladoga coast rail hex 4514): pos flk unit, from 4613

M.L. Vouksa Lake/Causeway woods rail hex 4614: *1-6 Inf X 4, from 4613 0-1-6 Inf III HaL, from 4613 0-1-6 Inf II RR, from 4613 2-6 Art III 2, from 4615

Central M.L. wooded intermittent lake hex 4615: 4-5-6 Inf XX, from 4614 *3-4-6 Inf XX 9, from 4616 0-1-8 Cycle III VL, from 4613

Woods hex 4516: pos flk unit, from 4615

M.L. woods Viipuri-Leningrad railway hex 4616: 4-5-6 Inf XX 4, never moved 4-5-6 Inf XX 11, from 4615 *3-8 Ski X RVV/1, from 4616

Viipuri (clear terrain G. of Finland coast rail junction hex 4517): 23rd Inf XX HQ unit, reinf railed in from Kotka 1-2-6 Inf III 23/67, from 4615 1-6 Inf III 23/68, reinf railed in from Lahti 1-6 Inf III 23/69, reinf railed in from Kuopio

Note: At the end of the movement phase the above four units assemble into the *3-4-6 Inf XX 23. 1-8 Ski III 1-2 J, from 4613 1-8 Ski III 3-4 J, from 4313 1-2-6 Inf III 22/65, from 4615 1-6 Inf III 22/64, from 4615 1-6 Inf III 22/63, from 4615 1-6 Art III 3, from 4615 pos flk unit, from 4616 pos flk unit, never moved

Clear terrain G of Finland coast multiple narrow straits hex 4518: *1-2-6 Inf Cadre 5, from Viipuri 0-1-5 Const III Kan, from Viipuri

Woods rail G. of Finland coast hex 4417: 0-6 RR Eng III Yhd, from Kakisalmi.

Some may perhaps fret that the Finnish short stack at G. of Finland coast hex 4518 just to the west of Viipuri is liable to attack across the narrow straits hexside from the powerful Soviet stack at 4617, along with maybe some reinforcement arm Xs from 4717 also moved into the hex. Perhaps it should have got the repl *2-6 Inf X 1 instead of this primo Finnish ground unit being railed off instead to the arguably less important northern sector of the Ladogan Karelia. At coast hex 4517, the Soviets seem to have here the makings of an attack something along the lines of a 5 to 1 -1 against the Finns. But this war gamer is currently guessing that next turn the Soviets will have bigger fish to fry than attacking across the frozen narrow straits hexside towards the wayward G. of Finland coast hex and instead will throw everything they have available against likely the M.L. woods Viipuri-Leningrad railway hex 4616 or perhaps even against Viipuri (4517) itself in search of a quick end to the Winter War. I believe near the end of the historical Winter War campaign the Soviet Union did manage to capture the ground across the narrow straits at 4518.

The 0-1-6 Inf III KL remains at Kotka. At Helsinki (4526) are the two pos flk units, the Finnish govt. marker, and the D.XXI F type air unit. At Tampere (3825) are the still functioning factory and the new Glad F type air unit. The Ilmar TF and the Sisa RF are still moored at Turku (4230).

At least two minor errors have been detected so far in the Jan II 40 Soviet turn report posted at the EA. First, the Soviet 9-6 Art XX 1 is not supposed to advance after combat per Rule 37H5a-The Soviet Artillery Division. Therefore the dispositions of of the Soviet ground forces in two Karelian Isthmus hexes have been adjusted to comply with the SoS rules:

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

G. of Finland clear terrain hex 4816: 9-6 Art XX 1, never moved *1-2-8 Mot MG 50, exploited in from 4815 3-2-8 Arm X 39, exploited in from 4815.

Second, when doing the big Soviet terror bombing attack against Helsinki late in the exploitation phase using the two DB-3m’s, the DB-3b, the DB-3t, and the three SB-2bis’, the Soviets conveniently forgot to halve their strat bombing factors due to snow weather per Rule 20B (Intro). All B and A type air units originally got through Helsinki’s two pos flk factors; and so a redo was done of the strat bombing factor tallies and die rolls. The redo result was 1 terror bombing hit against Helsinki instead of the originally posted 3.

Finally, regarding the dispositions of the Soviet air units at the end of the Jan II 40 Soviet turn, an important Soviet airfield was accidently omitted:

At start 3-cap permanent airfield at wooded swamp Lake Ladoga coast road hex 4608: I-16/t10 I-16/t17 R-10

When the current SoS NTO Scenario game was begun, one of the intentions was to attempt to play an essentially “historical” (read: in the context of a preliminary and provisional Basic Grand Europa 1939-40 campaign scenario) Winter War campaign using the newer SoS NTO rules rather than the earlier AWW rules, thinking this was the wisest approach in an effort to contribute to the advancement the Europa war game project. By “historical” I mean specifically without actual Allied intervention into the Winter War, just as happened historically, at least in war game terms prior to the Mar II or Apr I 40 game turns, (eg., allow Allied intervention to occur only beyond the historical March 12, 1940 end date of the Winter War) if the Finns in fact held out that long. In pursuit of this “good intention,” the die roll (using two dice) for Allied intervention called for per Rule 41G3a-NTO Scenario: Allied Intervention required “at the start of each Finnish initial phase” from the game’s first Finnish turn has been consistently “controlled” by the invisible hand of the war game player to be sure and not trigger Allied intervention by a roll of 2 or 3. Subsequently, the strategy and tactics of the current SoS NTO scenario study war game has been largely determined by the necessity of the Soviets to accumulate Finnish “demoralization points” per Rule 41G3d-End to Russo-Finnish War, in order to end the conflict basically as soon as possible.

This EA member confesses to not currently being an expert on either the Europa AWW or SoS games. I have played/messed with some with AWW about 25 years ago with a good Europa player, but many of these memories are admittedly hazy by 2013. However, the more this war gamer plays SoS and studies its various scenarios, the better he likes it as the correct and ready made basis for playing what might be called Basic or Advanced Grand Europa campaign specific scenarios involving Scandinavia; but these games could also accurately be called “stand alone” games for those who suspect that “Grand Europa” talk inevitably leads to a chain hobble.

If playing a complete SoS NTO scenario war game with all the SoS maps and all the NTO counters, a neutral Norway at neutrality watch will order partial mobilization if Finland is invaded by the USSR, per Rule 38G1-[Norwegian] Neutrality and Activation. Evidently this partial mobilization occurs on the Dec II 39 turn. “Norway is now Axis-leaning (but still neutral).” The situation is essentially the same for Sweden in SoS NTO scenarios, I believe, per Rule 38I1-[Swedish] Neutrality and Activation. See the SoS Orders of Battle for the inevitable partial mobilizations of Norway and Sweden in NTO scenarios after the Winter War starts. Note that the SoS Campaign for Norway and Nordic Adventure scenarios both begin with Norway and Sweden at partial mobilization, I believe, on their Apr I 40 start turn. A neutral Denmark remains at neutrality watch until either Norway or Sweden is invaded. All this implies, I think, that the SoS NTO scenario is in essence what could be called the basis for a first class GE 1939-40 Scandinavian campaign scenario, at least for those who might like the idea.

I’d like to propose an additional SoS NTO scenario variant with the following rules changes. First, drop the required each Finnish turn die roll for possible Allied intervention and instead allow the Allied/Finnish player to either a) voluntarily choose to intervene on the Mar II 40 turn, if the Winter War lasts that long, or if Europa players feel this is too restrictive, then b) voluntarily choose to intervene any Finnish turn after the Winter War begins. After declaring the Allied intervention, the Norwegian and Swedish die rolls would take place per Rule 41G3b-Neutral Reaction to Allied Intervention. There is apparently already in place some rules provisions in the SoS NTO scenario for a Winter War continuing after standard German historical intervention into Norway on the Apr I 40 turn at Rule 41G3c-Axis Intervention, with or without any prior Allied intervention into the Winter War.

Secondly I’m also thinking now that in the proposed SoS NTO scenario variant discussed above the Apr I 40 game turn weather should automatically be what it is in both the SoS Campaign for Norway and Nordic Adventure scenarios per their starting conditions (on the Apr I 40 game turn) found in Rule 41B and C. This gives the Axis the historical weather conditions on their historical invasion date. Of course I’m assuming this turn the Axis (or Allies) will invade Norway in SoS NTO scenarios played like a hypothetical Basic GE Scandinavian campaign scenario.

Note that per SoS NTO scenario rules the Winter War will continue after Allied intervention has occurred until “…Finland has at least 25 demoralization points” in a Soviet/Axis initial phase after subtracting 10 for Allied intervention.

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.

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.