Alas in Finland in the winter of 1940 it was not for the Soviets. Starving in minus 40 degrees they are trying to dislodge the Fins who just will not go quietly into the night.
Situation Report.....
Following the Finish Sausage action the Soviets failed to breakthrough but captured supplies from the Finish Supply Kitchen. They are retreating back to their lines. Conditions again are severe and the infantry and supply column are slogging their way back to Regimental positions through deep snow terrified of the hiss of skis.
The Fins with six games and 23 Victory points have not been idle and used these to replenish their forces and build tanks and vehicles. They also opt to attack the retreating column and make a general counter attack. What follows are two 8 turn games and the results are dramatic and historical.
Rules
Again under Cross of Iron our FOW system which is geared for infantry the turns run with random cards and special rules. The decks are bespoke to the game and campaign theatre based upon research. Weather conditions are rolled for every turn to ascertain if they deteriorate. Currently following a six and three the temperature is minus 40 and the ground frozen so no troops can dig in without a pioneer vehicle. The fins have a sled. Deep snow creates bogging checks for infantry. The Fins may hold as many units in ambush as they like but must deploy a minimum of two units. They
may also make a skil check with any ski troops and deploy them back in ambush the following turn
within 16 inches of their last location as long as they ambush again from cover. Ski troops may also in assault breakthrough like tanks and always move at ten inches in these conditions
Game 1
The soviets deploy. Their objective the soviet lines. They need to get one base to the marker and the forces are withdrawn into the lines. For each unit they get to the lines they gain 1 point. The Soviets deploy randomly with their forces entering the board on the north and eastern roads.
The Fins deployed a HMG platoon and infantry platoon and sprung an ambush on the Eastern Road. What followed can only be described as a massacre. The Soviets pushed on gallantly but the Fins began to generate the Molti tactics, cutting off and isolating the enemy and concentrating firepower. Then assaulting and completing the defeat. Despite a Soviet straffing run and Regimental artillery
support and reserves the Soviets were annihilated or surrendered. Losses were 14 finish stands or 56 men with 400 Soviet dead and 72 prisoners including rhe Company Comisar. Red Banner the Soviet hero dodged and disappeared into the interior only to be hunted down and found dead frozen solid. The Fins gained 5 more VPs and again left the ice stained with Crimson as their new Fearless Conscipt tanks which are unreliable and overloaded, entered the board much to soviet HQs incredulity....
Game 2
The fins elected to spend their points, refitted and the Ski and infantry company elected to force the Soviets to counterattack from their trenches and recapture the road. The Soviet Reginental commander was at HQ, a staff team, fixed to his HQ and a CV of the Russia Japanese war. What followed was magnificent, exciting and damn challenging.
The General was worth 10 VPs and 3 were up for the game. The Soviets with 2 companies in the trenchline and 75 mm gun support charged out of their trenches with vengeance in their eyes.
Again and again they assaulted but luck was not with them....their saves the worst the ed has ever seen, Soviets were mown down losing spotters, commanders and Hmgs to skill check target selecting by the finish snipers. The finish snipers clammed 24 victims the finish HMGs killing 60 dead. Ultimately with both assaults repulsed the fins had won but now the Ski troops elected a very risky gambit and went for the general. Then dark skies and visibility reduced for two turns down to 4 inches. The Soviets had but a depleted company to defend him but then a magic card and the Soviets then got another company but the ski troops got into the trench and assaulted the HQ the hiss of skis and SMG fire broke the silence. Soviet HQs was now supported by two soviet companies albeit one was below 50 percent. The fins with sheer audacity attacked...killed the general and waited for the counter attack. The newly arrived company did nothing in terror, the diminished soviet company countered and failed to hit. The fins wanted to break off but changed their plan and countered the weakened soviet company taking out five Bases for no loss. The Soviets countered again and again missed. The Soviets looked dumbstruck as the finish ski commander grinned and hit six more times whipping out the Soviets, forcing company morale and with the 1ic and general already dead the Soviets abandoned their lines. The fins triumphed and in this entire rampage had lost 2 bases or 8 men the Soviets another three companies.
In three games the Soviets have lost an entire Regiment of 9 companies for less than a finish company..
Knicker gripping stuff, atmospheric, horrific and damn good fun...The Russian finish war continues.
Happy New year folks and enjoy the pics. The second game follows the picture of wood as we had a break for luncheon.
Laters
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