Winter War Campaign #2 - scenario #1

 

My 2^nd Winter War Campaign

Rules: Nuts! By TwoHourWargames (28mm WWII skirmish)

I will be using the Battle Card Deck for the first time; for everything but friendly reinforcements.

1^st Scenario: Patrol

Date: December 3rd, 1939, somewhere in Finnish Karelia

Weather: Clear skies, light snow on ground (no effect on movement)

Campaign Morale: Soviets (4), Finns (4)

Investment Level: Soviets (5), Finns (3).

Finnish Forces:

 There are two types of friendly forces in this game, as I play it. One controlled by the player and his “Star,” the other controlled by the game mechanics.  Most scenarios will start with two friendly squads: The Kahu’s squad (star and friends) and the Kemi Irregulars (controlled by game mechanics). Only the Kauhu’s squad can gain reputation and rank – and risk permanent casualties. The Kemi squad will start each scenario anew and will always be Rep4 (with a couple of threes).

 

Briefing:  Finnish forces in the area have been conducting ambush and delaying actions where they can while trying to avoid general engagements. They also have orders to ensure that all civilians have been evacuated and nothing has been left behind that could benefit the Soviets.

 Rumors suggest that one family in a rather remote farm has not been evacuated. The Kauhu’s squad has been ordered to investigate matters and determine if they are collaborators, spies or are just being stubborn.

The Kauhu’s squad will enter on the left, the Kemi Irregulars on the Right. This is a big board (6’x4’) so sometimes it takes a while to contact the enemy. This is intentional, as the more turns you play, the bigger the chance of more enemy troops. And I like big battles.

Rules note on abbreviations: A non-player force (both friendly and enemy) have to pass two different die rolls in order to activate. The first is for the turn initiative, If that roll is higher than the unit’s initiative it can’t move and is noted in the narrative as “cannot activate.” Once the unit is able to activate, it will roll on the relevant chart. There are occasions when that results in the unit remaining in place. That will be noted by the phrase “does not move” or “does not activate.”

IST = In Sight Test: a rules mechanic that determines who fires first when two units spot each other.

Improper capitalizations (i.e., Fast Move or Drop Back) refer to game mechanics.

 

At Start

The white clothed Finns do not always photograph all that well on a snow-white gamemat, so I took some photos of them on a green mat. Here is The Kauhu's squad:

The rest of my Finnish army can be found here: Jeff's 28mm Winter Was Finns

Turn 1: Finnish Initiative

 The Kauhu advances normally. Korpi is scouting ahead on his own, as usual. The Kemi Irregulars do not move.

In the Soviet turn PEF1 & 2 advance a full move; PEF3 does not move.

Turn 2: Finnish Initiative, but they cannot activate.

PEF2 advances a full move; neither PEF1 nor PEF3 move.

Turn 3: Finnish Initiative

Both squads advance normally.

PEF1 & 2 do not move - PEF3 advances and is spotted by Korpi – but it is nothing.

Turn 4: Finnish initiative and reinforcements – Vrk Kantola and Yks Somppi’s squad

All three Finnish squads advance normally. Yks Helske spots PEF2 and is alarmed to find it is a Soviet fighter that strafes both the Irregulars and Kantola’s force. The Irregulars suffer two killed (Harri Helske and Salmi) and two wounded (Krs Ketolainen and Lahdenperä), causing the entire squad to drop back. Kantola’s group only has one wounded (Martti Hakala) and one drop back (Erkkilä).

In over two dozen games, I never had an airstrike - got one my first time using the card deck
Smae thing applies to an arty strike - got one of those this game too.

For the Soviets, PEF1 does not move.

Turn 5: Finnish Initiative

Situation at start o fturn 5

 The Irregulars do not move, although Yks Matti Helske takes over the squad.

Vrk Kantola advances, although Erkkilä decides he has had enough and ‘Hunkers Down.” The Kauhu continues to advance down the left flank.

For the Soviets, PEF1 advances a full move.

 Turn 6: Finnish initiative

Yks Helske is able to get the Irregulars to recover their morale. Kantola and the Kauhu continue their advance. Kantola’s group emerges from the woods and enters the clearing.

Korpi approaches the farmhouse, but doesn’t see anything. However, there must be at least an artillery observer nearby, for just as he declares it to be empty and artillery strike falls on Vrk Kantola’s squad. Paavo Hakala and Laitila drop back to the cover of the tress, but there are no real casualties.

 

Korpi Scouts ahead

Turn 7: A new PEF (#4) is paced near the barn, Finnish initiative and reinforcements: The rest of Kantola’s half-platoon (Krs Rinta)

 

Start of Turn 7

 The Irregulars advance and stumble in to an entire three-squad (10, 11 & 12 men + two officers) infantry platoon (was PEF1)! The Soviet 1^st squad is prepared and fires first. The Soviets prevail and inflict two casualties (Laine killed, Hunkala wounded); with the Irregulars now being reduced to less than have strength, the survivors flee the battlefield. The Kemi boys did manage did manage to take out the Soviet LMG with their own, which was enough to cause the Soviets to Drop Back in confusion.

The Irregulars are in serious trouble

 Hearing (but not seeing) the commotion in the woods to his right, Kantola drops back into the cover of the woods, where he picks up Hakala and Laitila, who have recovered their nerve. Rinta moves his squad past the quaking Erkkilä and joins Kantola.

 On the Finnish left, Korpi puts eyes on the barn and discovers a small infantry squad (1^st squad of 2^nd platoon: 10 men), as usual, he is able to duck back into the woods without being seen.

 On the Soviet turn 1^st squad/1^st platoon (1/1) recovers and a rifleman picks up the LMG dropped by his wounded comrade. The 2/1 moves to the edge of the woods on their right. The 3/1 moves forward a bit to support both of the other squads.

 PEF#4 moves up – but is only rumors.

 Turn 8: Finnish Initiative, but they cannot activate

  Soviet 1/2 remains in place, defending its position. Soviet 1^st platoon advances to edge of woods.

 Turn 9: Finnish initiative

Vrk Kontola brings his force on line and readies them to receive Soviet 1^st Platoon.

The Kauhu advances his squad with Korpi in front. Korpi identifies PEF#4 as three T-26 tanks. Yikes! Time to duck back into the woods.

 

 The Soviet Lt advances his 1^st and 2^nd squads simultaneously and engages Kantola’s platoon, 1^st squad will engage Rinta’s section and 2^nd squad will engage Kantola’s section. IST goes to Kantola, so Finns will fire first.

 

The Kauhu decides the enemy is too strong here and withdraws before he is noticed

Rinta v. 1^st squad: Finnish fire is mostly ineffective, scoring only one wounded (by Korpela’s LMG), but they did force several drop backs. The three Soviets still in line perform active fire: Huhtala kills the Soviet squad leader and Haapasalo manages to wound the Soviet Jr. Corporal.

 

Soviet 1st platoon attacks Kontola
(Not sure why photo is so lousy)

Kantola v. 2^nd squad: Somppi scores one killed (Soviet junior corporal), the others just score drop backs. Unfortunately, Laitilä is killed. Soviet active fire by those still in line force Somppi, Paavo Hakala and both Pentti and Ahti Saari are forced to drop back. Only Vrk Kantola and Yks Somppi remain on line.

 Turn 10: PEF5 placed behind 1^st platoon in sector six. Finnish initiative, but cannot activate

 The Soviet troops who dropped back recover.  The Soviet troops that remained on line active fire on Kantola’s squads. Two Soviet riflemen are wounded but Ahti Saari and Huhtala are forced to drop back.

PEF5 moves forward cautiously.

 

Turn 11: Soviet initiative

 1/2 Cannot move

 1/1 Moves forward lead by the platoon leader – IST

 1^st squad v Rinta’s squad: Rinta is killed by Soviet fire and Korpela is wounded.

2^nd squad v. Kantola’s squad. Kantola wounds two, but Somppi only forces drop backs. However, that is enough damage to force 2^nd squad to leave the battlefield.

 3/1 Does not move. PEF5 moves forward 4.”

 

On the Finnish turn, Kantola and Somppi move back and rejoin their squad members who had previously dropped back. Pentti Saari recovers his morale, the others do not.

The Kauhu withdraws from the presence of 1/2^nd and the Soviet tanks.

 

Turn 12: Soviet initiative but cannot activate

Vrk Kantola recovers the rest of his group. The Kauhu decides he is far enough away from the Soviet threat to fast move back towards Kantola.

 

Turn 13: Finnish initiative

 Kantola holds his squad in position while Kauhu continues his Fast Move

 

On the Soviet phase, 1/1 and 3/1 advance slowly towards Kantola’s group. The 1/2  crosses the wall and advances towards Kauhu’s old position. The tanks cross the wall and head for the clear terrain.

 

Soviet tanks cross a wall

Turn 14: Finish initiative, but they do not activate

PEF5 advances and is spotted by Kantola – it is a heavy machinegun team.

1/1 advances and is spotted by Kantola, who again wins the IST.

 Kantola scores one kill, but Somppi misses and runs out of ammo. The other Finns score several Drop Backs. The 1/1 Hunkers Down and refuses to move (house rule).

 

3/1 decides to attempt to maneuver around Kantola’s flank.

1/2 doesn’t move. The tanks move forward slowly.

 

Turn 15: Soviet initiative

3/1 doesn’t move. 1/2 and the tanks move forward.

On the Finnish turn, The Kauhu has now joined Kantola’s group.

 

Turn 16: Soviet initiative and reinforcements (2/2 – 10 men with LMG)

   Vrk Kantola decides that the road is closed and they have taken enough punishment (Even though Kauhu’s squad really hasn’t been engaged), so it is time to disengage and leave the battlefield.

 

Situation at the end of the game

Soviet Victory

Next Mission: Soviet attack

 As the mission was unsuccessful, there will be no Rep increases