Winter War - scenario #9, experimenting with a Motti

 This was an experiment with replicating a "motti battle"

My 2^nd Winter War Campaign

Rules: Nuts! By TwoHourWargames (28mm WWII skirmish) – with a few personal touches here and there (not to mention forgetting a rule now and then).

The Mission Card Deck will be used for everything but friendly reinforcements

Note: Inappropriate capitalization in the middle of a sentence refers to rules’ mechanics. They, along with other abbreviations and more campaign background can be found

Campaign Background: Follows the exploits of Kersantti (Sgt) Tapio Kalvela, AKA “The Metsän (Forest) Kauhu” (Terror or Horror) or often just “The Kauhu” and his Jääkäri (Jaeger) squad (The Brute Squad). The Kauhu and his squad are attached to Kapteeni Kaarna’s infantry task force. In order to keep the scenarios fresh and not too repetitive, the squad transfers between fronts in a way that is unrealistic.

Note: Patrol and Choc & Cig scenarios do not affect Campaign Morale

1st Scenario: Patrol: Soviet Victory

2nd Scenario: Defending the approach to the village: Finnish victory

·       Campaign Morale: Soviets (3), Finns (4)

3rd Scenario: Choc & Cigs – Escort: Finnish victory

4th Scenario: Patrol – Finnish victory

5th Scenario: Finnish Attack – Soviet Victory

·       Campaign Morale: Soviets (3), Finns (3)

6th Scenario: Choc & Cigs – A dangerous mission – Finnish victory

7th Scenario: Defense of the Kollaa River – Finnish victory

·       Campaign Morale: Soviets (3), Finns (3) [no change]

8th Scenario: Patrol – Finnish victory

 

Date: January 16^th, 1940 – Lemitti Motti, Ladoga Karelia

Weather: Clear skies, freezing cold with Deep snow on ground;

Campaign Morale: Soviets (3), Finns (3)

Investment Level: Soviets (4), Finns (3).

Special Scenario Rules:

The Soviets are trapped in a motti – in other words they are surrounded; even though the Soviets start with forces in sectors 1,2 & 3; it is possible that Finnish reinforcements may appear behind them (south edge). This has the additional consequence of Soviet squads in the redoubt will have 1/2 their squad facing north (towards the main Finnish body) and 1/2 facing south, protecting their rear.

The scenario starts with 4 PEFs and two BT2 tanks on the map.

·       PEF1 starts in the east redoubt; PEF2 & 3 start in the central redoubt; PEF4 starts in the west redoubt.  If resolved as an enemy squad, they will start in a defensive position and will not willingly leave it.

o   PEF1&4 will be resolved as if they passed 2D6; PEF2 & 3 will be resolved normally, although at least one must result in enemy troops.

o   The two BT-2 tanks start on the road. The tanks are almost out of fuel and cannot move. They do have enough fuel to turn in place once.

·       Trapped in their “Mottis” and cut off from their supply base, Soviet soldiers are freezing, starving and low on morale. To represent this, all Soviet squads coming from PEFs 1-4 have the following attributes:

o   Slow (5-3): Only counts 1D6 when testing for Fast Move

o   Dumbass (2-3): -1 to Rep for activation

·       The rules for additional PEFS, if any, and all reinforcements are as follows:

o   Will appear randomly on either road entrance, unless the road is cut.

·       A road is cut if 5 points of Weapon Target (i.e., an SMG and 2 rifles; or 5 rifles, etc.) are Located within 6” of the road and facing the edge.

o   Additional PEF will act as normal, and do not need to comply with above rules of privation or movement (If they are able to “come to the rescue” so to speak, it is assumed they are in better condition).

§  Exception: If the road is cut on both ends, new PEFs will enter in sector #2 behind the main DP, but will count as suffering from privation (they represent troops who have escaped other mottis and are in bad shape)

o   Any vehicles that appear must stay within one vehicle length of the road, or take a deep snow driving test.

·       Duck Back for troops in a Defensive Position is handled a little differently. The following rules only apply to Figures in Defensive Positions (DP).

o   A figure in a DP that Ducks Back, will go prone in place, behind their DP. All other normal Duck Back & Prone rules apply – including being out of sight of the figure that caused them to Duck Back.

o   A figure that recovers from Duck Back while in a Def Pos can stand up (possibly causing a new In Sight Test) and Active fire. (The act of reoccupying their DP doesn’t require a movement action; it is part of their Recovery)

·       The open area behind the Finnish lines is an “Ice Road.” Movement is normal there.

The Mission:

 The Soviet 18^th Rife division, supported by the 34^th light tank brigade, is trapped in a series of mottis that extend along the Lemitti - Uomaa road. Task Force Kaarna has been selected to reduce a small section of one of the mottis. Krs (sgt) Hietanen will take his 7-man LMG squad up the left flank; Vrk (Vänrikki  - 2Lt) Kariluoto and his 10-man rifle squad will attack the center, supported by Vrk Koskela’s two Medium MG teams. The Kauhu will take his squad up the right flank.

  Vrk Kantola’s half-platoon (7-man LMG squad and a 10-man rifle squad) plus the Kemi Independent squad will be available as reinforcements. And of course, one never knows when Takala and his Sissi will show up.

 In order to claim victory, the Finns must clear all three DPs, destroy both tanks and cut the road on both ends.

Starting Positions

Turn 1: Finnish initiative

   All Finnish squads ski up to the edge of the woods – just out of sight.

 According to scenario rules, the Soviet PEFS do not move.

Turn 2: Finns fail to activate – Soviets do not move

Turn 3: Soviets fail to activate

  On the Finnish left, Aks (alikersantti – corporal) Rokka moves forward and identifies PEF4 as the Soviet 3rd squad, 1^st platoon (3/1) an 11-man rifle squad with an LMG. He drops back before he is seen. Hietanen and the rest of the squad move forward, stopping just short of the enemy LoS.

Soviet 3/1 in all around positions

  In the center, Sm (sotamies – private) Viirila scouts forward and identifies PEF2 as 2/1: a 10-man rifle squad with an LMG. The platoon leader and a political officer are also present. PEF3 is only rumors. He also drops back unseen. Kariluoto moves his squad forward, with Lehto’s MMG team on the left and Lahtinen’s on the right.

the 2/1 and the tanks, plus a field kitchen

 On the right, Jääkari (jaeger private) Korpi scouts forward and identifies PEF1 as 1/1, an 11-man rifle squad with an LMG. Likes the others, he drops back unseen. The Kauhu moves his squad forward as well.

The 1/1

Turn 4: Soviets Initiative, but they stay in their Defensive Positions

Kpt Kaarna holds the groups in the center to give the groups on the flanks time to move up (the woods are closer to the roads on the flanks).

Turn 5: PEF5 appears on the west road and is immediately identified as 4/1, a 14-man squad with an LMG. Finns fail to activate.

Start of turn 5

Korpi uses his Combat Sense to drop back under cover before he is seen by 4/1.

The BRute Squad engages the 4/1

None of the Soviets are able to move.

Turn 6: Finnish initiative

  On the Finnish right, The Kauhu moves the Brute Squad forward and initiates a three-way IST with 1/1 and 4/1. The Brute Squad fires first on the 4/1: they kill two and wound two, but the Soviet squad Carries On. Active Fire causes a couple more casualties, but the 4/1 hangs on. Pylkäs has a malfunction, but is able to clear it (Rules Note: because the issue occurred during IST reactive fire, and not Active Fire, he is able to use his action to clear it).

  Kpt Kaarna attempts a coordinated attack. He orders the MMG teams on the flanks forward in an attempt to pin some of the troops down before Kariluoto advances.

  On the left-center, Aks Lehto moves his group forward, but BT-2(#31) is ready for them and fires first: Kaukonen, the assistant gunner is killed.

Vrk Koskela and Lahtinen's MG crew

  On the right-center, Vrk Koskela orders Lahtinen’s MMG group forward. The 1/1 fires but does no damage; Määttä’s (Lahtinen’s gunner) wounds both members of the 1/1’s LMG team. For Active Fire, Lahtinen directs his gun team to the left and scores 3 hits (1 kill and 2 wounds) on the 2/1. Although, the covering fire wasn’t as effective as he had hoped, Kaarna orders Kariluoto to take his squad forward, into a four-way IST – and promptly loses all three (Despite the Finns being concealed by the woods and the Soviets suffering from privation). The fire from 1/1 kills Sm Pettinen and the fire from the two tanks forces the rest of the squad to Duck Back.

 On the far left, Hietanen moves his squad forward and engages the 3/1. Vanhala does most of the damage (wounding both members of the LMG team) with the inexperienced Sihvonen also claiming a wound; the others just force Duck Backs – leaving no targets for Active Fire.

Hietanen's squad engaging the 3/1

Soviet phase

 On the Soviet left, the 4/1 engages The Brute Squad with Active Fire – and get the worst of it. The Kauhu takes out the LMG team and Korpi kills the last squad leader. The surviving riflemen hang on. (The Kauhu was saved by “Star Power.”)

 In the Soviet left-center, the Soviet 1/1 Recovers and brings the men who were facing south forward and engages Lahtinen’s MMG group in ineffective Active Fire. BT2#37 adds their fire to Lahtinen, but is equally ineffective.

 On the Soviet right, the 3/1 recovers and engages Hietanen’s group in a firefight. The Soviets force all the riflemen (Hietanen, Susi, Honkajoki and Sihvonen) to Duck Back, whereas Rokka and Asumaniemi score hits with return fire.

Turn 7: Soviet Initiative, but they cannot move

  Various Finnish units Recover from Duck Backs. Lahtinen provides suppressive fire on the 1/1 causing one casualty and several Duck Backs.

  Kariluoto leads his squad forward and into a 4-way IST with the 1/1 (a few were unaffected by Lahtinen’s fire) and both tanks.  The 1/1 fires first, killing Vrk Kariluoto and forcing the other to Duck Back.

 Kpt Kaarna sends his ATR team to the left, using the “Ice Road” to move quickly.

On the left-center, Lehto’s MMG crew fires a deadly suppressive fire on the 3/1, killing one and wounding three. With the covering fire, Aks Rokka runs forward and tosses a grenade, wounding the squad leader and a rifleman. The two surviving Soviets stubbornly hang on.

Turn 8: A new PEF followed by Soviet initiative

 The PEF turned out to be a strafing run which caused significant losses to Hietanen’s squad: Tassu Susi, Honkajoki and Sihvonen were all wounded; Rokka and his team had to Duck Back into the cover of the woods. This timely attack kept Hietanen’s squad from cutting the road.

Soviet 1/1 and 4/1 Recover, but the 3/1 stays deep in their Defensive Positions.

The two Soviet tanks are too busy trying to keep warm to fire (privation stopped them from Activation).

Finnish phase

 The Kauhu takes the turn to Recover and for Pylkäs to fix his ammo problem.

The death of Kariluoto has left his men shaken, and Kpt Kaarna is unable to get them to Recover.

 On the left, Hietanen, Rokka’s group and the ATR all Recover.

Turn 9:  Soviet initiative and reinforcements arriving on the east road

 The reinforcements are immediately spotted by Rokka: 1/2: 10-man rifle squad with an LMG. Rokka fires first, but is ineffective. Active fire causes no casualties, but forces Rokka and his team to take cover deeper in the woods.

 1/1, 2/1 & 3/1 all recover from Duck Backs; 4/1 Hunkers Down in the woods out of sight of the west road.

 The two tanks fire on the MMGs, forcing both Lehto and Lahtinen’s groups to Duck Back.

Finnish Phase

 On the left, Hietanen’s group Recovers. In the Center, Kaarna finally gets Kariluoto’s squad to recover, as does both MMG groups.

 On the right, The Kauhu splits his squad into two groups. Ignoring the Hunkered Down 4/1 (out of LoS in any case), Pylkäs, with Suominen and Niska cut the west road. The Kauhu leads the rest after the 1/1. Their fire isn’t particularly effective (only 1 wounded) – but it is enough to force the 1/1 to Leave the Battlefield. The Kauhu’s group continues their move and enters the defensive position abandoned by 1/1.

Engaging the 1/1 and ccutting the road

Turn 10:  Soviets fail to activate

Start of turn 10

 On the left, Krs Hietanen leads his squad against the 1/2. The Finns fire first with devastating effect, killing three and wounding two. The 1/2 survivors Duck Back into the cover of the trees south of the road.

 In the center, Lehto and Lahtinen move their respective MMG teams up to the edge of the woods, unobserved by the Soviets (most of whom are now prone behind the DP). Kaarna moves Kariluoto’s squad forward, just short of the enemy line-of-sight, as he wanted to wait for the MMGs to be in position.

 On the right, Korpi requests having the first crack at BT2 #37, pointing out that its turret isn’t facing them. Korpi is able to get close enough to throw a Molotov Cocktail that ignites the tank. The crew does not survive.

Korpi takes out a BT2

The Kauhu prepares the Brute Squad to attack the center Defensive Position

Turn 11: PEF#7 in sector #2 – behind the main bunker; Soviets fail to activate

 On the left, Vanhala and Asumaniemi cut the east road, but maintain a watch for the 1/2 if they should come back. Hietanen and Rokka approach the eastern DP and kill one rifleman, which forces the last two survivors to flee the battlefield. Hietanen, Rokka and the ATR team enter the DP. The building is unoccupied, except for two civilians who had been captured by the Russians some time before.

 On the left-center. Lehto moves his MMG team forward, but is spotted by BT2 #31 – and is force to Duck Back again.

 In the center, Kaarna holds his men in place.

 On the right center, Lahtinen provides suppressive fire on the 2/1 in the main DP. Under their covering fire, The Kauhu and his team rush forward to clear the DP. Taikuri throws a grenade on the way in that wounds the Political Officer and the LMG gunner; The Kauhu drops the assistant gunner and Jkr (jääkäri – jaeger private) Lång scores a kill (all this was an IST and Reactive fire).

 In Active Fire, of the four riflemen only Kemppaala scores a wound. The Kauhu enters the trench and engages the Soviet platoon leader in melee – wounding him. He is followed by Korpi who wounds the squad leader in like fashion.

Clearing the main bunker

 Even though wounded, the few survivors fear the Political Officer, so they fight on.

Turn 12: PEF#8 enters in sector #2. The Finns don’t activate and the Soviets can’t move

Turn 13: Soviet initiative, but they cannot move

 On the left, Väisänen (ATR gunner) takes aim and scores two hits on the side of BT2 #31 – the crew does not escape. Rokka decides to go after the 1/2, while Hietanen stays in the DP.

 The Kauhu finishes off the survivors of 2/1 and occupy the DP. In the process of doing so, they spot and identify PEF7 & 8. PEF7 is a new squad: the 2/2, a 13-man squad with an officer and a MMG, but they aren’t moving in a military fashion (suffering from privation). PEF8 is rumors.

 Now manning the DP and facing south, The Kauhu engages the 2/2 and fires first. They kill one and wound three others, forcing the entire squad to Duck Back into the woods for cover.

Engaging the Soviet refugees

Turn 14:  The Finns fail to activate, but receive reinforcements: the Kemi Independent squad: 7 men with an LMG.

 Soviets: 1/2 and 2/2 Recover

Start of turn 15

Turn 15: Finnish initiative and reinforcements: Lt Takala’s 10-man Sissi squad appears near the 2/2 forcing them to surrender (Takala had been pursuing them).

END: With the Finns in possession of all three redoubts and both tanks destroyed – the motti has been eliminated and the Finns can claim victory

Soviet campaign morale reduced by two: Soviets (1), Finns (3)

Casualties & Rep increases:

Kauhu’s squad

Casualties: None

Rep Increases:  Kirsi III to Rep4

 

Koskela’s Group (includes Hietanen’s squad and both MMGs): 1 killed, 3 wounded

Kariluoto’s Group: 2 killed (Kariluoto)