Incorporating Map 35 into Fire in the East/Scorched Earth

Introduction

There are significant differences between the 1939 and 1941 time-frame Finnish transportation nets. The differences are such that presenting a depiction on map 35 that could be used in both time frames would have cluttered the map's appearance to the point of detracting from its usefulness. GR/D opted, instead, to print map 35 as a special map showing the 1939 transportation net, only. The 1941 transportation net will show up on the revised Fire in the East maps.

For those players who would like to use map 35 to update their Fire in the East maps, however, the following information is offered.

Axis Railroad Construction

Between 1939 and 1941 the Finns added significantly to their rail net; while, from 1941 on, the Germans spent considerable effort towards expanding the road net in the Finnish Arctic. The Soviets were also busy in this area both before and after 1941.

Most of the Finnish rail construction assets spent the Winter War in the Arctic upgrading the Rovaniemi-Kemijarvi rail line to high-volume. As part of the peace treaty which ended the Winter War, the Finns were supposed to extend the Kemijarvi line to the Soviet borderwhere it would meet up with a Soviet line being laid westward from hex 1605. The Finns used every excuse they could to keep from working on this line, however; and, although the rail bed was completed by June, 1941, no rails were laid between Kemijarvi and Salla until July.

The Finns did continue rail construction elsewhere, however. Between April, 1940 and June, 1941, four major projects were completed as low-volume rail lines:

1. 3718 to 3613
2. 3421 to 2821
3. 3713 to 3711 (Ilomantsi)
4. 2613-2513-2413-2313-2213 (Taivalkoski)

Note that in this last case there is no paralleling road along the RR; the only first-class road in this area of the map remains the one running from Suomussalmi to Kuusamo.

After Finnish forces had advanced to the Svir river, the railroad engineers first upgraded the 4112-4305 (Petrozavodsk) line to high-volume in the winter of 1941-42, and then laid a new low-volume RR from 4310 (Pitkaranta) to the Svir river at 4807 in the summer and fall of the same year. Plans existed to extend this second line across the Svir to Lodeynoye Pole in 4907, as well.

Axis Road Construction

The Finnish Arctic road net changed considerably. The first change was that the old road between Kuusamo and Salla was allowed to deteriorate.

German control of the arctic theater led to further changes. German engineers built two new, first-class roads in the winter of '41-42 in order to facilitate direct communications between the German supply base at Rovaniemi and the combat forces operating along the Kestenga and Ukhta axes.

1. 1516-1715-1714-1813-1812-1912-1911

2. 2113-2312-2411-2410-2510

Construction continued in extreme northern Finland. First the Ivalo-Lakselv cutoff (0411-0311-0112-offmap to Lakselv in Norway) was completed in late 1942 and early 1943. Then the Karesuvanto-Skibottn cutoff (Karesuvanto-0120-offmap to Skibottn in Norway) was hurriedly completed in 1944 to facilitate the withdrawal of German forces from Finland.

Soviet Construction

On the Soviet side two construction projects of significance occurred. First, the low-volume rail lines which were hurriedly laid to Kestenga (2107) and Rugozero (3106) just prior to the Winter War were partially dismantled to provide material for the high- volume line laid westward from 1605 to the Finnish border prior to June, 1941. Second, the Kestenga and Rugozero low-volume lines were relaid in early 1944 as part of the Soviet preparations for their 1944 summer offensive.

One final note: The road which map 35 shows running from Podporozhye (4806) to Vytegra (4800) continues a good bit further eastward. This road's route on map 2A runs 0717 (Vytegra)-1314-1312-1610 (Vologda).

Rules Modifications

To account for the post-June, 1941 construction requires a couple of minor modifications to the Fire in the East/Scorched Earth rules. First, the existing Scorched Earth Rule 38C2 (Upgrading Railroads) must be modified to account for the new three-tier (roads, low-volume and high-volume rail lines) transportation system shown on map 35. Second, a mechanism is needed to account for the German road construction in the arctic which goes on from 1941 to 1944.

Modify Scorched Earth Rule 38C2 to allow only certain specified roads on map 35 (the Pitkaranta to Lodeynoye Pole and Kestenga and Rugozero roads) to be upgraded to low-volume RR status. The upgrade procedure would remain as currently written in the rule, except that the upgrade of a road to a low-volume RR would not require the expenditure of a resource point. (Note: The upgrade of a low-volume RR to a high-volume RR would require the expenditure of a resource point.)

To account for the second case, allow any Axis construction unit to build certain specified roads (the Karesuvanto-Skibbotn and Ivalo-Lakselv cutoffs and the Rovaniemi- Kuusamo and Rovaniemi-Ukhta direct routes) in the same manner as a fort is built, except that building the road would not require the expenditure of a resource point. Note that the time required to build the road would vary depending upon the terrain in the hex.