Winter War Errata Sheet

September 13, 1994


Counters and Orders of Battle

The Soviet 77th Rifle XX of the Strategic Reserve should actually be the 7th Rifle Division.

The Finnish 1st Division should have a 1-6* self-supported cadre as this unit consisted of elite pre-mobilization formations.

Change the set up instructions for the Finnish Coastal Defense Command on page 2 of the Orders of Battle booklet to read: "Place in Finland in any ports along the Gulf of Finland."

Maps

If the map with your game is missing the Finnish-Soviet border north of Leningrad, it is a first edition map. In this case, we recommend that you obtain a second edition map, which may be purchased by sending $2.00 to GR/D, P.O. Box 591, Grinnell, IA 50112.

This map errata applies only to the first edition maps:

    1. The border of the Soviet Union and Finland north of Leningrad is missing. It runs along the following hexsides: 4714/4713; 4714/4813; 4714/4814; 4715/4814; 4815/4814; 4815/4915.

    2. Hex 1203 should be a mountain hex.

    3. Hex 2116 should be a swamp hex with Pudasjarvi in the hex.

    4. Hex 4521, KoLka, is correct. The island that the reference city is on was left off the map.

    5. Hex 4916 should show an island with a fortress and the reference city of Kronshtadt.

This map errata applies to both the first and second edition maps:

    1. The rail line from Viipuri (4517) to Lappeenranta (4318) appears to end before entering the city of Lappeenranta. This rail line connects these two cities.

    2. Hexes 2014 and 2815 should be wooded rough hexes.

    3. Hex 3311 should be a wooded intermittent lake hex.

    4. Hex 4713 is a woods hex.

    5. Hex 4917 should be a wooded swamp hex.

    6. The rail line does Dot cross the 4108/4207 hexside. Treat the transportation line crossing that hexside as a road only.

Charts.

Modify the Terrain Effects Chart as follows:

1. Under "Combat Effects" for "Sea (Frozen)" remove the "(except Artillery)" provision. (This makes the AWW TEC compatible with the Grand Europa TEC presented in FitE/SE.)

2. Under "Hexsides" add a row for "Bridged Strait (Open Water)." Movement Effects: No Effect. Combat Effects: Attacker (except Artillery) quartered. Note that the only such hexside in the game is hexside 4614/4714.

Rules.

Rule 14B1 The Soviet Artillery Division. (Modification) Add a second paragraph: "The Soviet Artillery division may not advance after combat."

Rule 30B5-Murmansk Garrison. (New Rule) The Soviet player must keep at least 6 REs of units in coastal hexes adjacent to the Arctic Ocean until Western Intervention is triggered.

Questions and Answers

(Rules 12C3, 20E, and 26Al) Several rules refer to the movement of supply points, yet I see no mention of supply points in either order of battle. Is this an oversight?

    No, the lack of supply points in each sides' OB is not an oversight. Both sides have a theoretically infinite amount of supply points available. When delivered per the rules you mention above, they are represented by the use of status markers. Supply points are available as described in the first paragraph of Rule 20E for delivery by air, and 26A1 for delivery from Murmansk to Petsamo via sea.

(Rule 14C) What good are headquarters?

    A headquarters unit may provide support for other units per Rule 11, being akin to artillery in this regard (since it is considered to represent the divisional artillery component, among other assets). This is a valuable capability for the artillery-starved Finns, since a headquarters unit may stack with Finnish unsupported non-divisional units to form a supported stack.

    Also, the divisional headquarters may be necessary to assemble a divisional unit, per Rule 15A. For example, the 21st Divisional Headquarters unit must be stacked with the other component units of the 21st Rifle Division in order to assemble the 3-4-6* Rifle Division counter. The assembled division exerts a ZOC, potentially of tremendous value as the Finns become hard-pressed.

(Rule 14F2) Do Soviet 0-1-8 Bdr (NKVD) units have APZOCs?

    Yes, Soviet NKVD units have APZOCs both as border units and when converted to political police units.

Do APZOCs exist outside weather zone A, even when the regimental unit doesn't have a ZOC anymore?

    Yes, APZOCs exist equally inside and outside weather zone A.

Can units in partisan mode cut supply lines?

    No, this is a result of Rule 14F: "A unit in partisan mode does not own the hex it occupies" and "does not have a ZOC in the Arctic."

(Rule 14F3) Once in combat mode, a partisan unit will always control the hex it occupies. So under what circumstances can a unit in combat mode change back to partisan mode?

    Rule 14F3 states "The Finnish player must change a partisan unit from partisan mode to combat mode if the unit begins an initial 12hase (friendly or enemy) in a friendly-owned hex." If the partisan unit is in combat mode, it does not "begin the initial phase" in partisan mode and so is unaffected by this sentence. Perhaps the rule would be clearer if the second sentence read: "However, if a partisan unit in partisan mode begins an initial phase (friendly or enemy) in a friendly-owned hex, the Finnish player must change the unit to combat mode."

    Here is how it works: While in Finnish territory the unit operates in combat mode. If at the start of a turn the Finnish player wishes to send the unit into Soviet territory incognito, he changes the unit to partisan mode during his initial phase and moves it into Soviet territory during the movement phase. Since a partisan unit in partisan mode does not own the hex it occupies (14F2, 1st bullet), it will not trigger a mandatory conversion back to combat mode while in Soviet territory. Of course, it could choose to change to combat mode, if desired. Once in combat mode, it could choose to change back to partisan mode in a future Finnish initial phase, as noted above. But let's assume a Finnish unit in partisan mode decides to "come in from the cold," and moves back into Finnish owned territory. In the following Soviet initial phase, the partisan unit would have to change from partisan mode to combat mode, because it begins the initial phase in a friendly-owned hex.

    In a subsequent turn the Finnish player could again decide to send this same unit off on another raid into Soviet territory by changing it to partisan mode, and moving it onto enemy turf.

Can a partisan unit change to combat mode in the same initial phase it appears as a reinforcement?

    Yes, per the Master Sequence of Play Summary.

(Rule 14G) If a defending unit with a cadre suffers an EX result due to converting a DR, must the surviving cadre retreatfrom the hex?

    No. The rule states that survivors do not retreat from the hex, and that includes surviving cadres.

(Rule 29B2) May units attack across the Vouksa lake hexsides?

    Attacking across hexsides 4516/4515 and 4614/4715 is prohibited. The presence of the transportation line crossing 4614/4714 makes that hexside a bridged strait (open water) hexside, which does allow combat (see the change to the TEC above).

Is movement and combat allowed across hexside 471314613?

    Yes, this is a frozen lake hexside and is unaffected by the Vouksa River system. This is an intentional design feature.

(Rule 30B3) Can Soviet units trace supply through uncaptured Finnish city hexes?

    They can trace an overland element (only) through such a hex, if unoccupied by Finnish units and not blocked by Finnish ZOCs.

(Rule 31B) This rule states that "the Finnish player may not trace road and railroad element supply lines through any city hex of a resisting country unless that city is garrisoned. " Does this include Narvik? I trace the supply line to Narvik not through it.

    Narvik must be garrisoned for the supply lines to be traced.

(Rule 31C) Can the French and British units of the interventionjorce use rail movement (Finnish Rail capacity)? If so, what is the impact on such rail movement ifNorway and Sweden resist intervention?

    A unit of the Western Intervention Force (WIF) can use rail movement provided a line of friendly owned rail hexes exists between the unit and Finland, or if the unit is already in Finland. Therefore, if neither Norway nor Sweden resist intervention, a unit could use rail movement upon its arrival (for game purposes, all hexes in Norway and Sweden would become Finnish owned per Rule 31B).

    If either Norway or Sweden resist, the situation is a little trickier. Units of the WIF must first gain ownership of a rail line into Finland (since for game purposes all hexes in a resisting country become Soviet owned). Once the path is cleared (or the units reach Finland), rail movement car, proceed normally.

On the Dec II 39 turn, Western intervention is triggered. The Finnish player must now combat the entire Soviet strategic reserve. The Finnish player does have 11 Emergency Replacements available, but he does not yet have enough units in the replacement pool to make full use of these. Is early intervention a crueljokefor the Finns?

    It seems so I If this troubles you, use the following: The turn that Emergency Replacements are taken, allow the Finnish player to use his emergency RPs to "buy" any of his reinforcements that have not yet arrived. Finland still does not receive any further regular reinforcements or replacements. These units represent the training establishment of the Army of the Interior that is not represented by actual counters for minor countries like Finland.

(Ride 32B) Does the FNA get replacements?

    The FNA does not have its own replacement rate. For game purposes, FNA units are merely Soviet units that might be unreliable per Rule 30B4. They generate Soviet special replacements and may be replaced like any other Soviet units, using Soviet replacement points.

(Rule 36A1) There is no mention of reduced ZOCs in this rule. If using this rule, when, if at all, do reduced ZOCs come into effect?

    They come into effect as stated in Rule 5: "When a unit with a ZOC is unsupplied (see Rule 12), it has a reduced ZOC." Therefore, on the first turn out of supply (and each turn out of supply thereafter) a unit with a ZOC has a reduced ZOC, whether using Rule 12D or 36A1.

(Rule 36D) When using this rule, do Soviet parachute units have the same anti-partisan capabilities as parachute -infantry units, as specified in Rule 14F?

    No, the Soviet player must make a trade-off if he uses Rule 36D. If the units are parachute units, they do not have APZOCs.

(Rule 37H) What is meant by the "historical outcome of the game?

    Suppose the Soviet player scores 58 VPs and the Finnish player 22 VPs while using Rule 37H. The difference is 36 [58 - 22 = 361. The "historical outcome of the game" would be a Soviet Marginal victory per the Victory Chart. However, to determine player victory, the Soviet player would have an additional 20 VPs deducted from his total. This would yield a difference of 16 [58 - 42 = 16] which would give the Finnish player a Marginal victory.

From John Astell

As part of my work to coordinate the Scorched Earth OB with the FitE/SE OB, I've reviewed the Finnish Europa OB from A Winter War. I've encountered some potential problem areas with that OB.

1. Foreign Volunteers. A number of foreign volunteer ground units can show up if Finland is at war with the Soviet Union. No provision, however, is made for them going home when and if the war ends, although they certainly would do so. I suggest adding:

A. To the Mobilization Forces:

Turn 14 (Historical - May II 40) If Finland is no longer at war on or after this turn, withdraw: 1x 0-1-6 Inf X Sisu (FV)

B. To the Foreign Aid section:

Ground Forces Repatriation. On the fourth consecutive turn that Finland is not at war, withdraw the following foreign aid units, if previously received as reinforcements:

    1x 3-8* Ski X RVV/1 (FV)
    1x 3-8* Lt Inf X RVV/2 (FV)
    1x 2-3-6 Inf X UVV (FV)
    1x 1-2-6 Inf X LVV9 (FV)

2. Position AA. The "War's End" regular reinforcements calls for the conversion and withdrawal of various position AA units. However, Finland may not have enough to satisfy all OB requirements, if some foreign aid position AA doesn't arrive. If the Finnish player lacks a point of position AA: to convert, he forgoes the conversion; to withdraw, he ignores the withdrawal.

3. Reinforcement Confusion: It is unclear from the OB if Finland receives a "Mobilization Forces" reinforcement on a given turn if the war has ended prior to that turn. The rest of the OB, however, assumes that all the mobilization reinforcements appear, regardless of Finland's war status. Otherwise, the "War's End" reinforcements can blow up.

I don't think this is an errata per se, as the mobilization rule doesn't appear in the OB. A "by the way" note may be in order, however: Finland receives all its mobilization reinforcements once mobilization has started.


Back to Europa Number 37 Table of Contents
Back to Europa List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1994 by GR/D
This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com