2nd Edition Soviet Order of Battle

8th Army Non-Divisional Units
1-8 M/C III 1B:2219
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2323
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2223
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2423
2-6 Art X 1B:2219
2-6 Art X 1B:2523
2-3-8 AT X 1B:2323
1-6 Eng III 1B:2219
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:2219

11th Army Non-Divisional Units
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2919
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2622
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2919
2-6 Art X 1B:2722
1-6 Eng III 1B:2818
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:2818

27th Army Non-Divisional Units
2-6 Art X 1B:1812
2-6 Art X 1B:2008

Baltic MD Reserves
3-6* Rifle X 3 1B:1016
0-1-5 Bdr Ill (NKVD) 1B:1118 Baltic MD Non-Divisional Units
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2512
3-2-8 Art X 1B:1816
2-3-6 Art X 1B:1816
1-0-6 Sg Art III 1B:1004
1-6 Eng III 1B:1816
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:1816

Leningrad MD Reserves
6-6 Rifle XX 70 (w) 2A:1031
3-6 Rifle XX 191 2A:1031
8-4-8 Tk XX 3 1B:1705
4-8 Mot XX 163 1B:1705
1-8 M/C III 1B:1705
1-2-6 Para X 201 2A:1031
1-2-6 Para-Inf X 9 2A:1031

41st Rifle Corps
4-6 Rifle XX 111 1B:1905
4-6 Rifle XX 118 1B:1905
3-6 Rifle XX 235 1B:1906
2-6 Art X 1B:1906

Leningrad MD Non-Divisional Units
3-2-8 Art X 1B:1705
3-6 Art X 1B:1705
3-6 Art X 1B:1705 3-6 Art X 1B:1705
2-3-6 Art X 2A:1031
2-6 Art X 2A:1031
2-0-6 Sg Art X 2A:0931
1-6 Eng III 2A:1031
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:1705
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 2A:0931
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 2A:0931
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 2A:0931

Baltic Fleet
BB Okt Rev 2A:0931
BB Marat 2A:0931
CA Kirov 2A:0931
CA Gorkiy 2A:0832
(CA) Petropav. 2A:0832
CL Aurora 2A:0931
3-6* Marine X 1 2A:0832

Resource Points
RPs = 6 2A:0931
RPs = 1 1B:0711

Antiaircraft Units
Pos AA (Lt) = 2 1B:0711
Pos AA (Lt) = 3 1B:2512
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 1B:2818
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 2A:0830
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 2A:0831
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 2A:0930
Pos AA (Hv) = 2 2A:1030
Pos AA (Hv) = 2 2A:1031

Baltic Fleet Aviation
I-16 1B:1724
I-16 1B:0711
I-153 1B:1421
DB-3B 2A:0931
SB-2 2A:0832 

Leningrad/Northern Front VVS
MG-3 1B:1705
Yak-1 1B:1705
I-153 1B:1401
Ar-2 1B:1705
SB-2 1B:1705

Leningrad PVO
LaGG-3 2A:1031
I-16 2A:1030
I-16 2A:1030
I-153 2A:1031
I-153 2A:1031

All Other Forces: As shown in the Soviet OB.

Dickenson Commentary

Baltic Special MD: The border is set up so that the German player has to go around the open flanks to get his Panzer corps into the rear, and the center of the border defense will keep some German units from moving up. I hope to tie up every available German ground unit, ending any threat of quick breakthrough, and force AGN to draw heavily on the Luftwaffe for ground support. Trying to hold onto the rail lines proved to be impossible without relying on a bad die roll and this still didn't guarantee they could be held. Kaunas is defended so that it will hold out until the regular Jun II turn, while at Siauliai the junction can be taken, but the lines up to it might be held.

Baltic Islands: Defending the Baltic islands gains no VPs and the German player needs only weak ground units to starve out the Soviets. Therefore, 3rd Rifle X is placed to immediately leave, while the Border unit stays to demolish the airbase.

Baltic MD Non-Divisional Units: The Siege Art III will be withdrawn to Leningrad to be used when its capabilities are called for. There is no way to stop the Panzers from getting at both Riga and Daugavpils. Riga has been made stronger than Daugavpils in an attempt to draw all or most of the two Panzer corps. This might further tempt the Germans to go for Tallinn, and not the Velikaya River.

Leningrad MD Reserves: 1st Mechanized Corps is in 1B:1705, putting AEC/ATEC units near the likely limit of the German advance. The artillery will aid in a counterattack, if one is feasible. Hex 1031 holds the reserve units that will be sent where most needed.

41st Rifle Corps: The two eastern divisions are able to move to hex 1B:2106 if the Germans get to hex 1B:2006. The rest make the fortified hex non-overrunable, while projecting a ZOC to slow up German units if they cross the Velikaya River.

Leningrad MD Non-Divisional Units: The Border units will remain in Leningrad to be disbanded.

Soviet Other Forces: The RPs are placed so that Tallinn can have a fort (upon arrival of a construction unit), while Leningrad has the main concentration of RPs, which will be used for its defense.

WS, Baltic Fleet Aviation: Both bombers are well protected, and there is fighter protection for Tallinn.

Leningrad/Northern Front VVS: The I-153 will give minimal protection to the rail line running out of Luga. The remaining air units at Pskov can launch bombing missions on the Velikaya River and into the Baltic States.

Leningrad PVO: Fighters are placed to cover the rail lines, ports, and airbases of Leningrad and Kronshtadt.

Baltic Fleet: With ship AA added, both Kronshtadt and Leningrad port (hex 0931) have 5 Pts of AA, and the fleet's gunnery strength will aid in the defense of both cities.

Judge's Verdict

At last! A semblance of a coordinated and coherent defense of the frontier. Hex 1B:2323 is plugged and the front from 1B:2223-2722 is non-overrunnable. The stack in 1B:2919 is a quantum improvement in defensive concept. Still there are some major problems, as Ed's deployment is based on an unrealistic appraisal of German capabilities.

The first case in point is Kaunas. Ed states that it will hold out until the Jun II regular turn. Not so, comrade! It can be hit from hex 1B:2819 at 4:1 odds by an Infantry corps or 5:1 odds by a Panzer corps. Using the L41 CRT, either attack will guarantee capture of the hex. Worse, placing a German ant or two in hex 1B:2918 will force any Soviet survivors to retreat off the Insterburg-Daugavpils rail line. This opens up the Soviet left flank to the same abuse discussed in the prior two set ups.

Next, any belief that piling a bunch of units in Riga is going to soak up the Luftwaffe or divert two whole Panzer corps is wishful thinking. With Riga treated as a dot city throughout the Jun II 41 turn, even Ed's stack of 10 strength points can be taken out rather handily at 4:1 odds without any undue diversion of assets. Here's how: Hex 1B:2020 is hit with overwhelming force at 9:1 (-1). This combat will cadre the division, costing it its ZOC. A full Infantry corps can now advance into the hex, and from there it is home free to hex 1B:1916 (across the river) in the regular turn. Now just add a few stray units to the attack on Riga, and the 4:1 is easily obtained.

In the same vein, placement of position AA in Daugavpils indicates that the Soviets expect the Luftwaffe to be called in on this attack. Against 4 points in a clear hex? I don't think so, with the weight of 4th Panzergruppe bearing down on the city. These AA points would be much better used garrisoning unoccupied cities in the Baltic states.

Lastly, Ed says that the two 4-6 divisions of 41st Rifle Corps will be able to move to hex IB:2106 "if the Germans get to hex 1B:2006." True. Trouble is, given even an undramatic sweep to Daugavpils, 4th Panzergruppe can easily reach hex 1B:2005 in exploit. This locks all of 41st Rifle Corps in ZOC and hampers any southward movement by these units. Given a first-rate German move, this spells serious trouble for Soviet reaction. Perhaps Ed felt that an exploit to 2005 would be too risky, believing the Luftwaffe would be fully occupied elsewhere. But as we have shown, the entirety of Luftflotte I is available for harassment or even DAS missions near Pskov, since there is no compelling need for ground support elsewhere.

Verdict: 3rd Place

Europa Contest #1 Leningrad: 1941 Scenario

Randy Pukalo
David Jennings
Ed Dickenson
Alan Tibbetts
Sam Dahman