2nd Edition Soviet Order of Battle

8th Army Non-Divisional Units
1-8 M/C III 1B:2121
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2020
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2222
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2423
2-6 Art X 1B:2523
2-6 Art X 1B:2323
2-3-8 AT X 1B:2323
1-6 Eng III 1B:2622
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:2223

11th Army Non-Divisional Units
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2919
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2818
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:2819
2-6 Art X 1B:2722
1-6 Eng III 1B:2819
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:0815
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:1118

Baltic MD Non-Divisional Units
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2822
3-2-8 Art X 1B:2512
2-3-6 Art X 1B:2819
1-0-6 Sg Art III 1B:1706
1-6 Eng III 1B:2919
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:1816

Leningrad MD Reserves
6-6 Rifle XX 70 (w) 2A:1031
3-6 Rifle XX 191 1B:1902
8-4-8 Tk XX 3 1B:1705
4-8 Mot XX 163 2A:1031
1-8 M/C III 2A:1031
1-2-6 Para X 201 2A:1030
1-2-6 Para-Inf X 9 1B:1401

41st Rifle Corps
4-6 Rifle XX 111 1B:1905
4-6 Rifle XX 118 1B:1803
3-6 Rifle XX 235 1B:1906
2-6 Art X 1B:1905

Leningrad MD Non-Divisional Units
3-2-8 Art X 1B:1401
3-6 Art X 1B:1705
3-6 Art X 1B:1803
3-6 Art X 2A:1031
2-3-6 Art X 1B:1705
2-6 Art X 1B:1902
2-0-6 Sg Art X 2A:1031
1-6 Eng III 1B:1401
1-6 Lt AA III 1B:1902
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 2A:0931
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 1B:1902
0-1-5 Bdr III (NKVD) 2A:1731

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

Resource Points
RPs = 1 2A:0931
RPs = 1 2A:0931
RPs = 1 2A:0931
RPs = 1 2A:0931
RPs = 1 2A:1731
RPs = 1 1B:1401
RPs = 1 1B:1401

Antiaircraft Units
Pos AA (Lt) = 1 1B:1421
Pos AA (Lt) = 1 1B:1408
Pos AA (Lt) = 1 1B:1213
Pos AA (Lt) = 1 2A: 1030
Pos AA (Lt) = 1 1B:3016
Pos AA (Hv) = 3 2A:0931
Pos AA (Hv) = 2 2A:1031
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 2A: 1224
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 2A:0832
Pos AA (Hv) = 1 2A:0832

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

Leningrad/Northern Front VVS
MiG-3 19:1705
Yak-1 1B:1902
I-153 1B:1401
Ar-2 2A:1030
SB-2 2A:1731

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

All Other Forces: As shown in the Soviet OB.

Tibbetts Commentary

Front line forces are set up to prevent any overruns and provide maximum delay on the Germans. Forces in 1B:2819 and 2919 should keep Kaunas out of German hands until the German regular June II turn. No free train tickets !

The 8-4-8 Tank XX is placed forward near the Pskov gap to allow (or threaten) a counterattack. Luftwaffe marshalling yard attacks would probably prevent rail movement of the Tank XX.

Positional AA is set up in any city without combat units to keep those zero-strength commandos from establishing a foothold.

Judge's Verdict

In fairness to the previous contestants, it should be noted that Alan is very active on GEnie, and has played the scenario by E-mail many times against tough opposition. He has been exposed to hundreds of L41 messages discussing strategy. As such, he is somewhat of an authority on the subject; in fact, he was co-champion (with Sam Dahman) of the GEnie L41 tournament in 1993.

Notice the clever deployment of the 1-6 Eng III from 8th Army with an 11th Army division in hex 1B:2622. This serves to free up 11th Army troops to defend Kaunas.

This is the most solid border defense so far. Alan has found the key to holding Kaunas until the Jun H regular turn: completely shield it from attack by placing stacks of non-divisionals in both 1B:2819 and 2919. He has also extended his non-overrunnable front line to include hex 1B:2822. Strengthening the first line along the border naturally weakens the second line running from Kaunas over to Siauliai, but this is the smart thing to do. If the Panzer corps are going to overrun anybody, it will likely be during the surprise turn: they can overrun units along the border and still have enough movement points left to reach attack positions against the second line. In the regular turn, however, a competent German will eschew any overruns near the border; if 4th Panzergruppe does not get across the Dvina River near Daugavpils by the end of the combat phase, it won't be able to make a decent exploitation move (with "decent" defined as reaching hex 1B:2005, at least). Such an exploit is imperative to sustain the momentum of the German offensive into July.

Alan's 4-point defense of Riga gives the German player a possible 2:1 (+1) attack in the surprise turn using both commandos and two Ju88As. The chance of obtaining these odds is less than 50-50, but if this makes you skittish, add another strength point. It is almost impossible to preclude a surprise turn attack against Riga altogether, so don't lose sleep over it.

I was happy to see a resource point in 2A:1731. This Soviet player is looking ahead and seeing the need to fortify south of Lake Ilmen.

Quibbles: I asked Alan about the Border III in hex 1B:2222 and his answer was that he couldn't think of anything better to do with it. Hmm...

Verdict: 1st Place (Tie)

A Brainteaser

Adjusting just three of Alan or Sam's units can eliminate a deficiency that exists in every set up presented. Identify the deficiency and describe the adjustment of the three units.

Hints:

1. Rick mentions the deficiency and alludes to its correction in one of his verdicts.

2. A contestant also mentions it.

3. All three units are non-divisional.

4. This change could add at least two divisions to the Soviet defense of Leningrad.

Europa Contest #1 Leningrad: 1941 Scenario

Randy Pukalo
David Jennings
Ed Dickenson
Alan Tibbetts
Sam Dahman