Occasional discussion has occurred in the pages of TEM concerning the possibilities for a successful Finnish defense and victory in A Winter War (AWW). There seems to be a general, but by no means universal, feeling that the Finnish side is the more difficult to play, and that a Soviet victory is the most likely outcome. What follows is an exploration of the threat posed by the Soviets and suggestions for a successful Finnish defense. I am not guaranteeing that the setup and strategies described here will ensure a Finnish victory, however I do feel the Finns have at least a fighting chance if correctly played.

My regular gaming associate, Steve Snook, and I tested and refined the ideas presented here in our most recent game of AWW. The fact that the Soviets won this game decisively will probably not discourage those of you who think AWW favors the Soviet side. However, at least three factors favored the Soviets in this particular game.

1. The Soviet player was the more experienced of the two at war games generally and Europa games in particular.

2. The worst combat result rolled during the game by the Soviets was an AS, despite a number of risky attacks which could have yielded ARs or AHs.

3. The realization, after the game was underway, that the Soviets could concentrate their 1-6 eng regiments for attacks on the Mannerheim Line on turn 2. This doesn't necessarily change the Finnish setup used in the game, but suggests a need to better plan for turn 2 and beyond. We discuss below the impact of engineer led attacks starting on turn 2.

We used the following optional and designer's choice rules in our test game:

36A. Advanced Game Mechanics
Supply Effects
Terrain and Supply Lines

These rules have a little for each side. Yes, they make it harder for the Soviets to extend their supply lines and raise the possibility of units dying from lack of supply, but the initial effects of being out of supply are less severe.

36B Armor and Antitank Effects

These benefit the Soviets, but what's a Europa game without all those AEC and ATEC calculations?

36D Airborne Operations

At first glance, this would seem to be all Soviet. However, there are two important considerations. One, if the Soviets use their 1-2-5 parachute brigades, then they don't get them as 1-28 para-inf for anti-partisan purposes. Two, now the Soviets have to roll for scatter when attempting to air drop supplies. This makes aerial resupply much more difficult.

36F. Accelerated Foreign Aid to Finland

Balance for 36B above.

37A. Designer's Choice Rules Special Unit Abilities

1. Heavy Tanks

Balance for 36B above.

We also used the errata sheet dated September 13, 1994 (see TEM #37). This is a must have item, especially for its rules on the "bridged strait (open water)" for hexside 4614/4714 and the cut in the rail line at the Soviet-Finnish border hexside of 4108/4207.

Geography and Victory Conditions

Finland's rugged geography plays an important role in determining the nature of the Soviet threat and Finnish plans to counter this threat. Since victory or defeat for both sides is primarily determined by Soviet occupation of Finnish cities, it makes sense to consider geography and AWW's victory conditions at the same time. An examination of the map shows that the fifteen Finnish cities within four hexes of the border can be divided into six clusters. Looking at these clusters from north to south provides us with a convenient way of looking at the opportunities and problems faced by each side.

1. Up By the Arctic Ocean
Petsamo (0304), and Ivalo (0610)

This area is a write off for the Finns. Petsamo is indefensible and Ivalo's 5 VPs are not worth the cost of immobilizing a 1-6* ski unit for most of the game. Only in the case of Western intervention will this cluster become an active area of operations.

2. Straight to Sweden
Salla (1510), Allakurtti (1508), and Kuusamo (2010)

This is an attractive area for the major Soviet effort north of the A weather line. Generally, the Soviet player will want to launch at least one serious attempt to cut off southern Finland from Sweden. While it is unlikely that such an offensive will totally succeed, it will stretch the limited resources of the Finnish army and an effort in this area could gain 15 VPs for these three cities and possibly even reach Kemijarvi in 1514. Spurs off of the Murmansk rail line run close to the border in two places allowing for ease of supply and reinforcement.

3. Along the A Weather Line
Suoinussalmi (2612), and Kuhmo (2912)

This is the other likely location for a Soviet attack across the "waist" of Finland and was the site chosen in our test game. Its appeal to the Soviets is that an attack by the Soviet 9th Army in this area can support, and in turn be supported by, an attack by the 8th Army directly to the south.

Its main drawback is the distance between the Finnish-Soviet border and the Murmansk rail line. Since the A weather line runs through the southern part of this area, both players need to stay on their toes in regards to the differences in stacking, movement costs, ZOCs, and supply north and south of this line. No matter where the Soviets launch their major northern attack, they will probably capture at least three Finnish reference cities, 15 VPs, in clusters 2 and 3.

4. The Road to Joensuu
Lie ksa (3312), Joensuu (3613), and Ilomantsi (3711)

It is unlikely that the Soviets will make a major effort in this area. There is no spur from the Murmansk rail line to the border, and even a successful advance to Joensuu will find itself mired in the lake country to the west if it tries to proceed further. Nonetheless, this cluster will not be ignored by the Soviets because it offers them an opportunity to again stretch Finnish resources and to flank the Finns to the south.

Interestingly, despite this sector's relative unimportance, success or failure at Joensuu will often tell whether or not the Soviets win or lose the game. If the Finns hold Joensuu at the end of the game, without of course expending an outrageous percentage of their army in the effort, then they are well positioned for victory. At any rate, Lieksa and Ilomantsi are likely to be lost, yielding 10 more VPs for the Soviet player.

5. The Shore of Lake Ladoga
Suojarvi (4008), Sortavala (4211), and Pitkaranta (4310)

This is the second most important sector on the map. Success on this front allows the Soviet 8th Army to link up with the Northwest Front assaulting the Mannerheim Line. Such a development is potentially fatal for the Finns as it opens up the high-volume rail line running up from Leningrad for supply and reinforcement purposes.

A low-volume rail line runs directly to the border at 4207 (though according to the 9/13/94 errata sheet, it is interrupted at the 4201/4108 hexside). The Soviet player should easily capture Suojarvi and Pitkaranta, but the Finns must make a determined effort to hold on to Sortavala. Assuming Finnish success in this goal, the Soviets can be limited to only 10 VPs from this cluster. Finally, be aware that the island of Valamo, 4311 and 4312, provides a stepping stone for crossing the ice of Lake Ladoga.

Figure 1: Map 35 - The Karelian Isthmus

6. The Karelian Isthmus
Pip uri (4517), and Kakisalmi (4514)

This sector, as it was in the real war, is the big enchilada. Success or failure here will determine victory or defeat in the game as a whole. This is especially true because Viipuri as a dot city is worth 20 VPs, almost 2/3s of the 31 VPs the Soviets need to win the game. The Soviets must be held short of Viipu, i, ot the Finns will have no chance of victory. However, the eastern side of the isthmus cannot be ignored. Besides setting up a flanking drive towards Viipuri, an eastern attack can link up with the Soviet 8th Army driving along the northern shore of Lake Ladoga and open an uninterrupted rail line of supply to the Soviets operating north of the lake.

To summarize, the Finns can expect to lose at least nine reference cities. This is a total of 45 VPs, enough for a Soviet marginal victory. In order to win, the Finnish player will have to kill or cadre enough Soviet divisions to drive the Soviet VP total down below 20. Waiting passively for the Soviet player to roll AHs, EXs, or HXs will usually not be sufficient. The Finnish player, while generally on the defensive, needs to take the offensive on occasion, both to blunt Soviet threats and to gain VPs.

Also, if the Finns take a strictly defensive posture throughout the game, they will never be able to take advantage of their woodsmanship and winterization abilities.

Both sides need to be aware of the Finns ability to garner end of the game VPs by isolating Soviet divisions. This task is made all the easier because the Finns have the last move in the game. If the Finnish player is able to keep a couple of partisans alive in the Soviet rear until turn 7, these units combined with the turn 7 partisans can often rack up quite a few VPs, especially north of the A weather line where they possess ZOCs.

Of Lines and Armies