(Note: Optional Rules A and B were used along with material from the A WW Errata Sheet published in TEM #37.)

Initial Planning

Finns: The Finnish plan is to counterattack aggressively when possible and delay where they are weak. The High Command Reserves are placed to back-up 4th Corps.

Soviet: The Soviets plan to sledgehammer their way through the Finnish defenses in the south as they make limited advances into the Arctic.

Dec I 39

Soviet: 7th Army knocks out the border defenses as VMF Marines start their journey to island hop across the Gulf of Finland. 8th Army is forced back after making initial attacks south of Lake Janis. 9th and 14th Army successfully take Ilomantsi, Kuusamo, Allakurtti and Petsamo. The only successful air mission leaves the Finnish assault bomber at Viipuri inoperative.

Finns: The assault bomber is repaired and will transfer to Tampere. The Soviet unit left behind in Pitkaranta is forced out.

Dec I 139

Soviet: 7th Army 8th penetrates the West coast flank of the Mannerheim Line. 8 Army's performance is dismal as it is pushed back again. The anti-partisans fail to eradicate a Finnish partisan west of Medvezhyegorsk. Salla is taken as the advance into the Arctic slows down. Three hits are achieved on the Finnish rail lines at important junctions.

Finns: Both construction units start building a fort in Viipuri. A counterattack by the Finns is beaten off as it tries to retake the lost position of the Mannerheim Line. The Finns occupy Suur Island. Pitkaranta is cleared out again. A partisan in combat mode is able to get around the soviet anti-partisans and cut the rail going north. There is little need to be overly aggressive in the 4th Corps area due to bad Soviet dice rolling.

Jan I 40

Soviet: The Marines occupy Lavan Island. 7th Army continues to turn the west flank, but fails to push through the center. As for 8th Army, well, it sort of happens again. Supply is opened up into the Arctic as the pesky partisan is dealt with. Another hit is achieved on the Viipuri airbase.

Finns: The fort is completed in Viipuri and busted rail lines start repair. An EX is dealt out as the Finns counter the Soviet 7th Army flank movement. The Soviet unit in Pitkaranta is eliminated this time around.

Jan II 40

Soviet: The Marines occupy Tytar Island, but does not make an attack on Suur, since it is too weak to have any success. 7th Army retakes its lost position, but again fails to penetrate the center. 8th Army receives mixed results as one of its attacks suffers an AH and the other an EX. A Finnish partisan escapes from a Soviet attack west of Kestenga. One hit is made on the Lappeenranta airfield.

Finns: South of Viipuri the counterattack is stopped dead. 4th Corps gets back its lost division. Partisans are moved closer to the main Soviet North/South rail line.

Feb I 40

Soviet: 7th Army's attacks on the center and Viipuri are beating off. 8th Army gains it's biggest success around L. Janis with an EX south of the lake and a HX north of it, but another attack fails in the area.

Finns: The rails have been repaired along with damage to the Lappeenranta airfield. Again a counterattack south of Viipuri is stopped. 4th Corps receives the 23 Division to back up.what's left of it. 13th Division deserves recognition for its defense of hex 4210. It withstood five attacks and only now is it forced to abandon this position do to being over-exposed.

Feb II 40

Soviet: 7th Army's bad luck continues while 8 th, improves. Sortavala and the area around it is taken in EXs as the east end of Valamo Is. is taken. 9th Army starts another advance into the Arctic in the south and it is met with bad results. The Anti-partisans chase down a unit only to find out it's a dummy. Air missions against the rail junctions are a complete failure.

Finns: The Soviets are too strong in their positions so the Finns decide to hold their breath and rearrange some of their units. 4th Corps receives a replaced division, which should secure the Kannaksen Army's flank from roving Soviet c/m's.

Mar I 40

Soviet: The Soviets spend all replacements for divisional units. 701 Army's bad luck ends as it pushes out the Finns in Viipuri eliminating a Finnish fighter that couldn't escape; and takes two EXs in the center and the east coastal flank. 8 th Army takes an EX as it continues along L. Ladoga and reinforces Ilomantsi. The antipartisan units in the Arctic are too spread out to do any good.

Finns: The Finns are able to replace all of their eliminated divisions. Viipuri is heavily defended so every available unit that can reach it is sent into the counterattack. With a I to I parity the die is rolled for a modified DR result which eliminates the retreating Soviets because of enemy zones of control. The partisans change to combat mode, but are able to interfere with the Soviet supply lines in the Arctic.

VPs

Soviet: The Soviets receive 30 VPs for owning 6 point cities and I VP for the eliminated fighter. Total: 31 VPs

Finns: The Finns receive 28 VPs for 14 Soviet divisions in the replacement pool and 6 VPs for 6 Soviet isolated divisions. Total: 34 VPs

Result: A Finnish decisive victory.

Summary

There is only one reason for the Finnish victory. Bad die rolling by the Soviet player during combat. The Soviets suffered 15 die rolls of AS or worse and none of the DR's helped to inflict damage on the Finns.