"It is impossible to bring them here for cross-examination; one has to conduct one's defense and argue one's case against an invisible opponent, because there is no one to answer."

As the years pass by, I like to see improvement in my play and whether or not I'm achieving this goal has been debatable. One thing that I have found beneficial has been my participation in the TEM contests. Sure, I could wait for the results of the contest to find out what was the best way to do things, but what would I learn? I need to learn from my own mistakes and to know when I'm doing something right. This wouldn't happen if I didn't participate. These contests are rare and yet I find them so constructively helpful. Instead of waiting around for the next one, I've decided to put myself on trial in front of you, the reader. Look over the set-up below (which includes commentary) and make up any conclusions you wish about it. For any of you who are willing to go the extra distance by putting their thoughts to print and sending it into TEM, I greatly appreciate it.

[Special note: Optional Rules: 36A (Advanced Game Mechanics), 36B (Armor and Antitank Effects) and AWW Errata printed in TEM #37 are in use.]

Finns

Northern Finland Defense Area (NFDA)
35:1509 1x 1-2-6 Ski III
35:2010 1x 1-6 Ski III
35:2611 1x 1-6* Ski III
35:2912 1x 1-6* Ski III

4th Army Corps (4th AC)
35:3611 1x 1-2-6 Ski III
35:3711 1x 1-6* Ski III
35:4112 1x 4-5-6 Inf XX (HCR)
35:4210 1x 3-4-6* Inf XX
35:4211 1x 3-4-6* Inf XX
35:4211 1x 0- 1-5 Cons III
35:4212 1x 1-6 Ski III (HCR)
35:4312 1x 1-2-6 Inf III (HCR)
35:4313 1x 1-6 Ski III (HCR)

Coastal Defense Command (CDC)
35:4517 1x 1-6 Inf III
35:4517 3x 0-1-6 Inf III
35:4517 1x 0-1-8 Cycle III

Kannaksen Army (KA)
35:4613 1x 4-5-6 Inf XX
35:4613 2x 0- 1-6 Inf III
35:4614 1x 4-5-6 Inf XX
35:4614 1x 0-1-6 Inf III
35:4615 1x 4-5-6 Inf XX
35:4615 1x 2-6* Inf X
35:4616 1x 4-5-6 Inf XX
35:4616 1x 2-6 Art III
35:4616 1x 1-6 Art III
35:4616 1x 0- 1-5 Cons III
35:4616 1x 0-6 Lt Arm II
35:4717 1x 4-5-6 Inf XX
35:4617 1x 2-6* Inf X

HCR=High Command Reserves

Commentary

Northern Finland Defense Area

The initial objective here is to slow any Soviet advances along the four main road routes into the NFDA. The Soviets have the initiative and the Finnish units are weak; protecting the point cities along these routes will be attempted only if it is worth the risk.

Units are placed so as not to be enveloped by enemy ZOC which allows them to retreat before combat and, if failing to do this with the possibility of being lost in combat, their strengths can be added to the special replacement calculation (every point counts here). Placement is also affected by the supply problems that both players face in this region.

The two northern roads are favorable to the Soviets (the Soviets will be in supply inside Finland) while the two southern ones are for the Finns (Soviets are out of supply after crossing the border). Of the four units the best ones (supported) were placed in the south as the weaker (unsupported) ones were installed in the north. During the Finnish player turn I will have to pull back the weaker units to put them back in supply. I the Soviets don't advance in the south I can move any of these units forward while in supply.

I see the main objective of the Soviets is to take the point cities near the border. This means only a limited offensive in this area (any deep advance would give the partisans more room to cause trouble). With the Soviets able to maintain (in supply) their holdings on the two northern roads, it seemed best to use the weaker ski units here as speed bumps. In the south it is a different story. If the Soviets want to take and hold onto anything down here they will be out of supply which gives the Finns a better chance to counterattack and so the supported ski units are placed here.

4th Army Corps

The ski units north of Lake Janis have the same objectives and placement considerations as those in the NFDA (that is, slow up the Soviet advance, don't get surrounded by enemy zones of control, retreat before combat and don't be overrun). Now the Soviets could avoid these units and just cross the border taking Lieksa or Joensuu, but they would be out of supply in those areas. Any advance the Soviets make north of L. Janis (including the Arctic) will soon find itself out of supply (only a few units can use airdrop supply) unless the high-volume rail is opened up from the south. I feel use of the ski units with their retreat before combat capability is a, better way to handle the problem of not spreading out the Finns too thin so they can concentrate the remainder of their forces.

South of L. Janis is where I'm concentrating the 4th Army Corps. One division is placed forward of Sortavala to absorb the initial Soviet thrust, while the other two divisions are placed behind it in reserve. This is risky in that the Soviets can achieve high odds on their attack, but I feel as long as there is a chance of a DR result it is worth the risk.

If the division above the construction unit doesn't move, then the later unit could use any available rail movement where the unit is most needed. Since Valamo Island can be used to outflank 4th Army Corps I used HCR units to help block this route (these units have the same mission as those to the north). I didn't place any units on the East side of the island since they would be easily attacked.

The two divisions in reserve are safe and if the forward division survives, this will give the Finns a stronger force to counterattack with along this important route of advance for the Soviets.

Coastal Defense Command

The cycle unit at Kotka is to deal with any attempts by the Soviets to island-hop across the Gulf of Finland. If they don't try this maneuver the unit will simply be sent elsewhere. Remaining CDC units are placed in Viipuri where they are closest to the main areas of action after they are released from their movement restriction.

Kannaksen Army

I'm unsure of myself in this area and have decided to go with a risky (or bad?) set-up. The ski and infantry sitting on the border is to keep the Soviets from getting a first turn attack on the western side of the Mannerheim Line while on the eastern end the Vuoksa River should keep the odds down on this side of the Line.

Here is an explanation as to how the above works out. The border units can't be overrun and when combat is initiated the ski units will retreat before combat leaving the infantry to bear the brunt of the attack. Ski units that retreated from hex 4815 can retreat if the Soviets try to overrun in the exploitation phase.

The light armor and construction unit will be withdrawn from the Line (light armor to be converted, and the construction unit to build or repair something) during the Finnish turn. Hexes 4616 and 4717 will not be in an enemy zone of control (unless the Soviets bring in a c/m division) so that these units can easily be rearranged.

I prefer deploying my main force on the Mannerheim Line for a simple reason: naval gunfire. By positioning directly on the Line, I am going to have to be more aggressive, but I don't have to contend with naval gunfire when counterattacking. If I deployed heavily on the border to just get low odds, I'm putting my forces under the salvo when defending and attacking. I also notice (for me at least) that I tend to be more passive with the forward deployment since I'm trading ground for time and when it becomes necessary to hit back I'm too weak from being whittled down.

Other

AA is placed to help protect the factory and Helsinki (I felt Helsinki should get the odd AA point since bombing out the factory seems like a harder mission to achieve). Air units went to Helsinki with its better AA defense and a chance to go after any Soviet air units at Tallinn (what's the good of having an air force if you are just going to put them some where safe and they can't contribute). The RR engineer is located so as to move in any direction along the line of inner communications to repair rail hits.