Operation NORDLICHT is a Europa battle scenario for Fire in the East / Scorched Earth (utilizing compoenents from Second Front [SF]) covering the Soviet/Finnish offensive against the Germans in the Arctic. It begins with the Soviet Oct I 1944 game turn and ends with the Finnish/Soviet January II 1945 game turn.

Background

After the Soviet-Finnish armistice on September 19, 1944, the Finns agreed to force the Germans out of Finland within a month. If they wouldn't leave voluntarily, the Finns were to drive them out, with Soviet assistance if necessary. The Finns entrusted III Army Corps, with the hero from Suomussalmi and Raate, Lt. Gen. Siilasvuo, with the unenviable task of expelling the Germans. Finnish forces soon assembled around Oulu, preparing for war against their former "Waftenbruder". At the same time, the Soviet Karelian Front, with 14th Army, readied its own offensive aimed at the Petsamo-Kirkenes area. The last Finnish Winter War had begun...

Components

Use the maps 5B and 6A from FitE.
Most counters will be found in FitE/SE, except for some of the Norway Garrison units and the LVT that can be found in Second Front.

Prepare for Play

Set up the maps 5B and 6A.
The German player sets up first, then the Soviet/Finnish player.

Units may begin play already broken down at the owning players discretion. The Soviet/Finnish player then plans amphibious landings for the Oct I and II game turns. Units may deploy embarked. After the Soviet/Finnish player has set up his units, the Axis player may redeploy a maximum of 2 REs within the playing area. Neither player may expend resource points for construction before beginning play.

Play begins with the Soviet player turn of the Oct II game turn.

Special Rules

Sides. The Soviet player controls all Finnish units. The Axis Player controls all German units.

Operational Boundaries Playing is limited to:

Soviet Union and Finland north of the A Weather Line;
All hexes of Norway west of hexrow 5B:xx07.

Units may leave the game by moving out of the playing area. These units are not counted as eliminated but are not counted for any victory point purposes.

Breakdowns

Both players may break down units to the full extent allowed by the FitE/SE countermix.

Axis Supply

The following Axis ports are full supply sources for Axis units: Kirkenes (6A: 1122), Hammerfest (6A:0330), and Tromso (5B:0406)
The following Axis ports are limited supply sources for Axis units: Vardo (6A:0820), Vadso (6A:0922), Russenes (6A:0428), Lakselv (6A:0729), and Alta (6A:0632).

Soviet Supply

The following Soviet port is considered to be a full supply source for Soviet units: Murmansk (6A: 1617)
After being captured by the Soviet player, each Axis port is considered to be a limited supply source for Soviet units.

Axis Movement Limitations

Due to Soviet units not included in the scenario, Axis units may not enter any hex of the Soviet Union that is not Axis controlled at the start of the scenario (Exception: Axis unit may enter any hex within 4 hexes of Petsamo [6A: 1220])

Rail Capacity

The Axis has a 3 RE rail capacity in Norway and none in Finland.
The Soviet player has a 10 RE capacity in the USSR for Soviet units only; and a 2 RE capacity in Finland for Finnish units only.
Rail capacity in Norway may be gained by the Soviet player by occupying Kirkenes (1 RE), Alta (1 RE) and Lakselv (1 RE).

Soviet/Finnish Cooperation

Soviet and Finnish units may not stack or move adjacent to each other unless forced to by an unfavorable combat result (such as AR, DR, DE). If they start a movement phase adjacent, either side must move away if possible. Soviet/Finnish units may not attack together.

Reinforcements/Replacements

Neither player receives reinforcements. Both players receive replacements on the I turn of each month (per the scenario OB) and count special replacements normally.

North Norway Garrison

The Axis scenario order of battle lists several units as part of the North Norway garrison. These units may not move until activated. The Axis player may activate one division and one non-divisional unit from this garrison in each Axis initial phase after a Soviet or Finnish unit has entered a Norwegian port hex or any land hex adjacent to a Norwegian port.

Naval Rules

Use the SF naval rules including LVT rules.

Transport Capacity

The Finns have a 2 RE LC and a 3 RE NT capacity. Use Allied markers from SF. Only Finnish units may use these units.
The Soviets have a 3 RE LC and a 4 RE NT capacity. Use Allied markers from SF. Only Soviet units may use these units.
The Axis player has a 3 RE NT capacity.

Amphibious Landings

The only Soviet units that may make amphibious landings are the naval brigades. Any Soviet unit may be naval-transported. All SF naval rules apply.

Intrinsic Coast Defenses

Each Axis-owned port on the Atlantic has a level 2 CD. Finnish or Axis-owned ports in Finland have no CD.

Naval Repair

Only damaged LCs may be repaired, and then by a roll on the success table. Units sunk are gone for the remainder of the game.

Garrisons

Once the Axis conditional reinforcements are received, each Axis-owned port on the Atlantic within the playing area must have a garrison of at least 1/2 RE with a defense strength of one or more. If the Axis player fails to garrison his ports, he loses victory points as shown on the Victory Point chart.

Strategies

Before beginning play, the Axis player must choose a strategy Their choices will affect the victory point awards as shown on the Victory Point Schedule.

German Strategies

A) Withdraw - Operation NORDLICHT I: Your goal is to withdraw your units as intact as possible to the Tromso area before Jan II and in the process, delay the Soviet/Finns by devastating the land. The historical strategy.

B) Hold - Operation NORDLICHT II: Your goal is to not give up a single square-inch of ground! Stand and fight in place - to the last man and the last round! A very possible Hitler-directive.

Victory

Victory points required to win depend on the Axis strategy chosen. The Axis player wins if score points equal to or greater than the points given in the following table.

Victory Level	Germ Strategy
	Withdraw	Hold
Axis Substantial	100 or more	140 or more
Axis Marginal	60-99	100-139
Soviet Marginal	20-59	60-99
Soviet Substantial	19 or less	59 or less

Victory Points
Event	Axis Strategy
	Withdraw	Hold
Upon occurrence
Each Axis air unit aborted	- 1	- 1
Each Axis air unit eliminated	-2	-2
Each Axis attack strength point Eliminated	-2	- 1
Each Soviet or Finnish attack strength Point eliminated	+ 1	+ 1
Each Soviet air unit aborted	+1	+1
Each Soviet air unit eliminated	+3	+3
Each hit on a Soviet or Finnish naval unit	+3	+3
Each turn that an Axis port is without a .required garrison (see special rules)	-4	-4
At game end
Each Axis attack strength pt within 3 hexes of Tromso:	+ 1	0
Axis player holds Alta	+3	0
Axis player holds Kirkenes	+15	+65
Each Axis hit on an airbase, rail line or port that is Soviet-owned at time of hit	+1	0
Axis player holds Petsamo	+25	+75
Axis player holds Vardo	0	+30
Axis player holds Vadso	0	+30

Operation Nordlicht: Europa Scenario

Introduction and Set Up
Axis Initial Forces
Soviet Initial Forces
Finnish Initial Forces