[An earlier version of this article appeared in TEM 3.

To a true Europa fanatic this article may seem heretical. What follows is a crude, untested framework which I hope will allow Scorched Earth to be played without the two northern maps (5B and 6A). The reason for trying to implement such an idea is so that those of us with a very limited playing space can still enjoy fighting the majority of the conflict. Three approaches readily suggest themselves :

1. A passive off-map box which assumes events in the Northern Theater (NT) follow history.
2. An active off-map box with combat charts, attrition, etc.
3. Enclose and air condition your garage.

I chose #3 My wife informs me that a backup plan should be prepared, so away we go. What I aim for is a passive Northern Theater. Some "interaction' will be unavoidable. The Northern Theater is the Finnish Theater (as described in SE Rule 32.B. 1, paragraph 2) and the area on the two omitted maps. It might help to keep the units in the Northern Theater in a baggie or to keep a list someplace.

I. Soviet Deployment

A. The following forces from the 1941 initial deployment are considered to be in the Northern Theater and are unavailable for play (based on information from Charles Sharp): 23rd Army, l4th Army, 7th Army; 1x 3-2-8 Art X, 4x 2-6 Art X, 2x 1-6 Eng III from Leningrad MD; all Arkhangelsk MD forces; 2 pts AA. The brigade in Hango is placed in the replacement pool.

B. 6 REs of the Leningrad MD reserve must be deployed in Leningrad or adjacent to the northern hexes of Leningrad and may not move until an Axis unit moves next to one of them or any Leningrad city hex. The remainder of the reserve may deploy per the rules and may move freely.

II. Axis Deployment

A. Finland: All Finnish forces and resources are in the Northern Theater.

B. German: All of Germany's Army Norway is in the Northern Theater. Ten of Germany's resource points must be sent to the Northern Theater. They are considered to be used during combat and are therefore 'destroyed'.

III. Reinforcements and Replacements

A. All Finnish reinforcements go to the Northern Theater. All Finnish replacements and resource points are considered to be destroyed on arrival.

B. All German reinforcements arriving in the Arctic, Sweden or Finland go to the Northern Theater. Germany must send 1 RP on the I turn of every Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec month to the Northern Theater.

C. All Soviet reinforcements arriving in the Arkhangelsk MD go to the Northern Theater. All Soviet replacements from the Arkhangelsk MD go to the Northern Theater where they are destroyed. Allied lend-lease North is not effected. It appears at rail hex 0108 on map 2A. The USSR must send I RP on the I turn of every Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec month to the Northern Theater

IV. Escalating Force Requirements

Both sides are required to build up to certain troop levels in 1942 and 1943. Those requirements are listed below. This may require sending additional troops from the main front to the Northern Theater. Extra units will accrue in the Northern Theater that may not apply toward required troop later on. Consider them to represent losses, desertion, etc. Troops may never be withdrawn from the Northern Theater. If either side fails to meet these troop levels his opponent may immediately choose 1.5 times the shortfall in REs from anywhere on the map. The shortfall is sent to the Northern Theater. The 50% extra is eliminated and sent to the force pool. The shortfall must be taken in proportion from the troop types in which the shortfall occurs.

At certain times troops from both sides in the Northern Theater receive upgrades or conversions or must be withdrawn. Those directly affecting specific units in the Northern Theater are listed below. They must be taken. The nonspecific conversion/upgrades available to each side may be performed on troops in the Northern Theater to meet deployment requirements.

A. Deployment Requirements

1. April 1, 1942:

German - same as listing for 1942 scenario.
Finnish - whatever they have accumulated.
Soviet - all troops listed in the 1942 scenario for the Karelian sector plus 35 REs of any type.

2. April 1, 1943: (these OBs are drawn from the information provided in the "Clash of Titans" scenario from TEM 43/44 minus any units not provided in the Fit E/SE countermix.

Axis

1x 7-8 Mtn XX 6(SS)
3x 6-8 Mtn XX 2,6,7
2x 7-6 Inf XX 163,169
1x 3-8* Mtn III 139
2x 2-6* Inf III 193,388
1x 1-2-6 Art III Fin
3x 1-8 Ski MG II 4,13,14
1x 2-8 Mtn Pol III 18 (SS-Pol)
2x 0-1-5 Cons III 6,43
1x 2-1-8 Pz II 211
1x 14 Aslt Gun II Nor
2x 1-8 Bicycle II 68,776
1x 1-6 Pun II PK (KM)
1x 1-8 Rkt Art II 10

Finland - Whatever they happen to have accumulated.

Soviets

1x 5-6 Rifle XX 10 (Gds)
1x 5-6 Rifle XX 14 (w)
1x 5-6 Rifle XX 54
2x 4-6 Rifle XX 104, 122 (w)
5x 4-6 Rifle XX 21,27,67,114,205
5x 3-6 Rifle XX 272,289,313,367,368
2x 2-1-8 Tank X any ID
1x 2-6* Marine X 12 (Nvl)
8x 2-6* Rifle X 3, 61, 65, 69, 72, 77, 80, 85 (Nvl)
1x 1-6* Rifle X 70 (Nvl)
2x 2-8 Ski X 31 (w)
2x 1-8 Ski X 32, 33 (w)
1x 3-2-6 Art X
2x 1-2-8 AT X
1x 2-1-8 Mortar X
1x 1-2-6 Eng X
4x 3-1-8 Rocket Art III
1x 1-6 hv AA III
2x 1-6 It AA III
9 pts hv AA
DD Flot

B. Conversions, Upgrades and Withdrawals for Specific Units

1. German:

Jan I 42
Withdraw: 6-8 Mtn XX 3
Jun II 42
Convert: 3-10 Mot XX Nord (SS) to 7-8 Mtn XX 6 N (SS)
Aug I 42
Withdraw: 2- 10 Mot III 9 (SS)
Convert: 3x 1-8 Mot MG II 4, 13, 14 to 3x 1-8 Ski MG II 4, 13,14
Jun I 43
Withdraw: 2-8 Mtn Pol III 18 (SS-Pol)
Oct I 43
Convert: 1-8 Rkt Art II 10 to 3-1-8 Rkt Art III Nor
Withdraw: 1-8 Bicycle II 68
Jul I 44
Convert: 3x 1-8 Ski MG II 4,13, 14 to 1x 3-4-8 Ski MG X Finn
Oct I 44
Withdraw. 1x 7-8 Mtn XX 6 N (SS)

2. Soviet:

Sep I 42
Convert: 1-8 Ski X 6 (w) to 2-8 Ski X 31 (w)
Mar I 44
Convert: 1x 2-6* Rifle X 72 (Nvl) and 1x 2-8 Ski X 31 (w) to 1x 6-7 Mtn Rifle XXX 126 (w)
Jun I 44
Convert: 1x 2-6* Rifle X 69 (Nvl) and 1x 1-6* Rifle X 70 (Nvl) to 1x 6-7 Mtn Rifle XXX 127 (w)

V. Finnish Armistice

Finland is considered to have signed an armistice if, on or after Aug I, 1943, the Soviet player meets all of the following conditions: (1) All of the cities in the Leningrad MD are Soviet owned. (2) At least 3 of the following cities are Soviet owned and a supply line can be traced from each city to a regular source of supply - any city in Estonia, any port in Latvia or Greater Germany. All cities in the off map portion of the Leningrad MD are considered Soviet controlled. The Soviet and German players must accept the armistice. The effects of the armistice are per Rules 32.B.4.a and 32.B.4.c. All German forces in Northern Theater are considered to be sent to Norway or the western front.

They are not available for play. The Soviet player may release the 23rd Army and the 7th Army for use. These armies consist of the units listed in the initial 1941 OB. The 7th Army arrives via any Soviet controlled rail hex on the northern edge of map 2A three turns after the armistice. The 23rd Army arrives one turn after the armistice via any Soviet controlled 1940 USSR/Finland border railroad hex on the northern edge of the Karelian Isthmus. All Soviet reinforcements and replacements arriving after the armistice on the two deleted maps and the Arkangelsk M.D. are available for play.

VI. General Operational Guidelines

Do not use maps 5B and 6A.

Units in the Northern Theater are permanently removed from play. The only exceptions are the re-entry of Soviet troops following a Finnish armistice and the conversion/withdrawal of troops in the Northern Theater as listed in the OB. Also, divisions may be assembled or broken down. Units in the Northern Theater may not be scrapped or disbanded.

Units may be sent to the Northern Theater to meet force level requirements.

Exact unit ID's are not necessary, but may help in tracking conversions and withdrawals.

That portion of Finland that is on the map is off limits to both sides. Exceptions: German air units may fly over the Finnish theater though they may not base there. Soviet air units may patrol attack over the Finnish theater, but may not otherwise fly over it. (This represents Finnish air defenses.)

Consider Hango to be Finnish controlled for all game purposes.

Supply - The Soviet controlled rail hex at 0121 (map 2A) is considered to be a Soviet supply source so long as the rail line from 0108 (map 2A) is Soviet controlled southward to 2 Soviet controlled cities or off the east map edge. These rail lines may also be used by the Soviets to rail units and resources back and forth.

German units may trace supply from Finland per normal rules.

Soviet factories may not be evacuated to the Northern Theater.

For all practical purposes ignore the existence of Finland.

VII. Victory Conditions

If Finland has surrendered, ignore all forces remaining in the Northern Theater other than those Soviet units which return via Rule V. Helsinki is considered to be Soviet owned. Narvik is considered to be Axis owned.

If Finland has not surrendered then Helsinki and Narvik are considered Axis owned. Add the forces listed as the 1943 OB requirement to each side's combat strength for the level of victory calculations.