On 30 November 1939, the Red Army crossed the Finnish border. Everyone expected the Soviet Union to quickly crush her smaller neighbor, but the Russians were poorly organized and unprepared for fighting in the severe weather. The Finns were able not only to stop the initial Soviet advance, but also to push it back in many places.

It was in late February when the Russians were finally able to break through the Mannerheim Line - a thin collection of pillboxes and trenches that the world press had made into another Maginot Line. The Finns continued to resist tenaciously, holding out astonishingly well, but they were forced to enter negotiations to end war at the beginning of March, as no worthwhile help for Finland was forthcoming.

This scenario portrays this conflict, using the DNO game system. All DNO rules are used, with the following exceptions:

1) Landing craft may be used only on the first two turns, and they must return to hex M-10 (Map 5) at the end of each turn.

2) The weather is SNOW for the entire game.

3) Rule 34-K is used; all Finnish units are winterized, while no Russian units are winterized.

4) Finnish units may not enter Leningrad.

5) Sweden and Norway are neutral and may not be entered.

The maps required for play are the northern halves of DNO Maps 1 and 2, plus all of Map 5. Narvik Maps 5A and 10 may be used and are recommended. The following map modifications are used for this scenario:

1) Hango is treated as a clear terrain hex and is part of Finland.

2) The railroad between Map 5 hexes V-18 and V-30 is treated as a road for all purposes.

3) The Finnish border is extended southeast as indicated in Diagram 1. This is the 1939 border.

4) The following cities will be referred to by name in the text: Oulu (Map 5, DD-36), Rovaniemi (Map 5, V- 30), Hyrynsalmi (Map 5, 11-35), and Viipuri (Map 1, C-2).

5) Viipuri is a reference city.

The scenario begins on the Dec I 1939 turn and ends following the Mar II 1940 turn. The Russian player deploys first and moves first. Units may not be initially placed on all-lake hexes or across the 1939 border. Initial starting forces are given in the OB/OA charts.

The new Europa air system and air combat rules are used, although players without a copy of the draft rules or a later Europa games may use the DNO rules. The Finns have a regular AZOC while the Russians have an AZOC only into adjacent hexes. The optional rail airfield rule is not used. Bomb loads are halved for purposes of ground attack due to snow weather. One die roll's worth of aborted air units are repaired and returned to play for each side during the reinforcement/replacement phase. Air units entering the game, either as reinforcements or repaired aborts, are placed on any friendly airfield. There are no group allowances.

Victory is determined at the end of the game, by means of victory points. The Russian player is awarded victory points for holding various objectives at the end of the game. Additionally, VPs are awarded at the end of each turn for the status of the Mannerheim Line. It is possible for the Russian player to lose VPs for this. At the end of the game, calculate the total VPs the Russian player has accumulated; the level of victory is determined from this total. However, if the Russians hold Helsinki, then the Finns can win no more than a moral victory, despite VP total.

USSR Order Of Battle and Appearance

Initial Deployment

Within 3 hexes of Leningrad:
8 4-6 Rifle XX
3 3-2-8 Tank X
2 2-1-8 Tank X
2 3-2-4 Artillery III

South of the A Weather Line, east of Map 2 hexrow 27:
5 4-6 Rifle XX
1 2-1-8 Tank X

On or north of the A Weather Line, adjacent to the border, and on or adjacent to a road hex:
7 2-6 Rifle X

On or above the A Weather Line, adjacent to any of the above units:
3 0-6 Rifle XX HQ
2 supply factors per HQ

Within 3 hexes of Murmansk:
3 2-6 Rifle X
1 0-6 Rifle XX HQ
2 supply factors with HQ

On or north of the A Weather Line, on any rail hex:
4 2-6 Rifle X
2 0-6 Rifle XX HQ
2 supply factors per HQ

Map 5, hex M-10:
1 Landing Craft

South of the A Weather Line:
1 Airfield

Leningrad:
1 I-16 4F3 0/8
2 I-153 3F3 0/7
3 I-15b 2F1 0/9
3 SB-2 2132 1-1/10
2 DB-3F 3133 1-1/27
1 Yak-4 3133 1-0/9

Reinforcements

All Russian reinforcements appear in Leningrad.

Dec II:
6 4-6 Rifle XX
1 3-2-8 Tank X
2 2-1-8 Tank X
1 3-2-4 Artillery III
1 I-15b 2 supply factors

Jan I:
4 4-6 Rifle XX
2 3-2-8 Tank X
2 2-1-8 Tank X
1 3-2-4 Artillery III
1 SB-2
1 DB-3F
2 supply factors

Jan II:
3 4-6 Rifle XX
1 2-1-8 Tank X
1 SB-2

Feb I:
2 4-6 Rifle XX
1 2-1-8 Tank X
1 3-2-4 Artillery III
1 1-8 NKVD III
1 I-16
1 I-15b
1 SB-2
1 Yak-4
2 supply factors

Feb II:
4 5-6 Rifle XX
4 4-6 Rifle XX
2 4-4-8 Tank XX
2 3-8 Mot. X
2 3-2-4 Artillery III
2 1-8 NKVD III
2 I-16
1 I-15b
2 SB-2
1 DB-3F

Mar I :
2 5-6 Rifle XX
2 4-6 Rifle XX
1 3-8 Mot. X
1 3-2-4 Artillery III
2 I-16
2 SB-2
2 supply factors

Finland Order of Battle and Appearance

Initial Deployment

Mannerheim Line:
Deploy 5 forts as indicated in Diagram 1. Treat as printed fortifications with 8 flak factors each.

South and west of Map 5 hex WW- 40:
6 5-6Rifle XX
3 2-8 Rifle X
1 2-8 Ski X
5 1-8Rifle II
1 4-2-6 Artillery III
1 1-6 Flak II
1 1-6 Antitank II

South of the A Weather Line:
2 5-6 Rifle XX
4 1-8 Rifle II

Helsinki: 1 1-8 Rifle II
Oulu: 1 5-6 Rifle XX
Petsamo: 1 1-8Rifle II
North of the A Weather Line: 6 1-8 Rifle II

Anywhere in Finland:
3 Airfields
15 supply factors

Any friendly airbase:
2 DXXI 2F3 0/6
1 Glad 3F3 1/10

Reinforcements

All reinforcements appear in Helsinki unless otherwise stated. The units are lost if their hex of appearance is controlled by the Russian player.

Dec II:
2 4-6 Rifle XX
1 M.406 4F5 0/8
1 supply factor

Oulu: 1 1-8 Rifle II
2 0-8 Ski

Rovaniemi:
1 1-8 Rifle II
2 0-8 Ski

Hyrynsalmi:
1 1-8 Rifle II
2 0-8 Ski

Replacements:
1 replacement factor
1 1-8 Rifle II each in Rovaniemi, Oulu, and Hyrynsalmi.

Jan I:
1 3-6 RifleXX
1 2-8 Rifle X
1 Blen I 3H3 1-2/20
1 supply factor

Replacements:
2 replacement factors
1 1-8 Rifle II each in Rovaniemi, Oulu, and Hyrynsalmi.

Jan II:
2 3-6 Rifle XX
Replacements: any one air unit

Feb 1:
2 3-6 Rifle XX
1 supply factor

Kemi:
1 2-8 RifleXX
Replacements:
1 replacement factor

Feb II:
2 3-6 Rifle XX

Mar 1:
1 3-6 Rifle XX
1 supply factor

Russo-Finnish War Victory Conditions Mannerheim Line
hexes	Dec I	Dec II	Jan I	Jan II	Feb I	Feb II	Mar I
0	-2	-4	-6	-8	-10	-12	-14
1	2	0	-2	-4	-6	-8	-10
2	4	4	2	0	-2	-4	-6
3	6	6	6	4	2	0	-2
4	8	8	8	8	6	4	2
5	10	10	10	10	10	8	6

Notes

1. The Russian controls a fort if he occupies the hex or was the last to occupy the hex.

2. Cross-index the number of hexes held by the Russian with the turn to obtain the points awarded for that turn.

Victory Points

Helsinki 50
Viipuri 10
Petsamo 10
Oulu 10
Rovaniemi 4
Per town north of the A Weather Line 2
Per road hex north of Weather Line A 1
Finn land units below 35 attack factors 15

Notes
1. A functional supply line must be traced from the objective for the Russian to receive its VPs.
2. For a given hex, only one type of VP award may be claimed. Select the highest possible.

VP Levels

80+: Soviet Decisive Victory
65-70: Soviet Substantial Victory
50-64: Soviet Marginal Victory
40-49: Finnish Moral Victory
30-39: Finnish Marginal Victory
20-29: Finnish Substantial Victory
19 less: Finnish Decisive Victory