Description:
Hello,
Here is an hypothetical scenario where the Soviets annexed the Baltics late 1939 on the eve of the Winter War. They used these bases to springboard into Southern Finland while commencing an attack on the front. The Finns have lost their beautiful capital, but much to the Soviet's disappointment, this won't break the Finnish spirit just yet.
==The Story==
In the early hours of November 30th 1939 , the Soviet Kirov cruiser and a few accompanying destroyers are sighted off the coast of Hanko. The coastal guns line their guns ready to fire, but just then are hundreds of Soviet planes seen in the sky, with parachutes falling over Finland. Before the coastal soldiers regain their thought, the Kirov has already fired - knowing where the coastal artillery positions are. The invasion of Finland has begun.
The Soviets have rammed their way into Helsinki in a very ambitious naval operation. Due to the inexperience of amphibious operations and brave Finnish garrisons in the city, the Soviets take immense casualties, but they still manage to take the city. The Finns know they cannot hold, as they plan a counter-attack code-named Väinämöinen. With foreign volunteers and the 6. Divisioona on the way to Helsinki, it is a race against the clock to take the city without losing desperately needed men for the front.
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The Plan:
Delay the Soviets around Hanko and Turku as best as you can, Turku serves as a base for foreign reinforcements - if you think they'll be necessary.
Hold the Mannerheim line as historically as possible, or move divisions inland to sweep out scattered soviet parachutists. Heavy soviet reinforcements will arrive in December making your positions untenable if you cannot clear inner Finland.
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This is a relatively easy scenario, I wanted to make something rather unique and interesting in the Black Tide expansion while being relatively reasonable as possible.
Good luck and have fun, any problems let me know and I will try to correct or balance upon request.
=update 1.1=
Changed starting date and tried to fix some errors!
=updated 1.5=
Updated some balance and objective issues - Soviets are stronger and more aggressive! This is a fight to the death!
Swedish Tank Brigade (PB) removed.
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Thanks,
Hawkerace
Comments:
I'm finding this scenario absolutely impossible to win! There's just so little to work with. I must be doing something wrong but I have to spend half the time reorganizing my crappy units into divisions worthy of the name.
Any tips on this? I sure as hell can't grind the Soviets down frontally with these 1-step rookies nor is their much room for flanking.
A nice little puzzle! The Soviets around the Mannerheim line and to the east of Ladoga are aggressive, and can be hard to hold off depending on how the initial dice rolls go.
Because units in the west have a low hit count (1 to 3 strength, with only a handful more), a lot can depend on luck. It's not really an easy scenario, and some use of prestige reinforcements is probably required.
I got a BV on turn four using the German cavalry as the only "extra" reinforcement, but it took a few restarts! I'm guessing a perfect 1850 score BV is possible, but really hard and requiring a lot of luck.
@Ritalingamer
Hello,
Yes I kinda did rush through this one I will admit, but I've managed a few changes to make every turn count and there is now certainly an edge of difficulty and puzzle. Best of luck.
This is a really creative scenario.
I won my first attempt easily, but the second time the Soviets got more aggressive in the West with their airborne/seaborne forces, which made for an interesting shell game of cutting each other off from supply.
A few constructive criticisms:
I want something else going on east of Lake Ladoga - I feel like that half of the map is dull. I can pull all my forces out of there or just reorganize them all without consequence. Maybe give me an objective to defend there, too?
Because the paratroopers in Vyborg are out of supply, they tend to fall too quickly. Maybe put a Soviet supply source in there, too?
The Soviets could be stronger in the East facing the Mannerheim line - as it is, holding them off is a breeze.
Thanks and this is a great start.