Firstly, thanks to Matt & Daniel for AARs of their previous play.

Scenario involves several important terrain modifications including the common AFDx "woods upgrade" where every woods/clear hex shifts up one in terms of wood density (e.g. clear -> light woods; light woods -> woods etc.). Also noteworthy is that the towns on B17 are only considered roads - so in my imagination I treated these road complexes as logging establishments. Lasty, the N/S road on B9 plays as a Minor River.

Soviets have about five companies of infantry; a BT-5 platoon; some assorted artillery; and three entrenchments that set-up as follows:

45mm in 9:1117 and 9:0701 (dug-in); 76.2mm in 9:0609. 3xINF + HMG + ENT 17:0316/0416 1xINF 17:0313 4xINF + HMG + BT-5 + ENT + CPT 10-1-1 n 17:0509-0610 (the lumber yard) 76.2mm + 2x82mm 17:0207/0308 3xINF + HMG 17:0507/0606 1xINF 17:0305 3xINF + HMG + ENT 17:0302/0401.

Essentially, then, the Soviets protect the N&S board edges with a company + ENT each (along with the immobile 45mm guns farther east); strongly support a road block (including the armor and the last ENT). A couple of INF platoons protect the east edge of the two heavy woods (note) complexes.

For the sake of the game play, I interpreted the Finns orders to include taking the bridge hex on 9:0510. That's not in the scenario, but I just determined to play it that way (rather than perhaps attempting one of those tip-toes along a board edge to take advantage of board edge terrain). The Finns send 2xHMG + 1xSisu + 2x81mm east along the road and 8xSisu enter the NW edge and move SE through the heavy woods taking advantage of their 2 MP cost compared with 3 for other (foot) units. The Finns hope to exit the east edge of the heavy woods, move SE to the road through light woods, then push east along the road to the bridge and exit the east board edge.

Phase I: Finns start well with a '12' on the 22-col by their HMG group that kills the Soviet colonel! After this initial success, however, the Soviets manage an effective block with the 10-1-1 captain + HMG in the ENT (at the BT-5 joins in the hex - though not, of course, the ENT). DF exchanges here persist without significant effect until around Turn 20 or so.

Soviets draw blood with two rolls of '2' on the 7-col for OF vs. the woods traversing Sisu. In the meantime, the Soviet southern edge company now moves north to set up a picket line on B9 (essentially to set up OF as the Finns exit the eastern edge of the heavy woods). The northern Soviet company moved to interdict the Finns and used the ENT as a kind of recovery location until it was, eventually, reduced by Sisu.

The combat in the dense woods went well for the Soviets who sold steps for time/disruptions of Finnish units.

Phase II:

The lumber yard combat continued with exchanges of DF most on 11 or 7 cols. The Finns were content to "hold" Soviet units there and the Soviets were content to hold the Finn's heavy weapons from joining their light infantry. Neither side obtained a sufficiently serious result to push the issue. The Soviets had about 3xINF + HMG demoralized/fled; whereas the Soviet captain was able to provide sufficient disruptions (along with artillery) to prevent the Finns from moving as a coherent company.

The Finns did well in the light woods combat where the two boards meet. 5xINF + HMG for the Russians took heavy fire/losses and had to fall back to play for time. One assault here was of the type that makes me want to use a home-ruled Assault Table: a single dug-in Soviet INF(R) rolls a '6' that disrupts two of the three Sisu assaulting; even so, the Finns then roll a '1' on 30-col (the leaders gave them 18 shifted by two for morale and leader). Unbelievable.

By turn 18 the Soviet skirmish line has "cracked" and the Finns begin flanking and infiltration to take advantage of the woods terrain of B9. The Finns capture the bridge on Turn 20.

Phase III.

I think some time-travelling Soviet artilleryman returned with a GPS device. For these last turns, the Soviet OBA and the 2x82mm did not roll a single "miss." Significant step losses and morale failures allowed surviving Soviet units to attempt blocks or assaults to hold Finnish units. Meanwhile, at the lumberyard, the Finns were forced to retreat into the heavy woods south of the road due to another step-loss result and resulting morale failures with Soviet INF and armor in pursuit (ironically almost catching up with Soviet units that had fled there from earlier demoralizations).

It was "wild-and-crazy" as the Finns tried to group and exit their good order units whilst rallying their disrupted units as the Russians desperately attempted to stop them, particularly given a shortage of leaders (needed some judicial use of movement in the woods to avoid Finnish spotting).

Results:

Finnish VPs: 20 Soviet steps eliminated + 5 steps exited = 25

Soviet VPs: 11 Finnish steps on board + 8 Finnish steps eliminated = 19.

Finns win by 6 which is a minimal Minor Victory.

Gave this a '5' because played this way, the scenario was dramatic with lots of flow; different "sub-battles," and several turns of fortune back-and-forth. There may well be more optimal strategies for a Finnish victory, but as a simulation, this was a lot of fun.

Played face to face against hugmenot.

Two battalions of Soviets in fixed positions are charged witht he responsibility of stopping a battalion of Sisu from penetrating their lines. The Soviets have plentiful artillery, some armor and several entrenchments. The terrain is terrible, the area is heavily wooded with only a couple towns and fields breaking the tree line. The only advantages held by the Finns are that they are Finns, meaning they have huge advantages in morale, assault combat and speed in lousy terrain.

The Soviets spread evenly across the front and the Finns enter in a group to the south end of the field. Unfortunately for the Finns they get horribly tangled up on one of the entrenchments which holds out for 2 1/2 hours. About a third of their troops infiltrate beyond the entrenchment and find a large Soviet force has moved to box them in as a second line.

Being Finns, the Sisu immediately move to attack and begin to grind through the second line. The Soviets begin having trouble using their strong artillery without hitting their own troops and within two hours of contact the second line is breached. At that point the forces that had finished cleaning up the entrenchment were able to pour through the gap in the Soviet second line and move towards the river and the ultimate exit from the field. All that stood in the way were two batteries of 76.2s and an infantry platoon. An impulsive Sisu assault opened the road just in time for exiting to begin on turn 23 of 24.

The Soviet artillery was used to great effect causing delays to the Finns through disruptions and the occasional demoralization. Although the final result was a major Finn victory it was by no means clear that any Sisu would be exiting the field until we reached turn 21 or so. At one point, near 1/2 way through I was certain that the only way the Finns could win was to eliminate enough Soviets to counterbalance the 24 points the Soviets would get for keeping the Finns from exiting. Once I put my troops to that task, however, the hole opened in the Soviet second line and I was able to move through.

A fun scenario but a tough one for the Soviets, they are slower and have trouble in any stand up fight with the Sisu. I think hugmenot got a lot out of the Soviet troops and made the fight a lot tougher than it looked at first. I give this one a "4".

Played ftf against Matt W.

My first scenario played against the Finns. I spread the Soviets evenly across the front with entrenchments on the flanks to delay the Finns. The Finns enter on my left flank and I immediately start shifting my right flank to the center and my center to my left rear.

The entrenched units do a marvelous job delaying the Finns and I had plenty of time to redeploy my troops.

I am not sure what went through my mind at the time but instead of having my troops act as skirmishers to delay to Finns, I ask them to stand their ground and fight in hand-to-hand combat. Big mistake; they get shredded very quickly. I realize my mistake and try to reform my lines but the Finns see an opening and make a mad dash for the road. Once on the road, Matt uses a couple of units as a screen and have the remainder march towards the exit point.

We call the scenario two turns early as there was no way to prevent the Finns from obtaining a major victory.

I enjoyed the scenario as there was a lot maneuvering; the difference in morale and firepower were other interesting factors.