Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
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Landing at Tornio
Arctic Front Deluxe #37
(Attacker) Finland vs Germany (Defender)
Formations Involved
Finland 3rd Infantry Division
Germany Division Group Krautler
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for AFDx037
Total
Side 1 1
Draw 0
Side 2 1
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
1.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Arctic Front Deluxe
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-10-01
Start Time 09:30
Turn Count 18
Visibility Day
Counters 24
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 2
Maps 2: 2, 7
Layout Dimensions 56 x 43 cm
22 x 17 in
Play Bounty 127
AAR Bounty 165
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 2
Battle Types
Bridge Control
Urban Assault
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Arctic Front Deluxe Base Game
Eastern Front Maps
Road to Berlin Counters
Introduction

Finland and the Soviet Union signed an armistice on 19 September, 1944, requiring that the Finns eject their former German comrades-in-arms from northern Finland. At first the Finns and Germans staged a "phony war," with the Germans pulling back at a leisurely pace and the Finns pretending to chase them. But after the Soviets suggested that they might need to assist in the effort, the Finnish high command sent Lt. Gen. Hjalmar Siilasvuo to take charge. He immediately staged an unauthorized amphibious landing at Tornio on the Swedish frontier, behind the German lines.

Conclusion

The Finns had gathered two passenger liners and seven freighters for the operation, but their lack of experience in amphibious landings quickly told. The ships had not been assault-loaded (the most important items placed on board last) and the troops went ashore without their heavy weapons. One artillery battery had come along but the Finns could not get the guns ashore. No warships accompanied the landing fleet, so there was no gunnery support from that quarter, either - and no means for the troops to contact them even if they had been present. Even so the Finns took both the bridge and the town, while the Germans retreated northward in some disarray.


Display Order of Battle

Finland Order of Battle
Army
  • Foot
Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Towed

Display Errata (3)

3 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 2

Two 105mms (ID#s 1204, 1205) have "16-31" fire values in black (direct fire), when they should be in white (indirect fire).

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 54

The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3."

(rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)

Display AARs (2)

Ease into it
Author Matt W
Method Solo
Victor Finland
Play Date 2013-03-16
Language English
Scenario AFDx037

The Finns have only 8 platoons of INF but have higher morale and, in my play, really, really good leaders (2 10-1-2s, one an Eversti Lt, and the other a Kapteeni). The Germans have fewer troops of lowser morale and no leaders with morale shifts.

The Finns decide to put their full effort into the large town, ignoring the bridge and small town. The Germans adequately man the defenses in the large town but have no reserves whatsoever as their already inferior force starts out split between the bridge and the large town.

The Finns advance and take several results from the on board artillery and the opportunity fire from the town. After three turns of watching the Germans shadow their movement to block entry into the town, the Finns split up with four platoons and two leaders (one of the supermen with each group). The Germans reflexively split up and there was their doom. Both Finnish groups close the distance to the defenders and are savaged by opportunity fire but with no losses and a -2 leader impact on the rolls there were very few unpassed morale checks. Upon reaching the town two assaults were generated and caused the Germans to pull in their flanking units, leaving the town open for the Finns to control.

As the assaults ground forward the Germans began taking losses while the Finns would lose some morale here or there but ended up taking the entire large town and causing 9 step losses. The remainder of the German troops ran away after the Major was killed.

As long as the Finnish player is willing to split their forces there is precious little the German can do to win this one. I give it a "2". The power of the Finnish infantry is just too much for the defending Germans.

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More Finns Please!
Author KirkH
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2010-08-27
Language English
Scenario AFDx037

The Germans set up an HMG platoon on the bridge and a Gren and the 105 in the northern town of board 7. The remaining units were dispersed in the southern part of the large city on board 2. The Finns decided to ignore the bridge and small town and use their limited resources to concentrate on taking the large city. They approached from the southeastern part of board 2 directly toward the town. Two platoons were hit by artillery fire before reaching the city. The others moved into the southeast part of the city and initiated an assault that ended up lasting the balance of the game. During that time the other German units (minus the 105mm platoon) moved into the large city to set up a defensive perimeter. The game turned into an urban battle that the Finns didn't have the personnel to win. In the end both sides lost six steps and the Germans held all but six of the objective hexes (one hex was still being battled over), making for an easy German victory. The Finns simply don't have enough units in this scenario to accomplish their task.

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