Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Arctic Front #20

Panzer Grenadier Battles on May 31st:
Broken Axis #34 - Operation Katja Scenario 2: Operation Sonja: Day Two

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National Socialist Ardor Arctic Front #20
(Attacker) Finland	vs	Germany (Defender)

Formations Involved
Finland		Panssaridivisoona "Marshal's Fist"
Germany		Machine Gun Ski Brigade

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	3

Overall Rating, 3 votes
5 4 3 2 1 2.67
Scenario Rank: --- of 969

Parent Game	Arctic Front
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-10-04
Start Time	08:00
Turn Count	12
Visibility	Day
Counters	34
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	2
Maps	1: 6
Layout Dimensions	43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in
Play Bounty	135
AAR Bounty	167
Total Plays	3
Total AARs	1
Duplicates	LioF010

Battle Types
Road Control

Conditions
Off-board Artillery

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Arctic Front	Base Game
Eastern Front	Maps
Road to Berlin	Counters

Introduction
Despite a promise to leave Finland peacefully, following the Finnish armistice with the Soviet Union German troops began taking hostages and indulged themselves in an orgy of property destruction. The Finns responded by moving several divisions into northern Finland to expel the Germans with force. At the key port of Kemi, the Finnish Armored Division fought to cut off German retreat routes from central Finland.

Introduction

Despite a promise to leave Finland peacefully, following the Finnish armistice with the Soviet Union German troops began taking hostages and indulged themselves in an orgy of property destruction. The Finns responded by moving several divisions into northern Finland to expel the Germans with force. At the key port of Kemi, the Finnish Armored Division fought to cut off German retreat routes from central Finland.

Conclusion
Fighting with great enthusiasm the Finns pushed the Germans out of Kemi and set them on a headlong retreat that soon liberated Finland of the Nazi presence. One German veteran expressed apparently heartfelt outrage in his post-war memoirs that the Finns broke their purchase contract by using German-made assault guns against the Nazis.

Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable

Display Order of Battle

Finland Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized

Army

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Towed

Display Errata (2)

2 Errata Items
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3." (rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)

Display AARs (1)

No rollover

Author	Matt W
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2012-09-17
Language	English
Scenario	AFro020

Sometimes you play a scenario that, due to the dice, just doesn't work. This is one time where that happened. An armor heavy Finnish unit needs to clear a road through the woods of a stubborn German machine gun battalion with AT support. While the AT guns are decent they only have an AT factor equal to the armor on the Finnish AFVs. This means that they should be able to have a reasonable chance of exposing themselves at long range without being immediately hit.

With an intro like that, of course they were immediately hit on the first two shots of the game. This left the attacking Finns without the armor support they needed and the infantry moving up was crushed by the HMGs of the Germans. At turn 6 the Finns had lost 1/4 of their armor and 3/8 of their infantry to no losses for the Germans.

Even without the losses the lack of a morale advantage for the Finns left me scratching my head as to how to accomplish the task for the Finns. The Germans just have to stay close to the road, the Finns have to completely chase them away. With a morale of "8" the Germans aren't going to be running away so they have to be pushed and the Finns don't have overwhelming stregth. As a matter of fact, they are outgunned by a couple of DF factors.

I was not enthralled with the situation at all. The balance seems out of whack and the historical result is indicative of a morale differential being present. I give this one a "2" as the history doesn't seem acheivable with the forces as they are presented.

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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > AFro020

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