Refusal on the Flank

Near lake Muolaa, Finland, December 23, 1939: During December, the commander of the II Corps,
Lt. General Ohquist, had made several propositions to the Finnish High Command about a general 
counterattack. Mannerheim didn't approve them until December 19th, when it became clear that 
the Finnish defenders had repelled the first Soviet attempts to break the Finnish main defense 
line. The Finns were aware that the Red Army was concentrating more forces between Summa and 
Muolaanjarvi (lake Muolaa), so the possible benefits of a successful counterattack were better 
than before. The motivations for the attack were to reduce the combat effectiveness of the 
Soviet divisions. The plan was to make two attacks on the flanks (the 6th Division on the right, 
near Summa, and the 1st Division was on the left, near Lake Muolaa). The 1st Division was to
attack with its main force along the railway until the 1st objective was reached (the rairoad-road 
crossing and the lake Muolaa - Lake Perk isthmus). After that the division would prepare a further 
advance to the southwest and secure the positions against enemy forces from the south and southeast.

Game Length: 9 Turns

For the Finns to win they must capture the buildings Near Lake Muolaa
For the Russians to win they must hold the buildings

Finnish: Squads, MMG, LMG's, ATR's
Russians: Squads, HMG, LMG's, ART Guns, AFV's

Boards: #5, #42

Aftermath: The JR 14, commanded by Colonel V. Polttila, was ready at the ordered attack time, but 
didn't start the advance because the 3rd Brigade was late. At 0830 hours the regiment received a 
direct order to launch the attack. The attack began without preliminary artillery bombardment. The 
3rd Battalion advanced several kilometers without opposition, until it encountered a Soviet artillery 
battalion protected in every direction by direct firing field guns, 11 tanks and numerous machineguns. 
The leading company of the 3rd Battalion (the 7th), launched a swift probe, supported by machineguns 
but was repulsed by the concentrated fire of the Linnaleiri ("castle camp", a nickname for the Soviet
positions). Part of the 8th Company was sent to flank the enemy, but encountered a Soviet motorized 
detachment supported by four armored cars west of the Linnaleiri. The elements of the 8th Company were 
forced to retreat.

Source: Coastal Fortress, Scenario PK 7.1, Refusal on the Flank by Paul Kenny 