WC 2003 Final, Dodger vs Scharfschusse

[dodger]

Over a year's worth of bloody battles and it boils down to this:

February 1940, there is more than the snow flowing across the frozen landscape near
Viipuri. The russians have made a breakthrough, and it must be stopped, lest Finland shall fall to the red horde!

Young General S*deleted for reasons of state security* has been placed in charge of pushing all the way to viipuri. Ample resources have been placed at his disposal, and the full faith of the party goes with him. Recon elements report no significant enemy forces, only few skiers have been spotted and resistance is expected to be light (report #14623, filed by Comrade Commissar Colonel Vatutin promises no resistance and unmined roads from point of breakthrough all the way to Viipuri). In face of this massive and unquestionable evidence, there can be no delay, as General S is repeatedly reminded by his friendly Politruk.

....................around the same time, in the Finnish rear:

A boy lieutenant rouses a colonel from his sleep, or tries to.
"Goddamn! Can't a man sleep off his hangover without someone
riding his ass all the time.." is all the lieutenant has time to hear
before being forced to duck an (empty) liquour bottle. Next few attempts to
rouse the colonel end up just as badly. Finally, with the help of two sergeants
Colonel D is hauled up, showered with snow and forced to drink a pitcher of
strong coffeeish substance.

"...and the russians are on the way already. The Marshall is converging troops, but
poor communications have left you as the only man that can be called in. Here are
written orders from the Marshall to take control of all forces available and en route, until a replacement can be found. You are instructed to move out immediately", finishes
the young lieutenant.

What follows is a stream of curses punctuating commands. The commands are directed at junior officers and curses to the russians, the Marshall, God and anyone else listening or
caught in the way. They need not be repeated here. But the general idea emerging from it all, is a slight dissatisfaction from the part of the Colonel (and shared by his men) at the russians for so rudely interrupting their time in the rear before they even had a chance to take a sauna. The russians are a strong foe, and the Colonel intented to give the russians some ground: 1 meter by 2 meters wide plot each.


*************************************

For the bigwigs in the safe areas of furthermost rear it looked something like this:

Meeting engagement
6600pts
10% artillery
2 air sections
4 infiltrator squads
Reinforcements can be moved from reinforcement hex at turn 10.

**************************************

Turn 0 & 1:

Some bombardment on both sides, few scouts die. 2 finnish planes
make a recon run, one of them sees nothing, other sees a road full
of trucks in the center and kills one of them, but returns with wings
full of holes.

[Scharfschütze]

Found it!
************

Comrade Colonel, your forces are to be commited as a breakthrough force into the finnish rear. Their lines have been breached at the highest cost, and it is your duty to make the sacrifice of the seven previous echelons worthwhile. Advance along the highway towards the finnish town of Viipuri, smash all resistance on the way. A counterattack is to be expected. If you succeed, it will be the first significiant victory for our side. Do not fail. I´m looking forward to meeting you in Viipuri again ... or not at all. [:-]


Wisps of fog clung to the ground of the forested area surrounding the highway. Advance scouts had reported a large number of finns a kilometer ahead, and he had at once ordered the marching column to spread out, deploy the artillery and prepare for battle. As the last of his formations reached attack positions, 81mm mortar shells plunged into the woods left and right. Seconds later, his own 120mm´s kicked in. Orders were shouted and gears engaged. Hundreds of soldiers and dozens of tanks streamed towards their forward objectives...

[Scharfschütze]

With the speed and inevitability of two trains approaching each other on the same track, soviet and finn troops clash head on.

FT-17s and BT-7s exchange inconclusive shots at medium range, while finnish forward infantry hassles deploying soviet HMGs. Already many objectives bear the proud red banner. We´ll see what the enemy can do about that. Overhead, 81mm and 120mm mortar shells are traded. Of course, 120mm takes its toll [;)]

Back in his command post, Colonel Sharfshutzki hunches over his maps. The Finns seemed to be quite daring... it would take some time to pound them to bits, but it could be done.

[dodger]

The russians seem overeager in their advance. With little or no scouting they drive
their tanks into the forests. While the more open ground in the south and center
causes ambushes to fail, the forest in the north springs alive with white shapes, death stalks among the tanks. They clearly were not expecting this, as heavy machineguns are still tied to the rear decks of the tanks, undeployed.

Heavy mortar fire falls quickly among the finns, making it easy for the russians to regain momentum in face of their overextended foe. But perhaps the russian will not enter the woods so eagerly in the future.

In the center, visible machine guns are raked with fire from GAZ mounted quadguns, with visible effect. Atleast one nest is dead. But the truck is exposed.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

"Comrade-Colonel, the Finns have ambushed out tank screen. Follow up troops have engaged and routed the enemy, but the damage was already done. Plus, we have spotted a coastal defence emplacement sporting a naval gun. What are your orders?"

"Continue to engage the enemy. Bring the mortars to bear on them and grinf them down. Most importantly, bring in reinforcements wherever a breach is made. Do not engage the strongpoint... yet."


While the Cossacks were hacking down fleeing ski troops, more and more artillery fire was traded. A finnish 122mm battery dropped heavy fire on the soviet advance troops, shredding the unlucky. A HMG barked briefly, causing the finnish SPAA that had raked it´s platoons position to explode violently. A small victory. The Finns would pay for their cowardly ambush...[:-]

[dodger]

Turn 4:
The soviets become much more cautious in the north, bringing up hordes of
cossacks. Some ski squads were trampled underfoot, while others flee for
their lives. A quick counterpunch by rear echelon tanks and infantry brings
meager gains.

Situation is static (so static that your hair stands on end) in the center.

Regrouping after previous turn's failed ambush, the ski troops rally for
another push, this time backed by artillery. Several tanks burn and some
cossacks and infantry are cut down. But there seems to be a lot more where
those came from.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

The Finns were making the brave soviet soldiers feel miserable. Why hadn´t High Command waited until a more favourable point in time, when proper training and new equipment could have made their job so much easier. But High Command wasn´t listening to the grunts complaints. The decision to invade had been made long ago, and the plan would be pulled through.

The order was given, once again. Forward, attack, engage and destroy the enemy. Under covering fire of HMGs tanks and troops advanced. In some areas, the the Finns had been badly hammered by mortar fire, and were driven back a few hundred meters while suffering a great loss of life. In other sectors, resistance was fierce. The situation was fluid...

[dodger]

The snow in the south turns bright red with fallen soviet banners and mixing with blood of the dead and dying. Several more tanks are burning as skitroops follow close in the heels of a mortal barrage and assault the stunned enemy. The close-in artillery support also falls on friendly forces, but heedlessly the Finns press on, for they know what they are fighting for: 20 kilometers to the rear lies a liquour factory.

The north and center are turning into stalemates, but while the center is a relatively quiet, the north is bleeding out the Finns and the Soviets alike.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

Worrying reports continued to arrive in the soviet HQ tent: Finnish spearheads continued to penetrate weakened positions, infantry and tank crews were giving a sorry picture of morale and training, while enemy artillery continued to hammer away at troop concentrations. Several of their own arty pieces had suffered failures, enemy airplanes swept over the frontlines.

The situation looked grim, although limited counterattacks had resulted in the destruction of several enemy units. But it wasn´t nowhere near enough... what could be done?[&:]

[dodger]

Crushing advance continues in the south, more and more enemy tanks are in
flames and enemy infantry is fleeing en masse. Prime artillery targets.
Here the war is going well.

In the center a grinding battle for positions is taking place. The enemy is dug in
on one hilltop and Finns occupy the other. Fire is ripping across the valley in between, with little result on both sides. But a small strike force has managed to gain a foothold in the forests to the south of the hills. Should this position be used to turn the flank, or strike further to enemy rear. Danger undoubtedly lies in both directions.

The most grim reports come from the forested north, a site where the war looked most promising for the Finns in the beginning. Enemy artillery is most active there, and though many Finnish tanks are deployed there, they are outnumbered and outgunned. Hordes of cossacks overrun the dimishing numbers of Finnish infantry. This theatre is eating more men and equipment than the two other put together and still I'm only able to slow the enemy. Few hundreds yards separates him from open terrain, where infantry is of little use.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

This is a nightmare.

Driven back, partially surrounded and under a hail of mortar shells the remnants of the southern group huddle along a hillside awaiting the inevitable onslaught. Hope has left these men, and their inability to hold their ground and return fire has led HQ to order the immediate execution of any who make it back to soviet lines.

Rumour has it that the Finns believe themselves to be outgunned in the north... they must already be celebrating their victory to come to such a conclusion. The captured T-26b tanks sport the same 45mm gun as my BT-7s, but at last their crews seem to be able to hit a barn from the inside...[:@]

[dodger]

The tidal wave has swept the remnants of soviet troops from the vicinity of the southern hill. Recon reports only scattered units remaining here and there, certainly not enough for a counterattack. Notes are being made in the headquarters, flags moved eastward on the maps. But there is open terrain ahead. To make a decisive breakthrough into enemy rear might prove costly, or if the enemy second line is strong enough, impossible. Regrouping seems like a smart idea, but is there time?

The turning southern flank is bolstering the advance in the central area, as troops move from southern front to the central one, yet another advantage of the vaunted ski mobility. Enemy still lurks strongly in the central hill, with a large concentration just waiting to pounce on the north side of it. AT guns are being brought up as fast as possible to deal with the tanks standing in plain sight, clearly knowing that ski troops carry nothing that can harm them at range. This front will be seeing a lot more action, now that south is dying down.

In the north, tanks and men are being pushed at the enemy, heedless of casualties. Again losses soar to unsustainable. Only a thin white line separates the red wave from open terrain. I must reinforce, but with what, and how.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

While the news from the south are grim, the finns seems to have lost their impetus in the north, and suffer heavily in combined arms counterattacks. Especially in the infantry department, the enemy seems to be on his last legs, though the superior finnish armour poses a significinant threat. We engage nonetheless, and as even a blind chicken will sometimes find a stray corn a fast moving BT-7 shooting from the hip bags an enemy T-26b (3% chance. Yes, I´m desperate!). Maybe a follow-up wave will be needed to capture Viipuri, but I am determined to wear the enemy down!

[dodger]

Just mopping up happening in the south, the door seems wide open as a blanket of
smoke falls across the larger swaths of open terrain.

Supported by friendly anti-tank guns from their central hill, the Finns
rush across the valley and sweep up from the south to force the russians
to the rear of the hill. To the north of the hill, finnish troops have crossed an open
field to a small forest cut by a road. On the other side lies a large concentration of soviet forces. To cross the road would mean pushing the attack into the very teeth of the enemy, without any support from friendly AT guns. Is this the time to stop?

Yet again, the worst news seem to come from the north. Only scattered remnants keep that flank from turning, but they have bought valuable time, the push in the center leaves the Red army's northern front vulnerable in the flank. But undoubtedly the enemy commander knows this himself, and has stationed guards against a surge from the south. Defense or offense, more men are needed.. so once again, weary men from different directions put on their skis, shoulder their weapons and move off toward the distant rumble.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

The finn ski troops seem well nigh unstoppable. Only in the north, were concentrated artillery fire has halted and turned their advance, the enemy is showing the strain of combat. The south is gone, while the center sees the familiar sights of enemy troops rushing unopposed into the midst of soviet formations, routing forces several times their size and supported by tanks and HMGs.

If not for the limited success in the northern sector, I would have called for a strategic regrouping...[:@]

[dodger]

A brief lull in the battle, as the enemy falls back in the south and prepares ambush
positions with tanks and machine guns. Ski troops swarm across the open terrain for the enemy rear without opposition.

Only minor fighting in the central and northern fronts. Am seeing a lot more enemy tanks now, supported by dismounted infantry. It will not be as easy to break through the prepared defences of the center as easily as the the attack in the south was smashed..

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

Retreating and consolidating. A limited counteroffensive in the north falls short of expectations. Even single squads can stop my advance, while my troops are eaten in platoon-sized amounts[:@]

[dodger]

Indeed the enemy seems to be in full flight. Probably to regroup and hook up with reinforcements. Finns cover terrain as fast as they can, but cannot advance as
fast as the enemy is retreating. In their wake comes a fleet of tractors and lorries,
hauling AT-guns and MGs into convenient locations along the trail of probable
counteroffensive.

The central force was able to break through on it's own, so the southern flank threw
a wide arc toward the enemy rear. I am already overrunning abandoned mortar pits. Some spent shells are still hissing in the snow, clearly the enemy has just left.

The northern flank is crumbling, but since furious counterattacks are no longer necessary, ambush tactics are in effect. Close range ambushes supported by guns from longer range have
stopped cold all enemy attempts to break out of the forested area.

-Jani

[Scharfschütze]

Enemy pressure has lessened somewhat, mainly because most of my formations have already been wiped out and the remaining ones are currently out of reach (aka fleeing).

Given the terrifing mobility of those skitroops this can be only a matter of time. Already I was forced to move my command post to a safer area. But my men will fight on. The only way I can face my superiors after this calamity will be to report the total annihilation of my force.[8|][:-][8|]

[dodger]

Enemy reinforcements have been sighted, some trucks carrying quad MGs are hurrying towards the front, but it may be too late.

Swarms of infantry are sweeping in from south and west, some tanks have turned and tried to do battle, but they were put to the torch mercilessly. Lack of encountered infantry would indicate that enemy is running low.

Enemy mortars are being pushed in front of the relentless advance and cut down soon enough, as they must stop to fire in order to support the impending counterattack.

-Jani