Arctic Front: Ladva Railroad Bridge (IN PROGRESS)

[Crossroads]

This scenario draws inspiration from Avalanche Press' Panzer Grenadier board game and its' Arctic Front book:

Spoiler Expand

Although paying tribute by using original Arctic Front scenario names, all scenarios are of new and original design. Maps are painstakingly created anew by using Google Earth with support from historic maps. All battles and units involved in them are researched and recreated, and the consequent OOBs, unit entry positions, victory levels etc are designed anew by us.



JTCS map art by Grey Wolf (Resinslinger).[/i]

This scenario draws inspiration from the Arctic Front scenario of name:

Iron Ducklings
http://www.pg-hq.com/library.php?type=sc...id=AFDx020

Two intact T-34 tanks fell into Finnish hands in and around the power plant, and Col. Ruben Lagus ordered them immediately manned and put at the spearhead of a renewed Finnish advance to clear the Svir. The Finns named their new vehicles "Sotka," the Finnish name for a duck who lays her eggs on other birds' nests and is very prominent in the Kalevala for her iron offspring. Lagus hoped the tough NKVD border troops holding the railroad bridge at Latva over the Svir would likewise mistake the T-34's for their own tanks. An NKVD armored train had defied all Finnish attacks, but surely it could not resist the Red Army's own secret weapon.

[Crossroads]

Battle for Latva village and railroad bridge


"A captured Russian 25 ton tank. Kaukola, 16 August 1941"
Picture: www.SA-kuva.fi

20 - 21 September 1941

Participating units:

Soviets:
- NKVD troops (Ladva)
- 2. and 3. IR of 3.D. and an armored train (Ladva RR station)
- Reinforcement: IR 9 and another armored train (Ladva RR station).

Finns:
- BG Hynninen of JP 3, tank company, KevOs 15 (Ladva)
- IR 9 and KTR 2 (Ladva RR station).
- Reinforcements: I / IR 30 (Ladva RR station)

(AF scenario description seemingly thinks Ladva village and Ladva RR station are the same thing, while in reality they are separated by some 10 kms. Latva village is by one of the main north/south roads, while the railroad had been built more towards west. Or they just made some decisions to make the scenario play out better on a card board format, having tanks and armored trains on same boards..)


Soviet Units:

Information From Finnish 7D War Diary / prisoner interview:

Soviet 3. Volunteer Division
- 1. IR,
- 2. IR
- 3 IRs.
- 3. Field Artillery Regt
- 704 How Regt
- Mortar Coy
- Transport Bn
- Pioneer Coy
- Recon Coy
- Medical Bn
- AA Platoon
- some 20 000 men in all including HQ and supply units

3.Volunteer Division
- Founded 1 July 1941 in Leningrad
- Manned by workers, clerks etc born in 1890 - 1924 (17 to 51 yrs of age)
- Commander: Col Netreba, wounded in July, -> Col Aleksejev
- Komissar Frunsen
- First battles in Pihkova vs Germans, transported via rail to Lodinaye Pole in 27 July 1941.
- Fought in Nurmoila, Olonets, almost encircled. Heavy losses.
- 5 September 1941 retreated to Ladva outside road network, with mostly elements of 2. IR in tact., and remnants of 3. IR. 3 000 men in all remaining. Columns lost.

An unknown NKVD unit

9. IR, arriving from Pedrosavodsk: Major Gen. Sudakov.
Two armored trains


Original map drawing of enemy positions at Ladva RR station from the 7.D War Diary

Finnish Units:

Latva village:

Battle Group Lagus
- Led by JP 3, supported by their attached tank company and 15. Light Infantry
- Village taken without difficulties, as enemy seems to be on retreat by the road.

Latva railroad station / railroad bridge:

- Defended by 3. Volunteer D.
-- 3. IR south at Ladva st, dug in by the river and rr bridge.
-- 2. IR dug in north of Ladva st at Sarry village
-- 1. IR not a fighting force anymore and not counted for.
-- 9. IR arriving from Pedrozavodsk arrived by train for a counter attack

- Soviet 2.IR was not expecting enemy and was shattered by the sudden arrival of II / JR9 from West.

Simultaneously rest of JR 9 encircled Ladva from south and east, supported by 2 Field Artillery Regiment.

Several hard counterattacks from north supported by an armored train pushed II JR9 back towards Ladva village.

After regrouping JR9 pushed back, supported by I / JR 30. Enemy made a fighting retreat to Nirki rw station, and managed to embark towards Orzega station where regrouped for defense, was later encircled, and having destroyed their heavy equipment incl. armored train made towards safety via wilderness. Was followed and shattered with only a few men escaping.


Original operative map of 7.D from their war diary.


Units:

7.D:

Jalkaväkirykmentti 9 (JR 9)
Jalkaväkirykmentti 30 (JR 30)
Jalkaväkirykmentti 51 (JR 51)
Kevyt osasto 15 (KevOs 15)
Kenttätykistörykmentti 2 (KTR 2)
35. Tykkikomppania (35. TykK 35)
Raskas Patteristo 28 (RaskPsto 28)
Pioneeripataljoona 35 (PionP 35)
Viestipataljoona 26 (VP 26)
261. ilmatorjuntakonekiväärikomppania (261. ItKKK)


- 2. Field Artillery Regiment (KTR 2): 8 x 76 K/02 and 4 x 114 H/18 per Battalion.
- 28th Heavy Field Artillery Battalion (RaskPsto 28): 8 x 105 K/13 and 4 x 150H/15 guns. Not motorised, ie. horse-drawn wagons for transport.

On-line sources:

War Archive Main page: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/dosearch.ka?o=0

7. Division (HQ) War Diary: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=4524060
Detached units: BG Sivula, all artillery units: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=4518962
Detached units: PionP 35, 35. TyK, 261. ITkk: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=4524304
Detached units: KevOs 15, VP 26, ... http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=4524200
Appendice - Maps and intel report on Red Army 3.D: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=87019

JP 3 (BG Lagus -> BG Hynninen JP 3 + KevOs15): http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3423842