Arctic Front: Bitter Kuuterselka

[Crossroads]

** Bitter Kuuterselkä EF:FB

Complexity: 9
Turns: 30
Modified complexity: 9 * 30 = 270
Size modifier: 6

First side: Allied

Visibility: 8
Ground: Normal

Allied Air 12; Ammo 75; Smoke 20
Axis Air 9; Ammo 70; Smoke 10
AI Allied 75; Axis 35

Major Loss 1000; Minor Loss 1500; Minor Win 2000; Major Win 2500
June 14, 1944

[Karelian Isthmus, 50 km NW from Leningrad, Finland.] [H2H] [HIS] [GD] [ALL: N VV: N AF]
Following the June 6th D-Day landings at Normandy, the Western Allies wait upon Stalin to fulfil his promise of a major operation against the Germans on the Eastern front. Instead, while ensuring the Normandy landings would gain momentum, Stalin decides to solve his unfinished business with Finland. All other campaigns on hold, while waiting to commence Operation Bagration later in June, he orders the Leningrad Front to destroy the Finnish Army and to advance into Southern Finland to effectively push her out of the war. Leningrad Front Commander Lieutenant General Alfyorov, 450 000 men, 800 tanks and assault guns, 10 000 artillery pieces and 1 600 combat aircraft set out to fullfil his orders. On Finnish side, the build up is noticed, but it is assumed this would be another push towards the German Group North at Narwa.

On June 10th, after a full day of continuous artillery barrage, the Red Army cuts through the Finnish forward line in full force. The shell-shocked defenders quickly retreat towards the fortified Vammelsuu-Taipale (VT) main defence line.

Weighing his options, on June 13, Lieutenant General Alfyorov orders the fresh 109th Army Corps to break out through a weakly defended sector of the VT Line, at Kuuterselkä, an area the Finns considered not suitable for large scale armoured operations due to its scarce and narrow road network.

109th Army Corps plan: to break out simultaneously via the Sahakyla and Kuuterselka sectors, encircling and destroying the Finnish forces in the west of the area, while having a strong Northern pincer continuing straigh up towards city of Viborg.

On the early morning of June 14, the plan is on.

Having realised this is the real thing, the Finns gather the available reserves to save the VT Line, and as they fear, the whole front. Still, perhaps not realising the full size of the enemy formations, elements of Major General Lagus' Armoured Division are ordered to attack hard 'to retake any ground lost'. Soon realising this is a damage limitation mission at best, the men will long remember the battle as 'Bitter Kuuterselka'.

Picture: June 15, 1944: Red Army officers study a disabled Finnish Stu-40 in the fields of Kuuterselka village

[** Requires players to install East Front: Forgotten Battles Mod version 1.34 or newer **]

[Scandinavian Terrain sub mod recommended to be enabled when playing this scenario.]