Arctic Front: Grim Days of Winter (IN PROGRESS)

[Crossroads]

This one needs to start with "G"...

Grim Days of Winter

A placeholder for a new March 1940 scenario, of the last furious days of Winter War. Viborg Bay in the middle of it. Will reuse the western half of my Viborg Bay 1944 map for this. Or, whilte at it, should I just create a full 3x3 team game of this one too, similar to **Fury at Vyborg Bay ... ???

From the WinterWar.com forum (look inside spoiler):

Spoiler Expand

On the last day of the war [13 MAR 1940], the Finnish position looked grim. Ammo shortage (especially the artillery) was catastrophic, the thick ice that covered the Bay of Viipuri and Vuoksi-river gave the Red Army good attack routes, since the Finnish AT-capability was still very limited, despite of the recently arrived 25mm French antitank guns and some captured 45mm guns.

Almost all planes of the Finnish Air Forces were committed to the fight in Bay of Viipuri. Despite of the Soviet dominance in the air, the Soviet troops on the ice were attacked by strafing fighters and bombers, who made several sorties every day. The Finnish coastal batteries fired every day hundreds of shells into the advancing Soviet columns, but the shortage of sensitive fuses reduced their effect.


On the Vuoksi (Äyräpää area) the situation was also critical (most of the battalions helding the high ground on the " Soviet " side of Vuoksi near Äyräpää and containing the Soviet bridgehead were down to 100 - 250 effectives, including all men from supply & other non-combat units)


By March 12th, the Soviet forces had advanced to the outskirts of Viipuri (Vyborg) . On the following night the Finnish forces were ordered to withdraw to a second defense line running through the town. JR7, the defending regiment, wasn't attacked on the last day.

On the coastline of Bay of Viipuri, the Red Army had made strong daily attacks on a broad front. The resulting Soviet bridgeheads in Vilaniemi and Häränpääniemi were contained by heroic efforts from a mixed variety of small sub-units (Groups Berg and Varko) and badly mauled regiments.

The situation on the Viipuri coast area was so alarming, that the Finnish high command had already drawn a plan, and was seriously considering, a general withdrawal to a shorter line. The Finnish units, brought to the area (even troops from the Lapland Group) were immediately sent to the frontline. Communications proved to be severely inadequate everywhere except in and around Viipuri.

(The total losses in the battles on the Bay of Viipuri were some 1 200 dead, 3 500 injured and 450 missing, being app. 8 % of the total Finnish losses in Winter War, a good indication of the bloody fighting.)


Map and quotes from WinterWar.com

Winter War at Wiki.

Misc pictures:

I won't have time to start with this for a month or so, but nothing like some friendly pressure on my shoulders to get this done, one day!


While talking about pressure, the text in blue font would indicate that the action around Vuosalmi (**Across River Vuoksi of 1944 ) should be replicated for Winter War as well!

It would need to start with letter "H", of course... **Higher Ground ?

EDIT: And here it is!

https://www.theblitz.club/message_boards...#pid374466