Arctic Front: Syväri Power Plant

[Crossroads]

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

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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 recretead, and the consequent OOBs, unit entry positions, victory levels etc are designed anew by us.



JTCS map art by Grey Wolf (Resinslinger). Scenario design by Grey Wolf and Battle Kat.[/i]


Syvari Power Plant
http://www.pg-hq.com/library.php?type=sc...id=AFDx019

The Svir River marked an important political boundary for the Finnish government, which did not want to press its attack any deeper into the Soviet Union. Finnish military leaders recognized that the shallow river did not present much of a defensive line and planned to hew closely but not exactly to their political directives, crossing and digging in wherever they felt it necessary. One such spot was at the Syvari hydroelectric plant, an important economic objective as well.

To make this more interesting, we will include Battle Group Bjorkman attempting to capture Lodinayae Pole from the 2./1068rd IR, and Battle Group Schrowe attempting to capture Svir Power Plant from the elements of 1076th IR.

Should be a good one!

** Arctic Front: Syvari Power Station



Complexity: 8
Turns: 30
Modified complexity: 8 * 30 = 240
Size modifier: 6

First side: Axis

Visibility: 6
Ground: Normal

Allied Air 6; Ammo 70; Smoke 12
Axis Air 6; Ammo 70; Smoke 24
AI Allied 50; Axis 75

Major Loss 300; Minor Loss 600; Minor Win 1000; Major Win 1300

** Arctic Front: Syvari Power Station
6 September 1941

[Svir, East Karelia, Russia, 120 km NE from Leningrad] [H2H] [HIS] [GD] [ALL : N VV : OPT AF]]

Having broken through at Tuloksa river on 4 September, shattering the Red Army 3. Marine Br. and 452. and 419. Infantry Regiments, the road to river Svir was now decisively open for the Finnish VI Army Corps. As the breakthrough was secured, the VI AC pushed on. It created several battle groups with orders to continue the advance through the scattered Soviet second echelon formations, not allowing the enemy any time to regroup.

Supported by tanks and artillery, Battle Group Lagus rushed towards the town of Olonets which it captured already on September 5 with only a short firefight. From there it was ordered to quickly advance towards the River Svir and the town of Lodeynoye Pole.

On its right flank, the 4th Light Infantry was to secure their advance, while on its left flank Battle Group Schrowe was to cross River Svir further to the East, and to cut the road and railway routes south of the river.

For Stavka the sudden loss of Olonets was a shock. The 3. Volunteer Division was given strict orders to keep the town at any cost, but at the time the encircled unit had already abandoned their heavy equipment and was retreating towards safety through the Karelian wilderness.

Reacting to the rapidly worsening situation, the 314.D was ordered to embark towards the area using the still secure railway connections available. The 314 D. was to prevent the Finnish forces from crossing the river and any beachhead was to be attacked in force. The race to Svir and its key logistical and industrial assets was on!

(Player note: please see the attached txt file for notes about blowing and repairing bridges, construction engineers, and loading and unloading crewed boats and ferries.)

[Requires players to install EF: Forgotten Battles version 1.36 or newer]

[Crossroads]

MAP: Overall situation by River Svir, June 1941:

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Map from Raunio et al.: "Sodan taisteluja 2 - Jatkosota"

MAP: Details for the battles for Svir Railroad crossing and the power station itself

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[Warhorse]

This looks very good, guys, can't wait!!

[Crossroads]

Svir Power Plant in Pictures:

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[Crossroads]

Units Involved - see Post # 2 for the map of the battle

Battle Group Lagus
Col R. Lagus

1. Jgr Bde
JR 44 / 5.D
Heavy Artillery Bn 2 (Rask.Psto 2) [1941: 12 x 150 H/40 (motorised)]
Heavy Artillery Bn 3 (Rask.Psto 3) [1941: 12 x 105 H/37 (motorised)]
Light Artillery Bn 11 (Kev.Psto 11) [1941: 12 x 76 RK/27* (motorised)]
I / Field Artillery Regt 3 (5.D) (I/KTR3) [1941: 8 x 76 K/02 + 4 x 122 H/10]
1. Eng. Bn (PionP 1)
12. Transport Coy (12. AutoK).

* Not available, using 76 K/02 instead. -> Nope, added RK/27s to OOB, together with captured BA-6 and -20 armored cars and BT-7s. EF:FB 1.36 here we come!.

Light Detachment 4 / 5.D (Kev.Os. 4)

Battle Group "S"
Lt Col M. von Schrowe JR 23 / 5.D

I / JR 23 Major O. Lampinen
II / JR 23 Major T. Sorri
III/ JR 23 Major Lahtinen
3. Tank Coy Snellman
3.Coy/ PionP 21 / 5.D (incl. 8 assault boats, 10 inflatable boats)
Flamethrower Plt / PionP21 / 5.D
Combat Engineers / PionP21 / 5.D

JR 22 / 5.D
-- III/ JR 22 Capt P Uusitalo ??)

5.Division "Lynx Division"
Colonel Ilmari Karhu


Battle Group Björkman
Lt Col S. Björkman

- Battle Group Hynninen
-- Capt J Hynninen JP 3
- Battle Group Häkkinen
-- Capt T Häkkinen JP 2
-- 2. Tank Coy
- Heavy Artillery Bn 2


Battle Group Marttinen -> Vaasen and Syvari / Svir St
Major A Marttinen

- Coy / JP 4 (JP 4: Major B.E. Polón)
- 1. Tank Coy
- Detachment Riitesuo (17-D)
-- Light Detachment 19 (17.D)
-- Border Jgr Coy(s)
- Light Detachment 15 (7.D)
- 1./Heavy Artillery Bn 24
- 2./ Field Artillery Regt 8
- 255. ItKkK
- 19. ATG Coy

Reserves in the area: German 163.D (Kev.Os4 mentions 307th IR took over once they arrived to Kuuttilahti).
http://www.feldgrau.com/InfDiv.php?ID=111

Olonets Operative Group
Lt Gen M. Dzvetayev

452 Mot.IR
314.D Maj Gen A.D. Dzemenkov
- ?/1076.IR
- 2./1068.IR

1078.IR (KevOs 4 Diary mentions them defending Svirstroy)

Online Sources:

Photographs:


"Overview of Syvari Power Plant, Lotinanpelto 1941.09.15"

Finnish Army Digital Photo Archive: http://www.SA-kuva.fi

Search criteria, eg: 1941-09-01 - 1941-10-01 "Lotinanpelto"

War Diaries:

JR 23 HQ War Diary 29.8.1941 - 25.9.1941: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3498018

Jalkaväkirykmentti 23. I pataljoona , 21.6.1941 - 16.9.1941: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=77965 (7.9.41: page 116)
Jalkaväkirykmentti 23. II pataljoona , 18.6.1941 - 19.4.1942: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=77970 (page 26 - III/23 to Powerstation)
Jalkaväkirykmentti 23. III pataljoona, 17.6.1941 - 15.4.1942: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=77974 (To powerstation: page 17)


Jääkäripataljoona 1, 3.9.1941 - 17.9.1941: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=77681 (page 30... not involved I believe?)

Jääkäripataljoona 2. HQ (Bn diary lost...) , 25.7.1941 - 11.12.1941: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3445013 (page 22 7.9.41)
Jääkäripataljoona 2. 3. komppania , 31.7.1941 - 14.9.1941) http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2712480 (page 15, other coys available too)

Jääkäripataljoona 3, 10.7.1941 - 17.9.1941: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3423781 (page 24 5.9.41)

Jääkäripataljoona 4 , 10.6.1941 - 31.12.1942: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=78180 (Typewriter! Yay! Page 25 on. Diaries on all companies available too)

Kevyt osasto 4, 18.6.1941 - 19.11.1941: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/slistaus.ka?ay=64463 Advance to Svir: p 15. Typewriter :)

...and lots and lots more, including the artillery units involved in the battle.

Wiki / Arm'd Division: http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_pans...asto_Lagus
1. PionP: http://ahtinuottimaki.puheenvuoro.uusisu...taljoona-1
High level diary of daily battles in the area: http://www.res.fi/foorumi/index.php?topic=5518.100 (in Finnish)

[Crossroads]

Now available for testing in the H2H forum