Fire Brigade Locomotive - Winter War

01 DECEMBER 1939, KOLLAA RIVER, SUOJÄRVI SECTOR" On the day the war started, the Suojärvi Front was defended by Border Guard detachments totaling about a battalion's worth of troops, two regiments from the 12th Division (JR-34 and JR-36), a handful of light-to-medium artillery pieces, and an old armored train bristling with machine guns and French 75's in steel cupolas. This train proved to be quite effective in slowing the Russians advance. Hastening from trouble spot to trouble spot, it the Finns at least a token measure of mobile artillery support. Perhaps even more valuable than it's firepower was the psychological effect on the defenders' spirits as the train hove into sight, bellowing a roaring like some prehistoric monster, gushing angry smoke, and knocking sheets of snow from the trees when it fired it's main battery" (William R. Trotter, Frozen Hell, pp. 124). This scenario is a hypothetical situation in which the Russians attempt to advance on a Finnish position defended by JR-34. Supported by medium and heavy mortars, the Russians begin to make good headway against the Finns until the arrival of armored train support. Finding themselves in dire straits, the RKKA calls on medium tank support to quell the threat imposed by the Finnish armored train.