1939 introduction
The 1939 attack
INTRODUCTION
This introductory scenario covers the first 4 weeks of the initial Soviet onslaught on Finland in December 1939. Can the Finns hold beyond expectations and receive the long-awaited Allied intervention? Or will the Russian Bear crush them and force them to relinquish their border lands?
The 1939 Attack scenario lasts only 4 turns, each representing one week of December 1939. One player represents the tiny Republic of Finland, the other has the Soviet Union’s land and air forces.
• The Soviets have numerous but poorly led and badly organized forces at the start of the game, but their reinforcements are impressive.
• The Finns must hold desperately against the initial onslaught and vastly superior strength of their enemy, thanks to their superior quality and ideal defensive positions,the Finns hope to buy time until threats of Allied intervention discourage the Russian Bear.
Be careful of the numerical weakness of the Finnish side, as well as the uncertainty of Stalin’s resolve on the other…
The game’s event cards allow full replay ability thanks to the numerous various situations that they create on the diplomatic, military, political or economical fields
DURATION & FORCES
Longest Duration: 2h00
Favored Side: None
Most Difficult Side to Play: Finns
The scenario lasts 4 turns (between the first week of December 1939 and the last week of December 1939), each turn being the equivalent of one week. This is similar to the starting turns of the full campaign scenario.
The Finnish player always plays first, followed by the Soviet player.
The Finnish player controls the Finnish (light blue) and Foreign Volunteers (darker blue) .
The Soviet player controls the Red Army, Red Air Force and NKVD (dark red) units.
MAPBOARD
The map represents the whole of southern and central Finland, as well as the neighboring seas and far-off regions in the north.
There are 4 theaters: North Finland, Central Finland, South Finland and USSR.
The border regions in South Finland are the Mannerheim and Karelia Lines regions.
VICTORY
IMMEDIATE VICTORY
– When on of the player reaches or exceeds 40 VP at the end of a turn.
– The Soviet player controls all the following city regions in Finland: Helsinki, Viipuri, Sortavala, Petsamo
– The Finnish player controls the four regions of Mannerheim line and Viipurii with supplied units at the end of the game, without having lost Helsinki.
– Or the Allied Intervention level reaches or exceeds 10 (Soviet player defeat) after turn 7.
Otherwise the side with most VP at the end of the scenario wins the game.
BONUS VP
– The Finnish player earns 3 VP if he controls Viipuri city (even besieged) at the end of the game.
– The Finnish player earns 2 VP for Mannerheim Line bunker still in play at the end of the game
– The Finnish player earns 2 VP for each border region he controls in the Karelia and Mannerheim Lines: Muuola / Taipale / Kakkisalmi / Salmi / Suojarvii / Korpiselka.
– The Soviet player earns 10 VP for the first time he controls: Helsinki (and -5 Allied Intervention).
– The Soviet player earns 3 VP for the first time he controls: Viipuri (and -2 Allied Intervention).
– The Soviet player earns 2 VP for the first time he controls: Hango / Petsamo (and -1 Allied Intervention).
– The Soviet player earns 1 VP for the first time he controls: Turku / Tampere (and -1 Allied Intervention).
– The Soviet player earns 1 VP each for every Bunker of the Mannerheim line destroyed.
– The Soviet player earns 10 VP / 5 VP for control at end of the game of: Helsinki / Viipuri
– The Soviet player earns 1 VP for each of the following Finnish region that he controls at the end of the game: Hango / Petsamo / Turku / Tampere / Lapperaanta / Kouvola / Sortavala / Joensuu / Rovaniemi / Ivalo / Muuola / Taipale / Kakkisalmi / Salmi / Suojarvii / Korpiselka (mostly the border regions with USSR).
VP LOSS
– The Finnish player loses 1 VP each for every Bunker of the Mannerheim line destroyed.
REINFORCEMENTS
The following reinforcements are received during the game (they come in addition to what can be obtained through cards or events)
– For the Finns : none
– For the Soviets.
Turn 1 : December 1st -7th
4th Rifle Div.
Turn 2 : December 8th -15th
36th Tank Bde, 150th Rifle Div., 44th Mot.Div., 52nd Rifle Div., 75th Rifle Div., 4th Log.
Turn 3 : December 16th-22nd : none
Turn 4 : December 23rd -31st
14th Hvy.Tank Bde, 39th Lt.Tank Bde, 311th Art., 320th Art., 13th HQ, 100th Rifle Div., 138th Rifle Div., 41st Rifle Div., Vinogradov, 5th Log.
SPECIAL RULES
REPLACEMENTS
All replacements and constructions are handled by cards. Soviets will receive 3 replacements and each turn, the Finns will receive 2, and both sides will also get those provided in addition by events and cards.
CARDS
There are two cards drawn each turn in this game, and players may keep up to 10 of them in hands.
ALLIED INTERVENTION
The Allied intervention level is mostly changed by card play and the capture of some key locations. When it reaches or exceeds 10, the game ends with a Finnish victory.
SUPPLY SOURCES
– For the Finnish units: major cities in Finland.
– For the Soviet units: All railroad regions south and east of the map.
FOREIGN BOXES: SWEDEN & NORWAY
Those off-map regions boxes can not be entered by the Soviet player, and only the Foreign Volunteers units may enter or be in Sweden or Norway.
BREAKTHROUGHS
Only allowed to Finnish small units of Regiment or Brigade side, in most terrains.
MANNERHEIM LINES BUNKERS
Those Finnish combat units can never move from the regions they start in.
They never retreat or panic. They are heavy units and also act as artillery.
They earn 2 PV if still in play at end of the game (or cost 1 PV when destroyed)
In addition, the regions they are in receive regular reinforcements of mines every turn.
SISSI UNITS
Those Finnish combat units can move and attack while hidden, and they don’t need any supply. Their presence allows for a special Ambush round in battle where only Ski troops can fight. Three of the Finnish leaders have the same abilities (they bear the Sissi emblem).
FOG OF WAR
Only the Finnish units benefit from a partial fog of war, i.e. the Soviet player cannot see what their stack could countain (only a flag is displayed on those).
SOVIET HINTERLAND
No Finnish units may ever enter any of the Soviet regions with railroad located on the eastern side of the mapboard, nor the Murmansk offmap box.
FINNISH DIFFICULT TERRAINS
The Forests & Lakes, Marshes and Deep-Forest terrains do not allow cavalry or heavy units superiorities, and provide combat bonus to defenders. No supply either in the Deep Forest terrains.
For the PDF version, use the links below :
SGS Winter War – Fact sheets (PDF) : Grand campaign – Scenarios : 1939 introduction – Mannerheim – Suomussalmi – Tolvajarvi – Plan R4.