Mannerheim Line

INTRODUCTION

This introductory scenario covers the last 2 months of the Soviet onslaught on the Mannerheim Line in February and March 1940. Can the Finns hold? Or will the Russians breach their defenses and move towards their capital?

The Soviet’s failure to penetrate the Mannerheim Line in December has led to the reorganization of the Soviet 7th Army. According to operational plan ‘Ladoga’, the new commander Timoshenko is to attack again in February with up to 30 divisions to break through the Mannerheim Line.

The Finnish defenders facing him are tired, depleted and out of fresh reserves.

This attack will decide the outcome of the war!

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: 1h30
Favored Side: Soviets
Most Difficult Side to Play: Finns

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.

The scenario lasts 6 turns (between the first week of February 1940 and the last week of mid-March 1940), each turn being the equivalent of one week.

The Soviet player always plays first, followed by the Finnish player.

MAPBOARD

The map represents the whole of southern and central Finland, as well as the neighboring seas and far-off regions in the north.

Only the Karelian Isthmus and the southeastern part of Finland (and nearby USSR) are playable in this scenario.

VICTORY

IMMEDIATE VICTORY

– Disabled in this scenario. The side with most VP at the end of the scenario wins the game.

BONUS VP
– The Finnish player earns 5 VP each for the control of Muuola, Kakkisalmi and Viipuri at the end of the game.
– The Finnish player earns 3 VP for the control of the city of Viipuri itself 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 Soviet player earns 10 VP for the first time he controls: Porvoo.
– The Soviet player earns 5 VP for each region in the Mannerheim line sector that he captures.
– The Soviet player earns 1 VP for each Mannerheim line bunker that he destroys.

VP LOSS
– The Finnish player loses 3 VP if the region of Viipuri is taken by the enemy.
– The Finnish player loses 1 VP each for every Bunker of the Mannerheim line destroyed.

REINFORCEMENTS

– For the Soviets. – For the Finns.
Turn 1 : Feburary 1st -7th : Turn 1 : February 1st -7th : 23rd Res.Div
13th HQ, 13th Arty, 173rd Mot.Div., 7M Rifle Div., 80th Rifle Div., Grendhal
Turn 2 : February 8th -15th
32nd Tank Bde, 33rd Tank Bde., 51st Rifle Div., 84th Mot.Div., Voroshilov, 8th Log.
Turn 4 : February 23rd -28th
28-62-63 Tank Rgts, 128th Mot.Div., 72nd Mount.Div, 86th Rifle Div., Biriuzov, Shtern, 9th Log.
Turn 5 : March 1st -7th
29th Tank Bde, 31st Tank Bde., 36th Cav., 7th Cav., 42nd Mot.Div., 95th Mot.Div., Timoshenko, 10th Log.

SPECIAL RULES

REPLACEMENTS
All replacements and constructions are handled by cards. Soviets will receive 4 replacements and each turn, the Finns will receive 1, 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 not used in this scenario.

SUPPLY SOURCES
– For the Finnish units: Viipuri and Porvoo.
– For the Soviet units: All railroad regions south and east of the map.

FOREIGN BOXES: SWEDEN & NORWAY
Those off-map regions boxes cannot be entered in this scenario.

BREAKTHROUGHS
Only allowed to Finnish small units of Regiment or Brigade side, in most terrains.

MANNERHEIM LINE 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.