Plan R4
INTRODUCTION
The Allies devised a plan to use the Soviet Union’s 30 November 1939 attack on Finland as a cover for seizing both the Swedish ore fields in the north and the Norwegian harbours (mostly Narvik) through which it was shipped to Germany. The plan was to get Norwegian and Swedish permission to send an expeditionary force to Finland across the northern regions of their territory, ostensibly to help the Finns. Once in place, they were to proceed to take control of Swedish harbours and mines, to occupy cities such as Gävle and Luleå and to shut down German access to Swedish ore. A fait accompli !
Because of the danger of Allied or German occupation and of the war being waged on their territory, both the Swedes and the Norwegians refused the transit requests. This halted the original Allied plan (called plan R4).
On 12 March, 1940 the Allies revised the plan. Troops would land in Norway and proceed into Sweden to capture the mines. If military resistance was encountered, they would not press the issue. However, Finland sued for peace on 13 March, and the plan was abandoned.
Let’s suppose that the Scandinavian nations were more afraid of a possible Soviet invasion of their northern district after their initial capture of Petsamo. Transit is granted to Allied forces, that safely land in Narvik late January and proceed, via the Swedish railroad, to Finland, ready to strike back at the enemy’s positions in Lapland.
DURATION & FORCES
Longest Duration: 2h00
Favored Side: Finns
Most Difficult Side to Play: Soviets
The Finnish player controls the Finnish (light blue), Foreign Volunteers (darker blue), French (Khaki brown), Polish (Khaki brown), British (tan) and Royal Air Force (tan) units.
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 March 1940), each turn being the equivalent of one week.
The Finnish player always plays first, followed by the Soviet 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 regions in North Finland, Northern USSR and the Norway and Sweden offmap boxes 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 for the control of Salla at the end of the game.
– The Finnish player earns 15 VP for the control of Petsamo at the end of the game.
– The Finnish player earns 1 VP for each other border region that he controls at the end of the game
– The Soviet player earns 10 VP for the first time he controls: Oulu.
– The Soviet player earns 1 VP for each French or British unit that he destroys.
VP LOSS
– The Soviet player loses 5 VP if the region of Petsamo is taken by the enemy.
– The Soviet player loses 10 VP for the loss of Murmansk box, as well as the loss of Murmansk city.
REINFORCEMENTS
– For the Soviets.
Turn 1 : Feburary 1st -7th
4th Rifle Div.
Turn 2 : February 8th -15th
36th Tank Bde
Turn 3 : February 16th -28th
SB2 Bomber, 6th Log.
Turn 4 : March 1st -7th
29th Tank Bde, 31st Tank Bde., 36th Cav., 7th Cav., 42nd Mot.Div., 95th Mot.Div., Timoshenko, 10th Log.
– For the Finns.
Turn 2 : February 8th -15th
Hurricane Fighter
SPECIAL RULES
REPLACEMENTS
All replacements and constructions are handled by cards. Soviets will receive 2 replacements on the first 2 turns, then 4 on the next two, and finally 6 on the last two turn. The Finns and allies 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 already at its maximum of 10 but can grow further It has no impact on the scenario’s victory conditions.
SUPPLY SOURCES
– For the Finnish units: Oulu, Lulea and Narvik (both in foreign offmap boxes).
– For the Soviet units: Murmansk and Belomorsk.
FOREIGN BOXES: SWEDEN & NORWAY
Those off-map regions boxes can not be entered by the Soviet player, and only the French, Polish, British, Royal Air Force and the Foreign Volunteers units may enter or be in Sweden or Norway.
On the first turn, Allied forces suffer a -1 movement penalty due to transportation disruption from those boxes.
BREAKTHROUGHS
Only allowed to Finnish small units of Regiment or Brigade side, in most terrains.
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. Same for the Allied units, with the exception of the Murmansk 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.
BAD WEATHER
Some storms may occur once or twice in the game, preventing air operations and slowing down land movement,
For the PDF version, use the links below :
SGS Winter War – Fact sheets (PDF) : Grand campaign – Scénarios : 1939 introduction – Mannerheim – Suomussalmi – Tolvajarvi – Plan R4.