Part of WWII that is frequently ignored is the northern engagements between Finland and the Soviet Union. While Finland was not supportive of Fascism or any of the other parts of the Nazi regime. They followed a simple doctrine. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Soviet Union had taken large swaths of Finnish land in previous years, and Finland wanted them back.
The Battle of Tali-Ihantala started on June 25th, 1944, and lasted until July 9th.
Finland C.G.E. Mannerheim 100,000 Soldiers Several Armoured Divisions German Luftwaffe Detachment
Soviet Union Leonid Govorov 150,000 Soldiers 6 Tank Brigades 10 Artillery Regiments
The opening hours of the battle involved a Soviet Artillery bombardment and a hard push along the edge of Lake Leitimojarvi. This is where we will have our game.
Wargame Rules, Command Decision, Bolt Action, Flames of War 2 Players 6×4 Table Forces Needed: Finnish and Soviet forces in your chosen game. The Soviets should have 50% more troops than the Finns. For Bolt Action, we will use 1500 points for the Soviets and 1000 for Finland. Terrain should be an interesting area with pine forest, clearings, and a large lake.
Set-Up
Finland should be in a defensive position with its forces holding each side of the lake. An objective marker should be placed somewhere on the Finnish side of the lake. The Soviets should be off the table, preparing to assault the Finns’ position. The Soviets will get an artillery strike before the first round of the game.
If the Soviets end the game with one objective, it is a tie; if both objectives are achieved, it is a win.
The opening battle in the Stalingrad Campaign is the Last Bridge Over the River Don. The main objective is for the Soviets to hold the bridge while their force retreats and then blow the bridge. Game is on a 6×4 table with a river running north to south. In the middle of the river is a small bridge. Eastern side of the bridge has a small village. Western side has a few hills and balkas.
Soviets can attempt to blow the bridge. The objectives give 2 pts for each soviet unit to cross the bridge, and the Germans get 1 pt for each destroyed unit and 5 if the bridge is intact.
For terrain, I intend to use my Kallistra grass hexes as a base with assorted hills. I have a river from Tabletop World. It should sit nicely down between hexes. The river is 6″ wide, however, and if that doesn’t work, I have a neoprene river set and a few bridges that should work nicely. I need about 10 small buildings for the town where Dwarven Forge City Builder should also fit in nicely. I have 3 or 4 buildings for variety that are a high quality cardboard including a church that will make good variety.
Here is the Soviet T34 on the bridge. This will work well.
The army lists are below. Both lists are 1167. I don’t have a good reason for picking this number.
Germans
1167
Gates of Stalingrad
Leutnant
50
Regular
Here infantry
90
5 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Loader
Regular
Panzgrenadier
97
5 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Loader
Regular
medic
30
Veteran
artillery forward observer
100
1 AR
Regular
Heer infantry
110
7 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Loader
Regular
heer pioneer
77
1 Rifle 4 SMGS
Veteran
mmg
50
Regular
medium mortar
60
add spotter
Regular
flammenwerfer
50
Regular
sniper team
50
Regular
Anti-tank rifle team (removed)
Regular
50mm pak 38
75
Regular
Sdkfz231
100
Regular
Panzer iii Ausf E,F
140
2nd MMG
Regular
Sdkfz 7 halftrack
44
Regular
Sdkfz 7 halftrack
44
Regular
I based the German list on what an advancing army might look like. Mechanized infantry with early war armor support. Decent equipment. I could have made the squad sizes a little larger which would have brought me up to 1500 pts, as well as a few trucks, but this should make for a decent fight. I think the game plays well at 1250 to 1500.
Soviets Don Volga
Rifle Squad
0
12 Rifles
Inexpierenced
2nd Lieutenant
50
SMG
Regular
Veteran squad
85
3 Rifle 1 LMG 1 Loader
Veteran
Rifle squad
56
8 Rifles
Inexpierenced
commissar
15
SMG
Inexpierenced
assault engineer squad
80
5 SMGs
Veteran
rifle squad
81
7 Rifles 1 Flag
Inexpierenced
rifle squad
49
7 Rifles
Inexpierenced
veteran squad
103
4 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Panzerfust
Veteran
Mmg
35
Inexpierenced
Dshk heavy machine gun team
49
Inexpierenced
Sniper team
50
Regular
Dog mines
26
Inexpierenced
Tank hunters
20
Inexpierenced
Medium mortar
35
Inexpierenced
Light mortar
24
Inexpierenced
45mm antitank
46
Inexpierenced
Ba20 Armoured Car
52
Inexpierenced
T-34
156
Inexpierenced
Truck
31
Inexpierenced
Truck
31
Inexpierenced
Truck
31
Inexpierenced
Truck
31
Inexpierenced
Truck
31
Inexpierenced
The soviet list is based on an army in full retreat. Supplies and such were not a huge issue at this point of the war. I was happy to give them full equipment. The soviet army was very experienced at this point as well which I reflected in the list.
Initial Impressions
Reading over the rules, it seems like the Soviets have a real challenge. You have to get as many units over the bridge as possible and still blow the bridge. The initial turn the fuse is lit you have a 1/3 chance of blowing the bridge. The next turn its 50/50 and 2/3 the following turn. You don’t want to blow it early because it costs you points, but you can’t wait till the last turn either. Although the game does continue until the bridge blows or the charges are defused. The way the reinforcements work for the Germans I want the bridge blowing turn 6.
Also I wouldn’t consider this a good introductory scenario for those new to Bolt Action. It is a pretty complicated fight with many rules and deployments.
Hobby Items
First and foremost getting the two forces fully painted. I have about 3 weeks from now util the floors are completed and I have a game room back. That easily should be enough time for 50 odd infantry and a couple vehicles. Right……. right. My Germans are largely complete already. Maybe 10 models. The Soviets need around 40.
I need to paint the river. It shouldn’t take too long. It is nicely textured. I have 10 pieces that are 9″ long and 5″ wide, 8 curves, a large stone bridge that is just wide enough for a t-34. There is also a mill somewhere which would be cool to do eventually. I think there are 4 river battles and it is a terrain feature in 3 more. I may also try the resin thing where I fill the river with resin to create a water effect.
Other hobby items. I will most likely 3d print a building or two. They will need painted. I also need to paint a few hedges that I have 3d printed.
Next time should be some painted models progress, after the weekend.
For whatever reason, I have never actually put my Flames of War models to the table. I have 5 armies, fully painted and angry ready for battle, but have never actually played myself. Over the next few weeks there are four battles scheduled so I can teach myself. The rules are vague as to how big of a table to use. How much terrain, deployment areas etc. I am setting up 100 pts on a my standard 8×4 table as such.
I have no idea how much space should be required. I have no idea what is a good list or a competitive list. I have read zero blogs and watched zero Youtube videos. We are going to take an adventure together.
Soviets
Americans
Churchill Guards Heavy Tanks
23
M4 Sherman Tank Company
61
HQ
3
2 HQ M4s
7
3 Churchill 6pdr
10
5 M4s
18
3 Churchill 6pdr
10
5 M4s
18
T-34 Tank Battallion
69
5 M4s
18
HQ
3
Rifle Company
39
7 T-34s
21
HQ 2 SMG Teams
2
5 T-70s
5
Rifles 7 M1s 1 Bazooka 1 HMG
8
7 T-34s
21
Rifles 10 M1s 2 Bazooka
9
15 SMG Company+1 Komissar
17
Rifles 7 M1s 1 Bazooka
6
3 82mm Mortar
2
2 81 MM Mortar
2
Light Tank Killer Company
8
3 T30 75 MM Assault Guns
3
4 45mm Guns
8
4 M1917 HMG
3
4 37mm guns
6
First movement for the Russians has been made. I only had the Mortars in range of anything, unfortunately I did not have an artillery template.
1 Week later I have an artillery template, plus a few dozen of the other sets of tokens you also need to play. The mortars killed a single set of the M1s. American go. The first few turns took a significant amount of time while I figured out the system. The whole when to save when to to save and other items were perplexing. I have watched several youtube videos and have a better grasp. The Americans did destroy a couple of T34s.
Turn 2 for both teams involved a ton of shooting and numerous tanks destroyed. At this point I think I have the basics of the game figured out. Artillery is very high-powered and can do a ton of damage to infantry. (no kidding) Tanks go up like popcorn making the battles very high-paced. Also any unit that is unsportted is at risk meaning you need well-rounded forces. A horde of infantry may take losses but can generally assault and stop a tank company. For either side I didn’t have much strategy, just kill and learn the rules.
Turn 3 resulted in a ton of damage to the American side. You can see most of the infantry defending the top village were assaulted and destroyed, all but 5 of the shermans were destroyed vs the soviets still having about 12 tanks left. I called the game here. I the soviets just had too much firepower and it would have been a blood bath.
What I learned. This first mission had very little depth aside from lining up units for one side or the other to their best advantage. Table set up is huge and I need to be better. I half hazard through down some hills and other terrain not thinking my next table will be better. I think the game is balanced I wish elevation played a bigger role.
stonewalljackman 