After two weeks of delaying actions and counterattacks, Finnish forces had now reached the prepared main defense works known as the Mannerheim Line. However, the defenses at Kirvesmäki, consisted of little more than barbed wire and a few old concrete strongpoints. Having taken up the front line positions at Kirvesmäki three days earlier, 1st Battalion, Infantry Regiment 30 prepared to meet the Soviet attacks without any anti-tank weapons except mines, Molotovs, and explosives. On 15 December, after a three hour artillery preparation, the Soviets attacked with an infantry regiment supported by 30 tanks.
Attacker: Russian (49th and 150th Infantry Divisions, and 39th Armored Battalion)
The Russian infantry advanced on a broad front with about half of them coming across the ice. The Finnish defence got off to an atrocious start. Both LMGs were eliminated by boxcars. The units manning the HMG broke and were removed by casualty reduction respectively. The Russians got HOB at least five times and this resulted in four battle hardening results and one berserker who was already in the protective cover of a trench. The four MGs among them destroyed no tanks and broke on Russian squad. After that, it was backs to the wall all the way. The Russians got two tanks through the trenches. The balance of the VPs came from infantry. Despite the MG disasters, the Finns held out until the penultimate turn and it was not straightforward for the Russians to get the win. Fun game which turned out to be much closer than it looked after the first two turns.
2023-04-22
(A) Shane Pask
vs
Finnish win
The tanks are the key for the Russians. I lost 2 to MG fire (the Finnish HMG was devastating all game), 2 to recall and 1 refused to move. The FT did not get off a shot. I had some success with the Human Wave killing the 10-0 and claiming their MMG but lost my 9-1 in the process. In the end there were too many disrupted conscripts for the remaining leaders to rally and not enough troops in range to exit (may have been if that ^$#$#% M32 would move). Final tally 14 VP .
Next time I think I will send all infantry down the ice and risk the long range shots.
2023-03-16
(D) Shaun Andrews
vs
Peter Dunn
Russian win
My opponent got off to a rough start with the loss of his OT-26 LTv to a lucky Snake Eyes. This was followed up with a 16 MMC Human Wave that resulted in only a Commissar and one squad making it to their destination. Despite these setbacks my opponent was able to capitalize on my poor placement of SW in trenches via VBM making them virtually useless in stopping the remainder of his forces. I managed to take out another AFV making it look competitive at the end but it was too little too late.
I commend my opponent for his tenacity early on in the game. Things did not look good however he pulled through with the win.
2022-11-10
(D) Jeff B
vs
John Fedoriw
Russian win
5.75 hrs
My opponent setup heavy west for a push across the ice. When I kindly pointed out to him that ice was Level 0 by SSR he shifted to a strong eastern approach. My HMG went on a rate tear Turn 1, killing a squad, breaking another, and leaving three more disrupted. But with 6 tanks and 25 squads vs. 9 for the Finns the Russians could afford a few setbacks. In retrospect I probably should've tried to kill the tanks instead of the infantry, especially the FT tank, but with 3-5 TK#s and so many troops approaching I felt I should go for the weaker link. From here it was a highly boring game, with the Russian tanks driving forward just enough to set a new line for the men to creep forward. The commissar was brained on Turn 2 by a sniper, but the majority of my men were too far away to do any real damage, and the prospects of repositioning were slim. Turn 3 saw the Russian tanks start to flex their might, with the FT taking out my HMG and manning crew, while John showed me just how easy it is to create TBs through AT minefields. The Russians were on the fringe of the woodsline, and once they reached this there would be few good shots, with only the chance of bodies to block them. A brave crew and my 10-0 with little to do survived charging the trailing Russian MMG squad in the rubble, but when they overheated it trying to mow me down the only useful remnant was causing some rout problems for the Russians. But without their commissar anyone breaking was most likely not returning to the fight anyway. On Turn 4 my reinforcements where much needed to try and shore up the eastern defense, but my 10-0 was gunned down trying to accomplish more heroic deeds and, more importantly, I lost a full squad to a KIA. I just didn't have the manpower needed to hold off the advance, and on Turn 6 he was able to eliminate most of the Finnish defenders in the woods through a combination of tank bookends and a mass of infantry. Still, the game would come down to the very end. I was able to pin or break four conscripts making a break for the exit, with only one managing to make it off. But his few 447s and their extra 1MF gave him a chance for victory. He would need 2/3 of them to run the gauntlet. The first one made it, the second one pinned, and the third one made it on the last move to grant him the victory. Like most of the HazMo scenarios I've played, a game that went down to the bitter end. But, just like them, an easily predictable and rather unenjoyable process in attaining it.
2021-12-09
(A) Michael Rodgers
vs
Bruno L'Archeveque
Russian win
The Russians won by exiting 3 tanks and 7 squads. All of the squads exited on the ice side of the map.
2021-09-13
(A) Jason Nichols
vs
Eric Topp
Finnish win
Tried to get together enough squads to launch a human wave in the east but withering fire from the Finns broke up my attempts. Conscripts break and stay broken. Too much open ground to cross. One Finnish half-squad remained ensconced in a hut on my flank for the entire game and managed to break any units I sent against it. My armour wasn't used to its potential and the best AFV with the flame thrower became immobilised and the crew abandoned it. Two more tankettes were lost to mines. Unable to get enough VP off board due to good play by my opponent and poor choice of attack strategy. However, that is how it played out for real. Also early war doctrine requires tanks to move first and use platoon movement. Interesting scenario. Difficult to make much of an impression on the Finns.
2021-06-05
(A) Kermit Mullins
vs
Dan Best
Finnish win
This was one of those scenarios that I wish I hadn't played. My 4-2-6's were wiped out as I failed all my morale checks and disrupted every squad. Then I broke all of my machine guns as well as my flamethrower tank and two other tank guns. My dice were as bad as I have ever experienced and made the game completely unfun. I conceded on Turn 3...because my force was wasted.
2021-06-05
(D) Dan Best
vs
Kermit Mullins
Finnish win
2021-04-19
(D) rene cote
vs
mrosberg
Finnish win
Not for the faint at heart. I think the Russians have to human wave it to get thru and CC as soon as possible with their ELR 2 Conscripts. My opponent was more cautious, disrupting many units and I got really lucky by taking out 4 vehs with DC and MGs
2021-01-06
(D) Matias Dahlbäck
vs
Erik Grande
Russian win
2020-08-15
(D) Dwayne Duval
vs
Kevin Duval
Russian win
The Russians were unstoppable.
2020-08-15
(A) Kevin Duval
vs
Dwayne Duval
Russian win
Used Russian Balance. Finns were quickly over ran forcing a 3rd Turn triumph for Russians.
2020-07-09
(D) Simon Staniforth
vs
Finnish win
2020-04-30
(A) Eric Partizan Eric
vs
Finnish win
2020-04-08
(A) Juan Garrido
vs
SOLO
Finnish win
This scenario seems to expect Russian Human Wave(s) right from the start as a way to cover the open ground.
2020-02-17
(A) Dave Mareske
vs
Francis Biss II
Russian win
Russian infantry exited on the ice for the win.
2019-11-30
(A) Tuomo Lukkari
vs
Teemu Lukkari
Russian win
[Imported from ROAR]
2019-03-02
(D) Gordon Jupp
vs
Neil Brunger
Finnish win
Five Russian AFV'S taken out by MG fire and Molotov cocktails by T4, with the Fins infantry line depleted but intact meant game over....
2018-08-05
(D) Ron Garcia
vs
Darryl M.
Finnish win
2018-06-26
(A) Miikka Sohlman
vs
Niko Pyyhtinen
Russian win
2018-04-22
(D) Tom Kearney
vs
Doug Sheppard
Finnish win
Bitter Ender 2018
2018-04-15
(A) Peter Palmer
vs
John Knowles
Finnish win
[Imported from ROAR]
2018-03-31
(A) patrick palma
vs
Jim Thompson
Finnish win
2018-01-08
(D) Will Willow
vs
M. LaPlante
Russian win
VASL
2017-11-11
(D) John Garlic
vs
Doyle Motes
Finnish win
[Imported from ROAR]
2016-02-13
(A) Jeremy Busby
vs
Tim Deane
Finnish win
2016-01-21
(A) James Rimmer
vs
Jean-Francois Fortin
Finnish win
[Imported from ROAR]
2015-08-03
(A) Russell Dewhurst
vs
Gordon
Finnish win
2015-07-25
(A) Michael Rodgers
vs
Phillip Seymour
Finnish win
My Saint Louis round 4: Phillip Seymour (of Santa Barbara, CA) and I played 163 STOPPED COLD. I had the Russians by bid. Finn defense was in center and on Finn left, so I sent all the infantry up the Finn right on the ice. I made the mistake of taking a commisar, who killed several squads. My tanks worked to tie up the Finn MG nests while my infantry ran and took casualties. My FT tank went out on its first shot, inflicting only a PTC on the HMG. My tanks went down over 4 turns variously by CC, MG fire and TWO DC attacks, one of which was thrown. Although I still had enough stuff (but only 1 tank) near the exit area, Phillip had moved enough Finns to block the exit area that I saw that I could not win, so I conceded.
2015-05-30
(D) Hennie van der Salm
vs
Bart Derks
Finnish win
[Imported from ROAR]
2015-05-16
(D) Richard Jenulis
vs
Mike Zellefrow
Finnish win
[exact date unknown]
2015-05-15
(D) Andy Beaton
vs
Rob MacDonald
Russian win
CASLO 2015
2015-05-04
(D) mark watson
vs
Jonathan Kay
Finnish win
Wow, this one is fun. Enormous russian horde attacks out-numbered Finns, who are tough but not invincible. The game went back and forth, but when a couple of lucky MOLs of tanks and an insane number of disrupted Russians (post-human wave) meant that the russians had to exit everything they had left. A final broken leader sealed the game.
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