AAR: Fighting Withdrawal (1)

SITREP

The Finns, seeking restitution for the Winter War of 1939, had erupted across the borders and breached the Soviet Karelian Front even as the crisis to the south of Leningrad came. Within three weeks the Soviet 23^rd Army had collapsed before the onslaught of the implacable Finns; three Russian regiments were cut off in Sortvala, the 198^th Motorized Division was trapped in Khitola, and three divisions were isolated around Vyborg. The northern shield of the great city of Leningrad was shattered. In a desperate attempt to salvage something and form a new defense line along the Sestra River, orders went out to the units in the town to break off and retreat southward. One such unit was the 131^st Border Battalion, which was to serve as a rearguard. At 1530 orders arrived releasing them to save themselves . . . if they could.

The Combatants

Finns:
Elements of 1^st Parachute Regiment

Russians:
Remnants of 131^st Border Battalion

After Action Report

Location:
Sestroretsk Road, Terijoki

Date:
September 2nd, 1941

Download the VASL .vsav setup file.

Overview:

Isolated Russian rearguard shielding Leningrad attempts to withdraw off the board ahead of Finnish infantry onslaught in early September 1941.  A single board (21) oriented w/North to right with no overlays; both sides set up on board.

ROAR: 350/294 pro Russian.

Victory Conditions/Time:

Given the balance, Finns have eight turns to exit more VP off the south board edge than the Russians…casualties are irrelevant.  Russians set up first, Finns move first.

If the Finns forward progress averaged 4 hexes per turn, it would require seven turns just to reach the southern board edge.

Weather/Terrain:

EC dry, with a mild breeze to the east; two widely separated multi-level building hexes are already ablaze.  Parallel N/S roads extend across most of the board’s length and are linked laterally at several points.  The northernmost lateral (HxR-BB) separated the opposing set up areas.

Forces Available/Set-up Restrictions:

The Russian defense (ELR 3 / SAN 7) consists of 14 first line squads (447), three leaders, two lmgs, and one mmg, which  must set up south of the northernmost lateral road, between Hex Rows V and AA–with a two-squad exception.  The exempted squads (as well as any ldrs/sw with them) may set up HIP anywhere south of Hex Row AA.  Additionally, the main force has eight OB allocated ?-counters.

• The Russians are subject to Ammo Shortage (A19.131), hence no fire lanes.

The Finns (ELR 4 / SAN 2) have 16 first line squads (648), three leaders, three lmgs, and one mmg.  The squads are not subject to cowering and have both self-rally and deployment capability. 

• Neither side has any smoke capability.
• The Finns auto-deployed 10% FRU of their force (i.e., two squads) during their set up for use as scouts.

Pre-Game Sequence:

The bulk of the Russian force set up to contest the Finns crossing their Line of Departure (LOD) along Hexrow BB, and to counter a thrust on their flanks…using OB given ? counters to conceal units directly opposite the expected Finn assault positions.  One mmg/squad and a leader set up HIP farther back in an upper building level (J4-Lv2) just south of the cemetery, from where it could cover the width of the board.  The forward defenders intended to leapfrog south, with alternating units delaying the Finnish advance.

Game Turn 1:

After the Finns successfully deployed a third squad, Prep Fire ELR’d an unconcealed 447 (Z8).  Elsewhere, two overwatching multi-unit stacks declared OF, as did three adjacent ground level units (potential FG).  Moving in dashes and NAM, scouts crossed the LOD to discover/eliminate a dummy stack; Russian dff was largely ineffective, with the bDM of a single hs.  Later DF succeeded only in activating the Finn sniper (2), who wounded a concealed 7-0 leader and bDM the lmg/squad with him via a duplicate RS and corresponding second activation (1).

In their AF Phase, the Finns ELR’d a Russian squad (AA3) and got another sniper activation (1), which KIA the already wounded leader.  Flames from the blazing U6 building spread to both levels of T5.  A DM 226 routing from a rowhouse (Z8) was interdicted and eliminated.

The Russian’s forward most units fell back, their only casualty being a squad that HOB on an nmc, only to then disrupt pending surrender.  Flames from the blazing building in G2 spread to two adjacent hexes–F2, G3–while the existing flame in the upper level of T5 became a blaze.

Game Turn 2:

The Finns pressed forward largely unscathed (except for a scout hs CR/elim), while the Russians had one squad replaced for ammo shortage (becoming conscripts); the HIP squad in W1 revealed itself, only to malfunction its lmg (repaired in the next GT).  The Finnish AF was ineffective, while the flame at ground level of T5 became a blaze (building now fully engulfed).

The Russians continued to fall back, their only casualty occurring in the DF Phase when a pb attack eliminated a previously broken hs (K6).  Flames from burning T5 building spread upwind to T4.

Game Turn 3:

The Finns deployed two additional squads and continued to push south, suffering relatively light casualties (bDM squad and hs); their AF was ineffective; flames in F2-Lv1 and G3 became blazes.  DM Russian 226 in rowhouse X7-Lv1 surrendered to Finn squad downstairs.

Three Russian squads (V6, S3, R4) stood fast, but with no effect.  Finn return fire bDM two of the stay behinds (one of whom also ELR).  Other Russian squads continued to fall back.  Fire spread to G4, and the flame in F2 became a blaze.  The DM lmg/426 routing from rowhouse S3 was interdicted/CR, while DM squad in V6 surrendered to an adjacent hs.

The Finns had now reached mid-board and were ready to push beyond the rowhouses just north of the cemetery.  The retreating Russians defense was coalescing on the J4 building and the parallel road approaches to and past it.  Spreading fire behind (S/of) the J4 building had created a narrow channel for any movement around the Russian left/west flank, with two Russian squads positioned farther back to cover the roads skirting the terrain fires.

Game Turn 4:

The Finnish advance became more costly, with the outright loss of 1.5 squads, while their AF managed only to BH a Russian lmg/squad.  A DM Russian conscript hs surrendered, and flame spread to G4.

The Russians continued their retrograde and flames in G3 and G4 became blazes

Game Turn 5:

The Finn’s pressed on, suffering one bDM hs, while the Russian sniper finally made his first appearance (1)–eliminating his Finnish counterpart.  AF bDM, then CR’d, the Russian conscript squad in C1.

Pointblank fire from a Russian stay behind unit bDM a Finnish squad, but DF ELR that rear guard and eliminated a laggard broken hs.  Flame spread to G5.

Game Turn 6:

The oncoming Finns shrugged off multiple dff (one hs HOB to BH w/hero creation).  A hs attempting to rush forward along the west road was surprised and bDM by the HIP ldr/mmg/squad upstairs at K4-Lv2.  The G5 flame became a blaze.  A Finn squad advanced into K9 and eliminated the cx 426 there in CC.

Outside Bldg J4, the Russians fell back, losing one squad outright to dff as it AM’d on the road to get around the terrain blaze in G2.  Flame spread to E4 woods.  A Russian BH squad advanced into J3 with a cx fanatic 248 and hero, only to itself being ambushed and eliminated (1/1), along with its lmg;  the Finn then withdrew to stairwell hex I4.

Game Turn 7:

On both flanks, the Finns surged forward on/adjacent to the roads, losing a squad to rfp and and a hs to dff.  The Russian mmg (I5-Lv2) used sustained fire and malfunctioned.  The Russian sniper was activated (for only the second time) and was repositioned rather than attack.  Finn AF vs the I5 bldg bDM the sqd with malf mmg;  other AF pinned the sole Russian defender on the W/flank (F0) who was soon engaged in CC–which ended in melee (no casualties).

After both Russian rally atts failed, a ldr/squad att’d to exit the S/map edge;  however, defensive  fire pinned the sqd, leaving the smc to continue on alone (1EVP).  The flame in the E4 woods became a terrain blaze, while the existing melee in F0 eliminated the Russian squad–clearing the west flank of defenders.

Game Turn 8:

The Russian ldr’s attempt to rally the squad with the malf mmg in J4 yielded an HOB result–only for the unit to then disrupt pending surrender.  On the far E/flank, the Finn surged forward around the lone remaining defender and, with only one squad pinned by dff, gained 3EVP;  7 more EVP were added during the APh.  Meanwhile, in J5, the disrupted Russian squad surrendered to a hero as other Finns advanced into the hex with the surviving Russian ldr…who was eliminated in CC.

Finnish victory with 10 EVP  vs  single Russian EVP.

Post Game Commentary:

Despite a SAN of 7, the Russian sniper activated only twice: the first eliminated the Finn sniper, the other resulted only in repositioning since the Finns had progressed well beyond it.

And for those who enjoy the gory details, here’s the entire event log for Fighting Withdrawal.

GET TO THE CHOPPA…!!!

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