What Just Happened?

  Jim and I got in our playing of 165 Nothing But Courage with plenty of time to spare, because I conceded after 3-1/2 turns. I had the defending Russians, and I honestly don't know how the Russians have a chance in this.
   I spread out my defense at start. I think this is a requirement, as the Finns get three FFEs in turn 1, If they manage to catch a bunch of squads, or worse a few tanks, that's a disaster. The alternative, however is also terrifying: spread out on No Move counters and watch as the ski equipped Finnish supermen out maneuver, and slice and dice your troops. Lots of surrendering. Lots of pain.
   The Russians have 5 AFVs, but they must begin the game Abandoned, with their crews outside (again on No Move counters.) I admittedly have not studied this battle, but from the bit I did read about it, I do not see the historical justification for the No Move / Abandoned tank SSRs. This scenario appears to have been designed by someone has a sadistic dislike for Russian soldiers.
   

Let Me Finnish

    Getting ready to take on my first Hakkaa Paalle scenario, and just my second scenario of any kind since last summer. We've selected 165 - Nothing But Courage. The scenario is based on a Finnish counter attack of Russian positions near a rail station in Honkaniemi, Finland, 1940, a battle which featured the only Finnish tank action of the Winter War.
   We chose sides randomly and I got the defending Russians. I fear my dice are already betraying me. I'm often wrong about favored sides when eyeballing a scenario, but at first glance this seems a bit hard on the Russians.Though the sides are roughly equal in quantity and quality, the Finns have a lot of things going for them. For starters, there's a very restrictive SSR which puts the Russians on No Move counters for up to three turns. The Finns also get three (!) FFEs as a pre game bombardment. They have skis and winter camo.
     Of course, these aren't just any Finns. These are ASL Finns, which means they can self rally, deploy and recombine without a leader, and fire a rifle with one hand while building a snow hotel with the other.

 

     The early results on ROAR have this as 2-0 favor of the Finns. Sure, it's statistically meaningless, but I still would like to have seen a Russian victory there.
    But enough pre-game whining. I'll save some for for Saturday.

The Hakkaa and the Paalle

Finaally Aarrived.