Arctic Front: On Familiar Ground

[Crossroads]

Yes, another battle using the Vuosalmi.map. With each version, the map gets bigger though!

How about the name though? On Familiar Ground, or: On Familiar Waters ??

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ARCTIC FRONT: ON FAMILIAR GROUND
August 18, 1941


Men of III/IR 27 are crossing river Vuoksi with boats and assault boats. Hopeasalmi, Vuoksi (18 Aug 1941). © SA-kuva.fi

Complexity: 8
Turns: 26
Modified complexity: 8 * 26 = 208
Size modifier: 5

First side: Axis

Visibility: 6
Ground: Normal

Allied Air 3; Ammo 70; Smoke 10
Axis Air 4; Ammo 75; Smoke 20
AI Allied 35; Axis 75

Major Loss 600; Minor Loss 900; Minor Win 1200; Major Win 1500



[Hopeasalmi, Karelian Isthmus, 80 km North from Leningrad] [H2H] [HIS] [GD]
10 July 1941 marked the beginning of a Finnish push for the reconquest of Karelian Isthmus, ceded to Soviet Union after Winter War. River Vuoksi marked a formidable object to these plans, and on August 16, Col. Pajari's 18th Division was given orders to secure a bridgehead south of the river. Moving forward, they soon identified a weakly defended sector some 10 km west of Vuosalmi. As it happened, the location was by the narrow Hopeasalmi straits the 18.D was intimately familiar with from their peacetime wargames in the area. Even the commander of their Engineer Bn 23, responsible for arranging the crossing, agreed: "Yes, let us hop this river as we always do!"

During the night of August 17th, Pajari send his 27th IR to silently cross the river, with orders to secure a bridgehead south of the river. Then, as the regiment artillery would join in support, they would continue towards the vital ground of Kylä-Paakkola heights, a location fiercely contested during the last days of Winter War. At the same time, the 49th IR would advance towards Vuosalmi from North. Soon, they had the beachhead secured.

In the morning of August 18th Colonel Koptevski begun to realise the grim situation of his rag tag battle group, put together from various bits of surviving Red Army units in the area. Having finally received the permission to form a new defensive line south of the river, albeit with orders to still maintain a bridgehead on the northern shores, he had planned for a determined rearguard action against a Finnish attack from the North. Instead, he faced an imminent danger of encirclement before the reinforcements he knew were already on their way would reach the area.

(Player note: please see the attached txt file for notes about blowing and repairing bridges, construction engineers, and loading and unloading crewed boats and ferries.)

[Scandinavian Terrain Mod recommended to be enabled when playing this scenario.] [ALL : N VV : N AF] [1.05]

[Crossroads]

Crossing of River Vuoksi. Hopeasalmi, 18 August 1941. © SA-kuva.fi

Finnish forces
18. Division Col A. Pajari

JR 27 Lt Col L. Haanterä;
I Major Y. Toppola; II Captain K. Loimo; III Major K. Turkka;
Artillery: III/KTR19; Rask.Psto 26
- I/49th detached to 27th August 18-21 (crosses at Hopeasalmi, secures the airport)

JR 49 Lt Col E.I. Järvinen;
I Capt E. Vahla; II Capt S. Pylvänäinen; III Major L. Varkko;
Artillery: I/KTR19

7th Light Infantry (Kev.Os.7) Major G.Boisman

Strong air support of three different fighter squadrons. Le.Lv 32(??) Curtiss Hawk 75s at least in the area.

Soviet forces
Battle Group Koptovski; Col Koptovski

- Regiment "Koptovski"; elements of IR951; parts of 33.Border Detachment; Recon Bn of 123.D, one infantry coy + engineer platoon of 123.D; HQ Coy of 27.Army

- Reinforcements: Detachment "1. Leningrad Infantry Regiment" (An AA-Regiment turned infantry) Col Umnov

- Strong air presence as well: I-153s and I-16s, occational bomber.

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18.D War Diary / Col Pajari report on crossing Vuoksi: link

27th IR (JR 27) War Diary: link
- II/27 War Diary: link

49th IR (JR 49) War Diary: link
- I/49 War Diary: link
- II/49 War Diary: link
- III/49 War Diary: link

7th Light Infantry (Kev.Os.7) War Diary: link

27th IR order crossing the river: III, II, I.
Crossing equipment: 40 boats/dinghies (10 men each), 18 assault boats (10 men each), 4 pontoon ferries.
2300hrs-0230hrs: III/27 has crossed over with boats and dinghies only to maintain the element of surprise.
0245-0430hrs: II/27 has crossed over, having used motored assault boats from 03:30
0515-0700: I/27 crosses over. Pontoon Ferries available as of 0500hrs
1400-1615: I/49 crosses over at Hopeasalmi too.


Element of surprise was maintained for the whole duration of the crossing.