Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR Part 6

Published: 2017-01-31, edited: 1970-01-01

Part of the campaign:

Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR

Previous part:

Game: Hearts of Iron III

Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR Part 5

Images: 33, author: TheGreatestPanini, published: 2017-01-31, edited: 1970-01-01

Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR Part 6
Hello and welcome back to the sixth and most exciting installment of Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR. Our story continues with the Soviets' exploiting a gap in our lines. If unanswered, they may march across our country unopposed and cut our country in half. This will be Field Marshal Mannerheim's true test.
In the south, 2 German divisions under command of General von Randow hold back at least 8 Soviet divisions. They hold a crucial part in our lines near Lake Onega.
The Soviets find themselves against hardened Wehrmacht, when only expecting Finns. The Soviets lose hundreds trying to force out Von Randow.
The front as of April 1940. Two operations are complete but the Soviets continue to hold the Kola Peninsula.
In Yuma, our men finally stop the Soviet advance. This is a crucial victory after losing 2 divisions.
A lack of anti-tank weapons and artillery forces our men to get creative. "Molotov cocktails" and anti-tank ditches are used to disable T-34s.
A line is hastily drawn up by Finnish commanders. We intend to hold it by Summer of this year. The area we will advance into is historically Finnish but has fallen under Russian rule within the last few centuries.
For the first time since the war began, Soviet troops enter Finnish territory. President Salmiala is outraged but his anger is soothed by Mannherheim who assures the President this is only a diversion by the Soviets. Mannerheim expects the main attack to come near Leningrad. Nonetheless, Mannerheim intends to make these Soviets pay for entering Finland.
After running out of ammo, a German division retreats. Von Randow's men quickly advance to take their spot and dig in. They wait for hours, ready for the Soviet counter attack, however the Soviets are nowhere to be seen.
After taking hundreds of losses, the Soviet commanders intend to sit and wait out the Finns on both sides of Lake Onega. The advance that Von Randow expects never comes.
In Kuhmo, German loaned bombers rain hell on the Soviet occupiers. Soviets are killed by the hour, as they are mere target practice for the Luftwaffe.
In mid-April the Dutch government flees to Indonesia. The Reich has defeated another European country.
In the North, major Soviet movements are observed. An attack to relieve the Murmansk pocket is expected but no one is sure.
On the 22nd of April, Hitler launches a full scale invasion of Belgium. The Belgian and French troops had not been expecting an attack, as they thought this war would be a replica of the last. Trenches were even dug along the border.
After numerous requests from the Finns, Hitler finally caves and sends another corps to Finland. These men are all volunteers, and veterans of the Invasion of Poland. These men have heard stories of their German brothers fighting the Soviets and hope to stop Communism before it reaches Germany.
In the South, Mannerheim orders Von Randow's divisions to pullback behind the river. He knows the Germans cannot hold out forever and thus wants them to be in optimal defensive positions.
On the 5th of May, command of the 14th Corps is formally handed over to Mannerheim.
Our bombing runs over Kuhmo continue to wear down the Soviets.
Dozens of bombing runs by the Heinkel He-111 have killed over 2,000 of the original 8,000 invaders.
On May 7th, the Russians annex the Baltic states in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Treaty.
Most of the people of the Baltic States welcome their occupiers with open arms while some of them flee to Finland and other countries. A few hundred enlist in the Finnish Army, hoping to one day return to their homelands as liberators.
In Kuhmo, the remaining Soviets desert. Some of these men attempt to surrender to Finnish soldiers while others try to return to Soviet lines. It is revealed from interrogated POWs that the division was made up mostly of Penal Battalions and sent on a forced march into Finland away from the main army. After the bombings, hundreds begin to turn on their officers hoping to escape to freedom.

(Author's Note: It appears I bombed these men into non-existence. I hope this rp explanation suffices.)
The German divisions are immediately given orders to bolster Finnish defenses and launch a minor assault into Soviet territory.
Outside of Leningrad, German and Finnish artillery opens up on the Soviet defenders across the Neva river.
An assault in launched on Schlisselburg to expand the area around Leningrad.
On May 22nd Belgium surrenders and the Invasion of France begins.
German troops race to liberate Kuhmo as Soviet tank divisions hope to get there first.
The Germans win the race and launch an attack of their own against the Soviet armor. The Soviets are thrown back and the Germans are ordered forwards.
In the North, an attack is launched against entrenched Soviet infantry. Hundreds of Finns and Germans die securing a river crossing.
In France, the Germans begin to shell Paris.
The Finns and Germans finally drive the Soviets back as a full offensive is ordered against Murmansk.
Panzers reach the outskirts of Paris. France will soon fall to the Reich.
Over 8,000 Soviets are surrounded and surrender. The path to Murmansk now lies open.
The Soviet POWs will be shown no mercy. They are taken by rail to Helsinki where they board ships to Germany. Many will find themselves in work camps all across Europe.
A Soviet division manages to flank the Finnish lines by commandeering river barges in Lake Ladoga. They will be swiftly driven back!
The Soviets prove to be no match for out hardened veterans.
Mannerheim promises that the Soviets will never get that close to Leningrad again.
An unopposed advance into the Kola Peninsula continues. Soon Murmansk will be ours.
The weak and tired Soviet defenders cannot hold Murmansk for long.
We lose 700 men while the Soviets lose 1,250. An encirclement of 2 Soviet divisions is completed.
Paris is fully encircled as only 6,000 men remain in the city itself. Most of these men are old veterans of the Great War or city policemen armed with whatever they can find. The Germans will have no problem massacring them.
On the 3rd of July France falls. A puppet state is set up in the South while the Reich annexes Northern and Western France.
Hitler visits Paris to dictate peace terms.
In London, Churchill vows to fight on against the Nazis, even if he must fight on alone.
We lose the battle of Novaya Ladoga but still take the province due to a Soviet retreat. With our manpower running dangerously low, we cannot keep fighting these types of battles.
German divisions under General Hilpert attack the encircled Soviets in Monchegorsk. Rocket Artillery removes any sense of security the Soviets have as they are shelled day and night.
On the 11th of July 19,000 Soviets surrender to General Hilpert.
The Kola Peninsula has fallen to the Finns and any threat of a Soviet invasion has vanished. Field Marshal Mannerheim has retaken the initiative and plans to strike the Soviets with everything he has. Onto Moscow! Hakkaa Päälle!

Next chapter:

Game: Hearts of Iron III

Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR Part 7

Images: 42, author: TheGreatestPanini, published: 2017-01-31, edited: 1970-01-01

Check out another AAR:

Game: Civilization V, Sid Meier's

Western Rome Fall of Rome Scenario

Images: 19, author: Legobloxcraft2, published: 2018-10-09, edited: 1970-01-01