by Mark Mokszycki (designer). Updated on 8-28-10.Banners by Rodger MacGowan.

Part 1 – Prelude to War and the First Few DaysThis is one of several articles which cover the history of the Russo-Finnish Winter War, and specifically the Battle of Tolvajärvi. The articles will also discuss many of the design elements of Red Winter as they relate to the history.

Much of this material was culled from a series of similarly named "geeklists" I posted on boardgamegeek.com. Keeping the mixed (read: mainly non-wargaming) audience in mind, I crafted the historical narrative in a casual style, and in the present tense.

This installment will examine the weeks leading up to the battle. Future installments will cover the battle in detail from December 8-12, followed by the Soviets' fighting retreat to Ägläjärvi from December 13-27.

Disclaimer: All map and counter art shown in these articles is playtest art by Michael Evans. The VASSAL screenshots were created many months ago, and they do not necessarily show the game in its current state. They are intended for illustrative purposes only.

I have been fascinated by the Winter War for as long as I can remember. Descriptions of this war paint a picture stark and surreal: bleak and snowy landscapes, frozen lakes, expanses of forested wilderness, soldiers freezing in place upright when shot. The otherworldly setting of Finland in the winter of 1939 was truly a frozen hell for the Russian and Finnish troops who fought there.

The world held its breath and waited while the tenacious Finnish defenders successfully fought off, for a time, a vastly superior Soviet force including thousands of tanks, artillery and aircraft, and hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers.

How was this possible?

The Battle at Tolvajärvi was a turning point of the Winter War. It was the first battle where the Finns managed to face the Soviet invaders with roughly equal numbers. It was also the first notable Finnish victory of the Winter War.

It is the winter of 1939 and the Russo-Finnish "Winter War" is about to begin.

The war between the Soviets and Finns can truly be described as David and Goliath struggle. The population of Leningrad alone is greater than the whole of Finland in 1939! The future appears grim for Finnish independence.

The reasons for the Winter War can mainly be traced to the Soviet Union's growing distrust with Germany. The Soviet Union wishes to cede or lease the seaward approaches to Leningrad, but negotiations with Finland come to naught. In October 1939, the Soviet Union demands that the border between the two nations on the Karelian Isthmus be moved to a

point 30 kilometers west of Viipuri (see above map). It also demands the cession of the islands in the Gulf of Finland. These changes would effectively create a "buffer zone," should Nazi Germany commence hostilities against the Soviet Union. Although the Soviet demands are cause for debate among the Finnish government, Finland ultimately refuses.

By November of 1939, over a million Soviet soldiers are in position and prepared to swarm across the border into Finland. If the Soviets have one thing going against them, it is their own overconfidence.

Knowing that the Finns cannot possibly hold out for long against a foe so overwhelmingly superior in size and technology, the Soviet expectation is that the Finns will surrender as soon as the first shots are fired. Thus the Soviets have supplies for only a 10-12 day campaign. This means their food, ammunition, and fuel supply is limited to less than two weeks. It also means the soldiers are not prepared for extended fighting in winter conditions- they are dressed in their summer uniforms.

Spirits are high among the Soviet troops just prior to the invasion. They sing songs around their campfires, telling stories of how the "Red Finns" of the region will see them as liberators, welcoming them with open arms. Some Soviet divisions even have their own news teams and marching bands! The Soviet expectations are clear: They will enjoy a quick and complete victory, and cause for a grand celebration is close at hand.

Above: Winter War-era cartoon portraying the Soviet perspective that "inside every Finn is a Russian waiting to come out."

One prong of the Soviet attack will come in the south, just north of Leningrad, against a narrow 90 mile front of trenches, bunkers and strong points known as the Mannerheim Line.

Often likened to France's Maginot Line, the Mannerheim Line is Finland's key defense. It is located between two large bodies of water- Lake Ladoga, and the Gulf of Finland. Stalin knows that his forces have the sheer numbers to overtake the Mannerheim Line, but he also knows that this approach will be very costly.

North of Lake Ladoga is a vast, snowy wilderness of forests, lakes and wetlands. This wilderness front is 600 miles wide. Due to its vast size, and the meager Finnish forces available, this front is almost indefensible.

Below: Soviet BA-10 armored cars in Vyborg.

The Soviet 139th Rifle Division is one such division deployed in the region north of Lake Ladoga.

Pictured above are early playtest Red Winter counters for the Soviet 139th Rifle Division. Each infantry counter represents a company (roughly 100 men). Each heavy machine gun unit represents 4 sections (8 total guns). Each anti-tank counter represents a section (2 guns). Each mortar unit represents a section of 81mm medium mortars, and a section of 120mm heavy mortars (4 mortars total).

Three companies plus a MG company make up a battalion.

There are three such battalions to each regiment, and the division is composed of three regiments.

Above: Soviet mobile repair facility.

The 139th is tasked with advancing up the only main road in the region- a highway that crosses the Aittojoki River, continues through Ägläjärvi, and then beyond Tolvajärvi to the city of Korpiselka.

Above: On the map, the main road and Soviet axis of advance is shown in red. The major towns are shown in green.

The next goal of the 139th Rifle Division is to sweep south to cut the railroad at Värtsilä, placing them in the rear of the Finnish 4th Corps.

The ultimate goal of the 139th 's strategy is to punch a hole through the Finns' meager defences and advance quickly using their tanks and infantry, creating havoc and cutting off Finnish forces to the south.

If they can achieve their goals in this sector, the Soviets can seriously threaten the Finns' Mannerheim Line from the rear.

On the morning of November 30, 1939 the Soviet Union declares war on tiny Finland.

Their pretense for war: The Finns attacked them along the border. But Finnish Field Marshall Mannerheim, suspecting such an accusation, has pulled all Finnish artillery out of range of the border, just so that no such "accidents" occur.

The Finns claim that the Russians have shelled their own troops as a pretense for starting a war.

Years later, Russian historians will examine the debacle in depth and claim evidence that the shelling likely came from Finnish mortars which were practicing within range of the Soviet positions.

Whatever the true cause and intent of the shelling, the Soviets are quick to seize on this convenient opportunity to declare war on Finland.

Wasting no time, Soviet bombers unleash a downpour of destruction on the Finnish capital of Helsinki. The order goes out to attack, and 1.25 million Soviet troops swarm across the border into Finland.

Below and right: Helsinki air raid.

Bottom: Karelian refugees flee their home.

The 139th Rifle Division crosses the Finnish border near Suojärvi. The Finns have very little to oppose them- independent battalion ErP10 and support from two vintage field guns.

Below: The latest playtest counters by Michael Evans.

Below: Finns practice with a 76mm field gun just prior to the start of the Winter War.

The Finns, led by Paloheimo, are forced out of their defensive positions in order to avoid being surrounded by the Soviets' maneuvers.

Red Winter Notes:

These units begin the game (which starts on December 8th) off map, having retreated west of Tolvajärvi in order to rest and recover. They return on December 12th.

December 2nd, 1939

The Finns of ErP10 fall back to the Aittojoki River (highlighted in yellow below). Here they are joined by ErP112.

The Soviet 139th advances up to the Aitojokki River during this day, but they do not yet force the attack.

Red Winter Notes:

One company (one game counter) of ErP112 begins the game on the map, in the town of Tolvajärvi, where they are recovering. They are at reduced strength, but they can be returned to full strength by the Finnish player via recovery rolls or expending replacement points. The remainder of ErP112 enters the game on the morning of the second day of the battle (December 9th).

Below: Finns old and young.

Also on this day (December 2, 1939) Colonel Paavo Talvela petitions Finnish commander-in-chief Gustav Mannerheim to give him command of the sector. He asks for the release of the JR16 Regiment of the Finnish Army.

Below: JR16, which is composed of three battalions, each consisting of three infantry companies with the support of six machine gun sections (12 total guns). Also note mortars and engineers. These are older versions of the playtest counters.

Below: The newer version of Finnish playtest counters, as a comparison. Art by Michael Evans.

The 139th Rifle Division advances very quickly westward along the single main road in the region, pushing back the outnumbered Finns of Taskforce Räsänen in victory after victory.

The Finns of Taskforce Räsänen are the equivalent of roughly three battalions. This means that numerically, they have only about a third as many soldiers as the Soviet division facing them. This discrepancy does not take into account the Soviets' vast superiority in artillery and automatic weapons, and their almost complete monopoly in tanks, armored cars, and aircraft.

Against such overwhelming odds, both sides expect that the Finns have no real chance of victory in a prolonged war. This holds true both in the area of operations of the 139th Rifle Division, and in the Winter War in general.

Above: Soviet infantry advances beside T-26 tanks.

Below: Red Winter game counter for a T-26 tank company.

The Finns' are hoping to delay the Soviet advance long enough for other nations to send them sufficient aid. Sadly for the Finns, this aid is not to come.

To be continued...