Suomussalmi – Russo-Finnish War

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1939, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Eastern Front, Infantry, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Sudden Death, Winter

Suomussalmi

Let me tell you about Suomussalmi, a frozen corner of Finland where, in the winter of ’39, a handful of tough, stubborn Finns showed the world how a smaller force—if it’s smart, fast, and mean enough—can tear a lumbering giant to pieces.

The Russians came in heavy, marching two full divisions down those narrow forest roads, thinking they could just roll over Finland and split the country in half. But those Finns didn’t fight the war the way the textbooks said. They didn’t stand still and get crushed. They moved. They lived on skis, slipping through the woods like ghosts, striking the Soviet columns where they were weakest—supply lines, roadblocks, isolated pockets of troops.

While the Russians froze in the open and bogged down in snowdrifts, the Finns carved them up piece by piece. They cut those long Soviet columns into little “motti” bundles—isolated groups with no food, no ammunition, no rescue. And then they finished them.

By early January, the Finns had smashed one Soviet division entirely and sent the other running back the way it came. What happened at Suomussalmi wasn’t luck; it was proof that speed, ingenuity, and the will to win can turn a frozen forest into a fortress and a small army into a battering ram.

The Finns didn’t just win a battle—they delivered a lesson every commander ought to remember:
Victory belongs to the side that fights smarter, moves faster, and never stops hitting.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Russian – 4

Finnish – 6

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Winter

Location:

Finland

Year:

1939

Theater:

Eastern Front

Campaign:

Russo – Finnish War

Summary:
The Finns switched sides during WW2, all in the name of defending themselves.

Objectives:
Six VP’s, plus if the Finns occupy three of the four hexes of Suomussalmi, they win immediately, which I have done, and is a very satisfying win.

Battlefield:
The battlefield for this scenario is marked by three frozen rivers cutting across the field of play and creating hazardous conditions for troop movements.

Troops:
Finns: 10 Infantry, 1 Artillery
Russians: 10 Infantry, 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

Allies must defend the town of Suomussalmi, as it will be instant defeat if the Axis occupies 3 of the 4 town hexes. But the town is heavily defended with sandbagged troops, so do not try the attack unless you are able to assemble a strong force with powerful Combat cards.

Axis Strategy:

Axis (Finnish) ski troops have a major movement advantage. They can move 0-3, and fire at 3 or 2. Plus they can move onto any terrain and still fire. So your infantry movement cards will allow you to quickly mass your troops for an attack.

Battle Reports

(percentage of Allied victories):

54%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Rzhev – The Meat Grinder

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1942, Armor, Artillery, Eastern Front, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Winter

Rzhev (the Meat Grinder)

“Listen up, men! The Battle of Rzhev in that God-forsaken winter of ‘42 was a real bloodbath—some called it the ‘Rzhev Meat Grinder’ and they weren’t kidding. Those Russians threw everything they had at the Germans, trying to smash their lines and give Stalin a breather for Moscow. But the Germans had their trenches dug deep and those Red boys paid for every inch of dirt with buckets of blood.

The snow and ice turned the whole mess into a living hell—no damn place for a man or a tank. Despite all that, the Soviets never stopped coming. Sure, they didn’t take Rzhev right then and there, but they hammered the Germans so hard they finally had to pack up and haul ass out of there later on.

So here’s the lesson, boys: courage is the fuel, and persistence is the blade—but even the toughest steel can wear down when you keep pounding it. The Rzhev campaign was brutal, but it was one more nail in the coffin of that damn Nazi war machine.”

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 6

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Winter

Location:

Russia

Year:

1942

Theater:

Eastern Front

Summary:

Rzhev is a complex scenario recreating the Soviet counter-offensive with a 10 VP goal. This requires a long-term plan, as quick tactical hits will not win such a long battle. Night rules are in effect.

Objectives:

10 VPs,
including Objective medals for both Axis and Allies, plus Exit objectives for Allies.

The town of Belyi is a temporary medal objective worth 1 medal for both sides. If any unit occupies any of the three hexes marked with an ‘A’ they gain a medal irregardless if an opponent occupies any of the other hexes. Both sides can earn 1 medal at the same time.
The town of Rzhev is a temporary medal objective worth 2 medals for both sides. If any unit occupies any of the 3 hexes marked with a ‘B’ they gain 2 medals irregardless if an opponent occupies any of the other hexes.

Terrain:

The Axis forces already control much of the battlefield, as sandbagged troops who are very difficult to dislodge, while the Russians are pressed up against the wall.

Troops:

Allies – 10 Infantry, 5 Armor, 2 Artillery

Axis – 9 Infantry, 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

🔥 1. Winning as the Soviets (Allies)

Soviets must be surgical, not brute-force.
Your troops have numbers but terrible defensive terrain.
So your victories come from forcing the Axis out of their woods.

Do NOT Push the Center First

The center looks juicy… but it’s a trap.

If you push center:

You feed medals to the German artillery in the woods
You take 2-dice fire from multiple directions
You lose tempo

2. You can attack the well-protected Axis Infantry units by placing your Armor in the forest and degrading them over several turns. Time is on your side, so there is no need to rush the attack until you are ready.

3. You have a well-placed Artillery right in the center of the battlefield. Use it at every opportunity to take out enemy forces. If you get the chance to concentrate firepower using a card like Firefight, Barrage, or Airpower, then use it to destroy the enemy Artillery against the back border before it moves forward.

🔥 1. Winning as the Germans (Axis)

Because this is a Russian counter-attack scenario, the Germans are primarily in a defensive position and out-numbered. So use your protections well. You must get your Armor into a good defensive tactical position to allow for mobility when needed, and defense of open terrain in the center and left section.

2. Your artillery is well-placed in the center. Use it to good effect before it is overwhelmed by the enemy.

Battle Reports

(percentage of Allied victories):

31%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Red Barricades Factory (Stalingrad)

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1942, Armor, Artillery, Eastern Front, Infantry, Location: Russia, Memoir 44, Scenario, Sniper, Theater: Eastern, Urban, Winter

Red Barricades Factory (Stalingrad)

By October ’42, the Germans were throwing more and more of their 6th Army into the meat grinder at Stalingrad. On the 22nd, the 79th Infantry, backed by engineers, tanks, and guns, went charging across the railroad embankment straight at the Red Barricades Factory.

It was hell—Russian snipers in every shadow, tanks dug in like fortresses, fire pouring in from every angle. The Germans clawed their way forward inch by inch, breaking the Soviet line by sheer weight. But after all that blood and fury, by nightfall they had only managed to seize a corner of the factory. A costly gain, proving again that in Stalingrad, every brick was paid for with lives.

~~ General Howitzer

10 VP’s

Card Balance:
Allies – 3
Axis – 5

Complexity:

5

Conditions:

Urban / Winter

Location:

Stalingrad

Year:

1942

Theater:

Eastern Front

Campaign:

Battle of Stalingrad

Summary:

The scenario is complex battle with a lot of different terrain, both urban and winter, that complicates troop movement. There are also snipers which add an extra element of suspense.

Objectives:

10 VP’s , including 3 Objective Medals for either side

Battlefield:

Battlefield is the Red Barricades Ordnance factory in the winter, surrounded by rubble.

Troops:

Allies – 9 Infantry, 2 Armor, 2 Artillery, and 2 Sniper

Axis – 9 Infantry, 4 Armor, 2 Artillery, and 1 Snipers

Allied Strategy:

1. You can quickly grab the Medal Objectives which are very close to you in the city ruins and the factory, and then try to hold them for the game. This will give you an early advantage and force the enemy to come to you, and fight against you while you are in a well-protected positions.

2. You have two Snipers which can fire five! hexes away. You can use them to harass the enemy and force them to pay attention to the Sniper, even though it doesn’t count as a VP, thus diverting energy away from other units.

3. Use your forward infantry to attack the enemy before they destroy you. At two hexes away, you should be able to get some good hits in first.

4. The strategic reality is that your forward units will get destroyed rather quickly, so the real battle will take place along the second front in rows 3,4,5 where you have armor protected behind sandbags, and city ruins for your infantry.

5. Give careful consideration before moving your armor away from their sandbags. The enemy outnumbers your armor two to one, and once they become mobile, will be coming for yours.

6. This scenario makes it easy for Allies to quickly grab 4 medal objectives by entering the town and factory hexes, but the trick comes in trying to hold them. The enemy will push through your first line of defense pretty quickly, and then you will need to hold your second line on rows 3,4,5, in order to prevent the enemy from taking out your units on those town and factory hexes.

Axis Strategy:

1. Mobility is the first order of business when you start. In fact, at the start of the game, the Axis have 16 units, and not a single one can retreat. [ Admiral Frigate ] You have a lot of firepower stuck against your back wall, and hidden behind the hills. You need to move it out and begin attacking the Allies immediately.

2. You have three no-retreat Infantry units that are only two hexes away from the enemy. You either need to bring your Armor up between the enemy and your infantry, or, better yet, move in and attack the enemy at close assault range.

3. Once you get some mobility going to avoid the no-retreat attacks, you can use your Artillery to degrade the forward enemy units which are barricaded in the City Ruins.

4. Use your Sniper to good effect. They can move two and battle against Infantry, hitting on grenade, infantry, or star dice faces, increasing your odds of a hit to 67%.

5. Most of the middle game of this battle will take place with your forces arrayed across the sixth row, while the Allies are defending from rows 4 and 5. So once you take out the advanced Allied forces, you can overtake those same city ruins and launch your attack from there against the Allies.

Battle Reports
( percentage of Allied victories ):

57%

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Longvilly Trap

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Theater: Western, Winter, Winter Wars

Longvilly Trap

Longvilly-Trap_full

Longvilly-Trap_center

Longvilly-Trap_Bastogne

Longvilly-Trap_right

Longvilly-Trap_right_Axis

Longvilly-Trap_left

Longvilly-Trap_left_Axis

December 19th, 1944: They sprang the Longvilly Trap because we were stretched thin and caught standing still—never a good idea in a shooting war. Near Longvilly, ahead of Bastogne, the enemy pushed armor hard through the Ardennes and found American units sitting exposed on narrow, jammed roads with broken communications. The Germans hit fast and coordinated tanks with infantry, rolled right over isolated formations, and smashed them before they could maneuver. It was a bloody setback, no question—but it bought the enemy only time, not victory. Longvilly opened the road to Bastogne, yes, but it also set the stage for us to dig in, turn, and hit back harder—because wars aren’t won by trapping men, they’re won by destroying the enemy, and that bill was coming due.

~~ General Howitzer

VP’s: 6

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 5

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Winter

Location:

Belgium

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Battle of the Bulge

German Name:

Unternehmen Wacht Am Rhein

Summary:

This is a fun and exciting scenario as the Americans attempt to survive the seige of Bastogne and open up an escape route. The Axis are able to pummel the Americans from all directions with Artillery, Mortars, and Tanks, while the Americans force their powerful Armor across the countryside and toward the Exit hexes.

Objectives:

The Americans need to break through the German roadblock and open the way to Bastogne.

Six Medals. There are also two Exit Medal Objectives for the Americans to breakthrough.

Battlefield:

Winter conditions, with roads and rivers cutting through the battlefield.

Troops:

Allies – 5 Infantry, 6 Armor, 1 Artillery

Axis – 5 Infantry, including some SWA’s (Mortars), 6 Armor including two Tank Destroyers (2,2,2,2), 3 Artillery

Special Rules:

1. Winter Combat rules – two hex armor movement

2. Reduced Visibility rules – only hit with Grenades unless in Close Assault

2. Special Weapon Asset rules for Mortars – 3,2,1,1

3. The river is frozen, but impassable.

4. Roadblock rule

5. Also play with Winter Combat cards in addition to regular Combat cards

Allied Strategy:

1. Primary Objective is to break through and provide a passage to Bastogne so the troops can be rescued, as they were, historically. You may want to keep the roadblock in place, so that your Armor can exit to the east without worry about rearguard action.

2. Your forces are congested in the town of Bastogne. Retreat flags from the enemy will cause losses, so you will want to spread them out by moving your forces east along the road toward the Exit hex. Remember that with winter conditions, you will only be able to move your Armor three hexes at a time on the road (instead of the usual four).

3. If you have the cards for it, some gains can be had by removing the roadblock and heading west to attack the enemy directly. Otherwise, they will continue to pummel you from the woods in the north, and with their Artillery and Mortars to your southwest.

Axis Strategy:

1. You have the enemy completely surrounded, except for that pesky escape route along the road. Move to block the Exit hexes ASAP. It will only take two turns for the Allies to begin evacuating along the road.

2. With three Artillery and two Mortar units, you can continuously attack the enemy and decimate their forces.

3. Remember that the Limited Visibility rules require that, unless you are in Close Combat, typically only Grenades will score a hit. But Retreat Flags can be a very effective way to reduce the enemy in their congested situation in Bastogne.

3. Move the two Armor on your right and center section into the two forest hexes across the river from Bastogne. From there you will be able to safely pick off the enemy bit by bit throughout the battle.

4. Take the time to move the Artillery on your right flank forward at least one row forward. It will pay off every turn afterwards with increased firepower against the enemy hiding like cowards in Bastogne.

Author.

URL

Gates of Moscow (Typhoon)

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1941, Armor, Artillery, Countryside, Eastern Front, Infantry, Location: Russia, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Theater: Eastern, Winter

Gates of Moscow (Typhoon)

Operation Typhoon was the German military campaign to capture Moscow during World War II, launched in early October 1941 as part of their broader invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). The offensive aimed to deliver a decisive blow by taking the Soviet capital before winter set in.

German forces, under Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, advanced with two large army groups and made initial gains, encircling and destroying significant Soviet forces. However, stiff Soviet resistance, logistical challenges, and worsening weather slowed the German advance. Muddy conditions in October, followed by the onset of harsh winter, further hampered their progress.

By December ’41, the Germans thought they had Moscow in their grip—but Zhukov and his Siberian wolves had other plans. Hardened for winter, those Red Army troops stormed forward in a counteroffensive that drove the Wehrmacht off the city’s doorstep. It was the first time Hitler’s war machine got its teeth kicked in, proof that Blitzkrieg had limits when it slammed into a determined foe with steel in its spine and snow in its veins.

~~ General Howitzer

7 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 5

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Urban

Location:

Russia

Year:

1941

Theater:

Eastern Front

Campaign:

Barbarossa

Codename:

Operation Typoon

Summary:

The Gates of Moscow is a complex scenario which results in a brutal battle with many digital ‘casualties’ on both sides.

Objectives:

7 VP’s, including two Objective Medals for Axis

Terrain:

Frozen field with Kaluga river cutting vertically and a ridge of hills cutting across horizontally.

Troops:

Allies – 10 Infantry, 2 Armo, 2 Artillery

Axis – 10 Infantry, 8 Armor, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1. Big picture strategy for the Allies. This is a defensive scenario, so stay behind your sandbags and defend the two medal objectives. Move your Artillery and Armor forward into the battle.

2. Although there is a large Axis force massed against the Allies, the Axis side starts back against the game border. Allies can use this to their advantage, by turning retreat flags into deadly kills. Target the Axis forces which have no retreat available to them. This will increase your odds of a kill by another 17%. This increases the likelihood of an armor hit from 33% to 50%, and an infantry hit from 50% to 67%.

3. Attack Vector Left Flank: The enemy forces are congested. If you have a good set of cards, you can move in, and clear out many of the forces, including the armor.

Axis Strategy:

1. Big picture strategy for Axis is to disperse your bunched-up troops and concentrate your forces on the front-line enemy to eliminate them as quickly as possible before they score too many hits against your forces.

2. Keep pushing forward as you attack with the goal to eventually be to capture the bridge hex medal (often as a final decisive move to end the game).

3. This is a long scenario of 7 medals, so you will have to take out the centrally located enemy Artillery. It is sand-bagged on a hill, but it needs to be attacked quickly.

4. Beware of your armor trapped behind the row of trees on your right flank. Do not try to take out the enemy infantry in the woods, because they will inflict heavy penalties on such an attempt. Best option is to get them into the tree line and then out into the open for more fruitful attacks.

Battle Reports (percentage of Allied victories):

34%

(These are historical records. The poll on the right is new results.)

Author:

Days of Wonder

Link:

Breakout to Lisyanka

by GeneralHowitzer | Nov 1, 2024 | 1944, Armor, Artillery, Eastern Front, Infantry, Medal Objectives, Memoir 44, Scenario, Strategic, Winter

Breakout to Lisyanka

The Breakout to Lisyanka was a key engagement during World War II, fought in early 1944 on the Eastern Front. The battle saw Soviet forces encircling a large German force. The Germans attempted to break out from the encirclement to link up with their reinforcements near Lisyanka, with fierce fighting as they sought to escape Soviet attacks.

While some German units managed to break through, the escape was costly, with heavy losses in men and equipment. The Soviet success significantly weakened German capabilities in Ukraine, contributing to the broader Soviet advance in the region. The battle is often highlighted as a key moment in the Soviet efforts to liberate occupied Ukraine.

General Howizer summarizes it this way:

The Breakout to Lisyanka was a blood-soaked slugfest where the Soviets slammed the trap shut, and while some of the doomed Germans clawed their way out, they left behind a graveyard of men and machines—crippling their grip on Ukraine and fueling the Red steamroller westward.

7 VP’s

Card Balance:

Allies – 4

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Winter

Location:

Ukraine

Year:

1944

Theater:

Eastern Front

Campaign

Codename

Summary:

The goal for the Axis is to breakthrough, as the name implies, over the hilly ridge and across the river exits. For Allies, the goal is to of course prevent this. The forces begin in a non-symmetrical dispersion, which makes for a fun scenario.

Objectives:

7 VP’s, plus the Axis have Exit Medals they can try for.

Battlefield:

There is a ridge of hills going across the center, plus some ravines to provide a bit of cover to infantry.

Troops:

Allies – 10 Infantry, 4 Armor, 2 Artillery

Axis – 9 Infantry, 3 Armor, 1 Artillery

Allied Strategy:

1. As the Allies you must defend against three objective medal locations, the two-hex towns of Golyadi, and Nekrasino, each worth one VP, there is also the frozen river exits along the bottom of the battlefield. Your objectives however, are simply to destroy six enemy units. There are seven enemy infantry units to target and some armor and artillery, if they give you the chance.

2. Be aware that the Axis have Combat Engineers who can attack your infantry in the trenches at close range – with no combat restrictions. So make it one of your early goals to finish them off.

3. Make good use of your artillery in the middle section to defend your troops in the trenches.

Axis Strategy:

1. Attack with your frontline infantry right away, to create some movement space for your armor, and also to neutralize the nearby enemy who will quickly attack from close range.

2. Try to avoid your right flank which is packed with enemy forces ready to pounce with both armor, infantry, and artillery. You may have better luck on your left flank which has less enemy artillery power.

3. You can also quickly overwhelm the enemy infantry at i6, to provide a proving ground for your forces to prepare for the breakout.

4. Remember that if you get any of your Infantry across the Exit hexes, you will earn two! Medals per Infantry (and one for Armor). So if you get a Behind Enemy Lines, then get your Infantry into the forest on row 6; this will provide you with the distance to move in, attack the enemy, and then quickly escape out the back row for an easy two medals.

Classic Battle Reports:

(percentage of Allied victories)

52%

Battle Reports:

Author:

Link: