There is a famous adage that Russia's biggest problems are her fools and her roads. The former problem remains very much exclusive, but the latter was omnipresent across the Russian Empire and its holdings, and only somewhat contained by its railway network. When the Empire collapsed in 1917, railroads were the backbone of logistics both in Russia proper and the surrounding states, and Finland was no exception.
In these circumstances, the armored train was an ingenious and efficient way of moving vast firepower across vast distances, and fast. During the Finnish Civil War, the Reds entered the war with Soviet-donated armored trains, and so controlled the railroad. The White Finns didn't have them, and so they needed to either sabotage the railroad (which could backfire dramatically) or quickly get some armored trains of their own. They chose the latter, and gave it their best shot – the Savior of Karelia was the result. Armed with only one 76 mm mountain gun, it had an ironclad locomotive, but the artillery carriage's armor was quite literally a brick wall, reinforced with boards on both sides.
It was surprisingly effective. Used for infantry support, the Savior of Karelia led to numerous victories, to the point where its mere appearance boosted the troops' morale. Often, its incredibly skilled crew and highly precise artillery managed to deter Red formations on their own, routing the enemy even when the train operated on its own.
And in April 1918, the Savior's cannon was finally heard on the Karelian Isthmus, as the last of the Reds were being dealt with. A month later, the Whites won the war, and the Savior of Karelia had completely lived up to its name.
And in Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty, the legendary armored train makes a repeat appearance in the Finns' most desperate hour of need.
In the game
Unlike many other Armoured trains, The Saviour of Karelia holds more symbolic power than actual firepower and thus boosts the capabilities of nearby units. It appears at a very critical moment - as Finns utilize whatever they can to stop the Soviet advance, including an old armored train, that served them well back in the Civil War. Of course, its high mobility and artillery support would also come in handy.
Also, see our previous unit posts:
Landsverk L-182
Vickers 6-ton tank
Jaeger
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With Best Regards from Kyiv
Starni Games team