The Mannerheim Line is pierced! The Finnish defenders are regrouping after a hasty retreat, while the Red Army is bearing down on them with the might of its combined arms, adapted tactics, and new heavy tanks, invulnerable to most weapons.
The quartermaster Wolf Hasti, who later became a war historian, writes in his diary:
"The tactical situation in and of itself if not hopeless! Only the means to deal with it are lacking! If only we had some heavy weapons! …
What a pleasure it would be to form a battalion out of politicians and bureaucrats and then order them to make such an attack, without the tanks and artillery their stupidity has deprived us of today."
The frontline is crawling towards Viipuri, a city of 86,000. The civilian population receives an evacuation notice: pack your belongings and rations for 5 days, remain calm, and be ready to walk – horse transport is only for the infirm.
At the same time, the government is in the middle of peace negotiations. But to have its position considered, the Finns must demonstrate: they won't be an easy conquest.
The Finnish Defense Forces are preparing to fight to stall the Soviet army in the sky, on the land, and even on ice.
The Battle of Viipuri Bay was the last battle of the Winter War, only coming to a close with the signing of the truce. It was by far the hardest trial for the Finnish army up to date: its soldiers were exhausted and few in number, while Soviet forces, having learned from humiliating mistakes, began utilizing novel tactics and coordinating much more effectively.
Knowing what likely awaited them on the streets of Viipuri, the Soviets decided to encircle the city and cut it off from Helsinki. And now, the anomalously low temperature worked in their favor – entire units hopped across the frozen Viipuri Bay and cut the city's principal supply line from the West.
The situation got so dire, all of Finland's finest commanders were called to the defense: Lieutenant-General Carl Lennart Oesch, Mannerheim's second-in-command and the Chief of the General Staff, came in person, and so did the legendary Major-General Talvela. They oversaw counterattacks, reigned in panicked retreats, and worked tirelessly with one goal in mind: to win more time for the Finnish delegation in Moscow.
Knowing that the defenders of Viipuri were on their last legs, and with Soviet forces taking position north of the city, poised for a full encirclement, Soviet General Meretskov threw everything he had at the city. His orders were to secure Viipuri no later than March 14.
And yet, the defenses held on. On March 12, the Finns began an organized retreat, leaving behind only a few regiments to hold the frontline in place. And on March 13, before the Soviet forces could take the almost entirely evacuated city of Viipuri, the Finnish delegation signed the peace treaty.
In the end, the last of the Finnish forces would only leave the city on March 15, after lowering the national flag.
Only now did the war exhaustion begin to catch up with the Finns. But it didn't last long – soon came the resentment, and the thirst for vengeance. It was March 1940, the world was still barreling towards disaster, and nobody expected the peace to last.
The rematch was coming, and Finland, better armed and prepared, was about to surprise Stalin again.
In the game
You will have to break the encirclement and level the front, reestablishing a connection with the capital and bracing for the final stand. Then do a daring counterattack, or just hold the line in the city proper, keeping the Red Army hordes at bay and winning time for the Finnish diplomats in Moscow to get a more favorable agreement signed. This was a unique scenario for teh Dev team to design - as this is the battle in Strategic Mind that ends with the peace treaty and not the elimination of the enemy on the battlefield.
See previous scenario overviews:
The Battle of Taipale
The Battle of Tolvajarvi
Battle of Suomussalmi and Raate Road
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With Best Regards from Kyiv
Starni Games team