Welcome back!
We are going to be taking another good look at the upcoming “The Fate of Finland” DLC, scheduled to release sometime in the next couple of weeks.
We briefed you already on the six divisions that are going to be part of the DLC - the juicy details you can read here.
Today, we are going to be talking about the strategic Army General campaign, as well as the two Historical Battles which will be featured in “The Fate of Finland” expansion.
One of the most crucial confrontations of the Continuation War plays a central role in the new campaign: the Battle of Tali-Ihantala.
Keep on reading to find out more!
The History
The date is the 10th of June, 1944. In roughly two weeks, Operation Bagration will commence in the south. Up north, on the heavily defended but quiet Finnish front, the local Soviet forces have carefully prepared their own devastating offensive. The aim is to smash through the Karelian Isthmus and knock out Germany’s Nordic ally, Finland, with overwhelming firepower.
At first, progress is quick, the Red Army breaking through line after defensive line. However, when the Soviets pause to reorganize and celebrate the capture of the strategic town of Vyborg, in front of the dilapidated VKT defenses, the Finnish Army has just enough time to rush critical reinforcements to the sector.
This is the moment when the new Army General campaign begins. We are ten days into the offensive and Finland’s heartland is under direct threat, its army pushed all the way back to the 1941 borders. It only takes one final push for the Soviet forces to break out of the Karelian Isthmus.
You either take control of the hard-pressed Finnish defenders with some German units in support, or the Red Army troops riding a wave of high morale, on the verge of success.
The Army General Campaign
On the brink of collapse, the Finnish forces have hurriedly reoccupied the neglected VKT defensive line which bisects the isthmus. Reinforcements have been brought in from other parts of Finland, including the 11th and 6th Division from the east. The Germans have sent the 122. Infanterie-Division with a Luftwaffe detachment bringing vital air support thanks to its complement of fighters and fighter bombers.
Stavka is set to advance from the recently captured strongpoint of Vyborg, attempt to gain access to the Finnish road network. Once reached, breaking through to Finland proper will become a much easier task for the Red Army. Fresh troops, coming as the newly activated 59th Army, are being brought up from the rear.
The direct axis of advance for the Soviets is to the north, but this is also where the heaviest fortifications are located. To the east, the Vuoksi river provides the Finns with a natural barrier, but the defenses lack depth, so the Soviet player might want to use this to their advantage if a direct assault out of Vyborg does not make any headway.
In comparison to the Death on the Vistula campaign, which featured a lot of tank-on-tank combat, the Karelia campaign will be far more infantry-focused. The new Army General campaign will be roughly the same size, containing a similar number of battalions.
Historical Battles
The Fate of Finland DLC will also feature two brand-new Historical Battles: Fate of a Nation, a 3v3 scenario, and The Last Battle, a 2v2 scenario.
Fate of a Nation
This Historical Battle will see the Soviet armored vanguard begin its assault in the last phase of the Karelian offensive. Seeing the advance towards the important Portinhoikka crossroads, the Finnish High Command throws every available soldier, gun, and plane at the Red Army. A closely-contested fight ensues, as this Historical Battle will depict one of the few head-on mechanized engagements of the war on this part of the front.
The Last Battle
The Leningrad Front’s attempt at continuing their offensive has petered out thanks to the Finnish victory at Ihantala. In response, Stavka looks towards the rural and weakly defended Ilomantsi sector for their next assault. Making good progress at first, the advancing Red Army units find themselves up against the able general Rääppana who has brought fresh reinforcements with him. Defeating the opposing Soviet troops in detail, the Finnish encircle two whole divisions. To save the friendly units from assured destruction, Stavka decides to send in elite naval infantry to break their comrades out of the Finnish trap.
Conclusion
Once again, if you haven’t, be sure to grab Steel Division 2’s History Pass. With it, you’ll get access to all three planned DLC!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/988171/Steel_Division_2__History_Pass/
That’s it for this week’s post. Keep a close eye on our Steam and Eugen forums, or social channels (Facebook and Twitter). You can also join us on our [https://discord.gg/TEeBArm]Discord channel[/url] or Reddit page.
See you on the battlefield, commander!