Tolvajarvi

TOLVAJARVI

Situation Report

TOLVAJARI, FINLAND, December 12, 1939:  Finland’s Commander in Chief, Marshal Mannerheim, expected the Russians to focus their full attack against the Mannerheim line in the south. When the Soviets sent several divisions around the flank to the north, Mannerheim was not expecting 3 Divisions consisting of 20,000 men to be threatening his flank.  At this time of the year movement was difficult unless limited to roads.  Blocking the way was Task Force Rasanen consisting of only 4,000 men.  In the town of Tolvajari, Colonel Paavo Talvela was assigned the task of stopping the Russian onslaught until reinforcements could arrive.

The Soviet 139^th Division was headquartered in the Hirvasharju Hotel preparing for an offensive when Talvela launched a 3-prong attack against the unsuspecting Russians.  2^nd Battalion of the JR-16 would make a frontal attack across the Hevosalmi Strait while 1^st Battalion came down Lake Hirvasjarvi to the the north and ERP-112 would cross at Kottisaari Island in the south in attempts to flank the Soviet force.

Poor coordination hindered the Finnish attack, with the Northern flankers jumping off ahead of the rest at 0800 hours.

Objective:  The Fins have to capture the Hirvaasharju Hotel before the 13 turn time limit is up (darkness)

Notes:  This is a Flames of War scenario with added House rules for ammunition checks, Orders, line of sight and Finland's 2nd battalion has a medic.  We had to declare a north/south boundary line between the battle on Kottisaari Island and the rest of the battle.  They could not interact with the forces in the north and visa versa.  Once the Finns eliminated the Soviet defenders in the south, they would be Reserves and could advance up the Eastern road.

Converted from scenario by Alain Padfield, published in Miniature Wargames magazine, November, 2003

The Battlefield:

There are 3 fronts on the battlefield.  In the northeast (upper right), 1^st Battalion of JR-16 will attack a Strelkovy Company from the Soviet 718^th Regiment defending the shoreline.  In the Center, the rest of JR-16 will make a frontal attack from the west (left) across the gravel pits with Task Force T as reinforcements.  In the south (over a mile from the rest of the battle, so they cannot participate in the action on the hill directly), ERP-112 will attack across the lake to take Kottisaari Island.  If they can carry the flank, they can head north on the East Road (right) to assist the attack on the hotel.

View from the hotel looking West.  The main attack will come from this direction.

View of the hotel from the Southeast.  Finnish ERP-112 may advance up this road after they have secured Kottisaari Island.

With the 718^th Regiment defending the northeast, the Soviet 609^th had to be broken into several detachments to cover all avenues of attack (per scenario rules):

Half of the Strelkovy Company was deployed in the gravel pits and dug in on the hillside between the hotel and the gravel pits. Their 2 Maksim heavy-machinguns were in the forward pit.  In the rear, the Division HQ was placed in the hotel and an attachment of 2 82mm mortars dug in just outside the hotel (no observer team).

Down the hill behind the hotel a company of 5 T-26 obr 1939 tanks were parked with AAMG's.  The crews spent the night in the hotel, but scrambled down the hill to their machines when Russian pickets spotted the Finnish advance.

The other half of the 609^th (Strelkovy Company) was in the south to defend Kottisaari Island.  5 teams on the island, and the other 5 with command in reserve on the eastern shoreline.

All of the 718^th (Strelkovy Company) formed a defensive line on the shore of Lake Hirvasjarvi in the northeast.  They were responding to pickets alerting them of the Finns coming across the frozen lake and didn’t have time to dig in.  They also had 2 HMG’s. (Frozen/Snow does not allow units to dig in during the course of the game and movement is Difficult Going).

For their part, the Finnish attack began with the 1^st Battalion of JR-16 coming across the lake.  It consisted of 2 Jalkavaki platoons supported by a pair of 81mm mortars and two Lahti Anti-tank rifle teams.  Note that, due to limited table space, the Finns were placed on the table and dice were used to mark the 18” distance they were from the Russian shoreline.

The battle commenced with the Finns advancing to within 12” of the shoreline, peppering the Soviets with rifle fire.  The Soviets replied in kind, but had the weight of the 2 HMG’s.  This resulted in them killing 6 of the Finnish teams and already one of the platoons was having to pass platoon morale checks to stay in the battle.  The tanks behind the hotel mobilized and headed to the top of the hill to insert themselves between the hotel and the Finns.  However, the slippery slopes and snow gave them trouble and two of the tanks immediately bogged down as they tried to move.

To the west, the first platoon from the 2^nd battalion entered the battlefield in a line, headed for the Hevosalmi Straits.  This frozen waterway would make an effective trench line when the engaged the Soviets in the gravel pits.  But for now, they advanced through the forest to remain undetected while the gunfire from Lake Hirvasjarvi echoed in the distance. (This was a Jalkavaki Platoon with a pair of HMG's and 2 Forward Observers attached.  The FO's were for a pair of off-board 76mm guns and a pair of 81mm mortars that would enter behind the rifle platoon).

In the south, the Jalkavaki platoon for ERP-112 also entered the battlefield and trudged through the woods towards the frozen lake bed.  It included an attached HMG and FO for a pair of off-board 76mm guns.  A pair of 81mm mortars with FO would enter in the following turn.

Soviet tanks move into position behind the 718th to defend the hotel.

By Turn 2, the firefight is really heating up between the 718^th and the Finns on Lake Hirvasjarvi.  The Finns dropped off their mortar and ATR sections 12” from the shoreline to lend fire support while the infantry advanced to within 6”.  The increased fire from the Finns would take out 9 of the 23 Russian defenders, but they would pay the price.  The Soviet tanks added their machineguns to the fray and they sliced up all of 2^nd platoon; killing off the second-in-command for JR-16 in the process.  The hapless 1^st platoon also took casualties and was pinned down on the lakebed.  In addition, the Soviet Forward Observer for a battery of 4 76mm guns off-board exited the hotel and took up a position where he could call in strikes against the Finnish attackers to the northeast.  No firing had yet taken place elsewhere, so the Soviets were reacting to the only known threat so far.

One Finnish platoon remains pinned down 6” from the shoreline while the support weapons remain 12” out.

In the West the HMG and FO for 2^nd battalion’s 81mm mortars took up positions on the edge of the forest while the infantry clamored down into the frozen straits.  It was still dawn and line of sight was limited so that neither side had yet spotted the other.

2^nd battalion is in position as the sun rises.

To the South, the platoon for ERP-112 advanced out onto the frozen surface of Lake Tolvajari with the island still in the dim, distance.  Their mortar support entered the board and set up on the shoreline while the FO accompanied the forward unit.

With support in place, ERP-112 begins crossing the frozen lake.

The heated exchange in the Northeast continued into Turn 3. The Soviet fire continued to pin down the infantry platoon; killing one team and initiating their platoon morale checks.  The Finnish support weapons took out another 5 Soviet teams- including one of the HMG’s, and pinning the Soviet defenders. It was evident that they wouldn’t make the hotel with the tanks in the way, but all they needed to do was keep the Soviets engaged so that the direct attack by the 2^nd battalion & Task Force T could be successful.  The Soviet artillery, however, ranged in on the support units, killing one mortar and one ATR team.  They wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

With daylight breaking, the Soviet defenders in the forward gravel pit began firing on the Finns who were crossing the frozen Hevosalmi Strait with no effect.  A sortie of Soviet I-152 Chaika aircraft had been scrambled when the fighting commenced and they swooped in over the Strait looking for targets in the low light.  The poor training of the Soviet military became evident when they mistook the men in the gravel pits for the enemy and bombed them on the first pass.  Luckily the Soviets only lost 1 team to this Friendly Fire incident.

The bloodbath in the Northeast continued on Turn 4 while the fighting was just beginning on the other fronts.  The Finnish support teams were able to kill off the remaining Soviet HMG and 5 other rifle teams.  With only 3 teams remaining, the tanks behind them must have bolstered the men of the 718^th as they held the line under withering fire.  In exchange, the machineguns from the Soviet tanks continued to riddle the pinned down 1^st platoon; eliminating the remaining teams except for the lone command stand.  Another artillery barrage fell on the support sections wiping out the mortar platoon.  Only a single ATR and a pair of platoon commanders remained of the original assault.

In the west, the combined fire from the rifle teams of 2^nd battalion, their mortars and HMGs were able to eliminate the pair of HMG’s in the forward gravel pit.  They also called in a barrage from a pair of 76mm guns they had in off-board support, but the remaining Soviet rifle team held on tenaciously; even shooting down one of the Finnish HMGs in the treeline.

Soviets in the forward gravel pit defending against 2^nd Battalion.  On the bridge, the leading elements of Task Force T (reinforcements) begins their advance.

In the south, the men of ERP-112 reached the island where the Soviets opened fire on them, killing one team.

Turn 5 hailed the first round of Ammunition Checks.  Regretfully, the Finnish 2^nd Battalion already found themselves low on ammo and called back for more to be brought forward.

 Although they wouldn’t advance until replenished, they were able to eliminate the last Soviet team in the forward gravel pit with more precise shooting.  Task Force T was calling for smoke to cover their crossing the bridge, but the mortars were attached to the 2^nd battalion and didn’t have any smoke rounds available.

The battle wound down in the northeast with the Fins killing off the remaining Soviets of the 718^th Regiment, except for the Komissar, who deserted rather than face the wrath of the Division commander for losing his entire company.  A last barrage from the Soviet artillery finished off what was left of the Finnish 1^st battalion.  The Soviet tanks had expended all of their machinegun ammunition, but could still fight using their main guns.  Therefore, they were ordered to the front side of the hotel to defend against the Finnish attack coming from the West.

In the South, ERP-112 made quick work of the Soviet riflemen defending the island.  Their reinforcements had been call up, but they were still across the lake on the Eastern shore.

2 rifle platoons with 1 attached HMG and a 37mm anti-tank gun battery of Task Force T advance up the road and cross the Hevolsalmi Straits at the bridge.

With the 2^nd battalion low on ammo, the Soviet defenders in the 2^nd gravel pit and the air support turned their attention to Task Force T crossing the bridge, but it was largely ineffective.

Turn 6:  Soviet second line of defenders.  The tanks & FO are still on the backside of the hill coming up for support.

Task Force T crosses the bridge while the 2^nd battalion in the gully awaits resupply.

Sporadic Air Support for the Soviets was largely ineffective as the aircraft could not keep the Fearless Finns pinned down.

On Turn 7 the Finnish 2^nd battalion got the ammunition they’d been waiting for and the whole front began their advance on the Soviet positions.

The entire Western front on the move.

Not knowing that their comrades on the island had been eliminated, the Soviet reinforcements for Kottisaari Island advanced out onto the frozen lake.  The Finns opened fire on them, but they were out of range.  This alerted the Soviets to the gravity of the situation and they all went to ground.  They didn’t need to advance, all they needed to do was block the Finns from crossing the lake.

On Turn 8, the concentrated fire of the Finnish force was enough to eliminate any opposition in the 2^nd gravel pit.  This was enough losses to cause the remainder of the 609^th to break and abandon their defenses on the hill.  The only thing that remained between the Fins and the hotel was a Soviet mortar battery, the artillery FO and the tanks, which were struggling through the snow to get into position.

Never the less, the FO was able to call in a barrage on the 2^nd battalion advancing through the gravel pits and pin them down.

In the south, the Finnish HMG was in range and starting firing on the thin line of Soviet defenders while the rest of the platoon closed to get into range with their rifles.

The next round of Ammo checks was made on Turn 9 and it appeared to be the end for the Soviets:  The mortar battery ran low while the artillery was out.  Only the tanks with their main guns would be at all effective unless more ammo was brought forward.

Preparing for the final stand.

The Finnish anti-tank guns and the tanks began exchanging fire: one burning tank for one destroyed gun.  The second gun was pinned down, so the tanks could turn their attention to the advancing Task Force T infantry who were now ascending the hill.

In the south, the Finnish forces also ran low on ammunition.  They had to remain stationary, but were within range of the Soviet defenders who were grounded out in the open on the lakebed.  They fired a volley that killed off 4 of the teams, causing the rest to flee.  Since they were low on ammo and dusk was approaching, the commander of ERP-112 ordered his men to bivouac on the island. 

They’d done their job and pinned down the Soviet left flank, now it was up to the others to capture the hotel.

Dusk fell on Turn 10 and visibility was starting to decrease, although it didn’t matter much since both forces were relatively close to each other and firing madly.

The 2^nd battalion and anti-tank gun remained pinned down and the Soviet tanks fired on the 1^st platoon of Task Force T that was coming up the hill.  Two teams were killed, but it wasn’t enough.

Storming the hill.

On Turn 11, the entire Finnish front rallied from being pinned down and no ammunition had yet been brought up for the Russians.  The lone anti-tank gun destroyed a second Russian tank, and suppressed the third.  This was all it took as the tank commander ordered his two remaining tanks to retreat.  With that, the remaining Soviet units withdrew and the Finns were able to occupy the hotel unopposed before nighttime fell.

AFTERMATH:  The Northern and Southern pincers were repelled by the Soviet Defenders, but the pressure that they put on the Soviets prevented them from bringing any of the units up to assist in the defense of the hotel.  By nightfall, the Central spearhead for the Finns had captured the hotel and the Soviets fell back.

Tolvajari was the first big Finnish victory of the war and the boost to the morale of the Finnish army can’t be overestimated.  The threat of the Soviet IV Corps turning the flank had been neutralized and the Soviet 139^th Division had taken a beating.  After a one day pause, the Finns went on the offensive again, this time running into the newly deployed Soviet 75^th Division that had been brought up to assist the 139^th.

Historians would later rate Tolvajari as one of the greatest 25 military victories in all of history.