WaterRabbit
Member
One thing I have never understood was the design decisions behind Finnish Troops. At the outbreak of the Winter War the two Nationalities’ squads would have looked something like this:
Finnish Rifle Squad
1 x 9mm SMG (M1931 Suomi)
9 x 7.62 mm Rifle (M1891 Mosin-Nagant Bolt Action Rifle)
Russian Rifle Squad
1 x 7.62 mm LMG (DP Ruchnoy Pulemyot 1928)
11 x 7.62 mm Rifle (M1891 Mosin-Nagant Bolt Action Rifle)
So why are Finnish 1st Line Squads represented by a 6-4-8 and Russian 1st Line Squads represented by a 4-4-7 given the almost identical make-up?
It seems to me that the 1st Line Finnish Squad should be represented by a 4-5-7 squad at best – just like British 1st line squads (the extra point of range and the no cowering representing the greater willingness to engage the enemy). While the Finns were able to hold off the Soviet Army for 4 months, their success had as much to do with:
a) winter (their tactical doctrine embraced it, USSR did not);
b) terrain (robbed the USSR of its advantage in Arty and Armor);
c) on the defense with both of the above advantages;
d) Russian army suffering from political control and not military control;
e) Russian supply problems due to terrain;
f) Superior knowledge of the terrain;
g) poor Red Army tactics that were changed for the February offensive (also what called off the December offensive)
Additionally, while the Sissi-Joukkeet (Guerrilla ski troops) were definitely crack troops, they were mainly employed to disrupt Red Army supply. There were in effect commandos.
The Finns did not have much in the way of Artillery assets and suffered from not having wireless sets to call in artillery (only field phones and messengers). Their Armor assets were non-existant.
Finally, the number of weapons produced/acquired does not support the wide spread use of SMGs even in the Continuance War. The number of bolt-action rifles in use greatly exceeds that of any other small arms.
I could possibly see an argument for a Finnish 6-4-8 to be am amalgamation of both a Rifle Squad and a MG Squad:
Finnish MG Squad
1 x 7.62 mm LMG (Lahti-Saloranta M/26)
2 x 9 mm Pistol (Lahti L-35 Pistol)
5 x Rifle (M/91 Mosin-Nagant M1891 Rifle)
However, this would create a two squad platoon instead of a four squad platoon. At best I could see this creating a 5-5-7 unit with Assault and Spraying Fire. Perhaps someone else has some better insight into the ASL design of these units? Perhaps the design of the Finnish module will correct some of this (assuming it has not become a sacred cow of asl).
Finnish Rifle Squad
1 x 9mm SMG (M1931 Suomi)
9 x 7.62 mm Rifle (M1891 Mosin-Nagant Bolt Action Rifle)
Russian Rifle Squad
1 x 7.62 mm LMG (DP Ruchnoy Pulemyot 1928)
11 x 7.62 mm Rifle (M1891 Mosin-Nagant Bolt Action Rifle)
So why are Finnish 1st Line Squads represented by a 6-4-8 and Russian 1st Line Squads represented by a 4-4-7 given the almost identical make-up?
It seems to me that the 1st Line Finnish Squad should be represented by a 4-5-7 squad at best – just like British 1st line squads (the extra point of range and the no cowering representing the greater willingness to engage the enemy). While the Finns were able to hold off the Soviet Army for 4 months, their success had as much to do with:
a) winter (their tactical doctrine embraced it, USSR did not);
b) terrain (robbed the USSR of its advantage in Arty and Armor);
c) on the defense with both of the above advantages;
d) Russian army suffering from political control and not military control;
e) Russian supply problems due to terrain;
f) Superior knowledge of the terrain;
g) poor Red Army tactics that were changed for the February offensive (also what called off the December offensive)
Additionally, while the Sissi-Joukkeet (Guerrilla ski troops) were definitely crack troops, they were mainly employed to disrupt Red Army supply. There were in effect commandos.
The Finns did not have much in the way of Artillery assets and suffered from not having wireless sets to call in artillery (only field phones and messengers). Their Armor assets were non-existant.
Finally, the number of weapons produced/acquired does not support the wide spread use of SMGs even in the Continuance War. The number of bolt-action rifles in use greatly exceeds that of any other small arms.
I could possibly see an argument for a Finnish 6-4-8 to be am amalgamation of both a Rifle Squad and a MG Squad:
Finnish MG Squad
1 x 7.62 mm LMG (Lahti-Saloranta M/26)
2 x 9 mm Pistol (Lahti L-35 Pistol)
5 x Rifle (M/91 Mosin-Nagant M1891 Rifle)
However, this would create a two squad platoon instead of a four squad platoon. At best I could see this creating a 5-5-7 unit with Assault and Spraying Fire. Perhaps someone else has some better insight into the ASL design of these units? Perhaps the design of the Finnish module will correct some of this (assuming it has not become a sacred cow of asl).