Wednesday 8 July 2020

Winter warfare suggestions.

I’m thinking of gaming some warfare set in different periods in snowy conditions. I have ordered some appropriate terrain items and am looking for suggestions for scenarios, conflicts and places. My first thought was the Winter War and the Continuation War involving Findland. What other suggestions can you think of?

16 comments:

  1. Hi Alan, a lot of the actions fought in the Finnish War (Russo-Swedish War) of 1808-09 were in the winter so you could have a lot of the same terrain as the WW 1939-40. The 1808-09 war had a lot of small scale actions so you won’t need vast armies. Also benefits from being able to use the Russians for other Napoleonic campaigns.
    Then there’s the GNW and Swedish wars of the late 17th century. There’s a blog by a Swedish guy in this country who has done a couple of winter based scenarios. I’ll drop you a link when I remember the name.
    One final idea, which could leverage any mid-18th C toys you have is the Russo-Swedish War of the 1740s. The Russians apparently swept across the frozen waters in a surprise attack. The new border agreed upon was at a place called Ruotsinpyhtää (just a few miles east of where my wife was from - not that she was around at the time 😉).

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  2. Here’s the other blog I mentioned
    https://rollaone.com/

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  3. Thanks for your suggestions. I have Minifigs 1808 Swedes ( beautifully old school lined painted by Jim Duncan) and some Norwegians too. I use them with the Portable Napoleonic Wargame rules. Russians would be interesting too. I have some late 18th century Russians in Potemkin uniforms in 54mm but no one makes Swedes in similar period uniforms sadly. GNW is always fascinating and I played it years and years ago. Might have potential for skirmish games too. I’ve tried to find 40mm medieval Russians to no avail as yet or TYW Russians v Swedes has potential too. I will have a look at the blog you mentioned.

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  4. Early War Miniatures 20mm metal has winter War 1940 Narvik Norwegians, French chasseurs D'Alpins etc not sure if he produces winter 1940 Germans or 1940 Brits
    https://earlywarminiatures.com/product-category/early-war-1939-1942/early-war-1939-to-late-1942-norwegian-army-of-1940/

    https://earlywarminiatures.com/product-category/early-war-1939-1942/early-war-1939-to-late-1942-french-army-1939-to-1943-all-fronts/early-war-1939-to-late-1942-french-army-1939-to-1943-all-fronts-chasseurs-d-alpines/

    There is also a book on Snow modelling, a book which I do not have. https://www.karwansaraypublishers.com/setting-the-scene.html

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    1. I agree! Norway 1940 is my choice as well.

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    2. 28mm Finnish War https://www.parkfieldminiatures.co.uk/winter-war-1939-40-finnish

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  5. I quite like the idea of Knights of the Livonian brotherhood fighting the Slavs on a frozen lake - there's an inspirational map of medieval Livonia here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_on_the_Ice#/media/File:Medieval_Livonia_1260.svg

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  6. Sounds like a good opportunity to use your Starlux Chasseurs Alpins for a Narvik campaign, easy enough to get some of the old airfix German Mountain Troops on ebay.

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    1. Airfix reissued these German Mountain Troops in 1/32 quite recently in harder plastic but are again out of stock at Airfix (they have no 1/32 now except German multipose) so you should be able to find the new red box ones online if you look around.

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  7. How about the Americas? There must have been a bit of winter skirmishing in the French and Indian Wars, how about some wintry lakes settings? AWI might do, as well - surely Washington had some patrols out around Valley Forge..? Though obviously with your Scandi-interests you already have plenty of ideas from other contributors that will be right up your street!

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    1. Well worth a look,especially the F&I wars battle of the snow shoes etc

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  8. There is always Rome against Picts in Pictland (or Scotland if you like) and against Celts in the Alps

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  9. Winter clad Romans , sounds interesting...

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