Battle for Karelia -June 1944

Artist Unknown

Despite the Soviet superiority in numbers of aircraft, the FAF was able to concentrate its air forces and continue to achieve good results. The Brewsters, and new fighters, Messerschmitt 109 G (MT)s, were received, although once again only in small numbers. When the Soviet offensive began, the units had about 40 Messerschmitts. Fortunately, the FAF was able to get 74 more fighters from Germany during the campaign, so that despite the fierce battles, the number of Messerschmitt fighters actually increased during the summer of 1944. The number of bombers in the flying units at the beginning of June 1944 was 66..

One good example of the ability to achieve local and temporal air superiority was the fact that the FAF bombers and a German support unit known as Kuhlmey were able to continue their effective air raids, which were vital contributions to the war effort, as the bombings could be concentrated on Soviet massed troops just before their preplanned attack times. Warnings of impending troop movements were usually captured by radio intelligence. It is also significant that no bombers in the formations escorted by the Messerschmitts were lost to enemy fighters during this period. The Messerschmitt fighters achieved an exchange ratio of 25:1.

Again the Finnish fighter force was stronger in the end of the war than it had been in the beginning of that. Also, during the wars the number of Finnish fighter aces had become a world record in relation to population. And almost all the Finnish top aces were fighting at the end of the war just as they had been at the beginning.

 

This event recreates some of the heavy fighting as the hard pressed German and Finnish units attempt to slow the Soviet Juggernaut.

 

Country Percentages
Axis 50%
Allied 50%
 
Field Assignments:
Allied  Bishop
Axis Knight
CM Rook

Soviet Air Force:

 

LA-5FN
P39Q
Yak-9T
Yak-3 (MAX 24)
IL-2 (MIN 12)
Tu-2 (MIN 12)

Axis (Luftwaffe/Finnish Air Force):
 
Fw 190A-5 (MAX 32)
Fw 190F-8 (MAX 32)
Bf 109G-14
Bf 109G-2
Brewster B-239 (MIN 12)
Ju-88A-4  (MIN 12)

Scoring:
 
Aircraft Pts
------------
Bomber = 10 pts
Fighter = 5 pts
Landing Bonus = 5 pts
 
Ground Target Pts
-----------------
Gun = 1 pt
Ammo Bunker = 3 pts
Barracks = 3 pts
Radar = 3 pts
Vehicle Hangar = 25 pts
Fighter Hangar = 25pts
Bomber Hangar = 25 pts
Factory at strategic target = 3 pts

 
Arena Settings:
 
- Karelia
- Fuel burn 1.0
- Icons short (3k)
- 0.5 Ack
- Fighter and Bomber warning range 42,000 (about 8 miles)
- Tower range set to 42,000 (for display only to match the above setting)
- Haze/fog full visibility (10 miles)
- Radar off
- Enemy collisions on
- Friendly collisions off
- Killshooter off
- Time: 15:00 ( 3PM ) Game Clock
- Formations: On
- Bomber calibration: Automatic
- Wind: 0-2K NO WIND
            2K-18K NE TO SW - Speed 5
            18K-24K N TO S - Speed 10
            24k+ N TO S - Speed 15