The Grumble Jones February Scenario was inspired by the movie 1944. This movie relates the September fighting in Estonia after the Germans fell back from Narva. The Soviets moved quickly to invest Tallinn and secure their first capital in the Baltics. Caught up in this titanic struggle between the Soviets and Nazis were the Estonians who were fighting on both sides. The movie 1944 provides a look at both sides of the equation. The movie begins with the viewer following a platoon of Estonian Waffen SS as they fall back from Narva. About mid-way through the movie, the Estonian Waffen SS attempt to hold a crossroad against Soviet infantry and tanks. The Soviet force are brother Estonians. After blooding each other, the two sides realize they are all Estonians. They cease fire and the Estonian Waffen SS leave the field. At this point, the movie transitions to follow the platoon of Soviet Estonians as they participate in the liberation/conquest of Tallinn. Politics/Propaganda aside, the combat scenes are well done and the movie overall is enjoyable. The crossroad fight would be in the inspiration for this month's scenario. It's a straight up ambush of a HIP Estonian Waffen SS platoon against a Soviet convoy of tanks and trucks. There is an SSR twist regarding the recognition by both sides that they are brother Estonians. Both players will want this to occur and not to occur as Victory Points had better be earned before the recognition occurs and the game ends.
Not seeing the movie in its native Estonia,, probably limits the English viewer from understanding the more subtle messages conveyed in the movie. Both the Waffen SS and Soviet factions are shown sympathetically. The reality of the fighting at Avinurme was marked by a more tragedy than shown in the film. Wounded Estonian Waffen SS were housed in a church at Avinurme. They were executed once the church was occupied. The Baltic States have shared a history much like Poland as they found themselves caught between Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Soviet Union. In ASL our focus is on the military engagement absent the "posion" of politics that often leads brother to face brother across the wire. I recommend the movie and believe it can be found on either Amazon or Netflix.
The clip above captures the moment during the crossroad fight when both sides realize the other is Estonian. It's also a good example of armored assault.
Here now is the February scenario.
As always these monthly "Basement Quality" Scenarios are offered for fun only and as a thank you to the readers of this blog.
Remember to open pictures in a new window in order to maximize the size.
And as always, these scenarios can be downloaded from The ASL Scenario Archive
(just search on Grumble Jones).
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