The Trap at Taesaehjoki*
*
Date: July 31, 1942*
*
Battle Location: Taesaehjoki Ridge, Finland *
*
Battle Type: Soviet delay vs Finland attack*
*
Description: The Soviet First Partisan Brigade was raised in Puutoinen during the winter of 41-42. Despite the name it was not intended to fight in Soviet territory but function as a long distance patrol, albeit a large one of roughly 600 men and women, in Finnish territory.* 
*
Following training the brigade was dispatched on a extremely demanding mission calculated to last for some two months behind Finnish lines, where the partisans were supposed to assault and destroy both the II and IV Corps HQs and raise hell behind Finnish lines before returning to Russia.*
*
The assignment quickly proved unrealistic, although the brigade managed to infiltrate into the desolate areas held by the Finnish 14. Division, the problems with sustaining such a large body of troops behind enemy lines with food quickly began telling.*
*
Having deployed onto a ridge line marked as Height 264,9 by July 30, the commander Grigorjev, sent a request for supplies to be airdropped as the troops were now in such poor condition they had suffered the first starvation deaths.*
*
Finnish troops, having understood the size of the enemy enterprise and also the poor state of the Soviets, being able to eavesdrop on the radio communications between the partisans and their HQ in Russia, decided to set a trap near the Taesaehjoki Ridge. With orders to annihilate the partisan brigade, to destroy it down to the very last man, the Finns struck during the night of July 30, but in the dark and rain, and due to the ferocious resistance from the starved partisans, the attack failed.*
*
By morning the Soviet commander understood he had to break out or the Finns would wipe out his command and ordered a breakout across the Taesahjoki stream. He would himself fall in the action but, the brigade managed to slip out of the Finnish grip. A long, painful journey back to Soviet lines began.*
*
Notes: If played against the AI the human player should take the Soviet side.*
*
Sources:  Appel, E - Med Doeden i Haelarna: Hoegkvarterets Fjaerrpatruller 1939-45 (a rough translation would be "Death breathing down our necks: The HQ Long Distance Patrols 1939-194")*

*
Design by: Ulf Lundstrom.**


