Winter War: The Russo-Finnish Conflict (1972)

Winter War: The Russo-Finnish Conflict

Winter War: The Russo-Finnish Conflict is a board wargame that simulates the Soviet Union’s 1939 invasion of Finland during World War II. The game was published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1972 and was designed by freelance game designer James Goff, with graphic design by Redmond A. Simonsen. The conflict, known as the “Winter War” or the First Soviet-Finnish War, began in September 1939, three days after Germany’s invasion of Poland that precipitated World War II. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in an attempt to push its border with Finland on the Karelian Isthmus westward in an attempt to buttress the security of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) from potential German attack. The subsequent conflict was not a walk-over by the Soviet Union despite superior military strength, especially in tanks and aircraft.

Why is Winter War: The Russo-Finnish Conflict Popular?

Winter War is a two-player board wargame where one player controls Soviet invasion forces, and the other the Finnish defenders. With only 120 counters and four pages of rules, this game has been characterized as being “at the simple end of the [complexity] spectrum”. The game is significant because it allows players to simulate a historical conflict and experience the challenges and decisions faced by both sides.

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