Category: History

Original post in Finnish: https://huoltoreitti.fi/pelitestaus-slc/

_{Image Three Crowns Games.}

From our beloved neighboring country, Sweden, comes a truly interesting Winter War game: Stalin’s Lost Chance (SLC). This hex-and-counter wargame from Three Crowns Games (3CG), using a chit-pull activation mechanic, covers the Soviet Union’s attack during the Winter War north of Lake Ladoga in 1939–40. The topic feels quite fresh—while games have certainly been made about, for example, the battles of Tolvajärvi, the operational scale is not typical. In this game, units are either Finnish battalions or Soviet regiments, or smaller detached formations. The game progresses in weekly turns until the end of the war, with a map scale of 5.5 km (~3.5 miles) hex.

_{The rough map area of the game in Ladoga Karelia.}

I first tested SLC in autumn 2024 at the Baltic Wargaming Convention in Espoo, Finland and was immediately sold. Of course, the theme—Winter War at the operational level—had a big impact on that. After playing GMT’s Red Winter about a year ago, I was left wanting something a bit broader in scope, covering the decisive battles without the mass grind of the Karelian Isthmus. SLC isn’t exactly a short game, but I feel it depicts winter warfare quite well. The Red Army is tied to the road networks and can’t pursue the Finns into the forests—at least not in the early stages, before more ski troops arrive. On the other hand, they have plenty of brute strength—sometimes you just have to push forward with sheer mass and hope for the best. 

The Red Army crosses the border via five main axes, and the Finns must first recover from the shock of war, scattered units, and Soviet tanks. Over time, reinforcements trickle to the front, and in my own games I’ve been able to stabilize the situation reasonably well—though it’s been a race against the clock. That’s just my own experience, of course, keeping in mind that the opponent might be experimenting a bit 😊 Around the midpoint of the war, massive Soviet reinforcements begin to arrive at the front, and the pressure on defense ramps up. Can the Finnish forces keep the Red Army at bay until the end of the war? 

The game was designed by Stefan Ekström and Magnus Nordlöf. Assisting in the development is Australian Paul Shackleton, who is actively involved in 3CG’s projects. The game mechanics are part of the WWIIB series, built around a chit-pull activation system—each HQ to be activated next is randomly drawn from a cup. This adds unpredictability to the game, as it’s rarely clear who will move and fight in the upcoming turn. Otherwise, the system is traditional hex-based wargaming, involving probability assessments and random events.

_{Starting situation. In the picture, northwest is directly up, and Lake Ladoga is at the bottom. The number of units can be a bit misleading since the numerous Finnish units are usually small independent battalions (“ErP”). Photo Ola Palmquist.} 

The War Begins

Historically, the Soviet Union had concentrated the forces of the 8th Army in the area: two army corps comprising 120,000 men, along with tanks, artillery, and aircraft. The strength of these forces surprised the Finnish General Headquarters, which had only two divisions and various other miscellaneous units to oppose them. Later, the Red Army established two additional armies in the region—the 14th and 15th—to breathe new life into their stalled advance. 

At the start of the war, Soviet tanks caused panic among the defenders. In the game, this is modeled by having the Finns suffer from “tank fear” for the first three turns (weeks)—given the Finnish Army’s lack of anti-tank weapons and training. This allows the Red Army spearheads to make significant early progress into Finnish territory. 

However, Soviet units advancing along the coastal road are harassed by the Mantsinsaari fortress, whose guns could fire “into the rear,” that is, onto nearby islands and even the coastline, thus hampering movement along this vital route. The main defensive orientation of the fortress was toward Lake Ladoga. 

_{On the right is Mantsinsaari located in Lake Ladoga, whose coastal artillery disrupts the Soviet Army’s movement along the coastal road (the reddish hexes).} 

During the first few turns, the situation is difficult for the Finns. Moving units is sluggish, as there are very few activations available. An activated HQ can usually move the units under its command within a range of 6–8 hexes. In addition, one independent unit within range can be selected to move—these include, for example, ski troops, detached battalions, and a large portion of Soviet tank units (at least in the early stages). 

There are also different levels of activation chits: for instance, Colonel Talvela, who soon arrives in the area with the mission “to defeat the enemy forces advancing toward Korpiselkä and Ilomantsi,” can activate either Detachment Ekholm operating farther north or Detachment P (Pajari), which is active in the Tolvajärvi and Ägläjärvi area. On the Soviet side, each army can activate any of the division-level units under its command. More of these army activation chits become available later. The units are color-coded, so identifying the right ones on the map is straightforward. 

Formations cannot be reorganized freely—one must operate as a whole: regiments or brigades belonging to a particular division must remain within the range of their HQ. If a unit strays off down some forest trail on its own, it can quickly run into trouble, as reactivating it may require moving the division HQ away from the main battle area to get closer to the unit. 

In both of my test games, I played as the Finns against 3CG’s Jan, who controlled the Soviets, so I haven’t directly experienced the challenges the Soviets face with movement and launching attacks. Units are divided into two types—those capable of skiing and those that are not. With the Finns, this usually isn’t something you need to worry about, as most of them are forest-capable. That’s why I was nearly stumped when dealing with the more poorly equipped 23rd Division, which arrived later as reinforcements—how are these guys supposed to operate?

_{Units marked with blue movement points are in supply even in the forest, off the road, but only when next to a unit that is on a road. Only partisans operate completely freely. The picture also shows a few Soviet ski troops.} 

Tanks can only move along major roads and are generally at their best when used offensively. In the snowy forest terrain, supply works only and exclusively via roads or through an adjacent friendly unit. Only ski troops can move without such restrictions. Especially in the early game, the Red Army has only a few ski-capable units, meaning the bulk of the army is tied to road networks. More ski troops arrive later as reinforcements.  

_{Tanks create disorder during the first weeks, and the Red Army has a clear advantage in activations.} 

Each turn includes a roll for random events, and in our game the die favored the attacker, triggering artillery barrages that caused additional disruption for the Finns. These events vary based on historical situations and occurrences, covering things like Lotta Svärd (helps units recover), Lake Ladoga freezing over (allows movement across the ice), “Motti-Matti”, or poor flying weather. 

At the beginning, the Soviets understandably have the initiative, so many Soviet activations are drawn from the cup—typically 5 compared to Finland’s 2. This balance shifts from turn to turn depending on the historical overall situation. Once the initiative moves to the Finns, more Finnish activations become available. 

_{Tanks charge toward Ägläjärvi and onward in the direction of Tolvajärvi. The Finns have only scattered units in the area.} 

Parade March to Helsinki… 

_{The Soviets were expecting the Finnish working class to rise against their “oppressors” and thus gain a quick win – they even brought their parade equipment along. Neither happened.} 

As the Soviet tanks clear the way for the infantry to advance, the divisions turn into snake-like columns crawling through traffic jams. They spread out along the sparse forest roads toward the west, aiming to reach the rear of the Isthmus Army and gain access to Finland’s road network. 

Randomness is introduced by cup activation (chit-pull). It’s rarely certain whose turn it will be next, so clever breakthrough or encirclement attempts can fall apart if the wrong group activates next. The Red Army is forced to attack constantly with low odds, but air support can be brought into areas of concentration, which the Soviets have in ample supply: initially, four units to the Finns’ one. The aircraft are either single- or double-sided, and they increase the combat odds accordingly by one or two levels (e.g., 1:1 becomes 3:1). This has a significant impact on the battle. 

However, aircraft can’t be used freely because if the full power of a double-sided air unit is used, it takes two turns to recover. First, it goes into the Grounded box, from which it is moved to Refit on the next turn. If only the single side is used, the unit goes directly to the Refit box and thus recovers more quickly. The Soviets can also disrupt Finnish movement on roads or railways at strategic points by bombing the road network. 

_{Red Army air units in different states of use. The more efficiently they are deployed, the longer it takes for them to recover back to operational readiness.} 

_{Traffic jams in the forests. The Red Army is mostly tied to roads and other routes, so their advance slows down and the spearhead keeps taking hits.} 

The Finns are forced to block key routes and must sometimes make tough decisions—should they try to stop the enemy by fighting now, or fall back to better positions and wait for reinforcements? Reinforcements arrive at the front painfully slowly, and movement from one place to another is far from swift. Behind the front lines, movement along roads or railways is naturally more efficient, but Zones of Control (ZoC) stop movement in the usual way. At the same time, the player must keep an eye on the distance to the HQ, as any unit that’s too far away can easily become stuck in place. 

_{Reinforcements are steadily flowing to the front. The Finns initially scrape together forces that manage to halt the Red Army’s advance. After a shaky start, the Russians make a renewed effort with massive reinforcements.} 

Finland’s defense is based on two fundamental principles: first, forcibly blocking the roads, and then attempting to maneuver into the enemy’s rear to cut off their supply lines. Later, if the front can be stabilized, counterattacks become possible, along with efforts to form mottis (encirclements). Units must be used sparingly, but at times risks simply must be taken—for example, to prevent a breakthrough into the rear. 

… Stalls in the Freezing Cold

When supply lines are cut, it’s essential to fix the situation. Usually, it’s Brother Ivan (the Soviets) who finds himself in trouble, and the parade march fizzles out once again. I’m pretty sure my opponent Jan was a real gentleman and gave me quite a bit of leeway during the game—many times I was able to flank into the rear and sever supply lines heading east. In addition, he often attacked with low odds, but on the other hand, his “legendary dice luck” kept helping me over and over. 

At times, the Soviet situation was simply that the lead units needed to be sacrificed just to bring fresh troops forward from the rear and make use of the HQ more efficiently. Losses kept mounting, but then again, the attacker doesn’t exactly run out of troops anytime soon. 

_{Losses at the end of Turn 7: destroyed Soviet units on the left, Finnish units on the right. Of course, damage has also been dealt to units still on the map.} 

_{A similar situation for the Russians during the fall 2024 prototype test. Quite a hefty pile…} 

Once I managed to shore up the defenses, I was able to start launching counterattacks on the Finnish side. I kept looking for weaknesses in the Soviet lines—and several emerged in different sectors. I was able to practically destroy the Red Army—perhaps a bit too easily—across the entire northern sector of the front. This freed up troops to move toward the shores of Lake Ladoga, where the pressure had been consistently much heavier. 

_{The beginning of a motti pocket. Breaking out is not easy once you end up in this situation.} 

_{The remnants of the Soviet 139th Rifle Division have been encircled. South of Tolvajärvi, a second pocket is forming, containing elements of the 56th and the reinforcing 75th Divisions.} 

_{A motti (encirclement) diorama at the Military Museum of Manège @ Sveaborg fortress in Helsinki. Russians have dug in along the road and are pinned by the surrounding Finnish light units.} 

On the “southern front,” that is, along the shores of Lake Ladoga, we ended up bogged down in a stalemate. Both sides kept sending reinforcements to the area, and once Lake Ladoga froze over, the front widened—first for infantry, and later for tanks as well. The Finns had to respond by stretching their line, which in turn required additional troops. The two Finnish armored trains that arrive later as reinforcements provided some help along the railway. Only later, while writing this, did I realize how fierce the fighting around the Kollaa area had been on both sides. This is the area where also the sniper Simo Häyhä operated (there is also a movie coming). By encircling the Soviet spearhead units, we managed to destroy most of them—but some still escaped, which annoyed me greatly 😊. The flank threat worked well, meaning the Soviets couldn’t just mindlessly push forward without risking costly encirclements. 

_{Did Kollaa hold? In this game, it didn’t hold—the village was lost, although the defensive line managed to stop the “budyonovkas” at the next hex.} 

_{The Red Army’s parade march stalled even before reaching Koirinoja, despite their furious efforts. The final nail in the coffin was the arrival of Jaeger battalions transferred from the Karelian Isthmus. This marked the end of our game—at the end of Turn 8—when we decided to call it. The situation along the shores of Lake Ladoga had reached a standstill.} 

Final Words

Stalin’s Lost Chance is not a one-evening game. We spent about 9 hours and managed to get roughly halfway through the war—and the game. It would have been great to continue further, especially as strong reinforcements had just started arriving to support the Soviets. I’m admittedly a relatively slow player, partly because if I’m unfamiliar with a system, even the basics take time, and I end up flipping through the rulebook now and then. On the other hand, 3CG has several games that use the same system, so over time the mechanics will become familiar. Jan even stayed up later that night playing solo, pushing deeper into Finland with his new reinforcements. 

We didn’t calculate victory points, but I’m sure that, for the second time, Finland pulled off a straight-up sudden-death win. 

For my part, SLC is going straight into the classics section of my game shelf—and not just because of the theme. This is also the first game I’ve ever ordered two copies of, and at under 50 euros, the price is quite reasonable. Stalin’s Lost Chance is an excellent combination of a clear rules system, varied combat styles and events, and great atmosphere. A few small things left me wondering—how feasible is the Soviet offensive in the later game? Did my opponent go too easy on me during the playtests? Do encirclements collapse a bit too easily? Then again, forming “motti” pockets isn’t all that easy either, so perhaps within the framework of the mechanics, we’re simply witnessing the larger endgame arc—it’s not meant to be a detailed simulation. 

Other games from Three Crowns Games using the same WW2 mechanics focus either on the battles between Germany and the Soviet Union, or the North African theater. For example, Polar Storm covers the 1944 Petsamo–Kirkenes operation, where German forces were pushed back into Norway in the far north. 

Stalin’s Lost Chance starts shipping during June 2025. If you preordered the game, it will ship already in May.

[Original post in Finnish: https://huoltoreitti.fi/pelitestaus-1710-helsingborg/]

In February, I attended the Friendly Fire de Luxe wargame event in Sweden. I had signed up in advance to test the new Great Northern War Battles (GNWB) game system, a project by Roger Sjögren that he originally started in the early 2000s. After encountering issues with the mechanics, the game was shelved and remained forgotten for nearly two decades—until his friend Mikael Rosenqvist asked if he had an old project that could be revived and refined. Roger obliged, handing over 20-year-old Illustrator files, which Mikael then reworked and revitalized. 

In the original movement mechanics, it had been difficult to position units according to historical research. Roger revisited the available sources to determine whether new findings had emerged or if the same information remained valid. He soon discovered that a wealth of new research had reshaped the understanding of the Battle of Poltava, the event that initially inspired the project. Notably, in addition to the well-known Russian T-shaped defensive line, two other competing formations—labeled E and V—had been proposed, based on recent field studies. 

The game system is still under development, and our playtest was only the second “public” trial. In the background, a map of the 1709 Poltava scenario could be seen.

Now, a couple of years later, the project has reached a stage where two battles are playable as prototypes: 1709 Poltava and 1710 Helsingborg. Most people are likely familiar with the first battle, either from the popular works of Peter Englund or from general historical knowledge. Personally, I wasn’t well-versed in the events between Denmark and Sweden, so Helsingborg was an entirely new discovery for me. Of course, there is even a Finnish Wikipedia article on the battle, but a quick read doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. 

The Battle of Helsingborg stemmed from Denmark’s attempt to reclaim Skåne (southernmost area in Sweden), which it had lost more than 50 years earlier. Sweden’s crushing defeat at Poltava in 1709 emboldened Denmark to declare war and launch an invasion of southern Sweden. On the last day of February 1710, Sweden—having hastily assembled and trained an army—advanced toward Helsingborg, where the invading Danish forces, numbering around 14,000 men, awaited them. 

Danish commander Jørgen Rantzau had expected the Swedish troops to approach from a different direction than they did, emerging instead from the morning fog. This miscalculation left the Danish formation somewhat unprepared, forcing Rantzau to adjust his strategy on the fly. To complicate matters further, the Danish commander-in-chief, Reventlow, had fallen ill just before the battle, leaving Rantzau in charge at a critical moment. 

This is the starting point of the game.

Initial Situation: The red Danish forces are slightly misaligned as they await the approach of the blue Swedish troops, who are advancing diagonally across the map along the road.

The battle begins at 11 a.m. and progresses in 10-minute turns using the traditional alternating IGOUGO model. The troops are organized into regiments, typically divided into two battalions and an artillery piece. Each hex can hold a maximum of 18 strength points, with one strength point representing approximately 33 men. Given that each hex represents 110 meters, a full-strength infantry battalion can fit within a single hex in a standard line formation. If necessary, the front line can extend across two hexes, though this disperses the unit’s strength. 

During a turn, several key actions take place: executing commands, engaging in combat, or attempting to regain control of panicking troops. 

We played with four participants, split into two per side. One player commanded the entire army and infantry, while the other led the cavalry. This structure allowed us to divide the game into four logical parts, enabling smooth execution of commands in a kind of “Agile Games” multitasking approach. My role was to command the Danish cavalry on both flanks. To my surprise, some infantry regiments were also mixed in with the cavalry. 

Mikael, the graphic designer behind the game’s visual elements, took on the role of army commander. He had designed the map and game pieces, ensuring a clear and cohesive aesthetic. Roger had crafted the game pieces himself, while the map was printed in Germany. 

Below is a picture of the Danish command structure. At the top was Rantzau, with my cavalry commanded by (von) Dewitz on the left and Rodsten on the right.

In the game, leaders receive orders that they execute to the best of their ability. Players have only limited opportunities to react to changing situations.

At the heart of the game is a command system in which players literally write down the army commander’s orders on paper. This mechanic has been present in war games for ages, but I had never played a game that used it before. My inspiration comes from the CWB (Civil War Brigade) series and other similar games.

The image shows the initial orders issued by the Danish commander-in-chief, which were executed immediately without confusion or delay.

At the start of the game, a few orders can be issued without interference—two for Denmark and four for Sweden. The two Danish orders were both directed to me: 

1. Rodsten’s right-wing cavalry was ordered to advance toward Källtorp farm. 

2. The left-wing cavalry was tasked with defending a gap on the western edge of Rinsgtorp farm, as the enemy was approaching from an unexpected direction. 

I assume the intention here was also to pivot the front line, although the commander-in-chief didn’t explicitly communicate this—despite being just a few meters away… 

Unit Objectives at the Start of the Game

In a movement command, a unit leader must advance toward their assigned objective using all available movement points. Units follow their leader, who operates within a command radius—the larger the leader’s influence, the greater the radius. If a unit falls out of range, it must take the shortest possible route back to reestablish contact.

Rodsten’s supporting infantry attempted to keep pace with the cavalry and managed relatively well. However, the first major obstacle was the streams and swamps of Ladugårdsflon. While frozen, southern Sweden’s mild winters meant the ice was unreliable. Any unit crossing these obstacles had to roll a die to determine how many movement points remained and how many swamp hexes they could traverse that turn. A good roll allowed for steady progress, while a bad roll could halt movement entirely. As units advanced one battalion at a time, they naturally became dispersed.

A key aspect of the game is the limited player control—once a unit is set in motion, it follows orders, engages the enemy, and reacts as best it can. The player must anticipate events rather than micromanage every move. For example, avoiding an oncoming enemy without triggering a dice roll often means the original plan doesn’t unfold as expected.

Meanwhile, Dewitz’s division, tasked with a defensive command, attempted to move westward (left). However, the artillery on the road partially blocked the advance, forcing the division to stay in place once it reached its designated defensive position—unless issued further orders. Since defensive units can only move one hex per turn, their progress was frustratingly slow, a limitation that would later prove costly.

At the same time, the Swedish army launched a full-speed cavalry advance toward the eastern edge, heading for the same farm that Rodsten and his forces were targeting. Swedish infantry and artillery followed the road directly toward the Danish position. I could almost hear the thunder of hooves as the blue mass charged forward, skillfully maneuvering around obstacles like forests and buildings at breakneck speed.

The Swedes advance rapidly as the Danes attempt to realign their front. We marked the objectives with blocks.

Since a new command can be issued during a turn, at 11:10 a.m., an order was sent for von Hesse’s infantry wing to reposition. A messenger was dispatched to deliver the instructions to the German mercenaries. However, receiving a message takes time, depending on the distance—and even then, its acknowledgment isn’t guaranteed. A roll of the dice determines whether the order is delayed, misunderstood, or even ignored, ensuring that nothing in the game is ever truly certain.

While Rodsten and Dewitz urged their troops forward and the Swedes thundered toward them, von Hesse appeared to be delayed—perhaps enjoying a bit too much aquavit. The message failed to prompt any movement, and when the army commander, Rantzau, personally rode to investigate, he found his troops still motionless.

Once per turn, a player can attempt to use an initiative roll to break a commander free from a stalled or unfavorable situation. However, there’s always a risk that the commander acts independently—and the dice decide the outcome. For instance, an aggressive commander may choose to attack even when a retreat would be wiser.

Below is the battlefield situation at 11:30 a.m. The Swedes begin organizing their infantry into battle formation, while both cavalry forces advance toward each other on the right side of the image. The Swedish horsemen carefully navigated the wet, difficult terrain, ensuring their formation remained intact. The blue and red blocks in the image indicate unit objectives. Since this session was a playtest rather than a competitive match, secrecy wasn’t necessary.

The battle unfolds as the troops close in, soon within striking distance.

At this point, tension was mounting in the Danish camp. Von Hesse’s German-Danish group remained completely stationary in the center—apparently still bogged down in the swamps. I suspect Rantzau may have had a sip of the famous aquavit himself, as even after an hour of trying to get his men moving, nothing was happening.

Meanwhile, part of the Danish artillery had been left far behind the front lines. To bring them into action, the Danes needed a successful dice roll to limber the guns, but luck wasn’t on their side. The infantry and cavalry escorts had already advanced well ahead, leaving the stranded artillery unable to influence Swedish movements in any meaningful way.

From that point on, action and chaos took over. The first clash came on the left flank, where Swedish cavalry probed the Danish defensive line, searching for weaknesses. Dewitz’s formation was not yet fully in place when the Queen’s Life Guard horsemen, led by Ascheberg, surged forward, already reaching the front lines.

The Swedish cavalry tests the Danish flank defenses.

And they rout the Danish cavalry unit.

Only the second battalion of Bülow’s regiment, made up mostly of Hungarians, had managed to cross the water obstacle when the Swedish assault began. At this point, the Swedes had to accelerate from the rear to close in at the correct assault range.

Since I wasn’t yet familiar with the combat dynamics, I asked the developer whether it was better to hold ground or counterattack. After a moment of thought, he replied, “Attacking is the best defense.” It turned out to be the guiding tactic for most of the game that followed.

Once units come into combat contact, ranged fire is resolved first. If neither side breaks, the clash continues into melee (melée). Every unit type—dragoons (mounted or dismounted), regular cavalry, and infantry—has specific combat values for both ranged and melee situations. The Swedish side even fielded pike infantry, whose combat stats reflect their specialized weaponry.

To model the nuances of 18th-century warfare, the game uses a fair share of dice—nine at once, in fact. These are rolled at the start of combat and then interpreted as needed. The black dice determine the initial outcomes—whether direct losses, disorder, or both occur—setting the tone for the engagement.

All dice are rolled at once in a bowl—just one roll needed.

The accounting system is reasonably precise, with combat tracked using ~33-man Strength Points (SP). Each unit has its own SP roster, and losses are marked off manually on individual tracking sheets as the game progresses.

The units are accurately modeled, and detailed records of losses are maintained.

An “X” indicates a destroyed Strength Point (SP), while a slash (“/” or “\”) represents disorder. Disordered units can attempt to regain cohesion if pulled back from the line, but both results remove the SP from the unit’s effective combat strength. Once a unit reaches the “X” threshold, it is considered shattered.

For example, the commander Dewitz (pictured above) will break if a sufficient number of subordinate units are shattered (“X”). In practice, it takes a considerable number of setbacks to even roll the dice for that—but once the threshold is reached, the risk increases significantly.

Next, if instructed by the table, you check the white dice. These often represent additional effects like broken SPs, and while not always direct losses, they tend to accumulate more easily and can wear down units quickly over time.

Battle tables are consulted using the dice colors—start at the top left.

At times, the situation on the battlefield got particularly tense. When a unit breaks and routs, a morale check must be made for all adjacent units—a mechanic that can, in theory, cause an entire line to collapse like dominoes. This happened more than once to the Danes, when multiple battalions suddenly abandoned their positions, leaving dangerous gaps in the line.

One especially comical moment occurred when a Swedish cavalry squadron, in hot pursuit of fleeing Danish troops, charged straight into the middle of the Danish army—momentarily flipping the chaos in the other direction.

In the photo, the cavalry of Västergötland charges greedily after the fleeing “Zealanders“ (Sjælland), plunging deep into the heart of the Danish army.

The Danes were nearing their fateful moment. With half the infantry unable to move and both flanks beginning to break, their line was on the verge of collapse. Fleeing troops streamed toward Helsingborg Fortress and safety, where desperate attempts were made to rally them and return them to the fight.

Once a unit lost its final Strength Point, it became a ghost—no longer functioning as a combat force. These were marked with Hattifattener tokens (a nod to the spectral creatures from the Moomins). While these ghost counters no longer represented active troops, they served an important purpose: they marked the spot where remnants could potentially be reassembled or recovered later in the battle.

The Danish right flank braces for a final stand against a double threat. On the opposite side, the left flank scrambled to contain the Swedish cavalry pouring through the lines—but it was too late. Most of the defenders were soon overwhelmed.

On the right, Rodsten’s troops fought to the bitter end. As mentioned earlier, attack is the best defense, and with no better option, a counterattack was launched—one last gamble to shatter the Swedes and open an escape route. For a brief moment, it looked like the bold move might pay off.

But the tide turned quickly. The second infantry battalion of the Prince Kristian Regiment, Denmark’s last reserve, moved in to stop the Swedes—only to break almost immediately upon contact. The foot soldiers had no chance against the cavalry, and their attempt to retreat turned into a routed massacre, crushed in a chaotic and one-sided pursuit.

General Rodsten’s final assault came close to success.

But soon, it was all over. The Danish line collapsed from every direction, and what came next would have been slaughter—so we decided to call it. After nearly 14 hours of play, we packed up at 11 p.m., having started at 9 in the morning with two meal breaks along the way.

Roger looked visibly satisfied. The game had been pushed to its limits, and many of the major flaws had come to light. The core mechanics held up well, requiring little change—what the system really needs now is clearer and more comprehensive documentation. We asked a handful of clarifying questions during the day, and several details of the map and markers came up for discussion.

The game system is heavy, and Roger himself describes it as being at “grognard level.” That didn’t bother us, though—we’re all grognards here. 😊

For me personally, the day was a deep dive into a significant moment in Nordic history—one I had known almost nothing about before this experience. And despite the system’s complexity, it delivered something rare in gaming: a real sense of being there, right in the thick of a major battle.

If the project makes it to publication, it might be worth considering a lighter version of the rules to help bring in a broader audience. A more accessible edition could open the Battle of Helsingborg to many more players—while still preserving the immersive, strategic richness that made this playtest so memorable.