Question what is situation for other Uralic speaking people? Like ones in Russia more specifically?
Given name of language group do most outside of Finland, Estonia, and Hungary don’t most live near Ural Mountains?
This is not so much historical emphasis point but rather not see Finland try to claim lands in northern Russia or the Arctic outside of Karelia and and Kola. So basically the Scandinavia peninsula or geographic area.
I’m willing to concede they should be able to claim Estonia and Ingria but anything more seems like it would be border gore eye sore.
Also I do think more rational regimes even nationalist ones would consider geography for defensive reasons.
Think about it. If your Finland or even Scandinavia it’s much easier to defend those choke points near the Arctic then it is to defend Estonia and Ingria. Expanding more in Russia along its Arctic coastline would only make that harder and arguably stupid expansion for little gain if not opposite.
Think about winter war vs Nazis invasion of USSR. Hope war mechanics get geography importance to warfare down. That’s only way you can level playing field against Russia numbers along with our tech/training them per soldier.
Question those, what if Finland takes St Petersburg? I know they got minority there but would they rename city? Also could you see it possible destroyed depending on Finnish or Scandinavian regime/leadership? You see many Russians and not Finns leave city? Taking St. Petersburg alone as Finland fs with your demographics a lot. That city alone I believe has more people then all of Finland or even Greater Finland I believe so interesting decisions there for Finnish or Scandinavian player who takes it
Realistically and historically speaking, it would be very hard to justify expansion (far) beyond East Karelia. The Finnic languages, Finnish, Karelian, Veps, Izhorian, Votic, Estonian, Kvenish are, to an extent, mutually intelligible. Sámi is part of the (Baltic-)Finnic branch of the Uralic language group, but it's already very different. So in that sense, a "Finnic Empire" akin to Greater Finland is sensible. Peoples other than that, speakers of the other Uralic languages would be very hard to integrate to such a state because both the language and culture are so very different from Baltic-Finnic.
Your assessment on geography is on the right tracks. The triple isthmus border was very desirable to the FDF during WW2 because it would indeed be easier to defend those three choke points. A long arctic coast would be problematic, yes, as defending a region with little to no infrastructure is a real challenge. Although, so is an offense in such a region.
Lastly, regarding St. Petersburg: it has (always?) been called "Pietari" in Finnish so renaming it under Finnish control would make sense. On the other hand, nationalists might prefer the Finnish name of the Swedish castle and settlement which stood there before St. Petersburg: Nevanlinna (Swe. Nyenskans), capital of Swedish Ingria.
This is a pretty minor observation but in the new steam screenshots you can see in one image that Finland is now labelled on the map as "Grand Duchy of Finland" rather than just "Finland." Interesting!
I was delighted to see that! But after the post by the Polish advocate, I'm fearing for Finland's fate in the game.