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Due to public request (ok, ok, Ashfall we do it, now put that gun down [:D]) Sigizmund and I will do an AAR covering the in recent posts heatedly discussed "Russia first + Balkan rush" strategy. As Ash insisted we'll talk a bit more in depth about our strategical thoughts, so a lot of rambling and metagaming ahead!
Sigizmund started of with a somewhat modified move against Grodno and an attack vs the Serbian corps instead of going for Belgrade.
So what to do in the first Entente move in this situation? As I already mentioned in previous threads, Entente early game for me is 100% opportunism and I usually do that in three steps:
1) Scouting
2) Counting
3) Kicking the Kaiser in the nether regions (if possible)

If Germany sells all research, they can operate 7 corps on turn 1. I can see 4 corps that were definitely operated (3 Balkans, 1 Galicia). Most likely Sigizmund kept his cannon research and only sold the other 2, giving him 4 operational movements.
In East Prussia all Inf and Cav are accounted for in the Johannisburg-Grodno area, the corps that starts near Posen defends Kattowitz and the corps from Allenstein has moved forward a bit. This means I see one guaranteed and one very likely weak spot.
Thorn is only defended by a lone str 8 detachment. The trick here is that all towns, cities and fortified towns (but NOT proper fortresses) loose their defensive bonus if they are completely surrounded. Since there's no ZoC around Thorn I surround it with the nearest 6 Russians and take it with minor losses.
The second weak spot is that Königsberg is probably empty and the approach is only guarded by another str 8 detachment. So I used the 3 corps near Wilna to clear the way and take Königsberg with the guard cav. Credit for that move goes to ThisEndUp btw, he came up with it during the Montenegro gambit tests.

In Serbia it's obvious that I'm doomed in the long run. To make it as costly and time consuming as possible I just run away for the mountains.

Britain is triggered by German naval movements, most likely subs and DDs going for Halifax. Since the DDs will surely protect the flotilla with naval mines I have 2 choices: rush there and risk damage to my ships or wait for a sub to neutralize the naval mines and risk some damage to the Halifax (resource) mines. I decide to do the latter.
Btw, the trigger areas for Britain can be circumnavigated (details in mdsmalls thread here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=5041250 ). You'll need a bit longer to the target, but Britain will stay neutral longer and the Entente player will not be automatically alerted.

Yay! Rambling and metagaming, my favourite things!

Looking forward to seeing you two duke it out!

I'll keep the SuperSoaker2000 handy just in case. [8D]

I eagerly await this AAR !

Lets all take an unflinching look at the mayhem ahead. [:D]

Königsberg in Russian hands! [&o] Amazing... but for how long?

Basically i knew that Bavre gonna except me do balkan rush + russia first strategy so decided use different one. After several firsts games i got idea that delayed western first strategy could work so in the first turn i deployed HQ in east prussia and surround Grodno also i redeployed 1 corp in galicia to make enemy think that in next turn i will deploy full army here and as always 3 corps to Serbian front. Also i destroyed 1 french corp on the west and took advanced defence positions all other force was deployed on belgium border on next turn i planned give them elite reinforce and on the 3rd when german mobilized corps deployed attack throw belgium. That Bavre's trick confused me at the first second but after i thought that i could get advantage from it. He avoided attack against A-H and focused on Prussia that much easier to counter than roll over Galicia and because of surprise he may not notice that i not redeployed more corps and france-belgium border will be clean (even 1 unit here may ruin everything). So i just attacked Königsberg and reinforced detachment in next fort (i thought it gonna be enough [&o]) and prepared invasion force with elite reinforce... Sadly but i can't post pictures

Turn 2:
Bromberg is also only defended by a lone detachment, but this one is str 10 and judging by its stats commanded by Hindenburg. But Russian command gets greedy, operates Brussilov to western Poland to take command and issues double vodka rations to the troops. It's still a close call, but Bromberg is surrounded and falls.
Further north the Germans retreat and give up Grodno and the eastern half of east Prussia on turn 3.
The Cossacks break through and start raiding Brandenburg, during the next turns Glogau, Neustettin and Kolberg fall. The latter 2 mean that the rest of east Prussia is now cut off and down to secondary supply from Graudenz, so everything goes down to 5.

On the Balkans the mountain defenses hold for now, but there's a LOT of enemies incoming. It's only a matter of time.

Near the Canadian coast the german flotilla as expected does some damage, but is then dealt with. One sub manages to slip away with 1 or 2 supply left, the other sub and both DDs die.

The real surprise is France, I definitely did not expect a delayed Schlieffen! On the upside France's mobilization is already in full swing and I have a lot more troops to stop the huns. So far it looks like the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy almost cancelled each other out and it plays out pretty much like a standard Schlieffen. The Germans get Belgium and Lille, but are stopped at the Somme.

Overall we both play very aggressively and both side take massive losses on all fronts. Tech will therefore be somewhat slow in this one.

@ Sigizmund: The easiest way for screenshots is the snipping tool (assuming you're on windows). Just open it, click new, drag the frame over the section you want to show and save it as jpg.

Nice but forum doesn't allow me to upload files or put links for 1 more week

ORIGINAL: Bavre

Turn 2:
Bromberg is also only defended by a lone detachment, but this one is str 10 and judging by its stats commanded by Hindenburg. But Russian command gets greedy, operates Brussilov to western Poland to take command and issues double vodka rations to the troops. It's still a close call, but Bromberg is surrounded and falls.
Further north the Germans retreat and give up Grodno and the eastern half of east Prussia on turn 3.
The Cossacks break through and start raiding Brandenburg, during the next turns Glogau, Neustettin and Kolberg fall. The latter 2 mean that the rest of east Prussia is now cut off and down to secondary supply from Graudenz, so everything goes down to 5.

On the Balkans the mountain defenses hold for now, but there's a LOT of enemies incoming. It's only a matter of time.

Near the Canadian coast the german flotilla as expected does some damage, but is then dealt with. One sub manages to slip away with 1 or 2 supply left, the other sub and both DDs die.

The real surprise is France, I definitely did not expect a delayed Schlieffen! On the upside France's mobilization is already in full swing and I have a lot more troops to stop the huns. So far it looks like the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy almost cancelled each other out and it plays out pretty much like a standard Schlieffen. The Germans get Belgium and Lille, but are stopped at the Somme.

Overall we both play very aggressively and both side take massive losses on all fronts. Tech will therefore be somewhat slow in this one.

@ Sigizmund: The easiest way for screenshots is the snipping tool (assuming you're on windows). Just open it, click new, drag the frame over the section you want to show and save it as jpg.

Nice one!

What do you send to deal with the Canadian raiding party, and when?

The keyboard shortcut is even easier with widows snipping tool, dont even have to exit the application you're in.

shift+winkey+s

What do you use to upload the pictures on here Bavre?

@Sigizmund Cool with a delayed Schlieffen!

Will be interesting to see where it goes from here on out!

Turn 3.

Königsberg retaken but Bromberg falls.

Massive attack throw Belgium is successful Brussel falls to German hand and forward cav corp capture Lille. Fall of Belgium is a question of weeks and France suffer a lot of loses and no British force on french soil yet.
Good start but it is clear that winter falls before i will be able to capture Paris.

At least i should not worry about east for now Bromberg under my siege and Cossaks saboteurs behind my lines is destroyed.

What matter of way getting screenshoots if forum doesn't allow me to show it? Maybe Ash may upload my screenshots?

I did you one better Sigizmund!

I made a guide on how to upload all the images, gifs and whatever you like to your posts regardless of the forums restrictions,

link: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.a ... =&#5060892

I can't use links too **** forum

ORIGINAL: Sigizmund

I can't use links too **** forum

Another restriction on the forums where you cant post links? Shit, this forum is ancient...

Well, in that case we'll just have to wait .

In the meantime I made some.

After the initial Russian success the Germans rally and their better units and HQs begin to show. Königsberg and Bromberg are retaken and the Russians are pushed back out of Brandenburg. Here's the situation in January

On the Balkans Serbs die hard, however slowly but surely they die to the relentless onslaught of overwhelming numbers.

As I said before, this is an extremely bloody match. By early 15 both sides have lost in excess of 15000 MPPs worth of units each.

Overall it looks fairly ok for the Entente. France is under much pressure and Verdun will fall once the Germans get Arty 1. But FR NM is still higher than the German and Russia is in great shape plus they got their first level of industry tech, +120 MPP/turn, hurray!

The second wave of German subs start the unrestricted sub warfare and do much damage to the UK economy, but the US tick up steadily. After the Lusitania is sunk they are nearing 50% (edit: typo, meant 40%) by summer 15.

Early in 15 the Austrians cede territory to Italy. The Italian fleet will be missed, their army not so much. Due to the bad weather the Austrian units desolte state can unfortunatelly not be used to do much damage to them, but at least Brussilov and Kornilov can use the situation to farm XP with a lot of 0:1 attacks.

ORIGINAL: Bavre

Overall it looks fairly ok for the Entente. France is under much pressure and Verdun will fall once the Germans get Arty 1. But FR NM is still higher than the German and Russia is in great shape plus they got their first level of industry tech, +120 MPP/turn, hurray!

The second wave of German subs start the unrestricted sub warfare and do much damage to the UK economy, but the US tick up steadily. After the Lusitania is sunk they are nearing 50% by summer 15.

Early in 15 the Austrians cede territory to Italy. The Italian fleet will be missed, their army not so much. Due to the bad weather the Austrian units desolte state can unfortunatelly not be used to do much damage to them, but at least Brussilov and Kornilov can use the situation to farm XP with a lot of 0:1 attacks.

Holy crikes those losses!

Looking exciting!

I have the next Part of Sigizmunds side, I'll post texts from him and pictures until he can post links himself . Just checking so that nothing in those images is still of consequence to be kept secret before I post!

Sigizmund

So at the end of November with all Belgium occupied and Boulogne falls i was thinking what could i do to start 1915 campaign from better positions. Because of BEF arriving on north France and blocking way to Paris i decide to try surround Verdun and capture it when spring come. At the end of the January surround almost complete but positions very vulnerable for counter attack even with lvl 2 trenches.
(001 and 004 screenshots)

On the east front almost not moving i restoring my supply routs and siege of Thorn is in progress.

What an epic..epic match between you two! Nice that AshFall can step in and post images for Sigizmund too. That was thinking out of the box. Can't wait to see more. [8D]