Mate in 3

[Naskra]

The following is a true story.

August 1914.
Germany goes a-schlieffening. Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg surrender.
The interesting events are at sea; the entire Royal Navy, inadvertently I'm told, sails to the Atlantic. The High Seas Fleet controls the North Sea with its full force.

Sept-Oct 1914.
An audacious plan is born: The German transports are set to "Amphibious" and go to the North Sea.
An inf corps invades Southampton from Antwerp. There is no resistance. Next impulse, another inf corps and a HQ follow.
The army presses into northern France. The troops in Southampton attack toward London.

Nov-Dec 1914.

London is captured. Two Siege guns are brought adjacent to Paris. Paris is captured. The enemy resigns.

[Harrybanana]

Yes it is true, I know because I was the victim.

I inadvertently moved my English fleet into the North Atlantic on the 1st turn rather than the North Sea (couldn't they just have called it the Atlantic). I actually don't think I am the first person to make this mistake as I think I read in an AAR that Hjaco, of all people, did the same thing once. I compounded this mistake by also moving the BEF into France (via the Atlantic of course) as I didn't think Naskra would be bold enough to invade England. I figured even if he did I could cut him off there. What I didn't realize is that the first English build appears in Plymouth (not London) and Nations lose all production once their capital is taken.

In France I was actually doing quite well, inflicting more casualties than I was taking. But Naskra is nothing if not audacious; he literally moved almost all his units from the South of France to his right wing. Not knowing this I kept far more forces in the South than I should have. I was still surprised, to say the least, when he conquered Paris in 1 attack. At the start of the turn I had a number of units in Paris, (though admittedly they were mostly of inferior quality and disorganized). I figured he had moved his siege artillery adjacent to Paris; but I still felt confident that with my 4 forts and the river between us I would be able to withstand the assault. What I didn't realize is that he had moved up a 2nd siege artillery and the 2 combined blew away my forts. In the end the battle for Paris wasn't even close.

On a positive note I did learn a lot from this game. Thank you Naskra for the education.

[boogada]

I always thought that invading England was not able any longer with some patch. Maybe I was mistaken.

[hjaco]

Good and bold move Naskra. Nice to know someone occasionally puts the brass ones on the table (well not literal) [8D]

I usually as well rely on patrolling the Atlantic in force as the Entente and land the troops in Brest. BUT they will have to catch the train in turn two anyway so don't transfer them to Brest until last impulse. That means they can be set up in Southampton and walk to Plymouth....

[hjaco]

ORIGINAL: Harrybanana
But Naskra is nothing if not audacious; he literally moved almost all his units from the South of France to his right wing. Not knowing this I kept far more forces in the South than I should have.

I rely on minimum garrison troops in the border fortresses and the 6 korps 2nd turn reinforcements in the south to prevent too deep a penetration there. It is imperative with a reserve behind the line in the center with your artillery which IMO also puts a limit on your commitment in Belgium.

But you know that now of course [:D]

[Naskra]

I hotseated this out for a few turns in a post-mortem.  The curious thing is the permanent damage done to the British and French economies.  After recapturing the capitals,  the British are reduced to an industrial capacity of 2 and the French to 4.   So it appears that all production centers are not equal.

[hjaco]

They indeed are not.

It makes sense to represent the capital as an industrial main point in so far that the loss of a capital would have a crippling effect on effectiveness of much national industry in those days especially in terms of national logistics. So I don't see the industry to necessarily be concentrated around the capital.

On the other hand Russia doesn't seem to really care about loosing Petrograd and with such a backwater country in those days the loss of any administration would be devastating?

I remember with the French that if you take Lille and Lyon France is reduced to 10 industry points. I am pretty sure Paris represents 8 and Toulouse 2. So if you in your hotseat game took Lille and Paris then 2 + 2 = 4 should compute [8D]

[Harrybanana]

ORIGINAL: hjaco

I usually as well rely on patrolling the Atlantic in force as the Entente and land the troops in Brest. BUT they will have to catch the train in turn two anyway so don't transfer them to Brest until last impulse. That means they can be set up in Southampton and walk to Plymouth....

This is what I did do actually. It was on the last impulse of the 1st turn (july/aug) that I moved the BEF from England to France. Then on my strategic phase of my 2nd turn I returned my navy to port (in anticipation of moving them into the North Sea on the 3rd turn). Then on the 1st impulse of the 2nd turn (sept/oct) I railed the BEF to the front in France. However on the same impulse Naskra invaded Southhampton. On the 2nd impulse Naskra amphibed another corps and HQ to Southampton and on the 3rd impulse advanced towards London. Then on the 1st impulse of the 3rd turn he captured London. My mistake was in railing my BEF to the front on the 1st impulse of the 2nd turn. Had I left them in Brest I could have amphibbed them back to Plymouth on the 2nd impulse and then railed them to London on the 3rd before Naskra could attack it.

[hjaco]

ORIGINAL: Harrybanana
Had I left them in Brest I could have amphibbed them back to Plymouth on the 2nd impulse and then railed them to London on the 3rd before Naskra could attack it.

Or played hard ball keeping them in Brest saving french rail movement waiting for the 2nd impulse.

[hjaco]

But facing an adventurous and determined Kaiser there are no guarantees to be able transporting troops across the Atlantic on turn 2.

You need 3 to 1 measured in naval control points to control a sea area (DN = 10, BC = 8, CA = 3). With French DN/CA the initial fleet comparison is 101 vs 50 points. But say 2 DN and 1 CA on each side is forced to abort in naval combat the ratio is 88 vs 27 points. So it is close and something of a gamble. Besides this leaves only PD and DD to protect the invasion fleet in the North Sea.

Another gamble could be to send German BC/CA in the Atlantic as raiders together with SUBS in an attempt to hit transports on Amphibious orders.

So definitely not without risks for Wilhelm but if you decide to go for the gamble why not go all in?