Taking back Mother Russia: 1917-1920 (Completed, Won)

[Rysyonok]

This is an attempt to recreate the full 1917-1923 campaign from the Monarchist point of view. It will start with the Ice March campaign playing as Southern Whites and, should that succeed, it will continue onto the grand campaign playing as Siberian Whites.

Turn directory (to be updated every few game months):

1: Late May 1918: Setting up for Grand Campaign
2: Late September 1918: Major Red offensive on Penza
3. Late January 1919: Whites reclaim Middle Asia
4. Late May 1919: The end of Komuch
5. Late September 1919: Saratov campaign
6. Late January 1920: Moscow campaign

As always, any comments, questions, suggestions are welcome, as this is my first game.

1917, early November:

Guns are silent in the south; Southern Whites only start out with one, static unit. There is a small known enemy concentration in Rostov, but that's all that we know.

[Rysyonok]

1917, late November:

Alexei Maksimovich Kaledin, a world war I hero, renown for taking part in Brusilov offensive, arrives at Novocherkassk. Most of his troops are unwilling to fight and are understaffed. Despite urges to retake land from Bolsheviks, Don Cossack Army holds ground.

[Rysyonok]

1917, early December:

Several more prominent generals take refuge in Novocherkassk. Mikhail Vasil'evich Alekseev, a seasoned veteran of Russo-Turkish, Russo-Japanese, and First World Wars, takes over the Volunteer Army and commands attack of Bolshevik-held Rostov. Many view this as reckless, however Rostov is straddling the rail link heading south, where Allied forces might be able to assist the Whites.

Kaledin, as the most outspoken opponent of the attack, is left back to command Novocherkassk Garrison.

[Rysyonok]

1917, late December:

Winter is brutal to the fledgling Whites; 14 elements are lost due to attrition. Rostov is besieged, as Reds take refuge within the industrial district.

There are rumors that Ukraine and Soviet Russia are at war, and there are rumors that Ukrainian troops are on the way south to wipe out Alexeev's and Kaledin's forces. Whites are bracing for the worst.

[Rysyonok]

1918, early January:

Don region is incapacitated by subzero temperatures that Volunteer Army is not prepared to face. A batallion of junkers (petty officers in training) is sent south to Azov to scavenge for supplies. They succeed, but not without losing half of their force to weather. Another loss is the head of Volunteer Army, Alekseev, as pneumonia takes him. Kornilov takes over.

The news of the White resistance is spreading around, and several more generals rally to Rostov. Three officer regiments are formed - Kornilovcy, Markovcy, and Alekseevcy.

As the siege of Rostov continues, Junkers are ordered back to Novocherkassk for reinforcements.

[Rysyonok]

1918, late January:

Cossacks of Kuban region were no more content with the Soviet rule than Don Cossacks; in January, they rallied up behind Viktor Leonidovich Pokrovsky, famous pilot in World War One (first Russian to capture a plane with a pilot), and sieged Ekaterinodar. Kornilov dispatched Denikin and a cossack regiment to meet with Pokrovsky, establishing a supply chain. In the meantime, artillery units of Volunteer Army are ordered back to Novocherkassk for replenishment.

Ukrainian flags are spotted north and west of Rostov, but no army movements are detected. Kornilov cancels a scheduled assault of Rostov in order to preserve all the manpower he can. In the last month, very few conscripts trickled in to join the White ranks.

[Rysyonok]

Whites take Rostov (January 16, 1918):

Kornilov is promoted to seniority 1.

[Rysyonok]

Whites take Ekaterinodar (January 24, 1918):

Denikin is promoted to seniority 25.

[Rysyonok]

Objectives, region loyalty view (January 31, 1918):

This is the moment of Volunteer Army triumph - but Communist forces are already arriving to Rostov area, and fighting will be bloody.

[Rysyonok]

1918, early February:

Communist forces have arrived and besieged Novocherkassk, which is very lightly defended - a dozen infantry elements, 2 batteries, all behind a level of fortifications.

Volunteer Army is quickly fortifying in Rostov - too bad that Bolsheviks destroyed the depot when they ran...

[Chilperic]

Nice. [&o]

[Rysyonok]

ORIGINAL: Chliperic

Nice. [&o]

Thank you

[Rysyonok]

1918, late February:

Communists are still besieging Novocherkassk; Volunteer Army constructed a depot to aid its upcoming defense of Rostov, but that is clearly not going to be enough to stop the Reds.

Several small units have been sent out to clear out the railroad to Ekaterinodar; there are plenty of trains available to Whites, but no rails to use them on.

P.S. The game crashed, resetting to Turn 1, doubling up my Drozdovsky division disbursement, so I had to roll back a turn - gotta love AGEOD in-game backups! One click, and everything was back to normal.

[Rysyonok]

White force composition (February 28, 1918):

[Rysyonok]

1918, early March:

Warmer weather brings forth an important question: should the Volunteer Army hold ground or escape south? A large part of the Communist force left northward, undoubtedly to face the ukrainian nationalists; but there are rumors of an equally larger force rising in the south. Whites do not have the manpower to protect the entire Novocherkassk - Rostov - Ekaterinodar line and attempt to take Novorossiysk as well. They either have to stay together, or split. Or leave Rostov and head south.

Losing Kornilov to a stray bandit bullet does not help it, either. It's also important to remember that close to 1/3 of the Volunteer Army is composed of Don Cossacks, who would resist entering the yellow region below.

[Rysyonok]

Whites take Maikop (March 8, 1918):

Concerned that Red militia elements could cut White supply lines, Denikin turns his force east, taking Maikop.

[Rysyonok]

1918, late March:

There is Victory in the air. Four more rebellions pop up all over - from Volga to Caucasus mountains. While undersupplied and demoralized, they are nevertheless providing an additional nuisance for Reds to deal with.

Railroad to Ekaterinodar is free but... there aren't enough rail cars to take all of the officers and cossacks. Solution? Perhaps it is time to face the Reds in a real battle?

[Rysyonok]

Whites take Armavir (March 22, 1918):

Denikin continues east, while Volunteer Army is gathering all around Novocherkassk. Two big Red stacks appear from southeast; some thought is required as to future course of action.

[Rysyonok]

1918, early April:

The plan to assault Reds near Novocherkassk quickly comes to a halt as multiple armored trains are spotted in the area. Things are no better in the south; Novorossiysk is reinforced with Black Sea sailors, Terek uprising is contained by several Red units, and even Denikin himself is besieged. His spirits are high, however, as can be seen during the morning troop inspection on April 1.

[Rysyonok]

Whites repel Reds at Maglobek (April 12, 1918):

A numerous yet demoralized ragtag group led by Lazar' (not Georgii' as RUS would have us believe) Fyodorovich Bicherakhov repels a small detachment of Red militia.