Strategic Command WWI Beta AAR

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 11

24.10.1914



In 1914, I had the initiave on the Western Front.
This will change in 1915. The Entente will have the numerical superiority, and as soon as their Heavy Artillery arrives, I will be in defense.
But I am prepared.



I receive a couple of new units.
The corps will help to defend East Prussia.
The sub will help in the Baltic, the airships will do recon in the North Sea.
And I get the Mackensen HQ which will help in Poland.



Attacks would not make any sense, so I refresh my units.
I need them with high morale and readiness in spring.



I have no MPPs left to repair my ships, but this will happen over the winter.
In 1915, I want to sink the biggest part of the Russian Baltic Fleet.
And 1916 will be showtime in the North Sea. [:D]



This will help a lot in 1915.
My frontline will get shorter, and the Russian NM is lowered.
If the weather allows it, I will go for Radom next.



I will get a new corps in Turn 13.
Pretty sure I will need it.
Did anyone say "Winter is coming"?



With Valjevo taken, I can send the VIII corps to the Italian front.
I will remain defensive here until I get my first Heavy Artillery.



At the end of the turn, the Ottomans research Trench Warfare 1.
This will help a lot, because the Ottomans will join the CP in the next AI turn.
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[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 12 (AI)

07.11.1914



On the Western Front, the times of mobile warfare have definitely ended.
All French frontline units are entrenched, and before I can think about further attacks, I need Heavy Artillery.
From now on we will see typical WWI era style fighting: massive artillery preparations, attacks and counterattacks without major movements.



I need to remove the corps in Tilsit from the frontline.
Repeated attacks have lowered its morale and readiness.



It was my plan to drive the Russian behind the Weichsel until the end of this year, but this will not work.
Too many fresh units.



One corps destroyed, another one heavily damaged.
The oil wells are surrounded.
If this would happen in May or June, I would think about a strategic drawback.
But it is November, and I might get away with my defensive strategy.
I just need to eliminate the Russian corps that broke through my frontline.
Or at least drive it back.

In Serbia, both sides are licking their wounds.
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[Kardinalinfant81]

Could you explain, what kind of unit the russian one in your last picture is? On the left side, second from the top of the Picture (with the small triangle under the diagonal cross)

[Cfant]

Very interesting AAR. Hope you will show the losses so far at the end of 1914.

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

[center][font="Times New Roman"]Dear Kardinalinfant,

this is a Mountain corps (Gebirgsjäger).
It can cross mountains better than normal infantry.

Dear Cfant,

I will definitely show the losses... as usual. [:D][/font][/center]

[shri]

Dear Sir, can you post the NM of the major nations? in the multiplayer AAR, AH is down to 59 NM in 1914 itself.

Also a SS of the total losses incurred so far for all nations?

Since you have reached end of November i guess till February there won't be much action to see.

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

[center][font="Times New Roman"]Dear shri,

you will get a detailed overview in Turn 15 which will cover the 19th of December 1914.
This is a usual habit in my AARs. [:)][/font][/center]

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 13

21.11.1914



I will buy back another corps... it is necessary.



The Ottomans are in the war, and Trench Warfare 1 in the initial phase is worth gold.



This would distract the French, but it is not worth the 50 MPPs in my eyes.



As soon as I can afford it, I will also research long range aircraft.
This will increase the naval spotting of this unit, so it will be me "eyes" in the North Sea in 1916.



I need every unit I can get.



The more subs, the better.



To advance in the west, I need Heavy Artillery.



One more corps for AH.



This French corps had low values in morale and readiness.
I lost 3 strength points, the French lost 10.
Attrition is the only thing I can do at the moment.

In East Prussia, I did not do anything except refreshments.



A combined effort of Recon Bombers, Heavy Artillery, cavalry and infantry brings the victory in Poland.
This will be another big hit for the Russian NM.



Lemberg is no longer threatened.. at least over the winter.
In Spring, Russia will get Heavy Artillery, and this will make it even more difficult for me.



AH will get a Heavy Artillery in spring, but this needs to be equipped with tech level 1 before I can use it.



There will be a British attack sooner or later, and I want to be prepared.



I need to be defensive in this theater.
The Russian drive will happen around Erzurum, and I need at least 2 corps here.
3 would be better.



I will try to hold the Sinai as long as I can.
Loosing it means there will be quite few British units marching to Palestine.



I will use the MPPs elsewhere.



Definitely yes.



The Ottomans buy a chit in Infantry Warfare.
They need the morale bonus definitely.

At the end of the turn, Germany researchs TW1 and Shell Production 1.
AH researchs TW1.
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[shri]

So, you refused both German flavour decisions costing a grand total of 75MPP which is about 20% of one turn's production.
Are those flavour decisions so atrocious? if so should they be enhanced?

Also, i observe you have 4-5 corps in the third line against France which are badly mauled and not repaired. Wouldn't repairing them and helping Austrians be a better strategy or is the third line of defense necessary in the west? Can the AI breakthrough a full line with nearly a full reserve line so easily?

P.S.: I guess i am bothering you with too many queries. Will stop if you find them irritating to your main job.

[Sugar]

Also, i observe you have 4-5 corps in the third line against France which are badly mauled and not repaired.

I guess most of these corps took part in the attack, were then withdrawn from the frontline and not able to reinforce during the same turn (darker grey for units without any action points left I suppose).

If you want fully intact units in the first line, you'll have to keep some in reserve, since reinforcing takes a whole turn, and to recover morale from heavy losses those units should be left in good supply for a few more turns.

To support the Austrians it wouldn't help very much to operate a few corps, you'll have to send an HQ as well to be fully operational. Perhaps there are a few units to spare in the West, but surely not an entire army.

AH isn't in serious danger at the moment anyway, with the galician oilfields and Przmysl still in their hands, and I guess the Germans will help the upcoming italian front with some detachements. Would surely be nice to occupy the balkanese railway to be able to support the Ottomans and gain Bulgaria as an Ally, but this is early enough during spring 1915.

[shri]

Do German units face penalties operating on Austrian soil?

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

[center][font="Times New Roman"]Dear shri,

Concerning the DEs: these two events depend on your over all strategy.
They are a can do, but not a must do.
I.e. the first one keeps the French busy, but does not have any major impact.
I am short MPPs, so I decided to leave the DEs... that is the main reason.

Concerning the understrength corps in France: I would love to refresh them.. but I lack the MPPs.
And Sugar is right: to deliver a proper fight in France, you need three rows of units.
The badly damaged corps need a couple of turn until you can use them again.

German units opertaing on AH soil do not face any penalties.
They just need a HQ, and I don't have a spare one.


Dear Sugar,

thanks for your help.. you are right in most cases.
The only thing I will not do is to send detachments to the Italian Front.
This will be a pure AH thing, since AH is in a much better state than in RL.
I need all detachments to guard the Eastern Front.. if I open up a hole there, the AI send cavalry through it, and I cannot afford this.

Concerning the Balkan railway: you are right, I need this connection.
I will get a Heavy Artillery in spring, and then I will take Kragujevac and Usice.
After this, Bulgaria will join the CP, and I can buy another Heavy Artillery.
After this, Serbia will be defeated within a couple of months, and then I can start supporting the Ottomans.
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[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 14 (AI)

05.12.1914



The French haven't yet researched Trench Warfare 1, so I can still attack them if I find a weak unit.
But most of my units have Entrenchment 2, so they cannot attack me.
This will not last for long.



I need to take the pressure from Tilsit.
Maybe a counterattack might help.



I will try to attack both Russian units in Turn 15.



Fortunately, the AI did not concentrate on one unit this time.



The hexes in the north east of Erzurum are mountain hexes, so the max. entrenchment is a 3.
This will stop the Russians for a while.

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[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 15

19.12.1914



The Typhus Epidemic will help a lot, AH troops are not affected.



The more, the better.
Every single ship will help in 1916.



There is nothing else I can do at the moment.



The remaining Russian corps is not a threat.
This brings me a lot of time.

Also I can afford to repair some ships.



There is just one Russian unit left on this side of the Weichsel.
Although my plan hasn't worked completely, it is still a success.



Russia will strike again in Turn 16.
In the long run, I cannot afford to loose a unit there every second turn.



This will help to persuade Bulgaria to join the CP.



I will not be able to hold the Sinai forever.
But the longer, the better.



Fighting Italy will be difficult, but still the better alternative than handing over territory.



Germany and AH purchse a chit in TW.
The Ottomans purchase another chit in Command & Control.
AH buys back another corps.



I lost 5 units and destroyed 36.
But this gives a completely wrong impression.
When we look at the MPPs, we get a completely different impression.

Here are the figure for each Major nation.. MPPS collected, MPPs lost, NM

UK: 1.689 / 723 / 100%
France: 2.009 / 3.535 / 90%
Russia: 2.576 / 4.762 / 83%
Serbia: 522 / 875 / 82%

Germany: 2.974 / 3.395 / 111%
AH: 1.883 / 2.476 / 96%
T: 793 / 0 / 90%

Most nations have lost more MPPs than they collected.
This makes sense.. most units can be bought back for 60% of the initial price.

Combined figures:
Entente: 6.796 / 9.895
CP: 5.650 / 5.862

At the moment, the Entente produces 20% more MPPs than the CP produces.
This will change when Italy is in the war.
The longer the war goes, the more the Entente will produce.
I just need to destroy their units quicker than they build them.
And of course I need to lower their NM.

Russia and Serbia look promising already.
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[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 16

02.01.1915



The IV Reserve Corps is hit hard and needs to be removed from the frontline.



At least the Russians did loose as much as I did.

In Poland, the AI did just refresh an entrench.



Another corps lost.
I need to find an alternative in this theater.
If the Russians get their Heavy Artillery, I might need to withdraw.



Trench Warfare 1 helps a lot.



What a pity: the Ottoman fleet is not in a good state.
Maybe I will attack anyway.[/font][/center]

[LochLomond]

what can the russian BB do there?

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

[center][font="Times New Roman"]Dear LochLomond,

there are a couple of things the BB can do.
It can blockade the mines of Zonguldak (on the right end of the picture) by occupying one of the blockade hexes.
This would hit the Ottomans, because Zonguldak is their most valuable MPPs producer.

But you can be pretty sure the BB is not alone.
The Russians have a sub somewhere in the Black Sea, and this is why I cannot send my fleet out.
One surprise encounter, and one of my ships is gone.[/font][/center]

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 17

30.01.1915



I'd be happy if I would find a way to stop this.



No news are no bad news.



As seen in the MP AAR, giving away territory to Italy is not really an option.



Down there, I need every unit I can get.



This strengtens the Hochseeflotte.
AH receives a fresh corps, and I will place it in Galicia.



This turn, I cannot do my usual attrition.. I would suffer higher losses than the enemy.



For the first time, I can establish a closed frontline.
This will be very important in later stages of the war.
The AI is brilliant in spotting any holes, and if I have a Russian cavalry in my rear, I have a problem.



In spring, I will try to close the frontline between Radom and Przemysl.



This is my offensive plan for 1915: start a flank run from the north.
Not much enemy presence there.



Sooner or later, the Russians will force me to draw back.
The only thing I can hope for is to have the Bulgarians in the war early.

In Serbia, I refresh my troops.



Just a small tactical victory.
The Russian BB needs to go back to the port, and repairing it will cost MPPs.
And Zonguldak is safe.
Approx. 10% of the Ottoman MPPs are produced there.

On the other theaters in the Ottoman Empire, I try to set up my defenses.
No fighting yet.



At the end of the turn, the Ottomans research Command & Control 1.
Very important.

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[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

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Turn 18 (AI)

27.02.1915

On the Western Front, there were just smaller attacks due to bad weather.
Both sides recreate and will execute their plans in spring.



It looks as if I have the numerical superiority in East Prussia.
But I need Heavy Artillery to advance.
The deciding question is: shall I put priority to an advance into Russia or set the focus elsewhere?



As the first unit in this match, the German I Cabalry Corps earns Elite Status.



I will see much stronger attacks in spring.



As soon as the Russians receive a Heavy Artillery, they will start their attack.
Receiving Trench Warfare 1 so early was really lucky.

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[LochLomond]

which effect has trench warfare exact?