Hi everyone, i was or rather still am one of the many players.
I won my first round in Autumn 1916, my gallant opponent resigned. By then Paris, Verdun, Toul, Nancy, Belfort had fallen, French morale was around ~5%, Russia had undergone Revolution but was around 20-25%.
Italy and UK both around ~75% but Germans had done a mini Caporetto under von Below's leadership and killed 2 Italian corps + 1 detachment. That saved Austria (probably). US was around 50% pro war.
Ottomans were on verge of surrender, below 30% NM. Austria at ~70%+ Germany at ~80%+
Entire German navy minus 2 BBs and 1 BC and 2 Subs + 2 DDs was below the north sea, the British had lost 5 Capital ships (+ several damaged) and several cruisers but that is chump change.
Germany went all out Schlieffen, Belgium & Lux surrendered fast, the BEF was eliminated but the attrition cost the Germans a lot of MPP.
Serbia, Monte, Albania had to be crushed by Mackensen + Bulgaria in early-mid 1916. The 1914 attack stopped near the Serbian mines as Austria had collapsed in Galicia.
The Kaiser had to operate Mackensen (firefighter of the Imperial German Army ended the war with 3 stripes experience and countless kills) with 2 corps + force march 2 corps + 1 cavalry corps to save Prezmysl and Krakow.
This also gave a lot of respite to France to rebuild in 1915. Since most of 1915 i did very little attacks on the French other than the Verdun one.
The Russians went offensive-la-outrance in Galicia + Bukhovina
Thankfully Romania never joined, though Greece did join. My opponent also flipped Norway but failed with the Dutch flip.
German unrestricted submarine warfare + mining the Atlantic did force the UK ports shut temporarily and drained some NM for UK and forced them to spend MPP for it. This is when the mega battle occurred and ended with decimation of all CP naval forces. It also led to 2 detachment naval landings onto Austrian coast. But somehow,
Russia tried a gambit in East Prussia in spring 1915, did a Land + Sea invasion and tried to conquer Koenigsberg + trap forces ahead and behind. Saying that it failed badly would be an understatement. His bad luck (and my good luck) that 3 German corps were just waiting to be deployed on the turn he landed, they immediately deployed under the leadership of Hindenburg in East Prussia and destroyed the 2 invading armies (Renenkampf + Samsonov style push but in 1915). The weakened German navy sunk the Russian BB and pre DD and damaged it's 2 subs and 2 other surface vessels + they also lost their 2 detachments which landed by sea + the 5 corps which force marched into East Prussia.
Russia was successful in Naval landings on the Black sea, both Erzerum and Mines fell to it. Though here again Russia lost their BB and their DD & sub was badly damaged.
My opponent's mistake in not pressing more into Bukhovina or Galicia saved me (perhaps). But he was losing a lot of MPP fighting the Mackensen army on the Lemberg-Prezmysl-Krakow line. Almost 1 corps a turn + several damaged. So, i can understand why he tried to penetrate my detachment screen but failed.
Overall my mistakes-
1. Terrible naval game, though i still don't understand what the CP navy can do other than waiting for death in ports?
Corollary - Naval air attacks using CVs + Aircraft onto Austrian ships is a-historical and shouldn't happen, the largest ship sunk by Aircraft was a small coal collier in WW1. This is not WW2, Capital ships should be immune to air attacks totally.
2. Bad attack in Serbia by Austria, took Belgrade but couldn't break-through. Germany was too busy to help in 1914.
3. Bad defense in Galicia by Austria, in my defense, he threw the Kitchen sink, all corps except a detachment/garrison/cavalry type screen in Congress Poland + Lithuania was in Galicia/Bukhovina in 1914.
4. Failed to attack France in 1915. Reason - check 3.
5. Ottomans floundered badly. Again too difficult against a combined Russia + UK push from 3 sides + Russian naval landing in Black sea. I did kill or maim several UK+Russian corps + destroyed 2 Naval landings in the Levant.
ROUND-2 RESULTS: We still have 3 outstanding games in process. ....
Moongazer (Ent) v Alantar (CP) Alantar says he thinks he might have a chance to make it to 1918. Entente may win this though.
Ricardo (Ent) v Yrekaaa (CP)
Yrekaaa also says his Austrians have turned around, a bit, since relinquishing Territory to Italy. Third such game in the tourney (that i know of, in which AH sacrificed land to the Italians)
Tomi (Ent) v Laurent (CP) Report that they are locked in a tight battle
Finished Games:
Fafnir (CP) 7-pt win over mdswift
OldAHgamer (Ent) 7-pt win over MisterMuffles
gamerdude (Ent) 7- pt win over Zarevic
Petisch (Ent) 7-pt win over rockmanbob
Shri (Ent) 7-pt win over Liverpoolpacket
So, this is the update till the weekend started.
ROUND-3 MATCHES: (there is also a round 4 with the revised rules before the final knock-out game).
Revised rules award some points to CP players lasting beyond July 1917 in game.
Entente Player versus CP Player
Fafnir Shri
gamerdude Petisch
Alantar Yrekaaa
Mister Muffles MDswift
Zarevic OldAHgamer
Laurent Moongazer
Tomitours Ricardo
Liverpoolpacket rockmanbob
I am playing against the FAFNIR steamroller Entente and i have already messed up turn 1 of my Schlieffen, as that blasted Liege unit retreated instead of getting hit/destroyed.
Result - i haven't taken Lilee, the General staff is already morose.
Drat and Double Drat.
There are now 14 players as we have lost a couple. Players at the top of the leaderboard are now playing each other in Round-4...
Must play different opponents and must switch side played so that all players have played both Entente and CP sides the same number of rounds. After Round-4, the top 4 players will begin play in a "sudden-death" match, followed by the championship round. Players 5-8 will play a similar consolation bracket.
The Preliminary rounds are completed and the "Sudden-Death" round started May 15.
The top 4 Qualifiers, along with their tournament points and ("tie-breakers"):
Fafnir 21 + 5
alantar, 21 + 4
oldAHgamer 21 + 4
Moongaz3r 21 + 3
The next 4 were:
gamerdude 18 + 2
Loyt5 18 + 0
Shri 17 + 2
mdswift 14 + 4
the top 4 are being matched up against players that finished 5-8, in a single-elimination format.
In preliminary rounds, the Entente side has won 18 games and the CP has won 9 games.... accordingly, a "slightly" modified definition of what constitutes a CP win, has been put into place for the sudden-death rounds.
Congrats to all the qualifiers and thanks to all participants.
I wish to play in Tournament. Experienced player. Have won about 5 last full 1914 campaigns with Central Powers and Ludendorff Offensive. When can I join?
