Allies vs. Skynet

[John B.]

It's March 1916 and here's the latest. The English cabinet was presented with a proposal to introduce conscription and gain and additional 4 corps of infantry at the cost of a series of work stoppages. Given England's traditional view on standing armies and government force this proposal was soundly rejected.

In the meantime, the Russian War Ministry authorized a secret mission of sabotage (so named after french home workers who used to throw their shoes (i.e. sabots) into looms to destroy them and preserve their jobs) to the Turkish mines.

In North Africa, more ANZACs appeared and, as you can see, a stalemate has erupted along the Suez canal. I'm not sure when British logistics get good enough to launch an attack. The French and Moroccan rebels met, hashed things out over a nice dinner, and came to terms. Rumors of brutal french atrocities in N. Africa are dismissed as filthy lies.

[John B.]

In Italy another swirling naval battle erupted in the Adriatic with both the Italians and the A/H losing a dreadnought. German submarines have deployed and a stalemate reigns. However, the Italian army took Klagenfurt from the Austrians while Italian historians claimed it as part of the historical patrimony of Italy. Italy also developed infantry weapons level 1 and started to upgrade its units.

[John B.]

In France the new motto of Joffre is maximum pressure on the German army. New howitzers were delivered and French artillery spent these spring mud months training up to the next level. France, meanwhile, killed two German corps and the Central powers appear to be getting ever thinner on the ground. Britain, while upgrading DDs to fight the submarine menace, has also resumed its role in the front lines in Belgium.

[John B.]

Russia joined in on the pressure being applied to the Central powers. Russian attacks killed a German and an A/H corps and pushed deeper into the Carpathians.

[John B.]

In Poland Russian units attacked targets of opportunity but mainly held their ground and completed the upgrade cycle of the Russian army.

[John B.]

The Entente finally killed an A/H corps in Serbia but poor morale in the French corps left it badly weakened and, unfortunately, exposed. But, A/H attacks have been less frequent on this front and Serbia is slowly rebuilding its units. Oddly an A/H artillery spent 10 shots shelling a British submarine in the Adriatic. I'm not sure if that's a bug but it should be impossible for it to hit the unit.

[John B.]

Finally, Russia launched it's long awaited offensive along the Ottoman border. The Tsar's armies killed a Turkish corps and took the border town. I'm not sure if Russia will be able to make much more progress until its artillery gets upgraded.

In other news, German morale is at 49%, A/H at 47%, and Ottoman at 69%. So, you have the odd sight of Enver Pasha giving pep talks to the Kaiser and the Emperor at joint strategy meetings.

Italian morale is still above 100, British is above 90, France above 80 and Russia above 70. Poor dear Serbia is at about 27%. But, they're still hanging in there!

[nicwb]

Enjoying reading your AAR - it's nice to have one from the Entente side for a change - every other one I've seen is from the Central Power perspective.

[John B.]

Thanks! I like this game a great deal and it's interesting to see if from the Entente side.

[John B.]

It's April 8, 1916 and all around Europe one can hear the sounds of Entente loins being girded. In France, the French killed a corps and moved their artillery into position to hit three different hexes. The British upgraded their own artillery and have resumed their positions in Belgium. Norway, no doubt sensing which way the wind is blowing, moved into the pro-allied camp.

Italy took advantage of an A/H retreat to upgrade their infantry units with new weapons while signs of strain began to appear in the Central Powers. Strikes crippled Vienna, and in Germany clamors for peace are starting to be heard in the Reichstag.

[John B.]

In Galicia the Tsar's armies continued their grind through the Carpathian mountains and captured the A/H town of Kolomea.

Again, the Central powers are thinner and thinner on the ground.

[John B.]

In Poland Germany was able to recapture Warsaw and destroy a Russian corps, but a Russian attack caught the Van Heeringen HQ unprotected and did serious damage to Germany's logistics web in East Prussia.

No real news from the Caucasus or Egypt. The Libyan rebellion was extinguished ("I crush rebellion with a clear conscience" is a quote from which movie (no fair looking it up). The Moroccans, however, once again rose up and seized Fes and so the French Foreign legion has to trudge back and kill them again. I would not want to be a prisoner of either side in that fight!

[John B.]

Loins being girded indeed! In the subsequent histories of the war, 1916 is called the Summer of Victory. The Central Powers now teeter on the brink of collapse. In fact, they are almost collapsed. Except for the Ottomans who continue to hold strong ("We're shackled to two corpses" Enver Pasha was heard to mutter).

In France the French army has surged forward in the center while the BEF has pushed into Germany in the north. Aachen has fallen and Metz is just about cut off. In a further blow, Hindenberg and Luddendorf were surprised by a British patrol and died in the ensuring melee.

[John B.]

Italy has punched through deep into Austria. The Austrians have dug in and may hinder the Italian advance for a short while, but it is not looking good.

[John B.]

The Tsar's armies have what may be the most impressive breakthrough. Prodded by the acclaimed military genius Brusilov, the Tsar's armies have breached the Carpathians and started to gobble up territory in the Hungarian plain. Right now, there is nothing between the Russians and Budapest. I'm sure that something will be scrapped together, but this turn the A/H held the front line with a fighter so they are just about at the bottom of the barrel.

[John B.]

Things are also breaking the Tsar's way up in Poland. While Germany continues to hold Warsaw, two German corps are cut off in E. Prussia as the front disintegrates. There are reports that the Kaiser spends his days in a vast bunker under Berlin ranting about how his generals have failed him as cries for peace are heard throughout the streets.

[John B.]

A minor point of good news for A/H is that the serbian front continues to hold. A bold (dare I say reckless) serbian advance towards Adrianople was stopped cold and a Serbian corps destroyed. Only the timely arrival of additional French reinforcements prevented a sudden pocketing of the entire army and the loss of Greece.

[John B.]

On Russia's Ottoman border, the Russians did advance to the outskirts of Trabzon and caused very heavy casualties to the Ottoman defenders but the Turks clung to their defenses and saved the city.

[John B.]

Finally, in the Middle East the Arab Revolt rages on (with little military success) and the English began a push into Iraq.

Given the overall situation, the allies are already wrangling over potential peace terms. But, are they acting too soon? Is there more blood to be shed before final victory?

[John B.]

Question: How can you tell that at the Central Powers its time to throw yourself at the enemy's mercy?

Answer: When Italy and Russia fit on the same map. [:D]

Brusilov, throwing caution to the wind, stormed across the Danube and cut the rail line hauling supplies from Germany to the Ottomans. Meanwhile, from the West, Italy is making it's own move to cut the Central powers in two. In Poland the Russians mainly held the line as they are tying down large numbers of German corps while in East Prussia, the Russians destroyed the two corps that were in the pocket.