thoughts on playing against human opponent.

[EUBanana]

I dont think you should be afraid to assault in 1914.  Before static warfare ensues casualties are often either about equal or in fact in favour of the attacker.  Especially if you have artillery support to soften the enemy up first.  France has a harder time replacing those casualties than Germany does, so if the odds are about even, attack!

Oddly enough the Western Front seems generally more mobile than the Eastern, as Russia runs out of HQ points real quick, whereas there are enough HQ points for Germany to attack at will until 1915 ends, and then after that if France is still around they can be attacking all through 1916 back themselves, assuming they didnt use any HQ points prior.

[j campbell]

yeah its curious about the Hq situation.  it might have been easier to have a few Hq's and make it important to spend IP to keep rebuilding them rather than 6-8 at beginning at FS.  At start germany can afford -if i count correctly 7x3 and 1x2 Hq activations-this should last a long time. 

anyone figure out the modifiers for A-B -C -D lv units?  i realise it might be different from country to country. 

[hjaco]

I agree. Germany has more than 2 to 1 advantage in infantry. Avoid attacking permanent fortresses head on where possible, but don't be afraid to make attrition in the open.

Just remember to move new units in on the same hexes, your units attacked from. Either your attacks worked out and you can promptly penetrate the front, or you have follow up units in place for next impulse. In that way you only have to deploy 2 corps initially along the front facing the wrath of french artillery.

Be careful with low readiness units - leave them in the rear to rest. You have numerical superiority to do this, the France doesn't

But much depends on how many spotters you get. I usually use them on hexes which i might attack if the circumstances were right i.e. hexes without permanent fortification. Artillery will mainly be used against these hexes then benefiting from increased efficiency by the observers. You may have to attack twice but in that case usually eliminate the defenders totally.

One advice. When you have penetrated the front line, try to advance directly through the front spreading out, while attacking the adjacent hexes the same time. Why ? Because potential movement (retreat/counterattack) orders on those hexes are being canceled and you can begin to surround them and move towards Paris.

An example. Say you take the hex directly south of Verdun, and reduce the Verdun fortification level at the same time. Next impulse you have the option to swing NW towards Paris from the penetrated hex in the front line while pinning the units in Verdun with an attack from Luxemburg (eliminating the remaining fortification level with siege artillery). You have achieved a breakthrough.

Off course a clever french player will have reserves behind the front to counter this, together with his complete artillery hitting your troops stacked fully in the open without entrenchment, but that's the price you have to pay.

[SMK-at-work]

I mucked up my memory of gas sorry - I had thought you got it for a single strategic phase rathe then for 4 attacks.
 
Certainly it's an option - and perhaps a better one in the game than in the beta's, since Germany seems to get a lot more resources in v1 than it used to (I haven't got any Beta's to install, but IIRC getting about 11 points in the first strat phase viz 19 in the substantive game)
 
bombarding the carp out of the French forts works vs any opponent - I'm currently playing a PBEM game where I accidentally forgot to invade Belgium - I had the siege artillery lined up there and had to manually move it to the French front - and I had still blasted a hole by the end of the 1st strat turn!
We're now in the 2nd turn in 1915, and I have Paris surrounded on 4 hex-sides from the south, have captured Orleans and Loire - France should fall soon......

[j campbell]

SMK,

what is your usual initial disposition against the Russians. 
Furthermore, as entente-what does player susually do as the Russians?  I stack hvy on the AH front and bleed them as much as possible but perhaps it is better to stack everything save a screening force and push on germany...

an extremely gutsy manuever would be to screen both the central and northern russian axis and mass forces on the turkey border.

[EUBanana]

ORIGINAL: j campbell

SMK,

what is your usual initial disposition against the Russians.
Furthermore, as entente-what does player susually do as the Russians? I stack hvy on the AH front and bleed them as much as possible but perhaps it is better to stack everything save a screening force and push on germany...

an extremely gutsy manuever would be to screen both the central and northern russian axis and mass forces on the turkey border.

I've tried out various tactics with Russia now - Germany, Austria or the Caucasus - I think the best bet is to hit Germany to be honest.

There are more high value targets here than there are anywhere else. Konigsberg-Danzig-Posen-Berlin, the Germans cannot ignore a major Russian advance along this axis.

While you can lean on Austria and it is true that Austria will crack fairly easily there simply isnt much there of great value, and Austria is not really a threat to the Entente like Germany is. Certainly at the beginning of the game France needs help, right now, and attacking Austria is not going to help France.

Attacking the Ottomans over the Caucasus is actually fairly easy in my experience. Combined with a British assault from Egypt up towards Jerusalem you can make the Ottoman Empire fold quite quickly. I think once the initial "save France!" phase is over, this might well be useful, as the Ottoman Empire is critical to the Central Powers economy.

[j campbell]

excellent point  how many german korp do u use to protect the EF?  against the computer 3 is enough but against a human player perhaps 5 is needed-maybe more.  the soviets er sorry russians have 4 army groups to start with outside of the caucusus so it is reasonable to assume you will be facing pleve-brusilov-and at least 1 another lv 1 of those guys and some art etc. 

I agree then in theory that it is more important to push through Prussia to divert attention from Germany on France.  Not to mention if the garrison is weak you can inflict relatively hvy (in ratio) casualties on the german units  (1 casualty has a 12% chance at morale reduction so it is significant-not to mention it is 1 IP f orrevery 7 hits)

[hjaco]

Well, we really need more discussions on opening strategies :0)

Russia must also face the possibility of a Russia first CP strategy and deploy accordingly. As the most vital morale based cities are in the north (Riga, Minsk), the more sensible choice for Russia would be to deploy ample forces facing EP from the east side.

In order to cut of potential German units in EP another force should be north of Warsaw, which also makes it faster to advance in NW direction, if EP is left without garrison.

Deploying around Lodz is gambling on a CP France first strategy where you risk encirclement from EP and AH.

Leaving a cavalry screen along most of the border and also facing AH, is a cost effective way without risk i.e. cavalry apparently just withdraws from combat ?

Hurting AH or OE is fun but does not help if France falls. If France holds their ground, it is obvious a brilliant strategy [:D]

The only thing Germany really is having a problem with early, is taking their food and capital away. You can easily take away 3 food resources.

With regard to German deployment in the east, i don't defend east of Posen. Your units will just be bagged and destroyed while out of supply. But a couple of cavalry units to screen the Russian front is worthwhile in my opinion.

[hjaco]

Hi Campbell,

A clarification regarding casualties - it's a 12 % chance of exhaustion increase and not morale reduction.

But still important to avoid off course.

And you need your replacements in the west.

[SMK-at-work]

If I'm going against France I put 6 German B Corps in East Prussia - 3 in each of Thorn and Kongisberg - they are generally sufficient to stop the Russians cold if the Russians do not concentrate their entire army agains them!
 
IMO the Russians can easily take the 3 Galician cities of Premzyl, Krakow and Lemberg (?) - that's 30+ points and a serious blow to Austrian Morale - you have have them down to "merely" strong by the end of the 1st turn!  The AI isn't usually focused enough to do so, but a human player can.
 
Against the AI or an incautious human it's not too hard for the Russians to take East Prussia as well since it is often not well garrisoned (ie not as well as I garrison it!)
 
In the PBEM game where I'm the TE I've done all that with the Russians (except for Krakow - an artillery unit beat back an attack on its own dammit.....)- plus also took Brelsau with a single inf corps piggy backing with a Cav Corps and a 1 point activation to take the city.  I wont' be able to keep it all (I did the same in a beta test PBEM so I know this....) as the German phase 2 reinforcements will easily push the Russians back. 
 
But it gives the Russians breathing room and means the Germans aren't going to be sending any extra troops to France any time soon.
 
A full court press into Germany from Poland would be the nightmare the Germans were really worried about for sure......but it does leave the Russian army horribly exposed if the Austrians attack north into Poland and cut the Russians off .....it might be an interesting exercise....[:)]

[j campbell]

thanks for the clarification- agreed -refits first to the west but if a korps is facing elimnation he need s to be kept up to strength (to the pt where 1 attack willnot annhilate it) thus keeping pressure on the german ef is very important.

[hjaco]

I have learned the hard way, not to defend to much to the east with Germany. I use all 7 German B corps and an HQ stacked together.

Your offensive against AH assumes, AH is not going to fight for Galicia. I choose in my last game to ignore Serbia and defend with the entire AH army in a line from Krakow to Lemberg, that is using the permanent fortresses, which are a pain for the Russians to take out as they lack siege artillery. The east side of Galicia was screened with cavalry only.

Well Russia went for EP and AH launched a spoiling offensive towards Warsaw and Brest-Litovsk, which attracted some attention from Ivan which was also the intention [:D]

Granted, Russia is a bit stronger than AH in manpower and quality, but given all factors i think it is a even match is Russia goes for AH first.

Well, that remains still to be seen.

[SMK-at-work]

Yep - if AH decides to defend Galicia then it all changes again!! 

And then you can get Serbia taking a few towns...maybe British troops landing at Scutarii in 1915 to defend vs Bulgaria, and Turkey remaining isolated......

Wonderful ain't it![8D][&o]

[sol_invictus]

Yeah, your initial deployment and guesses about opponent's deployment are real nail biters.