warspite1 (CP) Vs Colberki (Entente)

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3 of 4

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Last of 4

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Turn 41 – 6th January 1916

Austria-Hungary, Germany and Bulgaria

Ohh err..I get a note that Fort Roupel has surrendered. I have no idea where that is or what that means…

Serbia

Anyway, the Italian unit in Salonika is still there so I attack it with the Bulgarian 2nd Infantry and the 1st Sofia Garrison. Further west, the Bulgarian 1st Army and the Austrian 3rd Army and 2nd Sarajevo Garrison attack the Italian Infantry south of Tirana, forcing it to retreat.

France

I can do nothing here and in a risky move, to avoid being bombarded to hell, I move out of Calais…

Russia

The mad dash all over Russia continues, but the Russian have managed to occupy Smolensk where I send the Austrian 1st Cavalry and 3rd Lemburg Garrison together with the German 10th Infantry. The Klausenberg Garrison meanwhile heads for Tula.

Further west the Russians have a couple of Artillery that I have run into. I respond as only the Germans and Austrians know how – south of Vilna Artillery attacks a Russian Infantry, and then the 7th and 9th Austrian Armies, first push back, and then destroy, the enemy unit. I take a gamble and rush the 1st Breslau Garrison into the gap – effectively, if only temporarily, cutting the Russians in half. In the northern sector I only have three German Infantry, opposed by at least three Russian Infantry, two Garrisons and an Artillery. I decide to hold ground in the flanks but withdraw 8th Infantry to (hopefully) get him out of range.
An attack on Minsk ends my turn.

Turkey and Bulgaria

Caucasus

In the Caucasus the 7th Erzurum Garrison is almost at the unoccupied city of Krasnodar, while I attempt the surrounding out Grozni further east.

Palestine/Egypt

In Palestine all hell breaks loose. My Garrison In Aqaba pushes onto Gaza where it finds a weak British Garrison. It attacks, leaving the British unit in the city at 2-strength. Sadly I think supply is maintained (unless ZOC is in force). I send the 1st Tabuk Garrison to Aqaba and attack the now out of supply British Garrison northwest of Tabuk.

Damascus is now in British hands but I attack the Infantry there using 2nd Army. I then send 4th Infantry from Beirut to the hex north of Jerusalem, where I attack a retreating British Artillery. Finally I place the exhausted Bulgarian 3rd Infantry between the two Turkish units.

It all depends on the supply rules now…..

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And two screenies from Turn 41

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2/2

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Turn 42 – 20th January 1916

Austria-Hungary, Germany and Bulgaria

Serbia

I continue to pound the Italian Garrison in Salonika but this proves slow progress. In better news, 1st Infantry and the Austrian 2nd Sarajevo Garrison finish off the irritating Italian Garrison.

Italy

I attack the most northern Italian Infantry in the South Tyrol with three Infantry and an artillery barrage. The results were er… disappointing shall we say?

Russia

The probe towards Tula bears fruit; the city was not occupied. I begin the slow process of cutting-off Orel, Kursk and Smolensk... Ohhh er missus... I’ve come over all World War II….[X(]

Further west the Garrison in Minsk is reduced to a red 5-strength but the lack of numbers, aircraft and artillery is having an effect on progress.

France

I can do nothing here again except hold a watching brief. Paris seems a distant dream now….

I need the newly arrived 20th Infantry Army in France and Russia. I opt for the latter and hope I’ve made the

Turkey and Bulgaria

Krasnodar falls to the Turkish Garrison and Grozni is now on half-supply.

Further south the British Garrison north of Tabuk is no more.

The Bulgarian 4th Army arrives in Beirut. Disaster follows though – I went for broke…and bust. In a bid to put the British out of supply I sent 4th Army to remove the weak Garrison in Gaza. But the British unit held. In desperation I send the Garrison from Aqaba north to attack the British Artillery. I have to write these two units off or risk total annihilation. I send Bulgarian 3rd Army north of Beirut and await the inevitable…

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...and a couple of screenies from Turn 42

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..and Russia

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Turn 43 – 3rd February 1916

Austria-Hungary, Germany and Bulgaria

The Austrians have suffered further economic deterioration – down to 85% and 8 manpower quality. I can only hope that with all these cities I am taking, the Russians are close to collapse – bring on the revolution!! I wonder how many PP they are getting each turn?

Serbia

Salonika falls at last the Bulgarians. Let’s hope the Greeks stay out of the conflict from now on…
I carry out a few half-hearted attacks on Tirana. I need to let these troops get to full strength before commencing once more.

France

I can do nothing this turn.

Italy

I do nothing this turn.

Russia

The Russians must be on the verge – or so I tell myself hopefully – as further north, the German 2nd Garrison Army almost takes an unoccupied Voronezh and the Austrian 2nd Lemburg Garrison almost cuts off the Garrison in Kursk; a task completed by the 8th Infantry, moving south from Orel. The latter is also cut-off by the 3rd Lemburg Garrison.

I am perhaps overreaching myself here, but I am desperate to get the Russians out of the war. I order the Klausenburg Garrison north toward Moscow.

Further west, around Kovno-Vilna-Minsk progress remains tortuous. The Russians have an Artillery near Vilna and I move my Austrian 7th Infantry south to get out of its reach. I continue with my attempts to outflank Minsk and just hope there are no heavy Infantry units waiting to pounce.

Turkey and Bulgaria

I transport the Bulgarian 5th Infantry to Konya, with Beirut as the ultimate destination.

On the Egyptian border I continue to try and put the British out of supply. The remnants of 4th Infantry and the Garrison unit spread out between Gaza and Aqaba. At the same time the two Garrisons from Tabuk head north toward Aqaba. Sadly it looks like there is a 1-hex supply path for the British that I cannot close…. Desperate…..

In the Caucasus Grozni is surrounded and 3rd Infantry Army has almost reached the city. 2nd Erzurum Garrison heads north for Astrakhan. Further west, 7th Erzurum heads for Rostov, as does the 1st Danzig Garrison, coming from the conquered Crimea. 1st Krakow Garrison seeks to meet up with the Turkish unit by crossing the Don.

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Turn 44 – 17th February 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary & Bulgaria

Serbia

The British Garrison in Tirana is reduced to a 3-strength, but I need to start thinking about moving units to the Romanian frontier given the impending appearance of Romania on the side of the Entente.

Italy

I attack the northern most Italian unit again, and once again, fail to make any breakthrough…

France

Seeing a French Artillery being wheeled into place, I decide to take pre-emptive action. I attack a French Infantry, reducing it to a 2-strength.

Russia

2nd Garrison Army captures Voronezh, but the Klausenburg Garrison, perhaps predictably, come across a Russian Infantry in Moscow. I send the Austrian 1st Cavalry Army to assist, while the remaining two units covering Smolensk, succeed in putting the Garrison there out of supply.

Further west at Minsk, I have a choice; save my Artillery shell for the Western Front next turn or assault a Russian Garrison west of the city. The Garrison has a General attached and so is too good a target. Disappointingly this attack, followed-up with assaults by 9th Infantry and the 1s Debrecen Garrison, results in the Russian unit retreating over the river…

Turkey & Bulgaria

On the Egyptian frontier it turns out I did put the British units out of supply. However, that position was quickly rectified at the cost of a further Turkish unit. I put the existence of two Garrisons in doubt by advancing north to attack the British Artillery – and they wipe this unit out.

In the Caucasus and beyond, Rostov is put out of supply as the Austrian 1st Krakow Garrison and the 7th Erzurum Garrisons link up south of the city.

In Turkey itself a British cruiser worryingly turns up on coast south of Izmir. I divert 5th Infantry to the port just in case.

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And three screenies from Turn 44

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Turn 45 – 2nd March 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary & Bulgaria

France

Predictable.. I lose another infantry…The situation is now critical…

Italy

The Italians counter-attack. I can only repair units this turn.

Serbia

I destroy a Garrison west of Tirana, but can do nothing about the Italian Garrison in the city itself. I detect a transport off Salonika and move two Bulgarian Garrisons to southern Greece to head off the trouble.

Russia

I launch a couple of attacks against the half supply units in Orel and Smolensk with limited results and set the Austrian 3rd Lemburg Garrison toward Vitebsk and the German 2nd Garrison toward Tambov.
Further west, I surround Minsk and need to decide whether or not to attack. I decide to attack the Garrison to the north of Minsk that is also trapped in the pocket. I destroy that unit and steel myself for the counter-attack that will surely come from Vilna.

Turkey & Bulgaria

On the Egyptian border and into Palestine, the British are on half supply. The Question is, do I attack the Infantry in Damascus with my two available Infantry or not? This is such a crucial decision. The British Infantry is III quality, whereas my Infantry are V quality. I take my heart in my mouth and go for the attack….. The attack sees the British unit lose 4-strength for no loss. The success was tempered a little by a further attack using the Turkish 5th Beirut Garrison – which causes no loss for two of my own. My final attack is with the 1st Tabuk Garrison which attacks the British Infantry in Aqaba – scoring a 2-1 success.

Further north the Grozni Garrison is reduced to a 4-strength, but I do not attack Rostov this turn.

Turn 46 – 16th March 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary & Bulgaria

Serbia

I have to withdraw from Tirana with the Bulgarian 1st and Austrian 3rd Armies. Romania will soon be in the war and I need to cover this region.

France

I have to pull back with the Germans now, but I decide on one last attack. Frustratingly though this is met with the same lack of success. I attack a weakened French Infantry with Artillery, Aircraft and two Infantry…but cannot destroy the defender. I pull back next turn.

Italy

After months of making no impression on the Italians, the enemy destroys my German Infantry with their first attack…..

Russia

I attack in Rostov, reducing the Garrison there by 2; an attack on Kursk, by the 2nd Lemburg Garrison, reduces the Russian to a 9; Orel’s Garrison is now just 6 thanks to the Austrian 8th Army; the German 10th Army reduces Smolensk’s Garrison to an 8, and the German 2nd Garrison Army sees Tambov occupied.

More worryingly, the Klausenburg Garrison is badly mauled by the Moscow Infantry Army. I decide to try a risky, wide encirclement of Moscow using the 3rd Lemburg Garrison from Tula, on the right wing and the 1st Cavalry Army on the left; the latter is ordered toward Tver.

4th Lemburg Garrison comes across a 5-strength Russian Garrison in Vitebsk and I order the garrison north across the Dvina to begin the process of cutting supply to the city.

Further west, the Russians have begun to pull back. The Austrian 5th Army is attacked by a Russian Infantry. I have little choice but to leave the Minsk Garrison and keep piling units north and east. If I allow the Russians any recovery time, my thinly spread Armies and Garrisons will be toast.

The Infantry that was in Kovno has been replaced by a Garrison, and further south I can no longer see a Russian unit in Vilna. I push the Austrian 7th Infantry Army toward the city but find it occupied by a Garrison after all. I decide to move the German 8th and 11th Infantry across the Neman. I attack Vilna using the Austrian Army and the German 8th, but lose a strength point on each for the loss of 1 to the defender.

I have to stop the Russian units from retreating into the hinterland and so, having crossed the Neman I attack the most easterly Russian unit with the German 7th and Austrian 9th Armies. The Russian retreats and I send the 2nd Breslau Garrison north and west to attack him again. This is straining at the nerves…..!!

I have two units left to move this turn, an exhausted Austrian Infantry and a Garrison. I move the 1st Prague Garrison northwest to make a link between the German 7th Infantry and Breslau Garrison and then move 5th Army to the southern banks of the Dvina.

Turkey & Bulgaria

The attack on Grozni continues, and the Russian Garrison is now reduced to 2-strength. 2nd Erzurum Garrison is just two hexes from Astrakhan.

In Egypt/Palestine, the situation has been restored by the British and they are back in supply with reinforcements. However, the British Infantry in Damascus remained on half supply that turn and I destroy it with the Turkish 2nd and Bulgarian 3rd Armies. Two Battlefleets appear off Beirut and I have to move the Bulgarian 4th Army out of Beirut where he was shelled last turn.

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..and four screenies from Turn 46

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[Myrddraal]

Russia must collapse soon...

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ORIGINAL: Myrddraal

Russia must collapse soon...

warspite1

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