warspite1 (CP) Vs Colberki (Entente)

[warspite1]

Turn 47 – 30th March 1916

Germany and Austria-Hungary

Russia

The Russians still have at least two, full strength Infantry south of Riga. I leave the surrounded Russian Garrisons in Minsk and Vilna and push every available unit north. With many units on Red, this is potentially dangerous, but I have to believe the Russians are almost finished…aren’t they??

Elsewhere I continue to slowly reduce the Russian Garrisons in Orel and Kursk, while north of Moscow, 1st Cavalry Army takes Tver.

Italy

Once more my Austrian Artillery fails to record a hit…

France

I pull back to the Meuse… I have no strategic reserve…

Turkey

In the Caucasus Grozni falls to the Turkish 3rd Army and 2nd Erzurum Garrison is almost at Astrakhan. However, at Rostov, the Turkish/Austrian/German Garrison Army Group makes barely a dent in the defending Russian Garrison in Rostov.

Further south I make a big mistake, putting the Turkish 2nd Army back in Beirut where, no doubt, the Italian and French Battlefleets will pulverise it….

[warspite1]

Turn 48 – 13th April 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

The Balkans

Romania’s entry is imminent. I have three Bulgarian Armies behind the Dunarea, one is not at full strength, and two are yellow….

Italy

I can do nothing but await the next Italian offensive.

France

The position here looks ever more precarious… I sit and wait.

Russia

In the west of Russia and the Baltic States, the Russians retreat towards, and in some cases across, the Dvina. My spearhead units – the German 7th and 11th Armies - run into the main enemy forces that are safely ensconced north of that river. Damn.. I have to protect my flanks; the Austrian 7th Army and the 5th Konigsberg Garrison link forces north of Kovno to put the Garrison there on half supply. Further east, the right flank of 7th Infantry Army is held by the 2nd Breslau Garrison and the 20th Infantry. These units remain south of the river while the Austrian 5th Army drives for Pskov.

In the east of the country the widely dispersed Central Power units continue with their work of surrounding and/or reducing already surrounded pockets of resistance:

The 3rd Lemburg Garrison and the 1st Cavalry Army almost surround Moscow – they fall agonisingly one hex short, but 9th Army and the 4th Lemburg Garrison link up east of Vitebsk to surround the Garrison there. The German 10th Army further reduce the Smolensk Garrison, while the Austrian 8th Army has almost conquered Orel. A little further south the 2nd Lemburg Garrison takes a minor reverse at Kursk but it should soon benefit from the appearance of the conqueror of Orel. The German 2nd Garrison Army leaves Tambov and heads east for Saratov.

Turkey and Bulgaria

Around Beirut there is little happening while I nervously await the arrival of the British.

Further to the northeast, the 2nd Erzurum Garrison walks into Astrakhan. 3rd and 5th Infantry head north for Tsaritsyn, although that is some distance away…..

Rostov finally falls to the multi-national Central Power force (only Bulgaria not represented) and these troops are now freed up for service elsewhere.

[warspite1]

Turn 49 – 27th April 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Russia

More of the same in the east of the country (Orel falls as expected) while in the west, Pskov is captured by the Austrian 5th Army. The German 20th and 7th Armies cross the Dvina east of the main Russian Infantry, and 11th Infantry forge the river to the west. They reduce the Russian unit to 3-strength and 20th Army then engages the Russian Artillery behind.

Italy

The Italian Infantry with a General is reduced to a red 6-strength which will hopefully relieve the pressure here.

France

I can do nothing once more but wait….

Turkey and Bulgaria

A British Garrison moves south to attack the Turkish Garrison in Tabuk, otherwise I continue to wait for the important attack in the Beirut-Damascus area.

In the Caucasus the Turkish units continue to move on Tsaritsyn.

Turn 50 – 11th May 1916

Romania is in the war… rats.

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Russia

Why won’t Russia surrender???? I position troops to surround Riga before assaulting the city. Elsewhere I continue to pound the surrounded cities.

France

I continue to await the big one…

Italy

The Austrian 6th Army get smacked by an artillery barrage but the Italians do not follow it up.

Balkans

I make a pre-emptive strike against the Romanians, reducing the Bucharest Garrison to a 2.

Turkey and Bulgaria

More of the same in the North Caucasus, but in the south the British have made their move. A Cavalry unit is either looking to outflank my troops or make for Baghdad. My money is on the former but I cannot do anything until I know.

Turn 51 – 25th May 1916

There’s been a Russian Revolution!!...Hurrah!!!...but Russia is still in the war…..hurroooo…???

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Russia

More cities fall to the Central Powers, including Riga. I can only assume that the Revolution has reduced efficiency or something because that was too easy…. The good news is that the fall of the city caused the Russian Fleet to sail…straight into the waiting arms of my Subs, Cruisers and Scheer’s Battlefleet. Go get 'em Reinhardt!

Balkans

Chisnau is under threat from the Romanians, but I hope to relieve the pressure from the south. To that end, the Bulgarians take Bucharest and begin the march north.

Italy and France

I repair units only.

Turkey and Bulgaria

There’s so much going on! The Italians (it looks like) have landed in southern Turkey!

I place 20th Army in Aleppo and two Garrisons in Konya, the newly arrived 1st Konya Garrison plus the 1st Constantinople Garrison which has been railed there. I also move the Bulgarian 5th Army toward Bursa to take up a central position.

Further south I have lost sight of the British Cavalry and so send the 1st Damascus Garrison out to look for it!

[warspite1]

...and two screenies from Turn 51.

[warspite1]

2/2

[warspite1]

Turn 52 – 8th June 1916

Well I’m told there is revolution in Petrograd but…

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Balkans

The Bulgarians move north and east to discuss their border quarrels with the Romanians….

France

This is less a front now than a total mess. I am frantically trying to bring back every unit I can from the east before Germany is overrun…

Italy

My Artillery misfires and so I take no action here.

Turkey and Bulgaria

In Turkey, I manage to cut-off the British Cavalry, using the 4th Basra Garrison for this purpose. West of this, the British are finally in position for their long awaited assault on the Bulgarians at Damascus.

Finally, I send a Bulgarian Army to join the Infantry Army and two Garrison Armies seeking out the Italian that landed at Adana.

Ahhh right at the end of the turn I am asked if I want to accept the Russian surrender. Erm let me think for a nano-second…yes please.

Turn 53 – 22nd June 1916

Right, what does the Russian surrender mean? I don’t know. My units are still in Russia. I best read the rule book… er right. I assume the territory is all mine – unless cities were occupied – in which case they are the surrendered nation?

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Germany

The fall of Russia could not have come a moment too soon as the Western Front will soon be back on the German frontier from north to south.

I move my units in Russia as quickly as possible to that front, but the distances are so great, there will be no quick respite for the beleaguered troops fighting in Belgium…..

Italy

I do nothing here.

Balkans

The Romanians are getting a pasting from their Bulgarian neighbours. The Bulgarian 2nd and 6th Armies join forces with the Austrian 3rd Army and trap a Romanian Infantry on the coast north of Constanta – the defender is reduced to a 1–strength.

Turkey and Bulgaria

In the Caucasus I try and get units back to Central Turkey as quickly as possible. It’s going to be a slow process.

Meanwhile the 1st Damascus and 4th Basra Garrisons try and locate the British Cavalry. 1st Damascus comes across the British unit and quickly reduces it to a 6-strength.

In the south, the British continue to reduce the Garrison in Tabuk, while in the Beirut-Damascus area, the Allied Battlefleets bombard the 5th Beirut Garrison in that city. I do not panic yet and hold station with my troops.

Further north, the Bulgarian 5th Infantry Army and the two Turkish Garrisons reduce the Italian Garrison at Adana to a 4-strength.

[warspite1]

...and two screenies from Turn 53

[warspite1]

2/2

[Myrddraal]

The Romanian's must be well pissed off... Join the Entente cause only for your only regional ally to surrender...

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Myrddraal

The Romanian's must be well pissed off... Join the Entente cause only for your only regional ally to surrender...

warspite1

Indeed, I think the decision making process in Bucharest went a little awry.... [;)]

[warspite1]

Turn 54 – 6th July 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Germany

The pull-back continues. I need to trade space for time – but unlike the Russians, I simply do not have the space..

Italy

Nothing happening here again..

The Balkans

The Austrian 3rd Army kills off the Romanian north of Constanta, allowing the Bulgarian 1st, and 6th Armies to take the port itself. To the north, a mixed force of Germans, Austrians and Bulgarians begin the process of surrounding the remaining Romanians around Iasi.

Turkey and Bulgaria

Still the British do not attack in Beirut – Damascus?? What has Colberki got up his sleeve? Anyway, I can’t be worried about what may be happening – I have plenty to worry about for real…

Firstly I get rid of the pesky British Cavalry. That is handy – I need those Garrisons elsewhere. Then I turn my attention to Adana, where the newly arrived Turkish 20th Army sends the Italian unit to oblivion. This is handy; I can start to send these units to where they will be more usefully employed.

[devoncop]

Would it not be quicker to disband your Eastern troops and reform them in the West?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

Would it not be quicker to disband your Eastern troops and reform them in the West?

warspite1

I have lost every PBEM game I've played (and I've played a lot!) except one (my opponent conceded today - Hussah!). I suspect that that is a combination of, primarily, being a rubbish wargamer, but also I refused to do gamey things. That is a personal choice - not a criticism of those who do.

I must admit though that having played this particular game for so long, and having forced a revolution in Russia, when I saw that the Americans are close to coming in, I went back on that decision. From a couple of turns ago - way too late for a sensible wargamer I know - I have actually begun disbanding those troops thousands of miles away.

The decision not to disband may have cost me the game but there you go - each to their own.

[devoncop]

Total respect for your reasoning.I am playing Colberki in MP at moment as CP and he is a top player in my opinion. As such,given the Entente huge artillery advantage we give ourselves a big task avoiding disbandment, but I am with you re it being gamey. For the same reason I dont Naval bombard Petrograd.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: devoncop

Total respect for your reasoning.I am playing Colberki in MP at moment as CP and he is a top player in my opinion. As such,given the Entente huge artillery advantage we give ourselves a big task avoiding disbandment, but I am with you re it being gamey. For the same reason I dont Naval bombard Petrograd.

warspite1

Yes, agreed Colberki is a very good player and he moves the game along at a good pace, which is always good [&o]

[warspite1]

Hello Colberki - come to get some intel? [;)]

[warspite1]

Turn 55 – 20th July 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Germany

I am not sure where the Allied Fleets are and take a gamble – Scheer and the High Seas Fleet sail into the Heligoland Bight and attack – and almost destroy – a British Cruiser. I guess I am about to find out where the rest of their ships are!

Not a moment too soon, some of my troops from Russia are at last starting to get to the Western Front…. Brussels has been taken back by the Entente, but I manage to destroy a French Infantry southwest of Liege using 16th and 18th Armies.

Italy

I have to do some shuffling of the front due to a successful enemy Artillery strike, but otherwise this front remains a stalemate.

The Balkans

I send my Bulgarian Infantry north to try and deal with the last three Romanian units, while to the south, fighting still rages in Serbia – the Italian Garrison on half-supply is still there.

Turkey and Bulgaria

The British finish off my Garrison in Tabuk. Maybe they are waiting for those troops before attacking at Beirut-Damascus?? Anyway, fresh on the heels of successfully destroying the British Cavalry, I send my two Garrisons toward Baghdad.

I continue to move units in Russia and the Caucasus toward the Turkish homeland.

[warspite1]

With the Picture of Germany from Turn 55 - don't know why it is not showing up in the above post??

[warspite1]

Turn 56 – 3rd August 1916

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria

Mmm… there was no response to the High Seas Fleet in the Heligoland Bight. The Royal Navy are clearly up to something elsewhere…. Where though? Holland? The Balkans? Turkey?

Germany

Troops continue to pour back from the Eastern Front but it takes forever..did I mention that already?
I straighten my line by pulling back further. This reduces the frontage by one hex only and means I have to give up Liege, but also gives further time for reinforcements.

The Balkans

I launch a futile, and costly, attack against the Romanian Infantry south of Iasi. This will be a tough nut to crack. I need the German 2nd Artillery (currently east of Lemburg) before resuming the offensive.

The Tirana Garrison stubbornly continues to resist – but is now down to a 2-strength.

Italy

Nothing happening here.

Turkey and Bulgaria

The British continue with a holding action at Beirut Damascus – an Artillery barrage against the Bulgarian 3rd Infantry being the sole effort this turn.

[warspite1]

Its done it again [&:][&:]