I posted this on Mad Cows, so may as well crosspost it here.
I'm playing the Central Powers versus the AI. The overall strategy being pursued is to try and knock Russia out of the war asap and maintain a purely defensive line in the West.
The Opening Guns
As we won't be declaring war on Belgium, the German units on the Belgian border are sent to the areas around Thorn and Konigsberg to make a more muscular Eastern Front. Diplomatic overtures are made to Belgium to make sure they stay neutral, the last thing I want is a long Western Front.
Warsaw, Lublin, Vilna and Belgrade fall on August 1914. Skopje falls in October, remaining Serb resistance holes up in the mountains.
Good progress in the German sector of the Eastern Front but the Austrian offensive stalls after minimal gains.
All quiet on the Western Front. Over winter trenches are dug on both sides.
January 1915 sees a French offensive near the Swiss border. The Germans fall back, Stuttgart is threatened and newly mobilised troops badly needed on the Eastern Front are brought in to check the advance.
Spring 1915
Eastern Front
In Spring 1915 two offensives begin on the Eastern Front. A Russian advance recaptures Lublin while CP forces work their way onto Brest-Litovsk. German units under von Below make slow progress eastwards, Austrian units attack but are repulsed meanwhile. By May German forces are the gates of Brest-Litovsk and the Russians are pulling back in disarray.
Balkans Front
Serbia is still in the war with a pocket of resistance around Scutari, though the rest of the country is now in Austrian hands. They cling on by a fingernail, repulsing an Austrian attack in April.
Western Front
While this is going on the French open a new offensive on the Western Front, it is turned back with heavy losses and minimal gains, but the German units there suffer as well.
Caucasus Front
In keeping with the East First strategy the Ottoman Empire, having entered the war back in 1914, has been struggling to prepare the Caucasus Front for action. In April 1915 Ottoman forces are finally ready and march unopposed into Batum on the Black Sea coast.
Early Summer 1915
Eastern Front
A big battle develops just outside Brest-Litovsk. As in the month long WW1 variety. Over three months German forces slowly take Brest-Litovsk at massive cost. The only consolation is that the Russians suffer even more, as Brest-Litovsk finally falls at the end of June.
A bit further south the Third Battle of Lublin begins. A smaller version of the above attritional struggle, eventually after repeated assaults the Austrians manage to recapture the town. And are then promptly kicked out again.
Caucasus Front
In May Ottoman forces find a stiffening opposition, as assaults on Tblisi and on unremarkable mountains are repulsed. The front then goes quiet.
Balkans Front
Lack of supplies has meant that Austria has made no more assaults here.
Western Front
The French offensive becomes a general offensive across the entire front, more sporadic in the north and more sustained in the south. Entente artillery superiority is telling, the German front collapses on the mountains west of Strasbourg and the French make a tiny advance. Farther south the French get one hex from Stuttgart and then the German high command consider the situation serious enough to mount a counteroffensive. Crown Prince Wilhelm's forces promptly push the over extended and now trenchless French back to the Swiss border and so secure the front.
Midsummer 1915
State of the war
There is a serious armaments and supply shortage in Germany - what armaments there are go to the Western Front for a change, to stave off collapse. And an even more serious one in Austria. In the East this isnt so bad as great gaps are appearing in the Russian lines. In the West this could be bad as the French form a dense mass of troops against a thinned German line, but as of yet the situation appears manageable. Minsk is our next key objective but with supplies in the state they are its questionable whether this will be achievable. R&D is working on assault troops at the moment - thinking long term here, when/if Russia collapses and the eye turns back to the West - and the Imperial German Navy remains in port while a reinforced submarine arm works (restricted) warfare in the North Atlantic.
Naval War
A sortie by a couple of dreadnoughts of the Austrian Navy into the Western Med meets a British cruiser, and blows hell out of it. I doubt I'll be seeing that again. Then they are jumped by French warships. Dreadnought battle ensures, the French have the upper hand.
In the Atlantic U-boats - I reinforced the submarine arm so I have four squadrons now - seem to be doing a good job on British transports, about half a dozen hit!
Eastern Front
A shortage of cavalry (they all died ages ago) hampers my advance despite the gaps in Russian lines. Some Austrian cavalry get sent to the immobile Germans on the Baltic coast in June.
Third Battle of Lublin begins as Austrians assault the now familiar city and recapture it. A shell shortage means artillery support is fleeting,
Second Battle of Vilna sees Russians recapture the town in July 1915. It stays in Russian hands as the main body of German troops is elsewhere, closing in on Minsk - now one hex away. Pretty big battles but the Russians are unable to stop the Hun horde.
Western Front
Another French offensive aimed at Strasbourg gets nowhere. Strasbourg is heavily fortified now. Casualties are 4 to 1 in the Central Powers favour.
Caucasus Front
I dunno if this is an AI fart or something but the Russians evacuated Tblisi, so the Ottomans promptly pounced on it. Those Russkies seem to have ended up around Minsk, which is now covered by troops at Western Front levels of troop concentration. Which Avails Russia Not In Battle.
Balkans Front
Stalemate. The Multinational Empire just cannot take Scutari. Austrian units in the mountains north of the final Serb outpost simply cannot improve their readiness it seems. A freshly raised German corps has been dispatched to help the Austrians. Familiar story. It has not yet arrived. And may not, as Italy pitches in on the side of the Entente... Austria is going to be squeezed like a lemon. Pondering sending Ottoman forces to the Alps! except that British forces are now on the Ottoman borders...
And now, bedtime, so the war is on pause.
Morale/war exhaustion so far
Germany : Excellent
Austria : Excellent
France : Excellent
Russia : Wavering
Britain : Excellent
Ottomans : Excellent
Serbia : Weak
Casualties
Central Powers : 2,154,000
Triple Entente : 4,041,000
Logistical situation : Bad! Austria has no shell stockpile at all. Germany has a small one, but Germany is using them at a great rate to keep up attrition on the Western Front.
Mini AAR
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sol_invictus
- Posts: 1960
- Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: Kentucky
RE: Mini AAR
Nice AAR. Germany certainly has an uphill climb in this game. I dread playing against a TE player. I don't believe you need to use Diplomatic Points on Belgium, since they will never join the TE unless attcked by the CP, IIRC.
"The fruit of too much liberty is slavery", Cicero
RE: Mini AAR
Nice, I was wondering about an East first, no Belgium strategy. I thought it might be unbeatable but it looks like another nail biter.
RE: Mini AAR
Late summer 1915
Western Front
Another French attack aimed at Strasbourg succeeds in moving one hex from the city. Once again Crown Prince Wilhelm leads a counteroffensive. This one is less sure than the earlier one as the Germans are quite battered on the Western Front and the BEF are now beginning to reinforce the French in significant numbers. They are beaten off, and then the Entente offensive continues and Strasbourg falls!
Needless to say there is an immediate counteroffensive by the Germans, this time not limited but across the entire Western Front, and Strasbourg is recaptured - only to fall again!
The Western Front nears collapse, and this is going to entail some hard decisions I think...
Eastern Front
A massive artillery barrage opens up on Minsk at the end of September 1915 after a month of preparatory movement. The Russian defenders are outnumbered 2 to 1 and are of low quality, the city promptly falls to the Kaiser's troops with acceptable losses.
Italian Front
Calling it a front is a bit optimistic, aside from two Austrian corps holding Trieste and two German corps in the Alps, there is barely a front here at all. Trent falls to the Italians with a small fight, but this is another area which needs troops, right now.
The Italian forces manage to push across the Alps which is bad news, and are on the verge of linking up on the Western Front.
Balkans Front
All quiet.
Caucasus Front
All quiet.
November-December 1915
A marked shift of resources towards defence this strategic turn. Also a shift of air power, formerly focused on Russia, to the Western Front. Bulgaria joins the Central Powers, Bulgarian forces are off to Serbia to finish those *censored* off.
Western Front
North and south of Strasbourg French/British forces assault well dug in Germans, and are repulsed. Strasbourg remains a precarious Entente salient into Central Powers territory. But still the Western Front is on the brink it seems to me. Thank god its winter, a long set of combat turns would finish me off I think...
Eastern Front
A somewhat halfhearted advance along the Baltic coast is checked by Russian forces. Further south the Austrians get mixed results, advancing on Rowno, but Czernowicz is captured by Russians, surprisingly.
Balkans Front
Bulgarians are walking (it'll be a while) from Bulgaria to the mountains, till then quiet. I /need/ Serbia gone so I can release the forces there to other Fronts.
Caucasus Front
Quiet. I still got the important hexes so I'm staying put.
Italian Front
Has now been contained, with weary Austrian forces positioned across the Trieste-Munich line.
There is a ray of sunlight, Russian morale is now "Weak". One... more... push...
Western Front
Another French attack aimed at Strasbourg succeeds in moving one hex from the city. Once again Crown Prince Wilhelm leads a counteroffensive. This one is less sure than the earlier one as the Germans are quite battered on the Western Front and the BEF are now beginning to reinforce the French in significant numbers. They are beaten off, and then the Entente offensive continues and Strasbourg falls!
Needless to say there is an immediate counteroffensive by the Germans, this time not limited but across the entire Western Front, and Strasbourg is recaptured - only to fall again!
The Western Front nears collapse, and this is going to entail some hard decisions I think...
Eastern Front
A massive artillery barrage opens up on Minsk at the end of September 1915 after a month of preparatory movement. The Russian defenders are outnumbered 2 to 1 and are of low quality, the city promptly falls to the Kaiser's troops with acceptable losses.
Italian Front
Calling it a front is a bit optimistic, aside from two Austrian corps holding Trieste and two German corps in the Alps, there is barely a front here at all. Trent falls to the Italians with a small fight, but this is another area which needs troops, right now.
The Italian forces manage to push across the Alps which is bad news, and are on the verge of linking up on the Western Front.
Balkans Front
All quiet.
Caucasus Front
All quiet.
November-December 1915
A marked shift of resources towards defence this strategic turn. Also a shift of air power, formerly focused on Russia, to the Western Front. Bulgaria joins the Central Powers, Bulgarian forces are off to Serbia to finish those *censored* off.
Western Front
North and south of Strasbourg French/British forces assault well dug in Germans, and are repulsed. Strasbourg remains a precarious Entente salient into Central Powers territory. But still the Western Front is on the brink it seems to me. Thank god its winter, a long set of combat turns would finish me off I think...
Eastern Front
A somewhat halfhearted advance along the Baltic coast is checked by Russian forces. Further south the Austrians get mixed results, advancing on Rowno, but Czernowicz is captured by Russians, surprisingly.
Balkans Front
Bulgarians are walking (it'll be a while) from Bulgaria to the mountains, till then quiet. I /need/ Serbia gone so I can release the forces there to other Fronts.
Caucasus Front
Quiet. I still got the important hexes so I'm staying put.
Italian Front
Has now been contained, with weary Austrian forces positioned across the Trieste-Munich line.
There is a ray of sunlight, Russian morale is now "Weak". One... more... push...
RE: Mini AAR
January-February 1916
A quiet set of turns.
A continuous battering of assaults from the Entente bounce off my now even more solidly dug in troops. The Western Front gets all my refits and the situation is contained. Aerial recon shows but a single British corps holding the neck of the Strasbourg salient. I hope it stays that way.
The Eastern Front goes quiet, both sides are completely exhausted. The Supreme War Lord is heartened to hear that Revolution has broken out in Russia! Though he fears for whats going to happen to Alix and Nicky...
March-April 1916
A mass of raw materials is sent from the Ottoman Empire to ailing Germany. The Entente naval blockade has Germany by the scrotes but hopefully we can keep going for 1916 at full industrial pelt at least. The strategic choices remain defensive, a lot of refitting, not much spent on command for offensives. The Eastern Front is going to sit tight now while the revolution there burns. As fast as is possible given the rail network, in fact, the Eastern Front is headed West.
Western Front
Strasbourg looks fairly exposed and after a winter of resupply the Kaiser and His Generals deem the time right for a counteroffensive. But despite 2 to 1 advantages and a massed artillery barrage the Kaisers forces are repulsed at heavy loss. Its bad to be on the attacking side on the Western Front...
Italian Front
Making matters worse, Trieste falls to Italian forces in March 1916.
Balkans Front
Bulgarians march to Serbia...
May-June 1916
The Western Front continues to be beaten down. Metz falls to the Entente. But a wealth of resupply is arriving now, and the German line is stiffening a lot. I anticipate the odd counteroffensive at the end of 1916, and in 1917 hopefully it'll be Hammer Time. For now though its still a lot of pain.
Balkans Front
Bulgarians show up finally and promptly assault the mountain ranges around Scutari. Going is good, and by the end of June 1916 Scutari finally falls to Austrian and Bulgarian forces. Bulgaria's entry proved enough to tip the balance.
Eastern Front
All quiet, the Kerensky government doesn't seem to be making any offensive moves. Neither am I...
Italian Front
This is just another disaster area, the British/Italian forces are advancing whenever they push, fortunately nothing important bar Munich is being threatened. It's being shored up though, by June 1916 the number of Central Powers forces there has doubled, hopefully the Entente advance will be checked.
A quiet set of turns.
A continuous battering of assaults from the Entente bounce off my now even more solidly dug in troops. The Western Front gets all my refits and the situation is contained. Aerial recon shows but a single British corps holding the neck of the Strasbourg salient. I hope it stays that way.
The Eastern Front goes quiet, both sides are completely exhausted. The Supreme War Lord is heartened to hear that Revolution has broken out in Russia! Though he fears for whats going to happen to Alix and Nicky...
March-April 1916
A mass of raw materials is sent from the Ottoman Empire to ailing Germany. The Entente naval blockade has Germany by the scrotes but hopefully we can keep going for 1916 at full industrial pelt at least. The strategic choices remain defensive, a lot of refitting, not much spent on command for offensives. The Eastern Front is going to sit tight now while the revolution there burns. As fast as is possible given the rail network, in fact, the Eastern Front is headed West.
Western Front
Strasbourg looks fairly exposed and after a winter of resupply the Kaiser and His Generals deem the time right for a counteroffensive. But despite 2 to 1 advantages and a massed artillery barrage the Kaisers forces are repulsed at heavy loss. Its bad to be on the attacking side on the Western Front...
Italian Front
Making matters worse, Trieste falls to Italian forces in March 1916.
Balkans Front
Bulgarians march to Serbia...
May-June 1916
The Western Front continues to be beaten down. Metz falls to the Entente. But a wealth of resupply is arriving now, and the German line is stiffening a lot. I anticipate the odd counteroffensive at the end of 1916, and in 1917 hopefully it'll be Hammer Time. For now though its still a lot of pain.
Balkans Front
Bulgarians show up finally and promptly assault the mountain ranges around Scutari. Going is good, and by the end of June 1916 Scutari finally falls to Austrian and Bulgarian forces. Bulgaria's entry proved enough to tip the balance.
Eastern Front
All quiet, the Kerensky government doesn't seem to be making any offensive moves. Neither am I...
Italian Front
This is just another disaster area, the British/Italian forces are advancing whenever they push, fortunately nothing important bar Munich is being threatened. It's being shored up though, by June 1916 the number of Central Powers forces there has doubled, hopefully the Entente advance will be checked.
RE: Mini AAR
July-August 1916
Serbia surrenders! But Greece now enters the war on the side of the Triple Entente! the pain just doesn't end.
Overall the situation is now :-
Germany : Strong
Austria : Strong
France : Excellent
Russia : Weak
Britain : Strong
Italy : Excellent
Ottomans : Excellent
Serbia : Conquered
Bulgaria : Excellent
Greece : Excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 4,131,000
Triple Entente : 6,618,000
Germany is showing the pain, Exhausted level 1, morale down to 68%, and no food. Austria and the Ottoman Empire send raw materials and food to Germany but its not enough!
Western Front
A large German offensive after the refit breaks over the Entente troops. Strasbourg gets a massive arty strike and then the infantry go over the top and the city is recaptured (I wouldnt wanna live there, its changed hands a good half dozen times now!). Just as well as there still arent enough shells to keep pounding month after month.
The situation is still critical here though, by attacking I'm not actually trying to push the enemy back, merely stabilise the front.
A number of Entente attacks hit various locations, all fail, but it doesn't help my troop buildup.
Italian Front
The Entente has actually pushed up behind the Western Front and is headed for Stuttgart around the back. They advance another hex, but several other assaults aimed towards Vienna are beaten off by the Austrians.
Salonika Front
Is in the process of being constructed with Austrian and Bulgarian forces.
September-October 1916
Can you believe the Atlantic is controlled by the Central Powers? Nothing sailing there. Maybe my subs have so destroyed Britain's trade fleet the Royal Navy is in port till they've rebuilt some transports? It would explain Britain's morale being downgraded to Strong - I've not actually killed many Brits in the trenches yet.
The Ottoman Empire has been sucked dry to feed Germany and keep its factories going, so the industrial situation is getting bad now.
Egyptian Front
Ottoman cavalry units cross the border into colonial Egypt. No opposition yet, the objective is Cairo. The Ottomans have quite an arms stockpile now, 50 arms, which is a lot given their puny industrial base.
Caucasus Front
Now being denuded of troops to support an Ottoman offensive into Egypt.
Western Front
Stuttgart falls to the Entente, trapping a number of German corps behind enemy lines! I got a lot of aerial recon there this turn and what they see is not good. Even with reinforcement I'm outnumbered!
An assault is launched out of desperation to try and relieve those cut off troops, it fails needless to say.
And in very,very bad news - the Kerensky government puts the Bolsheviks down, so it looks like we'll still be fighting Russia.
November-December 1916
Western Front
A new toy has been invented by German chemists. Chlorine gas is released just prior to an assault designed to relieve my surrounded forces. Just in the nick of time, this new superweapon succeeds in driving back the surprised enemy.
Italian Front
The pressure remains inexorable. Entente forces now approach Salzburg.
Balkans Front
Austrian and Bulgarian forces besiege Salonika, which is defended by the British. Quite ably, as the CP forces are repulsed by a huge force, firepower 190! The Brits are there to stay, clearly.
Serbia surrenders! But Greece now enters the war on the side of the Triple Entente! the pain just doesn't end.
Overall the situation is now :-
Germany : Strong
Austria : Strong
France : Excellent
Russia : Weak
Britain : Strong
Italy : Excellent
Ottomans : Excellent
Serbia : Conquered
Bulgaria : Excellent
Greece : Excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 4,131,000
Triple Entente : 6,618,000
Germany is showing the pain, Exhausted level 1, morale down to 68%, and no food. Austria and the Ottoman Empire send raw materials and food to Germany but its not enough!
Western Front
A large German offensive after the refit breaks over the Entente troops. Strasbourg gets a massive arty strike and then the infantry go over the top and the city is recaptured (I wouldnt wanna live there, its changed hands a good half dozen times now!). Just as well as there still arent enough shells to keep pounding month after month.
The situation is still critical here though, by attacking I'm not actually trying to push the enemy back, merely stabilise the front.
A number of Entente attacks hit various locations, all fail, but it doesn't help my troop buildup.
Italian Front
The Entente has actually pushed up behind the Western Front and is headed for Stuttgart around the back. They advance another hex, but several other assaults aimed towards Vienna are beaten off by the Austrians.
Salonika Front
Is in the process of being constructed with Austrian and Bulgarian forces.
September-October 1916
Can you believe the Atlantic is controlled by the Central Powers? Nothing sailing there. Maybe my subs have so destroyed Britain's trade fleet the Royal Navy is in port till they've rebuilt some transports? It would explain Britain's morale being downgraded to Strong - I've not actually killed many Brits in the trenches yet.
The Ottoman Empire has been sucked dry to feed Germany and keep its factories going, so the industrial situation is getting bad now.
Egyptian Front
Ottoman cavalry units cross the border into colonial Egypt. No opposition yet, the objective is Cairo. The Ottomans have quite an arms stockpile now, 50 arms, which is a lot given their puny industrial base.
Caucasus Front
Now being denuded of troops to support an Ottoman offensive into Egypt.
Western Front
Stuttgart falls to the Entente, trapping a number of German corps behind enemy lines! I got a lot of aerial recon there this turn and what they see is not good. Even with reinforcement I'm outnumbered!
An assault is launched out of desperation to try and relieve those cut off troops, it fails needless to say.
And in very,very bad news - the Kerensky government puts the Bolsheviks down, so it looks like we'll still be fighting Russia.
November-December 1916
Western Front
A new toy has been invented by German chemists. Chlorine gas is released just prior to an assault designed to relieve my surrounded forces. Just in the nick of time, this new superweapon succeeds in driving back the surprised enemy.
Italian Front
The pressure remains inexorable. Entente forces now approach Salzburg.
Balkans Front
Austrian and Bulgarian forces besiege Salonika, which is defended by the British. Quite ably, as the CP forces are repulsed by a huge force, firepower 190! The Brits are there to stay, clearly.
RE: Mini AAR
January 1917 sees another round of failed attacks from all sides on the Western Front. (I didnt use any gas, I'm saving it).
March-April 1917
Strategically the situation is extremely grim, so to match my pessimism industry is set towards defence.
Western Front
Strasbourg remains in my hands but only just, its surrounded on all sides bar 1, the Ypres of this game. The troops there arent well dug in either. Efforts are made to seriously dig in and get trench levels up to 3 all over the Western Front and no offensive moves are planned or made.
But not true for the Entente. Mainz, which was not all that well defended, falls.
Eastern Front
The news that Kerensky's government is keeping Russia in the war has seriously blown the pooch here. As its hard to advance in Russia due to its sheer size (Riga is a loooong way away and thats the next big city) things have turned to defence here too. Fortunately it looks like the Russians are unable to launch a proper offensive.
Balkans Front
The mass of Brits in Salonika has brought about some panic. My troops here are digging in too! Dig dig dig.
Mesopotamian Front
Oh yes, the Brits are here as well. Basra falls to a single British corps. A single Ottoman corps is pulled down from the Caucasus to stop it advancing unopposed to Baghdad.
Egyptian Front
The Ottoman offensive slowly inches forward, but only as there is no resistance. They arrive outside Cairo...
May-June 1917
Western Front
Entente assaults northwest of Mainz are forced back, those trenches are the toughest ones I got. 5 to 1 casualties inflicted. But my tenuous grasp of Strasbourg fails and the French capture the city.
Aside from that, its artillery duels all the way. I do seem to have the greater weight of shell but they seem to have way more troops than I do... So heavy is the weight of shell it seems to me that an Entente corps at Mainz is destroyed completely by it (I have air superiority at least!).
Mesopotamian Front
The Brits have vanished so Ottoman cavalry is inching back over towards Basra again.
Egyptian Front
Ottoman troops march into Cairo unopposed. Only after I capture it do Brits turn up, in defence around Alexandria. I'm sceptical of the Ottoman's ability to attack an equal number of British, so I settle back and wait.
I dont have to wait long, as the British immediately launch an offensive, causing two Ottoman corps to be handled very roughly. That eats up most of the Ottoman arms stockpile right there. I still have Cairo though...
Eastern Front
I tend to have a single corps on each hex of the line now, but its at maximum strength, and dug in to at least level 2 trenches. The Russians do try to attack every so often, they've not come close to taking anything. I'm still parked at Minsk.
July-August 1917
Some naval activity as Germany scrapes up enough naval points to act, the Baltic is cleared of Russian predreadnoughts again and transports set to work. The U-boat arm is the one success story really, another half a dozen British transports get hit at least once.
Western Front
Lots of artillery again. I think I'm coming off better though as I got the deeper trenches. 
Another assault on my strongpoint NW of Mainz, another defeat for the French, 4 to 1 casualties. Their quality is down to 6 I notice.
Eastern Front
The Russians fire a few shells, score 1 hit on the whole front. All quiet on the eastern front?
Egyptian Front
British forces try and retake Cairo in August 1917. They fail at first but a second attempt forces the Turks back over the Sinai.
Mesopotamian Front
Basra is recaptured without a fight by the Ottomans, the British are too busy with Egypt it seems.
America joins the Entente!
March-April 1917
Strategically the situation is extremely grim, so to match my pessimism industry is set towards defence.
Western Front
Strasbourg remains in my hands but only just, its surrounded on all sides bar 1, the Ypres of this game. The troops there arent well dug in either. Efforts are made to seriously dig in and get trench levels up to 3 all over the Western Front and no offensive moves are planned or made.
But not true for the Entente. Mainz, which was not all that well defended, falls.
Eastern Front
The news that Kerensky's government is keeping Russia in the war has seriously blown the pooch here. As its hard to advance in Russia due to its sheer size (Riga is a loooong way away and thats the next big city) things have turned to defence here too. Fortunately it looks like the Russians are unable to launch a proper offensive.
Balkans Front
The mass of Brits in Salonika has brought about some panic. My troops here are digging in too! Dig dig dig.
Mesopotamian Front
Oh yes, the Brits are here as well. Basra falls to a single British corps. A single Ottoman corps is pulled down from the Caucasus to stop it advancing unopposed to Baghdad.
Egyptian Front
The Ottoman offensive slowly inches forward, but only as there is no resistance. They arrive outside Cairo...
May-June 1917
Western Front
Entente assaults northwest of Mainz are forced back, those trenches are the toughest ones I got. 5 to 1 casualties inflicted. But my tenuous grasp of Strasbourg fails and the French capture the city.
Aside from that, its artillery duels all the way. I do seem to have the greater weight of shell but they seem to have way more troops than I do... So heavy is the weight of shell it seems to me that an Entente corps at Mainz is destroyed completely by it (I have air superiority at least!).
Mesopotamian Front
The Brits have vanished so Ottoman cavalry is inching back over towards Basra again.
Egyptian Front
Ottoman troops march into Cairo unopposed. Only after I capture it do Brits turn up, in defence around Alexandria. I'm sceptical of the Ottoman's ability to attack an equal number of British, so I settle back and wait.
I dont have to wait long, as the British immediately launch an offensive, causing two Ottoman corps to be handled very roughly. That eats up most of the Ottoman arms stockpile right there. I still have Cairo though...
Eastern Front
I tend to have a single corps on each hex of the line now, but its at maximum strength, and dug in to at least level 2 trenches. The Russians do try to attack every so often, they've not come close to taking anything. I'm still parked at Minsk.
July-August 1917
Some naval activity as Germany scrapes up enough naval points to act, the Baltic is cleared of Russian predreadnoughts again and transports set to work. The U-boat arm is the one success story really, another half a dozen British transports get hit at least once.
Western Front
Lots of artillery again. I think I'm coming off better though as I got the deeper trenches.
Another assault on my strongpoint NW of Mainz, another defeat for the French, 4 to 1 casualties. Their quality is down to 6 I notice.
Eastern Front
The Russians fire a few shells, score 1 hit on the whole front. All quiet on the eastern front?
Egyptian Front
British forces try and retake Cairo in August 1917. They fail at first but a second attempt forces the Turks back over the Sinai.
Mesopotamian Front
Basra is recaptured without a fight by the Ottomans, the British are too busy with Egypt it seems.
America joins the Entente!
RE: Mini AAR
September-December 1917
The US makes its presence felt immediately with US destroyers hitting a U-boat in the Atlantic.
Turkish warships meanwhile cruise the Black Sea and beat on a Russian cruiser.
Western Front
A big big barrage strikes Entente forces southeast of Mainz in September and then the infantry go in. Entente trenches are poor, the place is captured for 3 losses and my troopers barely break a sweat, while the French lose 16.
They keep on walking, and capture Mainz.
Over winter a German troop buildup begins near Stuttgart, which I plan on recapturing.
It seems the overall troop balance has begun to shift back in my favour again though only marginally, 1917 has seen a hell of a lot of Central Powers production focused on armaments, and I've not made a serious offensive since 1916.
Italian Front
Stalemated across the whole front, nobody making any moves. I got the bigger trenches though if that means anything.
Balkans Front
Stalemate. Which is good. The British have a huge force in Salonika still, I'm glad its not being used!
Mesopotamian Front
The Turks are happy for status quo ante bellum, parked in the Sinai and in Basra. British forces are about equal in number corps for corps but the Brit units are about twice as good, so again I'm glad there are no offensives going on here.
The US makes its presence felt immediately with US destroyers hitting a U-boat in the Atlantic.
Turkish warships meanwhile cruise the Black Sea and beat on a Russian cruiser.
Western Front
A big big barrage strikes Entente forces southeast of Mainz in September and then the infantry go in. Entente trenches are poor, the place is captured for 3 losses and my troopers barely break a sweat, while the French lose 16.
They keep on walking, and capture Mainz.
Over winter a German troop buildup begins near Stuttgart, which I plan on recapturing.
It seems the overall troop balance has begun to shift back in my favour again though only marginally, 1917 has seen a hell of a lot of Central Powers production focused on armaments, and I've not made a serious offensive since 1916.
Italian Front
Stalemated across the whole front, nobody making any moves. I got the bigger trenches though if that means anything.
Balkans Front
Stalemate. Which is good. The British have a huge force in Salonika still, I'm glad its not being used!
Mesopotamian Front
The Turks are happy for status quo ante bellum, parked in the Sinai and in Basra. British forces are about equal in number corps for corps but the Brit units are about twice as good, so again I'm glad there are no offensives going on here.
RE: Mini AAR
January-February 1918
Morale
Germany : Good
Austria : Good
France : Strong
Britain : Strong
Italy : Excellent
Ottomans : Strong
Romania : Excellent
Bulgaria : Excellent
Greece : Excellent
America : Excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 6,111,000
Triple Entente : 9,021,000
Western Front
A Christmas offensive retakes both Strasbourg and Stuttgart. The Western Front has a very odd shape indeed now, there is a gap in the enemy lines right in front of me at Stuttgart as I punched my way through there. TO the south there is a big French force but thats now the Italian front, right? :p As that line goes all the way to Trieste.
No German offensives planned for the winter, but we have assault troops now, so several units are outfitted as stormtroopers, ready for the Spring...
...sounds familiar...
Eastern Front
All quiet on the Eastern Front.
Balkans Front
All quiet here too!
March-April 1918
Western Front
Assault troops go in for the first time north of Strasbourg. Aerial recon reveals a very weakly held British line so this should be cake, despite another shell shortage. I even forgo the chlorine, as I want to keep that handy for special occasions.
They succeed in holding the ground despite an Entente counterattack, unfortunately their readiness drops right to 4 so next impulse they rest.
The other fronts are all quiet. There was however some naval action in the Eastern Med. The Turkish BC Goeben was sunk by French naval forces.
May-June 1918
Western Front
Metz is recaptured, it looks like the French can't handle the really long front line they are defending, but my troops are exhausted.
Fortunately there is another stack of assault troops ready to take up the banner and they go in on a French strongpoint with a big stack of retreating Entente units. They get some chlorine gas to help. And its an Entente slaughter! German losses 12 and 1 readiness, Entente losses 50 and 6 readiness.
We're back to the French border again.
Italian Front
Salzburg is at a salient in the Entente line, a mostly Austrian force attacks and dislodges it. This seems to provoke the Entente AI as next turn a mass of Italian and British units are stacked up on Alps in front of me.
Morale
Germany : Good
Austria : Good
France : Strong
Britain : Strong
Italy : Excellent
Ottomans : Strong
Romania : Excellent
Bulgaria : Excellent
Greece : Excellent
America : Excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 6,111,000
Triple Entente : 9,021,000
Western Front
A Christmas offensive retakes both Strasbourg and Stuttgart. The Western Front has a very odd shape indeed now, there is a gap in the enemy lines right in front of me at Stuttgart as I punched my way through there. TO the south there is a big French force but thats now the Italian front, right? :p As that line goes all the way to Trieste.
No German offensives planned for the winter, but we have assault troops now, so several units are outfitted as stormtroopers, ready for the Spring...
...sounds familiar...
Eastern Front
All quiet on the Eastern Front.
Balkans Front
All quiet here too!
March-April 1918
Western Front
Assault troops go in for the first time north of Strasbourg. Aerial recon reveals a very weakly held British line so this should be cake, despite another shell shortage. I even forgo the chlorine, as I want to keep that handy for special occasions.
They succeed in holding the ground despite an Entente counterattack, unfortunately their readiness drops right to 4 so next impulse they rest.
The other fronts are all quiet. There was however some naval action in the Eastern Med. The Turkish BC Goeben was sunk by French naval forces.
May-June 1918
Western Front
Metz is recaptured, it looks like the French can't handle the really long front line they are defending, but my troops are exhausted.
Fortunately there is another stack of assault troops ready to take up the banner and they go in on a French strongpoint with a big stack of retreating Entente units. They get some chlorine gas to help. And its an Entente slaughter! German losses 12 and 1 readiness, Entente losses 50 and 6 readiness.
We're back to the French border again.
Italian Front
Salzburg is at a salient in the Entente line, a mostly Austrian force attacks and dislodges it. This seems to provoke the Entente AI as next turn a mass of Italian and British units are stacked up on Alps in front of me.
RE: Mini AAR
July-August 1918
Western Front
The offensive continues. French resistance seems to be slackening off rather than hardening as well, I guess the weight of all those casualties in the previous years is having an effect. Verdun and Nancy falls in July 1918 for almost no CP loss, though my assault troops have readiness around 5 or so now.
By August Epinal falls to the CPs and my troops approach Dijon, but the whole deal is running out of steam. Entente artillery is slaughtering my now exposed assault troops and the losses are becoming too high (they are double normal cost to replace as well). Fortunately the winter is due so hopefully they can be fixed over winter and in 1919 we can reach Paris.
...still no sign of the Yanks.
Italian Front
Counterattacks at Salzburg are beaten off despite the fact they havn't had time to entrench yet. Casualties are about equal.
But my assault on the Western Front has got the AI going now. Italian forces inch towards Zagreb.
Eastern Front
It's been quiet here for a long time but this turn Russia attacks all over the Eastern Front, in force. Russian troops approach Dubno, kick me out of Minsk (an impressive feat of arms, that was!) and generally prove that the bears are still in the war.
Mesopotamian Front
The British have evacuated Egypt again, so Ottoman cavalry are moving in once more until they move back. Anything to tie them up. Sure enough by August Cairo has a garrison again and the Ottomans pause.
Western Front
The offensive continues. French resistance seems to be slackening off rather than hardening as well, I guess the weight of all those casualties in the previous years is having an effect. Verdun and Nancy falls in July 1918 for almost no CP loss, though my assault troops have readiness around 5 or so now.
By August Epinal falls to the CPs and my troops approach Dijon, but the whole deal is running out of steam. Entente artillery is slaughtering my now exposed assault troops and the losses are becoming too high (they are double normal cost to replace as well). Fortunately the winter is due so hopefully they can be fixed over winter and in 1919 we can reach Paris.
...still no sign of the Yanks.
Italian Front
Counterattacks at Salzburg are beaten off despite the fact they havn't had time to entrench yet. Casualties are about equal.
But my assault on the Western Front has got the AI going now. Italian forces inch towards Zagreb.
Eastern Front
It's been quiet here for a long time but this turn Russia attacks all over the Eastern Front, in force. Russian troops approach Dubno, kick me out of Minsk (an impressive feat of arms, that was!) and generally prove that the bears are still in the war.
Mesopotamian Front
The British have evacuated Egypt again, so Ottoman cavalry are moving in once more until they move back. Anything to tie them up. Sure enough by August Cairo has a garrison again and the Ottomans pause.
RE: Mini AAR
November-December 1918
"A single question haunts Europe. When will the war end? Right now, it seems the answer is 'never'."
Germany's morale is in the sewer and going down fast as there is no food (in fact there hasnt been since 1917). But the military situation is good-ish, so the stab in the back legend may yet develop on defeat...
Western Front
Rearranging goes on, assault troops are given new homes out of range of artillery over the winter, and there is a lot of resupply and trench digging going on.
Eastern Front
Situation is becoming bad again here now, as Russians approach Brest-Litovsk. Their offensive is a bit naff though, I guess they are having trouble buying enough HQ points to keep it rolling, and I /am/ in their territory so its not critical - yet.
"A single question haunts Europe. When will the war end? Right now, it seems the answer is 'never'."
Germany's morale is in the sewer and going down fast as there is no food (in fact there hasnt been since 1917). But the military situation is good-ish, so the stab in the back legend may yet develop on defeat...
Western Front
Rearranging goes on, assault troops are given new homes out of range of artillery over the winter, and there is a lot of resupply and trench digging going on.
Eastern Front
Situation is becoming bad again here now, as Russians approach Brest-Litovsk. Their offensive is a bit naff though, I guess they are having trouble buying enough HQ points to keep it rolling, and I /am/ in their territory so its not critical - yet.
RE: Mini AAR
At the 1918 end point we have a marginal CP victory and it looks like this :-
Germany : Wavering
Austria : Wavering
France : Good
Russia : Wavering
Britain : Good
Italy : Strong
Ottoman Empire : Strong
all others excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 6,819,000
Triple Entente : 10,542,000
I'll keep on going though. :p
January-February 1919
Western Front
A minor winter offensive is ordered off the cuff as recon suggests the enemy is weak. Epernay falls, looks like France is finito militarily even though their home front is still in good shape. Dijon gets shelled.
Eastern Front
Several haphazard Russian attacks from aroudn Minsk. My units here are entrenched to level 3 though and are fully reinforced so the assaults bounce off with heavy loss again. Russian artillery seems particularly weak at the moment.
Balkans Front
Lots of Russian units in Romania now, and Romanians have crossed into Bulgaria north of Varna. I guess RUssia is propping them up though and Russia must be in a woeful state so the panic hasnt set in yet. In fact it looks like all they are doing is entrenching in Romania - fine.
Ottoman forces garrison the border - the Ottoman Empire may be an industrial pigmy but as its forces havn't been involved in any abattoirs they have quite a lot of manpower and no morale problems.
The Brit AI did another funny and left Salonika unguarded. Austrian/Bulgarian forces camped outside promptly invaded and took it from them. But the huge British force has long gone it seems. I wonder where they are. Italian front?
Italian Front
I'm outnumbered heavily here as per usual but the front line is well entrenched. The Entente are making slow but steady progress, they are one hex from Zagreb now...
Germany : Wavering
Austria : Wavering
France : Good
Russia : Wavering
Britain : Good
Italy : Strong
Ottoman Empire : Strong
all others excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 6,819,000
Triple Entente : 10,542,000
I'll keep on going though. :p
January-February 1919
Western Front
A minor winter offensive is ordered off the cuff as recon suggests the enemy is weak. Epernay falls, looks like France is finito militarily even though their home front is still in good shape. Dijon gets shelled.
Eastern Front
Several haphazard Russian attacks from aroudn Minsk. My units here are entrenched to level 3 though and are fully reinforced so the assaults bounce off with heavy loss again. Russian artillery seems particularly weak at the moment.
Balkans Front
Lots of Russian units in Romania now, and Romanians have crossed into Bulgaria north of Varna. I guess RUssia is propping them up though and Russia must be in a woeful state so the panic hasnt set in yet. In fact it looks like all they are doing is entrenching in Romania - fine.
Ottoman forces garrison the border - the Ottoman Empire may be an industrial pigmy but as its forces havn't been involved in any abattoirs they have quite a lot of manpower and no morale problems.
The Brit AI did another funny and left Salonika unguarded. Austrian/Bulgarian forces camped outside promptly invaded and took it from them. But the huge British force has long gone it seems. I wonder where they are. Italian front?
Italian Front
I'm outnumbered heavily here as per usual but the front line is well entrenched. The Entente are making slow but steady progress, they are one hex from Zagreb now...
RE: Mini AAR
March-June 1919
Western Front
Now its their turn to have the Western Front collapsing.
Paris falls around April-ish and the Germans power on, threatening Rouen and headed north/northwest from the capital. By June Arras, Lille and Rouen all are one hex from the invading armies.
The French defence is very scattered, there is no 'front' at all anymore. I have a big blob of units more or less in a six hex circle centred on Paris, and the Frogs have five stacks around it, with lots of gaps.
Italian Front
Gone quiet here, which has given me time to dig in. The new line is up to level 2 or 3 fortifications. Ditto the Entente.
Eastern Front
Quiet-ish again. Ottoman artillery has been shelling Romanians across the border.
May-June 1919
I've now got yellow cross gas, just in time for the final offensives, to make sure I dont have to pause again.
Western Front
Arras and Lille get it now. Both are garrisoned but both get a volley of mustard gas to soften them up, and the assault troops going in are fully refitted and ready. Just as well, as the enemy are well dug in (trenches at 3) and pretty equal to me. Goes to show that gas + assault troops works, because they were thrown out of Arras (My losses : 12, theirs, 35) and Rouen despite all that
Eastern Front
Quiet.
Italian Front
Quiet and very firmly dug in on both sides. Its a row of trenches here, firmer than any Western Front this game ever had!
July-August 1919
End is nigh for France and therefore the Entente. We've gone into a sort of semi mobile warfare in France, aka "mopping up". Lille falls to the CPs, and Dunkirk next month.
France surrenders at the end of August 1919.
The war is still going on, but only for a couple of turns. Next on the list is to get Britain and Italy out of Austria, in what time remains.
Western Front
Now its their turn to have the Western Front collapsing.
Paris falls around April-ish and the Germans power on, threatening Rouen and headed north/northwest from the capital. By June Arras, Lille and Rouen all are one hex from the invading armies.
The French defence is very scattered, there is no 'front' at all anymore. I have a big blob of units more or less in a six hex circle centred on Paris, and the Frogs have five stacks around it, with lots of gaps.
Italian Front
Gone quiet here, which has given me time to dig in. The new line is up to level 2 or 3 fortifications. Ditto the Entente.
Eastern Front
Quiet-ish again. Ottoman artillery has been shelling Romanians across the border.
May-June 1919
I've now got yellow cross gas, just in time for the final offensives, to make sure I dont have to pause again.
Western Front
Arras and Lille get it now. Both are garrisoned but both get a volley of mustard gas to soften them up, and the assault troops going in are fully refitted and ready. Just as well, as the enemy are well dug in (trenches at 3) and pretty equal to me. Goes to show that gas + assault troops works, because they were thrown out of Arras (My losses : 12, theirs, 35) and Rouen despite all that
Eastern Front
Quiet.
Italian Front
Quiet and very firmly dug in on both sides. Its a row of trenches here, firmer than any Western Front this game ever had!
July-August 1919
End is nigh for France and therefore the Entente. We've gone into a sort of semi mobile warfare in France, aka "mopping up". Lille falls to the CPs, and Dunkirk next month.
France surrenders at the end of August 1919.
The war is still going on, but only for a couple of turns. Next on the list is to get Britain and Italy out of Austria, in what time remains.
RE: Mini AAR
Game over, man! Game over!
At the end of 1919, the situation is this :-
Germany : Strong
Austria : Strong
France : Conquered
Russia : Wavering
Britain : Wavering
Italy : Strong
Ottoman Empire : Strong
Serbia : Conquered
Romania : Strong
Bulgaria : Excellent
Greece : Weak
America : Excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 7,065,000
Triple Entente : 11,541,000 (!!!, for both sides, truly the war to end all wars)
83 victory points.
In the final months of the War German assault troops redeployed along the northern edge of the Alps and hit the BEF which was heavily dug in there. Mustard gas and assault troops proved able to kick even fully ready single corps out of level 3 trenches on a mountain hex. Not bad.
Elsewhere Bulgarian/Ottoman/Austrian troops were making progress along Greece, at the end of the game they were one hex from Athens, and in 1920 would have been assaulting it.
As for attacking Russia first... problem is its just too big. It means a humungous front which you need to at least mostly garrison which means less troops for the Western Front. And you need to get as far as Minsk to put them down.
And in this game they never even surrendered!
That said after I'd done a number on them they were out for two years, and even when they started waking up again they weren't really able to put too much pressure on.
As for why I won this game, I'm not quite sure to be honest. I think the deciding part was actually the middle when the Western Front was caving in and I was seriously thinking I was toast. From my point of view the situation was bad, but then the French were taking casualties at at least double my own if not more so, and after their offensive they had a very big front to defend. In 1918 and 1919 they must have been out of manpower because there werent very many infantry corps defending anymore, it was always 3 artillery + 1 infantry, which seems to me to be a sign of a nation bled white...
At the end of 1919, the situation is this :-
Germany : Strong
Austria : Strong
France : Conquered
Russia : Wavering
Britain : Wavering
Italy : Strong
Ottoman Empire : Strong
Serbia : Conquered
Romania : Strong
Bulgaria : Excellent
Greece : Weak
America : Excellent
KIA/missing
Central Powers : 7,065,000
Triple Entente : 11,541,000 (!!!, for both sides, truly the war to end all wars)
83 victory points.
In the final months of the War German assault troops redeployed along the northern edge of the Alps and hit the BEF which was heavily dug in there. Mustard gas and assault troops proved able to kick even fully ready single corps out of level 3 trenches on a mountain hex. Not bad.
Elsewhere Bulgarian/Ottoman/Austrian troops were making progress along Greece, at the end of the game they were one hex from Athens, and in 1920 would have been assaulting it.
As for attacking Russia first... problem is its just too big. It means a humungous front which you need to at least mostly garrison which means less troops for the Western Front. And you need to get as far as Minsk to put them down.
And in this game they never even surrendered!
That said after I'd done a number on them they were out for two years, and even when they started waking up again they weren't really able to put too much pressure on.
As for why I won this game, I'm not quite sure to be honest. I think the deciding part was actually the middle when the Western Front was caving in and I was seriously thinking I was toast. From my point of view the situation was bad, but then the French were taking casualties at at least double my own if not more so, and after their offensive they had a very big front to defend. In 1918 and 1919 they must have been out of manpower because there werent very many infantry corps defending anymore, it was always 3 artillery + 1 infantry, which seems to me to be a sign of a nation bled white...
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FrankHunter
- Posts: 2111
- Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 6:07 am
RE: Mini AAR
It certainly sounds like France was out of manpower. Once you began your counter-attack they had nothing left with which to resist. Did US forces show up in France or Italy?
The other thing was you had technology come into play when you needed it. Clearly you had continued to spend in that area even when times were somewhat dark and it paid off.
The other thing was you had technology come into play when you needed it. Clearly you had continued to spend in that area even when times were somewhat dark and it paid off.
RE: Mini AAR
ORIGINAL: FrankHunter
It certainly sounds like France was out of manpower. Once you began your counter-attack they had nothing left with which to resist. Did US forces show up in France or Italy?
The other thing was you had technology come into play when you needed it. Clearly you had continued to spend in that area even when times were somewhat dark and it paid off.
I didn't see any US involvement at all beyond naval. US destroyers were doing a good job on my submarines in the North Atlantic, but that was it.
And yes, technology at the right time was key. Gas seems to be very good, I save the gas attacks when I've picked them up for special occasions. [:D]
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FrankHunter
- Posts: 2111
- Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 6:07 am
RE: Mini AAR
Do you have a saved game from a time well after the US entered? It sounds like they couldn't get across the Atlantic but I'd like to check.
RE: Mini AAR
I'm afraid not, did it all in one sitting from 1915-1918.
I was thinking that the US maybe couldnt get across the Atlantic, they had a good two years after all.
I was thinking that the US maybe couldnt get across the Atlantic, they had a good two years after all.
RE: Mini AAR
That was great, thanks! I'm wondering where the US was though [&:].
RE: Mini AAR
ORIGINAL: CLEVELAND
That was great, thanks! I'm wondering where the US was though [&:].
Trying to walk across the Atlantic maybe. :p