The price of overconfidence

[BYU 14]

Watch that morale is the moral of this story. Closing in on the end of 1916 and I have a formidable wall set up on the west, having retaken Belgium and knocking on the door of Ruhr and Stuttgart. Serbia is hanging on, the Alps are a stalemate and despite some instability, Russia is managing to stave off the CP push just enough.

I notice British morale is getting low, due mainly to several turns of inadequate upkeep, but with 5 convoys running and the boost of PP's that are soon to arrive I elect to repair and upgrade all my units ahead of a massive spring offensive in 1917.

Well....I should have waited, the morale goes to 2% and next turn the convoys don't hit shore and British morale hits 0!! January 1917 Britain surrenders and I am left with gaping holes in the west, I lose my grip on the Suez in the middle east and now I have to frantically reform my front in France. Next turn, Russian revolution, Russia surrenders, now the CP can send units from the east as well.

How quickly neglect can turn to disaster. Spring of 1917 and my planned offensive has turned into a battle to save the gains made in the last half of 1916. France and Italy trying to hold it down and at least take 1 or 2 German cities. Belgium is producing again, but it won't be enough to help before the horde from the eastern front arrives.

Interestingly, Serbia is still afloat, though the CP has had Belgrade surrounded for some time and are likely only waiting for artillery to arrive before leveling it and the USA, while sympathetic is nowhere near ready to join the cause. It looks like it will be a slow, agonizing defeat and things looked so promising 4 short months ago. [:(]