Tasty situation!

[JJKettunen]

I don't know about you guys, but I have dremt about doing a mass encirclement in the eastern front, but haven't been able do it. In fact, I haven't been even near it in my games against the Entente AI, but now, in my latest game, there's an opportunity. Let's see if I can pull it off! (propably not [:D])

[JJKettunen]

Got back after a break, and here's the situation 2 turns later, start of turn 38:

[Gilmer]

Yes, everyone loves encirclements. Nice move!

[Bossy573]

Beautiful!

[jwduquette1]

Nice. But it is amazing how quickly the AI rebuilds the Russian Army. Expect to see Infantry and Garrison units popping up in every Russian City and Fortress the turn after you complete this sort of encirclement. Grab Brest Litovsk as quick as you can. If the AI gets a regular infantry unit into the fort it can take a few turns to dig them out -- and you may even have to dig them out by committing an artillery unit to the siege.

[JJKettunen]

Winter slowed things down:

[JJKettunen]

As you can see:

[JJKettunen]

One more winter shot. Then there's a gap of no saved turn endings.

[JJKettunen]

End of turn 47. The pocket has been liquidated. Brest-Litovsk is a tough cookie, even with only a reserve corps defending it.

[JJKettunen]

As a consequence of the pocket, the Germans are at the gates of St Petersburg by mid October 1916.

[Myrddraal]

Great move - once the trap was closed, the Russian's were stuffed. They still had a chance to stop you on the first screenshot, but after that it looks like you had them well and truly trapped.

[JJKettunen]

And finally, after a succesful invasion of Portugal, in early 1918:

[JJKettunen]

A couple of notes regarding Entente AI you propably heard before, but are worth repeating:

1) Italy sacrifices its own front in behalf of France, if the latter is in trouble. Wrong priority for Italy.

2) Brits tend to concentrate too much on Turkey. Masses of units send to Arabia could really make a difference in the western front. Again wrong priority.

3) I have a feeling that the AI produces too many artillery units. For example my invasion of England was met not by infantry but artillery. I doubt that the ammunition production keeps up with all the arty found in France and Italy either. Production priorities slightly skewed.