Grodno-Bialystok Plan - Variant for Russia First Strategy

[Jazon]

Hi,
I am not sure if anyone else brought this up. I tried another variant for opening move in Russia First strategy: attack on the Northern Flank. Have a look:
1. Deploy German units in deployment phase in East Prussia, more or less like that:

Grodno1.jpg (317.96 KiB) Viewed 1691 times

[Jazon]

2. Destroy garrison at Bialystok with Infantry Core and Cavalry Core. Encircle Grodno. Cover the flanks with detachments from the rear. Use 11 points strong core from Allenstein and force march deep into Russian territory. You don't need to do it exactly as on the picture, any way that makes Entente player having a headache will do the job.

Grodno2.jpg (352.59 KiB) Viewed 1690 times

[Jazon]

3. Entente player may either withdraw east from central Poland, either counter-attack. However, in 1st turn even if he uses ALL what he can, it's rather impossible to take back Bialystok or relieve siege of Grodno. Example of Russian counterattack on the picture below:
4. In German second turn redeploy by rail additional cores and HQs to the East and just keep punching Russian Imperial Army. If they take up a fight, they will bleed heavily. You can also send one German HQ and 4-5 infantry cores around Lemberg to make other part of those North-South pincers, and attack on Lublin. Or you can continue one-wing attack and cut off Brest Litovsk.
If Russians withdraw, they lost central Poland in first months of the war, and Germans will take Warsaw and Novo-Georgevsk, which will severely affect Russian morale.

What do you think guys? Or you already played this strategy?
Cheers
Jazon

Grodno3.png (1.66 MiB) Viewed 1688 times

[shri]

Sure, this and other Russia first strategies have been tried. But general consensus among PBEM veterans is -
If Entente player is equal or better to CP, then he will be impossibly strong in 1915. They can send the BEF to Serbia and add French units there.
Attack Ottomans heavily in Sinai and Mesopotamia
Attack on the Western front.
Even send a strong BEF to Russia (the Bavre Gambit)

Sure, you trigger the TSAR event a few months earlier, but then what? Russia is too huge to conquer. You will get the Napoleonic problem of how deep to push

[Petisch]

what is the TSAR Event?

[shri]

what is the TSAR Event?

If Russian NM drops below 76, Tsar takes command and that makes Russia weaker. After that if NM gap is >10, then very difficult for Russia to attacks.

[Jazon]

Thank you! I didn't know that!