The Great War 1914-1918

[Silvanski]

I'm currently battling it out against Elmer Von Hindenburg in Todd Klemme and Bud Windham's WW1 scenario.

The scenario has its own time scale shown in the news window
Turns 1 to 4 = 1 week each
Turns 5 and 6 = 2 weeks each
Turns 7 to 56 = 1 month each

This reflects the change from manoeuver warfare to the static slugfest WW1 turned into.

On the West front this is the case , although the Entente managed to recapture Luxembourg in April 1915 albeit holding it shortly... the frontline has been going back and forth without a decisive breakthrough as yet.

Here's a shot taken on 4 September 1914 when the German offensive grinded to a halt.
I started the "race to the sea" quite early on... and you'll notice the French "I" units I used to set up fortified hexes behind the lines

[Silvanski]

April 1915 and the French drive into Luxembourg...

[Silvanski]

On the Eastern front is different... after a German attack towards Warsaw was beaten off the Russian Army has been on the advance...

This is an overview from June 1915...

[Silvanski]

Here's a closer look... Notice the isolated Russian unit capable of capturing Vienna!
The German and Austro-Hungarian armies closed their frontline a wee bit too late and I managed to get this unit through...

South of the Carpathes I managed to outflank the Austro-Hungarian front and a few Russian units are advancing slowly towards Budapest... An early exit for the Twin-Monarchy?

On other fronts: the British beachhead at Gallipolli is holding and eased the pressure on the Greek-Turkish border.
The bulk of the Serbian army is isolated in and around Belgrade, ad the Italians made some gains in the Po River valley

[PaladinSix]

Nice AAR. I understand that this scenario is one of the really large ones that has a capable PO. What's your experience so far? Can Elmer keep up and provide a challenge?

PaladinSix

[Silvanski]

ORIGINAL: PaladinSix

Nice AAR. I understand that this scenario is one of the really large ones that has a capable PO. What's your experience so far? Can Elmer keep up and provide a challenge?

PaladinSix

The TOAW PO sure does a better job than the one I am used to in Gary Grigsby "War In Russia" , but nevertheless I managed to outsmart him

I'll report significant developments in this campaign, I wanna see if Austria-Hungary can manage to defend Vienna.

[tklemme]

If I remember correctly, there are three versions of this scenario -- 1 for PBEM, 1 for Entente PO and 1 for Central Powers PO. The biggest difference between the PO versions is the entry location hexes for PO reinforcements. The PO often doesn't do a very good job of moving units to the front and, in the case of England, is incapable of moving the reinforcements across to France. So, for example, in the Entente PO version, the British reinforcements appear on the map in France. The human player, when playing as the Entente, must move them across the channel the hard way.

The TOAW PO is much, much, much better when it's fighting on a solid front with anchored flanks. Out in open country the PO is almost hopeless. That's why it's doing a much better job in the west than in the east. The PO is especially bad on defense. It doesn't really defend an objective unless it's right on top of it. Otherwise, it waits until the enemy has taken the objective and then moves to counterattack. I don't recommend that as a strategy for human players. [:-]

If you really like this scenario I suggest playing again as the Central Powers and then playing PBEM. It almost goes without saying that playing against a human will be a completely different, and more challenging, experience.

" I understand that this scenario is one of the really large ones that has a capable PO."

As TOAW scenarios go, it's not that big, although it's one of the bigger ones made by me (along with Bud, whom I haven't heard from in years). I always made my scenarios using regular OPART.exe (maximum 100x100 map, 500 units per side) rather than using the monster OPART300.exe. I liked working under the restrictions and limitations of the smaller scenario size and I had no interest in playtesting monster scenarios.

Todd

[Silvanski]

ORIGINAL: tklemmeThe TOAW PO is much, much, much better when it's fighting on a solid front with anchored flanks. Out in open country the PO is almost hopeless. That's why it's doing a much better job in the west than in the east.

Indeed, not much movement in the West, but all was not so quiet on the Eastern Front...

[Silvanski]

The occupation of Vienna kicked Austria Hungary out of the war [:D]
The German presence in Eastern Prussia has increased ...

[Silvanski]

The Russian plan ...

[Silvanski]

... and the French plan [>:]

[Silvanski]

The Western Front in the October 1915 turn after the Central's turn... Elmer went for Calais!

[Silvanski]

The Russians are getting in position ...

[Silvanski]

The Balkans in October 1915... Bulgaria entered the war on the Central Powers' side....

Serbia -saved from destruction thanks to the Russian intervention in Austria Hungary- has recovered and seems able to withstand a new offensive...

I'm sending a British expeditionary force to Greece in order to cope with the Bulgarian and Turkish troops...

[Silvanski]

December 1915 Entente moves first. This is a shot before combat resolution.
A good winter offensive! I attempt to recapture Antwerpen but split the German frontline!
The German units in West-Flanders are isolated!

[Silvanski]

The end game... December 1915 on the Eastern front... The German's southern flank in Poland was outflanked and the communication and rail lines with Berlin are cut...

These look like blitzkrieg moves but remember these are one-month turns.

It looks like peace will come in 1916....

[Silvanski]

The Germans in Poland have been completely cut off from the Heimat ... This must be the largest "Kessel" I've ever seen... [X(]

[Silvanski]

Similar situation in Belgium [:D]

[Silvanski]

This war has been fought and won. But even after the Russian captured Berlin, the Germans kept on fighting. I had to deal with reinforcements popping up in Bavaria.
 
Conclusions: Elmer puts up a good attack but is indeed vulnerable on the defense. If you got the unit density and set up a good attack, especially with an outflanking manouever, you'll beat him.
 
OK that was that, and now for something more complicated, with air units (and the air assistant off of course, cuz I've read about that one)

[Mad Cow]

nice aar.

todd, nice to see you around. hope you are working on scenarios for the newest version!