Will95

Yeah I'm content to give him that space. I may lose Metz just before snow arrives which would be unfortunate but having taken the mines, Brussels, and the Belgian mines, I'm quite content to cede a bit of territory while I build up my armour. I feel quite confident defending Romania as the territory is good for a defensive battle. I'm concerned that German support there (especially from a flank, ie Bulgaria) could knock them out quickly though, which will give CP oil directly connected to a capital which will counteract some of my western gains. I really want to press OE now. If I knock them out it will free up a lot of very experienced British troops.

Very interesting! The para trick is very unique and somewhat unstoppable i'd imagine unless London is surrounded by troops.

Really? What's your broad strategy for approaching Sealion? I've simply found that by the time you crush France (usually August or September if the Allied player is decent), in the time it takes to get the RN out of the way and refit your troops, you're looking at the very tail end of 1940, and really ought to be setting up for Barbarossa. Far as I can tell, if you're going to invade Britain, it has to be in 1940- any later and the Russians too much time to prepare, meanwhile you get bogged down in fighting in Britain.

Probably been considered in the past but I thought it'd be worth just bringing up out of general interest in nothing else. Fact is, Sealion isn't really practical in any scenario I've played it, at least not a traditional 1940/41 invasion. The Russians get mobilized so quickly from it and the invasion itself is so hard to pull off, especially on smaller scale (ie larger) maps like AoD or GC where a few ships can block every potential landing zone. I only managed to pull it off once, in an SoE game, simply because the scale was large enough and I had so much air power that my opponent couldn't protect every base. I still lost though, damn quickly too, because of Russia. I don't actually disagree with the way SL is handled in SC, because if it was easier to pull off/didnt antagonize the Russians then everyone would do it. Hoooooowever, it could be a really cool scenario to knock up as another 'What If'. It would probably have to start off with an invasion fleet ready to go and in a scenario where a chunk of the Royal Navy was already destroyed. It could be really cool if the map was super big scale, just the UK and the tip of France, and the Brit player would have to defend around mountains and stuff while the Germans have to try and wipe out all resistance before a certain point. Naturally as it's a hypothetical scenario it leaves a fair amount to the imagination. Just occured to me as I was reading All Hell Let Loose by Hastings over the Xmas break , feel free to shout it down as a terrible idea Happy 2014 too!

Turn 34 The Western Entente drive through Metz has finally exhausted itself. A stiff German defensive line prevented us from going any further than our highest point at Luxembourg, and this turn saw no attacks in this sector, just small movements. In fact, the long-standing tattered French flag that flew over the small city was this turn lowered; in its place rose a crisp, new emblem of the German Empire. The Central Powers have been battered but they are not yt out. The British troops at Metz are a little nervous about an autumn assault on the fortress, but the need to maintain a front line presence has meant that Ash has not been able to distribute weapons upgrades to the units directly facing it. So for now, I should be safe. In Belgium, French troops preparing for an epic battle for Brussels were bemused to find the line abandoned by retreating Germans. We moved forward to occupy, and now lay siege to Antwerp. In northern Russia, our defensive line is noticeable thinner than it was a month ago following heavy fighting. I just hope the Germans took enough losses to prevent them taking these key cities which have provided such a crucial defense so far. Excitement for this turn is to be found on the Ottoman peninsula. Troops at Gallipoli found themselves up against heavily entrenched Ottoman troops without artillery (now being sent from Basra by transport). Belgium amphibious troops landed just behind the enemy line combined with an off-shore battery and a Belgian attack from the front. The result was a heavily damaged corps at half strength and a badly wounded headquarters. In Romania Austrian troops approach our defensive line along the river (no pic). Bit of movement in Italy preparing for another offensive we're going to try and squeeze in before snow arrives. The French reached a new level in armoured warfare. A big help considering we have another armoured unit arriving March '17 and our existing unit has performed so well thus far. In diplomatic news, Holland is now neutral. Every diplomatic chit is invested in tipping them away from the foundering Central Powers and towards the Entente.

Turn 33 It's another fiery turn full of action. On the western front, German offensives actually managed to destroy the French gun battery; the biggest blow yet inflicted on French forces. The loss of two corps on top of that, plus a British corps, made this an expensive turn. Fortunately, the French armour proved itself in battle once again, doing 7 points of damage in a single strike and taking no losses. In the north, a forward French corps spotted a gap in the trenches. Seeking to exploit it and explore the rear guard, we found a German HQ in place. Our corps destroyed 40% of the HQ staff. Meanwhile our artillery moved into position to bombard Brussels and we expect to take it well before winter sets in. In Russia, we skirmished lightly with advance German units before retreating back to the city line. We've taken heavy losses but dealt them as well, and with Russia approaching surrender (likely to happen by summer 1917), we'll take any damage we can deal. Romania's shock entrance into the war last turn with the fall of Gallipoli has provided an interesting sideshow. Their forces are weak, but were blostered at the end of the turn by French supplies. This should divert a large chunk of the Austrian advance and maybe- MAYBE - allow us to turn back the tide in the south of Russia. At Gallipoli Ottoman forces attempted to bottle up the peninsula. They were unsuccessful. Superior Belgian/British forces attacked into the un-entrenched enemy and forced a retreat. We also revealed one of our trump cards this turn- the amphib unit. There was no way to avoid it unfortunately. Hopefully it won't matter too much. In the ME Aquaba fell as predicted. Taking the town and port has allowed us to take command of the Arabian uprising and increase the forces here. Ottoman NM is plummeting. If the weather holds up, we should be able to force their exit from the war by the New Year. The French reached a new level in artillery tech. A cruel irony as we lost a battery on the front line. There was no action on the Italian front, and the thin Western lines are tempting me to send forces there if only to hold the line. I will also send the spare French artillery to make sure we do not find ourselves outgunned. Another French tank unit was bought this unit to arrive ready for the summer offensives next year.

Turn 32 Apparently the Germans did in fact have some reserves... Enemy forces chose to bypass our main line and attack our artillery, although also destroying a British and French corps. The losses are definitely mounting. However, we hit back, with French tanks seeing action for the first time, and proving themselves to be highly resilient. 2 German corps were destroyed with a further unit damaged by retreating British troops. In Belgium, French forces advanced on Brussels, destroying a corps here too. In the north of Russia, there was a real scrap. Troops fought outside of their trenches in bitter warfare over flat ground and in the marshes. A flanking German force came in from the south-east and destroyed a corps while the main German line succeeded in destroying one of our advancing armies. Skirmishes took place up and down the line, but brave Russian troops hit back with their superior artillery, and managed to destroy 2 German corps while forcing another to retreat. There is no clear victor on this front for now, but I'll happily trade corps with the Germans. British and Belgian troops worked hand in hand to storm the town of Gallipoli, seizing it and causing Ottoman NM to cascade down to 49% by the turn end. Our amphib unit is preparing to attack the railway link at Constantinople- if cut, we can prevent reinforcements being sent to this sector. Further south in the ME, we attacked the unit guarding the port at Aquaba. It should fall next turn and yield another blow to Ottoman prestige. Partisan activity is also succeeding in weakening the city of Medina. Yet another Austrian corps went down fighting superior Italian troops in the mountains. We have now cleared a decent amount of breathing room and have to decide where to push next. I am currently considering leaving a skeleton force entrenched around Trieste while turning the bulk of the army against the small towns of Bruneck and Trento, which if taken more or less simultaneously, could give us a route into the very industrial heartland of Germany. No tech this turn as we are reaching a more advanced stage of the game. Astute readers will have noticed that the German navy has not once been advanced outside the safe haven of the Baltic and no unrestricted warfare has been carried out. The two main effects of this have been a highly apathetic USA (recieving virtually no income all game) but also a very strong Britain, which even now, having taken a fair few losses, boasts 94% NM (and growing with every Ottoman conquest).

Turn 31 The Western Front continues to be a bloodbath, and disturbingly reserves are beginning to wear thin. However, we continue to make useful ground. The German forces hit back at our last offensives, destroying no less than 3 corps. We have retaliated, once again moving into Luxembourg and once again striking the artillery there with British troops. Surely the Germans do not have the capacity to mount another effective counterattack? Further up the line, we brought a corps near destruction while advancing close to Brussels. In Russia, the Germans vacated their trenches like the rats they are. It seems they have finally reached level 2 infantry weapons, so not wanting to give them the breathing room to upgrade, we have given chase. Losses were incurred but the pressure was maintained forcing one unit to retreat and another to half strength. In Gallipoli we attacked the town. Belgian troops have moved in to support, with a further in amphib ready to occupy the town if necessary. Naval support is also forthcoming. In Italy we strengthened ourselves and prepared to start pushing northwards to open the road to Vienna. No further tech action this turn, although we are now beginning to focus more on armoured tech. High command believes this frightening new technology will bring what is left of the Central Powers to its knees.

Turn 30 Very exciting turn for the Entente! On the West, we broke through into Luxembourg and liberated their oppressed peoples- huzzah! Our guns pounded a neighboring corps, destroying it, and allowing us to create a significant opening in the German lines. Breakthrough British units were able to strike at the German artillery, removing its expensive elite steps (from 12 to 10). Strong Elite troops and a brand new French tank unit have been brought to bear to start exploiting this hole. In Italy we made a small offensive against a detachment in the mountains, reducing it to a fraction of its strength and forcing a retreat. Other units nearby reinforced, ready for another big push. The north of Russia has been at a stalemate for a while- the German offensive halted a few miles south of the twin cities which made up the primary Russian defensive trench line. Deciding that we had a significant amount of troops in good strength and strong supply sources, the Russians were ordered to advance out of their trenches, backed by artillery. This new offensive action may speed Russia's downfall due to attritional losses, but it will apply the crucial pressure needed to prevent Germany abandoning its eastern frontier to focus on the west- a delicate balancing act indeed, and I don't envy Ash for having to undertake it. Exciting movements in the Med this turn. The Royal Marines who established the beachhead at Gallipoli were finally relieved by a proper army of 3 corps and a HQ, opening up the Dardanelle Straits. Our wounded but still functional navy flooded in and began laying siege to the ports at the Ottoman capital. A full strength French battleship and aircraft carrier are en route to support the move which we hope will knock the OE out of the war for good- especially with the additional Belgian reserves set to arrive once Gallipoli itself falls. Further south in the Middle East the British rested to reinforce and prepare for a renewed offensive next turn, and in related news, Baghdad fell to a sizeable Ottoman army. Little matter really- we only stole it due to fluke. The British upgraded their industry this turn and the French finally reached a new level in aerial warfare. One of Germany's strengths so far has been its reasonably sized air force, which has been the 'killing blow' for many a French front line corps. Now we can begin to hit back.

jhjhjhyn yth

Turn 29 The Germans are not quite out of fight yet, despite displaying a tumbling desire to continue the war. They destroy 2 of our French front line troops, but are unable to advance and occupy- the mines remain ours. We fought back almost like for like, destroying the corps occupying Luxembourg and taking another to virtual destruction but again, were unable to occupy. However, the attacks left the defenders of Metz somewhat understrength, and I am very concerned that German forces will be able to occupy it next turn- depends how well supplied the CP arty is. Up the line in Belgium, German forces have dug in across the river close to Brussels. This will make further attacks quite pricey in terms of manpower, but at this point I think it's worth it, given the declining German NM. We destroyed a corps and are now just mere miles away from the Belgian capital. On the Italian front we continue, unchallenged, to disrupt and destroy the Austrian defensive line, taking out another corps, and destroying a detachment in low supply that attempted to sneak through the southern mountains. We used some spare Italian MPPs to upgrade our HQ's. (forgot a picture, apologies) In Russia, the Austrian advance enveloped Lemberg; a sad, but inevitable loss. We have pulled back while we wait for reinforcement on this front as Russian forces are seriously outnumbered. In the Middle East, we turned our attentions south and destroyed a detachment guarding the mountain pass to the port at Aquaba. An assortment of CP forces have put up a stiff defense in front of Jerusalem and I am unwilling to throw men into a meatgrinder when I can achieve much easier gains by turning south. Taking the docks should, if I remember rightly, provide extra support to partisan activity in this region too. The Italians upgraded their war industry this turn to further place pressure on the weakening enemy.

Something I've been pondering: 1. What is the impact of port supply dropping (due to attacks/naval siege/submarine blockade)? 2. Is it better to do this than to just pirate on the trade routes connecting said ports?

Turn 28 All quiet on the Western Front. The Germans destroyed one of our forward corps but that was to be expected, and honestly, a lot less serious than what I was expecting (multiple corps losses + lost ground). We're in the height of fighting season now but I decided to take a break to upgrade my French troops before we assault Luxembourg. Also, a fun pic showing the various maze of trenches and fortresses on the front line. In Italy, the French guns proved their worth and helped the Italians knock out another corps. The Austrians have finally begun upgrading their weaponry, but he won't be able to do so on the Italian front without leaving his trenches... In Russia, the Austrians began advancing out of the mountains in the south, with Germans from the west. This is pretty bad as most reinforcements have gone to the north, and I can't seem to operate out of this sector!! In the north of Russia we lost another town, but the main defensive line holds steady, and is in surprisingly high spirits. In the Middle east we pushed the line forwards wholesale, destroying an Ottoman corps. Note the German support that has now been sent here. The Brits finally reached a new level in gas/shell production, so the push on Damascus should start going a lot quicker now. The Russians upgraded their trenches, always handy when on the defensive.

Turn 27 So the Germans are good for something other than dying it seems! This turn the German batteries had their turn, blowing away our defenders at both the mining complex and at Metz- however, evidently the German lines are thin, as they did not have the men to occupy either. At the start of the turn then, there was quite a valuable gap of 20-odd miles between the Entente and Central Powers... We were quick to regarrison these key points and advanced the line fully. The German lines facing us are upgraded, and high in morale and readiness- we expect more losses to follow. To try and mitigate the losses somewhat, we allowed our batteries to switch to free-fire. In the north the Germans have pulled way back to form a shorter line- a shrewd move given the circumstances. The Italians, reluctant to accept help as 'they had been doing perfectly fine, thank you very much', were the begrudging recipients of a French battery piece. Of course, the French didn't trust the Italians to work it properly, so the gun crew came with. Now I can really start doing nasty things with the Italians... In the eastern front- a tale of two cities? The German advance has stopped a few miles shy of our front line, giving us additional time to dig in. More reinforcements arrived, and another HQ was operated in to help organize the defense. The Germans still outnumber us, but the discrepancy isn't as big as it used to be. One of our encircled corps proved that despite being well behind enemy lines and totally out of supply, they can still do damage; Hindenburg's quarters rocked with the sound of gunfire and some say we may have killed the general's secretary. Not seen in this picture was another lucky break- a flanking cavalry unit was sent to see if Koningsberg was occupied. It was left wide open! We stole it, of course. This turn another big break- infantry level 2 for the French. Time to turn up the heat.

Turn 26 @Bill Cheers! I think it represents my thought process in regards to fronts pretty accurately- I mean, sometimes you can take your objectives ie fortresses in blood and it's a sort of pyrrhic victory, or you can just maul your opponent without really getting anywhere. I'll try and do one of those sum-ups at the end of every year in my AAR's from now on The Western Front was once again a hotbed of activity, with the north Belgian front showing signs of collapsing completely. We stole the town of Ostend after the Germans kindly vacated it, meanwhile destroying 2 whole corps. Further down the line we began prepping for another major offensive. The Brits began outfitting with their new kit and the French had yet another major gun battery arrive at the front. I am not going to use this 3rd French gun on the western front though- it would be overkill, we already have 2 French and 1 British guns. Instead, I'm going to send it to the Italians. Yes, the Italians... The Germans launched their offensive on Russia this turn. The offensive pushes hard towards the north, and encircle a HQ at Grodno. This is unfortunate, but our main defensive line is a strong one, backed by upgraded artillery. The Tsar is determined not to let his forces be the pushover they were in 1915. In Italy we reinforced, in the Balkans the Belgians marched, in the Middle East the British upgraded. A small lull in the big fighting them, but I believe attention will now switch to the eastern front...

Turn 25 The Western Front had a spark of the supernatural this turn, when a French corps guarding the mines inexplicably vanished, to be replaced by a rail gun. Bizarre. Didn't even count as killed. The upshot is that we destroyed the front line rail gun (lol) and another corps on Metz' flank. Metz now stands quite isolated, I just hope Ash doesn't assault it this turn before I get a chance to cement my position. Further north, we make slower but steady progress in Belgium, taking a German corps down to 40% strength with the help of some off-shore bombardment. In Italy, the Austrians continue to have a horrible time of things, losing yet another corps to the surprisingly powerful Italian. As I mentioned in my 1916 war plan though, the mountains in this region will make the gaining of further ground here very difficult without artillery. Solution? Build artillery. So the Italians have begun stockpiling their MPPs. In Russia trainloads of reinforcements arrive to shore up our defenses. I'm feeling much better about the Russian situation now. Still no attack from the CP, yet. We had a major tech breakthrough this turn- infantry weapons level 2 for the British. This changes things quite dramatically, and I have a rather audacious plan in the works which I hope will knock the CP out of this war once and for all, but more on that as it develops.... Italians also gained another level in trench warfare, always handy.

Weeee what do I win? How will AGN evacuate the northern states in time to prevent total encirclement- by train? But so expensive.... Any plans to build any Rocket units btw? I so rarely see them (read: never) in games against other players, I'm sorta wondering if they actually have a purpose as they come so late in the game that you're usually on the defensive by that point.

Turn 24 The Western front is where the action remains for now- in fact, the Western Entente were the only factions to fire a single shot this turn. We began by shelling the unit guarding the industrial mines. The British guns did well to shake them as well as destroying a few units of strength, and after taking few losses, we occupied the mines for ourselves. Even if they are immediately taken back, the damage has been done; it will take time for them to recover back to full industrial capacity. Noticeably large amounts of reinforcements have been sent to try and plug the 'Metz gap', but a lot of them are unupgraded and lack the morale and readiness required for a fortress assault. I kept the French guns silent to recover their shells ready to hit the defenders to the south-east of Metz. In the Balkans, the Serbs and Montenegrins breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Austrians and Bulgarians backed off, although this might well be the quiet before the storm. With only 3 proper corps here we can't exactly mount an offensive, but with the pressure relieved, it frees up the Belgians. I now have a small task force which could be feasibly sent anywhere- Gallipoli, Basra, Italy... The dusty fighting continued in the Middle East with another Ottoman corps being knocked back at 10% strength. If I could just capture a single city, this campaign would go a lot faster... In the Caucus and the rest of Russia, no offensive actions by the Central Powers. We used this opportunity to distribute our reinforced armies appropriately, sending many to plug the Caucus hole. I will send a HQ down there next turn to help defend against the Ottomans, however now that troops are there, I'm a little more relaxed In Italy we just reinforced our position around Trieste, no picture needed. A major tech breakthrough at the end of the turn- gas and shell level 2 for the French. With their 2 guns on the western front, things might start getting really bloody very soon... Also, the French have bought their first 'tank'. The French engineers are not quite sure what impact this strange armoured vehicle will have on the battlefield, but we have invested in the appropriate technology too...

stuff and things

1915 Summary - 1916 War Plan Right men. Settle down, settle down. The leaders of the Entente have called a meeting to discuss all matter related to the Great War- past, present and future. I'll break down the different fronts and give my opinion of where they score in terms of activity (how much fighting there was), the level of tactical success (the efficiency of our corps vs corps fighting ie did we kill more men than we lost) and the strategic level of success (did we achieve our objectives). The War Thus Far Western Front Activity: 4/10 Tactical success: 7/10 Strategic success: 7/10 The Western front saw two main bouts of fighting between 1914 and the end of 1915. There was the initial Schlieffen, which led to some French losses and a single British (corps) loss, but I feel we easily made up for that, and then some. The entire Belgian army escaped relatively unscathed. The subsequent April 1915 offensive to retake Ypres was equally successful although we took some losses for our troubles. We achieved little strategic success- the Prussian were quick to reinforce their weak line and soon we were facing strong willed, dug in troops without the artillery necessary to do anything about it. In early 1916 however we experienced good strategic success with the taking of Metz and further pressing the line in Belgium, so the score gets bumped up a fair bit just based on that. Italian Front (and Adriatic) Activity: 7/10 Tactical success: 9/10 Strategic success: 10/10 The Italians are the dark horse of this war. Their army is strong and has so far outclassed the Austrians in just about every engagement. The taking of Triest, and to a lesser extent Gorz, were significant successes- I really couldn't have expected the Italians to do much more than they did in this period. Battles in the Adriatic Sea were quick and decisive. We lost not a single ship while the entire Austrian fleet was wiped out. A few very weak subs rest in port but the surface fleet has gone entirely. The NM boosts provided were split fairly evenly between the Italians, British and French. Balkans Front Activity: 9/10 Tactical success: 2/10 Strategic success: 5/10 The Central Powers focused a lot of effort on taking out Serbia and it showed; I now find myself rather squashed up against the southern coastlines. The addition of the German artillery to the Serbian push was what really 'made' that front for the Austrian troops, although we shall have to see whether that investment pays off. We lost a lot of troops and weren't able to mount much of a fightback, but the strudy detachment in Montenegro deserve medals for the way they're holding that city. I think sending the Belgians to shore things up a bit was a good call, although I'm now wondering if it was enough force. They're having a bit of a hard time holding the line, but at least the line HAS held since they arrived. Greece of course have joined but aren't in a position to do much of anything until and if Ash decides to invade- which will fully mobilize the army. Eastern Front (and Baltic) Activity: 10/10 Tactical Success: 1/10 Strategic Success: 5/10 Well, the Russians certainly made things interesting this game! They put up a great fight and although they're definitely not out of the running yet, they're on the back foot. A great offensive by the Germans and the loss of Warsaw and Brest pretty much nullify any strategic success gained by taking Lemberg. Naturally the Russians have sustained the heaviest losses and at points it seemed like their defenses just did nothing. As Russian troops are by default weaker than the Germans, to have an infantry weapon tech deficiency against the Prussians just made things so, so much worse. However, the Russians fought a good war against the Austrian- at times it was tit for tat, but the result is a very weak and war weary Austria as we head into 1916. The Caucus fighting was pretty much limited to a bunch of upgraded Ottoman corps stomping all over my weak defense. It's a pretty bad situation down there. Of course, we can't forget the naval calamity that was 1914. Very early in the war much of the Russian fleet was lost, which is a shame as it grows quite a bit throughout 1915 naturally, and could have been quite threatening to use against the Germans if brought to bear now. Oh well- live and learn. Middle East Activity: 3/10 Tactical Success: 9/10 Strategic Success: 8/10 The Middle East didn't see a whole lot of _fighting_ per se, but I hit a lot of my key strategic targets. The big one is of course the Gallipoli landings. I haven't yet had the manpower to exploit this opening but the royal marines there remain content, and dug in, and it is highly unlikely that anything but a real concerted effort by the Ottomans will unseat them. The actual fighting wasn't a huge success strategically- we haven't really pushed back the Ottoman line from where it first started in early 1915, although we have been systematically taking them out piece by piece. It's been slow, though, but I think I can put that down the the useless British artillery (finally upgraded). Last turn's little Baghdad win was a nice strategic victory too, even if it doesn't last. War Plan 1916 Western Front For the last year and a half this has been the war that never was- thousands of troops giving each other 'the eye' over a no-mans land that spans 20 miles in most places (that is the width of a single grid right? ). The French have had a pretty rum time really, all things considered. Well, now they're about to get down and dirty just like those Russian boys they've been hearing about. The plan for 1916 isn't fancy- we're going to smash the German line in at two points- the Metz/Luxembourg breakthrough, where we have our eyes on the two significant industrial mining complexes that lie just within Germany's borders, and the Belgian capital Brussels. It's going to get quite messy, but we have a lot of artillery and a lot of men- the Germans have neither, yet, anyway. Eastern Front Having been on the offensive for much of the war so far, it's time to change tactics. Research for the Russians will be pushed heavily into trench warfare and we will become very defensive, giving as much ground as is necessary while we wait for reinforcements. Italian Front I suspect that Ash will react violently to the loss of Trieste, possibly sending German reinforcements. If you take a look at where the troops are currently fighting, you'll see it's basically all mountains- good defensive terrain. Having taking Trieste and attracted quite a lot of attention, I am now going to switch to a more defensive playstyle here. There aren't many easy to reach objectives for the Italians now that they've taken Trieste, so notwithstanding a small excursion to sieze Pola and take out the sub resting there, there isn't much I can really do further without artillery. Middle East I hope that things will really start shifting here soon. I'm going to continue to push the Ottoman line back with the southern British, and try and expand out of Gallipoli with my new British HQ + conscripted corps that will arrive shortly. There isn't much room to move around in this area and the corps at Gallipoli is well dug in, so taking it out will require manpower. However, if I can capture the town, it will place me _really_ close to the OE capital and Adrianople, as well as opening up the Dardanelles. Balkans I'm fighting a bit of a losing battle here really. However, I've decided that it doesn't really matter, either. The territory we're fighting over is fairly meaningless in terms of both NM and industrial capacity. I might get a bit more excited about this theater if Ash extends down into Greece, and this might require some additional outside support, but unless that happens, I'm going to look on the Balkans as a sideshow. So there's the summary of the war so far. I'm pleased to note that the game is remarkably even so far, and it really could go either way yet.

Turn 24 Oh my giddy aunt. I haven't played a turn this disgusting in a long, long time. Let's start small and work our way up. The eastern front finally settled down as the winter gave me a little breathing room to entrench in the snow. It won't last forever, but it's something. We are definitely at a low point for the Russians though, but fortunately the next few months will provide us with significant reinforcements. It should be noted however, that our single corps guarding the Caucuses will soon be overrun. The Italians had a major breakthrough. Taking advantage of the 'switching out' of the detachment guarding Trieste in favour of a more meatier corps, the Italian High Command sent every living soul to capture the city. They delivered. Trieste is now ours. Down in the Middle East, there were two major developments. The British line opened fire on an Ottoman corps and while taking almost no losses, reduced it to 20% strength. I could have chased it to finish it off, but I didn't bother in this instance. Now that the British have upgraded their artillery, it's easier and more cost efficient to just wear him down without exposing myself too much. At the end of the turn, a new ANZAC corp arrived too! I mentioned two major developments, and here's the second. We always knew the Turks were a quirky bunch but we didn't think it would extend to this- the Baghdad corps apparently went rogue, sallying out from the city and attempting to halt our cavalry, which has been systematically 'liberating' every city in the region. Our cavalry simply evaded the thick-witted foe and took the city itself! But now, for the moment we've all been waiting for. Those following the AAR will know that my cold feet in 1915 about a Western Entente assault on the west German lines cost the Russians dearly. However, I intend to make it all worthwhile. Noting that although bad weather persisted, the snow cleared, and the Metz assault, long awaited, was finally ordered. The heavy guns opened up first, reducing the walls to little more than rubble. A combined Anglo-French infantry attack did lethal damage while taking very little losses, and we were finally able to storm the fortress and occupy it. The German people mourned the loss of their front line stronghold dearly. But that's not all; in the north I promised a Belgian offensive, and here it is. A less grandiose affair than the Metz Assault but nonetheless successful, French troops with the support of a gun battery wiped out an enemy corps, once again to very few losses. We advanced to forward positions where we are exposed, but naval spotting has revealed a very thin line guarding Belgium, and a serious lack of morale among the troops here. I also had some very interesting decision events this turn: 1. I was given the chance to introduce conscription to further squeeze the last remaining troops out of Britain. I said yes. However you may have noticed that the British forces are a bit anemic as far as leadership goes- 3 HQ's, 2 of which are in the Middle East and 1 in France. To remedy this, and support the conscription measure, I ordered a new HQ last turn. He should arrive shortly, and I will have to decide whether to send him to Basra to secure our position there and hit the Ottomans from another front, or push our position in France. 2. Italians had the option of forming another Detachment in Africa. I said yes. 3. The British had the choice of sending the new ANZAC corps to the MidEast or France. I chose Africa, because it is ironically the Ottomans who pose possible the greatest threat right now- in the Caucuses of Russia. I must do everything I can to distract the Turk from his incessant longing for my Russian resources. 1916 war plan/summary incoming.

Turn 22 The damn Germans are insufferable. I thought Brest would hold them up- clearly that was wishful thinking. Once again the Russian ramparts present little more than a speedbump to the Prussian horde. We've pulled all the way back from the Austrian front and will probably have to start dealing with an offensive from them, too. Fortunately, the snow has arrived, and we might be able to get a little breathing room. We also managed to do a single point of damage to the German HQ. Hey, it's something! A whole bunch of new corps are due for arrival over the next few turns, but we're going to have to give up a fair amount of territory in 1916... Significant Austrian reinforcements arrived on the Italian front. We still maintain the upper hand, though, and despite the bad weather forced a unit to retreat at 60% strength. The Bulgarians have joined the fun in the south of Europe. Engagements are fleeting and undecisive. In the West, bored French troops were roused from their 18 month slumber...The excited young men of the Western Entente, as yet uninitiated in the brutality of industrial warfare, were ordered to walk slowly through to snow towards the fortress...of Metz. The British back them up from the rear, ready to fill the gaps that will inevitably be left by the incoming bloodshed. The Belgian front, long forgotten since the skirmishes of early 1915, will also see a minor offensive. German troops here aren't even upgraded- easy prey. (no pic) Things are about to get very messy. I'll post a 1915/6 update with my war plans and strategy/thinking after next turn. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention- Holland is now neutral, huzzah! Hope everyone lurking in the AAR (1000 views for both! ) is enjoying the game so far!

Not a bad idea. I've certainly been considering just sending the western British to start making headroom into the OE, knock them out directly at the capital, then focus on Austria, or vice versa.

Turn 21 ****. **** **** ****, ****. ****. Austrians approach from the south, bolstered by reinforcements (presumably this is where most of the Serbian force was sent). Germans attack from the north. The situation is bleak. Pray for snow. At th very least, the German forces are quite exhausted after 3 turns of non stop assault. Now that he's hit Brest, he'll be forced to take a pause, even if just a brief one. All MPPs this turn were pumped into reinforcements due to arrive early next year. And if that wasn't bad enough: Remember how I talked about hoping the OE wouldn't attack the Caucuses? Yeah well. ****. Thankfully it isn't all tears and misery. The Austrians sent 2 corps to try and defend against the Italian onslaught, only to have one cut down immediately. The Austrians continue to get pounded just south of Montenegro, with a corps destroyed while we took virtually no losses. An unlikely alliance between Belgians and Serbs is no doubt creating a bit of a headache in these tricky mountains. In France, still no movement... ...will 1915 be remembered as the year the Western Entente stood by and watched while the world burned?

Turn 20 Events are quickly going south in Russia. The long time taken to replace lost units means that Russian forces in the center are now outgunned and seriously outnumbered. We fall back to the Brest fortress and operate in reinforcements from across the continent in a desperate bid to hold territory. One of the Russian HQ's (only a level 5 thankfully) has been damaged and will no doubt be destroyed. The artillery was saved though, and operated south to face the Austrian fort line. In Montenegro a brave detachment is holding the capital city to the death. But...what's this? Belgians? No, your eyes do not decieve you. The Belgian force of 2 corps and King Albert himself have been sent to turn the mountainous regions of southern Europe into a quagmire for the Austrians. With a bit of luck, Ash will have already operated most of his Serbian occuption force to face the Russians or Italians, leaving only a skeleton force to defend against a very angry, and upgraded Belgian force. I was originally planning to use the Belgians as a wedge to drive an opening into Gallipolli, but I felt they could be of more use here. In the Middle East, the deadlock was finally broken in proud fashion by the British forces. (Although the French fleet will forever insist that they were the deciding factor) We destroyed a 'corner' of the Ottoman trench line and now prepare to advance towards the cities of the OE. Our little landing raid has surely disrupted activities for the CP who seem to have drawn back a HQ and corps to deal with the threat. In Italy, we have begun sieging Trieste. Still no sign of a serious enemy force. I am thoroughly confused as to where the Serbian occupation force has disappeared to. Nevertheless the Italians are posing a serious and growing threat to the no doubt war-weary Austrians, and they will have to react sooner or later. In the West my cold feet remained. No assualt on Metz yet, although the Brits upgraded their artillery. Some more of Kitchener's army was sent across the Channel. The British, being the stellar guys they are, decided that the Russians cannot simply be watched from afar as they are systematically destroyed by the Prussians. This turn we increased British supplies to the Tsar from 5% to the max, 20%, now worth about 40~MPPs to the Russians. I