1914 March on Paris AAR

[Ivanov]

An aerial photo of the Fort Douaumont:

[Hyazinth von Strachwitz]

Great Move, Ivanov!

[Bill101]

Well, it’s all hotting up now!

Foch launches a counterattack, destroying a German division near Bar sur Aube. He also launches an attack on a German brigade defending Langres.

Lanrezac also pitches in by destroying a German cavalry division near Nogent.

Reinforcements are rushed to Verdun, as refitted divisions are deployed for battle, and we also shorten our line to the south of Verdun to provide some reserves.

Sir John French receives further reinforcements in the shape of the 7th division, while a Naval division has just been formed in the UK. They will soon make an appearance on the battlefields of France too.

[Ivanov]

Despite the heavy rain ( first during this campaign ), the assault against Verdun went ahead as planned. Firstly the heavy artillery fire opened up with a deadly crescendo:

Then our brave infantrymen rushed forward. The assault was spectacular:

The French fortifications were blasted to pieces and our elite 2nd Guards Division managed to capture Fort Vaux!

This is just a beginning and more fighting and bloodshed will follow...

Further south, the inconclusive fighting takes place along the river Aube. Our 7th and 1st Armies wrestle with the army led by Foch and the BEF, to gain an upper hand in Champagne. The good news is, that the 2nd Army advancing from Belfort has managed to destroy the remnants of the gen. Dubail army and capture it's commander in the process!

This success could only mean, that the French eastern flank in Champagne is now unprotected and wide open.

THE CAPTURED FORT VAUX:

[Bill101]

A quiet turn for us as we regather our strength and move reserves to deal with the enemy’s advances.

The loss of Fort Vaux is a serious matter, but let it be said now, that they will get no further than Verdun. Ils ne passeront pas: they shall not pass!

Foch is the only one who launches an attack this turn, battering a Landwehr Brigade holding Langres. But it’s only a diversion from the main action which is occurring further north nearer Paris and Verdun.

[Ivanov]

It seems that only the rainy weather and muddy terrain are effectively hampering the German advance towards Paris. The roads are no longer dry and the movement of our units is visibly affected. Nonetheless the First Army is ready and an order has been dispateched to commence the final assault towards Paris. The operation "Wiener Schnitzel" has begun!

The main body of the First Army has moved rapidly towards the town of Coulommiers, which turned out to be occupied by a Brit cavalry division. So here it is - the full might of the German war machine is finally going to fall upon the English!

Further to the south, the Seventh Army launched it's attack towards Provins.

Another success has been achieved by our Fourth Army near Verdun and this time the Fort Douaumont has been captured by our ad hoc formed assault groups!

Right now everything depends on the weather. Few days of the clear skies will allow us to crush all the resistance on the way to Paris. From the other hand, more rain will further slow us down. At Verdun, our superiority in artillery makes us feel pretty confident. The French may attempt to lure us into a meat grinder there but from the other hand, it would be a tactics that the hard pressed Foch can't really afford at this stage.

AOURSUPERIORITY IN THE HEAVY ARTILLERY, ONE MORE TIME ENSURED OUR SUCCESS IN THE BATTLE OF VERDUN:

[Bill101]

Sir John French gains the acclaim of the British people as he orchestrates the successful destruction of the German 22nd Reserve division, with minimal British losses.

In his dispatches, the B.E.F.’s commander has nothing but praise for one of his two Corps commanders, Sir Douglas Haig, but his reports on the other, Horace Smith-Dorrien, are nowhere near as glowing. Perhaps a command reshuffle will be required at some stage?

A joint attack by British and French cavalry, with some infantry support, has also destroyed the German Cavalry division that was getting a bit too close to Paris for our liking. That’ll teach them to poke their noses where they aren’t wanted!

The German infantry advancing on Paris are in a very sorry state. Desertions are frequent and prisoners are reporting that they haven’t been fed in days!

[Ivanov]

On 25th of September our worst fears come to realize because the pouring rain has been seriously interfering with the conduct of the operation "Wiener Schnitzel". Despite the miserable weather, the First and Seventh Armies moved forward but failed to secure any important terrain objectives. No enemy unit has been destroyed either and the British 1st Cavalry Division put up a gallant fight, defending the town of Coulommiers.

The front at Verdun has been quiet and the Fourth Army has been regrouping before the next assault.

Right now, the fighting has turned into a race against time, which is becoming increasingly dramatic for both sides. Curiously enough, it is mostly the BEF that is offering the resistance at the gates of Paris. At the same time, the French army is heavily engaged at Verdun. It’s worth noting the difficult position of the army led by the gen. Foch, which is literally squeezed between our 2nd and 7th Armies:

[Wodin]

Quick question. I thought the game was a Corps scale game, yet divisions are mentioned here. So are some campaigns divisions and some corps and if they are divisions then how does the map scale work? Would be strange having divisions on a map designed for Corps and vice versa. Division scale I much prefer over Corps..and if the game is mainly Division not corps then I'm even more tempted to purchase.

[Bill101]

Hi Wodin

While the main campaigns covering the whole war are at the Corps level, the majority just cover a theater or even specific battle area, and these are for the most part at the Divisional level.

The Corps level campaigns use different maps to the Divisional level ones, so for example, the map of France contained in this campaign is much, much larger than the one in the Corps level 1914 Call to Arms campaign.

You can see the difference in the demo, as that includes two Corps level campaigns, and the Divisional level 1918 Ludendorff Offensive - which uses the same map as we're using in this AAR.

You can download the demo here:

http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=267&Itemid=473

The Corps level campaigns really do have a much more strategic feel to them, with a greater amount of content aimed at that level, including a focus on research, diplomacy, the home front, naval warfare etc, whereas in a Divisional level campaign your focus will be almost totally on the military side.

[Wodin]

Sounds good...I'm not a huge Grand Strat fan..but the Divisional side of the game sounds more like my thing. I would love to play a campaign i.e the whole War though at division scale but say the Western front only or at a push the West and the East front.

[Bill101]

That would be big! This campaign could be extended and expanded no doubt to work like that for the Western Front, with research and other events coming into play.

The German East Africa campaign is a full campaign with various decisions and events, but is actually at the Brigade/Regimental level, given the much smaller size of forces in the field there.

[Bill101]

It’s time for a counter-attack at Verdun!

Maunoury orders an infantry assault which removes a German division from the field, and follows it up with an attack on one of the German artillery units that the enemy had brought up to bombard Verdun with.

If it will be firing at Verdun next turn, it certainly won’t be at full effect.

Further south, the B.E.F. fight a rearguard action in the face of the German advance, mauling some units in the process, while Foch launches a more powerful counterattack at Bar-sur-Aube.

The Royal Flying Corps discovers that there are no German units behind the spearhead that is currently attacking Coulommiers. This knowledge inspires de Langle de Cary to send a division forward to cut the enemy’s supply line.

[Ivanov]

On 27th of September the skies have finally cleared and a heavy fighting has resumed in France. Von Moltke has been furious, due to the fact that his armies were practically immobilized during the two, long and rainy days. Luckily the weather has improved and the troops taking part in the operation "Wiener Schnitzel" moved forward towards their objectives. Our First Army captured the town of Coulommiers and one of the B.E.F infantry divisions was annihilated in the process. At the same time, another eight divisions which have been moving along a parallel, southern axis, resumed their push towards Provins. Here too a B.E.F division was destroyed:

Even more pronounced success has been achieved by the Fourth Army during the ongoing Battle of Verdun and another enemy fort has been captured! This time it has was Tiaumont which has fallen to our brave infantrymen. This tremendous battle becomes a real meat grinder for the French. Just during this one day, two enemy divisions were destroyed:

Lastly it’s worth pointing out the dramatic position of the army led by gen. Foch. The elements of our Second Army, ( which after the capture of Belfort and annihilation of the French army led by Dubail, has been continuing it’s march towards the west ), have been arriving quickly to the area of Chatillon. The rail connection, that could be used to supply or evacuate the French army, is cut off and the divisions of gen. Foch are surrounded in a vast cauldron by a superior enemy force.

The German HQ is quite puzzled and surprised by this new development. Was the enemy not able to foreseen this pending threat to one of his best field armies? Or are we witnessing the beginning of the collapse of the French command and control system? We cannot know this for sure but one thing is clear: the troops of Foch will be severely missed in Paris…

[Bill101]

Von Moltke is definitely piling on the pressure and it cannot be denied that the fighting is very intense.

But we succeed in launching numerous counter-attacks this turn to weaken the enemy’s assault units. Foch is the most successful, destroying a German Brigade that was threatening Bar-sur-Aube.

Sir John French is steadily withdrawing the B.E.F. in the face of the German advance, and he was disappointed at one German infantry division which fled when attacked by the British 3rd Division. Is that a sign of the Hun’s falling fighting spirit?

[Strategiclayabout]

- I know Askaris are great, that Bill is a fine commander with gifted officers like Wintgens and Wahle able to think and execute bold moves but attempting a March on Paris, that's a bit over the top .

- Anyway, great final moves and counter moves near Paris, thanks both of you for fighting to the last turn ^^ . That Foch pocket adventures in the south were thrilling !

[Kuniworth]

If germans are still in Dar-Es Salaam vicinity it sure is a looong way to Paris.

[Bill101]

Von Lettow-Vorbeck has very bold plans to win the war!

I've deleted the message now. I realized I'd posted it in the wrong thread straight away, but for some reason didn't manage to delete it properly last night. Must have been tired!

[Ivanov]

The month of September of 1914 is nearly over, but it doesn’t mean that the fighting in France becomes less fierce. To the contrary, another day of good weather allowed the German armies to continue exerting a relentless pressure on the enemy!

Most importantly, our newly formed Third Army attacked and captured the town of Meaux which is located practically on the outskirts of the French capital! The battle was fought between our infantry corps which unleashed hell against one battered French cavalry division, which was trying to establish an ad hoc defensive position in the town. The outcome of the fighting was easy to predict and the defenders had been completely routed, while our troops gained a valuable supply base right at the gates of the French capital.

At the same time, the First Army led by the well known general Alexander von Kluck, pushed forwards against the divisions deployed by the BEF and the town of Provins was recaptured ( it has been already occupied for a short time by our cavalry ). The British lost another infantry division and the headquarters of gen French were also subjected to a direct attack. By the way we suspect that gen John French was chosen to lead the BEF purely due to his surname! The British high command probably believed that someone called “French” would be liked by his continental counterparts and get on with them well. Unfortunately we know, that the relations between the allied generals are tense at the best of times…

Note the current state of BEF. This once proud, elite formation consists now of four divisions only. None of them is actually full strength and one took 70% loses. The Hun has certainly done his job there…

At Verdun two French divisions had been destroyed but no territory was gained this time. The commander of the Fourth Army has always envisaged the battle of Verdun in the form of a materialschlacht. Right now there is not much terrain to be gained there and simply inflicting a crippling loses on the enemy, seems like a satisfactory outcome to us.

At the banks of river Aube there is still no sign, that the army led by gen Foch may be trying to improve it’s awkward position. Instead the French general has undertaken a series of local counterattacks and a new division has been spotted by the units of our Second Army! Some savage fighting is probably going to take place there but either way, having a vast enemy force stuck in and around the cauldron, is a great opportunity for us from the force economy point of view. The more enemy troops are diverted from the Verdun and Paris fronts, the bigger are our chances of achieveing a success elsewhere.

[Bill101]

A German division is destroyed at Verdun, proving that France has not yet lost its bite!

Another German division succumbs near Nogent, this time to a joint British and French attack.

Let us say this again just so that the Kaiser gets the message:

Is the B.E.F. downhearted? No!

Foch destroys a third German division at Chantilly, and sends his forces northward to join up with de Langle de Cary’s troops who are advancing south from Bar le Duc.

By advancing on St. Dizier, which our reconnaissance planes showed to be undefended, then German supply near Paris will be even lower than it currently is – and it isn’t very good at the moment.

Paris is now fully garrisoned and it awaits the enemy’s attack with high hopes of success.

[Ivanov]

Despite the French counter attacks on our flanks von Moltke continues to insists that our westernmost Third and First armies press forward:

-“You cannot forget what our final objective is. Paris will be the ultimate prize of this great campaign”!

Right now around ten German divisions are massing at the gates of the French capital, providing the attackers with a considerable numerical superiority over the city garrison, which comprises of a hodge-podge melee of French and British units. At the same time the First Army continues to bash the remnants of BEF, capturing the town of Melun in the process:

The French efforts to cut off our supply lines are dealt with accordingly and the army of Foch loses two divisions to the counter attacks of our Second and Seventh armies. The remaining division of the French task force is cut off and deprived of the supply. We were expecting that the enemy would try to withdraw his forces from the area of Bar Sur Aube in an attempt to join with the BEF in order to form a coherent and strong formation on our southern flank. If the army of Foch joined the BEF, it could threaten our First Army in it’s efforts to reach the French Capital. Instead the French forces are being spent in a series of futile attacks away from the main axis of our assault:

Similar situation occurs in the area of St Dizier, where the French attack is grounded to halt. Right now the overall numerical superiority of our armies over the combined forces of Entente is like 2:1, so our reserves are plenty. Due to that we can prevent any enemy breakthrough with ease:

The bloodshed at Verdun continues and two more French divisions are destroyed on 1st of October.

[Bill101]

A German division wins a medal for retreating the furthest away from the enemy, as its leaders cannot convince their men to stand up to our French infantry.

Still, it took a good hammering each time we attacked before it fled, so we’re happy!

The mission to cut the German spearhead off from the rear was successful and has achieved its purpose: to disrupt German supply and therefore weaken the fighting capacity of the units at the front.

Now we must regroup and survive.

With that in mind, Verdun itself will be given up as it no longer has the strategic importance it had before.

[Ivanov]

On 3rd of October our troops enter undefended Verdun which had been previously vacated by the enemy:

The HQ of the 4th Army couldn’t resist an opportunity to organize a small, celebratory parademarsch in the newly captured city:

On the main front, the 3rd army has been improving it’s positions before the assault on Paris could commence. At the same time the army of gen. Foch lost two more divisions and the remains of BEF have been heavily hit and are nearly surrounded in an another kessel:

The mud has prevented any serous action against the French units in the area of St. Dizier.

A strategic overview on 3rd of October:

[Bill101]

Sir John French extricates from the B.E.F. from the enemy’s proximity, marching south towards Montargis, while Foch is regrouping his army to the south east of Sir John French.

Both are satisfied with their actions because large numbers of Germans have been kept occupied in fending off our counterattacks, preventing them joining the march on Paris.

Now that Verdun has fallen, our forces there are withdrawing to take up new positions in the Ardennes, though Fort Marre to the northwest of Verdun will be held to the last.

Our defences at Paris are being strengthened and the Germans on the outskirts are digging trenches.

Oh yes, last but not least, von Bulow’s HQ is attacked and damaged. Who said that we have lost our bite?

[Ivanov]

On 5th of October the Fourth Army launches an assault against the Fort Marre – the last fort of Verdun still held by the French. Once again, the position has been overrun quickly, thanks to the support of our heavy, siege artillery. The remaining elements of the Fourth Army begun to move westward following close on the heels of the retreating enemy. At the same time, the Sixth Army has been finally able to act decisively against the French breakthrough near St. Dizier, with two enemy divisions being cut off and destroyed:

The ordeal of the Foch Army continues in the area of Bar Sur Aube. The divisions of our Seventh Army began their move south, from the area of Troyes towards Chatillon. Their intention is to sever the potential escape routes of the nearly cut off enemy force. To our surprise the HQ of gen. Foch has been encountered on the way and the enemy commander is already on the way to the prisoner camp where he will soon join gen Dubail. For sure they will have now plenty of time to discuss and analyze the conduct of this great campaign!

On the outskirts of Paris the Third Army has been improving it’s positions before the final assault could commence and the heavy artillery has been brought in forward. Will the French have enough stomach for a bloody and destructive fighting in their beautiful capital?