WW1 Revisited - An Ash and Will AAR - Entente

[Will95]

- Seems you can just delay in the East while crushing everything in your way in the West. Germans need infantry lvl2 quickly to make a stand or they'll have to transfer troops from Russia.

Yeah with both the British and French packing inf level 2, I think I should be able to more or less seal this game up by the end of 1916, hopefully taking the Ruhr industries, Luxembourg and Brussels. If I get those, it should be a done deal.

- I think sending those 3 prussian corps in the ME is a dangerous move as they're badly needed in the West. Better give ground at the end of the world than in front of the Reich industrial heartland !

Well right now Ash's only chance of victory is to smash Russia as hard as possible so he can force a surrender and then throw the kitchen sink at the western front, so yeah, it's a little odd to focus on keeping the Brits at bay. CP can still win with OE out of the war, but not with Germany out

- That said one can wonder how long the Tsar will keep his people obedient after suffering defeat upon defeat. Whise nerves will tank first ? The NM chicken race is on more than ever hehe !

Russians are tanking, but it won't be long before the Austrians slip under 50%. As long as the Italians keep hammering them, that is.

jhjhjhyn yth

[Will95]

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.

[Will95]

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.

[Will95]

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).

[Will95]

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.

[Will95]

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.

[Strategiclayabout]

- With winter coming and a shortened front in good defensive terrain in the West, CP will have some breathing room to upgrade and reinforce but their MPPs base is shrinking.

- The Gallipolli move had great results including romanian war entry, well done ! They have a numerous army for a minor so unless you take them by surprise they are a pain for CP. Lack of infantry 2 is killing Turks.

- Now how long Russia will hold before the revolution chain reaction take them out of the war ? Germans will have to concentrate the killing on France to have a chance...

[Will95]

- With winter coming and a shortened front in good defensive terrain in the West, CP will have some breathing room to upgrade and reinforce but their MPPs base is shrinking.

- The Gallipolli move had great results including romanian war entry, well done ! They have a numerous army for a minor so unless you take them by surprise they are a pain for CP. Lack of infantry 2 is killing Turks.

- Now how long Russia will hold before the revolution chain reaction take them out of the war ? Germans will have to concentrate the killing on France to have a chance...

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.

[Bill101]

I do love the fact that you've taken Gallipoli. Good move!

[Will95]

Turn 35

Back from my little excursion into Europe (in real life) and back into the brutal fighting of the western front! (not real life)

In the west, new French corps bolstered high command into pushing for a renewed advance into the Ruhr. The French guns originally sent to Italy have been repositioned on this front, together with a strong armoured presence from the French. My aim is to hold onto the mining complex and the fortress at Metz until winter arrives, at which point I will have enough reinforcements to push back the German line.

Further north we assaulted the Antwerp fortress, and will storm it with French troops next turn.

In the east, the situation is grim. A front line HQ was lost and our three front line cities are now in a critical situation. New reinforcements were sent here but it may not be enough to hold the line. Minsk in particular is in a bad situation and will likely fall shortly, forcing a full scale retreat lest we be outflanked.

In Italy we have begun to pressure the Austrians once again with a surprise attack on Trento, weakening the detatchment there significantly.

The Gallipoli peninsula saw further action and the destruction of a Belgian corps. Soon, the Belgians will be truly out of the war- but fortunately the British are putting on a splendid display and struck an Ottoman corps, wounding it severely.

In the Middle East we continue to advance on key NM objectives and assaulted the town of Maan. Before 1917 arrives I expect to have taken both Maan and Medina, and in doing so hopefully send Ottoman morale into free-fall.

With the primary western powers now beginning to reach their peak of technology, industry is being diverted increasingly towards production. 1917 will be the year of the tank...

[Strategiclayabout]

Welcome back ^^ ,

Let's see how those tanks win the war and how long it will be before Turks turn into Turkeys !

[Will95]

Turn 36

The Central Powers are showing remarkable resolve across all fronts, and not for the first time, the Entente is caught with a series of painful attacks.

In Russia, the line is breaking, the Tsar has abdicated and the military is deserting. Artillery has been pulled away to the line to Riga, where we will try to form another defense.

The Western front also saw action, with a French corps destroyed opposite Luxembourg and a British unit forced into retreat. However, a devastating artillery barrage followed by British counter-attacks brutalised the German front line, battering two units there into near submission. In Belgium we took Antwerp and destroyed a German corps.

The Gallipoli campaign took a turn for the worst with the loss of a British corps here due to the presence of German artillery. As this area won't give me the benefit of snow to refit and re-arm, the situation could rapidly get ugly. British troops are en route to hold the line.

In the Middle East Maan comes close to falling, but the main action came from a German advance out of Jerusalem. We lost an elite corps, but an artillery salvo followed by infantry and cavalry follow-ups lead to the destruction of a German corps and the severe wounding of two others.

In Italy, we siezed Trento. The first Italian armoured units are also due to arrive shortly.

The German morale finally dipped below 50% this turn, which will put a strain on resources as MPPs have to be diverted to keep fighting spirits up. I'll post a 1917 summary/war plan soon!

[Will95]

Turn 37

We round off 1916 on a broadly positive note.

The Western front saw the destruction of a German corps in Alsace, but elsewhere we just reinforced or cautiously advanced in anticipation of snow.

The Austrians appear to be gearing up for an assault on Romania, so in a feeble attempt to draw away some attention, the Russians attacked out of Kursk, forcing back a corps holding a nearby town.

The main line is now disintegrating and Brusilov will soon go down fighting with his men. The one small consolation is that the Germans have paid dearly in their own blood to break our defenses here, and it will take both time and MPPs to refit, rearm and finally operate them to the western front.

The Gallipoli front is unsteady, with very few troops to hold the line. However, we were able to severely damage one Ottoman corps to very little losses, and used the Belgians to cut the railway link to the capital.

On the main middle eastern front, having beaten back the German advance, we are stabilizing once again. An Ottoman detachment was wiped out and we hope to take Maan shortly.

Over the last few turns Ash has committed to an advance on Basra with Ottoman forces, and I now find myself quite literally with my back against the wall. However, I have artillery and he does not. As long as my detachment holds formation so as not to expose the HQ, I believe I can hold out here indefinitely. Artillery salvos and infantry based attacks have seriously weakened the enemy here.

Soon we will be into 1917. I honestly didn't think the game would last this long, but Ash is putting up a tremendous fight and I think it would be naive to say that the outcome is sealed. Although NM for the western entente soars at 30-40% higher than the Germans or Austrians, the combat lines are roughly even. War plan incoming after next turn!

[Will95]

Turn 38

Not much activity to report this turn due to snowy conditions, but to give a brief sum up before I make my war plan;

The western front saw a general advance across the front. The line is now shortening such that there isn't much distinction to be made anymore between the Belgian offensive and the Metz line. Significant French reinforcements have considerably thickened the line here, and more Brits arrive shortly as well.

In Russia no change to the disintegrating line.

In Gallipoli an interesting situation is that the Ottoman capital is now isolated- both rail links from the north and south have been cut. New Brit reinforcements and the ability to launch my 'jack in a box' Royal Marines have stabilized the position a bit.

On to the war plan!

[Will95]

1916 Summary/1917 War Plan

This year has definitely had it's distinctive ups and downs, so let's break it down, shall we?

The War Thus Far

Western Front

Activity: 7/10

Tactical Success: 6/10

Strategic Success: 7/10

The Western front definitely hotted up in comparison to 1915, but it wasn't all rosy. We took much of Belgium including the mines and the capital, which were our main objectives, but we were beaten back from Luxembourg by strong German resistance. We traded a lot of blows and looking back, I think the Entente still came out ahead, but it was a heavy price to pay for relatively little land gain. The shortened German line has proven to be pretty tough to crack too.

Italian Front:

Activity: 4/10

Tactical Success: 9/10

Strategic Success: 4/10

The Italians quietened down after the taking of Trieste, mainly due to their lack of artillery. Without the ability to break down the thick Austrian entrenchments there hasn't been much action to speak of in this sector. However, whenever action has occured, it has always been in favour of the spaghetti-eaters and they remain the only country in the war to have not lost a single land unit.

Eastern Front:

Activity: 9/10

Tactical Success: 3/10

Strategic Success: 1/10

Save for the one offensive in August which saw the beginning of the end for the Russian military, this sector was a disaster. A predictable one, but that doesn't make it sting any less. Any and all land gains we made, such as the Lemberg fortress, were lost, and most of the army has now been destroyed. The Austrians exacted a brutal revenge on our retreating troops in the south but appear to have stalled for now. The same cannot be said of the Germans, who rampage through Russia and have more or less single-handedly brought the country to its knees.

Middle East:

Activity: 8/10

Tactical Success: 6/10

Strategic Success: 7/10

There are three main theaters to the ME: Gallipoli, Egypt, and Basra. Each one fared roughly similarly; the Gallipoli salient has turned into something of a quagmire where Ottomans and British exchange troops. The introduction of German artillery to the mix has begun to tip things against us however. In Egypt we are slowly but systematically taking down Ottoman NM targets with few losses, and the defenders of Basra heroically protected the oil fields from Ottoman advances, but lost Baghdad before it could be reinforced.

War Plan 1917

Western Front

I believe the war will be won or lost here. Another French armored unit and a fresh artillery unit both arrive in March to supplement our large infantry forces here. It's going to be a real clash of the titans battle, but my objective for this year is to push forward, seize the German mining industry and retake Luxembourg. A brutal year awaits.

Italian Front

Italian armour is due to arrive later this year to support its experienced infantry army. I'm hoping to apply pressure to the south of Germany/Austria and push towards Innsbruck, meanwhile working on building up artillery so I can start pressuring the main Austrian line facing Trieste again.

Eastern Front

The Russians are done. It has taken a long time, and a lot of German blood, but the Russians are really on their last legs now. If they can just survive into the summer, I'll call that something of a victory. The longer I can keep German troops tied up here, the better.

Middle East

This is becoming an increasingly important theatre. I want to finally take Maan, so I can free up the three corps currently besieging it. Then, using the British artillery, I will push up towards Damascus against the German troops currently guarding it.

Gallipolli will continue to be a battleground no doubt, and I am going to send the artillery currently at Basra there to help hold the line, as well as further infantry reinforcements.

Ultimately however, all theaters will become something of a sideshow compared to the western front. As the French industrial behemoth continues to grow and the Germans begin redeploying their highly experienced units from the east to fight them, this is going to be the area to watch.

[Will95]

Turn 39

I expected a backlash to my advance into Germany, but nonetheless the counterattack was stinging. 3 corps were lost, including the troops guarding the mines. Fortunately, the Germans made no advance of ground.

So, in the spirit of the new war plan, I decided to make lemonade from my metaphorical lemons and push the offensive in the new spring weather. And by golly, did we push. The troops guarding Luxembourg were destroyed utterly by the French armour in their first action in months, once again proving themselves highly resilient. We occupied the city and struck the artillery guarding it. Just northwards in Belgium, we broke a gap in the enemy line and snuck forward to strike the HQ for 40% damage.

It has also been decided that the troops in the south along the Belfort front have been sitting idle long enough. New artillery and armour divisions were moved here, and Strasbourg is the target. Can the Central Powers hope to stop a three pronged attack along this front??

In Gallipoli though, things are not quite so good. We have pulled back from the town and British high command now considers whether to make a full scale withdrawal. One the one hand, this would free up British troops for a proper attack on Jerusalem. On the other, it would also free up a lot of Ottoman troops to defend it. However, I'm feeling increasingly claustrophobic on this peninsula and I think I may have done all the damage I can do.

My thinking originally is that I'd open up a sizeable gap to allow troops to flood through, but I underestimated the Ottomans army size. Right now it's too easy for Ash to keep me bottled up when I could be making good ground elsewhere.

Elsewhere was business as usual, so no screenshots.

[Will95]

Turn 40

The Western front once again heated up with a three pronged attack. Starting in the north, we destroy a corps in low supply to gain a little morale bonus and open a gap towards the enemy artillery, which charging cavalry were able to exploit to devastating effect. Further attacks from the south through Luxembourg opened the hole wider and landed even more hits on the arty. Finally we attacked in the south, blowing away an enemy corps and advancing alongside Belfort.

The German forces in Russia are nowhere to be seen right now, which gives us a little time to prepare a defense. It's a pretty pathetic defense but a defense nonetheless, and the Riga river will hopefully give us some much needed cover. Troops from the Caucus have been operated in to bolster the presence.

The Italians (the only nation whose national morale is actually _increasing_) seized another town. The road to Innsbruck is open, and armour has arrived to help out! The Germans are somewhat well equipped to deal with armour, but the Austrians aren't going to know what hit 'em...

Just to rub salt in the wound, the French reached a new level in shell production. With 3 artillery pieces on the western front, that's a lot of shelling...

[Will95]

Turn 41

Death and destruction continue on the Western front. Two more German corps crumble under the Entente advance, once again spearheaded by infantry and backed by waves of artillery fire. And indeed, once again we break through to strike the German artillery in the rear. We have almost driven the Germans out of Belgium...

The Russians sit in their trenches, shaken, frightened, but firm- for now.

Here is a image of the Gallipoli invaders as they disembarked. The campaign has come to an end. What did it achieve? Well, the most significant impact was introducing Romania into the war. Even if they prove to be nothing more than a stumbling block, it's just another delay to the sending of Central Powers troops from the east to the west. Crucially, it also caused Ottoman morale to come crashing down. What did it cost us? Relatively little. The Belgians are now out of the war entirely but this was to be expected, and frankly, they lasted a lot longer than I could ever have hoped. However, after several years of fighting along the peninsula, our soldiers are waving goodbye to the distant sights of Constantinople, and heading for Port Said....

Finally, we have taken the town of Maan. We will take a brief pause to rest (poor supply has damaged readiness) and gain valuable elite reinforcements before pressing on northwards. The Gallipoli troops will join the main front line and push from the south. The Germans will become trapped, and we will celebrate Christmas in Jerusalem.

In Romania, the fighting has a note of lethargy about it- both sides are weak, low on morale and few in number. Romania will fall- there's no doubt about that- but it will hopefully take some time and a lot of Austrians to bring it about.

The French, having now enlarged their army significantly and purchased some armour, are turning towards the skies for further breakthroughs. Both airships and ground attack aircraft gained a tech level this turn. Powerful airships will allow us to hit the German where it hurts- in the wallet.

[Will95]

Turn 42

The western front is a battlefield unlike no other; 3 French corps go down defending their country (by invading someone else's). The British presence on the continent is now quite significant though, so any gaps can readily be filled, especially as the line shortens around key objectives. In a slightly hair-brained move Metz is handed over to French control to allow the British to move forward and deal good damage to enemy artillery. We also succeed in destroying 3 forward corps.

Romania is the other major battleground, with Bulgarians and Austrians coming in from all sides. The Romanians are standing well, having yet to lose a full corps, but are taking significant losses, and morale is low as they hear news of Russia's soon-to-be capitulation.

The Russians are just about hanging on for dear life at the Riga line, and the German advance has now arrived to meet them. Our attempt at a harrasment attack on exposed artillery was pathetically weak and succeeded only in removing our troops from their cosy trenches.

The Italians reached infantry level 2 this turn, and so will take another turn to refit and re-arm before attacking Innsbruck. As they will be attacking without artillery, it is necessary that they have the best equipment possible.

In the Middle East, as mentioned, the British are taking a pause. The Mesopotamian artillery has now arrived bringing us to a total of two batteries in this sector, coupled with a signficiant and experienced infantry army and several HQs. It'll take a few turns to get everything in position but we will soon be advancing on Jerusalem.

The French increased their mobilization this turn, a tech I've been nursing for a while, and which will be of immense help to our somewhat sluggish tractor-tanks to boost their mobility. I'm not exactly hoping for blitzkrieg tactics but 4 AP instead of 3 ought to be a nice boost

The race is now on to do as much damage as possible before Russia is wiped out. It's NM is collapsing fast and will probably be out of the war by October. The Central Powers are probably going to go down fighting, but they still have a large army, and I'm a tad worried that the Austrians and Ottomans have gone through 1917 without many losses to speak of. Let us see what happens as we reach the tail end of summer, more brutality is in store for both sides no doubt!

[Will95]

Turn 43

The slaughter on the western front actually stopped for a moment. The German guns no doubt needed a chance to reinforce after the battering they've taken, and the Entente advance was halted to allow reinforcements to close up the gaps. It wasn't totally silent though- we reduced a corps to 10% strength and retreated a cavalry unit outside Strasbourg.

In Romania, troops surround Bucharest, but they are low on supply and we were able to counter-attack to good effect. Still, I'm just waiting for the anvil to fall.

Interesting developments in the Middle East. The Germans guarding Jersualem were relieved, and Ottomans took their place. Unupgraded, de-entrenched Ottomans...

The opportunity was too good to pass up. We advanced to find low strength units and attacked them for good damage. Artillery brings up the rear and reinforcements from Gallipoli are now arriving. Our advance out of Maan continues and found a significant German force waiting for them.

Ottoman troops are also closing on Basra once again. However, I'm not too worried. Unless artillery is present (and without a good rail link, that's unlikely) he won't be able to shift me without taking massive losses.

I've been quiet about the Italians for a while, but rest assured- this is just the calm before the storm. Next turn I will unleash half a dozen corps, two of which are elite, and an upgraded armour unit, all above 90% readiness and fully upgraded on Innsbruck. The Central Powers will begin to wonder where it all went wrong...

[Will95]

Turn 44

The Russians...have almost no fight left. After 3 hard years of fighting, their desire to continue fighting is very nearly spent. However, this didn't prevent them from exploiting an opening in the German attacking line, and surged forward , pushing back the enemy corps.

Romania disintegrates.

In Germany we destroyed 2 corps and opened another set of holes in the line through which we struck the enemy artillery. The tit-for-tat nature is taking its tole on French NM.

In the Middle East, brutal attacks across the front. We destroyed the corps at Gaza but are unable to occupy for the time being. The corps adjacent to it also took serious damage. The German army we spied last turn moved forward in force and destroyed our advance corps, but took heavy damage doing it, allowing us to move up and destroy one of theirs in turn.

We have also been waging a diplomatic war of late, focusing our efforts on Norway. This turn we even removed our raiders! They rewarded us by preparing to open a trade route to the UK. I decided a little while ago that continuing to fight over the Netherlands wasn't worth it with the Russians soon leaving the war, and I don't believe that Germany has the disposable income to switch diplo targets.

[Will95]

Turn 45

Russia....is no more. On August 11, 1917, the country surrendered and divided into its many nation states. That's not to say it didn't give a kick and a scream before going down however- we even managed to destroy a German corps, and severely wound several Austrian corps.

In the west, we once again smashed through the lines and pushed until we hit enemy artillery. Once again the German guns took a pounding from our infantry. Our numbers are wearing thin, but the line is slowly advancing, 3 more corps down.

In the Middle East some attempts were made to counter-attack and they almost destroyed a British corps. Fortunately, they were unsuccessful- just. We counterattacked in turn backed by a force of artillery and destroyed an Ottoman corps. Another was brought lower still in strength by French naval forces. Hopefully next turn we can take Gaza.

In Italy we surround Innsbruck.

Norway slides further towards the Entente, soon they will be a valuable trading partner!

[Bill101]

Given the comparison between French and German National Morale, and your cool move in taking then evacuating Gallipoli, I think you've still got a good chance.

But there will be German reinforcements soon arriving from the Eastern Front... good luck in dealing with them!

[Will95]

Indeed. Much will depend on;

- How quickly the Ottoman Empire falls (now that arty is in place and I have enough infantry to push)

- How successful the Italians are in getting out of the Alps (horrible fighting territory, most of my troops are in low supply) and preventing the Austrians moving west

- How my autumn offensive goes. I've got about 10 new French corps arriving throughout September and October so I'm expecting some pretty hot fighting around there.

[Strategiclayabout]

You forgot: what CP will do .

- But there arn't many possibilities left at this stage of the game and it usually ends with a mutual massacre in France until NM breaks on one side or the other.

- I suppose the main variant in the West is what you will do with Italians. A turkish collapse can be decisive by creating an NM chain reaction to Austria and then Germany but who knows how long it will take ?

- Russia fought well but I think you wasted too many forces early on against the austrian fortress. I usually find it better to save as much power as I can and to slowly withdraw eastwards leaving no opening and keeping Russia in the war at least into 1918.

- Now another factor can be how many UK units you can deploy in France to support the final butchery...