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The Russian Civil War Mod will be released on Moday 9/22!


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Ok, why you might ask, why am I bothering to announce this rather than simply release it? It would be a fair question and so here are my reasons. First off I basically needed to "crap or get off the pot!" I keep going back to the mod tweaking here and there and so I decided to give myself one more weekend to play through it and if I make anymore changes, I will not test them but simply put them in and send the game out as is. By announcing a date, I now feel an obligation to live up to it.

The second reason is that you will find below the designer notes for the game. This will give those who might be interested in this mod an idea what to expect, and perhaps those not interested in this mod, more reason to stay away. Also, maybe someone will read something here and make a suggestion which I might just be able to slip in before Monday.

So as long as there is no problem uploading it on Monday (I hope 95mb is an accepted file size) the game will finally be out!

INTRODUCTION

In October 1917, the Bolshevik Revolution erupted. The Bolshevik leader Lenin promised to pull Russia out of the war should he obtain power. This news was greeted enthusiastically by the Germans, who helped spirit Lenin back into Russia, and greeted with dismay by the West, who cringed at the thought of the German Eastern Front Army suddenly boiling westwards. Once Lenin was in power, he was compelled to live up to his promise, as the Germans began to occupy western sections of Russia. In March, 1918 the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. It was a humiliating deal that the Bolsheviks brokered, and to many Generals, this treaty was a slap in Mother Russia's face. Soon, a core group of Anti-Bolsheviks established their base in the Don Region and the White Volunteer Army was created, commanded by General Kornilov, and after his death, General Denikin. Other “White” factions soon emerged including the Siberian Army commanded by Admiral Kolchak. The West sent expeditionary forces to Murmansk, Archangel, and the Odessa, Baku, Batum, Siberian regions, not so much to overthrow Bolshevism, but to attempt a reestablishment of the Eastern Front. Russia was in turmoil as various Cossack factions joined both sides, sometimes switching their allegiances to serve their own interests. Adding to the confusion was a rogue group of brave Czech soldiers who were disparately trying to return to their homeland, but currently trapped in eastern Russia!

The Whites were almost doomed from the start as the Bolsheviks held the strategically important central regions while they were scattered about. Clashes of egos, the deaths of vital White Generals, and the failure to cooperate and understand the needs of the general populous, contributed to the eventual failure of the White movement. However, even with all of these shackles hindering their cause, they were within 200 miles of entering Moscow, with Lenin seriously contemplating defeat!

This epic struggle, rather unknown to many in the West, is now available to play with this Russian Civil War Mod. Hopefully, it will offer a meager glimpse of what the war was about and perhaps encourage some to read more about this fascinating period of history.

OVERVIEW

The game begins on April 1, 1918 and concludes on February 26, 1921 with two week turns. The 136 x 92 tile map covers the main area of the conflict, from Warsaw to the Siberian Regions and from Murmansk to Batum. There are areas where the scale of the map is a bit askew, some purposefully, like squeezing Romania and the Eastern regions, others unintentional such as the Crimea which I could never seem to get right. So consider the map as a representation of what it would look like if seen through a drunken haze.

Units are Division and Brigade level with many of the Brigades actually smaller combat units. Armies in the RCW were not of the same scale as WWI and definitely not WWII as many armies were small in size which were also reorganized and shifted about throughout the war. In the game, operational movement can be used via rail lines and can be extremely beneficial, especially to the Reds.

The historical time line has been adjusted for game play purposes and independent countries such as Poland are represented on the map at the start of the game. This allowed me to set up all of the combatants on the map.

NOTE: I had initially started the units under strength, but the AI would waste precious mpps rebuilding them so, with the exception of the Western Allies, HQs, and fleets, all combat units begin the game with 10 strength points.

DISCLAIMER:

You need to be forewarned that the AI turns can be lengthy, and depending on the power of the rig you have, can last between 20 to 30 minutes. I sincerely apologize for this, as I did not plan to turn this game into something on par with an SPI monster board game. But, when SCWAW came on the scene, I just could not resist taking advantage of the features available and the mod simply continued to grow.

One tip that Blashy has suggested is to hit the F3 key in order to eliminate the animation, though it will still be a long turn. So, my advise is that when the AI takes a turn, you should go and read a book about the Russian Civil War, help in a Barn raising party, or rebuild an engine or two, before coming back to the game. I can only hope you find the game interesting enough that you have the patience to continue playing. But, if waiting for the AI has you pulling out your hair, then play a hotseat game and relive your youth when you used to set up Wacht am Rhein on the floor and push those counters about!

THE MAIN COMBATANTS

The Bolsheviks: In control of Central Russia and points east.

The “Whites”

1.Southern Whites: Located in the Caucusus Regions.

2.Siberian Whites: Control vast amounts of territory from the Ural Mountains and eastward.

3.Northwest Whites: Their base of operations is in the Northern Baltic Regions. Under command of General Yudenich, they are not organized at the beginning of the war. Will enter to war in October 1919 but can enter sooner due to activation triggers

4.Western Allies: Located in several regions throughout Russia, they are not active at the beginning of the game. The Intervention force will join the war in December 1918, but can enter sooner due to activation triggers.

5.Poland: Poland is not an independent nation at the beginning of the war, but is set up to join the “Whites” with the Russo-Polish War in February 1919. Poland can enter sooner due to activation triggers.

6.Finland: The Finns begin the game at war with the Reds with the Bolsheviks occupying southern territories. General Mannerheim is in Northern Finland and General Von Der Goltz and his Freikorp brigades are to the west. Their aim is to rid Finland of the Russians and so are an ally by circumstance to the “Whites”.

7.Don Cossacks : The Don Cossacks are on the right flank of the Southern Whites. Severe Anti-Bolsheviks to a man, they were a vital ally to General Kornilov. One of their most prestigious commanders, General Kaledin lost his life during the civil war, although in this case, it was by his own hand.

8.Kuban Cossacks: The Kuban Cossacks are on the left flank of the Southern Whites and were an important ally to General Denikin.

9.Orenburg Cossacks: The Anti-Bolshevik Orenburg Cossacks helped protect the Siberian Whites southern front. They are usually the forgotten Cossacks.

NEUTRALS, ACTIVATION LAND MINES, AND THE PROPAGANDA WAR

During the Russian Civil there were many Cossacks factions whose loyalties shifted in the wind and declared their allegiance to the Reds, other times the Whites, and yes occasionally both sides at the same time. There were also a number of “wild cards” who could tip the balance of power one way or the other. Finally there are a couple of “what ifs?” tossed into the game to make it interesting. How these neutrals come into play will depend on:

A. How you spend your Propaganda Chits.

B. How many of the activation land mines are triggered.

C. How much activation is triggered by moving units to, or away,

from borders and cities.

Propaganda Chits are one of the most inexpensive items to purchase. Study the map and see which Cossack Region might give you the edge if you were to be successful in gaining their favor. Keep in mind that also peppered throughout the map are “activation land mines” which if triggered by units from either side, can result in an activation increase of a specific neutral for one side or the other. Moving units near borders or cities can also cause certain activations.

HINT: Save using your propaganda chits until you see how the ebb and flow of the propaganda war is shaping up. Use them to help bring a side which close to joining completely over, or try to block them from joining the other side. Remember that the game is in 2 week turns, so results will come more slowly than in the standard game. Although I should add that there can occur spikes, which suddenly find your troops in uncomfortable company.

The Neutrals

1.Lithuania: Lithuania, bordering Poland to the North, begins the game as Pro-Red. A long history of border disputes with Poland makes them a valuable Bolshevik ally, if they can be swayed to join their cause. This “what if” scenario would change the course of the Russo-Polish War if Lithuania was a military threat to Poland.

2.Romania: Romania, bordering Poland to the south, begins the game as neutral but is Pro-White. Should Romania join the “White” cause, their army would be a great benefit to the southern campaigns. Conversely, should the Bolsheviks manage to bring them into the fold, it would result in Poland potentially facing a three front war. Another “What if” addition.

3.The Ukraine: The Ukraine is set up as an independent nation at the start of the game, with their army and farmlands a prize for either side. Poland's General Pilsudski, envisioned a Confederation, with the Ukrainians as one of the partners. The purpose of the Confederation would be a strong unified buffer between Germany and Russia. His grandiose plan never materialized, but perhaps with the right persuasion, such a “What if” can occur in this game.

4. Nestor Makhno and the Anarchists: Nestor Mahkno spent a portion of his youth in a Moscow prison, and when released in 1917 became a revolutionary and Anarchist. His base of operations was at Gulai Pole, located to the east of the Ukraine. He was not a firm believer of either side during the Civil War as his utopia was a land without state authority, and so he managed to play both sides while never losing sight of his goal of forming a peasant union, devoid of government. Historically, Mahkno was a greater problem for General Denikin and the Whites, as his roving bands created havoc behind the White Army lines. He cut supply lines and captured resources which forced valuable front line troops, and reserves, to waste their time hunting him down. The Makhno Anarchist begin the game as Pro-Red and can be used to repeat history should they become active.

5.The Czech Legion: The Czech Legion were a group of Czechs and Slovaks who were either fighting on Russian soil against the Germans, former POW's, or workers. When the Bolsheviks made their pact with Germany, these Czechs found themselves cut off from returning to their homeland. Since they could not go west though German occupied territory, they were granted permission to head east and eventually reach Vladivostok via the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Their journey east was a long one and their numbers swelled to become over 2 divisions strong. As they traveled deeper into Russia, Trotsky started to view them as a threat, and at one point, the Legion was ordered to disarm or risk imprisonment. This they refused to do and fighting erupted between the Legion and Russian troops in May 1918. In July, they seized an armored train and renamed her “Orlik” and proceeded to take control of a large portion of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The Legion however was an equal opportunity nuisance as they were instrumental in capturing a fleeing Admiral Kolchak (whose Dictatorship they deplored) and turned him over to the Reds. He was executed shortly afterwards. The Czech Legion begins the game set up in the east and are Pro-White. Their army has been slightly augmented as I have given them some armor besides the famed armored train “Orlik”. Their allegiance to either side would be valuable.

6.The Cossacks: The remaining Neutrals are the Cossacks. Their “tribes” occupy various sections of the map and some are more valuable than others. Besides gaining an additional army to control, the Cossacks store vast amounts of resources, and open up the map to allow greater maneuverability.

NOTE: Most of the Cossacks are in their geographically correct locations, but I did shift a few of them about to complete the map. The armies are basically generic, but I varied them a bit to make some Cossacks stronger than others.

Germany is not represented in the game, as the war will be over for them soon enough. I also did not include Turkey, who fought the Allies in the Batum region. I represented this conflict abstractly by starting the Batum/Baku Western Intervention Forces, under strength.

THE DANGERS OF COMMAND

On April 13th 1918, General Kornilov, the esteemed “White” General who was beloved by his troops, was mulling over his battle plans when an artillery shell crashed into his room. His death was a severe blow to the cause and morale was temporarily shaken by his loss.

The above is just one of many examples of Generals who died during the Russian Civil War. To reflect this reality, all HQ units start the game at 6 strength points. They have a range of only one tile but can control all 8 tiles in their radius. Additional HQs cannot be purchased and lost strength points are too cost prohibitive to replace. Additional HQs will become available from the reinforcement queue. Since Commanders have a one tile range, they need to stick their nose into the fight, such as the 'White” General Markov did, until he was taken out by an artillery shell tossed at him by an Armored Train during the Second Kuban Campaign.

There are 4 political Commanders in the game who begin at full strength, Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and Dzerzhinskii, who arrives late in the game with the newly established Polish Red Army.

Regarding the much debated HQ ratings. Some of the rating were easy to dole out but in so doing I wanted to keep a balance of top, middle, and lower rated commanders. Kornilov, Markov, Tukachevshy, Mannerheim, and their ilk, had to be balanced with the Sytin's and Lubedev's of the war. Some Generals performed better during the Civil War then they would during World War II, so feel free to open the editor and make any rating changes that you would like to see.

ECONOMICS OF THE CIVIL WAR: RESOURCES, MPPS, AND THE HIGH COST OF DYING

World War I, the political morass of the Provisional Government, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the ensuing Civil War, demolished the Russian economy. Inflation, lack of food and sundries, and a stagnant industrial base caused despair for all classes. In this game, the cost of purchasing new units and replacing strength points are an expensive proposition. And though you will see quite a number of resources on the map, you'll soon realize that an mpp just isn't worth much in those days. This is again another reason why gaining favor of a neutral will be a benefit as they have additional resources to assist your war effort.

NOTE: Resources are placed as needed for the game and may not reflect the actual “natural” resources of the area. In fact, I grew weary of seeing an abundance of oil and mine tiles so I created a rather garish looking agricultural tile. And as a sidebar regarding the graphics; I am happy with the way some of them came out, but for others I completely disavow any knowledge of their creation.

HINT: Do not be trigger happy with the MAX and OK buttons when you are replenishing strength points. See how much it will cost at the maximum and then reduce if necessary.

THE ROMANOV'S AND THE IMPERIAL GOLD

Very few Anti-Bolsheviks were true Monarchist so the idea of placing Tsar Nicholas II back on the throne was not on the agenda. However, as a symbol, his presence could be valuable, especially to the Whites, who would love nothing more than to prop the Tsar up for the masses. The Bolsheviks recognized this fact as well and to this day, there is still debate as to what level of command was responsible for the decision made on that fateful day in July.

. The Romanovs were held captive by Red Guards, in Ekaterinburg when news came that elements of the Czech Legion and the Whites were approaching, apparantly to rescue the Tsar. The decision was therefore made to murder the Romanovs which was carried out on July 17th 1918. Whether it was a decision made by Lenin and Trotsky, or simply done on a local level is immaterial, as one of the eagles now fell.

As noted in the Victory Condition, the Whites can achieve a minor victory if they manage to consolidate the southern front. One of the objective hexes is the Romanov Compound. Since Ekaterinburg is in the possession of the Siberian Whites at the start of the game, the compound has been shifted to the far eastern section of the map. This allows for more of the map to be used..

The Imperial Gold is simply a resource cash cow that is located in the Trans-Caspian Cossack territory. The Bolsheviks have a sufficient army to launch an attack but victory needs to be swift in order to prevent the Whites from having the Trans-Caspian's as allies for too long. The Whites can invade the Trans-Caspian Cossacks once the Western Allies at Baku become activated by an amphibious invasion across the Caspian Sea. Amphibious landings did occur during the Civil War, as General Peter Wrangel demonstrated when he launched an amphibious invasion from Crimea, across the Sea of Azov, and into the Kuban Region in August 1920. Of course, if one does not want to risk adding another front to the war, the safer alternative is through Propaganda.

So while the capture of the Romanov Compound is important for a minor victory, the Imperial Gold is simply a sideshow that can be ignored, though the additional influx of MPPs make it an inviting target.

RESEARCH & PRODUCTION

The Bolsheviks dismantled a French Renault FT-17 piece by piece and created spec sheets for every nut and bolt found in the tank. They then used their newly created spec sheets to see if they could rebuild the eviscerated tank. They were successful, which gave them the confidence to manufacture the Renault tank from scratch. They built three tanks by the end of the war.

There is no research in the game and new units can be purchased but are expensive.

HINT: When you are faced with a number of units who have severe damage, consider which units should be reinforced and which should be pulled from the front lines, to be rebuilt on another day.

THE HARDWARE OF THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR.

By 1920, the Whites were on their knees, trying to regain their footing in a war which they were now losing. On October 14th, General Peter Wrangel, one of the most innovative commanders of the war, launched an attack on Kahovka. Wrangel saw the value of tanks and used a mass formation of Mark Vs and Whippets to spearhead the attack. It was the first time in the war that armor was used in such a concentrated maneuver and one writer described this battle as the “Kursk” of the Russian Civil War. The total number of tanks used by the Whites in this massive armor battle was?....wait for it.......12!

Prokhorovka this was not, but in all fairness, when considering the scale of most of the battles of the Russian Civil War, Kahovka was an impressive moment. One can only wonder how the war weary Bolshevik soldiers reactions were when they saw the Mark Vs lumbering towards them.

The hardware of the Russian Civil War were the leftovers from WWI. The UK supplied many Mark V and Whippet tanks to the Whites but they were of shoddy quality and there were not enough trained crews to man them. The Reds also relied on captured tanks but their main mobile force were armored cars primarily the British Austin AC and the Italian Fiat AC. Poland received over 200 Renault FC 17 tanks from the French before the outbreak of the Russo-Polish War. Both sides had an anti-tank vehicle as well in the UK Garford Armored Car housing a 57mm gun.

NOTE: The Russian Civil War saw all types of action involving planes, trains and armored automobiles, but all of these were on an extremely small scale. When I looked at the scale of the map I was using, I realized that I could justify not using any of these units and make the game primarily an infantry/cavalry/artillery battle. But then I thought “Where's the fun in that?”

So, with this being a game first, and not a historical recreation, I have augmented these forces and included them in the game. They will not have the punch of a Pzkw V or Ju 88, but they still are effective units.

There was also some naval action during the war, including sub activity, so I have added naval units as well, but did not waste time changing any graphics. They are good for coastal bombardment, and if you are adventurous and want to attempt amphibious actions, good for clearing the sea lanes

ARTILLERY AND CASUALTIES

If the Russian Civil War can be noted for anything it would be for the extensive use of Armored Trains. These massive giants were the backbone of many offensives and would spark fear in those who were on the receiving end. Armored Trains were prized, and Trotsky had his own personal armored train which he used to travel throughout Russia during the war. They were so highly thought of that many of them were given names and I have added as many of the historically correct names to the train units that could be found.

Besides the trains, conventional artillery was used as well and so the combination of the two created much devastation and panic. In the game, the artillery unit, represented by an armored train, has a two tile range. These are the most powerful units on the map and the strength point lose reflects casualties, and desertion.

DESERTION

The average Bolshevik and White soldier had just finished fighting on the German front when now they are asked to fight against their brothers in a civil war. War fatigue was commonplace and as morale rose and then fell from the misfortunes of battle, many soldiers simply laid down their guns and ran away.

To reflect this aspect of the war, a number of “desertion land mine” tiles have been established. Desertion events can occur in Central Russia, Eastern Russian, and Southern Russia. If a unit is within range of a desertion land mine tile when it is activated, it can suffer a 1-3 strength point lose. A pop-up message will announce a desertion event.

CONCLUSION – VICTORY CONDITIONS, BALANCE, AND PLAYABILTY.

The specifics of the victory conditions can be found on the in game menu victory screen. In general, the onus of attack falls upon the Whites and to achieve a Major Victory, Moscow must be taken. The Whites however can also gain a minor victory by either consolidating the southern front or the northern front. On the map you will find objective hexes with green or white diamonds before their names. The green diamond objectives are what is needed for consolidating the northern front, while the white diamond objectives are for the southern front (and do not forget the Romonov Compound to the east).

So in conclusion, is the game playable? Well, as I pointed out in the disclaimer, the AI turns will be long, so for many people the answer will be no. I understand and sympathize with this position, and perhaps once the game is in other hands, some of the better modders out there might see where the game speed can be improved. Is the game balanced? Well I think so, but I am acutely aware that I have been the only one testing this game so far, and so are way too familiar with it. What might seem balance to me, might fall apart like a house of cards once new eyes look upon it.

Obviously, I want to make this as good a mod as possible and so I look forward to any constructive criticism that is offered.

Take care and I hope you have some fun with the Russian Civil War Mod.

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Took it for a quick spin and I agree that this looks very well researched and a labour of love, congrats!

Quick tip on the file size, looks like you included all the sounds in the 'Sound' sub directory. To reduce the overall file size you can remove the ones that have not changed as this should help reduce it from the 95MB it is currently.

Hubert

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