New PBEM adaptation of TGW-Div 1.6: Playtesting!

[Cyc]

​

American soldiers poured off the transport ships in all the major French Harbors. More like a parade than formations marching to the front, the Infantry units passed by French Command for Inspection. It was noted that the welcomed troops were better trained and equipped than the French.

​

Momentum rallied as they passed from town to town on their way to the German border. The spirit of France is lifted with the new arrivals.

@ Metz 155mm hits A-Inf for 2HP, the second hits for 1HP, the 3rd for 1HP. A Cav unit dies rushing the wounded A-Inf. A French Colonial then kills said A-Inf and promotes! The badly need news that American troops had boots on the ground in France reached Metz quickly. Not only do the Yanks dig in at Metz, but the French troops feel renewed.

​

__________________________________________

@ Konigsberg - 35 Russian Light Artillery fire into the city causing only 17HP worth of damage. 1 CB was lost.

@ Warsaw - 9 LA fire at a heavily fortified Machine Gun Nest blocking the path to Lodz. They take 7HP fro the MG and the R-Inf. Then 2 R-Inf die trying to overtake the German MG. The 3rd one takes it. R-Inf kills R-Inf and Russian troops return to the Lodz countryside.

A Gungut Class takes 1HP from a Landwehr North of Memel.

More Austrian and Ottoman roads are pillaged.

Good work at Liege, Tigranes. Nice graph, Moff.

gps to Tigranes.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Thanks for the compliments on my graph guys. Cyc that is one cool AAR you just posted! You captured the spirit beautifully. So much so that the German high command has entered a mild state of depression.

German HQ near the Liege battlefront:

A young cavalry rider comes into the Generals HQ with a report of fresh units manning the lines in the French sector.

"And what news do you have for me Schutze Polaski?", asked the general.

"Sir, my reconnaissance unit spotted fresh troops wearing the uniform of the United States army occupying the Metz area of the front. We got nervous and high tailed it out of there pronto!" commented Polaski.

"That is no way for a German soldier to behave Schutze! And what of these Americans. Sure they dress nicely but can they fight?!?" replied the general in a bellicose tone.

It would seem that just when we thought we have bled France dry, there is more meat to be added to the grinder. And what will happen now that the Russians have launched an all out offensive in the east? Tune in next week for the continuing saga of "New PBEM adaptation of TGW-Div 1.6!"

 

[Tigranes]

We are doing some family traveling, guys. I salute Americans and ask to excuse British for one or two days. And Italians... After they failed so bad at World Cap I think there is no excuse for them

 

[Tigranes]

We are back from Sedona and Grand Canyon! The hail greated us the moment we arrived there

Final countdown:
Centrals: 358920 VPs (+7,580)
Entente: 261890VPs (+5,830)
​

We can place bets if this game will last for 10 more turns. I bet against it...

Britain

General Stopford strikes again! This time his pray is the Elite Cav unit, which survived entire game and which recieved an addition to his name -- "Liege". Only Moff knows what this unit did to deserve that distinction. In any case that unit is a thing of a past, one of the A Div in the Corp promotes to Veteran and our only Corps retires. British Engineeres from Hull replace the Observation ballon destroyed by the destroyed German Cav.

4 R german Divs around Liege get redlined and killed. We still loose 2 R Divs even to 1 HP Def 12 units!

Unknown gets sunk by British DD in Kattegat (google it if you are not sure where is it ).

Another unknown gets sunk near Port Said by British BC generating Survivors. This BC was already full with Survivors from previous turns. Those survivors were changing hands 2 times! We saved them first and sent to Cyprus. Than Turks recaptured them and then we took them back and finally delivered them safely to Port Said this turn. Another BC picked new survivors.

Italy

The only contribution oh Italy was 1 HP shaved from Austrian MG Corps. Frustrated Prime Minister Orlando (who was a finance minister at this time really) ordered the entire Italian Army to split. One group will guard Isonzo and the other one took over the Wine.

 

[Cyc]

That's a hail of a way to spend a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Beautiful picture. I've only been there once and spent the night camping. Amazing place.

I'll take you up on that bet.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

gps Cyc


Looks like you had a good time Tigranes. Nice way to spend the weekend. I've never been to the Grand Canyon but I'd sure like to go someday.



Week 41, 1915


Ottoman Empire:

French BB in the Dardanelles shelled by 5 Turkish ships. The BB lost 3HP and still survives. A Turkish Mine was destroyed while attempting to sink another French BB in the same general area.


Austria-Hungary:

Pressure against the fragile empire continues to mount as Brusilov offensive shows no end in sight. Austrian Cavalry dies near Krakow attempting to kill a Russian R. We got him down to 1HP but our Cavalry just couldn't win the match.

Then an Army is sent to kill that Russian Rifle R. Trench mortars shell another Rifle R near Krakow and he is killed off by another army.

In the Isonzo Austrian CB kills Italian LA and promotes a leader!! This leader is quickly made into the I Army Ferdinand and sent to the East.


Germany:

German submarine off the north tip of Denmark dies while trying to sink a British CL. Another sub manages to kill a British DD flotilla near Goteborg Sweden.

An unknown, presumably a spy, is detected near Cologne by a German CB and the unknown is killed. So we send one of our agents to the area to look for clues and what do we find? A French spy near Cologne. He is attacked by a Rifle R but escapes. A Landwehr is sent to finish off the French intruder.

Lodz - 7 Russian Rifle Rs are destroyed after a short bombardment by a German Trench Mortar. Two armies, 1 Rifle A, 1 Marine, and 2 Rifle Rs are responsible for killing the rest.

Königsburg - Russian LA destroyed by German CB. Russian Fortress Division destroyed by German Army after a very close fight!!

Liege - British Rifle R dies from German Rifle A attack.

Metz - The first contact is made with American troops!! While they fought bravely 1 American Infantry dies at the hands of a German Army. French Rifle R also dies by another German Army near Metz.

 

[Cyc]

Light Artillery fires upon Konigsberg. Apparently news of the Americans in France has set a sullen mood in the Russian ranks. Envious LA units were not very attentive in their work. Of the 35 firing, 17 failed. Of those that landed shells in the city, they could only muster 21HP damage.

An A/C takes 1HP damage from Landwehr North of Memel.

An LA fires upon a Turk Inf in the deep SouthEast, causing 1HP damage.
_______________________________________________

Nothing of any importance to report from the French Command. American troops relocate and dig in.

gps to Tigranes.

 

[Tigranes]

Final countdown:
Centrals: 366450 VPs (+7,530)
Entente: 267210 VPs (+5,320)
​

Really not sure HOW Centrals got more than us again!

Britain

BEF did it again! Another German Corps goes down the drain! This is how it all happened:

1. First time in this war Italy gifted some 1300 gold to Britain. Together with Turkish survivors this was enough to rush new Corps in London.

2. A Div killed german vet A Div on the Dye near Liege.

3. Five howitzers bombarded yellow Bluecker Corps next to Dye and brought it to the red.

4. New Corps was given to the General Hunter who scored very hard victory over Bluecker ( survived with 2 HP).

Stopford Corps killed R Div on the same tile. We lost 3 or 4 R Divs trying to kill Elite A Div on that same tile, finally our A Div finishing it.

Near Cyprus British BC sinks Austrian CL generating survivors. Another BC picks them up.

Hero of Gaza lost 1 HP to the only remaining British LA in Egypt.

Italy

Blasted some roads near Fiume with Regia Marina. Otherwise -- nothing to report... Nothing at all.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

gps Cyc


Week 42, 1915


Ottoman Empire:

Near Nikosia a British BC was sunk after being hit by a Turk CL and AC. Another Turk AC came to finish the job sinking the dreaded British ship that tormented our lands for so long. Survivors were picked up and treated humanely. In an uncharacteristic move for the Turks they invited the surviving British sailors to tea and coffee out of respect for the prowess of the British seamen.

Near Baghdad coal mine a Russian Rifle R is killed by Turkish Army.

Cyprus was shelled by other Turkish ships in the area. 3 tiles were hit, roads, mines, and dyes destroyed.


Austria-Hungary:

Brusilov's offensive seems to be slowing down a bit. Nevertheless trench mortars and LA along with Austria's first produced Field Artillery shell Russian troops on key railroads. Then an Army, Cavalry, and Rifle A move in to kill: 2 Rifle R near Kosice and 2 Rifle R near Tarnopol.


Germany:

Essen - British Rifle A killed by German Rifle R.

4HP taken away from the QE BB by a German U-Boot which dies.

Lodz - 2 Russian Rifle R are killed by two German Rifle R.

Königsburg - Russian CB destroyed by German CB.

Liege - British Rifle A and 3 Rifle R divisions are defeated by two German Armies after a brief bombardment by rail guns and Field Artillery.

Danzig - Russian Rifle R killed by German Rifle R

Venice - German Army Group West dies while trying to kill damaged Italian MG Army!! It was such a close fight with the Italian surviving by 1HP.

German troops enter the Carpathian Mountains to assist the Austrians against the Russians. A Russian Rifle A is killed near Krakow but a German Rifle R loses his life against a Russian Rifle R near Lemberg.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

I bet we might be done in 10 turns or less if the current rate continues.

 

[Cyc]

Final countdown:
Centrals: 366450 VPs (+7,530)
Entente: 267210 VPs (+5,320)
​

Really not sure HOW Centrals got more than us again!

Well, one of the reasons may be that you haven't had a unit in Milan for I don't know how many weeks. Milan is a VP location. Those are points down the drain. I can't believe Moff can't see that from the mountain view above the city his Austrian troops have.

 

[Cyc]

An LA near Basra takes 1HP from a Turk Inf.

Spy attempts the assassination of Archduke Jozsef Agost, but dies trying.

@Konigsberg - After the first 10 of twelve Light Artillery units fail, the Field Commander shakes his head and calls off the assault. Unused LAs are sent back across the border.

An A/C takes 1HP from a Landwehr North of Memel. More Austrian and Ottoman Roads are pillaged.
__________________________________________

Nothing much of anything in France, more Americans arrive and dig in.

Oh, a Flotilla attacked an Ottoman ship East of Athens and lost. It was followed by the Jean Bart, which quickly sunk it.

gps to Tigranes.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Well, one of the reasons may be that you haven't had a unit in Milan for I don't know how many weeks. Milan is a VP location. Those are points down the drain. I can't believe Moff can't see that from the mountain view above the city his Austrian troops have.

Well to be honest I hadn't noticed actually this last turn. I have however seen the city unoccupied before.

Spy attempts the assassination of Archduke Jozsef Agost, but dies trying.

Oh oh, if that is who I think it was, my jig is up?

 

[Lanzelot]

Lurker's coment
What a story! Guys, this is even more intense than the first edition of TGW...

Actually, the reason why I stop by here, is: I saw a great movie yesterday, which I think captures the spirit of the WW I time period really well:
La Grande Illusion



If you can get a copy, watch it! (Try the original French version with sub-titles: it's really fun, how they all keep switching between French and German! But Erich von Stroheim speaks a horrible Austrian slang... no aristocrat would talk like that... )

Like the better known "All Quiet on the Western Front", this is one of the classics about that time. Not an action movie, but a lot to think about.

Lanzelot

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Thanks for the kind words Lanzelot, yes we are having fun with this version of the scenario. My opponents are very good!

I'm working on a WW1 scenario which I hope to have completed before Civ5 comes out. I will have a PBEM version of it as well. The scenario will use the same map as this one. I'm almost finished with the tech tree and the units. The next step will be to implement the different playable countries involved. Then the pedia entries and sound files need to be added. I'd say I'm about 35% done now.

Anyway I will have to check out La Grande Illusion. Looks good, I really liked the original and modern versions of "All Quiet on the Western Front" too.

 

[Tigranes]

Lanzelot, I need to check our Public Library for that movie. Last time I been there I checked out official US Army propoganda film shot in 1918!

Guys, you won't believe it but the game freezed after I spent like 1 hour and finished my British save... Very frustrated but I will debug it... Please be patient.

 

[Cyc]

I found "La Grande Illusion" on NetFlix. Probably watch it soon. Touted as the first POW Camp Escape movie.

Not a problem, Tigranes. But this counts as two turns on our bet.... a penalty turn....

EDIT: Just finished watching "Grand Illusion" - French version with English subtitles. Good movie. I enjoyed it. The actors also used English lines in their dialouges, which was suprising. Brothers in Arms.

 

[Tigranes]

Neutral transport in German Ports was causing the game to freeze. Removed the bad ship. All back to normal now. GO FIGURE...

Final countdown:
Centrals: 370120 VPs (+3,670)
Entente: 267210 VPs (+3,320)​

Dear Cyc, would you please check VP location near Chalone. I fixed my Milano.

Britain

British Cav dies trying to remove 1 HP German L Div near Liege! Indian troops avenge the death of fallen Light Horsemen.

Light Horse near Gaza is much more successful against Ottoman Sipahi. Turkish Heros of Gaza lost another HP to British light gun.

Italy

Austrian BB in Fiume brought to 2 HPs after the massive bombardement by Regia Marina.

3 LAs fail to hit anything on the road to Trieste. Finaly 1 CB scores a kill against Austrian LA in Trentino area.

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

gps Cyc


Week 43, 1915


Ottoman Empire:

Killed the british cavalry outside Gaza with Army Group Loxum.


Austria-Hungary:

2xRussian Rifle Rs killed outside Lemburg after being shelled by arty. Austrian Cavalry did the deed in both cases after the units were redlined.

Venice - Italian Light Arty is killed by Austrian CB, but Austria lost a CB first.

Tarnopol - Russian RR killed after being shelled by TA and 2xLA by Austrian Army.


Germany:

Far north of Scapa Flow a British Transport is sunk by a German Submarine. An unknown is sunk off the north tip of Denmark by another German Submarine.

Königsburg - German CB dies trying to kill a Russian LA but second CB kills the Russian LA.

Lodz - German Rifle R and Armored Car die while trying to kill Russian RRs stationed nearby. However more German RRs come down and kill 3xRussian RRs.

Venice - All that is left of the once proud German Artillery force heads south to the Venice front and fiercely shells the wine stack there. Then Moltke, Moff, and Mackenson come down and kill Cardona, Trentino, and the MG Army. All of these fights were pretty close. German Marine dies trying to kill an Italian MG but a Rifle R succeeds. Two Italian Rifle As are killed by more Rifle Rs but overall German loses 1 Rifle A and 2 Rifle Rs.

Warsaw - German forces drive out the Russian intruders in straight up beat down without the aid of artillery. German Rifle Rs kill 2 Russian Rifle Rs.

 

[Cyc]

Chalone Fixed. Don't know how I missed it.

@ Lemberg, an LA fires upon 2 Aust-Hung A-Inf from the hills to the NW. Takes 1HP from one of them.

AC hits the Landwehr North of Memel for 1HP.

In Ottoman territory, the roads to the Silks are in danger, as an extremely tough Turk threatens to disconnect the important luxury the Russians stole from the Ottoman Empire earlier. An LA takes 2HP from the Turk-Inf. An R-Inf then dies trying to finish off the red-lined unit. Then a 2nd dies dies in a similarly vain attempt, which promotes the Turk (receiving 3HPs) and creating a Worker.
___________________________________________________

@ Strassburg, a 155mm shells and R-Inf, but fails to hit. The 2nd 155mm hits for 3HP.

gps to Tigranes.