TGW-Div 1.6 -- World War I

[Moff Jerjerrod]

gps Lanzelot


Week 3, 1915

France:

France had it's nose bloodied last week with the loss of so many men and guns. The only action by the French this week was the shelling of a German Landwehr unit outside of Lyon. Then a French Rifle A marches in and finishes off the German.


Britain:

Espionage activities revealed a weakness in the German line which England was quick to exploit. In a coordinated air, land, and sea offensive Rotterdam was shelled redlining the 2 German Rifle R units there. Zeppelins move in and finish off the defenders leaving Rotterdam without protection. A British cavalry man move in and captures the city. Then 15 German workers including many who were captured from allied countries are liberated. They are sent away where at least one of them (a Russian) will go to London before being repatriated to his mother country. The offensive continues into Amsterdam where 3 British armies attack the 2 German Rifle Rs defending. One British army dies! The other two however are successful and Amsterdam falls to the British! One German BB is scuttled by the Kriegsmarine in order to avoid capture.

Near Nancy a British Zeppelin attempts to bomb the position and is intercepted by a fighter from Jasta 3. Although the German kills some of the crew members of the British airship, her defending machine guns shoot down the German fighter.


Week 4, 1915

Italy:

Italy too was bloodied last week and cannot do much this week. She shells Austrian trenches near Trieste damaging a garrison and MG unit there. No other action.

 

[Lanzelot]

A British cavalry man move in and captures the city.

Question: I thought building a trench on a square increases the movement cost to 2? (At least it worked that way in the early beginning, when one of my Armies tried to get to Brüssels and was surprised to find itself stuck on a grassland tile, when I thought it should have traveled beyond it...) Again something not working correctly here?

 

[Tigranes]

Trench itself does nothing, it is trench AND barbed wire (barricade) that reduces everything to 1 MP. Unfortunately with the animation right now it is very hard to tell the difference between the regular trench (fort) and barbed wired trench, but I have changed it for the final version of this adaptation.

 

[Lanzelot]

Shoot. I thought Rotterdam was save. Now I lost two towns due to that glitch...

 

[Tigranes]

If you bring the same stack I was shelling near Brest Litovsk for 10+ turns, I don't think any British will survive

Anywayzzzz here is the file you replace in TGW-Div/Art/Terrain folder (back it up first, please):

 

[Lanzelot]

I played all night trying to finish GOTM101 in time, but then missed the deadline by an hour... Originally I had planned to play TGW tonight, but I need some sleep tonight...
So I'll play tomorrow.

Thanks for the graphics...! (Wished we had that before...)
Lanzelot

 

[Lanzelot]

Ottoman Empire:
After getting some raillines in place, von Sanders pursues the fleeing British units SE of Gaza and kills the redlined MG. Enver Pascha kills the Indian division and then retreats back to safety.
No other action this week.

Austria-Hungaria:
After making no progress in Russia, the Austrians decide to help their German friends on the Western Front this week. Austrian heavy Skoda guns are transported to Verdun by railway and join the heavy shelling of French positions, red- or yellow-lining around 20 French divisions. This was the Germans got substitution for the lost artillery at Liege.
Then 4 Austrian Inf and Armored Car Armies summon the attack and beat back 6 Inf A & R divisions. The rest will need to be taken care of by the German army...

Germany:
The German High-Seafleet that arrived from the Baltics two weeks before in order to engage the British fleet into battle, got different orders this week: as the British fleet had fled and was nowhere to be seen, 19 German battleships, among them some of the "biggest pots" we have, were ordered to shell Amsterdam. Looks like all of the tulips have been shreddered to pieces in the barrage. Oh those poor flowers, why did these stupid Brits had to go there last week? Besides hitting many flower fields, some of the shells actually hit the two British Army Corps stationed in Amsterdam and redlined them (3/16 and 2/16). A few more railguns were transported to Amsterdam to take care of the last remaining British MG nests, and then rested Armies from Berlin were ordered to the counter-attack, trying to beat the Brits back from the positions they had conquered last week.

Groener beats Gallen --> (17/23)
von Francois beats 5th BEF Corps --> (10/19)
Another Army attacks and beats one MG, then we are out of full strength Armies. All our Marschalls and Generals allowed our troops some urgently needed rest after the heavy wounds they had suffered in the cruel winter war in Eastern Poland.
However, one of our clever cavalry colonels had the right idea again: let the counterbatteries shoot until Amsterdam is completely deserted by British troops, and then our cavalry can storm the city before British reinforcements have time to arrive!
And so it was done. One of the last triumphs of the galant Prussian Cavalry!
Artillery shells two stray British Inf R divs and Zeppelins finish them off.
A machine gun moves in and liberates 6 PoWs that had been forced by the British to dig trenches! This is unheard of!

Now Hindenburg evaluated the situation and came to the conclusion that with our limited forces Rotterdam would be out of reach. Nothing to be done about it. Therefore the attention was switch to Verdun in order to take advantage of the very good preparation that the Austrian artillery had made there earlier this week. A few more heavy guns were ordered to Verdun, redlining the last yellow french divisions, and then all Inf A, flamethrowers and a partially rested Army were ordered to attack.
The German victory was overwhelming, 15 French divisions and 3 artillery pieces destroyed, 1 engineer captured at loss of three German Inf A. Many were red-lined, though.

Zeppelins that arrived from the eastern front last week, are destroying all railway lines to Lyons (as well as two Italian and one French divions guarding the lines). An observation plane reports that Army Corp Nivelle is currently stationed in Lyons. So he'll be trapped now. A few railguns didn't have a job yet this week, so they shell Nivelle down to 8/20. Unfortunately no forces left to take advantage of that...

 

[Tigranes]

So, did Verdun fall or not?

 

[Lanzelot]

So, did Verdun fall or not?

Didn't even attack Verdun yet... All fighting was in the trenches outside Verdun. (A real blood-mill!)

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

I had a feeling Lanzelot was refering to my trench positions and not to Verdun itself, but it's good to hear the news.

Oh those poor flowers, why did these stupid Brits had to go there last week?

I laughed when I read that.

 

[Tigranes]

After hearing about all the hardship Western Allies are having on the Western Front Stavka decides to distract our mutual enemies. With the help of the Romania HUGE (and I mean HUGE) Russian Army appears at the doorsteps of Szeged.

Baltic fleet destroys roads, rails and factories near Memel.

 

[Lanzelot]

After hearing about all the hardship Western Allies are having on the Western Front Stavka decides to distract our mutual enemies. With the help of the Romania HUGE (and I mean HUGE) Russian Army appears at the doorsteps of Szeged.

Didn't we decide on "no RoP with the Neutrals"?! (I already wondered, how you managed to destroy my Armored Car Army two turns ago, because I thought there were no attack units within reach.)

Baltic fleet destroys roads, rails and factories near Memel.

Just wait till next week! (You didn't think that I ordered all my battleships west, did you? )

 

[Tigranes]

RoP was about initial stage. After Neutrals attacked us both it's up to our diplomats to create amicable relations with Neutrals. They will never give Centrals RoP, but Romania was Russian ally in the real WW1...

2. No passing through their LAND, not even for 1 turn, unless they declared war.

 

[Lanzelot]

"unless they declared war"
I interpreted that rule in such a way that now, as everybody is back at peace with them, the rule is again applicable. I refrained from any diplomatic relations with them, but I think I could have gotten a RoP from them anytime after the peace deal. (Perhaps even an MA . After the heavy beating they got at the hands of the Germans, they would have agreed to anything in order to get peace...)
I need to take a look at the situation, but if this is the stack that had been at Vilna last turn (how many have that been, anyway? I was too lazy to count them, but it looked like 100 Inf and 50 arties ) then pushing that stack right through my "backdoor" looks a bit too exploitish...

 

[Tigranes]

Why is it exploitish? Romania was Russian ally, right? And they will never grant you RoP after all the misery you have brought upon them. I can replay my turn, if you insist, however... But remember, they got heavy beating only because they where not designed to fight and you could just obstain from taking over Holland, Denmark and Sweden...

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

gps Lanzelot


Week 4, 1915

France:

No action this week.


Britain:

British Zeppelins in the Middle East shell von Sanders and Enver Pasha near Gaza.

Mysterious explosion detected near Copenhagen by an unknown British something or other.

Western Front - German rail guns are shelled by two Zeppelins and then a cavalry attacks the rail guns but dies trying.

More Zeppelins bomb Amsterdam killing 2 Rifle R and shooting down one interceptor. Then the Royal navy shells Amsterdam heavily redlining some units. Actually the navy shells first then the Zeppelins kill. A British Rifle R dies while trying to kill a redlined German Rifle R!


Week 5, 1915

Italy:

Nothing to report other than some shelling of Austrian trenches near Trieste.

 

[Lanzelot]

Ottoman Empire:
Two Italian minor submarines and a French submarine spotted in eastern Mediterranean. The Italians are sunk by a destroyers and a cruiser. French sub survives destroyer attack with 1/8!

Roads destroyed south of Batum.

As the war enters a new stage, diplomatic relations are re-newed with Switzerland. Old grudges are laid aside and a new era of cooperation started. For the small fee of 50g Ottoman troops are allowed to use neutral railways. Two Russian engineers captured in Romania. General Yudovich detected near Szeged and bombarded to 1/9. An armored car attacks the defending Inf R, but dies. Kemal takes care of that. An armored car then defeats Yudovich's horsemen!
An armored car then attacks cossacks on grassland and dies?! Two others finish the job.


Austria-Hungaria:
Shelling of Russian units north of Sibiu. Armored cars and counter batteries kill two cossacks and an Inf R.
Inspired by the success of Ottoman diplomats, Austrian diplomats seek to renew the broken diplomatic relations with Switzerland and succeed for 140g.


Germany to follow later.

 

[Lanzelot]

But remember, they got heavy beating only because they where not designed to fight and you could just obstain from taking over Holland, Denmark and Sweden...

Well, taking all that was necessary in order to bring them back to the negotiation table as soon as possible. After all we wanted to enjoy our war in peace, didn't we...

 

[Lanzelot]

France overrun by German forces, only a few resistance nests remaining. French government escapes to North Africa!
The Kaiser and Hindenburg celebrate: "The war will end soon now. Europe's people have suffered long enough."

Germany:
Near Amsterdam: 6 British Pre-Dreadnoughts ran into a minefield and sunk. (Finally... I already thought these things are completely worthless...) There was something else in that area, which was sunk by by our Pre-Dreadnought.
Another British Cruiser and a Destroyer came too close to the German coast and were bombarded and sunk by German Battleships.

Major German Offensive on the Western Front!
German scientists achieved an important advance in Chemistry last week. Since the beginning of the war, Fritz Haber and his team had been working on producing Teargas and explored the various possibility to make it more powerful. Last week a new formula was discovered, but it turned out that due to a bug in the C3C molecule, Teargas could not be converted into Chlorine gas as planned. Fortunately this week a Russian specialist on C3C was able to fix this problem, so the Chlorine gas was ready this week. Contact to the Russian C3C specialist was established through common friends in Sweden, therefore 480g was donated to the Swedish Nobel Committee.

With the scientific breakthrough finally achieved, Fritz Haber immediately summoned a conference with Feldmarschall Hindenburg. At first the old man was reluctant to try these "new tricks". "Artillery and Infantry are the weapons that win today's wars", he said. But because of Faber's fame as a scientist and because of his enthusiastic description of the new weapon, in the end Hindenburg agreed to order his Generals to exactly obey the instructions of Haber's team. Afterwards the long planned offensive was able to commence in 4 phases:

• 11 Dicke Bertas shelled Chalóns and damaged or even redlined many French divisions.
• Afterwards a few doses of Chlorine were shot on Chalóns by Haber's team, damaging or killing the still unwounded troops left.
• When only yellow- and red-lined units were left, several Zeppelins dropped heavy bombs on Chalóns, but this phase was broken up, when it became clear that it mostly destroyed buildings and killed citizens. (After all: every citizen gives 100 victory points...) They did kill two units though. Instead 4 counterbatteries were involved into the attack in order to take over the job of the Zeppelins. But they didn't hit much...
• In the next phase 11 more Chlorine gas were necessary to smoke out the French troops from Chalóns. Afterwards the glorious Prussian Cavalry rode into the deserted city. French losses were 13 divs, if I counted correctly. Hindenburg is begeistert!

Now the road to Paris would be free, if not Swedish Infantry & MG divisions would be occupying a VP location E and S of Paris! Going around via Versailles is impossible, but perhaps we can outflank them via Rheims and Amiens?

Siege guns are brought into position at Rheims and start firing. Turns out there are only two divisions stationed in Rheims, so no need to waste our new weapon. General von Hausen takes the city with a Flamethrower Corp charge.
Artillery is now railed to Arras and fires on the city. Again not much resistance is encountered, so General Kluck storms it.

Three doses of Chlorine gas and Amiens is deserted. Time for the Cavalry again! An Elite Cavalry division in Garde-Uniforms parades through Amiens, cheerfully greeted by three D) inhabitants who see a chance for this war being over soon.

The road to Paris is now open, and even more surprisingly: Joffre and Pétain are being spotted having a pick-nick in the fields! Immediately more artillery is fetched via the French rail network and the pick-nick ends abruptly. After all guns and Zeppelins were ready with them, Joffre was down to 5/18 and Petain to 4/14. Then Mackensen (27/27) attacked Joffre, but took heavy losses himself! (3/27). Then Lettow-Vorbeck defeated Petain, taking some losses as well: 10/23. After two more French R divisions were defeated, 5 artillery and a counterbattery were destroyed.

4 Chlorine gas are enough to drive all defenders of Paris away. The French army is completely helpless against the new weapon. A damaged Inf Army has the honour to parade over the Champs-Elysées first! The French government is evacuated to Orleans just in time.

More Zeppelin bombardment kills 3 French Inf R divisions in the trenches outside Verdun.

Now Hindenburg needs to assess the current situation on the battlefields. The German breakthrough was complete and overwhelming, German armies taking Paris and breaking through to the British Channel. There is still some of the wonder weapon left as well as 6 Inf Armies who have not yet been deployed in this glorious offensive and are eager to get some of the glory too. Some Generals vote for cleaning out the French/British positions (Verdun, Brussels, Liege, Rotterdam, Ypres) that had to be bypassed by the mad storming forward and are now located behind our lines. But Hindenburg overrules them: "These cities are most probably heavily defended, but not very productive. However, if we continue our offensive southwestward, there will be only lightly defended cities, which on the other hand contribute a large share of production to the French war effort. Let's rather take these industrial centers and knock France out of the war while we can!"
Therefore the main direction of the German advance is now rotated around, towards the 30+ cities on the Atlantic coast via Orleans.

Versailles taken by a Chlorine gas and an Inf A division.
Orleans captured by a Chlorine and General Engelbrechten. French government has to pack its suitcases again and flees to Bordeaux in panic.
Tours liberated by a Chlorine and an Inf A.
Poitiers taken by 2 Chlorine and a conscript.
Bordeaux taken by 3 Chlorine and Hindenburg. The French government finds no rest this week. Completely unnerved it escapes to Tunis this time... Yes, this seems far enough away from all danger!
A misclick sends Moltke into the bushes...! This could have been another 30+ city!
Bayonne taken by a Chlorine and von Prittwitz.
Toulouse captured by 3 Chlorine and Gröner.
Nantes captured by 2 Chlorine and von Francois.
Von Bülow attacks Caens and dies! (I shouldn't have been greedy... )

Baltic Sea: Russian submarine discovered and sunk by German destroyer. A Light Cruiser tried to shell the Poltava, but missed.

33000 victory points, most of France conquered: Chlorine gas, this stuff is deadly indeed, so my instinct at the start of the game was right...
(But unfortunately it won't help against 130 Russian conscripts in Hungary... Hmm, we need fresh ideas here.)

Feldmarschall Lanzelot

 

[Tigranes]

Man... I need to finish BALANCED PBEM adaptation of this scenario (originally designed by Rocoteh to play against Sid level AI) and call Lanzelot to rule Germany again. 4 years of war is what we need with the players like him!