The Great War 1914 -1918

[jonnymacbrown]

The Kaiser assumes command of all German forces! H & L relieved of command upon the loss of East Prussia and the historic Prussian capital of Konigsberg! German armies in the west ordered to retreat to the Rhine! East Prussia must be retaken! Prinz von egan :P

[Bidermann]

Its now January 1916.
after a bloody year on the western front the lines are very much the same.The French forces did make a great break through in the south pushing through the line for a break through of some 30- 40 miles!!But the weather changed and with snow falling and lack of fresh troops the adavnce halted.
The British forces have had small gains but at a high cost of men, they now are regrouping and waiting for the weather to change.

In the middle east the British are pushing the turk back and hopes are high of a knock out blow to put them out of the war.

In the east Russia have made great advances into Austria and Germany
East Prussia is now in full control of Russian forces and they now have adanced into the Fartherland, odd cavalry units caught sight of Berlin!! But were in so little strenght that they carried raids on small towns cutting rail lines etc.

Kharkov is being pushed towards from the East and North but food and ammo is becoming in short supply.

The Entent forces look towards Spring 1916 as the year to break the dead lock and win the war.

[Bidermann]

Its now Spring 1916, both sides after the winter which was low key has now exploded in to full on assults.Its now a world at war.

Westen Front

British sector the 2nd and 3rd Armies with 300+ ART carried out a well planned assult in the Ypres area which knocked the German forces back 30 miles and 30-40 mile wide hole but lack of supplies and German counter attacks have slowed the advance.Casualties are high on both sides.

French sector

French attacks in the north in support of the British have met with stiff resistance and very high casualties, very little gain.

in the south after good advances and recapture of forts lost in 1914 ( south of Verdun) German forces stopped the advance in its tracks.

Other areas Russian,s are holding well , they are fighting in the out ring of forts at Krakov. East Prussia has been in Russian hands since early 1915 and now advances beyound this border. Cavalry raids deep into Germany blowing bridges and rail lines, these have now been hunted down and destroyed.

Italy their forces have battled for 12 months across the mountain,s but have now captured Trieste at a Very high cost .

In the middle east British and Egyption forces pushing the Turk back towards Jerusalem.

The war goes on but the Entent forces are hopfull that 1916 will be a good year

[jonnymacbrown]

"The war goes on but the Entent forces are hopfull that 1916 will be a good year."

A light at the end of the tunnel, as it were. Is this report posted by General Haig? von ege :whis:

[FM WarB]

von Ege, in ALL our SPI WWI paper games, der weg zum Sieg was in the Ost. The Schliefen Plan was fatally flawed from the start.

[Bidermann]

"Schliefen Plan was fatally flawed from the start"

Well It might of worked if the Armies on the German right had not been reduced in strenght before the start. But It was a bold plan seeing that the rapid movement would be made on foot! I dont think Schliefen put alot of thought into the strain it would put on the poor Landsers and how the advance would slow, due to exhaustion.

[Heldenkaiser]

"Schliefen Plan was fatally flawed from the start"

Well It might of worked if the Armies on the German right had not been reduced in strenght before the start.

And if the eight at the time purely fictional army corps which the plan needed to make the right wing as strong as Schlieffen wanted had ever been raised. And if the British had not entered the war. And if the Russians had not attacked East Prussia, forcing the withdrawal of forces from the West. And if the Austrian army had been worth anything at all, not forcing a further diversion of German troops to aid them. And if the plan had given even the slightest thought to logistics. And if the Belgians had stood by the roadside letting the German army pass through, instead of defending their country. And if there had been any idea whatsoever what was to happen *after* the fall of Paris. And if the earth had been flat ... OK, that was not strictly a prerequisite for the success of this brilliant "plan". But it dovetails nicely with the other completely unrealistic assumptions one would have to make to convert this wargaming gamble into an actual warplan. :chin:

[Bidermann]

All good points Heldenkaiser.
Its working well playing this war in TOAW3. I would like to design a WW1 battle set in 1918 the Battle of Amiens. A very interesting campaign with lots of different troops types,but I dont have a clue how to do this with the TOAW3 editor.

[jonnymacbrown]

Another thing to remember is that Schlieffen's plan was formulated in 1905 with the Russians defeated in Asia and undergoing revolution. Nine years later the same situation didn't exist but the Germans were too stubborn to change the plan with altered political/military circumstances. And in a bit of nitpicking, I don't think the Germans needed to aid the Austrians until 1916, correct me if I'm wrong. von ege

[Bidermann]

The war has come to an end. Early 1916 the Allies kept pressure on the Westen front while the Russians captured east and west Prussia.

By mid 1916 the Russians had started to slow, but the French had punched a large dent at Belfort which came close to break through but lack of troops and heavy guns and German counter attacks stop the attack.
As this came to a halt the British pushed the German forces back past Ypes and drove another 50 miles beyond but again german counter attacks stoped the adavnce short of Ghent.

By now the German forces were being pounded up and down the Westen Front.The final big push started in July and carried on untill November 1916.
At Cambrai where the juction of French are British forces linked, 4 British corps and two tank regiments Total 100 tanks and 5 French corps and 400+ guns smashed the line and drove the german,s back .They had no strong reserve left but still put up a stiff rear guard but by November with the last reserve smashed and Allies in Charleroi, Mons and close to Brussells the German GHQ called for peace.

What of the Russians , the Tsar seeing the falling German empire pushed his forces on towards Berlin Peace was called before advance cavalry units could reach the city 130 miles away.

Well played Tony you put up a great fight