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ajarnlance
General of the Army
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Diplomacy...

Tue Dec 09, 2014 6:15 pm

With things quiet on the military front let's take a quick look at the diplomatic situation. My ambassador to the USA is doing a good job of slowing down the American move towards the Entente.

[ATTACH]32529[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]32527[/ATTACH]

My goal here is obviously to keep the yanks out of Europe for as long as possible.. which is another reason why I have decided NOT to use submarine warfare in the Atlantic as this annoys the Americans and brings them into the war earlier. Bulgaria is moving closer to joining my side.

[ATTACH]32526[/ATTACH]

Instead of using subs I am using light cruisers to raid the British merchant shipping in the atlantic...

[ATTACH]32528[/ATTACH]

Finally a look at the objectives screen. War weariness has been dropping each side's morale by one point every turn for a while now. The Russian morale is getting close to the 75 threshold.. below which the Tsar takes command.. which is a bad thing for the Russian armies.

[ATTACH]32530[/ATTACH]
Attachments
MORALE.png
AMBASS.png
ATL SHIP BOX 2.png
DIPL 2.png
DIPL 1.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)

Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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FlumenSV
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Location: Fiume

Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:22 pm

Like the submarine trick, will use it myself. What is your goal with Romania, what is her status now?
Indeficienter

Nikephorus16
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Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 12:03 am

Thu Dec 11, 2014 4:48 am

Great AAR! Love your style. Things look kind of precarious now that Mulhouse has been breached. That lengthens your lines quite a bit, no?

steelwarrior77
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Posts: 388
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Thu Dec 11, 2014 10:33 am

The submarine trick did not work with me - USA was still angered for sinking merchants in my games - maybe that is a bug - so better check it each turn...
Did you ever print money and if yes how often?

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:04 am

steelwarrior77 wrote:The submarine trick did not work with me - USA was still angered for sinking merchants in my games - maybe that is a bug - so better check it each turn...
Did you ever print money and if yes how often?


Yes, unfortunately I can confirm that the 'not using submarines in the shipping box' tactic DOES NOT work. I was advised on a forum thread that not using subs would not anger the USA. Instead, this last turn, I not only anger the USA but I got the "Lusitania Event" which has shifted the US about 15% towards the Entente. This is another of those frustrating moments where my carefully laid plans have unravelled due to a bug in the game. How can I torpedo the Lusitania when my subs have been sitting in Wilhelmshaven harbor and have never been anywhere near the shipping box?? Now I calculate the US will enter the war about a year earlier than I had planned...

Yes, I am printing money pretty much at every opportunity. Inflation is running about 13% last time I checked.
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:06 am

FlumenSV wrote:Like the submarine trick, will use it myself. What is your goal with Romania, what is her status now?


Romania is leaning slightly to my side but I'm not sure if this changes when Bulgaria joins the Entente. We both have diplomats on Romania but she is leaning to the CP. Greece will be joining the Entente shortly. This whole area will be coming alive ... opening up more fronts...
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

steelwarrior77
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Posts: 388
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Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:15 am

ajarnlance wrote:Yes, unfortunately I can confirm that the 'not using submarines in the shipping box' tactic DOES NOT work. I was advised on a forum thread that not using subs would not anger the USA. Instead, this last turn, I not only anger the USA but I got the "Lusitania Event" which has shifted the US about 15% towards the Entente. This is another of those frustrating moments where my carefully laid plans have unravelled due to a bug in the game. How can I torpedo the Lusitania when my subs have been sitting in Wilhelmshaven harbor and have never been anywhere near the shipping box?? Now I calculate the US will enter the war about a year earlier than I had planned...

Yes, I am printing money pretty much at every opportunity. Inflation is running about 13% last time I checked.


Yeah frustraing huh - you get 3% alignement for the Entente every turn you have a fleet in the shipping box - that should be fixed soon - kind of a dealbreaker as the CP....I seem even to get these hist with having a trade fleet only in that shipping box....;-(
Is it worth it long time to have that a high inflation - only if you can conquer additional cities due to the extra units worth 100-200 money each turn, right?

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ajarnlance
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Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:15 am

Nikephorus16 wrote:Great AAR! Love your style. Things look kind of precarious now that Mulhouse has been breached. That lengthens your lines quite a bit, no?


Thanks. Yes, my lines have lengthened but the French break through in that southern sector has been contained. Of more concern is the recent French breakthrough in the center of my line and the threatened encirclement of my forces in Thionville. My OHL which was occupying Morhange mtsg to the attack on Metz and then never returned to Morhange.. another bug... armies which mtsg are supposed to return to their original region... now I have a huge two region gap in my lines... something which was virtually impossible in the trench warfare of 1915 IRL. Also, my assaulted armies, which have all gathered for a sing song in Thionville, finished the turn in G/G passive mode. Something which was also supposed to have been fixed in the lastest patch.
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Late April western front...

Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:28 pm

The last two turns were clearly the calm before the storm as the Entente springs to life and launches a series of attacks in late April 1915. On the western front the French armies under Joffre break the centre of my line at Metz and Morhange. They also launch another attack east out of the Ardennes aimed at Saarbrucken and encircling my armies in Thionville. Again the game engine produces some strange results here. My OHL at Morhange marches to the sound of the guns (mtsg) to help defend Metz... however, instead of returning to their point of origin and climbing back into their trenches at Morhange they keep moving west and end up in Thionville. This means that they have moved two regions from their starting point and left a gaping hole in my front line. ageod still have a long way to go to replicate trench warfare on the western front. Whole armies did not abandon their trenches and move miles away leaving a totally undefended position. I am observing that the mtsg feature (which works well in other ageod games, and even on other fronts in EAW) is making the western front much too mobile. This front is supposed to represent a static trench war with thousands of men dying for yards. Currently there is no incentive to recreate the continuous line of trenches IRL that stretched from the Swiss border to the Belgian coast. Instead it is power stacks that rule...

Another strange result is that, although I lost the battle for Metz below, I gained a national morale point for wiping out an entire French cavalry division in a skirmish. This also needs fixing. IRL the French break through would have had them dancing in the streets of Paris.. instead they are depressed over some dead horses...

[ATTACH]32562[/ATTACH]

Now my rant is over.. here is how it looks now. My forces in Thionville are in a very precarious position... direction of French attacks are in yellow... the strange migration of my OHL out of its trenches to relocate two regions away is documented in three steps...

[ATTACH]32563[/ATTACH]

Overview of how the western front looks now. My preoccuaption with Aachen in the north has left my centre vulnerable and the French are exploiting that with a massive offensive. The good news is that I still have large forces ready to throw into the fray. The question is this: do I maneuver to form a new line in front the of the advancing French forces OR do I try to out maneuver them by marching around their flank through the infamous meuse/mosel corridor?? Maybe if I threaten their lines of communication they would be forced to fall back or at least halt their advance. I am outnumbered on this front in order to keep the initiative against Russia. One thing is for certain... BIG MAC and co. won't be sitting on their derrieres for long...

[ATTACH]32564[/ATTACH]
Attachments
LA WF2 WIDE.png
LA WF1.png
B METZ D10.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

steelwarrior77
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Posts: 388
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Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:42 pm

True - hope you guys still continue - very enjoyable AAR ;-)

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:45 pm

steelwarrior77 wrote:True - hope you guys still continue - very enjoyable AAR ;-)


Can't disappoint our fans... ;)
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Late April 1915... eastern front...

Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:58 pm

The story on the eastern front is one of the Central Powers trying to land punches and not connecting. The Russians seem to be reverting to that old strategy that they used 100 years before against Napoleon... give ground and draw the enemy on... In the north Von Quast attacks Rennenkampf in Rossieny but the Russians make a timely withdrawal.. a new Russian army moves west out of Minsk... the odds are stacking up against me on this front...

[ATTACH]32565[/ATTACH]

The reason why I decided to attack Rennenkampf here is that the previous turn showed him almost completely lacking in cohesion...

[ATTACH]32568[/ATTACH]

This is game speak for his army is strung out and disorganised after a long march... it should be vulnerable BUT evasion doesn't take account of cohesion apparently... and he easily moves his disorganised rabble out of the path of Quast's army...

South of Bielostock I pursue two broken Russian armies with two of my best armies and fail to even engage. This is frustrating and frankly getting ridiculous. I am losing the initiative while I chase the remnants of two Russian armies around the Polish countryside. Von Kluck moves into the same region as Brusilov on day one, another corps under Linsingen moves into the same region from the other direction. My armies, both active with offensive postures, just sit there for two weeks and look at Brusilov as he laughs... next move he will simply move away in passive posture... what a joke. IRL armies that are cut off and surrounded like this either surrender or disband due to desertion etc... As I have said before... evasion values are too high... I have rail networks and superior forces allowing me to move fast with power... the result.. the Russians evade... evade... evade... they are low on cohesion and have been cut off from their supply base for two months now... but they can move so fast that I can't even bring them to battle... elsewhere a combined German and Austrian force moves into position to attack Plehve who is falling back towards Pinsk (top right)... my key objective.. Pinsk is the vital rail link in this whole sector.

[ATTACH]32566[/ATTACH]

The siege of Mlawa is finally over. I get a surrender message but no corresponding national morale boost. Is this another bug? I would have assaulted them 2 months ago if I knew it would end like this.. with no pay off.

[ATTACH]32567[/ATTACH]

Along the southern sector I continue my push eastwards.. laying siege to Kowel, Zamosc and Lutzk. I advance on the Russian army at Klevan and ... you guessed it... he evades and falls back on Rowno. I am making progress towards cutting off the Russian army in front of Czernowitz at Kaminets... hopefully I can force him to fall back on his lines of communication... trapping him seems like a waste of time since surrounded armies don't die in this game... they just dance around playing cat and mouse...

[ATTACH]32569[/ATTACH]
Attachments
LA EF3.jpg
RENNENKAMPF.png
RENNENKAMPF.png (13.06 KiB) Viewed 66724 times
MLAWA SURRENDER.png
LA EF2.jpg
LA EF1.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Late April.. the Red Sea...

Thu Dec 11, 2014 6:32 pm

Remember last turn I predicted a British thrust up the Red Sea into Aqaba? Well this time I hate to be right... it is one thing to anticipate your opponent... another thing entirely to be able to act on it. One of my armies seems to be stuck like its in quick sand in the Sinai desert. The new patch has turned this area into a death trap. Amazing how Russian armies with no supplies and low cohesion can dance around Poland for months... but I can't even get these guys home with no pursuit... looks like this army will die in the desert... Meanwhile my army besieging Aden is about to be surrounded and destroyed by a pincer move into Medina to its north and into Aden from the coast. The only potential profit to come out of this situation is that I might be able to bottle up the Brits in Arabia... if I can move enough troops fast enough...

[ATTACH]32570[/ATTACH]

In the Balkans the Serb army finally awakens from hibernation and launches an attack out of Belgrade at my armies across the river. It is repulsed and the Serbs fall back on Belgrade.

[ATTACH]32573[/ATTACH]

A similar event takes place in the south where the Serbs launch another attack on Cattaro... this time it is easily repulsed by my relief force.

[ATTACH]32574[/ATTACH]

A look at the Balkan front.. I have enough forces here to pen the Serbs in.. but Greece will be joining the Entente soon and that will open up this front to support from the Entente...

[ATTACH]32576[/ATTACH]

On the Italian front more action as the Italian army launches a major assault north across the alps and sieges Bozen. My corps in Bozen evades and falls back to the east. My forces are spread out along this front. I can try to contain this break out... a bolder move would be to concentrate my forces and attack south across the path of the Italian advance. This move would threaten to cut it off from its supply base... decisions... decisions...

[ATTACH]32577[/ATTACH]
Attachments
LA ITF1.jpg
LA BF1.png
B CATTARO D7.png
B PETER D5.png
LA SIN1.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Diplomatic disaster...

Thu Dec 11, 2014 6:52 pm

Finally, do you remember how proud I was of my diplomatic containment of the USA last turn? My policy has been to avoid confrontation with America by keeping my submarines penned up in Wilhelmshaven. My subs haven't set foot in either of the Entente shipping boxes... instead I have been raiding with light cruisers. I was informed that this would not anger the US... the advice was dead wrong. Not only do I anger America but my light cruisers manage to torpedo the Lusitania... driving the USA 10% points closer to entry. This diplomatic disaster (another bug in the game) has very serious consequences for the late game. I was on track to delay US entry until very late.. this one event will advance US entry by almost a year. This now means that I must win the game before the US comes in... a lot more pressure in terms of time...

[ATTACH]32578[/ATTACH]

NOTE: the conditions specifically link this event to the number of SUBMARINES in the shipping box. Obviously yet another bug because I have no subs in the box... but apparently my light cruisers have triggered this event. I will have to send them home.. this lets the UK get fat on war supplies... I have ended up with a lose/lose proposition here...

[ATTACH]32579[/ATTACH]

This has been a tough turn for the CP. Some of it due to Entente offensives.. that I don't mind... but when faulty game mechanics hurt you it can be frustrating. But because I always like to end on a positive note... a look again at the air war. While I lost some serious ground.. in the skies above the fledgling Lufftwaffe continues to kick entente butt...

[ATTACH]32581[/ATTACH][ATTACH]32580[/ATTACH]

Also Bulgaria will be entering the war on my side in one or two turns... Romania is at 63% leaning towards the CP.. they are between my Bulgarian army and the Russians... or I could attack Greece and up into Serbia... more options...
Attachments
AB METZ.png
AB COLMAR.png
lusitania.png
ANGER USA.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

steelwarrior77
Colonel
Posts: 388
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Thu Dec 11, 2014 6:52 pm

Very exciting ;-) I hope Russia will leave the war soon enough or you will be overrun in the West - especially with the US joining too...

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:04 pm

steelwarrior77 wrote:Very exciting ;-) I hope Russia will leave the war soon enough or you will be overrun in the West - especially with the US joining too...


Yes, it is definitely a race to see if I can throw Russia out of the war before the French get too far... it is proving very difficult however to finish off broken and surrounded Russian armies.. seems unrealistic.. as I keep saying... evasion in this game is too easy in this era of mud and trenches...
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:19 pm

steelwarrior77 wrote:Yeah frustraing huh - you get 3% alignement for the Entente every turn you have a fleet in the shipping box - that should be fixed soon - kind of a dealbreaker as the CP....I seem even to get these hist with having a trade fleet only in that shipping box....;-(
Is it worth it long time to have that a high inflation - only if you can conquer additional cities due to the extra units worth 100-200 money each turn, right?


I'm gambling with inflation... I'm not sure if it is worth it in the long run as I have no experience beyond July 1915 with this game... I agree that the penalty regarding the USA is too high in the shipping box... not using subs should make this much less... wish I had known this before... early US entry could seal my fate...
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

1.02 patch... running into difficulties...

Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:19 pm

Trying to install the new 1.02 patch but I don't think it has 'taken' as I have none of the new features like the 'traffic option' even though my game says version 1.02. The next turn will be delayed while I try to sort this out. Update.. I tried a complete re-install and it worked... I have divorced the game from Steam.. now let the game progress...!!
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Early May 1915... western front...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 3:03 pm

The most critical front for the CP is currently in the west where the French have breached my line in two places and completely surrounded Thionville. While this key city was a vital lynch pin holding together my right flank it is clear that my position has become untenable here. More serious still is that the three armies cut off in Thionville include OHL Falkenhayn, most of my heavy artillery on this front, plus my new fighter squadrons. My plan for this turn is as follows:

1) I attempt a breakout from Thionville in the direction of my own lines.... I'm not optimistic this will work but it may buy me time until my relief forces get here...
2) I take the offensive with my forces that have been guarding my right flank in front of Aachen. This is the only sector of this front where I have an advantage in numbers. The direction of my two offensives are shown in yellow. I set BIG MAC a stretch goal of moving two regions to get him in position to break through to Thionville next turn. He will be supported by a major advance by my other three armies in this sector aimed at the key city of Trier. If it succeeds it will open a possible route to either relieve my trapped armies in Thionville or allow them to escape... The direction of potential relief efforts next turn are shown in pink...

[ATTACH]32589[/ATTACH]

as predicted my attempt at a break out is repulsed... the French are just too strong around Thionville.. and they have all the exits covered... this bloody battle with a French force of almost a million men wrecks one of my armies and puts their leader, Von Wurttemburg in hospital for a month...

[ATTACH]32590[/ATTACH]

as my men fall back on Thionville whole units are totally destroyed in the pursuit by the French... and I lose a national morale point..

[ATTACH]32591[/ATTACH]

Further to the north, however, it is a different story as Von Mackensen lives up to his heroic reputation and blasts through the French army holding Eiffel... he reaches his stretch goal of two regions by taking the second region at the end of the turn...

[ATTACH]32592[/ATTACH]

Three more of my armies converge on Trier and evict the French armies there...

[ATTACH]32593[/ATTACH]

So from the map above you can see that my relief offensives are well under way... both thrusts are still a region away from my beleagured OHL in Thionville and they could be countered next turn.. but at least there is hope now that some of my surrounded forces can be rescued.. hopefully Thionville won't be my 'Alamo'.. and my relief forces won't be 'a bridge too far'.. this hangs on a knife edge for next turn with French general Joffre and almost a million men poised to fall like a sledge hammer on Thionville... can I get there in time?? One interesting consequence of my lightning advances in the mosel corridor is that a French army has become trapped in a pocket behind my rapidly moving armies... now we have two trapped forces (one CP, one Entente)... shown with red stars on the map above.
Attachments
B TRIER D12.png
B DEPO D6.png
NM -1.png
B METZ D7.png
EM WF1.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Early May 1915... eastern front...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 3:26 pm

In the far north the Russians launch a major offensive designed to take Wilna. I noted a new Russian army move west out of Minsk last turn and realised that my outnumbered forces around Wilna and Koschedair needed reinforcing quick. I pulled Von Quast back from Rossieny where he had gone out on a limb to attack Rennnenkampf last turn. I also decided to rail Von Kluck up to support them... he was tired of endlessly chasing Russian armies around the Polish countryside. I'm glad I took these precautions as three Russian armies assaulted first Koschedair...

[ATTACH]32597[/ATTACH]

and then Wilna..

[ATTACH]32598[/ATTACH]

In addition to holding these vital cities on my northern flank these victories boost my national morale.. probably because we inflicted more than twice as many casualties as we received...

[ATTACH]32599[/ATTACH][ATTACH]32600[/ATTACH]

This how things look now in the north.. Rennenkampf advances back into Rossieny and I still have a fight on my hands to hold down this sector...

[ATTACH]32601[/ATTACH]
Attachments
EM EF1.png
NM WILNA +2.png
NM 2.png
B WILNA D8.png
B KOSCH D6.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

east front continued...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 3:34 pm

Further south I continue to try and engage the broken remnants of Russian armies wandering around the Polish countryside... and fail to connect again.. the Russians have taken the unprecedented decision to abandon their surrounded armies with the result that they are now leaderless... surely I can catch them next turn... both Kowel and Zamosc fall to my assaults. Kowel has a level 2 depot which I am hoping will alleviate my supply shortage. Also my five new ammo factories will come on line next turn and that should help with my ammunition crisis. I also lay siege to the fortress cities of Lutsk and Dubno.. the latter has another depot I want. The direction of future advances north and east are shown in yellow. Pinsk remains my key objective to the north.. while I build up forces prior to an attack on the fortress city of Kowno to the east. Once taken Kowno and Pinsk will secure this southern sector for the Kaiser and the Emperor Joseph. The final conquest of Poland is starting to look like a real possibility. My armies on the western front are being pushed to the breaking point in order to allow my eastern forces to take the initiative here. It is all about a very precarious balance.

[ATTACH]32602[/ATTACH]

The successful assault on Zamosc earns Austrian general Krauss a promotion.. he looks like a good candidate for army command..

[ATTACH]32607[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]32606[/ATTACH]

To the east the result of my push eastwards in this sector can be seen as I am free to bring Boehm-Ermolli and his army across to threaten the line of retreat of the Russian army at Kaminets. I feel confident now to advance my armies out of Czernowitz to confront the Russians... their choice is to fall back or get caught in a trap... My eastern sweep across the southern sector is almost complete....

[ATTACH]32603[/ATTACH]

A look at the objectives screen shows that Russian morale has sunk below the 75 mark due to the victorious battles fought this turn. Each turn below 75 gives a chance for the Tsar takes command event which will weaken the Russian forces still further...

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Attachments
KRAUSS PROMO.png
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OBJECTIVES SCR.png
EM EF3.png
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"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

steelwarrior77
Colonel
Posts: 388
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2014 8:44 am

Sat Dec 13, 2014 3:39 pm

Wow - the game really creates exciting situations - looking forward for the next update ;-)

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Sat Dec 13, 2014 3:40 pm

steelwarrior77 wrote:Wow - the game really creates exciting situations - looking forward for the next update ;-)


Thanks. Yes, there is a lot of drama as this story unfolds... who knows how it will end??
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Early May Italian front...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 4:04 pm

Last turn saw a breakthrough in this sector by Italian forces. I try to maneuver to contain the breakthrough while extricating my German army from a potential trap in the city of Trento which is surrounded by impassable mountains on two sides... as I maneuver through the mountain passes I run into another Italian force at Cima attempting to threaten my right flank. It is repulsed.. otherwise I would have been cut off... this is the first high altitude battle of the war.

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I have rushed Von Scholtz from the western front to deal with the threat presented by the Italian breakthrough. He is covering the Brenner pass. This leaves me short in the west... it is a gamble but I need to contain the Italian advance... Italian attacks are in red... my moves in yellow. The Entente lays siege to Trento and Bozen...

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EM ITF1.png
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"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
General of the Army
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Early May 1915... the Middle east and Arabia...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 4:19 pm

I got caught in a clever pincer move this turn. The Brits took Madinah.. the only escape route for my forces sieging Aden. Then they landed at Aden in force... god damn that Royal Navy...

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My Turkish army retreats to Madinah where general Smuts waits to apply the coup de grace... my army is wiped out...

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The British have also landed at Aqaba last turn.. looks like it is a large force. I am rushing armies over to Maan just north of the ancient city of Petra in modern day Jordan. This is to cover against a British advance in that direction. Once the Arab revolt kicks off in 1916 this could be a very dangerous place for any Turks to be... A British camel unit advances from Egypt.. paving the way for a possible British advance from this direction as well. My broken and half dead army emerges from the hell hole that is the Sinai desert... I have learned to respect this harsh environment at a high cost... this front looks like being another holding action. But as I have said before.. I would rather entertain the BEF here.. far from home and far from the more important fronts in Europe where the real fate of the war is being decided..

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Along the Armenian border two Russian armies advance south. I have two reinforced armies waiting for them..

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In the Balkans the Austrians kick the Serbs out of Cattaro and this front looks stable for now. I withdraw my light cruisers from the Atlantic shipping box as the game engine can't tell them apart from submarines and I can't afford to annoy the Americans further. There is a small naval skirmish as I do this... nice to report some naval action for a change...

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B ADEN D5.png
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Bulgaria...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 4:31 pm

The entry of Italy has tipped the scales in the Entente's favour in the last month as my forces are stretched still further. The game designers have allowed for a clever to and fro in the diplomatic arena and the next country to enter the war will be Bulgaria. This will tip the scales back in my direction and allow me to finally take the offensive in the Balkans. Bulgaria sits on Serbia's eastern border. She also sits to the west of Constantinople and will allow Turkish intervention in Europe... Romania looks like remaining neutral for the time being and that blocks direct access to Russia.. but of course that door swings both ways. Greece will join the Entente soon but their army is no match for Bulgaria. Greece will open up a potential new front if the Entente land somewhere like Salonika.. but those forces would have to be taken from somewhere else...

The following map explains it all.. Bulgaria is currently at 98% and should join next turn... can you see the smile on my face... ;)

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BULGARIA.jpg
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Comment on the western front...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:22 pm

Others have commented on this but I have a new perspective on the western front now that I have played the game against both the AI and human opponents. First of all, I think the other fronts are working well in the game and there are all kinds of fascinating military and diplomatic combinations possible to keep players guessing. Where ageod really need to focus their development time with EAW is on the mechanics of western front warfare. After all, when most people think of WW1 they imagine soldiers in trenches getting shelled by artillery and dying by their thousands over a few muddy, shell pocked yards of ground. Historically there were a few breakthroughs between 1915 and 1917 but most of them only advanced a few miles before stalling due to being outflanked, unsupported, or counter attacked. Not until the huge German offensive in 1918 would an army truly advance a significant distance with a breakthrough on a wide front. Even then it was a short-lived success. What players want to see on the western front is a mostly static, trench warfare of attrition.. miles and miles of continuous trenches stretching from the Belgian coastline to the Swiss border... where it is very difficult (notice I didn't say impossible) for armies to move quickly and to gain significant advances. After a couple of hundred hours of playing EAW from 1.00 to 1.02 I can honestly say that this just isn't happening. Here is why and this is also why I think the western front theatre requires different game mechanics:

1) There is simply too much mobility. After a battle one side usually retreats out of the region.. this can even happen multiple times in one two-week turn leading to a ping pong effect of armies bouncing between regions. Opposing armies need to remain stuck in the same region much more often. Battles need to end in stalemate much more frequently.. I haven't seen a stalemate result yet... battles need to have the potential to become long drawn out affairs as each side commits more and more troops in attrition warfare... like Verdun IRL.

2) March to the sound of the guns... an excellent ageod game mechanic in other ageod games... and even on the other fronts in EAW... MTSG just doesn't work for western front warfare. MTSG is creating too much mobility and allowing situations like the one I recently reported in my AAR where an entire army abandoned its level five entrenched position and never returned.. leaving a gaping hole in my line.

3) I think that the game needs to differentiate between front line troops who would almost never vacate their trenches...and reserves which were more mobile and could be shifted to cover a threatened region. Currently there is no incentive for the player to keep much in reserve as armies will respond to attacks by mtsg. There is also no reason to spread your forces thinly, covering every region on the front with no gaps, as these forces currently can be easily overrun by a big stack. Power stacks unfortunately still rule.

Well, there are my thoughts. I think this game has so much potential and does many things very well. Hopefully special mechanics can be introduced that affect only the western theatre (which is already defined in the game files). Here are my suggestions:

1) The ground in the front line regions needs to be much harder to move over and through... the western front terrain was a nightmare of trenches, shell craters, mud and barbed wire which had the effect of slowing armies down significantly. Make new terrain modifiers that add movement and cohesion penalties along the actual front line regions.

2) It needs to be much harder to move entrenched defenders out of their positions... at least until creeping barrages and storm troopers make attacks more potent. Make the entrenchment levels much higher on the WF and prevent armies from abandoning trenches to mtsg.

3) Reduce the retreat from combat significantly in the front line regions... stalemate should be the most common outcome.

4) Find a way to make artillery barrages and reserves a more integral part of the game. I feel as if there needs to be a clear distinction between the front lines in a region and 'behind the lines' where heavy artillery and reserves were located. Currently the role of heavy artillery only seems to be important when besieging forts.

There is a lot more... but I think this should be the focus: get the western front trench warfare working properly.. then this will be one of the best war games ever to come from any game studio.

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trenches1.jpg
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

steelwarrior77
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Posts: 388
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Sat Dec 13, 2014 8:07 pm

Yep MTSG should only come from a tile behind the lines and heavy artillery onwards should be able to bombard adajacent units - removing one entrenchment level each turn, removing some cohesion and killing a few soldiers...with better tech level artillery or super heavy maybe 2 entrenchment level and more losses on cohesion and soldiers...other than that it should need 3-8 attacks to make an entrenched retreat (maybe highest entrenchement level 12 and only at level 4 they do retreat) - with heavy losses for the attacker....and high costs on ammunition - right now ammunition is always plentiful - but like this it could really get important...

To counterbalance the highest entrenchment level can be only in the first in the front tile - next tile behind only half the entrenchement level...third tile no entrechment...

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ajarnlance
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

Sat Dec 13, 2014 8:47 pm

steelwarrior77 wrote:Yep MTSG should only come from a tile behind the lines and heavy artillery onwards should be able to bombard adajacent units - removing one entrenchment level each turn, removing some cohesion and killing a few soldiers...with better tech level artillery or super heavy maybe 2 entrenchment level and more losses on cohesion and soldiers...other than that it should need 3-8 attacks to make an entrenched retreat (maybe highest entrenchement level 12 and only at level 4 they do retreat) - with heavy losses for the attacker....and high costs on ammunition - right now ammunition is always plentiful - but like this it could really get important...

To counterbalance the highest entrenchment level can be only in the first in the front tile - next tile behind only half the entrenchement level...third tile no entrechment...


Some really good ideas. I had the same thought that the higher entrenchment levels should be limited to the front line regions (ie bordering enemy regions) only.. otherwise a player could build entrenchments three or four regions deep and breakthroughs (which did happen IRL on a limited scale) would be impossible. I like the idea of artillery removing entrenchment levels.. this would also signal where an enemy was planning an offensive as IRL most offensives were preceded by massive art. bombardments thereby letting the enemy know the intended target area. Of course later in the war the Germans had the Bruckmuller barrages and their storm troops. Technology and new tactics can then shift some advantage back to the attacker so that by late war breakthroughs are more likely. Did you know that the French troops actually went on strike in 1917?? Amazingly the Germans didn't get wind of it or they could have just walked through the French lines at one point.
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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ajarnlance
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:40 pm

More focus on artillery barrages please...

Sat Dec 13, 2014 9:01 pm

Pictures say it all.. imagine having those aimed at you...

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artillery pic 5.jpg
artillery pic 4.jpg
artillery pic 3.jpg
artillery pic 2.jpg
artillery pic.jpg
"I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union... and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation." Robert E. Lee (1807-1870)



Check out my 'To End All Wars' AAR: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?38262-The-Kaiser-report-the-CP-side-of-the-war-against-Jinx-and-PJL

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