Durnovo Hypothetical Mod

[Nikel]

After watching the EE falling so soon and badly in XTRG game, I thought it would be a good idea to modify the game so that Russia is not so badly treated.

Pyotr Nikolayevich Durnovo, wrote a letter to the Tsar in February 1914 in which he predicted with impressive precision what would finally happen in case of major war in the continent.

A letter to Nicholas II

Durnovo was noted for his outspoken opposition to closer ties with the United Kingdom at the expense of relations with Germany which he expressed in his letter sent to Nicholas II in February 1914.[6] In the letter Durnovo has set out his views and which were to be realized in the aftermath of World War I. He believed that German and Russian interests were complementary while a war between the two empires could result only in the destruction of the existing political orders of both. Durnovo foresaw an imminent war between Russia, France and Britain against Germany, Austro-Hungary, and Turkey. His memorandum accurately predicted Russia's defeat and demoralization of the Imperial Army, elimination of existing legislative institutions, intellectual opposition, and Monarchy favoring "social revolution in its most extreme form the way and evolution of which is hard to predict". The document was found amongst the papers of Tsar Nicholas following the February Revolution of 1917. It's unknown whether Tsar had read it or not.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Nik ... ch_Durnovo


But he was not listened by the Tsar, and one may imagine what would have happened (or would not), in the XX century or even today, if he was.


Anyway he could not avoid the war, but perhaps he could have been more successful in the final result for Russia once it started, so the name of the mod is dedicated to him.


But this mod is merely hypothetical as I have no idea on how to create it

I will post some options, ideas, modifications, etc that are historical and could help the EE in the war. Some with graphics.

Comments or more ideas that could be helpful are welcomed.

[Nikel]

1. Vodka Sale Prohibition option.

Background:

In August 1914 Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia (1868-1918), who was a convert to the notion that temperance would cure social ills, banned the sale of vodka first during mobilization and then for the duration of the war. With prohibition, the government thought it was correctly applying the lessons of history: if, as the Tsar and his advisors assumed, drunkenness had contributed to defeat in the Russo-Japanese War and the disorders of the 1905 revolution, then this time round every effort would be made to induce sobriety on the part of the masses.

That, however, created a fiscal problem: vodka sales contributed 28 percent of the state budget, the largest single source of government revenue.

https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.n ... ian_empire


Well, in fact a double blade option that perhaps could be reverted after a year?

In game terms, less revenues for sure, but the intention of the mod would be to help the EE, so what could be the good effects, in military cohesion? NM improves cohesion and military performance, so an increase in NM, though it seems counter-intuitive


Graphic, a ruble and a vodka label from the times of the war.

[Nikel]

2. Alfred Redl, the traitor.




I see no reference to him in the game in the localstrings or in the databases.

Background:

From 1903 to 1913, Redl was Russia's leading spy. Before World War I, he provided the Russians with information of Plan III, the entire Austro-Hungarian invasion plan for Serbia. The Russians then informed the Serbian military command about Plan III. As a result, when the Austro-Hungarian Army invaded Serbia, the Serbians were well prepared.

Redl is thought to have sold to Russia one of Austria-Hungary's principal attack plans, along with its order of battle, its mobilization plans (at a time when mobilization was viewed as one of the critical keys to victory) and detailed plans of Austrian fortifications that were soon overrun by Russia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Redl


I think this should be a decision, similar to Max Hoffman for the Germans.

But during the first 5 months of the war, and available 2 times, one for the Serbian and one for the Russian fronts, besides Hoffman should be reduced also to 1914 year, right now you may play it anytime.


Graphics needed, for the decisions panel and for the map.

From this pic smiling that seems more appropriate for a traitor.

Map_AlfredRedl.png (11.63 KiB) Viewed 850 times

Panel_AlfredRedl.png (26.53 KiB) Viewed 850 times

[Nikel]

3. Constantinople and the Straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles) War Aims


Background:

In early March 1915

With the Royal Navy’s big guns booming against the Turkish forts in the outer Dardanelles, the Russian foreign minister Sergei Sazonov demands that the British and French allow Russia to annex Constantinople and adjoining territory after the war. In his words, “any solution will remain unsatisfactory and insecure so long as the city of Constantinople, the western shore of the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles, as well as southern Thrace as far as the Enos-Midia line are not included in the domain of the Russian Empire.”

Britain accepted it in March 1915 and France finally in April 1915.


This should be an option for the EE available since March 1915 if the Ottoman Empire is part of the CPs. It should be automatically accepted 1-3 turns later, and provide the EE with much needed NM.


Graphic:

evt_dsc_Straits_RussiaWarAims.png (85.63 KiB) Viewed 837 times

[Nikel]

Wait, Redl is not the man on the left? Is Giesl? A pity, it was a perfect pic


https://austria-forum.org/af/Bilder_und ... d/00633217


https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Gi ... Gieslingen


Edit:

OK, after looking for a number of pics of him, IMHO he is Redl. It is the other guy who is not Giesl.

[Nikel]

4. Ottoman RR in the Caucasus.


More stuff that is hampering the Russian Empire, is the Ottoman RR extending into the Caucasus. XTRG is sending heavy artillery and reinforcements there without effort.

Historically the Ottoman had a lot of problems supplying the army deployed there because there was not RR and the roads were poor. That was not the case for the Russians.


The problem is that there are several maps available, and there is not much agreement. However this one illustrates what I am meaning.






In the game 3 lines in red extend to the Caucasus or nearby to Trapzon, Erzerum and to nowhere. The RR to Baghdad ends in Mosul because it was not completed, this is OK.