Interesting read!
The Flashman Report
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TURN THE THIRD (PART THE SECOND)
TURKEY
Along with the Bulgarians, marches a large force into Bucharest, the Russians having left to recapture Sevastopol. This last is reinforced by the Turks from Mesopotamia, effectively abandoning Baghdad to the large British army advancing across Persia. A large army in concentrated in the capital, the plan being to trade Smyrna and Ankara with the British while taking over the southern sector against Russia.
ITALY
The 2 units in Burgundy march to the French coast to rendezvous with the Italian fleet. In order to keep the Austrians at bay, it is decided to attack in Tuscany.
Italy has: 1 fighter, 6 infantry, 8 artillery
Austria has: 1 fighter, 2 infantry, 8 artillery
With large artillery forces in both sides, the air duel will be crucial. After three passes the Austrian Ace scores a victory, and the Hapsburg artillery home in on the enemy.
7 casualties each severely depletes the invaders, but reinforcements are due from Venice, and Italy now collects a paltry 9 IPCs.
USA
With Italy the most hard-pressed of the Allies, the “Appalachian Educational Faculty” sails into the Mediterranean, with the “Alaskan Environmental Federation” just a few leagues behind.
President Wilson is re-elected as the “he kept us out of the war” candidate.
Defeated “British Stooge” Charles Hughes is beaten to death by an anti-war mob.
You could put a world of hurt on the Austrians by shuttling units from the USA to Albania. Its only 3 moves to Albania with a shuck of 9 transports (3 in SZ 17, 3 in SZ 14, and 3 in SZ 1). You could land 4 inf and 2 art every turn in Albania with that shuck. Even better is that it is a big threat to Vienna, since you are only 2 moves from their capitol. This would force the Austrians to make the tough decision to either continue the attack on Italy or try and push the US out of Europe.
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Since I’m using MB factory pieces to mark production centres, it occured to me that a 2nd German production centre, possibly in Alsace (Stuttgart?), would mitigate against the CPs lack of rail movement.
Add Petrograd (now Russian starting capital) & Halifax Nova Scotia to make 12 PCs (including Bombay, which the UK would now have to defend).
A net increase of 3 PCs wins the game, but as before must include Paris/London or Berlin.
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Since I’m using MB factory pieces to mark production centres, it occured to me that a 2nd German production centre, possibly in Alsace (Stuttgart?), would mitigate against the CPs lack of rail movement.
Add Petrograd (now Russian starting capital) & Halifax Nova Scotia to make 12 PCs (including Bombay, which the UK would now have to defend).
A net increase of 3 PCs wins the game, but as before must include Paris/London or Berlin.
Are the Germans really in that dire of straights against France?
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Once the Brits get ashore, I cannot see how Germany can reach Paris when it takes so long for new units to reach France.
It seems too much like “Paris or Bust” in the first 3 turns at most.
The Stuttgart PC would give them a fighting chance, but also give France an attainable victory goal.
Look at the map, mark the capitals in Western/Central Europe, and you’ll see why I think Alsace (rather than, for example, Ruhr) would be the ideal site for another PC.
In the case of powers with more than one PC, the loss of one would not preclude production continuing at the other.
You could even allow France to produce at the captured Alsace factory, if you consider that France regarded the historical province as naturally part of France (though you’d have to call the city Strasbourg). But I wouldn’t. I’d never allow building in captured factories. Except, is Alsace different because its a French area held by Germany since 1871?
After all, Strasbourg is now the capital of Europe:
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Once the Brits get ashore, I cannot see how Germany can reach Paris when it takes so long for new units to reach France.
It seems too much like “Paris or Bust” in the first 3 turns at most.
The Stuttgart PC would give them a fighting chance, but also give France an attainable victory goal.
Look at the map, mark the capitals in Western/Central Europe, and you’ll see why I think Alsace (rather than, for example, Ruhr) would be the ideal site for another PC.
In the case of powers with more than one PC, the loss of one would not preclude production continuing at the other.
You could even allow France to produce at the captured Alsace factory, if you consider that France regarded the historical province as naturally part of France (though you’d have to call the city Strasbourg). But I wouldn’t. I’d never allow building in captured factories. Except, is Alsace different because its a French area held by Germany since 1871?
You make it seem like the CPs are doomed, since Paris or London(yea right) are must haves.
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Once the Brits get ashore, I cannot see how Germany can reach Paris when it takes so long for new units to reach France.
It seems too much like “Paris or Bust” in the first 3 turns at most.
It’s amazing to me that Germany needs 5 turns to move units from Berlin to Paris using the shortest route. To compare the US can move units from Washington to Constantinople or Vienna in only 4 turns!
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Once the Brits get ashore, I cannot see how Germany can reach Paris when it takes so long for new units to reach France.
It seems too much like “Paris or Bust” in the first 3 turns at most.
The Stuttgart PC would give them a fighting chance, but also give France an attainable victory goal.
Look at the map, mark the capitals in Western/Central Europe, and you’ll see why I think Alsace (rather than, for example, Ruhr) would be the ideal site for another PC.
In the case of powers with more than one PC, the loss of one would not preclude production continuing at the other.
You could even allow France to produce at the captured Alsace factory, if you consider that France regarded the historical province as naturally part of France (though you’d have to call the city Strasbourg). But I wouldn’t. I’d never allow building in captured factories. Except, is Alsace different because its a French area held by Germany since 1871?
After all, Strasbourg is now the capital of Europe:
Geographically the “Alsace” territory in this game is really Baden-Wuerttemburg plus Alsace. It would be a major stretch to consider the “Alsace” territory in AA1914 a French territory.
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It normally is quicker to move by sea than by land…
There are units in every German territory, so it isn’t like its 4 turns of no reinforcements; you just have to plan your purchases wisely.
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I agree BJCard. It’s a bit funny that the US can for example move units from Washington to Albania faster than Germany can over uncontested CP territory.
Starting on turn 4 the US can drop 4 Inf and 2 artillery in a location that is a direct threat to two Axis capitals on every turn until the game has finished. Forcing the economically weaker Austria to have to deal with 3 different fronts simultaneously is going to kill them.
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I agree BJCard. It’s a bit funny that the US can for example move units from Washington to Albania faster than Germany can over uncontested CP territory.
Starting on turn 4 the US can drop 4 Inf and 2 artillery in a location that is a direct threat to two Axis capitals on every turn until the game has finished. Forcing the economically weaker Austria to have to deal with 3 different fronts simultaneously is going to kill them.
Fair enough. I’m pretty sure that a trans-atlantic trip in the early 1900s took about a week (In game terms that’s 1.5 turns since its 3 spaces from the US to France). Then again an army sent by rail from Berlin to Albania (if sufficient rail capacity existed) may have taken a couple weeks as well.
Maybe Austria needs to invest in a modest fleet? Or the CPs need to take out Russia as soon as possible so all their attention can be on the West and South?
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I agree BJCard. It’s a bit funny that the US can for example move units from Washington to Albania faster than Germany can over uncontested CP territory.
Starting on turn 4 the US can drop 4 Inf and 2 artillery in a location that is a direct threat to two Axis capitals on every turn until the game has finished. Forcing the economically weaker Austria to have to deal with 3 different fronts simultaneously is going to kill them.
Fair enough. I’m pretty sure that a trans-atlantic trip in the early 1900s took about a week (In game terms that’s 1.5 turns since its 3 spaces from the US to France). Then again an army sent by rail from Berlin to Albania (if sufficient rail capacity existed) may have taken a couple weeks as well.
Maybe Austria needs to invest in a modest fleet? Or the CPs need to take out Russia as soon as possible so all their attention can be on the West and South?
It may be the best strategy to go for a sort of reverse Schliefen plan by taking out Russia first. Once the US is in Europe Austria and/or the Turks are doomed if they put their focus on defeating one of them.
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Only to find that the Allies have deliberately collapsed Russia into revolution to prevent the CPs from entering Moscow.
I’m thinking STRASBOURG is the key. 3 tts from London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna…
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BLACKADDDER THE FOURTH (EPISODE ONE)
For the sake of experiment, I’ve decided that each power must buy a tank every turn from now on, mainly so that I can determine if these hunks of scrap metal are really worth buying.
AUSTRIA
Makes considerable gains, retaking Budapest and Galicia from the Russians, who’re finding it hard going against a 3 pronged CP front.
Tuscany is overrun, bringing the Hapsburgs to the very gates of Rome. But scanning the horizon to the west at sunset, several large cruise liners are seen approaching ominously across the Mediterranean.
RUSSIA
Having stripped its western frontier to deal with the Turks in Sevastopol, Russia assaults the infidel with some success, but a single Turk holds on, with worried looks at the Indian army in Persia. Poland and Ukraine are reinforced, but it looks like a defensive battle from here on. The fleet commanders, fearing mutiny among the idle crews, set sail in the Baltic, but lose their submarine to a German mine.
GERMANY
In order to defend the flank of contested Belgium, Germany sends a small force to retake Alsace. Both these tts are likely to be lost soon, but if the French were allowed to attack into Belgium then the BEF would be free to move against the Ruhr.
Troops form Piedmont move down into Tuscany to reinforce the Austrians against “unforeseen events”.
The fleet cannot tolerate the presence of Russian ships in German waters, and steams east to sink the enemy fleet. If only Germany had had the foresight to build a transport instead of that silly armoured tractor…
A massive attack in Poland annihilates all 13 Russian defenders for 8 losses, opening up the way to Petrograd. The CPs have finally achieved their primary “Ostwall” objective in the east, but must they now press on to finish with Russia before the UK can reinforce it?
FRANCE
Moves its main army, now with 3 air squadrons, into Lorraine, easily retaking the 2 IPCs.
The French BB and its cruiser and sub escort seek a showdown with the High Sea Fleet. A mine damages the French Flagship, but when the smoke clears the Baltic Sea now contains only two badly holed rival dreadnoughts.A fleet of two liners arrives in Picardy with more Canadians, who then refuse to disembark without orders from London. On the way it passes another remarkably similar vessel, steaming to Halifax with identical intentions. France puts down TWO tanks in Paris, confident that American support will allow them to indulge in some modern luxuries.
The French unit in Africa continues its solitary vigil guarding the Gold Coast and FWA beyond.
Maybe America cannot declare war unless Russia has dropped out. I know, historically, the one event did not cause the other; but thematically it feels right. But then nothing about America leaving its own space before declaring war feels right.
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Only to find that the Allies have deliberately collapsed Russia into revolution to prevent the CPs from entering Moscow.
This one still has me scratching my head, and is the main reason why I completely support those developing house rules before the game is in hand.
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Only to find that the Allies have deliberately collapsed Russia into revolution to prevent the CPs from entering Moscow.
This one still has me scratching my head, and is the main reason why I completely support those developing house rules before the game is in hand.
Or just say screw it and not use the optional Russian revolution rules; at least not until they are fixed.
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Once the Brits get ashore, I cannot see how Germany can reach Paris when it takes so long for new units to reach France.
It seems too much like “Paris or Bust” in the first 3 turns at most.
The Stuttgart PC would give them a fighting chance, but also give France an attainable victory goal.
Look at the map, mark the capitals in Western/Central Europe, and you’ll see why I think Alsace (rather than, for example, Ruhr) would be the ideal site for another PC.
In the case of powers with more than one PC, the loss of one would not preclude production continuing at the other.
You could even allow France to produce at the captured Alsace factory, if you consider that France regarded the historical province as naturally part of France (though you’d have to call the city Strasbourg). But I wouldn’t. I’d never allow building in captured factories. Except, is Alsace different because its a French area held by Germany since 1871?
After all, Strasbourg is now the capital of Europe:
Well Germans always thought Straßburg is a german city unnaturally held by France from 1648 until 1871. (They grabbed it after the westphalian peace)
Straßburg was like 95% of Elsaß naturally German speaking untill it was franconisized after ww1 and especially after ww2
Fact 2 is that on the map most of “alsace” is baden württemberg so why should it be a “naturally part of france” -
Because they won mostly
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Because they won mostly
Huh? because they won the war baden württemberg has to be called a “natural part” of france?
lol so maybe florida should be a “natural” part of vietnam then
I agree with strategic annexions after a victorious war, but calling Elsaß and even Baden Württemberg a natural part of france
overstates the case a little bit -
The winner gets to make up whatever he wants, that’s kinda the point of war. And if Charlie had the balls to win the war militarily to the point where he could invade the continental United States then by all means, he can have Flordia, hell he can have it anyway.
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as you can see on my last edit that was not my point…
But Charly would never have historical arguments to call Florida an natural part of Vietnam, neither has France with Baden Württemberg, or has Germany with
Picardie. :wink:
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