• Can’t wait for the US release (not that I have a choice :| )

    Having Austria-Hungary attack Romania on turn 1 just seems wrong even
    Conrad wasn’t that wacked :-D ,still with the rules the way
    they are ,if AH doesn’t the Ruskies will mobilize it uncontested.

    Neutral Entry will be among my Home Ruling -this may be the first Game
    that collapses under my added chrome before I actually receive it :roll:

  • Customizer

    Yes, don’t miss out on this one.

    After the first couple of turns it starts to rattle along nicely, but you will need a proper production chart and something to mark mines. The Sahara “ones” track can be used to count game turns for triggered events. Hopefully this will be sorted in the 2nd edition.

    Austria in particular has a lot of decisions to make, but experienced players should have a plan for A1 which will save a lot of time.

    I still question some of the map decisions; Poland having a coastline is a big advantage for Russia; just mass a big army here and Germany has a real headache. Now if Prussia was correct and had a border with Livonia the Russian defences would have to be more thinly spread.

    Switzerland having just 2 defenders MUST be a deliberate invitation to a German outflanking strategy.

    Germany being able to create Mittelafrica without rolling a single die seems wrong, but they must have decided it was the only way to make Africa interesting.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelafrika

    Askaris is the answer!

    @Gamerman01:

    So, is it a cool game?

    Fun?

    Promising?

  • Customizer

    FRANCE

    So to the French. Their main concern is to get the British flowing over the channel, so they agree to an Allied naval buildup in SZ8, sending a BB and Cruiser there. Their transports carry 2 inf to Marseilles, and one to Portugal to activate another ally. The other transport moves to Portugal to pick up the newly mobilized pieces.

    France’s main decision is what to do with the Lorraine army. Clearly the Germans intend to bypass it, going south through Switzerland-Burgundy and north through Belgium-Picardy. The single German defending Alsace is tempting, but France does not fall into the trap. Instead, 2 infantry are left defending Lorraine while the rest pull back to defend Picardy-Burgundy.

    The other French Battleship fulfills its obligation to the Allies by sailing into the Bosporus and sinking the Goeben, taking damage in the process. France’s only combat this turn.

    5 art and an inf are placed in Paris, a submarine is launched in Brest.

    BRITAIN

    The UK decides to tighten the noose around Turkey rather than a direct assault. The Indian army is ordered to invade Persia, while the eastern fleet concentrates in the Red Sea, dropping “one of each” into Arabia where the tribes rise in revolt.

    Two undefended German colonies are captured.

    However, disaster! The Persian expeditionary force is held at bay by Turkey’s new Persian allies, who suffer only one hit out of 8. Persia is now contested, and the Sultan dreams of a triumphant entry into Delhi.

    I’ve also started running out of “1” chips and, you guessed it, dear old Milton Bradley comes to the rescue yet again.

    Britain lays down 3 transports off Wales and 2 fighters in London, while the Canadian fleet joins the SZ 8 regatta party and offloads another one of each into Picardy.

    TURKEY

    The fleet has gone, probably forever, so Turkey must concentrate on defending its land frontiers and aiding Austria in the Balkans. The Constantinople army marches into Bulgaria, to be joined by the troops of the Tzar Ferdinand.

    The long coastline will be difficult to defend, but an artillery is sited in each to cover amphibious assaults. Persia is heavily reinforced, and a modest build of 4 and 1 is reviewed in the capital.

    ITALY

    With two large enemy stacks in the north, Italy decides to pull back and concentrate in Tuscany. A single inf is left in contested Venice… or is it? If the Austrians decide to AA Tuscany could they move their Venice army straight through into Tuscany? Have to read the rules on this again before confirming the Italian moves.

    The Somalian piece is moved to defend BEA.

    Italy can’t afford to send units to Albania, the locals will have to defend themselves. If only I’d known before that the Brits could have activated Albania.

    So the Libyan garrison is moved up to Tuscany; surely the Russians are strong enough to hold on in the Balkans?

    Italy builds 2 of each and prays.

    I really do not know what to do with America. The whole idea that it can build and move units into combat areas at this stage is so uninstinctive I can’t quite get my head around it.


  • Then house rule that the US has to sit tight in it’s sz until it enters war. KISS.

    By the way, thanks for the reports Flashman!

  • Customizer

    OK, so Italy withdraws its main forces behind the Gothic line.

    Austria now has to use the huge army in Venice to eliminate a single Italian defender in order to move on Tuscany in round 3.


  • behind the Gothic line

    Wrong war?

  • '12

    @Flashman:

    The other armies march slowly west, ignoring the fast trains heading straight for the front lines…

    I never thought I’d read a Flashman post with this kind of statement in it.

  • Customizer

    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

    Built some cruise liners. President Wilson assures a suspicious public that they have no military function.

    ROUND THE SECOND

    AUSTRIA

    Pushes more troops into Venice from Switzerland and Tyrol, creating a large stack
    to face a single annoying Italian defender. Austria takes (back) the city on the sea.

    The eastern front is thinly held, and the units are spread as best as can defend. The big problem the CPs have here is the length of frontier:

    They hold: Prussia, Silesia, Galicia, Budapest, Serbia
    Russia holds Poland, Ukraine and Romania.

    Austria must press the drive towards Rome, the entire CP strategy depends on it. So no more attacks in the east. Serbia is left with a token defence, Albania and Greece are left in peace.

    RUSSIA

    Now has 3 large armies on the enemy line, but where to attack? In the end Galicia is chosen, the Central Front can support the others and bring Russia to the very gates of Vienna. The first fighter to go into action helps Russia bring the Ruthenians back into the Slavic fold. The other fighter is sent to Romania to defend against an anticipated Turko-Bulgarian advance. Serbia is quickly overrun, and the Balkans look like falling into the Allies lap.

    A transport is added to the Baltic fleet.

    GERMANY

    With Austria hard pressed, and an Allied transport fleet poised over the English channel, Germany decides that it cannot delay the big battle in the west. The Swiss army descends from the mountains and attacks the French in Burgundy head on.

    In order to reinforce the front, Germany now attacks the lightly held Lorraine with the Ruhr-Belgian army, the Kiel army moving into its trenches.

    In order to keep its main ally in the game, Germany also decides to gamble in the east by assaulting the Russians in Galicia. Prussia is denuded of defences (now consisting of a single Milton Bradley Hitler Jugend) and the Silesian army drives in from the north, accompanied by two new fighter squadrons.

    African armies stand, fleet returns to home base. Three German armies were unable to attack this turn, owing to them not holding rail passes.

    The Lorraine battle is up first, an easy conquest to back up the main attack.

    Galicia is next to be fought. The Russian fighter is shot out of the sky in the world’s first air to air battle, and the German artillery is happy.
    But disastrous rolling turns the move into a fiasco. The entrenched Russians inflict appalling casualties, leaving Germany with just an infantry and a fighter contesting Galicia, the other plane having to be taken as the last casualty. Still, Vienna has been given some breathing space.

    Now for the big one:

    France has: 1 fighter, 18 infantry & 5 artillery
    Germany has 1 fighter, 17 infantry & 6 artillery

    I have 36 dice. Milton! You there?

    The two fighters circle each other warily for four turns, nobody getting so much as a scratch on their doping.

    But the grey Ace finally downs his man, and the German artillery is ecstatic.

    In the ensuing battle, Germany has the advantage by 12 hits to 8, and both sides settle in for a siege. The Kaiser won’t have to sue for peace just yet.

    But he does fall to wondering about a strange prophecy written many years later by the wisest of sages which says that:

    “Basically, without rail movement, Germany is screwed”.

  • Customizer

    Hey, I’m playing by the OOB rules. Just like you all told me to.

    @Eggman:

    @Flashman:

    The other armies march slowly west, ignoring the fast trains heading straight for the front lines…

    I never thought I’d read a Flashman post with this kind of statement in it.


  • Glorious Russia is still Glorious.


  • Very entertaining Flash, I guess the legend of the Red Baron has been born

  • Customizer

    @Flashman:

    UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

    Built some cruise liners. President Wilson assures a suspicious public that they have no military function.

    I lol’d  :lol:

    @Flashman:

    The two fighters circle each other warily for four turns, nobody getting so much as a scratch on their doping.

    I’m seriously considering houseruling air combat to only last 1 or 2 rounds… The idea that all my pricey planes can be wiped out every time there’s a battle is a little silly, considering how short ground combat is.

  • Customizer

    FRANCE

    Time for a rematch. France doesn’t beat about the bush, and flings every available man in France into the Burgundy mincing machine.

    This time France has: 17 infantry & 11 artillery
    Germany has 1 fighter, 9 infantry & 6 artillery

    Despite the Germans having air supremacy, France grinds the invaders down to just 2 units for the loss of 12. France is saved!

    The damaged BB limps home to Toulon for repairs, where it is met by 2 transports delivering the Portuguese army to Marseilles.

    A new air corps is formed in West Paris.

    BRITAIN

    Africa finally sees some action as the UK moves in to contest 2 German held tts.

    The Canadian Corps tools into Burgundy and, to the cheers of the watching French, shoots down a Fokker.

    Four transports in SZ 8 bridge 8 UK units into Picardy to take over this sector from the French. Two fighters fly over the channel from London to join them.

    The Egyptian army captures Jerusalem by beating the token Turkish defender.

    After consultation with the Dog of War, the UK discovers that it is perfectly legal to land an infantry in Albania to activate that country, and it does so, grabbing the 2 IPCs to the annoyance of Italy. Four Albanian ruffians are drafted into the makeshift local militia. The British eastern fleet is now concentrated in SZ 17, poised to move on the Adriatic.

    The PEF holds its ground, while a fighter and a stack of ground units “arrive in India from Australia”. These last include another new edition as by now I’ve run out of UK infantry. I decide that the Revised units are a better colour match than MB so this is another old game represented in the new.

    TURKEY

    The Ottomen now go on the offensive, storming into Sevastopol while the Russians are looking the other way. Bulgaria reignites the Balkan wars by marching into Belgrade, the third power to do so this game. Turkey is even confident enough to form an air force. The stand off in Persia continues.

    ITALY

    Even with a large Austrian army in the north, Italy has the opportunity to make the Central Powers weep. Three units from Piedmont march into Burgundy and deliver the coup de gras to a German infantry, last survivor of the Great Alpine army. France can start harvesting the vines again.

    Italy then takes advantage of the Austrians earlier ignorance of the rules, sending its army of Albanian cut-throats straight into undefended Trieste.

    Rules question here: if Italy had sent the fleet against SZ 18 this turn, would the capture of Trieste have neutralized the Austrian minefield? I suspect that in order to be deactivated the control must be from the start of the turn.

    The Italian Africa corps marches in to contest the Belgian Congo.

    Italy also now builds its first fighter squadron.

    USA

    Builds some more luxury pleasure barges, and some artillery pieces - “for the war in Mexico” according to Woodrow. Meanwhile 4 fully laden Ocean liners, a battleship and a cruiser are “on maneuvers” in SZ 7. In fact they’re waiting a ruling on exactly what is is they can and cannot do, and why the hell they’re allowed to sail to Europe when the President has expressly promised they would never do so.

    Some observations:

    It looks pretty hopeless for the Central Powers. They have to get a move on before the Americans turn up, but this means attacking before they’re really ready, and in tts closer to Allied production centres.

    The laborious land movement and configuration of German tts holds up Germany from bringing its full power to bear, and as I predicted the CPs suffer from this much more than the Allies who can zip around by sea.

    Another factor against the CPS is the number of turns the western Allies have between them; when America arrives it could be 4 to 1 versus Germany on the western front.

    Africa would be livened up no end with the addition of Askaris; it really is a sideshow, and one that sees very little conflict; more a game of musical chairs. So far not one unit has been eliminated in African skirmishes (I can’t call them battles).

    Can Germany win without the damned trains?

    Like hell, says I.


  • Glorious France is Glorious….also yay Canada!

    Wait, Canada can get to Burgundy on turn 2?


  • What about the Haiti Dreadnought? What did it do?

  • Customizer

    @Flashman:

    After consultation with the Dog of War, the UK discovers that it is perfectly legal to land an infantry in Albania to activate that country, and it does so, grabbing the 2 IPCs to the annoyance of Italy.

    Not so fast. This isn’t really spelled out well in the rules (what is?), but I’m 99% sure when a ‘friendly’ power activates an aligned neutral, that power doesn’t get any sort of increase in IPC income…The only case where activating (and conquering) a minor power results in an IPC increase is when it’s activated in defense of a hostile attack.

    Here’s an example from Larry’s France writeup:

    Instead, the convoy heads for Portugal, where upon arrival it unloads its infantry. Portugal, being a capital of a minor aligned power (aligned with France actually), places 3 infantry and 1 artillery on the map. In the same way that Serbia used Russian pieces, Portugal will use French pieces.

    He makes no mention of France’s IPC income going up.


  • @WILD:

    Very entertaining Flash, I guess the legend of the Red Baron has been born

    I like how you say this…and the next turn the Canadians kill him…

  • Customizer

    If the fleet in SZ 2 is unmolested it can offload 2 Canadians in Brest/Picardy on turn 1.

    @DarthShizNit:

    Wait, Canada can get to Burgundy on turn 2?


  • Tis a shame those Germans can’t use those trains eh? Loved that line

  • Customizer

    It seems the income goes to Italy. Only when Britain liberated a Portuguese colony Kreighund said that the UK gets the money.

    I’m just getting more and more confused….

    @ossel:

    @Flashman:

    After consultation with the Dog of War, the UK discovers that it is perfectly legal to land an infantry in Albania to activate that country, and it does so, grabbing the 2 IPCs to the annoyance of Italy.

    Not so fast. This isn’t really spelled out well in the rules (what is?), but I’m 99% sure when a ‘friendly’ power activates an aligned neutral, that power doesn’t get any sort of increase in IPC income…The only case where activating (and conquering) a minor power results in an IPC increase is when it’s activated in defense of a hostile attack.

    Here’s an example from Larry’s France writeup:

    Instead, the convoy heads for Portugal, where upon arrival it unloads its infantry. Portugal, being a capital of a minor aligned power (aligned with France actually), places 3 infantry and 1 artillery on the map. In the same way that Serbia used Russian pieces, Portugal will use French pieces.

    He makes no mention of France’s IPC income going up.

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