Turn 1 Serbian attack. Suggested tactic.


  • Well the rules call for an attack on Serbia. This can be 1 inf or all that can reach.

    I prefer to send 3 inf and 1 art for 2 reasons:

    1. Saving the remaining units to stack on Romania from two countries or head West towards Italy depending on Strategy. (East or West first)
      (This can be done with Trieste units if you are gunning for Russia, or Budapest units if gunning for Italy) (4 units almost assures you that Russia will be stuck in that contested territory, and that you will not take it.)
    2. Goal is to hit twice, making it softer for Otto to gain extra money on turn 2. (Since they typically take Bulgaria.)

    Has anyone else tried this? I have seen a lot of people stack all in from Budapest, myself rolling poorly and getting stuck there for 2 turns, double stacking in Romania instead assures capture and mobility. You can then slide the men out of Serbia on turn 3 after Otto takes it, again saving more units for Russia first.

  • Customizer

    The very fact that Austria didn’t invade Serbia as an opening move shows what a stupid attack it is.

    AH would be a lot better off not having to make it at all; by taking Romania you’d isolate Serbia which means its units might never be mobilized.

    But having to attack I’d prefer to wipe them out as soon as possible.


  • I appreciate the thought that the Ottomans could use some help (since in my first game they were forced to turtle up and build infantry for most of the time) but I don’t think stealing from AH is where they should get money from.


  • One of the first things I noticed was how juicy the Balkans are for the CP. It’s one of the things that make it feel WWI (that the CP be motivated to fight there) and is one of the main things in the + column in my pros and cons of the game list.


  • After failing to hit, I was stuck in Serbia for 2 turns, my first live game.

    Seeing as time is so vital, and units sent to Serbia are now 3 turns from Moscow, I much prefer (in Russia first strategies to hit lightly from Trieste). This gives you 18 infantry and 4 artillery to smack the 6 units in Romania (you should hit 4 times with 3’s, 4 times with 2’s, assuring you won’t be stuck)

    Now lets assume Romania hits 3 times, (you gain 3 IPCs instead of the 2 Serbia represents by the way) this leaves you with 15 inf, 4 art that can (and likely won’t) be hit by Russia’s 9 inf and 4 art and denies Russia 3 dollars (although they save 1 inf that would be lost to a counterattack if they activated).

    I use Bohemia and Vienna to hold Galicia (18inf, 4 art) and I hit Venice to prevent Italy from collecting that money and attacking into Austria.

    On turn 2, you have 18+15=33 inf, 4+4=8 artillery, plus 4 fighters if built (for speed,supremacy, and casualties) that can hit Ukraine, if Russia stacked all in, in Poland, sacrifice German units to make it contested, then move in force into Ukraine (with 41 land units and 4 air units) next to Moscow for a round 3 assault.

    If Russia stacks hard in Ukraine turn 1, then Silesia Germans will move into Galicia to help hold, If they attack it, Romania can fall on it.

    Assuming an all in stack in Poland, you are able to stack 45 units on Moscow turn 3, it becomes contested, dropping Russia income by 6 for Moscow, 3 for Ukraine, and 3 for Poland (contested by Germany) a total of minus 12, giving them 13 IPCs to stay alive (using your first turns production in both Austria and Germany, your remaining productions can head West to stablize the French/Italian front. Germany having built 2 transport/battleship turn 1 to enable a turn 3 assault on Finland and Karalia dropping Russia to 9 IPCs turn 4 with their production locked in Moscow for the rest of the game.)

    At this point, a trickle of units can keep Moscow immobolized while you turn towards France for the win.

    If they don’t stack all in, in Poland, you can instead contest Ukraine with Austria, permitting Germany to Move into Poland, then Belarus. Giving Russia a hard time.


  • @JamesAleman:

    After failing to hit, I was stuck in Serbia for 2 turns, my first live game.

    Seeing as time is so vital, and units sent to Serbia are now 3 turns from Moscow, I much prefer (in Russia first strategies to hit lightly from Trieste). This gives you 18 infantry and 4 artillery to smack the 6 units in Romania (you should hit 4 times with 3’s, 4 times with 2’s, assuring you won’t be stuck)

    Now lets assume Romania hits 3 times, (you gain 3 IPCs instead of the 2 Serbia represents by the way) this leaves you with 15 inf, 4 art that can (and likely won’t) be hit by Russia’s 9 inf and 4 art and denies Russia 3 dollars (although they save 1 inf that would be lost to a counterattack if they activated).

    I’ve been saying this for about a week now.  I totally agree with you.  Those Serbian troops aren’t going anywhere, nor will they hurt anyone- so hit Romania HARD and Russia cannot do anything about it- even forced to defend multiple territories.


  • You are right. Serbia is the wrong way for Austria to be going and movement is so slow; go light and hit Romania, with a view to the Ukraine and Russia next.

  • Customizer

    @BJCard:

    Those Serbian troops aren’t going anywhere, nor will they hurt anyone-

    Not sure if this is what you’re trying to say, but it’s my understanding that once Serbia is activated, Russia can use the troops however it sees fit; they are not constrained to staying in Serbia.


  • Yeah, looking at my map of all the places I wanted to attack Serbia was not one. Like someone else said, that must be why its mandatory.


  • @ossel:

    @BJCard:

    Those Serbian troops aren’t going anywhere, nor will they hurt anyone-

    Not sure if this is what you’re trying to say, but it’s my understanding that once Serbia is activated, Russia can use the troops however it sees fit; they are not constrained to staying in Serbia.

    What I am trying to say is that it is a small force in Serbia- they cannot challenge any territory directly, so why hit them in force?  Hit them with just enough to contest the territory and make your main thrust against Venice and Romania.

  • Customizer

    The army in Serbia can be used to take Albania next, though arguably this also should be targeted A1.


  • @Flashman:

    The very fact that Austria didn’t invade Serbia as an opening move shows what a stupid attack it is.

    Which war are you referring to? Because I’m pretty sure that the first of Austria’s Mobilization orders came on July 25th against Serbia only, which was the same day they declared war on Serbia. I’m also pretty sure that on August 6th that the 5th and 6th Austrian armies started their offensive against Serbia and it wasn’t until the 23rd of that month that offensive operations began against Russia.

    While I’ll grant the rule isn’t great from an objective stand point, but from a historical one it makes perfect sense.


  • @Flashman:

    The army in Serbia can be used to take Albania next, though arguably this also should be targeted A1.

    Only if they defeat the Austrians fighting them in Serbia.  I don’t advocate sending just 1 Austrian Inf there, but sending 4-5 units to keep it contested; but not so many that it weakens the Venice and Romania attacks.

  • Customizer

    I said INVADE Serbia. Historically Austria bombarded Belgrade, but did not invade at this time. Since no means of bombarding is available, Larry insists that they must send troops over the border.

    @Clyde85:

    @Flashman:

    The very fact that Austria didn’t invade Serbia as an opening move shows what a stupid attack it is.

    Which war are you referring to? Because I’m pretty sure that the first of Austria’s Mobilization orders came on July 25th against Serbia only, which was the same day they declared war on Serbia. I’m also pretty sure that on August 6th that the 5th and 6th Austrian armies started their offensive against Serbia and it wasn’t until the 23rd of that month that offensive operations began against Russia.

    While I’ll grant the rule isn’t great from an objective stand point, but from a historical one it makes perfect sense.


  • @Flashman:

    I said INVADE Serbia. Historically Austria bombarded Belgrade, but did not invade at this time. Since no means of bombarding is available, Larry insists that they must send troops over the border.

    Starting on August 6th General Potiorek led the 6th army from Visegrad across the upper Drina river towards Uzic, followed by the 5th army attacking from the lower Drina  down the River Jadar towards Valjevo. In all 290,000 soldiers which moved and attacked places that were within the Kingdom of Serbia. If that’s not an invasion I don’t know what else you would call it!  :-D

  • Customizer

    But that didn’t start the war (as Larry in effect suggests); the Germans was already in Belgium by then.

    And it was a very minor operation compared to what was to come.


  • @Flashman:

    I said INVADE Serbia. Historically Austria bombarded Belgrade, but did not invade at this time. Since no means of bombarding is available, Larry insists that they must send troops over the border.

    @Clyde85:

    @Flashman:

    The very fact that Austria didn’t invade Serbia as an opening move shows what a stupid attack it is.

    Which war are you referring to? Because I’m pretty sure that the first of Austria’s Mobilization orders came on July 25th against Serbia only, which was the same day they declared war on Serbia. I’m also pretty sure that on August 6th that the 5th and 6th Austrian armies started their offensive against Serbia and it wasn’t until the 23rd of that month that offensive operations began against Russia.

    While I’ll grant the rule isn’t great from an objective stand point, but from a historical one it makes perfect sense.

    I forgot which book it was, but in 7th grade. I recall the phrase “at X:XX shells began to fall on Belgrade.” My friends and I when I got to page 20 resolved to make a WWI game. At about page 80 we had a map printed at kinkos which we all chipped in on. On page 130 we realized that Petrograd was the capital not moscow. :oops: Those were the days lol.  :-)


  • Thanks to work and other commitments, I didn’t get to solo a couple of turns until last night. I tried hitting Serbia with a small army, 4 Inf and 1 Art (I think). I did eventually win it on turn 2, but it freed up more troops to hit Romania with, which I managed to conquer turn 1, although Russia immediately contested it, but not in enough force to take it back, as it had to guard against my massive AH army in Galicia that I left poised to exploit any opening in Russia’s defenses left by their moves in reaction to the fall of Romania (yes I know I was playing both sides).

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