Part 8: Turn 15, Turn 16
Turn 15: Jan 7th, 1915Production
New Ottoman unit is ready (finally!) and we commission a new German battleship squadron. Once France is mopped up we will have to contest the English Channel at least long enough to ship a few armies and some artillery over.
Research
Better hulls for Germany, new artillery for Austria, and better defense for the Ottomans on the horizon.
Diplomacy
Management
Eastern Front
1st and 3rd Eastern Armies launch an attack to smash a Russian army and free the Parisian Volunteers. Von Falkenhayn's men fill in the gap and refit in the trenches and we pump up a reserve that has been battered by the cold.
4th and 5th Eastern Armies, with Austrian support launch an attack on the Northern flank of Warsaw. 2nd Army and the Austrians attack the city but the men, already cold and tired, can't make much headway. It seems we will have to focus on the flanks to make headway here.
In the south, we leave our reserves in their cozy trenches and fortresses.
Serbian Front
We move up the men and deploy our artillery. Even with the snow we should have Skopje in a month and then Serbia will be at half supply or worse and we can mop up. We move our escort fleet back for repairs and keep our capital ship fleet in a blocking formation.
Ottoman Front
In the Caucasus we do in fact surround the Russians without any resistance. Our generals drunkenly did this as a joke but it seems we can drop them to half supply and then attack them from two sides. This opening of a new front may prove more than a minor distraction for Russia.
Far from being able to retake Aqaba, we do have 3 armies, one reserve, and cavalry support on the front lines with another army ready to plug the gaps or add some depth. One of our units is still reeling from the last year's fighting and we can only hope they don't crumble against a strong British assault.
In Kuwait and Constantinople, all is quiet for now.
Western Front
Despite our miscalculation in letting the French back into their lines not at all influenced by alcohol two weeks ago we destroy a garrison, seriously hurt another, and get one step closer to cleaning up here. Enemy efficiency is still low so we should be able to maneuver as we please.
We attack and destroy a French army with artillery support while preparing to cut off Rouen. There will be no surprises and the men can take their time and be careful and meticulous. The operational plan is to sweep north and then pivot around Orleans, bypassing it and taking Marseille.
A new Austrian and a new German army are commissioned with leftover production after repairs and upgrades.
Allied Response
The British near Orleans attack for the loss of two divisions each and the beleaguered French in the south pull back.
The British attack the weakest unit on the Egyptian line, forcing it back with heavy casualties. They also have 4 armies with a possible 5th behind our line of sight and are sending a garrison through the desert.
The Russians attack our garrison to try and force is back but this pocket holds.
Russia punishes the 2nd Army for its hubris in attacking and attacks the exposed and weakened army, greatly weakening it and forcing it backwards. They leave a strong force in Warsaw but continue to pull back and repair the flanks. We are fighting inch for inch but the city will soon be ours.
Turn 16: January 21st, 1915
Eastern Front
Napoleon was right it seems. The Russian winter is a bitch and has had a huge effect on our efficiency. We probe some reserves and encircle an army but spend most of our resources repairing and resting. It is just too taxing to move and fight in the Russian winter and our generals are protesting offensive actions.
South of the Warsaw there is still only digging and resting.
Serbian Front
Marching through the snow and mountains has also tired our Austrian crusaders in Serbia. The 4th launches a probing strike on Skopje for no gain. Without artillery support, our generals would rather wait until we can shell the enemy for the final assault on the city.
Ottoman Front
World War I in its finest. We have the enemy at half supply so we start to grind them down. Their efficiency will slowly work its way down while ours will replenish more easily. This will be a bloody battle of attrition but we should prevail.
On the Egyptian Front we pull our poor reserves back and deploy the Damascus Force into the gap. Our Cavalry launch an attack on the overextended army and weaken it greatly.
The Gaza Force probes a British army but it seems their efficiency has dropped greatly so the fresh Damascus Force attacks and forces it back. Fearing unseen English reserves though, they are content to not plunge into the gap.
Supporting our cavalry though, the British spearhead is cut off and they are left with a greatly reduced army. This is the first great victory for the Ottomans, but hopefully not the last.
Though we are behind in technology, we are relying on the British troops being too tired from advancing so far so fast.
Western Front
A French reserve is nearly destroyed and the line units start to attack Verdun. This may cost extra manpower, but we can spare it here in order to open up this part of the front.
We shell and cut off Rouen while launching a three pronged strike. We transfer an army to the Orleans area when our strongest army fails to make headway against the British. We don't want any units sneaking into Paris and giving the French hope.
Allied Response
Sometimes the turn starts and the camera doesn't move so I missed some stuff here
The British pull back and try to consolidate their Egyptian units.
The Russians probe an army near Warsaw and greatly reduce its efficiency while pulling back and repairing.
In the west, Britain probes a bit but makes little headway.
We also see a British garrison deploy in Serbia!
Next time we will launch the attack on Skopje, continue to eat winter in Russia, and maybe have the Ottomans keep doing things.
Oh and Rouen is screwed.
Honest question. I've just been doing two turns or so whenever I get around to it but I doubt it takes as long to read the updates as it does to write them. Would you guys like a more frequent update schedule? I can try to do more than two a week and smaller turns. Or would you guys like me to keep the same schedule or so and do longer updates? Life and work are life and work but I have no idea if two turns are enough.
Late edit: I can also do multiple updates in one sitting and stagger them. I avoided doing that early due to the goon decisions but on days where I don't work a lot that is an option too.
Even without the goon decisions though the battleship is definitely based on the discussion though.