An IoG player sporting the Nom de Guerre of “LeftSide” posted an interesting AAR re-printed below. But first, a link to IoG’s April 2022 Living Rules has been inserted on the game’s webpage here. The April 2022 Living Rules address applying combat losses and building trenches.

LeftSide posted a Summer 1914 Turn (Turn 1) AAR for as follows:

Starting Hands

AP Starting Hand: Drive on East Prussia, Galicia Offensive, Plehve, Railway Troops, Rule Britannia, Royal Navy Blockade, Stavka.  This is either a good hand or a bad hand, depending on how you look at it. There are a bunch of great events, but that means that Allied operations for this turn will probably be very limited. However, the Allied Player also has the choice of whether to go for Germany or Austria-Hungary, so there is that benefit.

CP Starting Hand: Rennenkampf, German Reinforcements (CP #12), Guns of August, Landwehr to the Front, German Reinforcements (CP #14), Von Francois, Wireless Intercepts. This hand is definitely signaling for some German action. Hopefully I can block anything the Russians try in Prussia, or, if they don’t try anything, get going myself with the Guns of August.

Action Rounds

The AP kicks off the turn by playing Drive on Prussia for its event. This brings their War Status up to 2 and drops German National Will down to 11. They also get 4 OPS points,which they use to activate Kovno to move, and Olita, Grodno, and Lomza to attack. The troops at Kovno move into Tilsit, to threaten Konigsberg. The corps at Olita roll over the German cavalry division blocking the path, advancing into Insterberg for only the loss of their own cavalry division. Lomza and Grodno participate in the largest battle of the turn, in the attack on Lotzen. The Allied attack is masterminded by Gen. Plehve, while the German defense is commanded by Gen. Von Francois. The battle is hard-fought due to the trench systems in place around Lotzen, but the Russians manage to take control, pushing the German armies back to Marienberg.

The CP follows that by playing Landwehr to the Front for the event.  VP rises to 16, while the German uses their new troops to reinforce the corps at Marienberg and Breslau.

AP then plays Railway Troops for the event.  Allied War Status creeps up to 3.  The troops at Lotzen redeploy to Olita, while the troops at Insterberg move to Memel.

The CP then plays Rennenkampf for OPS points.  Units in the south of the Russian Empire move north, while Osijek moves to Valjevo, and the corps at Sarajevo take control of Montenegro for only minor losses.

AP moves to start playing events, playing Stavka, which increases their War Status to 4 and their mandatory offensive modifier by +1.

CP keeps up the pressure on Serbia, playing German Reinforcements for OPS. The Austrian troops at Cetinjie capture Uzhitse, while the army at Valjevo attacks Kragujevac, pushing the Serbian Army back to Nis, but declining to advance due to fears of getting flank-attacked.

AP plays another event, this time Rule Brittania. VP drops to 15, and sea invasions are allowed.

The CP plays Guns of August for more OPS. The Austrian troops moving from the south finish their redeployment, solidifying the line near the Polish Salient. Troops at Valjevo move to Temesvar to attack Belgrade. The corps at Uzhitse destroys the Serbian army at Nis.

The AP ignores the deteriorating situation in Serbia, and plays Royal Navy Blockade. VP drops to 14.

The CP brings in German Reinforcements (14), placing an infantry and reserve corps at Thorn and Breslau.

The AP and CP end their turn playing their last cards for replacements.

Rest of the Turn

There’s no attrition because no units are out of supply.  In the Siege Phase, Lotzen falls and brings VP to 13, decreasing German National Will to 9.

There is no change in War Status, Rebellion, or Revolution.

The Austro-Hungarians use their replacements to reinforce their armies on the Serbian front. Serbia brings a corps back onto Lemnos. Russia and Germany use their replacements to bring their reduced corps back into the game.

New Hands

AP hand: Kitchener, Russian Reinforcements (AP #2), Putnik, No Retreat, Russian Reinforcements (AP #12), Battle For Warsaw, Prittwitz.  Pretty low-ops hand this turn. Might be quite quiet. I hope to get ahold of Konigsberg by the end of the term, and then dig in and try to hold as much ground as I can.

CP: Tannenberg, Masurian Lakes, Oberost, Railway Troops, Burgfrieden, Hindenberg and Ludendorff Take Command, German Reinforcements (CP #3)

Pretty low-ops hand, aside from a few events I hope to get out. I hope to push in a bit on the Polish Salient and maybe do some damage in East Prussia, and also finish up in Serbia.

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