Sorry for the hold up. I've played this part a while ago and couldn't get motivated to write the update.
Part 3: Forget Poland(August 1st 1914 - October 1st 1914)In reaction to our declaration of war against Russia, France begins to mobilize it's army near our western border. Our diplomats urge the French to remain neutral in this conflict.
Met with Frances refusal not to meddle. We have no other choice but to enact our contingency plan in case of this strategic development. War is declared on France and our troops begin to mass at the border to deter any immediate French offensive.
An agreement is made with Austria-Hungary. As the leader of the central powers we take control of the alliances chain of command. Austrian generals will from now on obey orders given by German High Command. A unified strategy will greatly help the war effort.
Wasting no time our countries begin joint operations. German troops stationed east pass the Russian border and start gaining ground in Poland. Marching towards the fortified city of Warsaw. At the same time Austian troops dig in and prepare from a Russian offensive coming at them from the north.
On the western front troops continue to mass on both sides of the border. Neither side wanting to be the first to risk attacking.
Austria-Hungary beings a wide offensive on Serbia and Montengro. Progress is very slow due to defensiveness of the local terrain. Hostilities center around the highlands near the Serb capital Belgrade and the mountainous coast of Montenego. An effort against Belgrade will likely not be taken until German reinforcements arrive in the area. Allied troops cross the Montenegro border by marching along the coastline while supported by Battleship fire by the Austro-Hungarian navy but the enemy retreats and mounts a formidable defense from the hills.
Initial scouting in Poland reveal a small garrison stationed in Warsaw. The first Russian troops to resist our offensive are easily routed by a two pronged attack mounted by German and Hapsburg divisions.
We continue to gain further ground in Poland and start laying siege to the Russian troops in the city of Warsaw. Artillery brigades are brought to assist in cracking the enemy fortifications. Several routed and retreating Russian divisions join to aid the defenders of the city, they are however demoralized by the defeat and their fighting effectiveness will reflect that. Austrian valiantly defend their northern border let start losing ground to massed Russian infantry attacks supported by cavalry.
Finally a breakthrough in Montenegro. The defending mountain divisions are forces to retreat. Fully securing the province will take time however. Overall the war in the Balkans is going painfully slow with the Serbs defenses surprisingly formidable.
Our strategist decide that testing the French defenses in Nancy would give us a better prospect for our future grand offensive against them. On the 17th of August massed fighting beings along the borders as our troops try to push their numerical advantage and break the enemy morale.
On August 26th the forces defending Warsaw break and withdraw from the city. The fortified positions they once occupied razed completely by concentrated artillery fire. Russian divisions all around Poland being to fall back as well. Facing superior numbers and organization. In the north experimental bomber plane squadrons from Koenigsberg in East Prussia are given a first combat test against the retreating Russians and manage to inflict losses. Another pocket of resistance is eliminated by the Austrians in Montenegro.
With the break of September a the French defenders of Nancy are forced to withdraw from their border defense line after two weeks of relentless artillery bombardment and tactical trench warfare. We decide against pressing our advantage and seizing the province as it could put our troops in a bad position, encircled and without defenses. We will maintain the status quo on the western front until we can devise a plan to break the French defensive line in more than one spot to make a successful land grab without the risk of considerable losses. Scout blimps reveal French infantry massing in the southern parts of the border.
Intelligence indicates the Russian society is distressed by word of the quick loss of the important border city of Warsaw, once capital to the kingdom of Poland. No propaganda can cover the magnitude of news like this. More such event will certainly shift the public opinion even further against the Tsar and force him to end the war on our terms so he can concentrate on dealing with internal strife.
The remainder of September passes with the Russians withdrawing from Poland and suffering several defeats from our superior forces. Our troops advance along the entire front. Our strategist speak of a chance of overrunning, surrounding and annihilating the retreating Russian divisions.
After gaining some land the Russian attack on Austria halts in favor of committing forces to stop the German advance. The industrious region of Przemysl falls to the Russians for a brief period before being retaken but the Austro-Hungarian public opinion interprets this as a military blunder causing dissent.
More land is gained in the Balkans. With the arrival of several German divisions sent there at the start of the war the stage is set to begin the siege of Belgrade. The Serb defensive effort is impressive however and progress will be slow.
Report have reached us from Africa that French soldiers have seized German colonial property. Our military presence on the continent is too small and composed of immobile garrison forces so we cannot react to this.
The situation on October 1st. Russian forces have massed in front of our offensive and will likely take effort to stop losing ground. They are however weak spot in their defensive line so they risk the majority of their forces becoming surrounded. There is a chance that a decisive battle will take place before winter comes and halts all offensive maneuvers. Further victories are to be had in the Balkans with the siege of Belgrade nearing conclusion.
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Topic: Darkest Hour - Great War 1914 scenario (Read 21115 times)