Russia Winter 1915 AAR

[Whukid]

Before I begin, I must mention a few things.
1. All the casualty numbers are from actual engagements in the campaign
2. I don't remember what the various names for ports and factories were, so I found a map and picked the city that's closest to it on the campaign map

Summer Offensive

SUMMER OFFENSIVE 1914 STRATEGIC MAP

1.Gromov's 8th Rifle Division advances into Lemburg and sacks it 2. Yamoshenko's 4th Army path 3. 5th Army path 4. 6th Army path, occupying the ruins of Koenigsburg 5. 3rd Guards army path 6. Bismark Defense Line 7. Factory Defensive area 8. Kaiser defense line, Ludendorff's HQ

OCTOBER 1914

OCTOBER 1914

October 1914 After a disastrous end to the 1914 Summer Campaign, the remnants of the 3rd, 6th, and 5th Guards armies hunker down in the hills of Lithuania as the Germans prepare to go on the counter offensive. In August, the mighty 4th Army smashed through the Prussian defenses at the Bismark line outside Koenigsburg and sacked the city, while Gromov's 8th Rifle division assaulted Austro-Hungarian defenses around the city of Lemburg and temporarily occupied it. Ludendorff rallied his men at Danzig and launched a brutal counter attack in October. The 4th army was cut off and destroyed near Warsaw before the 5th and 6th guards armies could reach Yamoshenko's position. Storm truppen poured out of the captured positions and into the ranks of the 5th army. Major Chukov of the 58th Rifle Brigade bravely led the defense of Position 8 on the Danzig-Koenigsburg road, calling artillery on the German attackers and shattering the 5th Stormtrooper battalion before his position was flattened under the pioneere assault. Summer Offensive set 1 4th Guards army attacks the Bismark line, August 1914 18th, 16th, and 5th Rifle Battalion survivors attack German positions near Danzig The Mighty 4th Army moving into position near Warsaw. Mere minutes before the full weight of an entire German Combat group would come to bear and wipe out almost the entire force Summer offensive set 2 The Battered Bastards of the Bismark Line. Survivors of the August offensive annihilate the 3rd of 3 Russian assaults east of the city. German soldiers in the same battle. The 2nd of 3 assaults is currently underway, the 3rd wave in the background German soldiers brace themselves against the 1st wave of Russian soldiers. An Artists' rendition of the heavy fighting in the ruins of Koenigsburg. The remnants of the 5th army linked up with the 6th in the former Bismark defensive line and braced for the assault. At 0400 on October 1st, the German 14th Armee under Kulhmann unleashed a hellish bombardment, inflicting 30% casualties on the Russian defenders and forcing them out of the trenches before the Landswehr were even in rifle range. In the ensuing chaos, over 10,000 men were lost in mere hours. The remaining soldiers routed and ran past the positions of the 3rd Guards army around the Arms Factory and didn't stop until they crossed the river into Lithuania. On December 12th, survivors of Yamashenko's ill-fated assault stumbled into the 3rd Guards positions, the German 16th Armee Gruppe napping at their heels. Without the artillery bombardment to silence the growing crescendo of rifle fire, the Germans paid a heavy price. 3 battalions sustained over 50% KIA or MIA, the Pioneere regiment leaving 40% of its men lying dead and dying on the battlefield. That night under the cover of darkness, Von Shaelmann's surviving soldiers silently gathered the remaining wounded and slipped back to the Bismark line. Following the 16th Armee's failure to capture the 3rd Guards positions, Ludendorff ordered the 7th and 10th Armies under Laudheim to flank the positions from the north and drive out the Russians. As the 7th Armee was completing the northward drive in the flanking manuever, it ran into elements of the 6th Conscript group north of the factory. Attached to the 19th Army, the 6th Conscript group was under orders from General Brusilev to reinforce the battered 3rd Guards Army, who had sustained 40% casualties beating off the 16th's attack. Laudheim immediately brought his artillery to bear and mauled the advance elements of the 19th Army, 6th Conscript group included. A handful of survivors managed to breach the German skrimish line and stumbled into the 3rd Army's positions that night, however the majority perished in a fiery inferno as the German Haubitze batteries drove them towards the 60th and 58th battalion positions. In the crossfire, the 19th Army suffered over 80% casualties. By 1700 that night, it ceased to exist. Within the week, the 3rd Army also retreated under pressure from Ludendorff to the 5th Guards positions on the Lithuanian border. Over the next month, they were to dig a massive network of trenches bracing for the assault, while Brusilev raged incessantly at the lack of manpower in the North. In response, Army High command granted him control of 6 Battlegroups in the Ukraine and a Partisan Battalion from Minsk. Survivors of the 4th and 3rd Armies separated from their parent units are combined with the 34th Army 100 miles east of Minsk and await reinforcement from the 21st and 19th Armies. In the South, Gromov successfully destroyed two Hungarian Rifle Brigades and sacked Lemburg, relinquishing the Austro-Hungarian regime of roughly 18,000 Rubles worth of gold. As the Summer offensive fell apart, Gromov pulled his men back to the Ukrainian border and let the Buglarian Anarchists have their way, creating a massive buffer zone between the German and Austro-Hungarian rally point in Western Germany and Russian lines near Kiev.

German counter offensive map

AUGUST-OCTOBER STRATEGIC MAP

1. Yamoshenko's 4th army surrounded and destroyed in October 2. Survivors link up with the 34th Guards Army 3. 2 Rifle battalions survive the retreat at 30% strength, meet up with 3rd Army around the Arms factory 4. 5th Army is overrun on the Danzig-Koenigsburg road. Major Chukov earns fame here 5. 5th/6th Army defense line at the Bismark line. Overrun by 7th and 14th German armies 6. 19th Army path. Ambushed and destroyed outside Arms factory on the way to relieve the 3rd Army 7. Tsar Defense line 8. Gromov pulls out of Lemburg, anarchists take over 9. German 4th Brigade seizes factory ruins outside Lemburg. 10. Reinforcements pour into the Northern Front

Map

Winter 1915

WINTER 1915 STRATEGIC MAP 1.German blockade of Leipaja, stopping much needed supplies from reaching the front 2.November offensive: 16th Armee Gruppe under Von Schaelman 3.November offensive: 14th Armee Gruppe under Kulhmann 4.Bismark Defensive Line: 5th and 7th Armee under Laudheim 5.Kaiser Defensive Line: 4th Landwehr Division under Mannerheim 6.Path of 4th Army (Pavel Rennenkampf) in the November Offensive 7. Tsar Line: 3rd, 6th, and 5th Guards Army positions after September 1914 8. November 18th: 20th Combined Arms group under Syrtsev arrives to reinforce the Tsar line from St. Petersburg 9. 14th Army positions around Hrodna after September 1914 10. Rally point Blue, 21st, 19th, and 34th Army positions post October 1914 As of now, the casualty numbers are roughly as follows; RUSSIA 43,000 DEAD 3,000 MISSING GERMANY 18,000 DEAD 5,000 MISSING AUSTRO-HUNGARY 8000 DEAD 400 MISSING

November

November 1914

November 1914 Regrouping his forces and strengthening the defenses around Koenigsburg, Ludendorff prepares to give the Russians another good thrashing. On the 8th, Operation SchwarzeWeinacht opens with a massive bombardment of the Tsar line and a two pronged assault into the Northern Baltic region by the re-formed 16th Armee and the 14th Armee in the South. In the North, General Rodionov's 4 divisions crumple under heavy fire and give way to the 16th army's assault. By the next day, Von Shaelmann has managed to kill or capture almost 10,000 Russian soldiers while sustaining about 3,000 of his own. In the South, Kulhmann meets heavy resistance near the bridge and is forced to retire. On November 12th, Brusilev receives 3 of the Army Groups allocated to him and the Partisan Battalion. On November 14th, he sends the Partisans into the Baltic forests with orders to find and destroy the 16th Armee before Kulhmann can capture the strategic port and scuttle the Kirov-class dreadnaught in port there. In support, the 4th and 18th Armies are to march on the warehouse near Siauliai and take up defensive positions.

December

December 1914

December 1914 Russia halts all offensive operations and begins consolidating her forces for a March offensive. Germany follows suit and temporarily calls a halt to offensive operations due to a brutal Russian winter. In the south, Austro-Hungary has no such qualms about launching an offensive and orders 2 Landwehr battalions to assault Kiev's defenses. In preparation for the march offensive, all units not directly tied to Gromov are ordered north to Brusilev, including the Kiev Garrison. On December 12th, Leutnant Ritter launches his assault with the Landwehr battalions. The Kiev home guard, armed with old trap-door muskets and surplus needle-guns from the Crimean war take up positions surrounding the townhall, also occupying the nearby stables and warehouse. Within minutes, the 2 battalions in positions outside the townhall are annihilated under heavy hungarian fire. The survivors of one battalion rout, but the other manages to escape the fusillade with "only" 50% casualties. guardsmen in the townhall are now under heavy fire and casualties are mounting. Their ammunition runs low after a few minutes, but the Landswehr battalion has found another target. unseen, the 2nd Landswehr battalion sneaks up on Home Guard positions in the city center and unleash an ungodly volley of fire. Bullets smash through walls and windows, blood soaks through the floor. Inside, 40 volunteers fall dead and dying in seconds, their comrades so shocked they flee in panic. The shrill cries of shell-shocked men fleeing the battlefield from the left flank immediately informed Major Chukov (who was wounded but survived his ordeal with the 58th Bttn) of the situation and he ordered his battalion to occupy the entrance to the stables. Flanked on two sides, Chukov took 60% casualties and his battalion routed, leaving him alone on the battlefield to deal with the Hungarians. The first Landswehr battalion attempted to charge his position, but the remaining soldiers were cut down by fire from the town hall. The 2nd Battalion reached his position though, and Major Chukov soon lie dead among the bodies of his fellow Russians and the growing pile of Hungarians. The Guards in the stable open fire on the Landswehr battalion, who returned in kind and managed to get close enough to throw grenades through the windows and begin to clear rooms. About this time, Chukov's battalion regained its composure and charged the Landswehr from the rear, inciting a rout and taking a decent amount of prisoners in the process. Battle of Kiev set 1 1st Landswehr battalion advances on Home Guard positions near the Town hall 1st landwehr battalion comes under fire from Major Chukov's unit. Guardsmen fire from the windows in the town hall following Major Chukov's death 1st Landswehr battalion retreats under heavy fire 2nd Landswehr Battalion charges the stables, under fire from the Town Hall, Stables, and whatever the hell that thing is in the back Battle of Kiev set 2 Under fire near the stables pathfinding issues? Guardsmen using "gangster tactics" fire at point blank with obsolete weapons from windows Major Chukov's battalion regains its composure and charges into battle Kiev remains in Russian hands

January

January 1915

January 1915 In the West, France and Italy launch a combined attack from the south and breach German and Hungarian defenses, capturing Silesia and Prague. In the East, Ludendorff resumes his offensive in the Baltics. The 16th Armee surges forward towards the crucial warehouse district north of Vilinus. The Partisan brigade, under General Nashmenko, launches their attack prematurely with fatal consequences. "Tigr" and "Beetle" squads attack from the woods while A, C, and F squads begin firing from the snow drifts on the hill to the German front. Bear squad flanks to the right and catches the German calvary off guard, inflicting massive casualties in the ranks. On the left, Naschmenko, G and E squads take up positions and rain fire on the Prussian assault wave. the 30th Sturmtruppen battalion is forced to take cover and give up it's forward position. The Germans slowly recover from the unexpected assault and ride down J squad before they could retreat under the cover of heavy foliage. Before Nashmenko can react, 48th and 31st Infantry Battalions close within lethal range and begin to pick off the Partisans. Among the dead is Nashmenko himself, felled by a rifle bullet as the Prussians charged the position. The remaining squads broke contact and retreated in defeat, however for the first time in the war the Russians walked away with fewer casualties than their German counter parts. Partisan attack on January 15th Partisan battle line. A, C and F squad 30th Sturmtruppen battalion advances on the Partisan positions J squad lies dead, victims of the fast riding calvary squadrons still in use Beetle, Tigr, and Doornail squads beat a hasty retreat A Pyrrhic victory In an attempt to keep Von Schaelmann reeling, 4th army under Pavel Rennenkampf attacked the next day. Unfortunately for Pavel, the Germans were waiting. As the Russian army surged forward, the Germans fell back in the center and led the Russians into an ambush from both sides. As the 1st wave disintegrated under heavy rifle fire, the 2nd wave managed to gain a foothold on the right side before it too was annihilated. The 3rd wave adopted defensive positions and attempted to stop Von Schaelmann, but they were too far to few and much too late. Over 5,000 Russian soldiers lie dead on the battlefield, the Germans losing barely over a thousand. The survivors slipped away into the woods and met up with the survivors of Nashmenko's Partisan brigade. Destruction of 4th Army The Second wave is overrun by German infantry survivors of the Third wave try desperately to halt the German onslaught In the wake of 4th Army's crushing defeat, Brusilev quickly commits 26th Guards Army to the Baltic front and orders the consolidated 4th Army-Partisan brigade to commence a desperate assault to buy time for 26th Guards' arrival. On the 20th, Von Schaelmann's reinforcements arrive, however a rifle brigade took a wrong turn and is now three hours behind, along with the 2 battalions behind it. Sensing a unique opportunity, Pavel struck the lone brigade with his surviving soldiers and the Partisans. The initial attack failed miserably; the German brigade repelled the Russian assault with minimal losses and quickly called in reinforcements from Von Schaelmann. The entirety of the 16th Armee gruppe came down on Pavel's pitiful force like a sledgehammer. Major Sokolov, commanding the remaining soldiers of the 102nd Rifle battalion and 4 Partisan detachments, fought a brilliant delaying action on the left flank, however his men were overrun and he was killed when the three rifle battalions reinforcing them were cut off and swiftly destroyed by roving calvary squadrons (they were all under 50% strength, survivors of the ill fated 2nd wave from the January 15th battle). Alone and surrounded, Sokolov organized his men and fought his way to the heavy foliage on the left side. Taking cover in a ravine, Sokolov was killed by a grenade while setting up the next line of defense. The remaining units were thoroughly destroyed by Von Schaelmann before they could rally and effectively repel the German infantry assault. The survivors took cover in the lumbermill area north of the battlefield. Pavel achieved his initial objective, however. The Germans were unable to advance, more-so due to the innumerable Russian dead blocking their way than the Russian assault, and the 26th Army was able to arrive without trouble. The German reserves were now dwindling, their units depleted from a month's worth of heavy fighting. On top of the hellishly-cold weather, they now had to deal with another full-strength Russian army, complete with 7 Siberian rifle battalions. 3 days after Pavel was wiped out for the second time, General Yazov's 26th Guards Army assaulted German positions around Siauilia. The German forward positions were quickly pacified by 6000 Russian Army soldiers, but not before the majority of Von Schaelmann's force could slip away to prepared positions to the North. his intention was to give his men a week's rest, then retreat to German lines to resupply and reinforce his skeleton units. January 21st Battle, Yazov and Von Schaelmann face off for the first time Von Schaelmann's forces retreat as their rearguard units are swallowed up by the Russian advance. On january 28th, General Yazov attacked again with a full contingent. In the typical three-wave fashion, the Russian army attacked the battered German ranks. Unknown to the Russians, Von Schaelmann slipped the majority of his army away in the night, the rearguard battalions being the only remaining units. In an apocalyptic battle, the 2 half strength battalions held out as 3 full strength Rifle Brigades attacked their positions. Again and again, the germans repulsed the Russians, gutting the majority of the Yazov's men in the process. Then, out of the fog, marched 2 full strength Siberian divisions. With echoing shouts of "UURRAHHHHH", the Russians charged into the fray, one last time. The Germans never stood a chance, forever lost in the vast expanse of Russia. January 28th Assault 6,000 screaming Russians General Yazov's full contingent advances over the white Russian snow German units hold out against the final attack from 3 Russian Rifle brigades Jerry and Ivan meet again General yazov spreads out his forces and sends the surviving partisan squads in search of Von Schaelmann, but to no avail. Unbeknownst to him, the tricky German has one hell of an ace up his sleeve; as the Russians bed down in the Siauiliai factory for the next month in preparation for their march offensive, Von Schaelmann intends to launch a surprise attack and wipe out the 26th Guards Army, Siberian battalions and all.

February

February 1915

February 1915 On February 4th, 1915, the most climactic battle yet commenced with an astounding roar. 5 batteries of Prussian guns opened fire on the hasty Russian defenses ouside Siauiliai, wiping out two battalions before they could even man their positions effectively. German storm troopers swarmed forward, oblivious to the constant whine of shells flying over their heads or the ever-present "snap" and "crack" of near misses from a Tsarist rifle. Partisans managed to sneak past the German dawn patrols and set up sniper hides around the German trenchline. Artillerymen were picked off at random throughout the morning, the General being wounded in the first few minutes of hostilities. Within an hour, it had become clear that something had gone very wrong. the 61st and 78th Rifle battalions were in shambles, the sturmtruppen and pioneere brigades never even getting close to the Russian lines. Through the haze of battle, figures clad in brown fur somehow managed to not only survive the heavy barrage, but return fire amidst the earth's violent convulsions. Their hearing was long gone; the Haubitze bombardment earlier had long shattered anyone's ability to communicate effectively. Every time one of them was struck down by a Mauser bullet, it seemed three would take his place. The German attack faltered and then stopped altogether under the heavy fire from dug in Russian infantry. Von Schaelmann's 2nd in Command quickly called the attack off and ordered a full retreat. His heart-rate eased when he saw the dark figures making their way back towards the German start line. Alot of dark figures. The officer's blood suddenly ran cold. He watched in horror as the remaining rifle squad from the 84th battalion took cover along a low wall and emptied the last of their ammunition into the dark horde. They attempted to sprint the last 100 yards back to the trenches, but all but 2 were cut down by rifle fire from partisans before they had covered even half the distance. The officers' voice rose a few octaves as he called out to his comrades to abandon their equipment and make for the border. The words hadn't completely left his mouth before the first Russian entered the trench. The nameless officer drew his sidearm and charged toward the battery on his left, intent on saving his friends before scrambling towards the nearby village. He hadn't gone two steps before he had to change magazines. By then it was too late, the Russians had swarmed the gun crew and anyone still alive was either a captive or scrambling pell-mell for any sort of cover behind them. The 16th Armee had finally been beaten. 26th Guards Army, February 4th 1915 Mortars explode along the 112th Regiment's defense line Russian soldiers take cover under the low wall and fire towards German attackers 112th Brigade survivors, charging the German defense line outside the Artillery Battery 114th Brigade survivors following quickly behind the 112th Brigade 112th Brigade charges the Artillery Battery "Wait a minute. That's far too many men for- OBERGEFREIGTER, THEY'RE RUSSIANS! IVAN IS ADVANCING" 16th Armee Dragoons provide a delaying action for the Artillery to retreat

Map

MARCH OFFENSIVE STRATEGIC MAP, 1915

Following the German defeat in the Baltic, the Russians solidified their line and prepared for the March offensive. The ground still muddy and the air still crisp, Brusilev attacked the 14th Armee positions in Southern Lithuania and subsequently assaulted into East Germany. Kuhlmann struck first however, and ambushed the 10th Guards army under General Kimolov on the 2nd. Surprise was complete, and the army group was almost totally destroyed at a loss of over 6000 elite Czechoslovakian riflemen. On February 27th, Ludendorff was called away from the Eastern front due to the highly successful French-Italian offensive from the south. 1. Rally Point Blue: Southern Pincer under General Varennikov. OBJECTIVE: Cut off reinforcments from the south, encircle Koenigsburg's Eastern Flank and prepare to assault Kaiser defensive line 2. March Offensive: 19th Army under General Umosh 3. March Offensive: 34th Army under Yameshenko 4. March Offensive: 21st Army under Pavlov 5. March Offensive: 5th Guards army 6. March Offensive: 6th Guards Army 7. March Offensive: March 2nd Ambush location. Path of 10th Army in blue, ambush in black 8. March Offensive: rally point of the 10th Army 9. January offensive: Path of 16th Armee Gruppe 10. January offensive: Path of 4th Guards Army, 26th Guards army 11. January offensive: Path of 4th Guards army 12. March Offensive: German Infantry Division (unknown). Probably Koenigsburg reinforcement 13. Bismark Defensive Line 14. Kaiser defense line 15. 156th Battalion defensive positions around Danzig. CASUALTIES AS OF MARCH 1915 RUSSIA 94,000 DEAD 12,000 MISSING GERMANY 26,000 DEAD 10,000 MISSING AUSTRO-HUNGARY 8400 DEAD 400 MISSING

thanks for reading;

-Whukid

[Litany of fury]

That was awesome, i love reading stuff like this, i may have to something similar with my Austro-Hungarian campaign!

[Whukid]

Thank you Writing it was rather fun, contrary to what I expected. I might do another one about Great Britain or France in the near future. I tried doing one about Switzerland, but no one attacked me

[Rights of the Individual]

Thank you Writing it was rather fun, contrary to what I expected. I might do another one about Great Britain or France in the near future. I tried doing one about Switzerland, but no one attacked me

Yes, I've never been attacked in my games as the Swiss. In reality that would be just fine but the lack of economic, scientific, and social benefits to a peaceful campaign make it a bit boring in my opinion

[Derpy Hooves]

Really liked it. I loved the way you showed the intentions of each army on the campaign map. Makes me want to play TGW now
+rep

[Whukid]

Really liked it. I loved the way you showed the intentions of each army on the campaign map. Makes me want to play TGW now
+rep

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Yes, I've never been attacked in my games as the Swiss. In reality that would be just fine but the lack of economic, scientific, and social benefits to a peaceful campaign make it a bit boring in my opinion

Yes, I'm fairly sure that a British campaign is next. That way I can differentiate between the units in the screenshots folder.