Prussia in Peril - East Prussia '14 Central Powers AAR - major victory turn 114

[ComradeP]

The Russian objective is simple in theory, but complicated in practice: put enough pressure on German forces in East Prussia to make defending East Prussia impossible.

It is difficult to manoeuvre 1st and 2nd Army in a way that make them mutually supporting of each-others advance. The combined effect of the Fix/release schedule of 1st Army until the 1st of September 1914 and the terrain in central East Prussia is that an advance in any other direction than northwest by 2nd Army is unlikely to be able to meet up with 1st Army.

The German objective is complicated in theory, but simple in practice: parry the blows of both Russian armies, slowing or stalling their advance, until one or both armies can be defeated (with or without the reinforcements from the Western Front).

Actually defeating a Russian army is still a difficult task, but the excellent interior lines and the terrain suitable for defensive operations make slowing or stalling the Russian advance with the initial forces relatively easy. The Fix/release schedule of 1st Army also makes it highly unlikely that it will be able to make its historical advance unless the Germans pull back every regular or reserve division to face 2nd Army.

The Russian army is a true steamroller, relying on mass rather than mobility or flexibility to achieve its goals. Russian divisions are enormous, with 16 battalions. This makes it easy to rotate fresh battalions to or from frontline hexes, but means the number of divisions is low compared to the number of battalions in the field.

German infantry brigade HQ's have a command radius of 3 hexes, German divisions have a command radius of 6 hexes. Russian brigades have a command radius of 1 hex, the division a command radius of 3 hexes.

In more detail: Russian infantry brigade HQ's have a command range of only 1 hex, so the Russians are likely to move in “hex” formation centered on the brigade HQ in the middle. Including a 1 hex ZOC on either side of the 3 hex wide brigade deployment, a Russian division can hold/control just 8 hexes along the Y-axis and 10 hexes along the X-axis when deployed in a line. A German division can hold/control 16 hexes along the Y-axis and 18 hexes along the X-axis (assuming the brigade HQ is not at the frontline).

Starting situation northern/1st Army sector.

The game starts 06:00 20th of August 1914, with the stage set for the historical battle of Gumbinnen.

Quality is D for Russian cavalry divisions and C for other units unless noted otherwise.

There are no Dawn or Dusk turns, as per the usual FWWC standard. 6 daylight turns, 2 night turns.

North to south.



During the opening skirmishes, the Russian I Cavalry Corps exhausted itself. It accomplished little aside from capturing some Landsturm guns. They'll be Fixed until the 23rd of August at the earliest. It consists of 2 C quality and 2 D quality cavalry divisions. Russian cavalry divisions have 4 battalions in 2 brigades. The battalions can be broken down into 6 companies (4x6). Some companies are placed behind 1st Army with a T release trigger (unit is spotted results in the release of the entire division), to counter German opening moves where 1st Army is pushed back before the cavalry is released.

The northernmost part of the German line is held by the mighty 2nd mixed Landwehr Brigade. They're still catching their breath from being hit by the opening Russian cavalry assault and start Fixed with light losses and light to medium Fatigue. They'll be released at daylight on the 21st.

1. Kavallerie Division is screening the area between the Landwehr and I Armeekorps. It has 6 cavalry battalions in 3 brigades, which can be broken down into 4 companies (6x4). As such, both Russian and German cavalry divisions have 24 cavalry component units, but the organizational structure is different.

Most (German) frontline units have taken light losses in the previous days or moving up to their starting positions. For balance reasons, many units start Disrupted.

At the actual frontline, the German 2. Infanterie Division with 12 infantry battalions is facing half of the poorly positioned Russian 28th Infantry Division with 16 battalions.



1. Infanterie Division with 12 infantry battalions is facing the other half of the 28th Infantry Division and half of the 29th Infantry Division with 16 battalions.

East of Gumbinnen, the Hauptreserve Koenigsberg (the field formation of the Koenigsberg garrison and nearby units) with 5 Ersatz and 6 Landwehr battalions faces a brigade of the 29th Infantry Division and the entire 25th Infantry Division with 16 battalions. The Ersatz brigade has a command radius of 1 hex, which makes it tricky to use. Landwehr brigade HQ's have a command radius of 2 hexes.

XVII Armeekorps: 35. Infanterie Division with 12 infantry battalions is facing the 27th Infantry Division with 16 battalions, some of which are only a bit above company strength after the battle of Stallupoenen. 35. ID starts with mostly Medium Fatigue.

36th Infanterie Division with 12 infantry battalions faces part of the 27th Infantry Division and the 40th Infantry Division with 16 battalions.

Preparing to move to the sound of the guns in T-mode is 36. Reserve Division of I Reservekorps with 12 fresh Reserve battalions. It starts Fixed until turn 2.

120 kilometres to the rear in Koenigsberg and surrounding fortifications are 12 Ersatz battalions and Landwehr Brigade 1 with 3 Landwehr battalions. The Festung Koenigsberg HQ is Fixed for the duration, but most of the units in the city can move. Due to being Detached, they won't last long on the frontline, but they can still be useful.



1. Reserve Division with 12 Reserve battalions is Fixed until turn 2 as well. 30th Infantry Division with 16 battalions might crash into it on the first Entente turn, so dropping out of T-mode is prudent.

The Russian 5th Rifle Brigade with 8 infantry battalions and an impressive 4 MG companies (8 battalions from 4 regiments) is Fixed until daylight on the 21st.

3. Reserve Division is moving north after breaking up camp in Feste Boyen. It will be redirected south.

The Russian 1st Cavalry Division with 4 cavalry battalions is Fixed until 14:00.



Guarding the central area of the map are various fortifications bordered by the Masurian lakes. After 3. Reserve Division left, the remaining forces in Feste Boyen consist of a number of Fixed MG units and 3 Ersatz battalions and 1 Landwehr battalion attached to the fortress HQ (which is Fixed for the duration) and gemischte Landwehr Brigade 6 with 6 Landwehr battalions. The brigade is Fixed until daylight on the 22nd.



The Russian II Army Corps with 43rd and 26th Infantry Divisions, both with 16 battalions, is moving north to support 1st Army.