Index:
1919:
Turn 1 - Siberians on the march: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13117285&viewfull=1#post13117285
Turn 2 - Mistakes and maneuvers: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13117328&viewfull=1#post13117328
Turn 3 - Trouble in the North: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13120569&viewfull=1#post13120569
Turn 4 - A pincer movement: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13120589&viewfull=1#post13120589
Turn 5 - Someone will be food for the fishes: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13123895&viewfull=1#post13123895
Turn 5 results - The fishes are getting obese: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13128343&viewfull=1#post13128343
Turn 6 - Retreats: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13129110&viewfull=1#post13129110
Turn 6 results - The turn of the tide?: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13132131&viewfull=1#post13132131
Turn 7 - A new plan for Kappel's escape: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13132211&viewfull=1#post13132211
Turn 8 - The last days of Kappel's long march?: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13136161&viewfull=1#post13136161
Turn 9 - All is quiet on the Siberian Front: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13140024&viewfull=1#post13140024
Turn 10 - The Komuch heads home: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...paign-PBEM&p=13144088&viewfull=1#post13144088
Turn 11 - Samara is taken and Chapaev disappears: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...paign-PBEM&p=13154310&viewfull=1#post13154310
Interlude - Floating coffins and mass conscription: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13157914&viewfull=1#post13157914
Turn 12 - Mud-wrestling: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13161368&viewfull=1#post13161368
Turn 13 - How a fly stopped the elefant: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13168599&viewfull=1#post13168599
Turn 14 - Winter winds: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13179476&viewfull=1#post13179476
Turn 15 - Breaking the Red spine: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13183223&viewfull=1#post13183223
Turn 15 results - Bloody snow: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13190335&viewfull=1#post13190335
Turn 16 - The cripple and the lame: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13190422&viewfull=1#post13190422
1920:
Turn 17 - The Great Retreat: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13195669&viewfull=1#post13195669
Turn 18 - Let them eat caviar: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13203574&viewfull=1#post13203574
Turn 19 - Sisyphus was a lucky bastard: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13227904&viewfull=1#post13227904
Turn 20 - An army of slackers: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13232406&viewfull=1#post13232406
Turn 21 - The endgame begins: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13252646&viewfull=1#post13252646
Turn 22 - Meddling Poles and starving Reds: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13278836&viewfull=1#post13278836
Turn 23 - Where is Kolchak's caviar? http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13286206&viewfull=1#post13286206
Turn 24 - The last days of a revolution: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13292845&viewfull=1#post13292845
Turn 25 - A Communist miracle: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13298075&viewfull=1#post13298075
Turn 26 - Kolchak for Tzar! http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13304854&viewfull=1#post13304854
Turn 26 results - Aftermath: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13304886&viewfull=1#post13304886
Introduction:
What a silly idea: an admiral without a fleet is commanding a war waged in interior Russia. In history, Kolchak's reign ended in utter disaster. He himself was killed while trying to escape from Russia with its gold reserves. I can't do much worse, can I?
This AAR will be very matter of fact, please don't expect story-telling or role-playing. I will simply try to present my thoughts while plotting my moves. If you are unfamiliar with AGEOD games, I strongly recommend Narwhal's AARs, he does an outstanding job explaining these games:
Narhwal's and loki100's Wars in America AAR: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?545321-Wars-in-America-A-how-to-AAR
Narwhal's Rise of Prussia AAR: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?513080-Learning-from-Prussia-a-Rise-of-Prussia-AAR-against-a-real-player-for-beginners
I won't try to redo what Narwhal has done so well, but I am adding a few chapters that try to give some insight on game mechanics special to RUS:
RUS game mechanics -Index:
Chapter 1 - Replacements: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13157914&viewfull=1#post13157914
Chapter 2 - Division composition: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13161471&viewfull=1#post13161471
Chapter 3 - Special Operations and ressource options: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13171648&viewfull=1#post13171648
Chapter 4 - Green rebellions: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13186493&viewfull=1#post13186493
Chapter 5 - Polish intervention: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?571687-Who-put-the-stranded-Admiral-in-charge-Siberian-White-Short-Campaign-PBEM&p=13186493&viewfull=1#post13186493
The Short Campaign:
Unlike the Grand Campaign the "Short" Campaign is well balanced. While Grand Campaign PBEMs are almost certain to end with a White victory, the outcome of a Short Campaign PBEM is entirely open.
All sides start the game with strong armies. In the East the Red army and Kolchak's Whites are fairly even matched. The Southern Whites hold a small edge. But this initial advantage will quickly evaporate since the White powers can't recruit at the same speed as their Red opponent.
In the North, the initial battlefield is the area between Perm and Kazan. The Siberian White field four small corps against three slightly bigger Red stacks.
The center is the area between Ufa, Samara and Simbirsk. From the North it is divided by the Kama river. Again the Siberian White appear more numerous on a superficial glance: there are 6 Siberian White corps in this sector facing only 3 Red ones. However a Red division like Chapaev's often has the same fighting strength as an entire White corps. Overall both sides have about te same number of men, the Red forces are simply better concnetrated.
The Southern front starts relatively small: it's most important part is the railway line between Saratov and Uralsk. Each side has one corps in this area.
Central Asia and in particular the cities of Samarkand and Tashkent will constitute another battlefield. Here the Siberian forces outnumber the Red ones 2:1. As a third party Green peasant armies are bound to interfere in this sector.
This is the third PBEM I have been playing with this group of players. Our first one ended with a Red victory, while the second one saw the White forces victorious. We have switched sides after each game. This time I am in control of the Siberians. The Southern White player, Durk, is hosting.
These games have taught me a few things about my fellow players:
Durk is highly aggressive. He compared himself to J.B.Hood once. Ian can expect ceaseless attacks from him but the Southern Whites might pay a heafty price.
Ian is more defensive-minded and one of the most accomplished raiders I have ever seen. I fully expect to get flooded by Red cavalry. His only weakness may be that he tends to spread his forces out in an attempt to protect all strategic positions.
The Siberians are the weakest faction in this scenario. But I will work hard to change that. One of the things I love about RUS is that every faction has its own advantages and disadvantages: The upside of the Siberians in this scenario is:
1. Unlike the Southern Whites, they control a lot of space allowing for the extensive use of special operations. In order to prevent a green flood I will have to mix requisition and conscription with reforms. There are some areas where I will deliberatly provoke Green uprisings, though. Why? Either these areas are far off and of no importance to me or I have locked troops there and am relying on my Green friends to unlock them.
2. The Japanese: In the Far East, 700 pw worth of Japanese troops defend the Transsiberian Railway. What a waste of fighting power. Hopefully the Greens or Ian will unlock them for me. That is why I will provoke Green uprisings in these areas. The Green AI is dumb beyond imagination, it has only one instinct: go to the next city and cluster there. Often, it attacks regardless of the odds to achieve this goal. In doing so the Greens will unlock my garrision forces.
3. Decent leaders in adequate numbers: except for Kappel there aren't any excellent generals but the average Siberian 4-1-1 leader can at least be expected to be active most of the time. Everyone who has ever had the joy of playing the Reds in RUS learns to appreciate this.
4. Secure hinterland: Siberia itself is protected by the Ural mountains. Should things go badly these mountains are easily defendable. Should the Red Army venture past the Ural its advance will become increasingly difficult: at first there are still two railway lines, but soon they will be limited to one track of railways without any flanking possibilities.
The downside:
1. Small divisions: While the Red divisions can be monsters with up to 600 or 700 pw, Siberian divisions are usually between 50 and 200 pw at full cohesion. In battles this is a serious disadvantage. I will reorganize my forces but until I have built some multi-element brigades (one of the improvements introduced in the patch 1.04), I will have to live with weak divisions.
2. Spread out forces: my army starts all over the map. Apparently Kolchak never listened when his teachers talked about concentrating forces. Luckily this can be changed.
3. Few EP (the currency necessary to buy options). I start with 3 EP per turn while the important options like mobilization or money printing can cost as much as 10 EP. This is only a problem early in a campaign, later on the Siberians usually have more than they needed because the number of options available to them is fairly limited.
4. And of course: not enough troops. This will only get worse as the Red Army will grow fast.
About me: I am very new to this forum (although a long time lurker). If my beloved AGEOD hadn't been bought by Paradox, I probably wouldn't have registered at all. But recently I have come to appreciate this forum. It is full of live and like the old AGEOD forum welcoming and rather civilized. A good community to become a part of.
On the AGEOD forum I am known as OneArmedMexican. Bornego is an anagram of Obregon ... a Mexican general and president who lost an arm (makes it easier for me to remember the user name ). RUS is a gem of a game (unfortunately somewhat under-appreciated) which is why I wanted to write an AAR for a long time.
One final word of caution: I am not a native speaker; please have the kindness not to be too harsh when I make mistakes. :blush:
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