It would be cool if there would be something a s a German war for a united Germany, a Balakan war, and something as Sweden versus Russia wich is very weak moumently.
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To be honest, I really expect the scandanavians to join the war against Russia in order to take back Finland. If this war goes badly, would we see the Austrian empire disintegrate?
rcduggan: Haha, I'm working on it, friend.
Delex: Good ideas, stick around and see!
Wenis: Sweden attacking Russia really isn't in my plans, so no dice there at this moment. Austria-Hungary's been at the brink of defeat and victory already in this war. It's hard to gauge how the warring nations will be affected by this war. I don't even know, and I'm writing the thing!
Delex: Good ideas, stick around and see!
Wenis: Sweden attacking Russia really isn't in my plans, so no dice there at this moment. Austria-Hungary's been at the brink of defeat and victory already in this war. It's hard to gauge how the warring nations will be affected by this war. I don't even know, and I'm writing the thing!
This is really Chapter 31.5, but whatever. This story needs an update, so I'm told!
March 19th, 1908
A major Russian offensive begins in the small hours of the morning with a thundering artillery bombardment. The bombardment is unusual from those this war had come accustomed to. It was massive, accurate, but short. Brusilov hopes to use surprise and shock to defeat the Central Powers.
At about 4 A.M, more than 45 Russian divisions started their attack on across 100-mile front into their objective: Austrian Silesia. During the night, Russian troops had secretly crept within 100 yards, and even 75 yards in some cases, of the Austrian lines. Leading the fight are Russian shock troops, based upon the successes of Austro-German Storm Troopers in previous attacks. Brusilov is concentrating everything he has on this one area.
When the Russians attack, the Austrians are completely unprepared for it. In Silesia they only have a token force to defend the border. Austrian air reconnaissance had alerted the General Staff of a Russian buildup in the area on the 16th, but this was much to late. Not enough men and supplies had been brought forward in time. The Russians initially outnumber the Austrians about 3:1 here.
These Austrians will defend in vain.
March 20th, 1908
The Russians are advancing rapidly into Silesia after having broken through the Austrian lines at many locations. Brusilov’s plan calls for a general, straightforward advance to the Oder River, along with the capture of the important cities and railheads of Breslau and Oppeln, and then to press south into Bohemia and Moravia.
The Austrians are in disarray. They have been caught completely by surprise. Troops from the entire front, Serbia, and Saxe-Bavaria were ordered to rush with all due haste towards the action. This, however, would take some time. Time that the Central Powers might not have.
March 23rd, 1908
The Russians take Oppeln and it’s vital railroad. Russian troops are now on the Oder, cutting off the much bigger and important city of Breslau from any help from the south. The Russians have advanced in the face of very little real resistance. To date, they’ve captured some 100,000 Austrians.
Russian Infantry on the Oppeln Railroad.
March 24th, 1908
Desperate to slow the Russians as much as possible to buy time for reinforcements, Archduke Josef Ferdinand, commander of the Imperial and Royal Air Corps, orders all of his available planes to be armed with machine guns and explosive bombs. He hopes he can bomb and strafe the Russians in order to slow their supplies, and therefore, their advance.
March 25th, 1908
Scarce weeks after the first aerial bombardment in history, Austrian aeroplanes bomb a Russian supply column in Silesia, becoming part of the first aerial bombardment with aircraft ever.
Meanwhile, the first of more than 20 fresh divisions begin to arrive at the front. The Russians are still pressing on towards Breslau and Moravia.
March 27th, 1908
Russian forces reach Breslau to find that it has been heavily fortified and reinforced by the newly arrived Saxe-Bavarian 7th Army. Not fazed, the Russians press the attack into the city. The Battle of Breslau has begun.
In Prussia, while all this has captured the world’s attention, their army has grown to 500,000 men, five times the size allowed in the Vaduz Treaty. The French have been alerted to this sudden buildup, but either they don’t care, or are confident in their abilities to deal with a strong Prussia once more.
March 29th, 1908
The Battle of Breslau rages on. Russian troops have now entered the city itself, and are engaging in heavy urban combat with the Saxe-Bavarians.
Russian Soldiers in the Streets.
In the skies, the Russian Imperial Air Corps has been putting all available aircraft it has into the air to combat the Austrian attacks on their supply lines. The Dogfight has been born.
March 31st, 1908
Russian Troops have driven the Saxe-Bavarians from the center of Breslau, at a heavy cost in blood. Troops are grinding forward at a steady pace, but a bloody pace. The Russians have already lost as many as 250,000 men in the battle, but keep throwing more men into the cauldron.
Further south, the Russian 10th Army has penetrated 20 miles into Moravia, though resistance is stiffening.
April 1st, 1908
In Vienna, an Austrian technician and Engineer Corps officer holds a secret unveiling in front of some of the most influential members of the General Staff. It is here that Günther Burstyn puts his Motorgeschütz, or Motor-Gun, in front of the military for the first time. “The Motorgeschütz,” he claims, “Will destroy the Russians once and for all! It is the ultimate weapon.”
Günther Burstyn
Many in the Austrian military are very open to this new weapon. They have seen the sheer stalemate that is The Great Eastern War. Attack followed by Counterattack that simply brings the opposing sides back to where they started. Something new was needed to gain ground quickly, with relatively little loss. Burstyn is given a military contract to produce 50 of these vehicles by the end of the year.
With Moravia, and the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire threatened, there is no other choice.
The Motorgeschütz: Wonder Weapon?
[Note: In OTL, Günther Burstyn really did submit a design for this tank in 1911. It was rejected. However, in ATL, war and stalemate have come, and I believe this would not only speed up the development process, but also force the Austrian Military to adopt this new weapon in hopes of a breaktrhough.]
To Be Continued…
God Save Us All - Part Five
The Great Eastern War
The Great Eastern War
March 19th, 1908
A major Russian offensive begins in the small hours of the morning with a thundering artillery bombardment. The bombardment is unusual from those this war had come accustomed to. It was massive, accurate, but short. Brusilov hopes to use surprise and shock to defeat the Central Powers.
At about 4 A.M, more than 45 Russian divisions started their attack on across 100-mile front into their objective: Austrian Silesia. During the night, Russian troops had secretly crept within 100 yards, and even 75 yards in some cases, of the Austrian lines. Leading the fight are Russian shock troops, based upon the successes of Austro-German Storm Troopers in previous attacks. Brusilov is concentrating everything he has on this one area.
When the Russians attack, the Austrians are completely unprepared for it. In Silesia they only have a token force to defend the border. Austrian air reconnaissance had alerted the General Staff of a Russian buildup in the area on the 16th, but this was much to late. Not enough men and supplies had been brought forward in time. The Russians initially outnumber the Austrians about 3:1 here.
These Austrians will defend in vain.
March 20th, 1908
The Russians are advancing rapidly into Silesia after having broken through the Austrian lines at many locations. Brusilov’s plan calls for a general, straightforward advance to the Oder River, along with the capture of the important cities and railheads of Breslau and Oppeln, and then to press south into Bohemia and Moravia.
The Austrians are in disarray. They have been caught completely by surprise. Troops from the entire front, Serbia, and Saxe-Bavaria were ordered to rush with all due haste towards the action. This, however, would take some time. Time that the Central Powers might not have.
March 23rd, 1908
The Russians take Oppeln and it’s vital railroad. Russian troops are now on the Oder, cutting off the much bigger and important city of Breslau from any help from the south. The Russians have advanced in the face of very little real resistance. To date, they’ve captured some 100,000 Austrians.
Russian Infantry on the Oppeln Railroad.
March 24th, 1908
Desperate to slow the Russians as much as possible to buy time for reinforcements, Archduke Josef Ferdinand, commander of the Imperial and Royal Air Corps, orders all of his available planes to be armed with machine guns and explosive bombs. He hopes he can bomb and strafe the Russians in order to slow their supplies, and therefore, their advance.
March 25th, 1908
Scarce weeks after the first aerial bombardment in history, Austrian aeroplanes bomb a Russian supply column in Silesia, becoming part of the first aerial bombardment with aircraft ever.
Meanwhile, the first of more than 20 fresh divisions begin to arrive at the front. The Russians are still pressing on towards Breslau and Moravia.
March 27th, 1908
Russian forces reach Breslau to find that it has been heavily fortified and reinforced by the newly arrived Saxe-Bavarian 7th Army. Not fazed, the Russians press the attack into the city. The Battle of Breslau has begun.
In Prussia, while all this has captured the world’s attention, their army has grown to 500,000 men, five times the size allowed in the Vaduz Treaty. The French have been alerted to this sudden buildup, but either they don’t care, or are confident in their abilities to deal with a strong Prussia once more.
March 29th, 1908
The Battle of Breslau rages on. Russian troops have now entered the city itself, and are engaging in heavy urban combat with the Saxe-Bavarians.
Russian Soldiers in the Streets.
In the skies, the Russian Imperial Air Corps has been putting all available aircraft it has into the air to combat the Austrian attacks on their supply lines. The Dogfight has been born.
March 31st, 1908
Russian Troops have driven the Saxe-Bavarians from the center of Breslau, at a heavy cost in blood. Troops are grinding forward at a steady pace, but a bloody pace. The Russians have already lost as many as 250,000 men in the battle, but keep throwing more men into the cauldron.
Further south, the Russian 10th Army has penetrated 20 miles into Moravia, though resistance is stiffening.
April 1st, 1908
In Vienna, an Austrian technician and Engineer Corps officer holds a secret unveiling in front of some of the most influential members of the General Staff. It is here that Günther Burstyn puts his Motorgeschütz, or Motor-Gun, in front of the military for the first time. “The Motorgeschütz,” he claims, “Will destroy the Russians once and for all! It is the ultimate weapon.”
Günther Burstyn
Many in the Austrian military are very open to this new weapon. They have seen the sheer stalemate that is The Great Eastern War. Attack followed by Counterattack that simply brings the opposing sides back to where they started. Something new was needed to gain ground quickly, with relatively little loss. Burstyn is given a military contract to produce 50 of these vehicles by the end of the year.
With Moravia, and the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire threatened, there is no other choice.
The Motorgeschütz: Wonder Weapon?
[Note: In OTL, Günther Burstyn really did submit a design for this tank in 1911. It was rejected. However, in ATL, war and stalemate have come, and I believe this would not only speed up the development process, but also force the Austrian Military to adopt this new weapon in hopes of a breaktrhough.]
To Be Continued…
Comparing the map on page 2 with the current situation, I have drawn some possible 'next moves' for powers, dismissed some, made some (probably horribly wrong) guesses, and come up with some speculation.
The rapid growth of the Prussian army makes me think they could be preparing for a surprise attack on Russia. Were they to join with the other Germanic powers, France may be unable to act for fear of a Central European Alliance defeating them in a war. However, the map on Page 2 includes absolutely no land growth for Prussia in the east, which seriously puts a crimp in this theory. I doubt any leader of Prussia would have allowed a war on this scale without any growth for Prussia itself.
Next: Austria-Hungary apparently gains a lot of land out of this war, stretching all the way to the Crimea. They're going to win it, the question is how, and how long it takes.
Theorizing here, I'm going to take some shots. Brusilov is smart, and his tactics are solid, but he is hampered by a severe lack of technological and doctrinal innovation in the Russian military. Despite his skill, I seriously doubt his ability to pull a win of any sort out of this. The Austrians are showing themselves much more receptive to gaining any advantage they can. Technological, doctrinal, diplomatic - the Austrians and Germanic powers in general are trying to find any edge they can. This is making it seem quite like Austria is turning it into a make-or-break moment for the Empire, while the Russians hold this war on a much lower pedestal. They've been fighting wars in the west for centuries, why should this one be any different?
We can pretty much tell that diplomacy is through for the war. According to the Page 2 map, Romanian, Prussian, Sweden, and Ottoman borders remain constant from the current state right up to 1945. Again, I can't see any of these powers being willing to settle for a major war such as this without territorial concessions - Poland to Prussia, Bessarabia to Romania, Finland to Sweden, the oil-rich Caucasus to the Ottomans. It's going to be Austria, Saxony, and Bulgaria through to the end unless a far-off power, such as France or Britain entered the war for some reason.
The Austrians are showing themselves to be ahead of the cutting-edge in technology, and ultimately I think this will lead to their victory. Their use of air power to bombard supply lines is something that was never really used until the Blitzkrieg (Aerial bombing in WWI basically amounted to a reconnaissance plane dropping a handheld bomb out the cockpit onto troops while flying over to get troop positions, if I recall correctly), they're using tanks eight years earlier than historically, and they're very receptive to any new designs and tactics that can give them an edge over the Russian hordes. Further advances in aviation and tank design, as well as other previously-untouched aread could give them the edge they need.
Lastly, on the Page 2 map, there is a small navy blue nation along the Dalmatian coast from Montenegro, which confuses and intrigues me.
You can always tell it's a good update if it leaves with more new questions than you started with.
The rapid growth of the Prussian army makes me think they could be preparing for a surprise attack on Russia. Were they to join with the other Germanic powers, France may be unable to act for fear of a Central European Alliance defeating them in a war. However, the map on Page 2 includes absolutely no land growth for Prussia in the east, which seriously puts a crimp in this theory. I doubt any leader of Prussia would have allowed a war on this scale without any growth for Prussia itself.
Next: Austria-Hungary apparently gains a lot of land out of this war, stretching all the way to the Crimea. They're going to win it, the question is how, and how long it takes.
Theorizing here, I'm going to take some shots. Brusilov is smart, and his tactics are solid, but he is hampered by a severe lack of technological and doctrinal innovation in the Russian military. Despite his skill, I seriously doubt his ability to pull a win of any sort out of this. The Austrians are showing themselves much more receptive to gaining any advantage they can. Technological, doctrinal, diplomatic - the Austrians and Germanic powers in general are trying to find any edge they can. This is making it seem quite like Austria is turning it into a make-or-break moment for the Empire, while the Russians hold this war on a much lower pedestal. They've been fighting wars in the west for centuries, why should this one be any different?
We can pretty much tell that diplomacy is through for the war. According to the Page 2 map, Romanian, Prussian, Sweden, and Ottoman borders remain constant from the current state right up to 1945. Again, I can't see any of these powers being willing to settle for a major war such as this without territorial concessions - Poland to Prussia, Bessarabia to Romania, Finland to Sweden, the oil-rich Caucasus to the Ottomans. It's going to be Austria, Saxony, and Bulgaria through to the end unless a far-off power, such as France or Britain entered the war for some reason.
The Austrians are showing themselves to be ahead of the cutting-edge in technology, and ultimately I think this will lead to their victory. Their use of air power to bombard supply lines is something that was never really used until the Blitzkrieg (Aerial bombing in WWI basically amounted to a reconnaissance plane dropping a handheld bomb out the cockpit onto troops while flying over to get troop positions, if I recall correctly), they're using tanks eight years earlier than historically, and they're very receptive to any new designs and tactics that can give them an edge over the Russian hordes. Further advances in aviation and tank design, as well as other previously-untouched aread could give them the edge they need.
Lastly, on the Page 2 map, there is a small navy blue nation along the Dalmatian coast from Montenegro, which confuses and intrigues me.
You can always tell it's a good update if it leaves with more new questions than you started with.
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Phoenix Dace: First of all, wow. Thank you for taking the time to actually analyze the war and everything so far.
Second, a plauge on you for finding that map! I originally posted that just to spike some interest in this when it was getting started, and I didn't think to take it down before starting the Great Eastern War. You've found me out.
Prussia's military is growing very quickly, but it won't be nowhere near combat ready in a war like the Great Eastern War until at least 1912. They currently have 500,000 men. The Russians and Austrians have lost 500,000 men in a month's time. As much as many people reading this think it'll happen, I'm going to say right now that Prussia does not get involved in this war.
Yeah, yeah, you caught me. Austria-Hungary wins this war. When? I've got a rough date worked out in my head, but I'm not really sure yet. I do know exactly how, though. That's for you to find out later, however.
Brusilov, really, is better than any commander the Austrians or Saxe-Bavarians have at this point(Austrian leaders ranged from horrid to above average in WWI, and there were next to no good Saxon or Bavarian generals in WWI, only Prussian) but all that skill is moot when he has hordes of undertrained, underequipped men to command against the best trained army in Europe(The Saxe-Bavarians) that are armed and supplied by a large Industrial Base. It's that classic German quality versus Russian Quanity battle.
This war starts 8 years before OTL's World War I, so Russia's industry is even less perpared for a modern war.
The common Austrian soldier is trained better than the common Russian, but not by much. The army is just too diverse. Many soldiers just surrender rather than fight. So the General Staff has to find every advantage. The Russians have the same problem, but they have an almost limitless manpower base. So you have things like the Motorgeschütz and aerial bombardment.
That nation along the Dalmatian coast happens to be a very poor rendering of an independant Bosnia, who gets their independance one way or another after the war.
Thank you very much. Chapter 32 should be up sometime this weekend. Hope you enjoy it!
rcduggan: Thank you!
The rest of youse guys reading this, comment! Keep this going! It takes you maybe 10 minutes tops to read the update and 5 tops to post a comment.
Second, a plauge on you for finding that map!
I originally posted that just to spike some interest in this when it was getting started, and I didn't think to take it down before starting the Great Eastern War. You've found me out.Prussia's military is growing very quickly, but it won't be nowhere near combat ready in a war like the Great Eastern War until at least 1912. They currently have 500,000 men. The Russians and Austrians have lost 500,000 men in a month's time. As much as many people reading this think it'll happen, I'm going to say right now that Prussia does not get involved in this war.
Yeah, yeah, you caught me. Austria-Hungary wins this war. When? I've got a rough date worked out in my head, but I'm not really sure yet. I do know exactly how, though. That's for you to find out later, however.
Brusilov, really, is better than any commander the Austrians or Saxe-Bavarians have at this point(Austrian leaders ranged from horrid to above average in WWI, and there were next to no good Saxon or Bavarian generals in WWI, only Prussian) but all that skill is moot when he has hordes of undertrained, underequipped men to command against the best trained army in Europe(The Saxe-Bavarians) that are armed and supplied by a large Industrial Base. It's that classic German quality versus Russian Quanity battle.
This war starts 8 years before OTL's World War I, so Russia's industry is even less perpared for a modern war.
The common Austrian soldier is trained better than the common Russian, but not by much. The army is just too diverse. Many soldiers just surrender rather than fight. So the General Staff has to find every advantage. The Russians have the same problem, but they have an almost limitless manpower base. So you have things like the Motorgeschütz and aerial bombardment.
That nation along the Dalmatian coast happens to be a very poor rendering of an independant Bosnia, who gets their independance one way or another after the war.
Thank you very much. Chapter 32 should be up sometime this weekend. Hope you enjoy it!
rcduggan: Thank you!
The rest of youse guys reading this, comment! Keep this going! It takes you maybe 10 minutes tops to read the update and 5 tops to post a comment.
Well, the girlfriend's at a ballet festival in Pittsburgh for the week, so I'll have a lot more time to write updates during the week.
I'm in the process of fighting writer's block on the next chapter, so I'm not sure when I'll get that one out.
In the meantime, you can all be nice and comment.
I'm in the process of fighting writer's block on the next chapter, so I'm not sure when I'll get that one out.
In the meantime, you can all be nice and comment.
And now...Chapter 32!
April 2nd, 1908
After taking horrendous losses, the Saxe-Bavarian army in Breslau decides to withdraw from the city immediately. The Russians have taken the city, but at a very high cost. They have lost almost 300,000 men in the battle. Russia now controls the entire eastern bank of the Oder in Silesia.
April 5th, 1908
Russian forces take the vital city of Ostrava after almost a week of heavy fighting. Russian forces are now about 25 miles inside of Moravia. However, Russian High Command orders a temporary halt to the advance. It appears that there is a division between the Russian General Staff and General Brusilov. Brusilov wants to continue the offensive to the southeast, towards Hungary. The General Staff, on the other hand, favors a Westward push, towards Prague. The Russians are halted until this is settled. The Central Powers have been delivered a gift. Von Hötzendorf begins planning a counteroffensive near Saska Kępa, from Central Power positions to the east, taken in the Offensive of April 1907.
The Russians Advance.
April 18th, 1908
The Austrians, with the help of three Saxe-Bavarian Corps and even a few Bulgarian units, counterattack into the Russian left flank. The Russians, with their morale high and guard low, do not expect a counterattack of this size. The Central Powers force numbers close to 850,000 men. Facing them is a Russian force of almost 1 Million. The Battle of Saska Kępa has begun.
April 25th, 1908
In one week of fighting near Saska Kępa, neither the Austrians nor Russians have gained the upper hand. The battle is quickly becoming one of the bloodiest in the war, if not in history. Artillery pours shell after shell into enemy lines night and day as wave after wave of infantry gain little or no ground. The Russians are faring the worst by far, but the Central Powers are also experiencing heavy losses.
Austrian 80mm Artillery
On this same day, in Britain, Prime Minister Arthur Balfour pens a secret document to be reviewed by various british diplomate, ministers, and members of parliament. In it he expresses his belief that the victor of the Great Eastern War would “take it’s place in the sun as a Great European power.” And that “this United Kingdom should do what it takes to establish good relations with the victor, if not for trade purposes than for blocking The French Empire’s attempts at Continental domination.”
[Note: I feel that Balfour would still be the Prime Minister at this time thanks to the fact that Britain can't afford to have a Liberal Prime Minister who might not take a hard stance towards France. Britain is determinded to remain the world's top power, at any cost.]
April 26th, 1908
The first major movement in the Battle of Saska Kępa, suprisingly, a Bulgarian division breaks through after using a heavy concentration of artillery and infiltration tactics learned from their Germanic allies provides the punch they need to get through the realitivly thin Russian lines in their area.
The breakthrough is short lived, however, as the Russians are able to quickly send in reinforcements to beat back the Bulgarians. A few miles are gained, however.
April 29th, 1908
Günther Burstyn and Skoda turn out the first prototype for the production version of Burstyn's Motorgeschütz. The factory workers, sworn to secrecy about the project, have given the machine the nickname Box, after it's inital appearence as a "Mobile Pillbox."
[Note: There were many names that I tried for the tank. I originally thought of the "Track" but I seem to recall reading another AAR where this was used, Prussian Moderation, maybe? I don't know. Eventully, I settled on Box. Simple, yes, silly, maybe, but it's all that's left and practical.]
May 1st, 1908
Europe is in the middle of spring, and a bloody spring it is proving to be. Now, more than ever, the balance of power in Europe hangs in the balance. The Russians and Central Powers are locked in a deadly battle in central Moravia. Whoever wins the Battle of Saska Kępa stands a very good chance to win the war. All of Europe is watching.
To Be Continued…
God Save Us All - Part Five
The Great Eastern War
The Great Eastern War
April 2nd, 1908
After taking horrendous losses, the Saxe-Bavarian army in Breslau decides to withdraw from the city immediately. The Russians have taken the city, but at a very high cost. They have lost almost 300,000 men in the battle. Russia now controls the entire eastern bank of the Oder in Silesia.
April 5th, 1908
Russian forces take the vital city of Ostrava after almost a week of heavy fighting. Russian forces are now about 25 miles inside of Moravia. However, Russian High Command orders a temporary halt to the advance. It appears that there is a division between the Russian General Staff and General Brusilov. Brusilov wants to continue the offensive to the southeast, towards Hungary. The General Staff, on the other hand, favors a Westward push, towards Prague. The Russians are halted until this is settled. The Central Powers have been delivered a gift. Von Hötzendorf begins planning a counteroffensive near Saska Kępa, from Central Power positions to the east, taken in the Offensive of April 1907.
The Russians Advance.
April 18th, 1908
The Austrians, with the help of three Saxe-Bavarian Corps and even a few Bulgarian units, counterattack into the Russian left flank. The Russians, with their morale high and guard low, do not expect a counterattack of this size. The Central Powers force numbers close to 850,000 men. Facing them is a Russian force of almost 1 Million. The Battle of Saska Kępa has begun.
April 25th, 1908
In one week of fighting near Saska Kępa, neither the Austrians nor Russians have gained the upper hand. The battle is quickly becoming one of the bloodiest in the war, if not in history. Artillery pours shell after shell into enemy lines night and day as wave after wave of infantry gain little or no ground. The Russians are faring the worst by far, but the Central Powers are also experiencing heavy losses.
Austrian 80mm Artillery
On this same day, in Britain, Prime Minister Arthur Balfour pens a secret document to be reviewed by various british diplomate, ministers, and members of parliament. In it he expresses his belief that the victor of the Great Eastern War would “take it’s place in the sun as a Great European power.” And that “this United Kingdom should do what it takes to establish good relations with the victor, if not for trade purposes than for blocking The French Empire’s attempts at Continental domination.”
[Note: I feel that Balfour would still be the Prime Minister at this time thanks to the fact that Britain can't afford to have a Liberal Prime Minister who might not take a hard stance towards France. Britain is determinded to remain the world's top power, at any cost.]
April 26th, 1908
The first major movement in the Battle of Saska Kępa, suprisingly, a Bulgarian division breaks through after using a heavy concentration of artillery and infiltration tactics learned from their Germanic allies provides the punch they need to get through the realitivly thin Russian lines in their area.
The breakthrough is short lived, however, as the Russians are able to quickly send in reinforcements to beat back the Bulgarians. A few miles are gained, however.
April 29th, 1908
Günther Burstyn and Skoda turn out the first prototype for the production version of Burstyn's Motorgeschütz. The factory workers, sworn to secrecy about the project, have given the machine the nickname Box, after it's inital appearence as a "Mobile Pillbox."
[Note: There were many names that I tried for the tank. I originally thought of the "Track" but I seem to recall reading another AAR where this was used, Prussian Moderation, maybe? I don't know. Eventully, I settled on Box. Simple, yes, silly, maybe, but it's all that's left and practical.]
May 1st, 1908
Europe is in the middle of spring, and a bloody spring it is proving to be. Now, more than ever, the balance of power in Europe hangs in the balance. The Russians and Central Powers are locked in a deadly battle in central Moravia. Whoever wins the Battle of Saska Kępa stands a very good chance to win the war. All of Europe is watching.
To Be Continued…
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1) What are the light brown/light green bits on the map?
2) Are the entente powers (britain, france e.t.c) going to do anything?? I swear in OTL europe was a tangled mess of alliances and I thought that ATL might have something to prevent that.
3) This is one of the best AARs around. Keep going!
2) Are the entente powers (britain, france e.t.c) going to do anything?? I swear in OTL europe was a tangled mess of alliances and I thought that ATL might have something to prevent that.
3) This is one of the best AARs around. Keep going!
Edge of a Knife said:
Well in the tangled mess of alliances that lead to the catastrophy of WW1 was more or less a result of the German unification and Bismarck's foreign policy, followed by Wilhelm II and his more aggressive policy on one side, and the other european powers seeking to prepare for the growing power that Germany represented. All of this never happened in ATL, Bismarck never managed to unify Germany and didn't build up his web of alliances, and England, France and Russia never faced the German giant on their borders that made them ally.
I believe that that is Russian- and Austrian-controlled territory.Edge of a Knife said:
rcduggan: Thank you!!
Edge of a Knife, -Delta-, and soonerborn0524:
1) Soonerborn hit it perfectly, the light brown indicates Russian or Serbian land that Austria occoupies, and the light green indicates Austrian land that the Russians have taken.
2) I think Delta hits this one perfectly. The whole idea behind this alternate timeline is to create a world where WWI didn't happen exactly as we know it. Germany never formed, Bismarck never formed all of his alliances and ememies, and the Western Powers never felt the need to ally togther. In fact, France and Britain pretty much hate eachother in the ATL.
3) Thank you very, very much!
Edge of a Knife, -Delta-, and soonerborn0524:
1) Soonerborn hit it perfectly, the light brown indicates Russian or Serbian land that Austria occoupies, and the light green indicates Austrian land that the Russians have taken.
2) I think Delta hits this one perfectly. The whole idea behind this alternate timeline is to create a world where WWI didn't happen exactly as we know it. Germany never formed, Bismarck never formed all of his alliances and ememies, and the Western Powers never felt the need to ally togther. In fact, France and Britain pretty much hate eachother in the ATL.
3) Thank you very, very much!
God Save Us All - Part Five
The Great Eastern War
The Great Eastern War
May 6th, 1908
On the newly formed Greco-Bulgarian border, border guards fire a few shots at each other, killing a Bulgarian. It is unsure who fired first, but Sofia immediately sends an angry telegram to Athens over the incident.
May 7th, 1908
After stern warnings from both Emperor Franz Joseph and King Luitpold of Saxe-Bavaria, Bulgaria agrees not to go to war over the Greek border incident. Russia alone has the Central Powers on the ropes, another two front war cannot be afforded.
May 11th, 1908
After a slight lull in the titanic battle taking place in Moravia, the Russians launch a brand new offensive right into the teeth of the Central Powers’ lines. The Russians are Austrians are both throwing their last available reserves into the battle in an effort to bleed eachother white.
An Austrian 305mm Howitzer
May 12th, 1908
In what will be known as “The Bloody 12th” across the world, the Russians and Austrians lose close to a combined 80,000 men in one day. Forces are being stretched thin as wave upon wave of men, Russian and Austrian, is sent into the breach at Saska Kępa. One English journalist covering the battle says in a line that will soon become infamously associated with The Great Eastern War: “These powers….they do not run out of guns, of shells, of bullets or of cannon. No, if they run out of anything it is men. Human flesh.”
May 20th, 1908.
Silence. For the first time in more than a month, the guns at Saska Kępa fall silent. Ironically, both the Russians and Austrians called off the attack on the same day, almost within an hour. They simply cannot go on anymore. The landscape is simply lunar. There are no trees, no vegitation, no green. Only dirt, mud, blood and death. Men stare at eachother with vacant expressions.
A Rare Aerial View of the Saska Kępa Battlefield
The toll of the Battle is staggering. Of the nearly 2.5 Million men involved in one way or another in the battle, more than half lie dead, wounded or missing. The Russians alone lose more than 900,000. The Central Powers lose some 700,000. 50,000 men a day were lost. It is the bloodiest battle in human history.
The battle cripples both sides. The Austrian army has lost enough men to the point that it can no longer mount offensive operations alone. Russia, for the first time in its history, faces a manpower shortage. “Death.” one soldier says, “We are swimming in death…”
Captured Russian Infantry and Guns
May 25th, 1908
Tsar Nicholas II reluctantly signs the order for all men aged 18-60 to be drafted into the military. Russia needs bodies, and fast.
June 2nd, 1908
Weeks ahead of schedule, the first dozen “Boxes” secretly arrive with an infantry divison in Moravia. The machines themselves are Motorgeschütz Mk. II s. At their maximum speed, they can achieve 10 MPH. It carries a 37mm cannon and two machine guns. Its armor is practically inpenetriable to small arms fire. The first 50 Boxes are still being turned out of the Skoda plants and should be at the front by July.
June 5th, 1908
In Leipzig, the monarchs of the Central Powers nations and their respective military staffs meet for a week-long conference on what steps to take next in the war. Both Ferdinand of Bulgaria and Luitpold of Saxe-Bavaria clamor for a peace settlement, but Kaiser Franz Joseph refuses to give the Russians even one inch of land. “Austrian survival is at stake!” he pleads.
June 13th, 1908
At the conclusion of the Leipzig Conference, Saxe-Bavaria and Bulgaria eventully concede to Franz Joseph.
Militarily, Austria simply does not have enough men to fight offensivly. Convinced by Marshal Von Hötzendorf that the Box would be able to solve manpower shortages by sheer firepower, protection and mobility, the Kaiser puts in orders for an additional 150 of the machines to be built. The Saxe-Bavarians also agree to send another army to the front, putting Saxe-Bavarian troop strength in Galicia and Moravia at 1,100,000, more than half the entire Saxe-Bavarian army. Bulgaria also agrees to send more troops to make up for Austrian losses.
June 21st, 1908
Austrian and Saxe-Bavarian mountain units liberate the small portion of Eastern Galicia that the Russians still held. Having sent as much as they could west, Russian lines were extremely thin in the area. However, the Austrians are also severely weakened, and do not have the numbers to continue an offensive into Russia itself from Galicia.
June 22nd, 1908
From bloody spring to relatively quiet summer, the Great Eastern War continues. Both sides are on the verge of collapse. Russian industry has been stretched to the limit; their people are beginning to starve and are tired of war. The Austrians have taken horrendous losses, although not on the scale of the Russians. Their industrial base is much, much larger than the Russians, but it is still nothing on the scale of a Britain or France. The Austrian military has invested the success of the war on one weapon. One secret weapon they feel can make up for the losses they took in the Battle of Saska Kępa. The Box must deliver.
To Be Continued…
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Given the rushed development of the "box" you would have to expect serious reliability issues, not to mention a poor range and all the other problems the first British tanks encountered, but magnified due to the compressed development. From an engineering point of view is nearly always reliability that suffers when you rush.
Still interesting to see what will happen and I keenly await the next update.
Still interesting to see what will happen and I keenly await the next update.
Seeing the looses, the Russians are making a good war. Since their population is much bigger than the population of Austro-Hungary and Prussia together.