From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PATHS OF GLORY Game Play Ananda Gupta and I have been playing GMT's new game PATHS OF GLORY (WW I strategic game) designed by Ted Raicer via the internet. Because we have been exchanging messges (Ananda is in Maryland and I am in Minnesota), a log of the game has been created which I thought it would be interesting to share with the list as the best example of game play as you can follow the game in detail and get a sense of how it works. It would also be a good reference for those who are playing the game and want to brush up on their rules to insure that they have picked up all the nuances of the game. As you will see, I had some rules work to do myself during the game. Anyway, hope you all find these game turn reports enlightening. Warren Sogard From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG -- Turn 1 Turn 1 Report: Sogard: I am now ready. Bleys 98: Excellent Bleys 98: I roll '6' for mandatory offensive, which is RU Bleys 98: and draw 7 cards for my hand Sogard: I just rolled a "5" for CP mandatory offensive which is No Attacks Required. Sogard: I am keeping the GUNS OF AUGUST in my hand; and am drawing six additional cards now. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: Wow Bleys 98: I think this is the best Allied hand I've ever drawn Sogard: I am playing the GUNS OF AUGUST card as my first Action. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: What about your mandatory offensive DR? Sogard: I am gonig to attack the French 5th Army in Sedan with the attack marked 1st, 2nd and 3rd German Army and I am going to attempt a flank attack. Sogard: I rolled a "5" for my mandatory offensive roll (reported earlier) so I do not have to make any attacks this Turn. Bleys 98: Oh, sorry... gotta work on that blindness there :) Bleys 98: ok roll for flank attack Sogard: I am not going to play any combat cards; are you? Bleys 98: No (btw combat cards except for Wireless Intercept come after flank attack DR) Sogard: I just rolled a "4" for the flank attack; so it succedes. Bleys 98: OK Sogard: I just rolled a "1" on the attack; so I inflict 4 Loss Points on your 5th Army (flips). Bleys 98: I roll a '4' on the 2 Army column which is 2 Loss Points for no effect. I retreat two spaces... through Chateau-Thierry to Melun. Sogard: The German 1st Army (Liege) and the 3rd Army (Koblenz) advance into the Sedan space. It is now your turn. Bleys 98: Rape of Belgium as a 4 OPs. Bleys 98: Belgian 1st Army moves to Ostend. BEF moves to Cambrai. RU 5th (Dubno) and 8th (Kamenets Podolski) flank attack the Austrian 4th in Tarnopol. Bleys 98: Flank attack DR of '4' succeeds. Bleys 98: Play "Pleve" Combat Card. Bleys 98: Do you have any combat cards? Sogard: I am not playing any combat cards. Bleys 98: OK... my combat DR on the 6-8 column is a 4+1 = 5, for 5 Loss Points. Bleys 98: Pleve combat card is removed from the game. Bleys 98: RU mandatory offensive is satisfied. Sogard: The Austrian 3rd Army is destroyed and replaced by a flipped Corps which retreats to the Uzhgorod space. Austrian fire is ineffective against the Russian attacking Armies. (can only inflict a max of 1 Loss Point) Bleys 98: OK your move Bleys 98: er, sorry Bleys 98: RU 5th advances to Tarnopol Bleys 98: NOW your move :) Sogard: CP plays Reichstag Truce card (CP card #9) as an OPS card. Sogard: German 1st & 2nd Armies (Sedan) are marked ATTACK; German 2nd Army (Liege) is marked MOVE; German 4th Army (Metz) is marked MOVE; and Austrian full strength Corps (Czernowitz) is marked MOVE. Bleys 98: You actually also have the GE 5th in Metz, so they are both so markesd Bleys 98: -s Sogard: Austrian Corps (Czernowitz) moves to Munkacs and joins the reduced strength Austrian 2nd Army. German 2nd Army (Liege) moves to Brussels space where it removes Allied trench. German 4th Army (Metz) joins the 2nd Army in Brussels. German 1st and 3rd Armies (Sedan) attack BEF Army in Cambrai space. Sogard: No possibility for a flank attack at Cambrai; so the German Armies will fire on the 10 column Army table and the BEF will fire on the 5 column Army Table. Bleys 98: OK Sogard: The Germans are not playing any combat cards; are you? Bleys 98: Nope. Bleys 98: BEF rolls a '6' for 5 LP -- one GE army flips Sogard: The Germans roll a "1" for 3 LPs; BEF flips but wins the battle and does not have to retreat. German 3rd Army flips at Sedan. Something wrong with my German die rolling today.... Bleys 98: eek Bleys 98: Allies play Moltke (#9) as an event. Your move Bleys 98: Also, VP level now = 11 (10 + Brussels) Sogard: Falkenhayn* card is played by the Central Powers as an EVENT card (cancelling the Moltke card effects). You move. Bleys 98: OK (CP War Status and Combined War Status now = 4) Bleys 98: Allies play Entrench as an event. Place level 1 trench in Ostend. Your move Sogard: As I understand it, this now means (CP War Status of 4) that the Germans can now end a move in Ostend, Calais and Amiens without playing the Race to the Sea card. Correct? Bleys 98: That is correct Bleys 98: They may also attack RU forts Sogard: Central Powers play the ENTRENCH* card ( CP #6) as an OPS card. 2nd and 4th German Armies (Brussels) are marked ATTACK. 1st and 3rd German Armies (Sedan) are marked ATTACK. Flipped German Corps in Bremen is marked MOVE. Sogard: Flipped German Korps in Bremen moves to Metz. The four German attacking Armies in Sedan and Brussels attack the BEF in Cambrai. No flank attack is possible. No German combat cards are played. Do you wish to play a combat card? Bleys 98: I wish. No. Bleys 98: And actually a flank attack IS possible, but it would have no DRMs Sogard: Well, no flank attack is made. The Germans roll a "5" for combat inflicting 7 Loss Points on the poor BEF. Bleys 98: BEF rolls a '2' on the 4 column for 2 LP, no effect. Bleys 98: BEF is eliminated, replaced by BEF Corps which is also eliminated. Germans may advance to Cambrai Sogard: The German 2nd Army (Brussels) advances into the Cambrai space. It is now your 4th Action Phase. Bleys 98: VP = 12 (10 + (Brussels, Cambrai)). Thinking Sogard: Take your time and yes, the Kaiser now has 12 Victory Points. (Planning the triumphant entry into Paris victory parade.) Bleys 98: Putnik as a 2 Ops Bleys 98: Nancy and Melun activate for movement. Bleys 98: The FR 3rd in Nancy moves to Chateau-Thierry; the (FR 5th) in Melun moves to Rouen. Bleys 98: The FR 4th in Nancy attempts to upgrade its trench. DR = 1; success. Trench in Nancy is now level 2 Bleys 98: Your move Sogard: OberOst card is played as an OPS card. Sogard: German 2nd Army (Cambrai) is marked ATTACK. German 1st and 3rd Armies (Sedan) are marked ATTACK. Sogard: German 2nd, 1st and 3rd Armies all attack the French 2nd Army in Chateau Thierry space. A flank attack will be attempted. Bleys 98: OK Sogard: A "3" is rolled which means the flank attack is successful (pinning force is in Sedan, flanking force is in Cambrai). Do you wish to play a combat card? Bleys 98: No. Allied Combat DR = '6' (I'm keeping this die!!!) for 4 LP. Bleys 98: erk Bleys 98: 6 AFTER you take your swipe Bleys 98: Apologies Sogard: The Germans fire with 13 combat points on the 12-14 Army column table. A "2" is rolled for 5 loss points which flips the French 2nd Army. The French fire back on the 2 column of the Army fire table and roll a "6" which inflicts 3 loss points which flips the German 1st Army. The Germans have won the battle (5 loss points to 3) which means the French 2nd Army must retreat from the Chateau Theirry space. Bleys 98: indeed. Bleys 98: the FR 5th retreats through Paris to Melun. Sogard: The Germans determine prudence is the better part of valor and do not advance into the Chateau Thierry space. It is now your move. Bleys 98: hehe Bleys 98: Allies take a 1 OPs, forgoing card play, and attempt to upgrade trench at Verdun. Bleys 98: DrR = '1'; trench at Verdun is now level 2. Bleys 98: (Both FR armies stay put) Sogard: For the Central Powers 6th Action, the CP plays the SUD ARMY card as a REPLACEMENT card yielding 1 Austro-Hungarian replacement; 2 German replacements; and 1 Turkish replacements. Sogard: When do the Turks enter the war? Should they have been set-up as soon as the Central Powers War Status Marker hit "4"? Bleys 98: Allied #6 = Blockade (#2) as an Event. Allied War Status = 2; CP War Status = 4; Combined = 6. Attrition: I see no OOS units. Siege: I see no sieges. (Correct me if I am wrong on both counts) Bleys 98: No, the Turks enter when the Central Powers are at Limited War. Since War Status is not checked at the end of turn 1 (see the player aid, 1914 Special Rules), the CP will go to Limited War during the War Status Phase at the end of turn TWO, and that's when the Turks set up. Bleys 98: VP = 12 (as before); game goes on (no AV or armistice), war commitment levels not checked, so on to the RP phase. I have no RPs; you have one AH and two GE... the Turkish one vanishes since neutral nations may not receive RPs. Sogard: Does the fact that "War Status" is not checked for August 1914 also effect the Limited War effect on both the Race to the Sea card and Russian forts since the CP does not reach Limited War until its War Status is checked? Bleys 98: No. Note the wording on the 1914 Special Rules... it says that the CP may not end moves in the channel port spaces unless Race to the Sea is played or the CP War Status is >= 4... not "or the CP are at Limited War." Subtle but very important difference. Sogard: Thanks, just wanted to be clear on the rule. Bleys 98: Go ahead and spend your RPs, unless I missed some attrition/sieges Sogard: The Austrians spend their one replacement point by bringing back the 3rd A-H Army (reduced) at Budapest. The Germans spend their two replacement points by flipping the German 1st and 3rd Armies (Sedan) back to full strength. And, the Turkish replacement point is lost. Bleys 98: OK, draw new cards... I will not discard any combat cards. I draw 6 new (7 last turn, spent 5 during action rounds, one as a combat card, thus 1 left). Bleys 98: and advance GT marker to Sept. 1914 Sogard: The CP has had two cards permanently removed from play (Guns of August and Falkenhyayn) and the Allies have had three cards removed (Moltke, Putnik and Blockade). Bleys 98: Not Putnik... Pleve Bleys 98: And I also have Entrench removed, so I have four cards out Sogard: You are right -- good thing I checked. Sogard: I have now taken the next six cards in the CP card pile (no re-shuffeling of the cards yet and no new cards added). Bleys 98: Remember that if you are left with combat cards at the end of a turn, before drawing new cards you may discard the combat cards. Sogard: OK then, I do have a Combat card left in my hand and I will discard it -- it is the Severe Weather Combat Card and joins the CP discard pile. Bleys 98: OK, so you draw 7 cards from the drawpile. Sogard: Correct -- there are no cards remaining in the CP card pile (but 5 CP cards in the discard pile). Bleys 98: right. From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG - Turn 2 Bleys 98: Allies roll for mandatory offensive.... Bleys 98: a '4', for IT. IT is neutral so no effect. Sogard: The Central Powers roll a "5" which means no attacks required. Bleys 98: The politicians are quiet. Bleys 98: Your action. Sogard: Thinking -- this will take a couple of minutes as I plot out turn strategy. Bleys 98: ok Bleys 98: me too Sogard: Central Powers play the German Reinforcments* card (CP #12) as a Reinforcement card which brings on the 10th German Army at Essen and two additional German Corps into the CP Reserve Box. Bleys 98: yipes Bleys 98: Be careful Bleys 98: if you do that then I can put the 8th and its corps at Insterburg OOS right now Sogard: OK, re-thinking the move. Bleys 98: The reason I couldn't do that before was that Russian units may not attack OR besiege German forts during August 1914 Bleys 98: since, to cut the GE 8th out of supply, I have to besiege Konigsberg, that's only possible on GT2 and beyond Sogard: Yes, I see the threat now -- OK, taking back the card play.... and our REAL decision is: Bleys 98: (Some German General Staff member is cashiered) Sogard: Too much captured French champagne is being drunk at Supreme HQs. Bleys 98: hehehehehe Sogard: Now, as I understand it, Corps in the Reserve box can only be strategically redeployed to a space that already contains a friendly unit -- is that correct? Sogard: Units ON the map can, however, be strategically redeployed to any friendly space. Is that the way you read it? Bleys 98: a unit of the same nationality (not the same as a friendly unit) or to their capital or supply source in their home nation. Bleys 98: Units on the map can be SRed anywhere, subject to limits on transfer of corps to the Near East Sogard: The CP plays the German Race To The Sea card as an OPS (3) card. Move markers are placed on the Insterberg space, the Budapest space and the Metz space. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: At Insterberg, the German Corps moves to the Konigsberg space and the German 8th Army moves to the Lodz space via Tannenberg and the Plock (now German territory) space. Bleys 98: OK... VP marker goes to 13 Sogard: The Austrian 3rd Army (reduced) at Budapest moves to Uzhgorod and joins the reduced A-H Corps already there. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: At Metz, the Germans will try to upgrade their trench with the German 5th Army. A "6" is rolled and the trench improvement attempt fails. It is now your move. Bleys 98: hmmm. Bleys 98: Allies play British Reinforcements (#14) as an event. BR 1st Army appears in London; 1 BR corps to the Reserve Box; Allied War Status goes to 3; Combined War Status goes to 7. Your move Sogard: CP plays the German Reinforcements* card (CP # 7 with the 9th Army identified) as a STRATEGIC REDEPLOYMENT card. Four German Corps leave the CP Reserve box (leaving 4 in the box) and 2 German Corps SR to the Lodz space (and join the German 8th Army), 1 Corps goes to the Breslau space and the last German corps heads west and arrives in the Sedan space where it joins the German 1st and 3rd Armies. Bleys 98: hm. Bleys 98: Allies play French Reinforcements (#10) and the French 10th Army enters at Paris. Your move Sogard: CP plays the A-H Reinforcements* card as an EVENT card. A-H 7th Army is placed on the Budapest space and two A-H Corps are added to the CP Reserve Box. Your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Russian Reinforcements (#8 -- 2 corps) as a 2 OPs. Bleys 98: Activate London and Rouen for movement. BR 1st Army in London moves to Amiens. FR (5th Army) moves to Melun. Bleys 98: Your move Sogard: CP plays the German Reinforcements* card (CP #12) as an EVENT card. 10th German Army arrives in the Essen space and two German Corps are placed in the Reserve Box (with 6 German Corps now in the box). Bleys 98: Allies play Severe Weather (#7) as RPs, for 1 BR, 1 FR, 1 RU. Your move Sogard: CP plays the Wireless Intercepts* card (CP #2) as an OPS card. The Essen space and the Sedan space are activated. The 1st German Army (Sedan) moves the Calais space via Cambrai capturing the Calais space and increasing the CP victory point total to 14. The German 3rd Army (Sedan) moves to Cambrai. The German 10th Army (Essen) moves to the Sedan space and joins the full strength German Corps there. Bleys 98: ok Bleys 98: hmmmmm. Bleys 98: Russian Reinforcements (#3) as a 3 OPs Bleys 98: Activate Melun, Rouen, Kamenets Podolski Bleys 98: all for movement Bleys 98: the RU 8th in K-P moves to Czernowitz (VP goes to 13) Bleys 98: the FR 3rd moves to Rouen Sogard: I do not show any units in Roun -- what do you have there? Bleys 98: the BR Bleys 98: eek you're right Bleys 98: I mean Amiens Bleys 98: Amiens activates Bleys 98: the FR 3rd moves to Amiens Bleys 98: and the BR 1st in Amiens attempts to entrench Bleys 98: Entrench DR = 1 (again!!! amazing) Bleys 98: success. Level 1 trench in Amiens Bleys 98: your move Sogard: I show the French 3rd Army in Verdun -- what army moves to Amiens? Bleys 98: I have the 1st and 2nd Armies in Verdun, 3rd and 5th in Melun Bleys 98: No one has ever moved to Verdun, and the 1st and 2nd start there Sogard: The game set-up has the French 3rd and 4th Armies starting Verdun. Bleys 98: Bleys 98: The FR 3rd in Nancy moves to Chateau-Thierry; the (FR 5th) in Melun moves to Rouen. (copied from about halfway through) Sogard: Ok, that was where the error was made -- the French 3rd Army does not start in Nancy; it starts in Verdun. We should quickly go through the French units on the map an insure that they are all in the right place. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: OK, you're right... I switched the 1st & 2nd with the 3rd & 4th at setup time Bleys 98: whoops Sogard: That is what I thought. Bleys 98: BEFORE my move, I have the following Frogs: Bleys 98: 10 & (6th) in Paris Bleys 98: parentheses denote a flipped unit Bleys 98: (3rd) & (5th) in Melun Bleys 98: (9th) in Bar le Duc Bleys 98: 1st & 2nd in Verdun Bleys 98: 4th in Nancy Bleys 98: two corps in Belfort Bleys 98: 1 corps in Grenoble Sogard: Ok, I have the same -- you just switched the set-ups for 1st, 2nd Armies with the 3rd & 4th. Let's see; that costs you 5 victory points...... (chuckle) Bleys 98: hehehe Bleys 98: no, 7 VP, since it's currently at 13 Sogard: Ok, let's do your move then. Bleys 98: OK... FR 3rd to Amiens, BR 1st already there entrenches successfully (level 1) and RU 8th moves to Czernowitz. Sogard: CP plays the von Francois card (CP #3) as an OPS card. The Calais and Cambrai spaces are marked for ATTACK. The Germans will not play any combat cards. Do you wish to play a combat card? Bleys 98: No. Do your worst, Boche. Bleys 98: Allies roll a '3' on the 9-11 Army column, for 4 LP. One GE army is flipped Sogard: The Germans have 15 combat points which means they will fire on the 12-14 column of the Army Fire Table after being shifted one column left for the trench. The Germans roll a "4" for 5 Loss Points. The Germans flip their 3rd Army in Cambrai. You must reduce one of your Armies and then determine if you want to stay in the hex and take another loss because you lost the battle. Bleys 98: In fact, I must eliminate the FR army, and the resulting corps, to satisfy the loss (since the FR 3rd was already reduced). THEN I have to decide whether to flip the BR 1st to stay there. Sogard: Yes, you are correct there. Good catch on the rules. I forgot that you must satisfy the combat result if you can. Bleys 98: And so it is done. The FR 3rd is eliminated and replaced with a corps (3 LP), the corps is flipped and eliminated (2 more) for a total of 5. Then I decline retreat and flip the BR 1st to stay in Amiens. Bleys 98: My move? Sogard: Yes, it is your move. Bleys 98: Withdrawal (#6) as RPs. 1 BR, 1 FR, 1 RU. Action phase is over Bleys 98: No units are OOS (the BE 1st is in sea supply). There are no sieges. VP = 13 (10 + (Cambrai, Calais, Brussels, Lodz = 4) - (Czernowitz). No AV, no armistice, Central Powers go to Limited War. Turks set up. Sogard: I will set-up the TURKS now; figure out your replacement scheme. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: BR spends 1 RP to flip the 1st Army in Amiens, and 1 more to flip the corps in Basra and Port Said to full strength. Bleys 98: FR spend 1 RP to flip each of the 5th (Melun) and 9th (Bar le Duc) to full strength. Bleys 98: RU has suffered no losses and so both RU RPs vanish (RPs may not be accumulated, surprisingly). Bleys 98: the FR 3rd and 1 corps remain in the deadpile. Bleys 98: You now add all of your Limited War cards to your old draw pile and your discards, shuffle all three together, and fill to 7 cards (after discarding unwanted Combat Cards). From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG - Turn 3 Bleys 98: Allies roll a '1' for mandatory offensive = FR Sogard: CP rolls a "6" for mandated offensives; so none need be made. About the only thing I am rolling well so far this game. Bleys 98: no kidding Bleys 98: my dice have been hotter than the weather Bleys 98: your action Sogard: The Walter Rathenau card is played as an OPS card. The Calais space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The Cambrai space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The Brussels space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The Mulhouse space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The Budapest space is marked with a MOVE marker. Bleys 98: Yikes!!! Sogard: The Austrian 7th Army moves from Budapest to the Munkacs space where it joins the A-H (2nd Army) and a Corps. Sogard: The German 4th Army (Bussels) attacks the fort in the Antwerp space. Bleys 98: OK... the fort cannot hurt the GE 4th, so go ahead and roll Sogard: The Germans roll on the 5 column of the Army Fire Table and roll a "5" which results in 4 loss points which destroys the fort. The German 4th Army remains in Brussels and does not advance. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: The German (7th Army) in Mulhouse attacks the two French Corps in Belfort along with the Fort. The Germans have 3 Combat points and are shifted one column left for the trench and one additional column left for the mountains. The Germans fire on the 1 Army column and roll a "3" which causes 1 Loss Point. Bleys 98: OK... the two corps cannot hurt the GE army, and need not retreat because the GE army is flipped. Flip 1 corps Bleys 98: Actually, I lied Sogard: Actually, I believe you can hurt the German Army. Bleys 98: the corps + the fort is on the 4 corps column Bleys 98: shifted once, to the 5. On a '6' I hurt Sogard: If you roll a six. Bleys 98: And what do you know... a '6' Sogard: Your dice are truly miraculous. Bleys 98: I'm gonna take this one to WBC!!! Sogard: The German Army is reduced to a full-strength German corps. Sogard: The 1st German Army (Calais) and the 2nd and (3rd) German Armies (Cambrai) attack the BEF in Amiens. The Germans have 13 combat points shifted one column to the left for the trench in Amiens so they are on the 9-11 column. Do you wish to play a combat card? Bleys 98: No combat card for me. Bleys 98: BR 1st fires on the 5 column (4 combat points shifted 1R for the trench) Bleys 98: Allies roll a '1' for 2 LP Bleys 98: no effect Bleys 98: blah Sogard: The Germans roll a "5" which is 5 Loss Points. Sogard: What do you want to do. Bleys 98: hmmm. Bleys 98: I'll flip the army for 3 and then eliminate it (replace with corps) to stay in Amiens Bleys 98: Actually, let me think about that Sogard: Take your time..... Bleys 98: I changed my mind. Just flip the army and then retreat through paris to Rouen Sogard: OK. Bleys 98: Are you advancing with either the GE 1st or 2nd? Sogard: The German 1st and 2nd Armies will advance into Amiens and the Allied Trench is removed. Bleys 98: Both, eh? Sogard: Yup. Bleys 98: boy, when they say "reinforce the right" they mean it Bleys 98: hehe Bleys 98: Allies play Rape of Belgium as a 4 OPs. Bleys 98: hmmmmm. Bleys 98: one second. Bleys 98: Place MOVE markers on Rouen, Melun, Bar le Duc, Belfort Bleys 98: FR 5th in Melun and FR 9th in Bar le Duc both move to Chateau-Thierry. BR 1st in Rouen moves to Calais via Le Havre and London (VP = 12). Flipped Corps in Belfort moves to Nancy (leaving 1 full strength Corps there). Your move Bleys 98: er, leaving 1 full strenght Corps in Belfort. Sogard: This is getting interesting. I forgot that you can move across the channel BOTH ways -- damn the Royal Navy! Sogard: The CP plays the TSAR TAKE COMMAND card (CP #28) as an OPS card. Place an ATTACK marker on the Amiens Space. Place a MOVE marker on the Cambrai Space. Place a MOVE marker on the Brussels Space. And, place a MOVE marker on the Metz Space. Bleys 98: OK Sogard: The German (3rd Army) in Cambrai Space is NOT moving; but will attempt to entrench after all movement is completed. The German 4th Army (Brussels) will move to the Cambrai Space. The reduced strength Corps in Metz will move to the Liege Space. And, the German 5th Army in Metz will roll to increase the Trench in Metz up to level 2. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: Go ahead and roll the entrench attempts Sogard: The Metz roll is a "5" which fails to bump up the Trench in the Space. The Cambrai Trench roll is a "5" which also fails. I have yet to get a unit to entrench in this game..... Bleys 98: eep. Sogard: You have not missed one and I have not made one. Bleys 98: That's because they issue us shovels instead of bullets Bleys 98: whereas all you Boche have to dig trenches with is those spikes on your helmets Sogard: The German 1st and 2nd Armies in Amiens now attack the BEF in Calais. The Germans have 10 combat factors and will fire on the 9-11 column of the Army Fire Table. Do you wish to play a combat card? The Germans are not playing any. Bleys 98: Actually, you're on the 6-8... 1L shift for the swamp Sogard: You are right; want to play a combat card? Bleys 98: I play Severe Weather for a +2 drm. I fire on the 3 column... '4' +2 = 6 for 4 LP. Sogard: The Germans fire back and roll a "1" for their combat roll which yields 3 loss points. The German 2nd Army flips and the Germans have lost his battle. Bleys 98: The BR 1st is eliminated; replaced by a BR Corps. Bleys 98: If I had better cards... Bleys 98: man. Bleys 98: you'd be in trouble. Sogard: If I had better die rolls; so would you be in trouble... Bleys 98: as it is, playing all those Events early on is beginning to hurt. Bleys 98: Yeah... your die rolling has been pretty amazing. Sogard: Nope, my die rolling is NORMAL; your is AMAZING.... Bleys 98: indeed. Bleys 98: although the disaster at Amiens didn't help. Anything but a 1 and I flip someone. Still, someone also took some bribes at your shovel factories. Bleys 98: I play Russian Reinforcements (#8 -- 2 Corps) as a 2 OPs. Place ATTACK markers on Chateau-Thierry and Verdun. Bleys 98: (Severe Weather is still face up in front of me BTW) Bleys 98: All forces in those spaces (the FR 5th and 9th in Chateau, the 1st and 2nd in Verdun) attack Sedan. Bleys 98: Allies play no combat cards. Do you? Sogard: The Germans do not play any combat cards. Bleys 98: OK... Allies roll a '2' (you jinxed me) for 4 LP. Bleys 98: The FR Mandatory Offensive is satisfied. Sogard: The Germans fire back with 7 Combat factors and roll a "5" which results in 5 Loss Points. I'll be damned, I finally won one! Bleys 98: Allies flip the FR 1st Army in Verdun. Sogard: Now, is the rule that I MUST take the first loss with my reduced Army in order to satisfy the Corps loss? Bleys 98: I thought the GE 10th (unflipped) was in Sedan... so you have to flip the Army to its reduced side and then also flip the Corps. Bleys 98: The rule is just that you have to take as many of the LP as possible. If there are multiple ways to do that (which is surprisingly rare) you may choose, but you have to apply your losses such that the whole sequence results in the most LPs (but never more than was rolled) are taken. Sogard: You are corect, I was looking at the Cambrai space and NOT the Sedan space. The German 10th Army is reduced and the German Corps is also reduced. I have won the battle and retain control of Sedan. Iron crosses are handed out in buckets.... Bleys 98: OK, your move Bleys 98: (But if it HAD been the Cambrai space that suffered 4 LP, you are correct... you would have had to eliminate the GE 3rd and then reduce the replacing Corps) Sogard: The CP plays the LANDWEHR* card as an EVENT card. The German 10th Army (Sedan) and the German 3rd Army (Cambrai) are restored to full strength. Your move... Bleys 98: Saw that one coming, hehehe Bleys 98: Putnik as a 2 OPs. Place MOVE markers on Chateau-Thierry and Ostend. Bleys 98: The BE 1st moves to Calais. Bleys 98: Chateau-Thierry is, predictably, an entrench attempt Bleys 98: DR = 6 = failure. Your move Sogard: CP plays the Race To The Sea card (CP 8) as an OPS card. The Cambrai Space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The Sedan Space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The Liege Space is marked with a MOVE marker. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: That was CP Action #4, correct? Sogard: The (Corps) in Liege moves to Brussels; then to Ostend where it captures the Space (CP Victory level moves up to 14) and eliminates the Allied Trench; then continues on to Antwerps where it captures the Space (CP Victory level moves up to 15); and finishes its move by moving into the Brussels Space where it finishes its move. Bleys 98: I have VP = 14. 10 starting + (Brussels, Ostend, Antwerp, Cambrai, Lodz = 5) - (Czernowitz) = 14. Bleys 98: Did you forget to mark yourself down for losing Calais? Sogard: The German 3rd and 4th Armies (Cambrai) and the German 10th Army along with the (Corps) now attack the Chateau Thierry Space and will attempt a Flank Attack. A "5" is rolled (changed the color of my dice) and the question is whether or not you want to play any combat cards. You are correct on the VP Total. It should be 14 and not 15. Bleys 98: I play Withdrawal (#6) which is removed from the game. Go ahead and roll Sogard: The Germans roll a "4" which is 7 Loss Points on the 16+ column of the Army Fire Table. Sogard: You take your casualties and then return fire. Bleys 98: OK... the Allies eliminate the FR 5th and replace it with a corps, which is itself flipped. They fire back on the 4 column, rolling a '4' for 3 LP. GE must flip one army. After the losses are taken, the FR corps is flipped back to full strength. The Corps retreats to Bar le Duc. The FR 9th retreats to Melun. Sogard: The German 4th Army (Cambrai) is flipped. The German do not advance into Chateau Thierry and the Space remains under Allied control. It is now your move Bleys 98: The Allies play British Reinforcements (#1) as an Event, placing the BR 2nd Army in London and a Corps in the Reserve Box. Allied War Status now = 4, combined war status = 8. Bleys 98: your move Bleys 98: Keep in mind that, in theory, Italy could enter the war as soon as next turn. Sogard: The CP plays its MATA HARI* card as an EVENT card. You must disclose to me the remaining card you have in your hand. Then I will announce my OPS choices... Bleys 98: It is Russian Reinforcements (Allied #11), which brings in the RU 9th and 10th Armies. Sogard: The CP places a MOVE marker on the Cambrai Space and a MOVE marker on the Sedan Space. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: Dig like a madman!!! Sogard: The German 3rd Army (Cambrai) moves to the Ostend Space. The German Armies in Cambrai and Sedan will attempt to entrench. The roll for Cambrai is a "1". The roll for Sedan is a "5". So, Cambrai receives a Level 1 Trench. It is now your move. Bleys 98: Allies will take a 1 OPs action. Place a MOVE marker on London. BR 2nd Army moves to Calais. Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: The CP plays its German Reinforcements* card (CP #7 - 9th Army) as a REPLACEMENT card. The A-H gets 1 Replacement; Germany gets 2 Replacements and the Turks get 1 Replacement. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: Allies play Russian Reinforcements (#11) as an EVENT. The RU 9th and 10th Armies are placed in the "To Caucasus" space. Bleys 98: (I would have had to do something else if this were the Intro scenario; luckily this is the whole shebang.) Bleys 98: I do not believe any units are OOS; nor are there any sieges (again, correct if I am wrong) Bleys 98: The VP Marker is at 14 -- 10 starting + (3 Belgian spaces + Cambrai + Lodz = 5) - Czernowitz = 1) = 14 Bleys 98: No Auto victory; no armistice; Allies go to Limited War. Bleys 98: CP remain at Limited War. Bleys 98: The outstanding Severe Weather Combat Card is discarded, and will thus re-enter the Allied draw pile. Bleys 98: Allied RPs: 1 BR, 1 FR, 1 RU. RU vanishes. Bleys 98: wait Bleys 98: scratch that Bleys 98: forgot to take off my RPs from last turn. Bleys 98: I have no RPs. You have 1 AH, 2 GE. Bleys 98: and 1 TU which vanishes. Bleys 98: While you spend your RPs I will draw 7 cards from my spiffy new draw pile. Sogard: A-H spends a replacement point on the A-H 3rd Army which is in Uzhgorod. A-H Army is now at full strength. Sogard: The Germans spend a replacement on the German 4th Army (Cambrai). The 4th Army is now at full strength. The last German replacement point is spent to bring the German 7th Army on at reduced strength in Essen. As you wrote, the Turkish replacement point is lost. Bleys 98: OK. Allies have drawn 7 new cards from their new draw pile. CP to draw. GT marker advances to turn 4 (Winter 1915). Sogard: I have drawn six new cards from the CP card pile (not discard) and retained one card in my hand. Are we now ready for the mandatory offensives roll? From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG - Turn 4 Bleys 98: We are. Allies roll a '3' (BR). Bleys 98: Haig takes command!!! Bleys 98: Your Action, after MO roll. Sogard: The CP rolls a "6" (hey I am good at something!) and no offensives are mandated for the Central Powers. Bleys 98: I dunno... your dice weren't THAT bad last turn Bleys 98: Anyway, your action Sogard: The CP plays the BULGARIA* card as an EVENT card. The card is permanently removed from the game and Bulgaria joins the Central Powers (No Italy this turn). The CP War Status marker moves up two spaces (4 + 2 = 6) to the 6 Space. The Combined War Status Marker is now in the 10 Space. It is now your move. Bleys 98: Indeed Bleys 98: Tell me where the Bulgarians set up Sogard: The Bulgarians set up as follows: the two required Corps set up in Sofia; a Corps in Varna; a Corps in Plevna; a Corps in Strumitsa and a Corps in Philippoli. Bleys 98: OK Bleys 98: Allies play Landships (#28) as a 4 SR. SR the BR Corps in Calais to Basra (sea move). SR 1 RU Corps from the Reserve Box to Kars. SR a second RU Corps from the Reserve Box to Czernowitz. SR the FR Corps in Grenoble to Paris. Bleys 98: Your move Sogard: Just a moment please..... Sogard: OK, misread your BR Corps move as an ARMY move and did not see how that was possible. Back to the game now. Bleys 98: I wish it were possible, hehe Sogard: The CP plays the SUD ARMY* card as a Strategic Redployment card. Two A-H Corps leave the Reserve Box and go to the Villach Space. A Turkish Corps SRs from the Mosul Space to the Baghdad Space. Another Turkis Corps SRs from the Ankara Space to the Baghdad Space. It is now your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Yudenitch (#29) as an EVENT. The RU Caucasus Army goes in Batum. Your move. Bleys 98: (Counts as a RU Reinforcement Card) Sogard: The CP plays the HIGH SEAS FLEET* card (CP #25) as a REPLACEMENT card. The A-H receives 2 Replacement Points, Germany receives 3 Replacement Points, The Bulgarians receive 1 Replacement Point and the Turks receive 1 Replacement Point. It is now your turn. Bleys 98: ok Bleys 98: Allies play British Reinforcements (#15) as an EVENT. Place BR 4th Army in London, and one more Corps in the Reserve Box. Sogard: The Central Powers plays the A-H REINFORCEMENTS* card (CP #20) as an EVENT card. The Austrian 10th Army is placed in Budapest. It is now your move. Bleys 98: hmmmmm. Bleys 98: Allies play Romania (#16) as a 5 OPs. Bleys 98: Place MOVE markers on London, Calais, "To Caucasus," and Kovno. Place an ATTACK marker on Batum. Bleys 98: BR 4th in London moves to Calais. RU 9th and 10th in "To Caucasus" move to Kamenets Podolski. Bleys 98: Calais attempts to entrench. DR = 4 (failure). Bleys 98: the RU 1st in Kovno also attempts to entrench. DR = 3 (failure). Bleys 98: RU CAU Army and 1 Corps attack the TU corps in Rize. Allies play no Combat Cards. Do the CP have any Combat Cards to play? Sogard: Now who is the Batum Corps going to attack? Bleys 98: They both attack Rize. Bleys 98: (It can't attack anyone else) Sogard: Faulty Turkis intelligence; I placed the Russian CAU Army in Baku, not Batum. Oh well, it is what you get for playing the Turks.... Bleys 98: hehehehe Sogard: I am not playing any combat cards -- are you? Bleys 98: No. Allies roll a '3' for 3 LP. Sogard: The Turks roll a "5" for 1 Loss Point. The Turkish Corps is destroyed and placed in the Eliminated/Replaceable Units box. You need to take your lose and determin if you want to advance... Bleys 98: The RU Corps is flipped. The RU CAU Army advances into Rize. Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: The Central Powers play their WAR IN AFRICA card (CP #32) as a Strategic Redeployment card. A German Corps in the Lodz Space SRs to the Trebizon Space. A Turkish Corps in the Adrianople Space SRs to Trebizon. A Turkish Corps in the Damascus Space SRs to Trebizon. A German Corps in the Reserve Box SRs to Lodz. It is now your move. Bleys 98: I see no legal SR route between Lodz and Trebizond Bleys 98: The Serbs are in the way Bleys 98: and the still-neutral Romanians Sogard: I thought you could SR through neutral Romania. Bleys 98: ! Bleys 98: Really? Bleys 98: "The route between the two spaces may only enter friendly-controlled spaces" 13.1.6 Sogard: Your right -- just my muddled thinking. I am going to re-think my card play... Bleys 98: OK Sogard: I will still play the WAR IN AFRICA card as a Strategic Redeployment card. The Turks will SR from Damascus (as before), from Adrianople (as before) and from Constantinople to the Trebizon Space. The Austro-Hungarians will SR one Corps from the Reserve Box to the Trent Space. Bleys 98: Can't SR directly from the Reserve Box to the map unless there is a unit of the same nationality already there, or it is the capital or supply source inside the unit's home nation. Bleys 98: So the AH SR can't go. Bleys 98: You can SR one of the corps from Villach to Trent though. Sogard: Right you are again, so I will SR an A-H Corps from Villach to Trent. Now it is your move. Bleys 98: Allies will take a 1 OPs Action. Place an ATTACK marker on Calais. All units in Calais attack Amiens. Allies play Air Superiority (#19) for a +1 DRM. Do the Germans want to play a combat card? Sogard: The Germans will not play a Combat card. Bleys 98: OK. Allies have 10 combat points (2 BR armies, 1 BE). Firing on the 9-11 column, the Allies get a '5'+1 = '6' for 7 LP. Bleys 98: GE fire back on the 6-8. Bleys 98: BR mandatory offensive is satisfied. Sogard: The Germans have 8 Combat Factors with no combat adjustments. The Germans roll a "6" which is 5 Loss Points. Bleys 98: (Classic WWI bloodbath! Woo hoo!) Bleys 98: "Air Superiority" stays face up. GE must retreat twice after losses since Amiens is a clear space. Allies flip the BE 1st. Sogard: The Germans reduce their 1st Army and place their (2nd Army) in the Eliminated/Returnable Box. A Corps is also placed in the Space and this Corps is reduced. The German (1st Army) retreats two spaces to the Sedan Space. The (Corps retreats to the Brussels Space. How do the Allies handle their combat results? Bleys 98: Flip the BE 1st. Bleys 98: deciding on advance. Bleys 98: Allies decline advance. Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: The Central Powers play their A-H Reinforcements card (CP #23) as an OPS card. MOVE markers are placed on the Ostend Space, the Essen Space and the Budapest Space. Sogard: The German 3rd Army (Ostend) moves to Cambrai and joins the German 4th Army already there. The German (7th Army) (Essen) moves to the Brussels Space and joins two (Corps) already there. The A-H 10th Army (Budapest) moves to the Timisvar Space where it joins the A-H Corps already in the Space. Bleys 98: ok Bleys 98: hmmmm... Bleys 98: thinking... Bleys 98: Allies play Rape of Belgium (#13) as RPs. 1 Allied, 2 BR, 2 FR, 1 IT (vanishes), 3 RU. Bleys 98: Air Superiority goes to the discard pile (pity). Bleys 98: End of turn Bleys 98: No units OOS just yet. Sieges... none that I can see. Bleys 98: VP table... subtract one due to Blockade in Winter turn (goes to 13). Bleys 98: No auto victory, no armistice, both sides still at Limited War. Bleys 98: Allied RPs: Bleys 98: Spend one Allied RP to flip the BE 1st to full strength in Calais. Spend 2 BR RPs to bring the BR 1st from the deadpile to London. Spend 2 FR RPs to bring the FR 3rd Army from the deadpile to Orleans (if Paris is fully stacked, as it is, FR reinforcements may enter at Orleans). Spend 1/2 RU RP to flip the Corps at Batum to full strength. Remaining RU RPs vanish. Bleys 98: I will draw 6 new cards (retained one) while you do your RPs. Sogard: The Turks spend their one Replacement Point and place their eliminated Corps in the CP Reserve Box. The Austro-Hungarians flip their (2nd Army) at Munkacs for one point. The A-H spends its second point by fliping the (Corps) at Uzhgorod to full strength. The Germans have 3 points and spend one to flip the (7th Army) at Brussels. Another point is spent flipping the 1st Army at Sedan. The third point is spent to bring on the (2nd Army) in a reduced state at Essen. The Bulgarian replacement point is lost Sogard: I think we are now ready to move on to the next turn as I have just drawn six new cards from the CP card pile. Bleys 98: ok Bleys 98: Turn the fifth Bleys 98: Allied mandatory offensive roll = '2' (FR) Bleys 98: Joffre says "Forward!" and so we must. From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG -- Turn 5 Sogard: What did you roll for your mandatory offensive roll? Bleys 98: see above... '2' = FR Sogard: The CP rolled a "6" which does not require any mandatory offensives. Bleys 98: OK, CP turn 5 action 1 Sogard: The CP plays its REICHSTAG TRUCE (CP #9) card as an OPS card. MOVEMENT markers are placed on the Brussels and Villach Spaces. ATTACK markers are placed on the Novi Sad and Timisvar Spaces. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: A (Corps) in Brussels will move to the Antwerp Space and the German 7th Army will roll to entrench. It rolls a "4" so it FAILS to entrench the Brussels Space. An A-H Corps in the Villach Space moves into the Trent Space. Finally, the A-H 5th Army (Novi Sad) and the A-H 10th Army and a Corps (Timisvar) attack Belgrade. The Austro-Hungarians will attempt a Flank Attack and they roll a "1". The Flank Attack fails (how historic) and the Serbs will get to fire first. Do you want to play a Combat Card? Bleys 98: No CC for me. Serbs roll a '2' on the 3 Army Column and cause 2 LP. Sogard: I miss stated the A-H move -- the Corps moved from the Villach Space to the TRIESTE Space -- not the Trent Space. There should now be full strength A-H Corps in Trent, Villach and Trieste. Sorry about that. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: I miss-stated that, right? Bleys 98: yes. Sogard: The A-H takes its 2 Loss Points and eliminates the full strength Corps with the A-H 10th Army in Timisvar. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: The A-H fires back at Belgrade with 6 Combat Factors with no shifts. A "4" is rolled on the 6-8 column of the Army Fire Table. The result is 4 Loss Points. You need to take your Serbian losses... Bleys 98: SB army flips, is eliminated, and the resulting SB corps retreats through Nis to Valjevo. Sogard: Both the A-H 5th Army and the A-H 10th Army advance into the Belgrade Space and lay siege to the Belgrade fort. It is now your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Italy (#17) as an event. Italians set up as shown on the back of the rules. Allied War Status now = 6; combined war status now = 12. Your move. Sogard: Gotta set-up the Italians -- will take a minute. Hum a little waltz number while you wait... Bleys 98: ok Sogard: The CP plays its OBEROST* (CP #11) card as an OPS card. The Sarajevo Space is marked with an ATTACK marker and the Belgrade Space is marked with an ATTACK marker. The first attack is by the A-H 10th Army and it is going to attack the Belgrade fort. Do you wish to play a Combat Card? Bleys 98: no. Fort rolls a '1' for 1 LP; no effect on the AH 10th. Sogard: The A-H 10th Army rolls a "6" for the attack on the Belgrade fort. The Belgrade fort is destroyed and the hex is now under A-H control. The Victory Point marker is moved up one space to the 14 box. Sogard: The A-H 5th Army (Belgrade) and the 6th Army (Sarajevo) now attack the Valjevo Space and will attempt a Flank Attack. The A-Hers roll a "5" which means the Flank Attack succedes. Do you wish to play a Combat Card? Bleys 98: no. SB rolls a '1' on whatever table they end up on. (yeesh) Bleys 98: Erk Bleys 98: Never mind Bleys 98: you can't flank attack a mountain. Bleys 98: the SB 2nd Army rolls a '1' on the 2 Army column for 1 LP... no effect. Bleys 98: er, the 3 Army column. Still 1 LP for no effect. Sogard: OK, well the Austrians needed the practice; but good rule catch. Anyway, the A-Hers have 6 Combat factors shifted one column to the Left for the Mountains. They roll a "2" which results in 3 Loss Points. You need to take your combat losses and determine retreat. Bleys 98: OK, the SB flips the 2nd Army and the resulting Corps. Both retreat to Skopje via Nis. Sogard: The 5th A-H Army will advance from Belgrade to Valjevo. The A-H 6th Army remains in Sarajevo. It is now your move. Bleys 98: OK. Allies play Salonika (#30) as a 4 OPs. Bleys 98: Place MOVE markers on Tarnopol, Kamenets Podolski, London, Calais. Bleys 98: In Calais, the BE 1st moves to Ostend (VP down 1, to 13) and then back to Calais. The BR 2nd moves to Amiens. Entrench attempt in Amiens dr = 3 = success. In London, the BR 1st moves to Amiens. Bleys 98: The RU 5th in Tarnopol moves to Lemberg (VP down 1, to 12). The RU 9th and 10th in Kamenets Podolski move to Stanislaw. Sogard: What unit do you think you have in Amiens which can attempt to entrench? Bleys 98: Both the BE 1st and the BR 4th. Sogard: They are in Calais, no Amiens. Bleys 98: AGH Bleys 98: You are correct. Entrench attempt in CALAIS succeeds. Bleys 98: sigh. Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: I still gotta sort your move out -- the entrench attempt threw me off pace... Sogard: I make it that you now have the Brit 1st and 2nd Armies in Amiens unentrenched and the BR 4th Army and the BE 1st Army in Calais with a ONE level entrenchment. Is that correct? Bleys 98: That is correct. Sogard: The CP plays its PLACE OF EXECUTION* card (CP #26) as an OPS card. ATTACK markers are placed on the Prezemysl Space, the Uzhgorod Space and the Munkacs Space. A MOVE marker is placed on the Sarajevo Space. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: The A-H 6th Army (Sarajevo) moves to Trieste. The A-H 2nd, 7th Army and a Corps (Munkacs) along with the A-H 3rd Army and a Corps (Uzhgorod) and the A-H 4th Army (Przemysl) attack the Russian 9th and 10th Armies located in the Sanislaw Space. The Austrians will attempt a Flank Attack. A "5" is rolled so the Flank Attack is successful. Do you wish to play a Combat Card? Bleys 98: No. Go ahead and roll Sogard: The Austrians roll a "6" (Conrad must have been sacked by Kaiser Franz-Josef) with 7 Loss Points resulting (14 Austrian Combat Factors in the combat). You need to determine your loses and roll for combat and deal with an inevitable retreat. Bleys 98: Yipes. Bleys 98: Flip both armies, then eliminate the RU 9th and replace it with a Corps, which itself gets flipped. Bleys 98: RU 10th and reduced Corps fire back, scoring a Pyrrhic '6' on the 2 Army Column for 3 LP. Sogard: The A-H 3rd Army and Corps (Uzhgorod) are both flipped to satisfy the 3 Loss Point result. Many Austrian mothers grieve because of your nasty conteract. What do the Russians do about their retreat requirement? Bleys 98: OK... the RU 10th retreats through Tarnopol to Lemberg; the Corps retreats through Lemberg to Tarnopol. Bleys 98: Any advance? Sogard: I appreciate your good humor; but, the Austrian Emperor will not permit an advance in the face of the heavy losses. It is now your move. Bleys 98: heh heh Bleys 98: Play French Reinforcements (#24) as a 3 OPs. Bleys 98: A Move marker goes on Paris; ATTACK markers on Lublin and Lemberg. Bleys 98: The FR Corps in Paris moves to Amiens (I mean it this time, hehe). The FR 10th in Paris moves to Melun. The (FR 6th) attempts to upgrade the Paris trench (dr 4 = failure). Bleys 98: The Russians attempt a flank attack on Przemysl; +1 drm. DR 3 = success. Allies play no combat cards. Do you? Bleys 98: er Sogard: The Austrians play no Combat Cards/ Bleys 98: by "the Russians" I mean all of the units in the two marked spaces... the RU 3rd in Lublin, and the RU 5th and (RU 10th) in Lemberg. Sogard: That is the way I understood it.... Bleys 98: Just wanted to be precise. The Russians roll a '5' on the 6-8 column, for 5 LP. Take losses and then return fire. Sogard: The Austrian 4th Army (Przemysl) is removed to the Elim/Replace Box and a Corps is substituted which is flipped to satisfy your 5 LP result. The Austrians fire back with 3 Combat Factors (just the fort as the Corps has a "0" combat factor). A "6" is rolled (the Austrians must be on steroids) with a 4 LP result. The Austrians still lose the battle and retreat to Tarnow. You need to deal with the Russian dead... Bleys 98: No... you're on the Corps 3 column, so a '6' is 2 LP, not 4. Sogard: You are correct, as always -- so you only need deal with 2 LPs. Bleys 98: And you have to retreat twice, not just once. The Russians will eliminate the reduced 10th Army, replacing it with a full strength Corps. The RU 3rd will advance from Lublin, as will the Corps. Sogard: Also, the Austrian (Corps) that survived the battle could not end up in Tarnow because it must retreat 2 spaces. So the Austrian (Corps) will retreat to the Cracow Space instead and join the A-H Corps already there. Bleys 98: (incidentally laying siege to Przemysl.) Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: The CP plays its SEVERE WEATHER card (CP #4) as an OPS (2) card. ATTACK markers are placed on the Tarnow and Uzhgorod Spaces. The Austrians attack with the A-H 1st Army (Tarnow) and the A-H 3rd Army and (Corps) in the Uzhgorod Space. The Austrians will attempt another Flank Attack. A "3" is rolled which is just sufficient to permit success. Do you want to play a Combat Card? Bleys 98: Nope... go ahead and shoot Bleys 98: let's see if Conrad's replacement deserves a 6th star on his epaulets Sogard: The Austrians roll a "2" for their combat rolls after firing 4 Combat Factors. This yields a 2 Loss Point result. You need to deal with casualties and fire back. Bleys 98: The Russians lose the corps and fire back on the 3 Army chart. a '4' is rolled, for 3 LP. The RU 3rd does not retreat. Sogard: No sixth star for General von Hotsinpopin Sogard. Bleys 98: Pity. Sogard: The Austrians remove their (Corps) in Uzhgorod and flip the A-H 1st Army in Tarnow. It is now your turn. Bleys 98: Allies play Italian Reinforcements (#22) as a 3 OPs. Bleys 98: Activate Orleans, Melun for movement, and Ostrowiec for attack. Bleys 98: Erk Bleys 98: I made a mistake Bleys 98: Allies do NOT play #22 as a 3 OPs. Bleys 98: Allies play British Reinforcements (#20) as a 2 OPs. Bleys 98: MOVE marker on Melun; ATTACK marker on Ostrowiec. Bleys 98: Both FR Armies -- the 9th and 10th -- in Melun move to Chateau-Thierry, and the RU 4th in Ostrowiec attacks Tarnow. Bleys 98: Allies play no combat cards. Sogard: The Central Powers play no combat cards. Bleys 98: OK. The Allies roll a '5' on the 3 Army column for 3 LP. Bleys 98: ...? Sogard: The Austrians roll a "2" on the 1 Army column for 1 LP and lose the battle. The Austrian 1st Army is placed in the Eliminated/Replace box and the resulting Corps is flipped and then retreats two spaces to the Miskolez Space. My die rolling is killing me all over the map. Bleys 98: Russians decline advance. Bleys 98: Your move. Bleys 98: Well, at least you avoided the "Belgrade curse" -- in my group it has happened at least three times that the Austrians roll a '1' and the Serbs a '6'. No one ever BOTHERS to play Putnik. Sogard: The CP does not play a card and take the automatic 1 OPS point. A MOVE marker is placed on the Cambrai Space and an attempt to upgrade the Trench in the Space from 1 to 2 is made. A "4" is rolled and the attempt to upgrade the Trench FAILS. I have only been able to hit a Trench roll ONCE this entire game. It is now your move. Bleys 98: man. Bleys 98: Allies play Italian Reinforcements (#22) as a 3 OPs. Activate Amiens (which costs 2 OPs b/c of 2 nationalities) and Chateau Thierry for attack. Bleys 98: The BR 1st and 2nd and FR Corps in Amiens, along with the FR 9th and 10th in Chateau-Thierry, attack Cambrai. Allies play no combat cards. Got those machine guns to play? Sogard: Germans play their FORTIFIED MACHINE GUNS card (CP #18) so the Germans get a +1 to the die roll. The Germans are defending with two Armies for 10 Combat Factors. They roll a "3" which becomes a "4" with the die roll mod. This results in 5 Loss Points. Back to you for your combat roll and casualty results. Bleys 98: Well, this should make you happy... Allies roll a '1' on the 12-14 table (15 combat points, 1L for the trench) for 4 LP. Incidentally you are in a trench so you are on the 12-14 column, which is still 5 LP. Bleys 98: Someone gets sacked. Allies flip the BR 2nd Army and eliminate the FR Corps in Amiens. The FR Mandatory Offensive is satisfied. Sogard: You are correct, I forgot that the Trench gives you 1 shift to the Right. Bleys 98: the Germans win the (First, heh heh) Battle of Cambrai, so the Fortified MG card remains active. Sogard: The German 3rd Army is flipped and reduced. I think that finishes your 5th Action, correct? Bleys 98: Yep. Your move Sogard: The Central Powers play their GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS* card (CP #21) as a REPLACEMENT card. The Austro-Hungarians get 1 Replacement Point, the Germans get 2 Replacement Points and the Turks get 1 Replacement Point. It is now your move. Bleys 98: Allies play MEF (#31) as an event. The MEF Army goes in MEF Beachhead #1. Allied War Status = 7. Combined War Status = 13. Bleys 98: Turn is over. No supply attrition that I can see. Bleys 98: Siege of Przemysl DR = 3 (failure). Przemysl remains intact. Bleys 98: VP Level is currently 12. 10 starting + (Cambrai, Brussels, Antwerp, Belgrade, Lodz = 5) - (Lemberg, Czernowitz, 1 Blockade = 3) = 12, correct? Sogard: That is correct as far as I can see. Bleys 98: RPs... Russians spend 1 RP to bring back 1 full strength Corps to the Reserve Box. FR spends 1 RP to flip the (6th Army) in Paris to full strength. BR spends 1 RP to flip the (BR 2nd Army) in Amiens to full strength. Go ahead and spend yours. I will draw new cards and roll for Mandatory Offensive. Bleys 98: Wait... did I play a RP card this turn? Bleys 98: Or did I just want to? Bleys 98: I think I just wanted to Bleys 98: ack... no replacements for me. Sogard: The CP spend a A-H replacement point to flip the A-H 3rd Army (Uzhgorod) back to full strength. The Germans spend their first point an flip the 3rd Army (Cambrai) back to full strength and their second point flipping the 2nd Army (Essen) back to full strength. The Turks have nothing to replace so they lose their replacement point. Bleys 98: I get my imaginary replacement points! We bring two imaginary Russian armies... oh, never mind. Sogard: The CP draws six more cards from the CP card pile. Bleys 98: I have drawn new cards. Advance GT marker to turn 6, Summer 1915. Allies roll '6' for Mandatory Offensive (RU). From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG -- Turn 6 Sogard: I am sorry, what did you roll again for you Mandated Offensive roll? Bleys 98: 6 (RU) Sogard: The CP rolls a "5" so they once again need not make any Mandated Offensives. Bleys 98: yeesh Bleys 98: your action Sogard: The CP plays its LIBYAN REVOLT* (CP #24) card as a Strategic Redployment (4) card. The Turkish Corps in Adsun is SRed to Gallopoli. Turkish Corps in Balikesir is SRed to Gallopoli. A German Corps in the Reserve Box is SRed to the Cambrai Space where it joins the German 3rd and 4th Army. A Turkish Corps in the Reserve Box is SRed to the Constantinople Space. It is now your move. Bleys 98: (ok, tear up THAT plan, hehe) Bleys 98: Allies play Great Retreat (#27) as a 3 OPs. Bleys 98: Move markers go on Amiens, Chateau-Thierry, and Udine. Bleys 98: All of them are craven attempts at entrenching. Bleys 98: Amiens DR = 4 (failure). Chateau-Thierry DR = 3 (success... level 1 trench in C-T). Udine DR = 2 (success! Level 1 trench in Udine). Bleys 98: It appears the British troops in Amiens have lost both their shovels AND their bullets. Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: I am only shocked that you failed one of your attempts.... Bleys 98: Hey, when it comes to cowering inside massive defensive earthworks, no one can beat us. Sogard: The CP plays its ENTRENCH* card as a REPLACEMENT card. The AH get 1 Replacement Point; the GE get 2 Replacement Points and the mighty Turks also get a measly Replacement Point. It is your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Russian Reinforcements (#3) as an event. The RU 11th Army is placed in the "To Moscow" box. One RU Corps goes to the Reserve Box. Bleys 98: Your move Sogard: The CP plays its CHLORINE GAS* (CP 15) card as an OPS (2) card. MOVE markers are placed on the Belgrade and Valjevo Spaces. Bleys 98: OK Sogard: The A-H 5th Army (Valjevo) moves to the Nis Space re-opening the Berlin-to-Baghdad railway line. The A-H 10th Army (Belgrade) moves to Budapest to take part in the military parade honoring Franz-Josef's birthday. It is now your move. Bleys 98: and a happy birthday to him. Bleys 98: Allies play Russian Reinforcements (#8) as a 2 OPs (it appears we are both scraping the bottom of the barrel card wise, hehe). Place MOVE markers on Rize and Amiens. RU CAU Army moves to Kars. BR forces at Amiens attempt yet again to entrench. Bleys 98: DR = 4 (failure AGAIN at Amiens! They better have discovered gold or something, with all that failed digging!) Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: Am I correct that you have two Corps in Kars along with your Russian CAU Army? Bleys 98: Yes Sogard: The CP plays its FLAMETHROWERS* (CP 19) card as an OPS (2) card. A MOVE marker is placed on the Trebizon Space and a MOVE marker is placed on the Budapest Space. Bleys 98: ok Sogard: Two Turkish Corps (out of three) move from Trebizon to the Erazum Space. The A-H 10th Army (Budapest) moves to the Gorlice Space. It is your move. Bleys 98: ok Bleys 98: Allies play British Reinforcements (#34) as an RP card. RPs: 1 BR, 1 FR, 1 IT, 2 RU. Your move Sogard: The CP plays no card and instead take the automatic 1 OPS point. A MOVE marker is placed in the Cambrai Space. An entrenchment attempt is made; a "3" is rolled. For the SECOND time in the game, the Germans are able to entrench. The Trench level in Cambrai is raised from Level 1 to Level 2. It is your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Severe Weather (#7) as a 2 OPs card. Bleys 98: Place MOVE marker on Amiens, ATTACK on Kars. Bleys 98: Amiens attempts to entrench. Bleys 98: DR 6 = failure (sigh). Bleys 98: A single RU Corps in Kars attacks Erzerum ("Ours not to reason why..."). I play no combat cards. RU rolls on the 0 Corps column (1 CF, shifted 1L for mountain). DR 2= 0 LP. TU, assuming no combat cards, fires back on the 4 Corps column. Bleys 98: But, happily, the RU Mandatory Offensive is satisfed. Bleys 98: +i Sogard: The gallant Turks in Erzerum fire back with 4 Combat Factors on the Corps Fire Table. A "1" is rolled for 1 Loss Point. You can flip the Russian Corps and they should thank the gods that they are fighting my Turks.... Bleys 98: And so I will. Your move Sogard: The CP plays its WIRELESS INTERCEPTS card (CP #2) as an OPS (2) card. A MOVE marker is placed on the Essen Space and a MOVE marker is placed on the Sedan Space. Bleys 98: OK Sogard: The German 2nd Army (Essen) moves to the Brussels Space. The German Armies in Sedan will attempt to entrench. A "1" is rolled and the Sedan Space has a German 1 Level Trench placed in it. It is your move. Bleys 98: OK... the Allies play the Lusitania (#26) as an event. VP marker goes to 11. Allied War Status = 9. Combined War Status = 15. Bleys 98: End of turn. No supply attrition that I can see. Sieges! Bleys 98: Siege of Przemysl DR = 2, for failure again. sigh. Bleys 98: I see no other sieges. Bleys 98: VP table = 11. 10 starting + (Cambrai, Brussels, Antwerp, Belgrade, Lodz = 5) - (Lemberg, Czernowitz, 1 Blockade, Lusitania) = 11. Bleys 98: No armistice, no automatic victory, and both sides still at Limited War. Bleys 98: Allied RPs (no longer imaginary!): BR spends one to flip the 2nd Army at Amiens to full strength. FR spends one to flip the 6th Army in Paris to full strength. IT spends one to flip the 1st Army at Udine to full strength. RU spends two to bring the 9th Army back at full strength in the "To Moscow" box. Bleys 98: Er, that should be the IT 2nd army at Udine, not the 1st Bleys 98: Allies draw 6 new cards (retained one) while you do your RPs Sogard: The Turks have no units to rebuild so they lose their precious Replacement Point. The A-H use their one Replacement Point to bring the (4th Army) back in Vienna in a reduced state. The Germans use their two Replacement Points to flip four reduced strength (Corps) back to full strength. The Spaces where the (Corps) are flipped to full strength are: Brussels, Antwerp, Sedan and Oppeln. The CP draws FIVE cards from its card pile and is ready to begin the new turn. Bleys 98: ditto. Advance GT marker to turn 7. From: Sogard@aol.com Subject: PoG -- Turn 7 Bleys 98: Fall 1915. The Allies roll... yes, what we've all been waiting for... an IT mandatory offensive! Yesssss! Sogard: The CP also rolls a "5" for its Mandated Offensives; but, in its case it means that NO mandated offensive is required. Bleys 98: ok your action Sogard: The CP plays its GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS* card (CP #22) as an EVENT card. The German 12th Army appears in Breslau and one Corps is placed in the Reserve Box. It is your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Putnik (#5) as a 2 OPs. Place a MOVE marker on "To Moscow" and an ATTACK marker on Maggiore. Bleys 98: The RU 9th and 11th Armies in "To Moscow" move to Minsk. The Italian 3rd Army in Maggiore attacks Villach. Allies play no combat cards; what about the CP? Sogard: The Austrians don't have no stinkin' Combat Cards. So none are played... Bleys 98: indeed. The Allies roll a '6' on the 1 Army column, killing the AH Corps. The AH Corps cannot hurt the IT 3rd (how sad is THAT?). The IT army, being flipped, cannot advance. This satisfies the IT mandatory offensive. Bleys 98: Your move. Sogard: The CP plays its ALPENKORPS card (CP #30) as an OPS (2) card. A MOVE marker is placed in the Vienna Space and a MOVE marker is placed in the Breslau Space. Sogard: The A-H (4th Army) in Vienna moves to the Villach Space. The German 12th Army and the Corps in Breslau move to the Tannenberg Space. It is your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Russian Reinforcements (#25) as an event. RU 6th and 7th Armies appear in the "To Moscow" box. 2 RU Corps appear in the Reserve Box. Your move. Sogard: The CP plays its 11th Army card (CP #29) as an OPS (2) card. MOVE markers are placed on the Lodz and Brussels Spaces. The German 6th Army (Lodz) moves to Tannenberg. A German Corps (Lodz) moves to Plock which leaves one German Corps in the Lodz Space. The Germans in Brussels are going to attempt to entrench. A "3" is rolled so a 1 Level Trench is placed in the Brussels Space. It is your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Phosgene Gas (#21) as a 2 OPs. Bleys 98: Place MOVE markers on Lomza and Minsk. Bleys 98: RU 2nd in Lomza moves to Warsaw. RU 9th moves from Minsk to Bialystok. RU 10th moves from Minsk to Grodno. Your move. Sogard: The CP does not play a card but instead take the automatic 1 OPS option. A MOVE marker is placed on the Tannenberg Space. The German 8th Army moves to Lodz and the German 12th Army moves to Plock. It is your move. Bleys 98: Hm. Bleys 98: I think I'm gonna lose Warsaw. Bleys 98: Play Russian Reinforcements (#32) as a 2 OPs. Place MOVE markers on Warsaw and "To Moscow." RU 2nd Army in Warsaw moves to Grodno. RU 6th & 7th Armies in "To Moscow" move to Minsk. Your move. Sogard: CP plays its von FRANCOIS card as an OPS (2) card. ATTACK markers are placed on the Lodz and Plock Spaces. The German 8th and 12th Armies (no Corps) attack the fort in Warsaw. The Germans are not going to play any Combat cards. Do you wish to play a Combat Card? Bleys 98: heh, nope Bleys 98: you automatically kill the fort, with no losses in return Bleys 98: who's advancing? Sogard: The Germans attack with 10 Combat Factors on the Army table. You are correct, the Warsaw fort dies and BOTH the 8th and 12 Armies will advance into the Warsaw Space. Bleys 98: VP = 12 Sogard: Yes, and the CP Russian Victory Point marker is now at TWO. Bleys 98: So it is. Sogard: It is your move. Bleys 98: It's a long way to #3, though. hehe Bleys 98: Allies play Cloak and Dagger (#23) as a 2 OPs (NOT an event). Place MOVE markers on Ostrowiec and Przemysl (two failed siege rolls is enough for me). Bleys 98: or maybe it's three. hehe Bleys 98: RU 4th Army in Ostrowiec moves to Bialystok. RU 3rd in Przemysl moves to... uhmmm... Lublin. Bleys 98: Actually, no, make it Lutsk. Your move. Sogard: The CP plays its ZEPPELIN RAIDS* card as a REPLACEMENT card. The A-H get 2 replacements; the Bulgarians get 1 replacement; the Germans get 3 replacements and the Turks get 1 replacement. It is your move. Bleys 98: Allies play Hurricane Barrage (#18) as a 2 OPs. Bleys 98: Move markers go on Minsk and Grodno. Bleys 98: RU 6th in Minsk moves to Szawli. RU 7th in Minsk moves to Kovno. RU 11th in Grodno moves to Szawli. Attempt entrenchment in Grodno. Bleys 98: DR 1 = success! Bleys 98: End of turn. No attrition that I can see. Sieges -- we gave up on Przemysl, so none of those either. Bleys 98: VP Table = 12. 10 starting + (Cambrai, Brussels, Antwerp, Lodz, Warsaw, Belgrade = 6) - (Czernowitz, Lemberg, 1 Blockade hit, Lusitania = 4) = 12. Bleys 98: No AV, no armistice, both sides still at Limited War. Allies have no RPs. CP may spend RPs... Allies will draw cards. Sogard: Only the Austro-Hungarians can spend any Replacement points and they have TWO this turn. A-H spends one point on bringing the reduced (1st Army) back at Vienna. The A-H spends its other point to bring back TWO reduced strength (Corps) in the Reserve Box (which has 2 Corps and 2 reduced strength (Corps) now). Bleys 98: OK, go ahead and draw cards. GT marker advances to turn 8 (Winter 1916). Sogard: The CP discards one Combat Card it held in its hand into the Discard Pile. Then is must re-shuffle the cards as there are none left in the CP Card Pile. Then, the CP draws SIX new cards for its hand while it still retains ONE card from its previous hand. Bleys 98: (Allies drew six as well)