Here’s a turn by turn replay of Drive on Paris, played by four veteran
wargamers over the course of one weekend. After ten turns we decided to
rename the game to Drive on Köln. 

Turn 1

In order to open the road into Belgium for the 1st and 2nd armies, the
assault troops cross the Meusse and move around Liège supported by the
2nd cavalry corps in an attempt to encircle the fort and it’s garrison.
No attack is made as of yet but the Belgian troops prepare for the
defense of their country. The Belgians retreat the 3rd division from
Liège leaving the 15/5 brigade to hold the fort. In the Elzas the
fighting begins as the 40th French division comes under attack by
Germany’s 14th corps supported by the 3rd cav corps at Briey. Both take
some losses and the French are forced out of the town. Germany put
together a defensive line and sits tight as they await the French
attack.

In the Elzas the French respond by attacking the 4th Bavarian division.
This division takes some losses but unfortunatly the remnants stagger
into the 20th corps’ route of march and are destroyed. The French also
take Altkirsch and Thann. 

Turn 2

The 2nd and 6th Bavarian divisions decide to take revenge for the
destruction of the 4th. Together with the 3rd cavalry corps they attack
and destroy the 13th division and two cavalry divisions for good
measure. They then move on to assault the 20th corps but start to take
losses when they find out that the 20th is not called the Iron corps for
nothing. The 33rd division advances in the direction of Verdun. In
Belgium, Liège has fallen after an artillery and infantry assault. 15/5
brigade is destroyed in the fighting. German cavalry (4/2 and 2/2)
advances on Leuven and attacks 3rd Belgian division which retreats into
Leuven to join the 6th infantry division. Meanwhile the main forces of
the 1st and 2nd armies cross the border and begin their advance.

The Belgians brace for the German assault. 8/3 brigade to defend Namur.
6th, 3rd and 2nd Belgian divisions to defend Antwerp. 5th infantry and
1st Belgian cavalry to defend Brussels. 4th and 1st to defend Gent. The
French step up their attacks in the Elzas. The 1st Bavarian reserve
division was destroyed around Saarbourg, The 27th division was destroyed
defending Chateau Salins. At Verdun the spearheading German 33rd
division was dissolved by the entering colonial troops. A solid line was
formed by the French at and beyond the river Selle.

Turn 3

In Belgium the fortress of Namur comes under attack by the German
artillery and assault troops. The artillery overshot the fort and the
infantry ran into heavy defensive fire costing Emmerich’s force 30%
losses. Belgian morale soared after their first real victory. 4/2
cavalry decided to take advantage of the open country beyond Namur and
charged into Lille where they surprised a few French quartermasters who
were preparing the mobilization of some territorial divisions. The
Teutonic horsemen destroyed the military instalations, carefully
ignoring the fact that Lille wanted to be an open city, and dug in to
await the arrival of 1st army infantry units. At Sedan two German corps
destroy one French division in an uneven contest.

The Belgians decide to evacuate Brussels to the advancing Germans. Gent
remains garrisoned. The first elements of the BEF enter at Dunkerque and
advance to Lille and destroy the inquisitive German cavalry there. The
small French 5th army moves forward and takes up a position around
Maubeuge and Valenciennes. In the Elzas the French attack all along and
across the Selle river destroying the German 26th and 34th divisions and
causing losses to 31st and 5th Bav while sustaining moderate losses
themselves. After the attacks by the French it was possible for a
cavalry division to get to mob point 5. The French also take defensive
positions along the Meuse.

Turn 4

The Germans counterattack at Thann destroying the 41st division and
recapture Saarbourgh at the cost of the men of 13th corps. In Belgium
the 1st army marches into Brussels and with the fall of Namur the fight
for control of the country shifts to the redoubt at Antwerpen. The 1st
army marches toward the fortress of Maubeuge.

The French 5th army decides not to take on the full force of Germany’s
1st army at this time and retreats to a riverline at Vervins. The BEF
moves into Belgium and on to Oudenaarde and Tournai while maintaining
control of Lille. In the Elzas the French continue attacking beyond the
Selle river, killing another two German divisions (26th and 28th Res.)
the attacks prove costly however with many a Frenchman biting the dust.
A French counterattact in the region of Thann kills the 29th division.

Turn 5

More German troops have arrived in Belgium further consolidating the
gains of the German army. The siege gun failed to damage the fort at
Maubeuge but the following infantry assaults were partially succesfull
in reducing the fortress. Emmerich’s men lead the attack and again took
some losses. The 2nd army troops around Antwerpen start infesting the
city and soon the Krupp gun will be brought up to lay proper siege to
the city. German troops of the 1st and 2nd armies have also crossed the
border into France. The initial attacks against parts the 5th army were
succesfull in securing better defensive positions which cost the Germans
some losses in the 3rd infantry corps. The French losses however were
considerable. The 67th reserve division was anihilated and the 69th res
of the 9th res corps had to retreat with losses. In a follow-up attack
the French 6th division took losses and had to retreat together with the
60th res division. The German center consolidated its positions without
any fighting. 5th reserve corps was railed in from the 4th army area to
Altenkirchen to cover Mulhouse, the target of the French 1st and Alsace
Armies, reinforced by very strong colonial troops. 7th Army however
began to feel a little outmatched.

French 5th army retreats to the next riverline at Laon in an attempt to
lure the Germans further into France. The BEF advances towards Maubeuge
and takes up a defensive position near Valenciennes hoping to divide the
attention of the German 1st army between themselves and the 5th. The
eastern part of the French line has to stay connected with the western
part and retreats behind the Meuse again. A powerfull attack close to
Belfort slams into a fierce German defense who hold their position
splenditly.

Turn 6

Germany decides to send extra troops to Russia when confronted with the
fast mobilization of the Czar’s troops. 10th corps of 2nd army and the
18th corps of 4th army are earmarked for transport together with a
division of the 3rd cavalry corps. In the Lorraine the Germans put
together a strong assault against the advance forces of France who take
heavy losses. In Belgium the siege of Antwerpen has begun with the
arrival of assault infantry and a siege gun. Gent is captured and the
fortress at Maubeuge is destroyed. The 1st army puts up a thin line
against the 5th army and focusses it’s full attention on the BEF as ten
1st army divisions, including the guard, completely surround four
British divisions. There’s no attack yet but the BEF will have to
respond quickly or face destruction.

French attacks in the Elzas and Lorraine are very succesfull as a total
of six divisions are destroyed and Albrecht’s HQ is overrun. In this
theatre the advantage is definitly shifting to the French. In the west
the British have one chance to break the encirclement. The remaining
infantry and cavalry division of the BEF advance on the German guard and
after a furious battle the BEF breaks the encirclement with only light
losses but at the expense of three German divisions including the two
guard divisions which are utterly destroyed. The 5th army decides it’s
strong enough to test the thin line in it’s front and quickly marches
forward. Von Kluck is quite surprised when two 5th army divisions show
up within ten kilometers of his HQ. The 1st army is caugth of balance.

Turn 7

The 2nd army gears up for the assault on Antwerpen but makes little
headway this turn. Elements of the 2nd army have taken Oostende,
Antwerpen is surrounded by secondary troops. The 1st army makes a
movement to the rear and sets up a defensive position. The Belgian
position now completely hangs on the control of Antwerpen. In the east
the Germans make a frantic effort to put a defensive line together.

The Allies now realize they are in better shape and position than their
enemies and move to take advantage of the situation. In the east the
French start a full scale assault from the Meusse to Mullhouse. These
attacks meet with serious losses but this is the same for the Germans
who al in al lose seven divisions. When the smoke cleared there was a 50
km wide gap beyond the Selle and French presence east of Metz. Mulhouse
is also seriously threatened by the French. In Belgium the 5th army and
the BEF also move forward. The British destroy one division and the
French destroy an undefined amount of landwehr and ersatz forces in the
forest east of Avesnes.

Turn 8

The Belgians are put in slightly hopeless position as the fall of
Antwerp seems only a matter of time. The destruction of the Belgian army
would free up the bulk of 2nd army for the fight against the French and
British as 1st army could really use some assistence. Meanwhile Mulhouse
is reinforced and the breakthrough is contained as all available troops
are sent to the Elzas. In the longwy area several local counterattacks
take down three French divisions with little loss to the Germans.

In the east the French forces concentrate for yet another big push. The
only fighting takes place near Mulhouse where three German division are
crushed. In Belgium the British bulldog refuses to let go of it’s prey
and attacks near Mons together with the 5th army destroying two German
divisions and damaging two others. Albert tries to save his army by
screening Antwerpen with one division and attacking to the west with the
rest. Oostende is recaptured by the Belgians. Albert’s attack is not as
succesfull as it should be however and the encirclement is not breached.

Turn 9

Antwerp is finally captured by the 2nd army but the attempt to
strengthen the hold on the Belgian army meets with disaster as the
encircling troops west of Antwerpen are cut down by a tenacious Belgian
defense. This German defeat gives Albert another chanche of breaking out
to Oostende. In the east the German army can do nothing but guess where
the French blow will land and hold on for dear life.

The BEF continues its attacks and after destroying two German divisions
moves in position 20 miles from Brussels. The Belgians narrowly escape
the encirclement and break out to Oostende at the expense of a reduced
Landwehr division. The French 5th Army also continues it's drive forward
and reaches Charleroi after a brief fight. At the Longwy area the French
push forward and kill another two divisions while losing one. Close to
Belfort the French try to push around Mulhouse Taking 2 German divisions
down in the process. Close to Saargemund and Metz. The Germans loose
another division, but now at severe cost to the French.

Turn 10 …

Was not played. The German army was facing destruction on all fronts and
the Allied forces could hunt down and destroy anything that got in their
way. There were just seven German divisions in France at this point. 1st
and 2nd army had suffered to many losses to keep the Belgians, British
and French off their back. In the Elzas the French held complete
dominance over their adversary.

The game saw a ‘no holds barred’ slugfest on the eastern front. Both
commanders dispensed with any tactics that wouldn’t allow them to get at
each other’s throats now. In the west the advancing Germans only met
open ground and the odd fortress untill they reached Gent and Antwerpen
which had to be held. The French also made a distinct point of staying
out of 1st army’s reach. This served to stretch the German forces.

Turn 6 was the definite turning point. The clean (and lucky) break made
by the BEF together with the rapid advance of 5th army forced 1st army
to spend it’s next turn readjusting to the situation instead of pressing
forward. In the east the Germans lost a total of 13 divisions and an HQ
in turn 6 and 7 with the French also taking losses but only in the form
of reductions. The Allies pressed the advantages they gained these turns
for the remainder of the game.