Pete Atack - May 28, 2007 1:39 pm (#18617 Total: 18627) AAR : Marne 1918 - Friedensturm I'm finally getting around to posting my notes. Also posted on BGG and the Marne 1918 Friedensturm Folder. GT1 (27-29 MAY 1918) Operation Blucher Under direction of the German 7th Army, the opening volley's of artillery and waves of men step off. But this is different - the artillery barrage is specific, concentrated, and violent in its execution and the lead assault is led by men who move across the shell pocked No Man's Land like the rats who plague the trenches. And they move with a purpose... Unsuspecting, the forward French lines are cleared before the defensive fire can even mount. The Chemin des Dames and the Aisne River valley are under German control with a day and a half of the attack. Fighting around Soissons takes time, the 5 German divisions take the key town once some supporting artillery makes it through the mud to support with fires. Just in time also - as 4 French divisions move up, surprised to find the Hun so far behind the lines. Fismes also falls along with most positions northwest of Reims. Minor fighting north of Compiegne does little but grind up several units on both sides. Losses in 3 days total 11 Allied divisions and large numbers of guns to only 2 German divisions and several Stoss companies. GT2 German units, already stretched, launch limited combat operations on the plateau between Soissons and Reims and await the artillery and line divisions to catch up. Taking advantage of the time, the French 6th Army received several reinforcing divisions (about 20km south of Soissons) and moves them into the line. GT3 Continued clashes southeast of Soissons see German units trade losses with the strengthening French. The first clash with armor in the sector also happens as the Ger 1st Guard Div eliminates several tanks after splitting them away from their supporting infantry. GT4 Under Von Hutier's direction, 14 German divisions eventually join the attack around Soissons easily pushing the defenders back from the vital town. Successful advances bring the attack to within 9km of Villers-Cotterets. Rapidly mounting French losses also force some portions of the line to be left exposed - and exploitable. Undefended as such, Dormans falls under German control. GT5 & 6 Constant German action drains the French Strategic Reserve. Local attacks move spearheads closer to Chateau-Thierry (15km away) and Villers-Cotterets, but few German units remain uncommitted to take advantage of recent gains (the German Strategic Reserve holds several divisions, but is still untouched by High Command). GT7 In close fighting, the 1st Bavarian Div captures Villers-Cotterets but again, the German advance stalls for lack of manpower. A quick march by other units also comes close to stealing away Chateau-Thierry, but a long forced march places French infantry there just ahead of the German vanguard. GT8 & 9 A rough line along the Soissons-Villers-Cotterets-Ourcq River line holds stable as opposing forces try and gather strength. Finally hitting back, strong French counterattacks at Crugny (south of Fismes) quickly threaten to break the German defense held by weak line divisions and expose the supply line back to the main German depots. GT10 & 11 La Matz Offensive Looking to break the French resolve another coordinated German push is launched. While failing to gain key terrain in the needed sectors, the offensive breaks the French center along the Ourcq River. At the close of the 3 days of fighting, German commanders openly complain that the weak divisions holding their flanks (south of Fismes and north of Villers-Cotterets) drew off too many units when successful French probes threatened to overrun the lines. GT12 & 13 The attacks continue along two routes - one aimed at Crepy Valois and the other at Chatteau-Thierry. Both involve several divisions - and result in heavy losses for both sides for few meaningful gains. GT14 No major fighting, but the signs of a major German buildup are obvious around Villers-Cotterets. Distressingly - French land to the west and southwest lay weakly defended. GT15 Friedensturm Main targets : Chateau-Thierry, Epernay, Pont Ste Maxence, Senlis & Crepy en Valois. Victory here means victory in the campaign. Failure may leave the German Armies badly extended and in non-supporting positions. Mustering several elite divisions and most of the remaining Stoss companies a wide German push rapidly finds holes and opens them wider. Crepy en Valois is cleared of French defenders, but poor coordination leaves the town open until the second day of the offensive - a crucial setback. Senlis and Epernay fall to fast moving German units in shades of 1914. Just the opposite, 3 days of heavy fighting around Chatteau-Thierry ruins 3 German divs & frighteningly reminds both sides of the losses suffered back in the trenches. On the final day of the planned offensive, massed French artillery cripples a last attack on Chatteau-Thierry allowing the disorganized defenders of the 167th Division to shoot the German advance to pieces. GT16 With the French bled white, German troops from the 5th and 200th Divisions break, unopposed, from Senlis & capture Nogent & Pont Ste Maxence. To the south, the roads to Paris lay wide open and the French government, seeing reminders of the Franco-Prussian War, hastily evacuate Paris and begin considering a Peace Treaty to end the war... German Decisive Victory Basic Notes Yes - embarrissingly, 2 German divisions found the gap in the line and captured towns worth enough VP to win the game. French oversight and high casualties... German offensives : very powerful even though only one gained the necessary VPs to be considered a success. The attritional power alone was enough to break the defense of France. Allied Offensives : one was about to be launched (with units that could have held the German miracle breakout?). Chits : know when to start removing some from the pool as allowed to free up some you really need (to go on the offensive, or get more offense / defense minded chits in circulation when you need them). Artillery : I am close to saying avoid counter-battery fire when possible and concentrate on smashing the attacking units especially when you can destroy elite regiments (they can be tough to recover from the reserve / rebuilding chart).