Crusade and Revolution, Turn 2

 

Second turn continued with National offensive. Main lines of attack were concentrated in Extremadura and Andalucia. National tried also some attacks to disturb defensive republicans positions at the mountains (Somosierra, Leitariegos,..) but all of then failed on a 1/1 result. Republicans was still playing mainly for replacements and Strategic redeployements combined with low operations cards to relocate reduced units.

Both players initiated the turn by playing the cards providing foreign aid. Now National can get Axis units and Republican will get Soviet units (the much expected T-26 brigades).

First national goal has been accomplished as the succesful assault on Badajoz allows the connection of the two fronts:

 

The second noticeable attack was directed against Malaga. Again Republican defence did not stand and another VP city was lost.

Before the end of the turn, National launched a final strong attack against Jaen but failed,

then, Republican played event to automatically place three positions (He chose Jae, Durango and Talavera)and secure the city.

This is the situation at Asturias:

Madrid where Republican reinforced the mountains:

Andalucia,

and Extremadura (Republicans got a position at Pto Peña),

Crusade and Revolution. Turn 1

 

First turn was concentrated in the initial attacks of the Nationalist side. Republicans were mainly retreating to better defensive positions when possible by playing strategic redeployments and, at the same time, looking for replacements.

National has gained terrain in Extremadura but could not connect his two sides. Republican defensive line is quite thin:

In the Northern Front, initial attack captured Castropol but stopped there:

Main National effort came in Andalucia where African units attacked Loja in order to cut Republican lines towards Malaga:

Republican did not hesitate to retreat. This put Malaga in a difficult position to be saved, meaning the loss of both VP and RM but Republican is trying to play long term strategy without sacrificing units..

 

Crusade and Revolution

 

After a few months without online games we are now ready to start a new fight over a digital board.

This time, strongly biased by Alberto (Mol) opinion I (Alberto P) have accepted to try Crusade and Revolution.

This game, published by Compass Games, has been designed by David Gomez Relloso and it translates the gameplay and mechanics of the famous Paths of Glory to the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War.

A.M. tried the game a few times, both by using Vassal+ACTS or in our gameclub. For me it will be the first play.

Map is beautiful as well as it has clear and nice cards and counters.

Centennial PoG. Turn 5

After the fall of Belgrade and Warsaw, the main objective of this turn for the CP was to clean the rest of Serbians troops and completely control the Balkans. For this, they achieved to bring Bulgaria into war, releasing some Austrian armies that were fundamental to defend the Alps.

Bulgaria enters the war.

The last day of Serbian troops.

And, in fact, Italy was the center of this turn as Italians launched an offensive against the Austrian defensive positions and were menacing to penetrate into the plains of Hungary.

Italianas have achieved to take Villach, routing the Austrian Corps and were besieging Trieste. An Austrian Army from the Balkans was quickly relocated at Zagreb to stop the Allied. On the other side of the Alps, French attempted to assault Trent but failed.
GE 7th Army abandoned Strasbourg and began to move towards Innsbruck and Villach to help Central Powers in this critical situation.

The German Army forced the Italians to retreat to safer positions. Their last try on taken Trent alsoresulted in big losses for the Italians and an halt to their offensive intentions.
VP=12, WS, CP=6, AP=7

Centennial PoG. Turn 4

The arrival of fresh units in Winter 15 allowed the Austrians to continue their attack on Belgrade. This time, Serbian efforts were not enough and their capital had fallen to the Central Power. At the same time, German Armies continued their invasion in Poland, defeating the garrison at Ivangorod fortress and penetrating into Lublin.
Trying to release some pressure from other fronts, Allied begin a series of operations in North Italy to menace the weak corps guarding the fortress at the Alps.

CP answered by bringing more corps into the mountains.

In Belgium, a strong British force (1st Army and BEF) opposed the weak northern flank of German front line.

After playing Landwher, German were safe at the West and they launched a new offensive against Russia.

But, fortunately there was enough Russian reserves to fill the hole.
In overall a good turn for CPs. They conquered Belgrade and destroyed Serbian Armies that can not be rebuild. In Russia, they have made good advances. Only in Italy has the Allied some place for counterattack.
VP=10, WS, AP=7, CP=4

Centennial PoG. Turn 3

 

After the successful attacks in France during the first months of the war, Central Powers shifted their attention to the Balkans problem. Bringing more Austrian Armies into play, they launched an attack on Belgrade that it was rejected by serbians.

Then, there was a series of maneuvers in France to better place the troops. German was making some retreat to avoid combat with French while gaining terrain in Poland. Latter on the turn, Allied decided to bring Italy into war. This immediately provoked an urgent strategic redeployment by Central Powers:

 

Turn finished with some small attacks by Allied player to obey his Mandatory offensive (French). This is the map at the End of Turn 3:

VP: +11. WS: AP=7, CP=3.

Centennial PoG. Turn 2

 

September 1914 saw more bloody combats in the Western Front. Both sides put more Armies into the Battlefield (Br, Fr and Ge reinforcements cards were played this turn).

German continued the offensive against Verdun fortress and, with a overwhelming victory (again 7 steps), forced the French to retire to Bar-le-Duc. Then German besieged Verdun and the rest of GE Armies were attacking French at Bar-le-Duc and the strong positions at Nancy.

GE attack on Verdun

GE hit Bar-le-Duc and Nancy

French achieved to repel the attack on Nancy (4-7) causing heavy casualties but were routed from Bar-le-Duc  and there was a real critical situation with Central Powers menacing to cut-off the French troops at Nancy and Belfort.

More French Corps were called from the Reserve to fill the gap. Then German offensive went for a rest to replace some of the exhausted soldiers.

Western Front at the End od Turn 2

In just two months of combats, French has already lost 4 Armies of their initial setup. British Reinforcements should arrive ASAP or the entire front will collapse.

In the East there was no much activity this turn. Just a few combats around AH border at Ivangorod were the rest of Russians Corps were routed. This is the situation:

 

This time, Allied did not fulfill their MO (British) and lost 1 VP.

End of turn 2: VP: +10. WS, AP=5, CP=2. Thus, next turn, Allied will move to Limited War.