The Harrowing of East Prussia August 1914, 1st Ed #1 |
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(Attacker) Russian Empire | vs | German Empire (Attacker) |
Formations Involved |
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Overall Rating, 4 votes |
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4
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Scenario Rank: --- of 940 |
Parent Game | August 1914, 1st Ed |
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Historicity | Historical |
Date | 1914-08-15 |
Start Time | 07:00 |
Turn Count | 12 |
Visibility | Day |
Counters | 51 |
Net Morale | 0 |
Net Initiative | 3 |
Maps | 2: 45, 48 |
Layout Dimensions | 56 x 43 cm 22 x 17 in |
Play Bounty | 161 |
AAR Bounty | 171 |
Total Plays | 6 |
Total AARs | 1 |
Battle Types |
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Inflict Enemy Casualties |
Meeting Engagement |
Road Control |
Scenario Requirements & Playability | |
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August 1914, 1st Ed | Base Game |
Introduction |
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Russian cavalry led the advance into German territory, scrupulously avoiding incidents with the local population. That wouldn't stop German propagandists from describing rape, robbery and arson on a wide scale, attributed to "the Cossacks." The Russian cavalry's probe came to a halt near the village of Lindental, where they ran head-on into the locallyraised German regular cavalry division. |
Conclusion |
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Russian cavalry was probably better-trained than its German counterpart, but the Germans marched to war in a haze of mass hysteria. Sharp squadron-level actions all along the front checked the Russian advance, and neither side's cavalry would be able to outflank the infantry now engaged in bitter fighting to the south. |
Wild and Wooly on Horsies | ||||||||||||
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You have to start somewhere, so starting my Infantry Attacks experience with the first scenario in the first published game sounded like a good idea. Plus the OOB for both sides is almost exclusively cavalry, and where else can you find the "Bloodlust" special rule. This rule does not allow the German player to dismount his horses until three German steps are lost, or five units are demoralized. In practice, the Bloodlust rule works in reverse: the German player will go out of his way to loose those three steps, to that he can dismount. While cavalry can charge (+2), it cannot opportunity fire and is weaker while mounted, albeit faster (MA of 5). The victory conditions make for a dynamic, swirling, battle of maneuver and occasional, sharp, action, as both sides seek to outmaneuver the other. The Germans have the advantage of better initiative and numbers, but their job is tougher, as a Russian major victory is within reach. In my solitaire game, the Germans barely eked out a minor victory, when a Russian unit demoralized on the last turn of the game while sitting a hex on the crucial east-west road. Demoralization cost it control and the game. Likewise, the German player barely got one unit in position on the cross roads south of the town, to rob the Russians of a major victory. Like pretty much all PG scenarios I have ever played, this one was a well balanced and exciting contest. |
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