Moltke Goes East

[Umeu]

I'll write it here, so the Potzblitz thread doesn't get clogged.

Keep the right wing strong. These were his dying words. The words of a fool, Moltke must've thought. He knew it in his bones, the war can't be won in the west, but it can be lost there. Let the last man on the right brush the channel with his sleeve. Fool, fool, thrice damned fool. Brush the channel and do what? Wave the British gunboats into submission? For the British navy would surely be waiting. They had issued a stern warning in the days after Austria declared war and set the continent ablaze. His spies had told him that King George had reviewed the navy to assure it would be in tip top shape. No, going west would lead to death.

The debates were heated, the Kaiser desired Paris, but in the end, Moltke had convinced all. Warsaw, Minsk, Moscow, this would be the road to victory. And so, on the 1st of August, as Belgium braced for war all thought inevitable and France stood tall, ready to attack the Alsace, Moltke secretly sent his crack troops east.

The war had not been going well so far. Austria, hellbent on vengeance, blustered into Serbia and Bruderman's cavalry corps got smashed trying to cross the Danube. The general drowned on his retreat. Moltke raged when he heard the news. Hotzendorf was a bigger fool than Schlieffen. The failed attack left the Galician front was weakened and in chaos. Troops were moving into new positions, ready to launch an offensive when the dreaded news came from SIGINT. Russia had rushed mobilization, and they were about to invade Galicia. Moltke almost had a breakdown then. He wasn't ready, half his army was still being trained across the country, heavy artillery lagging well behind the infantry to make matters worse. Was he the biggest fool of all?

The Russian Bear charged headstrong into Galicia, mauling the defenders badly. Tarnopol fell, Dankl's corps holding the left got destroyed, sending the general to the hospital and Lemberg, its position untenable, was evacuated. Surely Przemysl will hold the advance, at least for a little while, Moltke hoped. But God seemed fond of bears, and the might fortress fell within days.

And while the bear tore through Austria, he sent his cossacks to devastate Prussia. For a moment, it looked as if the war was lost. Moltke could do nothing but see his bet through to the end. And suddenly the tables turned. The armies arrived east and launched a desparate drive towards Warshaw. Lodz and Radom fell within days of each other. Sweden sailed in defense of their Germanic brothers, and Germany, rather than cowed by the Cossack invasion, rallied to the cause. They would die rather than retreat behind the Vistula. This was their home, their heart. And surging forward, they launched a counter offensive which was fueled only by love for God and Country. They met the Russians at Tannenberg and tore through their ranks. Samsonov killed himself as he saw his army disintegrate. Hindenburg, mastermind of the victory, replaced Prittwitz in command, who was worn out after a valiant defense of East Prussia. He retired with full military honors.

Press the advantage, Moltke wired Hindenburg. And the Germans started an advance that would not stop for over a year, even through winter they marched into Russia, stopping only to reclaim Galicia on their way forward. For after having recovered from the initial blow, the KuK conducted themselves admirably, holding the line firmly at Stanislau, Cernowitz and Krakow. Even, to everyone's surprise managing to maintain the offensive in Serbia. Though no major gains were made, the Serbian army was slowly pushed back.

Moltke was proud. His plan was working. The French could not break the Metz Mulhouse line, and redirected troops to reinforce Serbia instead. The defenders were brave, but a typhoid epidemic threatened to do to their lines what the Austrians could not.

Motlke couldn't care less who killed them, as long as they died. The Russian army was in complete disarray. His advance had overwhelmed them, bludgeoned them into a Great Retreat that looked more like a massive rout.

The Ottomans, seeing the way the war would go, shelled Sevastopol and joined the war. Immediately starting to prepare for an invasion of Sinai, for when the British would inevatibly join to help out France and Russia. Italy, outraged by this decision and seeing their African colonies threatened once more, joined the Entente soon after. But Moltke had anticipated this, and he was ready. Armored trains moved into key positions, fixing the front in place. Italy too, crossed the Adriatic rather than trying to break through.

Enver Pasha smelled blood and invaded the Caucasus. The Russians, desperately trying to stimy the bleeding in the heartlands, were overwhelmed and nearly cut of at Sarikamish. Will the city fall? Elsewhere, the Ottomans advanced as well. Rushing to claim the Suez, they met stiff opposition and where checked. Rather than breaking through en force, they ferried agents across with bags of gold, to bribe their Senussi brethren into overthrowing the British yoke. The desert, too, would soon be alight with fires. And death.

Death is what the Ottomans will bring to the treacherous Kuwaiti. Death and destruction.

[Robotron]

Great movie review, where can I rent it? And who the *bleep* is Hindenberg?

[Umeu]

Great movie review, where can I rent it? And who the *bleep* is Hindenberg?

haha I typed it on my phone on the bus, there are a few typos and things I need to fill in still. Will get to it later as the game progresses and I can type from home

Glad you liked it though