NationStates Jolt Archive

August 19, 1914

War had come to Europe. In the past weeks the German Reich had made an attempt to secure freedom from terror and evil across the Continent. This plan however, had been dashed only days ago. The Russian and French Empires had, in their misguided sense of justice, declared war on the Reich. But the Kaiser was prepared for this; the armies were mobilized and awaiting the orders of high command. More shocking, was the entering into hostilities of Britain; the Empire whose professed neutrality was apparently a guise. This was of no consequence, Germany was the strongest nation in Europe for a reason, and now the world would see its power spring to life.

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August 19, 1914

Five Armies. One and a half million men. It was the force that would crush France. Meticulously planned and analyzed, it was a plan that, if executed properly, could crush any and all hopes for a French victory. Developed by the former German War Minister, the Schlieffen Plan was a gamble for total German dominance in the days to come.

General Alexander von Kluck, leader of the First German Army, set out that early August morning with orders directly from High Command. They were to be expected, it was the same tactics the Reich had been preaching for years.

But now, the would be put into action! The might of the German Reich will never be opposed again!

The plan was simple, five armies would make a push up into the Belgium territories to the northeast of France, and open up a direct path into the northern part of France. Two armies would lay seige to the city of Leige, and subsequent Belgian cities whereas the remaining German forces would push to the southwest into France.

These were not the only forces in battle against France. Aside from the one and a half million men approaching from the north, there was a remaining two hundred and eighty six thousand men who remained near the Franco-German border.

This was divided into a further two divisions, one (40%) which would intercept the French blow from the West, while the other (60%) wing swept into Luxembourg, capturing that region and then turning southward to drive into the flanks of the French forces.

Luxembourg was expected to fall within a day, while Leige was expected to fall within the week. High Command had carefully analyzed the information they were given. Even if the Anglo-French forces were on the move now, it would be at least a few days, perhaps a week or two before anyone but the French proved to be a major problem.

OOC: I think that's everything, I accidently closed this window when I first typed it and its about midnight here so I'm exhusted.

The Army of Belgium was ready. 1st Corps, 32,000 men three divisions, were deployed around the city of Spa. 2nd with three divisions also held the line North from the Luxembourg border to the Southern end of the 1st corps defenses.

3rd Corps with two remaining divisions were positioned in Liege. They formed the reserve and would propably be used to strengthen other two Corps, but they had still prepared a rather strong defenses between the heavy fortresses. One recently formed division was kept near Brüssels.

Both cavalry divisions, together with six Border Guard Battalions were destroying bridges from the Eastern part of the country that would be let to fall in enemy hands without a serious fight, setting traps and preparing ambushes together with some local militia units. Police of the area was used also. The mission of these Border Corps, as they were called, was to slow down the enemy and cause as heavy losses as possible, but they weren't supposed to try actually halting the massive enemy forces.

OOC: Can you post a map of Belgium?

IC:
The Soldiers of Belgium would get no support from the British, at least for the moment. Previously refusing BEF assistance, the British forces numbering 100,000 were currently heading to the French/German boarder. When It became clear that the Germans were advancing through Belgium with the majority of their force, Sir John French was torn by indecision. Numbers were still unclear, and it was of great importance that the German's advanced on neither front. Finally he ordered the 100,000 to turn around, and the force proceeded via railway back to Belgium. Hopefully the French could fend of the far smaller force by themself. It would take a few days till they could be any use to their allies, but as Sir John French thought at the time, it should serve them right for ever refusing British troops to land there in the first place.

At the same time 100,000 new British recruits had completed their training. Lead by professional officers, transportation to the Western front began, particularly Belgium once the enemies attack plan became clear. Soon they would unite with the BEF and together the 200,000 troops would help push the enemy back before they could destroy the Belgic forces completly.

OOC: I won't say another thing about this, but this is kind of unfair. See, the Germany forces shouldn't even have a chance to be intercepted by the British. The attack into Belgium would've only lasted a couple of days, a week at most.

I'm sorry I seem angry, Frozopia, I'm glad your responding. It's just frusterating that Belgium and France haven't responded to an attack that should've had its first part resolved already.

OOC: I had plenty of time to be in Germany (as the allies declared war first) but not in Belgium, which is why I am not in belgium. You can easily push threw Belgium before I arrive, especially since they refused me to land there.
So there could easily be no interception, what you worrying about?

OOC: I'm very sorry for not beeing fast enough with responding, but I don't think it has done any damage. We can use fluid time with this one, so that your troops haven't been just sitting while the French and British move.

OOC:
Who is France anyways?

The moment the German attack through Belgium became clear France sent all their forces in the north of France there to stop them. Meanwhile France attacked along the Franco-German border, making a blunt strike in the center and north, and a penatrating strike in the south.

OOC: I can't give you the numbers of forces I sent to each area, because I don't know how many forces France had at the beginning of the war.

OOC: You can't keep making movements then. You need to look up the French forces if your going to counter attack. What did you send? Three men? All of them? How can I respond if you don't make that clear.

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September 2, 1914

German armies Two and Three had been continuously assaulting Liege with men and artillery, including the Austrian Howitzer known as "Big Bertha." While the Belgians put up valient efforts defending the city, killing nearly 8,000 German soldiers, the relentless assault from the combined armies appears insurmountable, with the numbers of soldiers and civilians killed immense as well as terrible damage received by the cities fortresses. Liege is expected to be captured within the day.

The remaining German armies: One, Four and Five, pushed on through the countryside.

Army Five is to approach France nearest the Belgian city of Charleroi, however, on its way it encounted a brief battle with the Belgian First Army. Both sides were caught unawares, not expecting to reach each other so soon and the Germans sustained 2,500 casulties from the battle. Again, Belgian figures are not available, but the Fifth Army was able to force a retreat/withdrawl of this force south towards Bastogne.

Army Four is on its approach from the West side of the Sombre River. It has clashed with the Belgian Cavalry divisions several times, however both sides have taken minimal losses, as the Belgians are not keen to fight prolonged battles against the overwhelming odds. A reported 600 soldiers have been killed from skirmishes with the aformentioned forces.

Army One has its course set to the farthest west, aiming to keep relatively close to the North of France, as they push forward. Von Kluck's army is yet to encounter any heavy fighting as it passes through Belgium.

All armies are expected to pass through Belgium and into France within two days, unless heavy resistence is met with.

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The Sixth Army which sits near the Franco-German border has taken around 3,000 casulties. This occured when the Second and Third divisions broke off to sweep into Luxembourg. Heavy resistence was not expected and while the Germans were slowed by the main force, after the second day of seige, the city was captured. It now stands poised, north of French forces approaching the remaining First, Fourth and Fifth Divisions.

OOC: Okay, I have the numbers.

Nearly two million French troops met the Germans just inside Luxumberg and Belgium. The French attacked ferociously, attempting to drive the Germans out of the two countries. 300,000 men were assigned to retake Luxemberg, and another 400,000 to make a penatrating strike to take Bastogne, while the rest were spread out fairly evenly across north and central Belgium.

Meanwhile one million French troops were advancing into Germany along the Franco-German border. Half of them, including most of the French Cavalry, would make a penatrating strike just north of the Alps, while the rest advanced once again spread out fairly evenly.

The remaining 500,000 or so French troops were stationed in Paris.

September 15, 1914

German Offensives

The German forces were in full force now. The BEF and the French counter-offensive were on the move. However, because of the French neglecting the three main armies of the Reich, they each followed through with their respective plans:

The German Fifth Army, which had been heading southwest across Northern France, had turned course to follow through with it's part of the plan. The French forces had played their part perfectly and were now attacking the armies of the Reich along the Franco-German border. The German Fifth would perform a pincer manuver, heading east back towards the Fatherland, trapping the main French army between both sides of the Germans.

The German Fourth Army, which had also been into Northern France now stood poised on the eastern side of Paris and opened into a semi-circle surrounding the city and preparing for a seige that would knock France from the war.

The German Third Army*, which had been besiging the Belgian city of Liege, now turned, heading slightly southeast, in position to absorb a Anglo-French assault. They dug in with three divisions near the river Meuse, allowing themselves a defensible position, but flexibility to attack or withdraw if the circumstances called for it.

The German Second Army*, remained a few miles behind the German Third, ready to aid in the case the Allied forces proved too much.

The German First, led by Von Kluck, was another of the forces which had stood unopposed in their march across France. They had swept far across the North and arrived to the west of Paris, following similar formations as the Fourth as it completed the encirclement of the French capital.

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Franco-German Borders

The German Sixth, which had been positioned to lure the French into a foolhardy assault, was realizing their goals. Since they were split into smaller force between Luxembourg and Alsace, they appeared an appealing target. The divisions in Luxembourg began to buckle down, preparing for the French forces closing in on them. The Germans had brought artillery and fresh supplies right from Germany before it was captured and they would be ready to set up for a defense.

The border divisions were in a very strong position for defense as well. They had been sitting around this area, hoping for such an attack. Orders were held to lure the French out farther, and then the relief force would cut them off. The French had manuevered out into what would become a German trap. And the results would spell out the future of this war.

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OOC:

*I've loosened up the German Third Army from the Second in a kindof compromise. This is because, due to Madnetan's inability to respond, I have been forced to CONTINUALLY seige Liege, even AFTER it seems it should've fallen. So, I'll resolve this with Madnestan when they get back, but considering that the city fell within a week in the REAL war and it was attacked by an army HALF of what I sent, I feel it should've fallen. So, I'll keep the Second around Liege for now, because I don't want to ignore Mad, but I'm moving the Third because, EVEN if the city was still free, it wouldn't need THAT much manpower.

Thanks for your understanding.

OOC: I am confused. Didn't the fourth and fifth armies go through Belgium to get to northern France? As soon as word came that you were attacking through Belgium I France sent all those forces to prevent you from getting through. Your fourth and fifth armies should have encountered mine at the French-Belgium border. I know I took a while to respond, but if we use fluid time we can assume that that is where they would meet.

OOC: You sent your army to Bastogne, I assumed they were going to be used to stage an attack in Belgium. My armies sent BELGIANS there not themselves. Also, the Fourth and Fifth aren't travelling close enough to be intercepted at the same time.

OOC: Ok, finally. Liege goes down NOW. IRL, the fortresses were only partially manned and had very little infantry cover. In this case vast majority of the Belgian armed forces are consentrated around it, in prepared positions. So I don't think this is completely unrealistic afterall. My men have just fought with great gallantry and spirit of determination.

Second and Third Corps, plus the two cavalry divisions, recently formed reservist division that had hastily finished its training but fought with great gallantry, and an ad hoc-unit, "Brigade des Ardennes" that was formed by mixing the border guard battalions and independant mountaineer battalions together - all in all the very bulk of the Belgian Armed Forces, had lost this battle. For two weeks they had kept the German war machine in standstill.

With a bit less than 80,000 men against two full armies of best soldiers in the world had Prince Albert been able to both stop them and cause severe casualties. Every attack the Germans had made had been met with fierce fire and an counterattack. The Germans kept dying in front of the forts, but so did the Belgians! German artillery fire was something the world had not yet seen.
Massive concrete walls, bunkers and gun turrets were torn to rubble and blown to pieces by the massive howitzers Kaiser threw at them. Still, in this hell on earth that the defenders had received no training for, young Belgian officers and their even younger men kept on fighting, shooting, pushing back the waves of the grey men pikes in their headwears. And when these waves, after fierce fight with bayonets and sharpened field shovels, fell back in disorder, jumped the exhausted Belgians up and inspired by the same feeling that had filled their ancestors - the ferocious Nervii - when they charged against the stubborn ranks of Caesar's legions; their love and loyalty to this very land they stood, fought and died on.

They fought the Germans and pushed them back, untill the enemy crushed them with undesrcibable barrages and fresh troops that chased them back to their destroyed positions, where they halted again, turned and met the enemy with their fire and bayonets. And again it was thrown back.


After two weeks of intense battle, the fortress of Liege was still completely in Belgian hands. The city was destroyed, the forts, bunkers and trenches were destoyed, but both were occupied by stubborn Belgians who were determined to defend them to the very last round and drop of blood.
Their commander, Prince Albert, did not however share this idea. He knew it would be much better to save what he still had and keep on fighting in other battles and other fortresses, rather than die in this one.

That's why he quietly consentrated the remnants of his troops in the middle of a night, and threw it all at the German troops that were surrounding the city from North. To Brüssels! And that's what they did. This exhausted army, fielding no more than 45,000 men and almost out of ammo made it's way to freedom. Germans woke up and tried to stop them, causing severe casualties with their incredibly accurate artillery fire, but could not achieve their goal. At the same time huge explotions made the ground shake, as the ammunition depots that had not yet been depleted and the very few bunkers that were still undestroyed were blown up.

Belgian Field army, cavalry as its spearhead, rushed towards the capital. They met militia units and two divisions of 2nd Corps that had somehow made their way in here from the Southern parts of the country, marching North just in front of the Germans advancing Westwards (OOC:Pretty weird maneuver, I know, but I just wanted to collect what I still have left in one place.) and formed a new frontline, from Nivelle to Wavre, Leuven, Hasselt. (OOC: Here's a map: http://www.ulb.ac.be/sciences/chan/map-belgium.JPG )

At this point Belgian army, after losing almost 50,000 men (of whom approximately 10,000 were POW) from the army of about 120,000 it had started the war, had managed to call up and (somehow) train around 15,000 men.
This brought the actual number of men in the field to less than 90,000 men. Artillery had less than 100 pieces left, and both infantry and artillery were short of ammuniton.

Nevertheless, this army was not defeated. It had been badly mauled and it had lost almost half ot the country it was meant to defend but, due it's miraculous breakthrough and escape from the hands of huge enemy forces, it was still alive and had deserved the respect from the enemy who had not bought these victories without taking some serious punishment also.


Belgian flag was still waving in free air on roof of the Royal Palace, Manneken was still pissing as a free statue, and Belgian population in factories and fields were fulfilling their duties as free men and women. To take this freedom would the Krauts be made to pay a great price.

OOC: So both the fourth and fifth went through the south of Belgium?

OOC: Well atleast there are no Belgian troops between them and Paris. They're thrown and gathered to North, to defend their capital.

OOC: In 2 weeks you could of had some British reinforcements you realise. I am confused about where everyone is located, a large clear map would be useful.

OOC: Belgian main army was pushed to Liege and surrounded there, while one Corps, the Second, with three divisions was thrown to south. It however marched first North-West and then North-East, avoiding the advancing Germans, to the Brüssels. Meanwhile the main force broke through the German lines in Liege and made its way to North, where they formed a new line together with the Second Corps. What did the French and British do meanwhile I do not know.

OOC: So this would mean that:

Armies One and Four are beseiging Paris.
Army Two is JUST done with Liege and is now reinforcing Army Three.
Army Three (and Two if need be) is ready to fight the French-Belgian-British Forces.
Army Five is performing a pincer manuever with divisions two and three against the MAIN French Army (Near the Border).
Divisions One, Four and Five of Army Six are in Luxembourg.

Glad to clarify.

OOC: Now you're beseiging Paris? My understanding was that your troops should have been engaging mine in north and central Belgium and Luxemberg. The only place you could have made it to France through was southern Belgium, by slipping by the forces I sent to Bastogne. That still leaves a ways to go before your army reaches Paris.

OOC: Listen, I've said I was beseiging Paris a few days ago. The original post is on the first page and it isn't even editted. If you read ALL of my manuever's you would realize that I've been doing this for awhile. Belgium and Britain both just said they didn't engage those armies. I DIDN'T exit Belgium through the SOUTH. Look at a map of the country if you want to see where they exited near. The troops your sending are on their way to the Second and Third armies. You left the north of France wide open. It's all right there and has been since the beginning.

OOC: Paris isn't even mentioned in the first post. A few posts down you say that your troops should be entering France in a few days though; which gives me time to intercept them. I did not leave the north of France open, as in order to get into the north of France you would first have to go through Belgium. The only place you could possibly make it into France would be in the south of Belgium, by slipping past my men, as they are doing a penatrating strike.

OOC: Okay, I have the numbers.

Nearly two million French troops met the Germans just inside Luxumberg and Belgium. The French attacked ferociously, attempting to drive the Germans out of the two countries. 300,000 men were assigned to retake Luxemberg, and another 400,000 to make a penatrating strike to take Bastogne, while the rest were spread out fairly evenly across north and central Belgium.

Meanwhile one million French troops were advancing into Germany along the Franco-German border. Half of them, including most of the French Cavalry, would make a penatrating strike just north of the Alps, while the rest advanced once again spread out fairly evenly.

The remaining 500,000 or so French troops were stationed in Paris.

http://www.johndclare.net/causes_WWI2.htm

Look at the French Army size in WWI, your only inaccurate by about TWO MILLION men. You need to redeploy those troops, and I would appreciate if everyone could just pause until France can have an accurate amount of men.


OOC: I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the remaining 1,300,000 were in the North and Central Belgium. It's my mistake for not seeing this. Now the only problem is, you think you have 3.5 million French soldiers. I have no idea where you got these numbers. If you had BOTHERED to ever make a factbook, then this wouldn't have happened. Please, enlighten me to HOW you have that many troops. If you deployed all 3.5 million, that would mean you have about NO troops left in your reserves. Now I thought we all discussed this already, can Madnestan and Frozopia give their views?

OOC: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWinFrance.htm

France trained 2.9 million men right before the war.

Historically, maybe they did, but YOU didn't. You don't have a factbook, so you couldn't have mobilized that many, how were we to know what you had? I'll GIVE you the 1.5 million on the site I found, but you NEVER gave a chance, until NOW to know how much you had, it's just not fair to everyone who DID their work.

Yea, I know I'm Germany's only ally and the only person who would defend Germany.(except for...Germany) but you should re-read the posts and note the dates they were posted.

You didnt post for like 2 weeks, I did the same thing so Im not sayn that was wrong, but I was lucky enough that Russia was mad chill about it and didnt do much till i got back.

Unfortunatly, Germany's Schlieffen's plan is a very time dependant series of manuvers and they could not afford to be chill like Russia. You didnt post and time moved on. Paris is beseiged and I suggest making plans to fight that battle, arguing its about its existance is gonna end up working agenst you, it always does for me anyway.

Also, Im not sure about 3.5 million men. If thats your full reserveist capacity you cant use it untill you HAVE to, they wouldnt allow it. If you yanked everyfarmer of his field ever dentist out of his office, every able bodied man and you havnt even lost Paris yet, you still have 1.5 million soldiers?!?!?!? They would riot. I dont buy it.

This isnt a major problem, but like I said I would ready your defense of Paris, this was you dont get ripped off if your arguing about his troops being there and he begins his attack

OOC: Actually I let it go cause of the rains. Marching an army in a loop like that in the mud wears them out. 2 weeks would have been a good amount of time to just get them ready. And I decided to be nice. Yep that's it. MWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!

By the way, you do have a post to respond to in the Eastern Front. THis time around I will take a lack of responce for today as meaning that I annihilated the entire Austrian Third Army. SInce I am attacking them in the rear, and that would destroy an army rather nicely. Yep indeed. So please respond.

OOC: "Historically, maybe they did, but YOU didn't. You don't have a factbook, so you couldn't have mobilized that many, how were we to know what you had? I'll GIVE you the 1.5 million on the site I found, but you NEVER gave a chance, until NOW to know how much you had, it's just not fair to everyone who DID their work."

Yes, it is true that I didn't make a factbook, but that doesn't mean you didn't have a chance until now to know how many troops I had. You could have figured it out the same way I found out your numbers; by reading the posts in this thread.

"You didnt post for like 2 weeks"

Actually it was three days.

"Unfortunatly, Germany's Schlieffen's plan is a very time dependant series of manuvers"

There is no reason we can't use fluid time between the eastern and western fronts.

"Paris is beseiged"

I would accept this if it had been rped. But it wasn't.

alright maybe I will act as a 3rd party here and point a few things out.
1st. no matter whether you waited 3 days or 2 weeks, it still put Germany in a vice because they couldn't move at all and you could react (although that didn't seem to matter much)

2. the fluid time is kind of flawed. If Sukaida had bum rushed France while you sat there, Germany would have been forced to pull troops away (again, didn't affect the game)

3. no matter how many troops you had, you made it seem as if you were sending everything toward the Germans in specific areas, allowing cantelmium to move toward Paris

4. The attack and drive toward Paris was played out. You reacted to his attacks, and Cantelmium was able to slip through and besiege Paris. It didn't seem unfair, he just made a tactical manuever. The game is far from over either way
Hope this helps

OOC: "The attack and drive toward Paris was played out. You reacted to his attacks, and Cantelmium was able to slip through and besiege Paris. It didn't seem unfair, he just made a tactical manuever."

Sorry, but I can't find any mention of Paris anywhere on the first page. There is a mention of him slipping through, but he then says he was going to do a pincer against my forces, not beseige Paris. Also, there was no explaination of where or how he slipped through. It couldn't have been in north of central Belgium, since as I said, I have that completely covered. Maybe I am somehow missing a post, but I doubt it.

OOC: Second third party here, and a pretty obvious one to use at that. I'll print out the two pages, study them with a map, and give you my verdict tommorow (or tonight if i can). How's that?

Ok, I ignored all the orders that didn't make sense, though I admit it seems a bit unfair to Germany as everyone else was so slow to respond. So, cosider that casualties were heavier for the allies to balance it out. Here's basically what happened:

Armies one and five headed forward towards Dinant, but they were slowed down by the Belgian forces, later reinforced by 700 000 French soldiers comming through Luxemburg at their flank. They formed a defensive line near the Ourthe River 3 km south of Liege.

Armies two and three attacked and captured Liege, army three then turning to help armies one and five, army two holding the city.

Army four headed further West while pushing back the Belgian cavalry, before hitting 100 000 English soldiers, then a stream of 1 300 000 french conscripts comming in and stopping their advance somewhere near Maubeuge.

France had 900 000 conscripts left to send at Germany along the border, where I'll leave Cantelmium the discretion of deciding what happened.


However, please unless I'm misstaken, the French had some trouble making their actual armies match up to the numbers on paper. So, while the 700 000 in south-east Belgium are really there, only about 70-75% of the conscripts are likely to be present for battle.


Germany's turn

OOC: While I find it rather confusing to see how, despite the other players saying they DIDN'T intercept my forces that ALL of my armies are tied up with battle. AND these locations aren't really at all where the German forces were sent. However, It's a game and I'm a gentleman, and I'll play this out so long as everyone is ok with it.

IC:

October 14, 1914

The Result of the Carnage

Von Kluck's plans had been put on ice as a result of French backlash into the Belgian-Luxembourg area. He had assumed command of the Third and Fifth Armies in addition to his own First. As they drove across Belgium, they were forced into conflict with the Belgian skirmishing forces which they had compared to "water being dashed upon rocks." The only resistance came when a French Army of 700,000 stumbled upon them as they made their way to liberate Luxembourg.

The German Armies, superior in tactics and numbers opened a wide main semicircle against their lines and engulfed the French forces. The German Third was to take the center, feigning an advance and then retreat, drawing the French into what was thought to be a gap. The First on the eastern side, then drove deep into the flanks of the advancing forces while the Fifth followed suit attacking the western face of their line. After two days of fighting the battle was over. The Germans had taken nearly 150,000 casulties in their risky manuever, but the result was a defeated Franco-Belgian force.

Von Kluck then considered his options, as far as he knew, there were still a force of about one and a half million attacking the Germans to the Northeast. He decided to take the Third Army, to the north in an effort to hit the advancing Anglo-French force from the rear as they advanced on the Fourth. The Fifth was then ordered to move south across the open French countryside and hit the rear of the 900,000 Frenchmen who battled across the Franco-German borderlands.

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The German Second Army, who had successfully captured Liege, left behind it a garrison of 30,000 men before leaving across the lowlands to reinforce the German Fourth. The Fourth had decided that they couldn't defeat the force nearly five times their size and began to snake back towards the Channel, skirmishing with the advancing forces as they waited for their aid. The Fourth had lost about 1,500 men through their efforts to lose the French and British pursuers, but they proved too tempting a target. The only hope was that a united Second and Fourth could, with the First and Third at their rear, grind the French and English forces to the ground.

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The German Sixth, which stood at the Franco-German border, was fighting the most defensive war of the front. They had dug in weeks ago, standing as a tempting target to the French forces, and they proved a proper lure. The Second and Third divisions waited for the newly trained French conscripts to advance. They were only 150,000 strong, but they had the advantage of defensibility near their own land. Also, they were strong in the knowledge that the forces of Luxembourg, who had captured the city as a staging point, were now following through with their plan and striking southwards into the advancing French. A further 200,000 Germans would hit the tip of the French flank as they advanced and unbeknownst to both the French and Germans in the region, the German Fifth was sweeping down to hit the French from the rear. The German forces clearly had the advantage in these engagements because of their smaller size; manuevering was key in warfare and High Command knew it.

OOC:

Hopefully, we can continue on with the war know. I think this is fair.

In Belgium 300,000 French forces turn south to guard against the German flanking attempt, while the 500,000 men in Paris head east to aid them.

Along the Franco-German border the 500,000 doing the blunt assault are ordered to halt and take up a defensive postition. The 500,000 doing the penatrating assault continue onward.

OOC: My penatrating assault should succeed, given the number advantages (500,000 vs the maybe 30,000 you have in the area I am doing it in). The only down side to such an attack is that it is easily surrounded, but that probably won't happen in this case since both flanks are guarded, one by other troops and other by the Swiss border.

OOC: Ok, buddy. Swizterland played as mediator for us. Because of this, you have NO men in Paris. You aren't making any sense here. Your neglecting everything I did today, and you aren't even following the mediation. Am I the only one confused?

OOC: I don't any mention of my army in Paris by Switzerland. Does that mean I don't have it? I took it to mean I did have it and he didn't mention it because there was no change needed there. Also, how do you think I am ignoring your post?

OOC: You don't have anyone in paris, sorry if I didn't make that clear. That would just give you 3 400 000 troops. Way too many. Do that last order again.

OOC: Everyone just assume that there is no mention of an army in Paris in my post. Everything else is the same.

OOC: No, your post dosen't stand as is because it doesn't make any sense. You ignored everything that I said and it's rather incoherent. I would appreciate you taking some time out to make sense.

OOC: It makes sense, but it doesn't account for your main force. Why are you complaining? He sent 300,000 troops from the Maubeuge line towards Charleroi to counter your force from Liege; and attacked the border. Play on.

How is it that you can understand what he's saying perfectly.

Ok, I got the men trying to catch counter the flank (I'm not sure how they'd know it was coming until it was too late) but I don't get the "blunt assault" and "pentrating assault." Not only that I don't understand their meaning, I don't understand WHERE they are going because I DEFFINATLY have more than 30,000 men at the Franco-German border, so they can't be there.

Now, since Switzerland seems to know exactly what France means all the time, perhaps HE can enlighten me.

A blunt assault is when your forces are spread thinly over a wide front. A penatrating assault is when you concentrate your forces in one area. My one group in the northern 9/10 is doing the blunt assault (well, now they are on the defensive.) My other group is doing an assault on the southern fifth of the Franco-German border. This means I am sending between 400,000 and 500,000 forces at just 1/10 of your forces. They intend to penatrate through your line like a spear.

I think I follow. However, such a manuever is impossible to execute optimally when it is used with such a massive scale.

EDIT: Not complaining though. Also, considering Russia and Britain are away, can I get to this response tommorow? I injured my shoulder the other night and it's killing me.

(UHH actually the Fourth Army is marching towards the German border. You now have almost a million men near your border and you haven't done much except try to capture me and I've escaped that. SOOOO post in there please.)