|
|
Scenario Author:
RhinoBones
Map Author
RhinoBones
Author's E-mail Address:
RhinoBones@aol.com
Last Scenario Revision Date:
October 14, 1999
VERSION 1.0
Background
:
-------------
Early in 1916, the Russians Caucasus Army under their new commander Grand Duke Nikilai Nikolaevich (formerly the commander of the Eastern Front) launched a surprise winter offensive into along the entire front facing Turkey. The front started in Batumi, along the Black Sea where Georgia meets Turkey, ran through Armenia and then southeast to the Persian territory around Lakes Van and Urmia.
On February 16th Russian units seized the obsolete fortress at Erzerum, capturing over 13,000 Turks in the process. Other Russian forces, supported by the Black Sea Fleet, occupied the principal Turkish Black Sea port city of Trebizond on April 18th, thereby dislocating the logistics train of the Ottoman 3rd Army. Despite great effort, the 3rd Army, now led by the fiery Ferit Vehip Pasha (he would end his career in 1935/36 advising the emperor of Abyssinia during the Italian invasion of that country) suffered further setbacks in the following weeks. The Turks would loose Bayburt on July 16th and then Erzincan on the 25th along with another 17,000 prisoners.
Because of the existing bottlenecks
in the Baghdad rail line, the transfer of veteran Ottoman divisions from
Gallipoli and Thrace to eastern Anatolia took six months to complete.
It was only at the end of August that the Ottoman 2nd Army under Ahmet
Izzet Pasha (Furgaç) was ready to strike into the left flank of
the Russian Caucasus Army from the region Diyarbakir. Though Izzet's
troops recaptured some lost ground, including the towns of Bitlis (temporarily)
and Mus (west of Lake Van), no decisive were delivered. The east
Anatolian front eventually froze into place. By the end of 1916,
nearly half of all Ottoman troops had been deployed against the Russians;
a point often overlooked in western accounts of World War I.
Victory Conditions
-------------------
The Turks must defend against Russian attacks on Trebizond and Artvin, then mount a counter offensive to regain lost territory. Capture all five of the Russian objective towns.
Remarks
---------
This scenario is designed to be played in the solitaire mode with the AI playing the allied side. When played as a PBM game, it is recommended that Turkish prestige be set to +2.
Last Update Changes
----------------------
v1.0 14-10-99 Initial Release
|
|
