A Turkish Tale: Ottoman Sunset AAR (Complete)

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 32
Card Draw: 49 "Vittoro Veneto"
-----
During the battle of Caporetta in 1917, the Italian Army lost over 300,000 men and was forced to retreat to the Piave line. In June, 1918, the Central Powers failed to pierce that defensive position. On October 24, 1918, the anniversary of the Caporetta offensive, Italian troops surged forward and broke through. Austria-Hungary soon collapsed as the war neared its end.
-----
Event:
Conduct this Eastern Theater battle.



Here we go again. This time though I'm faced with a -1 DRM thanks to War Weariness. I probably should not have burned it last turn, but had it worked...oh well, what's done is done. I did it more to illustrate to you that this is an option.

In any case I roll a '3', so that's a 2 with the -1 DRM, and an utter failure for the Central Powers. One more for the Defeats box.


-----
Advance:
Arab Front advances to space 2 (Damascus), a Strategic Site.
Gallipoli Front advances to space 2 (Chunuk Bay), a Strategic Site.
Salonika Front advances to space 2 (Lake Doiran), a Strategic Site.

Not a good turn for the Ottomans. Three more fronts advance, and all of them occupy Strategic Sites now. That's FIVE they occupy as of now.


-----
Actions: 3
With three Actions, but four Fronts that are problems, I have some choices to make.

First, I'm going to go after the Salonika Front, as its Battle Value is 'only' 2. A '5' on the die pushes them back to space 3 (Monastir).

Next, I'm going after the Russians since they're right on my front steps. I roll a '2,' so that was a failure.

I am going after them again - I need to push them back or the game could be over. I roll a '6,' which succeeds, giving me at least one more turn worth of breathing room.


-----
Kaiserschlact:



Another Western Theater Kaiserschlact battle. I roll a '4' and with my +1 DRM that's a 5, and a win. That offsets the defeat from this turn, thank goodness.


-----
National Will: +2
Eight Off-Map Victories = +8
Three Off-Map Defeats = -3
Two Off-Map Stalemates = 0
Three Strategic Sites Occupied = -3
Total National Will: +2

We're still hanging on with a good National Will but many Allied fronts pressing in. The pressure is mounting but at least there's some breathing room for some follow-on turns.

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 33
Card Draw: 29 "Brusilov Offensive"
-----
On June 4, 1916, the reeling Russian Empire launched a major offensive against Austria-Hungary in the Ukraine under the able leadership of the Tsar's best general, Aleksei Brusilov. The assault broke the back of the Austro-Hungarian army, which was only saved from collapse by the transfer of German troops from other theaters. It represented the high point of Russian fortunes.
-----
Event:
Conduct this Eastern Theater battle.



With the -1 DRM thanks to War Weariness, I'm a little worried, but a roll of '5' means a 4, and therefore, another Central Powers victory. It's pretty impressive how well we're doing in that regard.


-----
Advance:
Salonika Front advances to space 2 (Lake Doiran), a Strategic Site.


-----
Actions: 1
With only one action, I have to go for the offensive that will be the easiest...so it's the Salonika Front. I roll a '2,' which fails, and the French stay right where they are.

No change in the map situation.
-----
Kaiserschlact:



This Kaiserschlact battle has a Battle Value of 5 (the next one does too). And I roll a '5,' +1 DRM, for a total of 6, and...well, whaddya know, the Germans win again, steamrollin' the Allies on the Western Front. Hopefully they can get to Paris before we end up getting sunk under Allied invasions.


-----
National Will: +4
Ten Off-Map Victories = +10
Three Off-Map Defeats = -3
Two Off-Map Stalemates = 0
Three Strategic Sites Occupied = -3
Total National Will: +4

Our National Will soared this turn with German and Austrio-Hungarian victories. With no immediate threat to Constantinople, we are good for at least another turn, and we're doing pretty well getting this far into the deck!

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 34
Card Draw: 24 "Gallipoli Evacuation"
-----
After the failure of the August offensives, public support for the Gallipoli operation dried up. A scathing report by Keith Murdoch, fater of media magnate Rupert Murdoch, undermined the will to continue the campaign. In October of 1915, General Hamilton was replaced by Sir Charles Monro, who had the unenviable task of evacuating the peninsula.
-----
Event:
Remove the Gallipoli Front unit if in play. If it is in play, flip the Salonika unit to its D'Esperey (3) side.

So, good news/slightly worse news. The Gallipoli Front goes away, giving me one less Front to worry about. On the other hand, the French in Greece just got a little stronger.


-----
Advance:
Mesopotamia Front moves to space 2 (Baghdad), a Strategic Site.
Sinai Front moves to space 3 (Jerusalem), a Strategic Site.

After being quiet for several turns, the British in the Sinai move into Jerusalem. Both moves put me two more Strategic Sites down, but with our National Will so high, it's not too big of a deal.


-----
Actions: 2
I'm going to first try to push the Arab Front out of Damascus. With a roll of '3' I am successful. One less Strategic Site to worry about, at least THIS turn.

Next, I'm going to try to push the Mesopotamia Front out of Baghdad. A '6' means they're sent packin'! That's two Strategic Sites I've liberated this turn.


-----
Kaiserschlact:



This battle is the last of the six; starting next turn I'll have to randomly roll to re-fight another one.

This time my luck runs out; I roll a '3,' and even with a +1 DRM sending it to 4, it's still too low, and this one goes into the Defeats box.
-----
National Will: +3
Ten Off-Map Victories = +10
Four Off-Map Defeats = -4
Two Off-Map Stalemates = 0
Three Strategic Sites Occupied = -3
Total National Will: +3

We dropped a bit to +3, which is not too bad considering it could always be worse. There's a couple of Allied fronts that are in space 2 on their tracks, but they're not immediate threats to Constantinople. We're holding our own, but the Allies got a bit stronger in Greece even if they lost a Front this turn to political pressure (though to be honest, the Gallipoli Front has been close to victory a couple of times!).

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 35
Card Draw: 02 "Goeben Dominates Black Sea"
-----
The SMS Goeben was commissioned as a German dreadnaught. Caught in the MEditerranean at the outbreak of war, the Goeben sailed into Constantinople, where she kept her German crew, but changed her name to Yavuz. On October 29, 1914, the Yavuz began the shelling of the Russian port of Sevastopol, even though Turkey had not yet entered the war.
-----
Event:
Retreat both the Salonika Front and the Caucasus Front.

Well, that's somewhat fortuitous. The automatic retreats of both Fronts frees up two of my Strategic Sites. It also saves me the Actions from having to fight them off.


-----
Advance:
Arab Front advances to space 2 (Damascus), a Strategic Site.
Sinai Front advances to space 2 (Damascus), a Strategic Site.

The retreats of the two Fronts earlier is made up for here as both of these Fronts move into the same space. The issue with fighting them now is I still have to fight them separately to push them out, and now I guess I know what I have to do with my Actions...


-----
Actions: 2
First, I'm attacking the Arab Front. A '4' and the Arabs are sent back to space 3 (Tafilah).

Now, for the Sinai Front. Their Battle Value of 4 is going to be tough to beat. But strangely I roll a '5' and push them out, too!


-----
Kaiserschlact:
Time to re-fight a Kaiserschlact battle.

I roll a '1,' so we're re-fighting this one:



I roll a '2,' with +1 DRM giving me a final result of 3. That's a tie, so I have to move this one from the Victories box to the Stalemate box.


-----
National Will: +4
Nine Off-Map Victories = +9
Four Off-Map Defeats = -4
Three Off-Map Stalemates = 0
One Strategic Site Occupied = -1
Total National Will: +4

We're back up to a +4 National Will, and had a pretty good turn to boot with Fronts pushed back just about everywhere.

And I know, I still haven't used my Asia Korps marker. I'm holding on to that until I desperately need it!

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 36
Card Draw: 47 "Army of Islam"
-----
The Army of Islam was a late-war creation that reflected a growing movement among the Ottomans of Pan-Turanism, the unification of all Turkic peoples. Consisting exclusively of Muslim Turks, Dagestanis, and Azerbaijanis, the force was deployed on the Caucasus Front. After the exit of the Bolshevik regime of Russia from the war, the Army of Islam was deployed to seize the Caucasus.
-----
Event:
No Event this turn.

That's a shame, because this sounds like it would have affected the Caucasus Front in a good way (for me, anyway).
-----
Advance:
The Arab Front advances back to Damascus (space 2), a Strategic Site as you obviously know by now!
The Mesopotamia Front moves to Baghdad (space 2), another Strategic Site.
The Sinai Front moves once again to Damascus also (space 2), and it's a...well, you know.

Welp, so much for the victories of the last turn. Both the Arab and Sinai Fronts decided to just hop right back into Damascus, and now the Mesopotamia folks are getting uppity, too.


-----
Actions: 2
+1 to all Offensives
I'll spend my first action to 'offend' the Sinai Front. That +1 DRM should help, hopefully, giving me a 50/50 shot at victory. I roll a '2,' and with +1 that's not good enough and they stay right where they are.

I'm going to try again as they are the tougher of the three Fronts that advanced this turn. This time I get a '5' and they're pushed out. Not that it matters as the Arab army is still there.


-----
Kaiserschlact:



And now, I get to refight one of the two hardest Kaiserschlact battles, but with a +1 DRM.

The roll is a '2.' A +1 does nothing to help, as a 3 is much lower than this battle's 5. This one stays where it is in the Defeats box.

No map changes.
-----
National Will: +3
Nine Off-Map Victories = +9
Four Off-Map Defeats = -4
Three Off-Map Stalemates = 0
Two Strategic Site Occupied = -2
Total National Will: +3

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 37
Card Draw: 43 "Bolshevik Revolution"
-----
The Bolshevik Revolution took place on October 24-25 of 1917 (Julian calendar). Led by Lenin and his Soviets, the Revolution succeeded in toppling the Provisional Government and replacing it with a "rule by the proletariat." The first task of the new government was to keep its pre-Revolution promises of withdrawal from the Great War.
-----
Event:
Remove the Caucasus Front unit from the map and set it aside (it might re-enter later).

Yeah, it might re-enter. Hopefully, not. For now it goes bye-bye!


-----
Advance:
The Arab, Salonika, and Sinai Fronts all advance one space.

This puts the Arab Front right next door to Constantinople.


-----
Actions: 2
I don't have much choice but to try to push the Arabs out of space 1 (Adana).

My first roll is a '1,' which is about the worst luck. The Arabs remain unmoved.

I have to try again, otherwise Constantinople might fall. Unbelievably, I roll a '2.' The Arabs still stay in Adana.

No change to the map, unfortunately...
-----
Kaiserschlact:



I roll a '5' so once again I get to re-fight one of the two strongest Kaiserschlact battles. This one is in my Victories space, so let's see if it moves...

A roll of '1' continues my great luck; +1 DRM to 2 means nothing, and this battle moves to the Defeats box.


-----
National Will: -1
Eight Off-Map Victories = +8
Five Off-Map Defeats = -5
Three Off-Map Stalemates = 0
Four Strategic Sites Occupied = -4
Total National Will: -1

This was a terrible turn of luck; two failures against a weak Arab Front, then a blown Kaiserschlact roll, and you can see how quickly one can go from a +3 National Will to a -1. If the Arab Front moves on the next turn, that will be the end of the game, unfortunately.

[BanzaiCat]

Turn 38
Card Draw: 48 "Dunsterforce"
-----
Established in 1917, under the leadership of General Lionel Dunsterville, this Allied military mission consisted of 1,000 Australian, British, and Canadian troops drawn from the Mesopotamian Front and deployed out of Persia. While initially set up for training, it was called upon to seize the Baku oil fields after the withdrawal of Russia from the war. It was defeated by Turkish forces.
-----
Event:
You must forfeit this card's 2 Actions OR receive the Dunsterforce DEFEAT marker.

Basically, this means I give up the two Actions I get with this card, or get a Defeat marker to put into my Defeat box. What's another Defeat marker when it compares to losing both Actions and trying to push off the Arab Front from space 1?

Oh, wait...well, it doesn't really matter now, unfortunately.
-----
Advance:
Arab Front moves. (So does the Sinai Front, but that hardly matters now.)


-----

As the Arab Front advances into Constantinople, the leadership of the Ottoman Empire realizes how futile resistance is now, and decide to seek terms with the Allies. Having nearly made it to the end of the war, the Allies are likely to be very unforgiving of the Sultan and his commanders, thanks to the rough time the Ottomans gave them.

The game ends in a Defeat. There are levels of defeat, though, depending on the number of unrevealed cards remaining. I have 11 left, which means I get a Marginal Defeat result. Here is what the game rules say about this level:

The Western Allies make a separate peace with the Ottomans, reducing the Ottoman Empire to a rump state of Turkey as a result. Allied mandates are set up to govern the former Arab territories. Within a couple of years, Mustafa Kemal launches a bloodless coup, removing the CUP from power and forcing the Sultan to abdicate. Turkey becomes an Axis power in World War 2, making Hitler's defeat much more difficult.

An interesting ending to the game. The historical result is "Crushing Defeat," which is had if the player has 36 or more cards in hand. Thankfully I survived much longer than that.

[BanzaiCat]

Thank you to everyone for reading this AAR and making it a success, encouraging me to continue with it, and other AARs as well!

I wish I could have played this to a successful conclusion, but the odds are definitely against that. I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did, and even more surprised at how quickly a game can go south. No matter how much loving care you put into your empire, it can be destroyed easily by a few blown rolls. This is true throughout the game, but as you saw, I survived quite a lot longer, and maybe tipped history in favor of the Axis in the upcoming sequel, "World War II." ;)

In any case, thanks for reading. I hope you all enjoyed it.

(PS: I realize I forgot the Korps marker, and that would have continued the game...I only just realized it now after packing everything up. My apologies. I will have to pay closer attention as it looks like an AAR of Hapsburg Eclipse is in the lead for the next AAR. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed reading this.)

[Barthheart]

Well done. Made the game I'd never heard of move onto my long list of Must Someday Get.  O0

[Airborne Rifles]

I've enjoyed this! I wrote my master's thesis on the Sinai front, so any game that deals with that gets my  O0. Looking forward to the next one.