On August 27, having savaged the BEF at Le Cateau, Von Kluck is eager to cut them off (red arrow) from the channel ports (to which he thinks the BEF is trying to escape). He could pursue the BEF straight south if he knew that's where they were going (which they are: the yellow arrow), but German recon has completely failed and the French are reading the German radio signals and know that von Buelow and the 2nd army are wandering southwest trying to keep up with Kluck's 1st army which is "swinging wide" to catch the BEF. Eventually (on the 29th), Von Kluck and the 1st army will get orders from Buelow to swerve southeast to help destroy the French 5th army after it tangles with the 2nd army (blue arrow). So after the 29th, von Kluck will be abandoning the wide sweep around the west of Paris and heading mostly south to try to cover 2nd army which will end up being the first domino to collapse when the French counterattack:
Quote from: MengJiao on March 19, 2023, 02:15:28 PMSo after the 29th, von Kluck will be abandoning the wide sweep around the west of Paris and heading mostly south to try to cover 2nd army which will end up being the first domino to collapse when the French counterattack:
It may be that von Kluck really didn't have that much choice. If he was going to cover the flank of 2nd army, he was going to have to go south as it chased the French south. When he finally did try to swing west, it opened the gap that ended up getting the German right wing driven back to the north. Anyway, here the Germans are on the 29th getting sucked into going south:
Reading your AAR it struck me that there are more than a handful of games out there on the same subject.
The few I have played never seemed to really portray the situation well IMHO. Specifically MMPs "Drive on Paris" and AHs old standard "1914." In MMPs case, it used the SCS framework, and that system just left something to be desired IMHO. And AH's "1914" was just too much of a game from another era (despite the fact that it was very complex for a game published in 1968).
I have some other games that I have not played yet. I have high hopes for
GMT's "1914: Offensive à outrance." But that game is probably something that has to wait for me to retire, given its size.
But the version you are playing seems to do a good job. Sadly, I don't have a copy. But that is what birthdays are for!
Quote from: ArizonaTank on March 21, 2023, 09:52:21 AMReading your AAR it struck me that there are more than a handful of games out there on the same subject.
The few I have played never seemed to really portray the situation well IMHO. Specifically MMPs "Drive on Paris" and AHs old standard "1914." In MMPs case, it used the SCS framework, and that system just left something to be desired IMHO. And AH's "1914" was just too much of a game from another era (despite the fact that it was very complex for a game published in 1968).
I have some other games that I have not played yet. I have high hopes for
GMT's "1914: Offensive à outrance." But that game is probably something that has to wait for me to retire, given its size.
But the version you are playing seems to do a good job. Sadly, I don't have a copy. But that is what birthdays are for!
There's a lot of gamey potential to Moltke's enactment of the Schlieffen plan. I'd say
Nach Paris gives more useful detail to the player than say 1914 (I've stayed away from west front 1914 boardgames for the last 50 years or so). There's a lot of scenarios -- the game is kind of large and a bit complex BUT in a sense it is all there in that you can pretty much stop Moltke and company from taking Paris before everybody runs out of ammo.
I know this seems like a cop-out of a measure -- shouldn't the game show how easily Moltke and co could have done things right? I guess with a totally different set of assumptions, sure, but given a detailed look at the western front in August 1914, I've always thought the Germans did very well to get as far as they did.
Oh and about the game: beautiful, kind of over-engineered but in a surreal and wonderful way and I think it works well to show what the real dynamics of the battle were (for example, German Artillery is great, but overall they aren't that different from their opponents -- everyone but the British and the Belgians seems to have underestimated what modern firepower will do to exposed formations -- for starters). Frankly, its a masterpiece. I'm going to go play with miniatures for a while to get over it.
I see Nach Paris has a vassal module and a Table Top Simulator module.
Good stuff, I'm in.
I pretty much need virtual gaming options before I buy any game these days.
Speaking of WWI operational games and miniatures. I played a really nice mini game at a convention about six years ago. It used 6mm, and each stand was a battalion. The scenario was a 1914 Russian Corps against a German Division in defense. The rules worked really well. Unfortunately, I did not catch the name of the rules.
I pulled the trigger and found a copy of "Nach Paris."
Found a good price for it on Amazon, copies were harder to find / more expensive on ebay.
Game is a little pricey, but once you get the package in your hands you understand why.
Very hefty box. Overall, very high quality production. 10 counter sheets, nice, colorful printing, on polished paper for all of the other assets. Four high quality boards (not mounted, but nice, textured maps, that "may" be water resistant...at least they feel that way).
Game has vassal and Table Top Simulator modules, so big plus in my book.
Quote from: ArizonaTank on April 13, 2023, 09:29:46 AMI pulled the trigger and found a copy of "Nach Paris."
Found a good price for it on Amazon, copies were harder to find / more expensive on ebay.
Game is a little pricey, but once you get the package in your hands you understand why.
Very hefty box. Overall, very high quality production. 10 counter sheets, nice, colorful printing, on polished paper for all of the other assets. Four high quality boards (not mounted, but nice, textured maps, that "may" be water resistant...at least they feel that way).
Game has vassal and Table Top Simulator modules, so big plus in my book.
Nice! I'm jealous. I'll have to check out the TTS module.
Quote from: W8taminute on April 13, 2023, 03:26:21 PMNice! I'm jealous. I'll have to check out the TTS module.
The TTS module is only missing the scenario book. So a great way to see what the components are like.
Quote from: ArizonaTank on April 13, 2023, 09:29:46 AMI pulled the trigger and found a copy of "Nach Paris."
Found a good price for it on Amazon, copies were harder to find / more expensive on ebay.
Game is a little pricey, but once you get the package in your hands you understand why.
Very hefty box. Overall, very high quality production. 10 counter sheets, nice, colorful printing, on polished paper for all of the other assets. Four high quality boards (not mounted, but nice, textured maps, that "may" be water resistant...at least they feel that way).
Game has vassal and Table Top Simulator modules, so big plus in my book.
Yep, it's pretty marvelous. I'm intrigued by the complexities or balance (or dynamic) it tends to show of the allied forts and railroads versus the German artillery.