| August 1914:
Scenario Preview, Part One
By Mike Bennighof, Ph.D.
Decmber 2024
 When we introduced the Second Edition rules for Infantry Attacks, they made a profound change to the way things had worked. Artillery saw the most changes, but I altered just about every other aspect too, mostly to bring them in closer alignment with Panzer Grenadier’s Fourth Edition. I wanted players of one system to be easily able to switch to the other. I wanted to avoid having processes in one that were almost, but not quite, the same as in the other.
New rules meant that the scenarios of August 1914 would need revision just to bring them in line. And that was an excuse to re-make them into the story-arc format I’ve come to love, where history and scenarios are interwoven to tell the story of the campaign. Each chapter covers one phase of the campaign, with a battle game to link them together.
Let’s have a look at the first chapter. You can see the others here:
Chapter One
The Battle of Stalluponen
 Pavel Rennenkampf’s Russian First Army began mobilization on 31 July 1914, with the start of operations intended for three weeks later, 20 August. But his divisions made themselves ready for operation much faster than anticipated, and the first large-scale Russian probes across the border into East Prussia came on 6 August. Cavalry forces clashed as each side tested the other’s resolve.
Rennenkampf ordered his main force to cross the border on 17 August, three days earlier than Russian war plans indicated, three days later than Russian diplomats had promised their French allies. Their first objective would be the rail-junction town of Stalluponen, five miles inside German territory. Three Russian corps advanced in line abreast, and by mid-day they had encountered the Germans.
Gen. Maximilian von Prittwitz und Gaffron, commander of the German Eighth Army charged with the defense of East Prussia, ordered the I Corps facing the advancing Russians to fall back without engaging them. Gen. Hermann von Francois simply ignored those orders and deployed his troops forward to meet the Russians. His I Corps was recruited in East Prussia and charged with the province’s defense, and that was exactly what he intended to do. The Battle of Stalluponen was on.
Scenario One
The Harrowing of Prussia
15 August 1914
 Russian cavalry led the advance into German territory, scrupulously avoiding incidents with the local population. That wouldn't stop propagandists from describing rape, robbery and arson on a wide scale, attributed to "the Cossacks." The Russian cavalry's probe came to a halt near the village of Lindental, where they ran head-on into the locally-raised German regular cavalry division.
Conclusion
Russian cavalry was probably better-trained than its German counterpart, but the Germans marched to war in a haze of mass hysteria. Sharp squadron-level actions all along the front checked the Russian advance, and neither side's cavalry would be able to outflank the infantry now engaged in bitter fighting to the south.
Notes
We start with a clash of cavalry; the Germans have a little more force but they have to do a little more to win so that seems fair. Right away we run into a rule change; leaders come in two flavors. Cavalry leaders command cavalry, infantry leaders command everyone else. That seemed simple enough, but what about field guns and machine guns that are part of a cavalry formation? They’re now termed “horse artillery,” and they obey cavalry leaders.
Scenario Two
Deadly Playground
17 August 1914
 German troops went to war with schoolboy enthusiasm, many of them eager for the adventure to come. I Corps commander Hermann von Francois informed his chief of staff that his troops were the best in the Imperial Army, and he saw no reason to obey pre-war plans or direct orders from Eighth Army headquarters. Instead of falling back to a shorter line, he pushed his divisions forward and deployed all of his infantry in the front line. When three Russian divisions advanced against Richard von Conta's 1st Infantry Division, Francois had no reserves left to bolster the line.
Conclusion
Russian infantry pressed their attacks and soon the German 43rd Infantry Regiment found itself in deep trouble, with enemy attacks coming from three sides. The arrival of the only remaining I Corps reserve, a regiment of heavy howitzers, helped stem the attack somewhat but by noon Francois and Conta agreed that 1st Division had to withdraw. But to make their escape, they somehow would have to break contact with the Russians.
Notes
Now we have a big infantry battle. It’s the first one on the Eastern Front so no one’s entrenched for dug in, they’re just out for a stand-up fight. Both sides have a little off-board artillery, so there’s some writing down involved, but nowhere near as much as in the First Edition.
Scenario Three
Sound of the Guns
17 August 1914
 German I Corps commander Hermann von Francois not only had deployed all of his infantry in the front line: by staying out of his headquarters to avoid unwanted interference from his superiors, he also lost track of half of his forces. Fortunately for the Germans, Maj. Gen. Adalbert von Falk of 2nd Infantry Division, just starting his second week on the job, heard the crash of fighting around Gumbinnen and gathered one of his brigades to march to the sound of the guns.
Conclusion
Falk's attack took the Russians by surprise, finding their open left flank and proceeding to roll them up. Conta's 1st Division went over to the attack when they saw the Russians falter, and the 27th Infantry Division fell back in near-total panic. The Russian division's losses topped 3,000 prisoners and another 3,000 dead and wounded.
Notes
This is another big one, starting off with a Russian attack against outnumbered Germans, who then get massive reinforcements to turn the tide. At least that’s the plan.
Scenario Four
Last Stand at Bilderweitschen
17 - 18 August 1914
 Roughly handled in its first actions with the Russians, the German 1st Infantry Division pulled back as darkness fell on 17 August. Two companies of the 41st Infantry Regiment remained in place; their commanders had received no orders to retreat and refused to pull back without them.
Conclusion
In these early days of the Great War, officers of all armies had some rather baseless romantic notions of how to wage war. The two German companies remained in place and even fixed bayonets for a dramatic fight to the last man with the Russians before sense prevailed and they pulled out of Bilderweitschen, dragging 30 Russian prisoners with them. They did manage to discourage Russian pursuit with their ill-advised resistance, allowing 1st Division to break contact and gain a desperately-needed rest.
Notes
This is just a small scenario, infantry against infantry, in the darkness with a zone of flickering firelight. The Germans are out to stop the Russian advance at any cost.
Scenario Five
Fatherland Security
18 August 1914
 Germany mobilized about four million men in August 1914, but only about half of these were in formal regular and reserve formations. The rest served in hastily-formed Landwehr, Landsturm and Ersatz "brigades" - with no peacetime organization, no heavy weapons, and their men years removed from their military training. Nevertheless, when reports came of Russian cavalry crossing into East Prussia, a collection middle-aged cavalrymen and cyclists moved to stop them.
Conclusion
Detached from the Königsberg general reserve, the 9th Landwehr Brigade had no contact with the nearby I Corps or Eighth Army, and had no business wandering around the battlefield without artillery support. Huseyn Khan Nakhchivansky's cavalry division simply obliterated the small force, which fought to the last man.
Notes
At least the Landwehr have bicycles, which will keep the cavalry from riding them down right away. The Russian player is out to annihilate the Germans, who wish to avoid that. I altered the title slightly from the first edition.
Scenario Six
Charge of the Guards
19 August 1914
 On the right flank of the Russian First Army, the army command had formed four cavalry divisions into an ad hoc corps under the command of Huseyn Khan Nakhchivansky. Learning from scouts that a newly-raised German Landwehr brigade had just de-trained and started for the front, the Khan decided to welcome them to the war and ordered his horsemen forward on his own initiative.
Conclusion
Most of the Guards dismounted to execute an infantry assault on the surprised Landwehr, but the 3rd Regiment of Lifeguards lined up for a classic cavalry charge, overrunning and capturing the brigade's attached artillery battery. The Khan had scored a victory, but at the cost of nearly 400 casualties - plus in riding rapidly to the west he had worn out his horses, and assured that his corps would play no role in the Battle of Gumbinnen that broke out the next day.
Notes
This is a big scenario, between a large force of high-morale Russian cavalry and a not-quite-as-large one of low-morale German infantry. The Russian objectives pretty much add up to wiping out the Germans, and they certainly have the force to do so.
And that’s Chapter One.
You can order August 1914 right here.
Infantry Attacks Package
August 1914
Fall of Empires
Franz Josef’s Armies
Winter’s Battle
Black Mountain
Retail Price: $266.95
Package Price: $215
Gold Club Price: $172
Experience the Infantry Attacks Package right here.
Sign up for our newsletter right here. Your info will never be sold or transferred; we'll just use it to update you on new games and new offers.
Mike Bennighof is president of Avalanche Press and holds a doctorate in history from Emory University. A Fulbright Scholar and NASA Journalist in Space finalist, he has published a great many books, games and articles on historical subjects; people are saying that some of them are actually good.
He lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, three children, and new puppy. He misses his lizard-hunting Iron Dog, Leopold.
Daily Content includes no AI-generated content or third-party ads. We work hard to keep it that way, and that’s a lot of work. You can help us keep things that way with your gift through this link right here.
|
