Strategic Command World War I - Central Power - 12 - Ottoman Entrance (1/2)

Let's play a series on Strategic Command World War 1, the new grand strategy release from Slitherine Studios and Fury Software. I'll be playing as the Central Powers, as we attempt to re-write the events of WW1 in our favor, with victory over the Triple Entente.
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Strategic Command World War I on Steam:
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Strategic Command is back, and this time it is bringing you the Great War! From the bloody fields of Flanders to the sweeping advances in the east, the fighting in Italy, the Balkans and Middle East, Strategic Command: World War I covers all the main aspects and theaters of the war.
Undermine the enemy’s will to resist through diplomacy and political intrigue while mobilizing your forces and developing new technologies and ways of waging war. From the Tank to the Aeroplane, the Submarine to the Aircraft Carrier, this war witnessed a massive outpouring of new weapons, and all of these are at your disposal to research and deploy.
Using the same upgraded engine as their recent hex-based WWII Grand Strategy games, Strategic Command: World War I allows you to enjoy the challenges faced by commanders on both sides of the 20th century’s first great conflict.
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Tortuga's Discord ► / discord
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[@sw36jl]

Remember Lawrence of Arabia will be stirring trouble near Medina. Use the Partisan map-mode to locate where to place detachments. Also, this is one of the coolest WW1 scenarios you have utterly succeded which is the rapid capitulation of France (soon hopefully)

[@jevinliu4658]

You know what would be even cooler? If he somehow manages to cross the channel and take London... which is not that impossible considering that the channel and the East Anglian coast are basically devoid of enemy ships. Not sure about the British army, though, as more of them would be in the UK than historically. Also, in order to capitulate France, he has to take Bordeaux, which is a long way's away.

[@TortugaPower]

Yes, thank you for the words of warning! Several people are cautioning me to press "P" to see where partisans might arise.

[@dublish]

Verdun provides enough supply that morale will never decrease there. You'll need artillery to break the fort.

[@TortugaPower]

Alright, I'll give the boys the bad news, and we'll get them suited up to charge the fort. RIP.

[@nightspower9578]

Prince William of Albania: We shall join the war and help our Balkan brothers against the Austro-Hungarian Empire! Albanian General: Sir, what do you want us to do? Prince William: Absolutely nothing, our forces will be most helpful by not fighting at all! Montenegro and Serbia: ...

[@jevinliu4658]

By the time Albania "joined" the Allies, Wilhelm, a German, fled the country because of a revolt. Then, one of the leaders that emerged, Essad Pasha, declared war on the Allies with part of the country.

[@TortugaPower]

They haven't contributed a whole lot to the war, although I can't remember if they took the coastal city (forgot the name) before or after the Albanians joined. Maybe their entrance encouraged the Montenegrans.

[@captainloggy140]

You're doing great! Serbia is basically done for, however it will be a race to get all the troops back north in time. Consider using your navy for bombardment if possible. As many have remarked before, it will be important to protect the Dardanelles, the Entente is already preparing their landing. The Ottomans will probably experience quite a lot of trench warfare. Getting Bulgaria into the war will be quite important, they probably will act as a flying force in support of either the Ottomans or the Hungarians. The Ottoman navy has the chance to take on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, I recommend you use it. In the West, remember to ford the Loire in time, before the French have any time to create anything static there. You probably could've taken out their aircraft with your cavalry there. I'd definitely try to encircle the Russian salient instead of pushing it frontally, though remember that you officially should be on the defensive there until the West is won. For Austria, check your production queue for a HQ (Svetozar Borojević von Bonja), consider him for the Italian front (he did great there historically). Also, perhaps you can purchase new units now (detachments/subs is what I'd go for). Note that I do not own the game, these recommendations are all from feeling/history and of course, you decide upon your course of action.

[@jevinliu4658]

"Serbia is done for" Just watch as the first partisans start popping up :P. "Dardanelles... landing" He's well-prepared for the European side of the landing and already has a considerable force there. I'm more concerned about the Asian side, where there is more room to maneuver. "The Ottoman Navy has the chance to take on the Russian Black Sea Fleet" Especially with that extra dreadnought of theirs. Meanwhile, the Russians have no dreadnoughts in the Black Sea, as the first dreadnought constructed there only entered service in June. The next dreadnought should come in October, so there is a small window of opportunity which the Ottoman Fleet is absolutely dominant there. "The Ottomans would experience a lot of trench warfare" Where? On the Caucasus? I fear total collapse there should things continue going the way they are. Perhaps the only front that the Ottomans would not retreat from is the Sinai front, but even that is a bit exposed.

[@miot22]

I feel like the ottomans would do really well by investing in trench warfare research very early on and also training some mt corps to defend the caucasus. Usually, from what I’ve seen in other lp’s the russians (despite getting wrecked elsewhere) will make quite the push there with planes and artillery.

[@TortugaPower]

Thanks for your suggestions, Captain Loggy, and also I appreciate your candor (about not owning the game). Your knowledge of it is impressive!

[@Fischer0Dude]

I don't understand the Italian thought process.... 3/5 entente capitals fell to the Axis ( Belgium, France, Serbia ) coupled with great success on all fronts. So they decide to move toward joining the losing / lost side? Awesome series and great video! I am happy to see Europe turning to the way of the Schnitzel!

[@jevinliu4658]

"All fronts" Meanwhile, the Ottomans are immobilized and unreinforceable in the Caucasus (How did they not take Kars?) and are actually losing ground, while the Russian front is basically static. I'd dare say that Tortuga is overextended in the south as well...

[@TortugaPower]

While Jevin points out some Central Power weaknesses, I think the Italians would be very concerned with the decimation in France, and in real life with real diplomacy, I can't see the Italians entering the war.

[@jevinliu4658]

@@TortugaPower True, but it seems like that they're not caring and that they're further on the path to war than even Bulgaria.

[@Fischer0Dude]

@@jevinliu4658 I don't like games where an enemy can declare war on you ( or a friend ) and in that same turn use pre-deployed troops to take territory from you that you just got and have had no time to make any kind of defense at all. It's like being given a huge handicap ( which the Ottomans were to an extent ) The Russian front is holding and indeed making grounds which is enough for now. The main Italian concern should be that once the 20 corps in France are done with them, it's a short swing around the Alps and then the Kraut Ban hammer will fall on them hardest, on the way to Russia.

[@Fischer0Dude]

@@TortugaPower Herr Kommandant! Your current situation is very favorable. Minus that dogs breakfast that is the Ottomans, the war is progressing quite well. I think it's super unfair that the enemies pre-deployed troops in Arabia are allowed to take territory the same turn they declare war on you ( literally nothing you can do ). However once you are done with France, you can do the Swiss Swing around the Alps and let all your Corps fall on Italy on there way East! Keep the pressure on! Deutschland wird gewinnen!

[@Shinigamiusmc]

Prepare to put surface units in those red hexes around Italian ports, if I’m reading correctly Surface Ships don’t raid supply lines, but if they are in the red hexes they do and it costs the enemy points/supplies

[@timmietimmins3780]

You can raid supply lines with surface ships. You just have to turn raider mode on and it costs you 1 supply per turn. Putting 2 units adjacent to a port "sieges it", which reduces the strength of the port by 1 per turn. If it costs the enemy MPP, I am not aware of it.

[@TortugaPower]

That's two people who have mentioned that the red squares indicate hexes vulnerable to raiding. I have to watch out for that in the Black Sea, as well.

[@shahmatsimplex4144]

With Paris in German hands, its very unlikely Italy would have sided with entente. Developers did well in the ww2 event scripts, but still need to work on this one.

[@TortugaPower]

I can't say with certainty, but that also strikes me as the most likely scenario. Other commenters have said similar.

[@derhesligebonsaibaum]

*sad hon hon hon in the distance*

[@TortugaPower]

We will bring a new age of happiness to them!

[@trippfields279]

Italian deathwish is duly noted

[@TortugaPower]

That's my sentiments about it.

[@kaymish6178]

So i found you through the Rule the waves 2 succession series and i like your stuff but some times i feel like "come on man just shit or get off the pot"

[@TortugaPower]

You are not the only one. It's a fault (or "feature") of my content. I'm aware of it, but the same struggle I have with analysis usually leads me to playing the game mechanically-sound.

[@shahmatsimplex4144]

Why hasn't France surrendered. It would be nice if you could offer them something like vichy status to get them out of the war.

[@TortugaPower]

It would be nice (if complicated) if that were possible, but I don't think I'd accept that option anyway =)

[@pressstartkollections2636]

In real life France would be done if that was there front this early in the war!

[@defactoize]

Is it worth it at all to upgrade unit's weapons?

[@timmietimmins3780]

Absolutely. Artillery cannot disentrench units without an upgrade. It completely changes the war in france. Infantry are also huge, because once the enemy is able to disentrench your units from 2 hexes away with little warning, and give your guys -50%+ morale on the same turn, the only thing that will save your units is troop quality. It's the only thing you will have left to prevent your elite corps from being completely wiped out in a single turn (well, at least how I am playing. I am just finishing a germany only playthrough (not allowed to directly control austria or ottomans), with +20% opponent MPP. So the enemy actually kind of has an army even after the initial battle on the front line.) Just to put a number on it, 1 point of base combat stats is equivalent to probably 1.5 veterancy. It increases losses on both sides by 3 times as much as a point of veterancy, but it does not reduce casualties taken. At 100% readiness, 1 point of base combat stats means that in every combat, your enemy will take 1 extra casualty. Which is a lot. It also means the enemy cannot upgrade HIS troops, as you are pushing them so hard they cannot get them out of combat long enough to reinforce. It gets ugly fast, and upgrading is only 10% of the unit cost. It's like 22 points to upgrade a corps. Also, I would note, it's not that costly to reinforce, as you can unit swap a troop and upgrade it in the same turn, so basically, you attack with your front line and instead of swapping them, you upgrade your back line. Then next turn, you swap your line and upgrade your back line, and miss one turn of fighting, then next turn you can start fighting again. Also incidentally, it is no longer possible to use recon bombers against upgraded infantry with impunity, as their anti aircraft attack is no longer zero. Which makes it far more costly to scout enemies with upgrades. similarly, anti submarine warfare is doubling the attack of destroyers and increasing the attack of everything else from 0 to 1, for infinitely more damage. Advanced subs is increasing sub attack by 33% and increasing their chance to run away by 10%. I would say it's less impactful by far, but still huge and subs have to go back to port anyways as raiding costs supply.

[@defactoize]

@@timmietimmins3780thank you for the in depth reply! I was just wondering because tortuga doesn't seem to be doing any unit upgrades even though he has infantry 2 for Germany. Though that may be more because of lack of available points after reinforcing, technology and so on.

[@timmietimmins3780]

@@defactoize Oh, no. I can see why you would make that mistake. The research screen (19:20) is broken up into 2 columns. The RIGHT column, where he has 2 points in infantry warfare, are the automatic upgrades. They are instantly applied to your entire country as soon as you finish them (though often they do little, like for example, armored warfare just increases your tank force limit, which is not that useful until you build tanks). They are actually quite weak, a lot of the time. Like for example, infantry warfare basically just increases your morale by 10%. Very Useful for a country with terrible morale, like France or Austro Hungary, but there is a soft cap of morale at 100%: Every turn your morale drops to 75% of your old morale, then you get your regen factor, but the cap of "old morale" is 100, so if you have over 100 morale, all the points you have above 100 are wiped out every turn, and you just get your regen factor to boost you back up above 100 again for that turn. The LEFT column is where the all powerful unit upgrades are, at the very top is the one I am talking about, infantry weapons. It's value is ridiculous, but he can't rush it (the max research chits in that category is 1), and he isn't finished it yet, so he can't upgrade his infantry. It will be well worth doing when he gets there, but I would guess it will be the fall/winter of '15 by that point.

[@defactoize]

@@timmietimmins3780 ah I understand now, thanks

[@TortugaPower]

Timmie has been very helpful in the comments throughout the series. Cheers!

[@adampalmer2958]

Hey i like and enjoy your videos. However the last two videos you have spent repeating yourself. Like the HQ talk. Its nice to let us know what changes you make however while you are doing so you repeat how they work. 1/3rd this video was mainly future moves talk and supply talk and bouncing around rather than taking any actions or moving around. And more HQ talk. You try to keep within 40 minutes. However they become boring when its just talk and not much progress is made. The first few videos were awesome you explained everything. Including mechanics and there was a hell of a lot of progression. Now atleast 10 minutes is explaining and discussing future... rather than moves...

[@adampalmer2958]

Prime example. Your discussion on verdun lasted about 2 minutes... and its surrounding area lasted another minute and you didnt do a thing. Not trying to be rude just trying to let you know that it maybe nice that you are showing us your thoughts and such. But its also nice you actually play rather than just talking.

[@TortugaPower]

Duly noted, Adam. I think I acknowledge in this or the next video (or maybe previous) that these two turns went over on time and a lot of time was spent having fun theorizing.

[@adampalmer2958]

Yes. I understand. I see alot of your strategy as it makes sense and is well taken in. I just like seeing when your good plans come together. You and i think alot most of the time. I would actually hate to play VS you, just because we think alike. But yes i would like to see you applying more than the talking. I can see italy being a problem in the future.