Date sent: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 12:31:21 -0400 From: Ted Raicer

There are evidently more than a few misconceptions about the proper play of TGWiE out there-let me see if I can clear them up.

First: There is NO errata that says the Germans have to control a town for a turn before they can use it as a secondary supply source!!! That is the rule in 1914:Glory's End, not TGWiE. What the errata says is that a unit may not end its move out of supply-but it may move thru a hex OOS in order to take a town which would then IMMEDIATELY put it back in supply. So yes, the German cavalry can race ahead in 1914 and take towns for supply (for example) and the German advance is NOT limited to five hexes per turn. (This misconception was started by BROG-Berg felt the ability of the German cavalry was ahistorical-actually it isn't-without it the Germans could never duplicate their historical rate of advance which brought them south of the Marne on turn 3-and therefor misunderstood the supply errata to solve what he thought of as a problem. The supply errata was instead designed to solve some other problems that came up in play.) In short-the German rate of advance is NOT limited to five hexes a turn by the supply rules.

This change might seem to some to doom the Allies-it doesn't at all. For example, if the Allies set up a French cav. unit in Brussels and Ghent and a Brit cavalry unit at Mons, the only supply source the the Germans can grab without combat on turn 1 is Charleroi, which severely limits the German 1st turn advance. On turn 1 some of the Brits can move to the Channel ports while the rest fall back to the Somme to joing up with French units marching west. Then on turn 2 the Brits can kick out any German cavalry (the infantry can't reach) in Calais or Boulogne, and turn A Brits and French can be brought on to hold at least 2 of the ports. Proper placement of HQs will allow the French turn A units to soldify the Somme line from Abbeville west. From that point on you must play according to the situation, but the overall Allied position should ensure their survival past the dangerous opening turns.

2. The errata in Issue 35 states that the German "W" setup must include at least 30 infantry divisions north of hexrow W59xx. (The game begins on August 17 after all.) This prevents the Germans massing his whole army in the south to take unhistorical advantage of the French negative combat shifts. The French will still take losses in the south, but with a good set up nothing they can't live with. And in the north the bulk of the French and Germans wont come into contact until turn 3. With the Turn A replacements and reinforcements, by the end of the year it is often the German player who is suffering a troop shortage as he has to unstack to maintain a continuous front.

3. The errata that prevents the German player from using the OHL in the west unless he has the Initiative there means that the CP can only have one combat phase in the west before a double turn (unlike the east, where the OberOst can allow 2). This means a double line will prevent any breakthroughs in the west-so when there is a threat of a double turn the Allied player in the west MUST unstack (probably halting his attacks for a turn). But remember, cities and HQs can form part of that second line, since you will have replacements to fill in the gaps.

4. For every player who says the Allies can't survive there is one who says the CP can't. For myself, I have lost and won on both sides.

Date sent: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 12:18:11 -0500 From: Steve Sickels

Ted.....thanks bunches for that email. upon reflection i think what you are saying is true. also i think it important to consisder what the Russians can do to indirectly siphon some of the pressure. you need to sacrifice great piles of them to do it but isn't Paris worth it? (is that a song title) thanks, steve :)

Date sent: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 10:45:37 -0700 From: Steve Olson

I think too many people dismiss the east front as a side-show. The Russians have a couple turns early in the game to eliminate some German and A-H units, and should do so. Once the German trenches show up, the Russians should shift their focus to eliminating as many A-H units as possible. Careful Serbian play (I lost the Serb HQ the first two times I played - don't lose it) and some British help via Salonika can also give the Central Powers some fits on the east map.

A-H is the weak link in the Central Powers, and should be treated as such.

Date sent: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 13:56:03 -0400 From: Ted Raicer

I agree AH is a weak link. The main thing is to cause as many problems for the CP in as many places as possible. Juggling fronts is the key to a CP win-don't make it easy for him to do so.