16-11-2001 03:48									#1
	Bold use of a new weapon breaks the Stalemate at Grozny Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

Bold use of a new weapon breaks the Stalemate at Grozny.

A great turn in the German War against the Russians occurred earlier this year. After a rushed re-equipping and retraining of our 12 Knight regiments with guns two years ago, German forces have taken a record 8 Russian cities this year.
“This has been one of the best campaigns ever for the Germans and a telling blow to the Russians.” Says English military analyst Sir Oliver Cromwell.
Indeed, this has been the latest upset for the Russians, who have clashed with the Germans before over valuable resources such as Iron and wild horses early in their histories. The Russian capital has fallen to the Germans 5 times in this war, 2 of those times in the last year. The War started a hundred years ago with German Knights going up against venerable Spear units and longbowmen. After losing 10 to 11 cities, including 3 capitals, the Russians employed their Pikemen to great effect.
“The advent of the Russian Pikemen pretty much ended any hopes for a quick German subjugation of Russia,” noted Cromwell. The German-Russian stalemate lasted for nearly 50 years, with German Knights being unable to take any Russian city without heavy losses. The Russians were unable to send any counter attacks without being cut down by the knights. The tense battlefields between Russia and Germany soaked up the blood of many complete regiments of Russian Swordsman and depleted the ranks of many German Knight regiments. During this time period neither side called in any allies to do battle with them.
Most likely the trade of German luxury items with England, France, and the Aztecs probably kept away many a potential Russian ally. They might have also looked to an example of a previous ally of Russia against Germany, the former United States of America, now German possessions. They could also see the same example with the Romans who, while now a small collection of cities on the Southwest of the continent, used to have their base of power on the Islands to the east of Russia, most notably in Rome. The English in particular had fought the Americans alongside the Germans.
In what was called a strategic withdrawal and concession to defeat by many, Russian Knight regiments left behind the musketeers defending taken Russian cities and moved to the city of Riga. Then in a crash course program, the many veteran and elite Knight regiments were trained in the use of guns and freed of their armor and barding. The new Calvary units were then sent back to the front.
And the result is what you can see now. The Russians may never recover as they now have lost their iron mines. Time will only tell if they will be left broken and powerless like the Romans, be completely assumed by the Germans, or split piecemeal between the 4 great nations of the world.