﻿<<TAG_1>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NThe success of the Ottoman backed Senussi rising in eastern Libya could threaten our own position in Egypt. %N%NTo neutralise this threat it is suggested that a Detachment called the Western Desert Force be formed to protect western Egypt from enemy incursions. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of this unit at Alexandria in Egypt, at a cost of 25MPPs per turn for 3 turns?
<<TAG_2>>= Forming Western Desert Force
<<TAG_3>>= Until Italy seized Libya in 1911, the area had belonged to the Ottoman Empire and the Senussi retained links with the Ottomans, rising up against Italian occupation once Italy entered the war in 1915. %N%NWith much experience in guerrilla warfare and assistance from the Ottomans, the Senussi proved to be a thorn in the side of the British and Italians during the middle years of WWI, and it is probably best to say (YES) to deploying the Western Desert Force in order to deal with them.
<<TAG_4>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NThe USA has joined the war but its armed forces and military economy are very small. %N%NTo speed up the deployment of US forces in Europe it may be advisable to provide her with funding. %N%NWould you like to provide the USA with 500MPPs funding for their armed forces, at a cost of 50MPPs a turn for 10 turns?
<<TAG_5>>= Providing Funds To The USA
<<TAG_6>>= Both the British and French assisted their new allies to build up their armed forces for service in Europe. %N%NThis helped speed up the deployment of US forces, leading to their involvement in some of the crucial battles of 1918, including Belleau Wood and the crushing of the St Mihiel salient. %N%NGiven the USA's potential, it will generally be best to say (YES) to this so that US soldiers will soon be able to fight alongside our forces in Europe.
<<TAG_7>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NThe number of able-bodied men volunteering for the armed forces is declining, and this could lead to us having insufficient troops to replace the losses we expect to suffer in the coming year. %N%NIt has been suggested that we introduce conscription to wheedle out those who are fit to fight but who have so far been reluctant to step forward and join the colours. %N%NThe introduction of conscription will provide us with 3 new infantry Corps, though its unpopularity will lead to strikes that will weaken our economy. %N%NWould you like to introduce conscription to increase the size of our armed forces?
<<TAG_8>>= None
<<TAG_9>>= %N%NConscription will provide our army with three new Corps at delayed intervals as first single men will be called up, followed by married men, and ultimately by skilled workers. %N%NThe call up will be paced as much as possible to prevent any significant disruption to the economy. %N%NThe introduction of conscription will undoubtedly trigger some industrial unrest as the remaining skilled workers will resent the introduction of more women, children and unskilled labour into the workforce. %N%NBut it might be worth it for the extra manpower this will provide the army.
<<TAG_10>>= The UK Introduces Conscription
<<TAG_11>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NThe Indian Army can quickly make available two Corps, one of infantry and one of cavalry, for service in France as an Indian Expeditionary Force. %N%NThe infantry are nearly ready to sail, though the cavalry will take a few months more to arrive. %N%NWould you like this Indian Expeditionary Force to sail directly to Marseille in the south of France, where they will start arriving from the end of September 1914 (YES)? %N%NOr would you rather have them disembark at a slightly earlier date in Egypt (NO)?
<<TAG_12>>= Four Indian divisions, two of infantry and two of cavalry, were sent to Europe to assist in the defence of France and Belgium in 1914. %N%NIn the autumn of 1915 the infantry were sent to Mesopotamia, though the cavalry remained on the Western Front, taking part in the offensives on the Somme in 1916 and at Cambrai in 1917.
<<TAG_13>>= Indian Army Formations Sail For Europe
<<TAG_14>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NThe Portuguese Ambassador has asked for funding so that they can provide a Portuguese Expeditionary Corps to fight on the Western Front. %N%NIf we provide the equipment and training, they promise to provide the men. %N%NShall we provide Portugal with the equipment and training to form a Corps at a cost of 15MPPs per turn for 5 turns (YES) or shall we decline their request (NO)?
<<TAG_15>>= Equipping The Portuguese Corps
<<TAG_16>>= Portuguese forces fought on the Western Front, and unfortunately for them they took the brunt of the Georgette Offensive in April 1918, suffering heavy casualties in the first day of the enemy's attack. %N%NIf you say (YES) then a full strength Portuguese Corps deploys at Lagos in Portugal in March 1917.
<<TAG_17>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NWe have received a report from the Arab Bureau of the Foreign Office notifying us that the Emir of Mecca, Sherif Hussein, has written to Sir Henry McMahon, High Commissioner of Egypt, offering an alliance. %N%NThe Sherif is promising to rise against the Ottomans in return for financial and material support. %N%NWould you like to authorise the dispatch of a young officer called T.E. Lawrence to instigate an Arab revolt, at a cost of 30MPPs per turn for the next 5 turns?
<<TAG_18>>= Funding A Revolt In Arabia
<<TAG_19>>= The events that followed the Arab revolt helped to bring down the Ottoman Empire, inspiring the iconic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia starring Peter O'Toole as T.E. Lawrence. %N%NThe rising itself may take some time to realize its potential, but by saying (YES) to this you will be opening up a new front in the war against the Ottomans, stretching their resources and helping to pave the way for victory in the Middle East.
<<TAG_20>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NThe Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) is now ready to sail to Europe, and a decision needs to be taken as to its destination. %N%NThe activities of the German Pacific squadron may impede their progress, but all being well the ANZACs should arrive in Europe in the middle of December. %N%NThese soldiers are all volunteers who are brimming with enthusiasm for the struggle ahead. %N%NWould you like them to sail directly to Bristol in the west of England (YES) or would you rather have them disembark at a slightly earlier date in Egypt (NO)?
<<TAG_21>>= The ANZACs served first at Gallipoli and then later on the Western Front, while their Light Horse units played a prominent role in the Middle East, most notably at Beersheba in 1917. %N%NThe ANZACs were acclaimed as tough fighters, but they also became renowned for their indiscipline and resistance to traditional military authority, being independently minded and more willing to stick up for themselves than their counterparts in the British army. %N%NANZAC Day is still celebrated annually in Australia and New Zealand, and the men's service has been immortalised in film, especially in the 1985 TV series %VANZACs, though also in the 1981 film %VGallipoli and 1987's %VThe %VLighthorsemen.
<<TAG_22>>= The ANZACs Set Sail For Europe
<<TAG_23>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NGiven the likelihood of war with the Ottoman Empire, steps need to be taken to ensure that we do not lose access to our oil supplies coming from the Abadan oilfields near Basra. %N%NA plan has been proposed whereby the Indian Army will send a force to seize Basra and the Abadan oilfields the moment war breaks out with the Ottomans. %N%NPreparing such a force will cost 100MPPs at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like the Indian Army to prepare this force to seize Basra?
<<TAG_24>>= Indian forces landed and captured Basra in a swift campaign in 1914, securing the oilfields and the city. %N%NIt would be a mistake not to say (YES) to doing this, as it also opens up the potential for a new front against the Ottomans, and hopefully it will help distract some of their forces from attacking our positions in Egypt.
<<TAG_25>>= Seizing Basra
<<TAG_26>>= The UK Seizes The Ottoman Dreadnought Sultan Osman I
<<TAG_27>>= %N%N%N%BFirst %BLord %Bof %Bthe %BAdmiralty %N%BWinston %BChurchill %N%NGerman naval units operating in the Pacific and South Atlantic are affecting our trade and income. %N%NNow that Rear Admiral Cradock's squadron has been defeated at Coronel the calls for action against them have grown louder and more urgent. %N%NTo ensure a swift resolution of this problem it is recommended that we send the %VInvincible Battle Cruiser to the South Atlantic to deal with Graf von Spee's squadron. Otherwise she will deploy at Plymouth. %N%NWould you like to send the %VInvincible to the South Atlantic (YES) or deploy her at Plymouth instead (NO)?
<<TAG_28>>= If you say (YES) to sending the %VInvincible then providing she survives the engagement she will return to the UK for further service with the Grand Fleet, and there will be no further interference to our trade from von Spee. %N%NThere is however a 30% chance that she will be crippled in the engagement, in which case she will not return to the UK, and even if she does return, she will almost certainly need to be repaired. %N%NDespite the risk it is recommended to send the %VInvincible in order to deal with this threat to our economy, particularly as failing to act will reduce our National Morale by 500 points, whereas defeating von Spee will raise our National Morale by 500 points.
<<TAG_29>>= The UK Sends Naval Units To Deal With Von Spee
<<TAG_30>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NNow that the Ottoman Empire has joined the Central Powers our position in Egypt could come under threat. %N%NThe best way to strengthen our position there will be to send General Sir Ian Hamilton to command in Egypt. %N%NProviding General Hamilton with the logistical support necessary for him to set up as a Headquarters unit at Alexandria will cost us 150MPPs at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns. %N%NWould you like to appoint Hamilton as commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (YES)?
<<TAG_31>>= Deploying General Hamilton
<<TAG_32>>= Sir Ian Hamilton is an experienced officer who served well in the Boer War and has twice been recommended for the Victoria Cross. %N%NDeploying him to command our forces in Egypt could be vital if we are to prevent the enemy from conquering Egypt, so it is recommended that you say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_33>>= General Hamilton Is Appointed To Command The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
<<TAG_34>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NItaly is under great threat from the Central Powers. %N%NThe Chief of the Imperial General Staff states that to put new heart into our allies we should send the Earl of Cavan to take up command of Italian units. %N%NProviding the Earl of Cavan with the logistical support necessary for him to set up as a Headquarters unit at Genoa will cost us 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to send the Earl of Cavan to command units of the Italian army?
<<TAG_35>>= Deploying Cavan In Italy
<<TAG_36>>= The Earl of Cavan first served during the Second Boer War and since then he has risen to the rank of Lieutenant General in command of a Corps. %N%NSending him to serve as an HQ in Italian service (YES) will not only provide the Italians with an extra HQ unit, but it will also raise Italy's National Morale by 2,000 points. %N%NCavan was considered a possible successor to Haig as Commander in Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in France, and his subsequent command in Italy saw him lead Entente forces to victory there in 1918. %N%NAfter the war he became Chief of the Imperial General Staff, a position he held for four years before retiring at the age of 60 in 1926.
<<TAG_37>>= %N%N%N%BFirst %BLord %Bof %Bthe %BAdmiralty %N%BWinston %BChurchill %N%NTo increase the size of our naval forces and ensure our superiority over Germany, it is recommended that we seize the Ottoman ships currently being built in Britain and add them to the Royal Navy. %N%NIf you agree, the Royal Navy will seize the Dreadnought %VSultan %VOsman %VI, renaming it the %VAgincourt. %N%NShe should then be ready for active service in September. %N%NWould you like to seize the %VSultan %VOsman %VI and deploy it as part of the Royal Navy (YES)? %N%NOr would you rather deliver the %VSultan %VOsman %VI to the Ottoman Navy (NO).
<<TAG_38>>= Saying (YES) will undoubtedly annoy the Ottomans, swinging them 10-15% towards the Central Powers. %N%NHowever, doing so will not only add to our strength, but also save us from ever having to face this ship in battle at a later date. %N%NOn the other hand, delivering the %VSultan %VOsman %VI will swing the Ottomans 25-35% towards the Entente, potentially significantly delaying conflict with them. %N%NUnfortunately doing so would upset the Russians due to the impact that delivering this Dreadnought would have on the balance of power in the Black Sea, and this would reduce Russia's National Morale by 2,000 points .
<<TAG_39>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NOur agents have been in secret discussions with the Italians, and they report that the Italians are interested in entering the war, but to enable them to do so effectively they have requested some considerable financial assistance. %N%NTheir representatives have asked for 200MPPs to be paid at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NOur agreement to provide this money will increase Italian willingness to enter the war, while also improving their army's fighting ability. %N%NWould you like to authorise this payment to Italy?
<<TAG_40>>= To Italy
<<TAG_41>>= The Treaty of London signed in April 1915 led to Italy promising to enter the war the following month in return for British money and the promise of territory in Austria-Hungary. %N%NThus Italy was prised from her lukewarm membership of the Triple Alliance, forsaking neutrality for the opportunity to seize the coveted areas of Trento and Trieste. %N%NFor Austria-Hungary, having a new front open up to its west will stretch the Empire's resources even further, so it is recommended to say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_42>>= Secret Talks With Italian Diplomats Take Place In London
<<TAG_43>>= Mobilizing The B.E.F.
<<TAG_44>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NTo better pursue the war against the Ottoman Empire it is recommended that we occupy the Greek island of Lemnos in the Aegean, as this will provide us with a useful base near the Dardanelles. %N%NThe cost of deploying a unit of Marines to occupy the island, who will then be available to make a landing in the Dardanelles, will be 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to approve the deployment of a unit of Marines on the island of Lemnos?
<<TAG_45>>= Occupying Lemnos
<<TAG_46>>= Saying (YES) to this could be useful even if you don't wish to launch an amphibious invasion of the Ottoman Empire at this stage, as the enemy will feel threatened by this and it will make them more likely to keep forces closer to Constantinople. %N%NOne consequence of this could therefore be a weakening of the Ottoman forces available to fight on the frontiers of their Empire, while occupying Lemnos can be used as the launching pad for a landing at any time in the future.
<<TAG_47>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NCanada and Newfoundland are raising a Canadian Expeditionary Force to serve in Europe, but for the moment the size of this force is quite small and the men require extra training. %N%NIt is therefore proposed that we ship the Canadian Expeditionary Force to England where it will be able to complete its training and reach full strength in February 1915 for a cost of 50MPPs. %N%NAlternatively, we could send this partially prepared force directly to France so that it can enter straight into action there. %N%NWould you like to approve the shipping of the Canadian Expeditionary Force to England to complete its training (YES) or would you rather it were shipped directly to France (NO)?
<<TAG_48>>= Training The Canadian Corps
<<TAG_49>>= The Canadians were to acquit themselves very well on the Western Front, playing a prominent role in many of the key battles, from Second Ypres through Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Amiens and on to final victory. %N%NNewfoundland wasn't part of Canada at the time, and it deployed its own regiment for service in the war, seeing action at Gallipoli, the Somme and later battles on the Western Front. %N%NSaying (YES) to this means that this formation will receive the training it will need to serve well, whereas if you say (NO) then it will arrive in France totally unprepared for battle and at great risk of being easily destroyed without further reinforcement.
<<TAG_50>>= Forces From Canada And Newfoundland Ship To Europe
<<TAG_51>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NMore troops from Australia and New Zealand are now ready to sail for Europe, and a decision needs to be taken as to their destination. %N%NWould you like them to sail directly to Bristol in the west of England (YES) or would you rather have them disembark at a slightly earlier date in Egypt (NO)?
<<TAG_52>>= II ANZAC Corps was formed in Egypt in early 1916 and then sent to the Western Front where it took part in the Battle of Messines in 1917. %N%NThat December its Australian divisions joined the new Australian Corps, while its British components became the British Army's XXII Corps.
<<TAG_53>>= The II ANZAC Corps Sets Sail
<<TAG_54>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NSo far only small units of Australian cavalry have seen action as part of the ANZAC Corps, but they have shown themselves to fight very well and it is now proposed to expand these units into a larger formation in Egpyt. %N%NForming this Australian Light Horse unit will cost us 200MPPs at 50MPPS a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of this unit?
<<TAG_55>>= Australian Light Horse
<<TAG_56>>= The Australian Light Horse played a pivotal role in the campaign to wrest Palestine from the Ottomans, especially at Beersheba, so forming them into a Cavalry Corps should also contribute to your own success in this theater.
<<TAG_57>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NSo far only small units of Australian cavalry have seen action as part of the ANZAC Corps, but they have shown themselves to fight very well and it is now proposed to expand these units into a larger formation in the UK. %N%NForming this Australian Light Horse unit will cost us 200MPPs at 50MPPS a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of this unit?
<<TAG_58>>= The Australian Light Horse played a pivotal role in the campaign to wrest Palestine from the Ottomans, especially at Beersheba, but with Egypt in enemy hands our only option is to form them into a Cavalry Corps in the UK. %N%NThis Cavalry Corps can then be deployed for service wherever it can be most effective.
<<TAG_59>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NThe Greek Prime Minister, Eleftherios Venizelos, would like to bring Greece into the war on our side and to achieve this result he is currently preparing to form a Committee of National Defence at Salonika. %N%NSupporting Venizelos is therefore strongly recommended, and his success would enable us to use Salonika either as a base for an advance either into Serbia or towards Constantinople. %N%NThe cost of supporting the Venizelist forces in their attempt to seize power at Salonika will cost both the UK and France 100MPPs each, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to support Venizelos in his plans to bring Greece into the Entente?
<<TAG_60>>= Supporting Venizelos
<<TAG_61>>= To ensure that the coup succeeds, British and French support is required as without it Venizelos's plans could fail. %N%NA failed coup could even result in Greece entering the war on the side of the Central Powers due to the King of Greece's support for Germany. It is therefore recommended that you say (YES) to this. %N%NBy saying (YES) to this, you are committing both France and the UK to paying 100 MPPs each. %N%N%N%BNote: Apart from the Venizelist forces that will be formed at Salonika should the rising succeed, neither the Greek army nor the navy is likely to play any significant role in the war unless Greece is actually invaded.
<<TAG_62>>= %N%N%N%BFirst %BLord %Bof %Bthe %BAdmiralty %N%BWinston %BChurchill %N%NGiven the serious situation facing us on the continent, we could use surplus men from the Royal Navy to form a Royal Naval Division to help slow down the German advance. %N%NIn no way will this unit be as good in combat as the regular army, but it may be able to play a role yet. %N%NForming the Royal Naval Division will cost 50MPPs, and upon formation it will be deployed at London. %N%NWould you like to order the formation of a Royal Naval Division?
<<TAG_63>>= Forming The R.N. Division
<<TAG_64>>= This unit was largely raised using men from the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Fleet Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, strengthened by a brigade of Royal Marines. %N%NIt saw service at Antwerp before being sent to the Meditteranean to take part in the landings at Gallipoli in 1915. %N%NThe following year it became the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division and it served for the rest of the war on the Western Front.
<<TAG_65>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NThe regular army is too small to fight a long war on the continent, and can make only a small contribution to the war. %N%NHuge numbers of recruits are coming forward to enlist, and by the summer and autumn of 1915 our drill sergeants should have been able to turn these raw recruits into 4 Corps ready for service in France. %N%NThe cost will be 600MPPs, at 40MPPs a turn for 15 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise formation of a New Army?
<<TAG_66>>= Forming The New Army
<<TAG_67>>= Thousands of able bodied men are enlisting daily at recruiting stations all over the country, willing to fight for King and Country. %N%NWith so many men coming forward to serve their country in its time of need, it would be foolish not to say (YES) to forming these men into Kitchener's New Army.
<<TAG_68>>= Lord Kitchener Issues A Call To Arms
<<TAG_69>>= %N%N%N%BFirst %BSea %BLord %N%BAdmiral %BSir %BHenry %BJackson %N%NA unit of submarines is preparing for service in UK waters, but it is suggested that we send them instead to the Russian port of Archangel. %N%NThe cost of sending them will be 50MPPs, and the Russians will ship them by barge to Kronstadt where they should arrive at the beginning of September. %N%NWould you like to authorise the sending of these submarines to Archangel (YES)? %N%NOtherwise they will deploy at Rosyth in Scotland at the beginning of August (NO).
<<TAG_70>>= Sending Subs To Russia
<<TAG_71>>= Sending these submarines to Russia will not only be a surprise to the enemy, but it will give us an opportunity to strike at merchant shipping between Sweden and Germany. %N%NBe aware though that were Kronstadt to be lost before they are delivered, or if Russia were to pull out of the war, then these submarines will probably be lost.
<<TAG_72>>= %N%N%N%BFirst %BLord %Bof %Bthe %BAdmiralty %N%BWinston %BChurchill %N%NThe Royal Navy would like to requisition some cross-channel steamers to convert them into Seaplane Carriers. The work will cost us 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the conversion of these steamers into a Seaplane Carrier unit?
<<TAG_73>>= Seaplane Conversion
<<TAG_74>>= The Royal Navy requisitioned the packet ship %VEmpress in 1914 and converted her into a Seaplane Carrier. She served throughout the war, including in operations against the Ottomans and Bulgarians. %N%NSeaplane Carriers can be useful for naval reconnaissance, especially in hunting enemy U-Boats or during a clash with an enemy surface fleet.
<<TAG_75>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BImperial %BGeneral %BStaff %N%BWilliam %BRobertson %N%NTo further our campaign in Mesopotamia we could provide the local commander at Basra with sufficient reinforcements to enable his Headquarters and the Tigris Corps to take the field. %N%NProviding the extra forces necessary from India will cost us 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NDoing so will provide us with an HQ and the Tigris Corps at Basra. %N%NWould you like to authorise this payment so that General Maude can lead our Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force into battle?
<<TAG_76>>= Deploying General Maude
<<TAG_77>>= Major-General Frederick Stanley Maude, son of Sir Frederick Francis Maude VC, saw service in France and at Gallipoli prior to taking up command of the Tigris Corps in the summer of 1916. %N%NMaude was to lead this force to victory, capturing Kut-Al-Amara and then Baghdad the following year, though he was not to see the end of the war as he died of cholera in November 1917. %N%NIt is recommended to say (YES) to this as by deploying Maude and the Tigris Corps your own forces will also have the same potential for a victorious offensive in this theater.
<<TAG_78>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NThe initial units comprising the British Expeditionary Force which is ready for service on the continent are all set to sail to France. %N%NThis Expeditionary Force consists of the experienced I and II Corps and a HQ unit commanded by Sir John French. %N%NArrangements have been made to deploy the Corps at Amiens, with Sir John French setting up his HQ at Rouen. Shipping these units to France will cost 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to send the British Expeditionary Force to France (YES) or would you rather have it deploy in the UK (NO)?
<<TAG_79>>= Shipping The B.E.F.
<<TAG_80>>= Shipping the B.E.F. to France (YES) will normally be the best thing to do, as an enemy invasion cannot be allowed to defeat the French like it did in the war of 1870-71. %N%NHowever, if you have other plans for the B.E.F. then deploying it in the UK may make sense, as its units could then be promptly shipped to Egypt or wherever else their services could prove useful.
<<TAG_81>>= The Arab Revolt Spreads Through Palestine And Syria
<<TAG_82>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%BLord %BKitchener %N%NTo enable us to protect Egypt and to carry out offensive operations in the Middle East, it is recommended that we call on the Indian Army to provide us with some artillery for service there. %N%NThis will only be a small artillery unit but it could be increased in size, and forming it will cost us 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of an Indian Artillery unit in Egypt?
<<TAG_83>>= Artillery Unit In Egpyt
<<TAG_84>>= India's contribution to the Entente's war effort was substantial, with more than a million Indian soldiers seeing service in Europe, the Middle East, China and Africa. %N%NIt would be wise to say (YES) to deploying this Heavy Artillery unit in Egypt as it will considerably strengthen your position there.
<<TAG_85>>= %N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%NAs the enemy are threatening the new Transcaucasian Republic, it may be advisable to take measures to stop the oilfields at Baku from falling into their hands. %N%NGeneral Lionel Dunsterville, an Indian army officer, therefore proposes to lead a small force into Transcaucasia to help stop the enemy advance there. %N%NThe proposed name of this unit is Dunsterforce, and with your approval it will be formed at Hamadan in Persia at a cost of 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of Dunsterforce?
<<TAG_86>>= Dunsterforce
<<TAG_87>>= Russia's withdrawal from the war led to fears that the Ottomans would seize the southern Caucasus, and so a small force was formed to head north to act as the core of resistance. %N%NDunsterforce faced a daunting task, as its men had to first drive north from Hamadan to Baku, before entering into action. %N%NHaving to face not only the Ottomans but also in-fighting between the different nationalities in the Caucasus coupled with Bolshevik intriguing, Dunsterforce managed to raise local recruits but they were forced to withdraw from Baku in the face of a superior Ottoman and Azerbaijani army.
<<TAG_88>>= %N%N%N%N%BSecretary %Bof %BState %Bfor %BWar %N%NNow that the enemy have conquered Persia they will be able to benefit from the income generated by the Oil Refineries in the south. %N%NTo prevent them from taking full advantage of this we could employ agents to encourage some of the tribes to attack the refineries. %N%NEmploying these agents will cost us 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise the employment of agents in Persia?
<<TAG_89>>= Payment To Agents In Persia
<<TAG_90>>= This theater of war saw both sides use agents to stir up trouble among local tribes, fostering sabotage and revolts. %N%NSaying (YES) to this will weaken the enemy's economy, but whether it is worth doing will depend on your overall priorities at this time.
<<TAG_91>>= %N%N%N%BFirst %BLord %Bof %Bthe %BAdmiralty %N%BSir %BEdward %BCarson %N%NThe Japanese Navy has a flotilla of modern Destroyers available for service in the war. %N%NWe can either use these to deal with the German commerce raiders operating in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, or we can ask the Japanese to sail to Gibraltar. %N%NFrom there, we could use them in either the Mediterranean or Atlantic. %N%NWould you like the Japanese Destroyers to remain in the Indian Ocean to deal with the enemy's commerce raiders there (YES) or would you like them to sail to Gibraltar (NO)?
<<TAG_92>>= If you say (YES) then the operations of the Japanese navy in the Pacific and Indian Oceans will have the effect of reducing the effectiveness of the German commerce raiders. %N%NIf you say (NO) then a full strength Destroyer with full research will deploy at Gibraltar in April 1917. %N%N%N%NDuring the war, Japan complied with the British request to send ships to the Mediterranean, and ultimately 20 Japanese vessels were based at Malta. %N%NFrom here they provided escorts to shipping, coming under attack in June 1917 when an Austro-Hungarian submarine torpedoed the %VSakaki Destroyer. The Destroyer survived but many of her crew were lost.
<<TAG_93>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NOur country's will to continue the fight has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_94>>= It is strongly recommended to say (YES) to this, as low National Morale will weaken the fighting effectiveness of our armed forces, and if it falls too low then we will lose the war.
<<TAG_95>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NOur country's will to continue the fight has now fallen dangerously low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_96>>= National Morale played a crucial role in the outcome of the First World War, as Empires collapsed in disorder when their populations lost their will to fight. %N%NTackling demoralization is ultimately more important than fielding new units, so unless victory is clearly in sight, it will be best to say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_97>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BImperial %BGeneral %BStaff %N%BWilliam %BRobertson %N%NMajor-General Maude has taken the unusual step of requesting an artillery unit be provided to the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. %N%NThis would dramatically increase the likelihood of a successful campaign in Mesopotamia, but providing him with a half strength Heavy Artillery unit will cost 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise this payment to provide the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force with some artillery?
<<TAG_98>>= Artillery In Mesopotamia
<<TAG_99>>= Given the importance of Heavy Artillery to offensive operations it will probably be best to say (YES) to this unless you have far more pressing concerns elsewhere, .
<<TAG_100>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NWe have lost our Russian allies and the USA remains neutral. %N%NThis puts the Central Powers in a strong position that we need to challenge if we are to win the war. %N%NTo encourage US entrance into the war, we could support the Preparedness Movement in the USA. %N%NWould you like to encourage US entrance into the war by funding this movement, at a cost of 150 MPPs, to be charged at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns?
<<TAG_101>>= The Preparedness Movement
<<TAG_102>>= %N%N%N%BPrime %BMinister %N%NNews has been received from our spies in the Ottoman Empire suggesting that the Ottomans may soon request an armistice. %N%NAccepting such a request (YES) is advisable as their withdrawal from the war will impact on the National Morale of their allies, bringing us closer to victory. %N%NBut if you would rather conquer the country than accept an armistice, then say (NO) to this decision.
<<TAG_103>>= If we do not accept an armistice, then a new regime will likely take power, rekindling Ottoman fighting spirit, boosting their morale and lengthening the war in the Middle East. %N%NAs such, if you wish for a speedy end to the war in this area then it will be best to say (YES) to this decision to make it known that we will accept an armistice when the time comes.
<<TAG_104>>= %N%N%N%BEntente %BPlayer %N%NIf neither side have achieved a Major Victory by the 11th November 1918, would you like to continue playing on for a maximum of five more years? %N%NThe new potential end date would now be the 1st January 1924. %N%NThis should provide enough time for one side or the other to win, but if not then the Minor Victory conditions will apply at that time. %N%NSo you can either continue playing for potentially five more years (YES), or opt to have the game end no later than the 11th November 1918 (NO).
<<TAG_105>>= Saying (YES) to this will allow you to play on for another five years, should you wish to.
<<TAG_106>>= %N%N%N%BMonsieur %Ble %BPrésident %N%NGiven the grave situation facing our country, many experienced soldiers and the press are calling for Marshal Lyautey to be ordered to mobilize our armed forces in North Africa for service in France. %N%NIf you say (YES) then our garrisons in Algeria and Morocco will be concentrated at Algiers to form a Corps for active service, along with sufficient resources to form an Army Headquarters staff. %N%NFrom Algiers these units could then be shipped to France. %N%NUnfortunately, saying (YES) to this will probably result in us losing much of North Africa to local revolts. %N%NWould you like to order Marshal Lyautey to mobilize our garrisons in North Africa for active service?
<<TAG_107>>= The penalty of removing these garrisons from North Africa will of course be increased Riff activity in Morocco, and it is probable that we will lose control of much, if not all, of Algeria. %N%NBut our Austrian and German Legionnaires will deploy at Oran to help counter the revolts, and from Oran it will be best to send them to Fes to deal with any uprisings in that area.
<<TAG_108>>= France Calls Upon General Lyautey
<<TAG_109>>= %N%N%N%BMonsieur %Ble %BPrésident %N%NNow that the USA has entered the war it is strongly recommended that we provide them with funding to enable the rapid expansion of their armed forces. %N%NWould you like to provide the USA with 500MPPs funding for their armed forces, at a cost of 50MPPs a turn for 10 turns?
<<TAG_110>>= Both the British and French assisted their new allies to build up their armed forces for service in Europe. %N%NThis helped speed up the deployment of US forces, leading to their involvement in some of the crucial battles of 1918, including Belleau Wood and the crushing of the St Mihiel salient. %N%NGiven the USA's potential, it will generally be best to say (YES) to this so that US soldiers will soon be able to fight alongside French forces in Europe.
<<TAG_111>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BGeneral %BJoffre %N%NThousands of foreign volunteers have come to France with a burning desire to enlist in our armed forces and serve our country. %N%NWe could use a cadre of experienced Legionnaires from Algeria to transform these enthusiastic idealists into a Corps of hardened soldiers. %N%NOnce their training is complete, this Corps will deploy at Marseille in May 1915. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation and training of a Foreign Legion Corps at a cost of 25MPPs a turn for 4 turns?
<<TAG_112>>= Training The Foreign Legion Corps
<<TAG_113>>= Foreign volunteers enlisting in the French army in 1914 included Italians inspired by Garibaldi's actions in 1871, Americans like the poet Alan Seeger, Swiss, Poles, Russians, and many others including the disgraced British officer John Ford Elkington. %N%NIt is strongly recommended to say (YES) to training these volunteers.
<<TAG_114>>= France Announces The Formation Of A Foreign Legion Corps
<<TAG_115>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BGeneral %BJoffre %N%NThe commander of our XX Corps, Lieutenant-General Ferdinand Foch, is an outstanding officer of merit who would make a suitable candidate to lead our forces in the battles to come. %N%NProviding him with the necessary logistical support so that he can take to the field will cost us 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to provide General Foch with a field command at Troyes, south east of Paris?
<<TAG_116>>= Deploying General Foch
<<TAG_117>>= One of the more successful of France's generals during the war, Foch was ultimately to become Supreme Commander of all Entente forces on the Western Front in 1918. %N%NIt is strongly recommended to say (YES) to this, as deploying an extra HQ unit will improve the fighting abilities of those units that come under his command.
<<TAG_118>>= Ferdinand Foch Is Provided With A Field Command
<<TAG_119>>= Mobilization
<<TAG_120>>= %N%N%N%BMonsieur %Ble %BPrésident %N%NThe Greeks remain divided on the issue of the war and there is a danger that their fleet may attempt to sail to join the Central Powers. %N%NIt is therefore proposed that we seize the Greek navy and hand it over to loyal Venizelist officers. %N%NThe Greek Navy consists of a US built pre-Dreadnought flotilla whose flagship is the %VLemnos, and a Destroyer squadron whose flagship is the %VThyella. %N%NWould you like to authorise the seizure of the Greek navy?
<<TAG_121>>= Our attempt to seize the Greek navy is not guaranteed to succeed and if it fails then what we are trying to prevent might happen, as their ships could sail to join the enemy. %N%NThat said, with proper planning and cooperation with Venizelist naval officers we are confident of a good chance of success if you say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_122>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BGeneral %BJoffre %N%NGiven the threat facing our Channel ports, the Navy has offered to provide a unit of Marines to help defend Boulogne. %N%NThis unit of Fusilier Marins will not be very powerful but it may be able to hold the area for long enough to delay the enemy's advance. %N%NMobilizing the Fusilier Marins will cost 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to approve the Navy's offer to deploy Marines at Boulogne?
<<TAG_123>>= Deploying The Fusiliers Marins
<<TAG_124>>= In the crisis of 1914 when the Germans threatened the Channel ports, France deployed its Fusiliers Marins to Belgium in an effort to stem the enemy's advance. %N%NThey fought against overwhelming odds alongside the Belgians, particularly in the defense of Dixmude, and despite heavy casualties they managed to hold the town and halt the German advance in this area.
<<TAG_125>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NNow that Romania has entered the war her armed forces are in need of enlarging and improvement. %N%NWe could assist by sending a Military Mission to assist her. This would help her form an extra Corps and a unit of Recon Bombers, both at half strength. %N%NThe cost of this Military Mission will be 150MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns. %N%NWould you like to provide Romania with this military assistance?
<<TAG_126>>= Military Aid to Romania
<<TAG_127>>= France's Military Mission had to travel via a circuitous route to reach Romania, and their assistance, which included military equipment as well as officers and men, helped reform the Romanian army prior to the campaigns of 1917. %N%NUnfortunately for the Entente, Russia's withdrawal from the war left Romania isolated and it felt obliged to make peace with the Central Powers in May 1918. %N%NTherefore consider the overall military and diplomatic situation when deciding whether to say (YES) to sending a French Military Mission to Romania.
<<TAG_128>>= %N%N%N%BMonsieur %Ble %BPrésident %N%NOur nation's morale has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_129>>= %N%N%N%BMonsieur %Ble %BPrésident %N%NOur nation's morale has fallen even further and has now reached a dangerously low level. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_130>>= %N%N%N%BMonsieur %Ble %BPrésident %N%NWe could make use of our good relationship with the many Polish exiles in France by agreeing to form a unit composed of Polish volunteers. %N%NBy approving this venture we could raise a half strength Corps that would deploy at Bourges in March 1918 with full research. %N%NWould you like to approve the raising of this Polish unit, in French service, at a cost of 60MPPs a turn for 2 turns?
<<TAG_131>>= General Haller's Polish Blue Army
<<TAG_132>>= The exiles in France will be supplemented by appealing for Polish volunteers to come from America, and also by recruiting those of Polish nationality who have been taken prisoner while serving in the armies of our enemies. %N%NIf you say (YES) to raising this Corps then the Polish National Committee have stated that they will appoint General Haller to command it, and it will be known as the Blue Army.
<<TAG_133>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BField %BMarshal %BLuigi %BCadorna %N%NIntelligence reports suggest that the Ottomans are supplying the Senussi tribes in eastern Libya, and as a result they are steadily increasing in strength. %N%NIt is therefore proposed that we transfer troops from Eritrea in East Africa to garrison Tobruk. %N%NDoing so while ensuring that Eritrea retains a sufficient garrison of its own will cost us 25MPPs per turn for the next 3 turns. %N%NWould you like to transfer forces from Eritrea to Tobruk?
<<TAG_134>>= Transferring Troops From Eritrea
<<TAG_135>>= Italy only seized Libya from the Ottomans in 1911, and there was strong hostility to Italian rule, especially in the east where the Senussi were strong. %N%NThe Senussi revolt could threaten Tobruk, and to counter this it would be best to transfer these troops from East Africa (YES).
<<TAG_136>>= Italy Transfers Troops From Eritrea To Tobruk
<<TAG_137>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BField %BMarshal %BLuigi %BCadorna %N%NCommander Luigi Rizzo, a brave naval officer, has a bold plan to attack Austro-Hungarian warships in port using torpedo boats. %N%NProviding Rizzo with the men, equipment and vessels to carry out his plans will cost 50MPPs to implement. The chances of success are slim, but the rewards could be worth it. %N%NWould you like to authorise funding to Commander Rizzo's plans to strike at the Austro-Hungarian navy?
<<TAG_138>>= To Commander Rizzo
<<TAG_139>>= Luigi Rizzo's MAS Torpedo Boats successfully sank two Austro-Hungarian warships during the war, firstly SMS %VWien in the port of Trieste, and later SMS %VSzent %VIstván. %N%NThese achievements led to his being promoted to Admiral and ennobled by King Victor Emmanuel III.
<<TAG_140>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BField %BMarshal %BLuigi %BCadorna %N%NWe have received requests from large numbers of Czech and Slovak prisoners of war for permission to raise a Czechoslovak formation to serve in our army in our common struggle against Austria-Hungary. %N%NTraining and equipping this unit will cost 150MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of a Czechoslovak Volunteer Corps?
<<TAG_141>>= Forming A Czech Corps
<<TAG_142>>= As the war progressed, loyalty to the Emperor decreased among Austria-Hungary's disparate populations. %N%NCalls for greater autonomy from the various nationalities making up the Empire gradually led to demands for independence, and it became possible for the Entente to raise units from disaffected Habsburg prisoners of war. %N%NUltimately the war was to end with the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as its component parts separated, with Czechoslovakia among the new countries gaining their independence in 1918.
<<TAG_143>>= Italy Forms A Czechoslovak Volunteer Corps
<<TAG_144>>= From The UK
<<TAG_145>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BField %BMarshal %BLuigi %BCadorna %N%NWith Albania in friendly hands, we could increase our strength in the area by forming a Detachment from Albanian volunteers, to be called the Albanian Legion. %N%NForming this unit will cost us 50MPPs, and it will deploy at Tirana. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of an Albanian Legion?
<<TAG_146>>= Forming An Albanian Legion
<<TAG_147>>= Italy's moves into Albania during the war saw the formation of Albanian units in their service, and the country was to become an Italian protectorate at the end of the war.
<<TAG_148>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NOur country's morale has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_149>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NOur country's morale has fallen to a dangerously low level. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_150>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief, %BSerbian %BArmy %N%BGeneral %BPutnik %N%NTsar Nicholas II of Russia has suggested that we provide our ally Montenegro with a Headquarters unit under General Janković. %N%NThis should provide the Montenegrin armed forces with the ability to hold out much longer against the enemy, and will help maintain our link to the sea and assistance from our allies. %N%NWould you like to send Janković to serve as a Montenegrin HQ (YES) or deploy Janković as a second Serbian HQ (NO)?
<<TAG_151>>= If Janković serves as a Montenegrin HQ (YES), then Montenegro will be better able to withstand attack, thus securing our connection to the sea and aid from France. %N%NOn the other hand, Serbia has more units than Putnik can command. So if Janković takes up a command in the Serbian army alongside Putnik (NO) then we will be better able to defend our own country.
<<TAG_152>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief, %BSerbian %BArmy %N%BGeneral %BPutnik %N%NThousands of first and second generation Serbs who had emigrated to the United States of America are returning to Europe to join us in our fight for freedom. %N%NWe could form these volunteers into a Detachment for 50 MPPs, at 25MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of this unit?
<<TAG_153>>= Volunteer Detachment
<<TAG_154>>= If you say (YES) then this Detachment will deploy at Monastir at the end of December 1914. %N%NAbout 4,000 volunteers arrived from the US and they were formed into a Volunteer Detachment, initially serving away from the front line in the winter of 1914-15 while they completed their training. %N%NForming this Detachment (YES) could be useful as it can help protect our border with Bulgaria, freeing up other units for service against the Central Powers.
<<TAG_155>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BGrand %BDuke %BNicholas %N%NOur II and III Caucasian Corps are available for transfer from the Caucasus to Brest-Litovsk, from where they could be sent into action against the Germans and Austro-Hungarians (YES). %N%NIf you decide not to transfer the II and III Caucasian Corps (N0) then they will now complete their mobilization and deploy in the Caucasus at Alexandropol and Tiflis respectively. %N%NTransferring these two Corps will cost us 50 MPPs. %N%NWould you like to transfer these units to Brest-Litovsk?
<<TAG_156>>= Transferring Units From The Caucasus
<<TAG_157>>= If you do decide to transfer these units to Brest-Litovsk (YES), our border in the Caucasus will still be guarded by a Detachment in Batum, I Caucasian Corps in Sarikamish, and II Turkestan Corps in Kars. %N%NThese units will all automatically deploy under the command of General Nikolai Yudenich on the outbreak of war with the Ottomans.
<<TAG_158>>= Transferring Units From Siberia
<<TAG_159>>= Transferring The Turkestan Corps
<<TAG_160>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NA plan has been put forward to land friendly Turkish-speaking Greeks and Armenians on the Ottoman coast near Zonguldak, to the east of Constantinople. %N%NFrom here they will carry out guerilla warfare to sabotage production at the mine works at Zonguldak. %N%NTraining and equipping the men to do this will cost us 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise this plan to land agents on the enemy coast (YES)?
<<TAG_161>>= Sending Agents To Zonguldak
<<TAG_162>>= The Russians carried out a number of small scale landings in the Black Sea, leading bodies of armed Greeks and Armenians who could speak Turkish. %N%NThese were landed at night from Destroyers, with orders to sabotage Ottoman infrastructure. %N%NThe numbers involved were in the low hundreds, though there was talk in the Russian Black Sea Fleet of increasing their strength to about 2,000.
<<TAG_163>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NThe Romanians have offered us four passenger liners that are suitable for conversion into Seaplane Carriers. %N%NThe work will cost us 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the conversion of these liners into a Seaplane Carrier unit?
<<TAG_164>>= If you say (YES) then the %VRegele %VCarol %VI Seaplane Carrier will deploy at Sevastopol. %N%NOriginally a passenger ship, when Romania entered the war she was one of four vessels leased to the Russians and converted for military service.
<<TAG_165>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%BGrand %BDuke %BNicholas %N%NWe currently have two British built liners belonging to the Russian Steam Navigation Trading Company which are suitable for conversion to Seaplane Carriers. %N%NThe work can be undertaken at Sevastopol and will cost us 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise payment for this Seaplane Carrier unit?
<<TAG_166>>= If you say (YES) then the %VImperator %VNikolai %VI Seaplane Carrier will deploy at Sevastopol in March 1915. %N%NIn February 1916 aircraft from this ship and the %VImperator %VAleksandr %VI bombed and sank the Ottoman collier %VIrmingard. %N%NThe %VIrmingard was the largest vessel to be sunk by air attack during the First World War.
<<TAG_167>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NMaria Bochkareva, a highly decorated and experienced female soldier in the 25th Tomsk Reserve Battalion, requests permission to raise a unit of women to fight at the front. %N%NShe claims that a few thousand young women are ready to enlist, and all they await is your approval. %N%NBochkareva argues that the service of women in the front lines will shame the men into fighting all the harder, and her proposal has the backing of General Brusilov.  %N%NForming this Women's Detachment at Moscow will cost us 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise the recruitment and training of this unit?
<<TAG_168>>= Forming A Women's Detachment
<<TAG_169>>= With casualties rising and morale declining, it was hoped that the formation of women's units would restore many soldiers' fighting spirit through shaming them into fighting harder. %N%NSome thousands of women were trained and equipped, but only two women's units, one of which was Maria Bochkareva's 1st Russian Women's Battalion of Death, were to see action at the front.
<<TAG_170>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NThousands of Czechs and Slovaks have now been serving with distinction in our army since the beginning of the war, and to make the most of their outstanding fighting spirit it is proposed that we form them into a Czechoslovak Corps. %N%NForming this unit at Moscow will cost us 150MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns, and the experienced soldiers forming it will be given the best equipment available. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of a Czechoslovak Corps?
<<TAG_171>>= Raising A Czech Corps
<<TAG_172>>= The recruitment of Czechs and Slovaks by the Russians began as soon as the war began in August 1914, and due to the enlistment of deserters, their numbers grew as the war progressed. %N%NIn 1917 the Russians allowed the recruitment of prisoners of war too, and they decided to form these men into a specifically Czechoslovak Legion. %N%NBy 1918 the Legion was 40,000 strong and as revolution and civil war broke out in Russia, this unit was to seize control of many cities as well as the Trans-Siberian railway, and the Legion was ultimately transported to Europe by sea from Vladivostok.
<<TAG_173>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NThere are now thousands of Serbians in Russia who are willing to serve in our army. Some of them have military experience and they have requested permission to serve together in a Serbian Corps. %N%NForming this unit at Moscow will cost us 100MPPs at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of a Serb Volunteer Corps?
<<TAG_174>>= Raising A Serbian Corps
<<TAG_175>>= The Russians agreed in 1915 that Serbian units could be recruited from ethnic Serbs living in Austria-Hungary who were taken prisoner or deserted while serving in the Habsburg army. %N%NThe first Serbian division was formed in the spring of 1916 and it saw action in southern Romania. %N%NA second division was soon raised, and with growing numbers it was agreed to form a Serb Volunteer Corps.
<<TAG_176>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NThe morale of our soldiers and civilians has fallen to an all time low and this is likely to lead to disaffection and unrest. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_177>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NWe could form 2 new Infantry Corps if we were to remove the exemption to conscription that the Muslim population has long been entitled to. %N%NTraining and equipping these Corps will cost us 150MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns, and these new units will deploy at the end of July. %N%NIn view of the risk of opposition, would you like to remove the Muslim population's longstanding exemption to conscription to raise two new Corps (YES)?
<<TAG_178>>= Muslim Conscription
<<TAG_179>>= The Muslim conscripts are to be used in a non-combat role for labor duties, freeing up enough soldiers currently undertaking these tasks to form two new Infantry Corps. %N%NThere is of course a possibility that elements disloyal to the Tsar will take our ending the Muslims' exemption to conscription as an excuse to stir up trouble, even though they won't be used in combat. %N%NThe actual introduction of conscription among the Muslim population did lead to a rising in Turkestan in 1916, and significant forces had to be diverted from the front to deal with it.
<<TAG_180>>= Romanian Income
<<TAG_181>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NWe have sufficient artillery pieces and crew in our rear areas to equip our Caucasian front with a weak Heavy Artillery unit. %N%NIf you agree to provide the funding, a strength 5 Heavy Artillery unit will deploy at Alexandropol in the Caucasus. %N%NDoing so will cost 150MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns. %N%NWould you like to authorize the formation of this Heavy Artillery unit?
<<TAG_182>>= Caucasian Artillery
<<TAG_183>>= Given all the focus on the fighting with Germany and Austria-Hungary, when the Ottomans entered the war the Russians had to swiftly mobilize their forces in the Caucasus and prepare them for war. %N%NThat they managed to do so was shown by their victory at Sarikamish in the winter of 1914-15. %N%NDeploying this Heavy Artillery unit will provide Russian forces with the potential to win in this theater, therefore it is recommended to say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_184>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NThe morale of our soldiers and civilians has fallen even further, leading to a growth in disaffection and disorder. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it is strongly advised that we transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_185>>= Dardanelles Trade
<<TAG_186>>= Funds From The UK
<<TAG_187>>= Funds From France
<<TAG_188>>= %N%N%N%BPresident %BWoodrow %BWilson %N%NOur country's morale has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_189>>= %N%N%N%BPresident %BWoodrow %BWilson %N%NOur country's morale has fallen to a dangerously low level. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_190>>= Boosting National Morale
<<TAG_191>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%BErich %Bvon %BFalkenhayn %N%NAn Irishman called Sir Roger Casement is willing to take a large consignment of arms to Ireland to equip the Nationalist and Republican groups who are planning a rising against British rule there. %N%NHe asks for 25 MPPs to fund this venture. %N%NIt will be a risky mission, but if Casement manages to deliver these arms and the rising is successful then it could prove to be an important blow against our main enemy. %N%NWould you like to authorise payment to Sir Roger Casement?
<<TAG_192>>= Funding The Irish Nationalists
<<TAG_193>>= If you agree to deliver weapons to the Irish then their rising will have a greater impact on British National Morale as well as leading to greater damage to Dublin, thus reducing Britain's income. %N%N%N%NSir Roger Casement's ill fated mission to deliver arms to the Irish rebels ended in failure when he was taken prisoner shortly after he landed in Ireland in April 1916. %N%NCasement had come to distrust the Germans and sought to dissuade the Irish Republicans from launching the Easter Rising, but he was caught before he could make contact with them so the rising went ahead regardlesss.
<<TAG_194>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NWilhelm Wassmuss, one of our diplomats who has experience in Persia, believes that there are great opportunities to create trouble for our enemies in that country. %N%NHe says that all that is needed is some money. %N%NWassmuss hopes to use this money to spread discord among the tribes, encouraging them to sabotage both the civil administration and the oil wells in the south. %N%NWould you like to provide Wassmuss with 50 MPPs to use in encouraging sabotage in Persia?
<<TAG_195>>= Although nowhere near as famous or successful as his British counterpart, Lawrence of Arabia, Wassmuss was Germany's closest equivalent and for that reason he is sometimes called Wassmuss of Persia. %N%NWassmuss's role in the war was in stirring up an anti-British revolt in Persia. %N%NWhile he achieved some moderate success in this, he may have unwittingly given more assistance to the Entente when he lost his diplomatic codebook in 1915. %N%NThis was then found by the British and sent to Room 40 who used it to read German communications. %N%NBenefiting from finds like this, Room 40 were the analysts who famously decrypted the Zimmermann Telegram in 1917, the event that directly led to US entrance into the war.
<<TAG_196>>= Germany Employs Secret Agents In The Middle East
<<TAG_197>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NIt has come to our attention that General Wille, Commander in Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces, is planning to ask the Swiss Federal Council to enter the war on our side. %N%NWould you like to spend 75 MPPs to employ agents to encourage support for General Wille's moves to have Switzerland join the Central Powers?
<<TAG_198>>= Payment To Agents In Switzerland
<<TAG_199>>= Switzerland is renowned for its neutrality in European wars, yet in July 1915 her most senior military figure was to call on the Swiss to enter the war. %N%NA Germanophile, General Ulrich Wille would have risked civil war between German and French and Italian speaking Swiss had his suggestion met with sufficient support. %N%NIf you say (YES) to this then Switzerland will swing 15-30% towards the Central Powers.
<<TAG_200>>= Germany Employs Secret Agents In Switzerland
<<TAG_201>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NOur agents in Morocco believe that the tribes of the Riff are ready to rise against the French. %N%NThis could be an excellent opportunity to create trouble for the French in Africa, but representatives of the tribes have requested arms, ammunition and money and they are unlikely to act without them. %N%NWould you like to spend 50 MPPs to equip the tribes?
<<TAG_202>>= Payment To Agents In French Morocco
<<TAG_203>>= By sending weapons and money to the tribes of the Riff, there will be resistance to French rule in the area, hitting French income and possibly even diverting some troops from the Western Front.
<<TAG_204>>= Germany Employs Secret Agents In French Morocco
<<TAG_205>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NFollowing Erich von Falkenhayn's dismissal from his position as Chief of the General Staff, he has requested a command in the field. %N%NProviding him with the necessary logistical support will cost us 200MPPs at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to provide von Falkenhayn with a field command, or shall we let him retire into obscurity?
<<TAG_206>>= Deploying Von Falkenhayn
<<TAG_207>>= If you have need of another HQ unit then it is advisable to say (YES) to this. %N%N%N%NFollowing his replacement as Chief of the General Staff by Hindenburg, von Falkenhayn was to serve with distinction in the Balkans and Middle East. %N%NVon Falkenhayn's 9th Army was to capture Bucharest towards the end of 1916, and the following year he was to see service with the Ottoman army in Syria.
<<TAG_208>>= Germany Provides Von Falkenhayn With A Field Command
<<TAG_209>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%BHelmuth %Bvon %BMoltke %N%NGiven our weakness in East Prussia, we could greatly strengthen our position there by bringing Paul von Hindenburg out of retirement and giving him a field command there. %N%NTo assist him in his duties Erich Ludendorff can serve as his Chief of Staff. %N%NProviding Hindenburg and Ludendorff with the necessary logistical support will cost us 200MPPs at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to appoint von Hindenburg to a field command at Marienburg in East Prussia?
<<TAG_210>>= Deploying Von Hindenburg
<<TAG_211>>= Paul von Hindenburg had retired from the army in 1911 after 45 years service. %N%NBeing called out of retirement at the start of the war, he defeated Samsonov's 2nd Army at Tannenberg and then von Rennenkampf's 1st Army at the Masurian Lakes. %N%NHis successes in the east led to him replacing von Falkenhayn as Chief of the General Staff the following year, with Ludendorff taking on the role of First Quartermaster-General of the General Staff. %N%NTogether they directed German military strategy until the end of the war.
<<TAG_212>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NThe Ottoman Ambassador requests that we dispatch a German unit to help them contain the enemy's advances in the Middle East. %N%NA unit can be formed at short notice at a cost of 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NThe proposed name for this unit is the Asien-Korps, and if you approve its formation it will deploy at Constantinople. %N%NWould you like to provide the funds to raise and equip Asien-Korps?
<<TAG_213>>= Forming Asien-Korps
<<TAG_214>>= Germany had been providing the Ottomans with military assistance since before the latter entered the war. %N%NBut with the Ottoman Empire suffering defeat in Mesopotamia and threats elsewhere, it was decided in 1917 to send a larger force to assist the Ottomans in reconquering this territory. %N%NIn the event, the British threat to Palestine took precedence and Asien-Korps was deployed there under the command of Colonel Gustav von Oppen.
<<TAG_215>>= Food Supplies Via Neutral Netherlands
<<TAG_216>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%NWe have naval units in place that could more effectively sink merchant shipping bringing supplies to the UK if we were to stop following the Cruiser Rules restricting commerce raiding. %N%NInstead, we could authorise our naval commanders to launch a campaign of unrestricted naval warfare against shipping off coast of the UK. %N%NSuch a move will certainly upset US public opinion as neutral ships will inevitably be sunk, but if we use enough vessels then the results could be quite spectacular. %N%NWould you like to authorise the launch of an unrestricted campaign against shipping to the UK?
<<TAG_217>>= In addition to normal sinkings, the fear our unrestricted campaign will put into the enemy could lead to British ports clogging up with merchantmen, too afraid to sail. %N%NIf this were to lead to their ports being inoperable then this would have a massive impact on the UK's ability and determination to wage war.
<<TAG_218>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NBaron Konrad von Wangenheim, our Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, reports from Constantinople that the Ottoman Army is not yet ready for war and that large sums of money will need to be spent on it to bring it up to an acceptable standard. %N%NImproving the Ottoman Army will cost 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NIn return the Ottomans will be able to provide Liman von Sanders with the logistical support necessary to take the field. %N%NWould you like to provide funds to improve the Ottoman Army?
<<TAG_219>>= Improving The Ottoman Army
<<TAG_220>>= On the eve of the entering the war, the Ottoman government had run out of money with which to pay their men and two large shipments of gold from Germany played an important role in enticing them to join the Central Powers. %N%NSaying (YES) to this is recommended as doing so will swing the Ottoman Empire 15-20% towards the Central Powers. %N%NIn addition to this, it will lead to Liman von Sanders deploying at Constantinople as an Ottoman HQ on the 1st September 1914.
<<TAG_221>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%BAdmiral %Bvon %BIngenohl %N%NOur Mittelmeer Division, whose flagship is the %VGoeben Battlecruiser, is currently in the Mediterranean sailing towards Constantinople. %N%NIt is recommended that the %VGoeben continue on to Constantinople where it will be taken into service with the Ottoman navy and renamed the %VYavuz %VSultan %VSelim. %N%NIf you decide not to send the %VGoeben on to Constantinople then she will instead sail to Pola in the Adriatic where she will serve alongside the Austro-Hungarian navy. %N%NWould you like the %VGoeben to sail to Constantinople to serve with the Ottoman navy (YES) or would you rather she sailed to Pola to serve alongside the Austro-Hungarians (NO)?
<<TAG_222>>= Saying (YES) to this will not only provide the Ottoman navy with an urgently needed reinforcement, but it will also help to mobilize opinion in the Ottoman Empire towards joining the war on our side.
<<TAG_223>>= The Goeben Evades Its Pursuers In The Mediterranean
<<TAG_224>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%BAdmiral %Bvon %BPohl %N%NTo increase our strength in the Mediterranean we could send a U-Boat section via barge and rail to Pola in the Adriatic, from where it can use Austro-Hungarian bases to strike at enemy shipping. %N%NSending the U-Boat section to Pola will cost us 50MPPs, and it will deploy there in June. %N%NOr we could deploy this U-Boat in the Baltic in late April. %N%NWould you like to send it to serve in the Adriatic (YES) or the Baltic (NO)?
<<TAG_225>>= Sending U-Boats To Pola
<<TAG_226>>= Much enemy trade passes through the Mediterranean and it would make a good target for U-Boat attacks, especially given that the Austro-Hungarian navy lacks the strength to strike at these trade routes with maximum effect. %N%NSaying (YES) to this could not only lead to us hitting enemy income, but it could also divert enemy naval resources away from the Atlantic.
<<TAG_227>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%BAdmiral %Bvon %BPohl %N%NWe have a new U-Boat section being built, and it has been suggested that we complete its construction at Pola in the Adriatic. %N%NSending the men and materials to finish it in this Austro-Hungarian port will cost us 50MPPs, and it will deploy there next February. %N%NIf you decide not to send it to the Adriatic then it will deploy in the Baltic in December. %N%NWould you like to have this U-Boat section deploy in the Adriatic (YES) or in the Baltic (NO)?
<<TAG_228>>= The Germans sent multiple U-Boats to serve from Austro-Hungarian bases, and because some types were too large to be sent completed, they arranged for some to be built at Pola by German workers.
<<TAG_229>>= %N%N%N%BForeign %BSecretary %N%BArthur %BZimmermann %N%NTo divert US attention away from the war in Europe it has been suggested that we encourage Mexico to attack the USA. %N%NIf you would like to propose an alliance to Mexico, a telegram will now be sent to our Ambassador in the USA, with instructions for him to forward it on to our Ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt. %N%NWould you like to send a telegram instructing our Ambassador in Mexico to offer an alliance to the Mexican government?
<<TAG_230>>= It is proposed that we offer Mexico a full alliance with generous funding to finance her military effort. %N%NIn return, when the war is over and peace talks are underway, we would push for her to regain her lost territories in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. %N%NThere is of course a possibility if you say (YES) that Entente intelligence services may intercept the telegram, and the diplomatic effects would severely damage our relations with the USA. %N%NHowever, if the message is not intercepted and the Mexicans are interested, then negotiations will proceed via a secure method.
<<TAG_231>>= %N%N%N%BForeign %BSecretary %N%BArthur %BZimmermann %N%NWe have received a positive response from the Mexican government to your telegram offering them an alliance. %N%NThe Mexicans ask for 150MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 3 turns, to provide them with sufficient funds to launch an offensive into Texas. %N%NWould you like to authorise the transmission of these funds to the Mexican government?
<<TAG_232>>= Mexican Government
<<TAG_233>>= In reality the British intercepted the Zimmermann telegram and found a way to inform the US authorities of its contents without disclosing exactly how they had come by it. %N%NHowever, if you are reading this then rest assured that a secure way has been found to discuss an alliance with the Mexican government. %N%NIf you say (YES) to this then should the US enter the war against us, her income will be reduced due to her having to divert resources against the Mexican army.
<<TAG_234>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NThe revolution in Russia and the setting up of a Provisional Government there opens up a new opportunity to weaken our opponent in the east. %N%NThere is a Russian revolutionary in Switzerland called Lenin who could prove useful if we were to arrange for him to be sent to Russia where he will be able to agitate in favor of the Bolshevik party. %N%NWould you like to authorise the payment of 25MPPs to send Lenin to Russia in the hope that he will be able to provoke further disorders there?
<<TAG_235>>= Sending Lenin To Russia
<<TAG_236>>= The Bolsheviks are hot headed revolutionaries who call for Russia to make peace. %N%NIf this party were to gain support in Russia then it can only weaken that nation's morale and their determination to continue the war against us. %N%N%N%NGermany's decision to send Lenin to Russia in a sealed train was perhaps one of the most decisive events of the First World War. %N%NNot only did it lead to the Russian Revolution, but this in turn led to increased disaffection among many armies and the civilian populations at home. %N%NUltimately the success of the Bolsheviks in Russia was to contribute to Germany's own collapse in the autumn of 1918, so this is not a decision to take lightly.
<<TAG_237>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NWe have an opportunity to end the war in the east by signing a peace treaty with the Bolshevik government at Brest-Litovsk. %N%NThe treaty will lead to the creation of a number of new states in the east. %N%NThere will also be an economic benefit as we can demand that Russia pays 300MPPs as compensation to German investors who have lost their assets due to the war and revolution. %N%NWould you like to sign a peace treaty with the Bolsheviks and remove Russia from the war?
<<TAG_238>>= The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
<<TAG_239>>= Russia is in a state of chaos and the sooner we pull our troops out the better, because otherwise they will grow more and more infected with Bolshevism. %N%NWe would then risk importing the revolution to our own countries. %N%NSigning a peace treaty with the Bolsheviks will reduce this threat, and our troops will return to their home countries ready for service elsewhere. %N%NIf you say (YES) to this then Russia will withdraw from the war and Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the Ukraine will all become independent neutral states. %N%NIf you say (NO) then Russian resistance will stiffen and her National Morale will increase by 15,000 points.
<<TAG_240>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%BVice %BAdmiral %BScheer %N%NWe have a number of Commerce Raiders preparing to sail in the next few months on long distance voyages to attack enemy shipping in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. %N%NPreparing these vessels will cost us 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise payment so that these Commerce Raiders can set sail on their voyages to harass enemy shipping?
<<TAG_241>>= Commerce Raiders
<<TAG_242>>= The proposal is to send the %VMöwe, the %VWolf, and a sailing ship called the %VSeeadler. %N%NThey will sneak past enemy shipping and head for the South Atlantic, from where they will sail further afield to commence raiding enemy shipping lanes far from Europe. %N%NSaying (YES) to this will disrupt British trade, reducing the UK's income as a result.
<<TAG_243>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NThe Bolsheviks in Finland are gaining in strength and threaten to overthrow the forces of law and order led by General Mannerheim. %N%NMajor-General von der Goltz therefore proposes to lead an expedition to Finland to assist Mannerheim's forces in the battle against the Reds, but sending it will cost us 75MPPs. %N%NWith Mannerheim securely in control of Finland we would then be able to commence trading with that country, therefore the economic benefit in the long run could outweigh the initial cost of this expedition. %N%NWould you like to authorise von der Goltz's expedition to Finland?
<<TAG_244>>= Finnish Expedition
<<TAG_245>>= Von der Goltz's Baltic Sea Division landed in Finland in April 1918 and it swiftly captured Helsinki, driving out the revolutionary forces. The Germans then remained in Finland until the war ended. %N%NWithout German intervention it is probable that the Whites would have struggled to overthrow the Finnish Bolsheviks, so the history of this country in the 20th century could have been radically different.
<<TAG_246>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%BTheobald %Bvon %BBethmann %BHollweg %N%NMax von Oppenheim, the head of our Intelligence Bureau for the East, informs us that the Indian Nationalist Ghadr Party are plotting to drive the British from their country. %N%NIf successful, their rising could inflict a devastating blow against the British Empire, helping to pave the way for victory against our most powerful enemy. %N%NWould you like to authorise a payment of 25MPPs to buy arms for the Indian Nationalists?
<<TAG_247>>= Funding Indian Nationalists
<<TAG_248>>= The Ghadr claim to have thousands of supporters and ask for weapons to use in their rising. %N%NIf you agree, our military attaché in Washington D.C., Captain Franz von Papen, will be instructed to buy weapons from arms dealers in the USA to send by sea to the Ghadr Party in India. %N%NThese weapons will be used in an insurrection in Bengal that is planned to start on Christmas Day 1915. %N%NIts aim will be to seize Calcutta before spreading throughout the rest of India. %N%NIf you say (YES) there is a small chance of a rising in India which would disrupt the UK’s income from the British Empire. %N%NHowever, it is more likely that the plot will be discovered and no rising will occur.
<<TAG_249>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%NOur country's morale has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_250>>= Grain Supplies From The Ukraine
<<TAG_251>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%NNow that the USA has entered the war the diplomatic risks of using unrestricted naval warfare have been removed. %N%NIn view of this would you like to authorise our naval units to launch unrestricted attacks on Entente shipping when they are in the right locations near the UK's ports?
<<TAG_252>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%NOur country's morale has fallen even further and it has now reached a dangerously low level. %N%NTo slow any further decline, and the disorder it will bring, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_253>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bof %Bthe %BHigh %BSeas %BFleet %N%BAdmiral %Bvon %BIngenohl %N%NThere is a British tanker called the %VGlyndwr that was interned at Danzig at the start of the war and could be converted into a Seaplane Carrier. %N%NThe work will cost us 100MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 2 turns, and will be completed in December 1914. %N%NWould you like to authorise the conversion of this tanker into a Seaplane Carrier?
<<TAG_254>>= Glyndwr Seaplane Carrier
<<TAG_255>>= The %VGlyndwr was at Danzig when the war began, and after being seized by the German authorities, it was decided to convert it into a Seaplane Carrier. %N%NCarrying 4 aircraft, it took part in operations in the Baltic against the Russians, but it was badly damaged when it struck a mine on its way back to port.
<<TAG_256>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NNow that the war with Russia is over, we have an opportunity to make a favorable peace with Romania. %N%NWe could offer Romania terms whereby they retain their independence, but in return they cede Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria, and provide us with some income from their oil wells. %N%NSigning this treaty will provide us with 20 MPPs and 50 National Morale points per turn, for as long as Romania remains neutral and our ally, Austria-Hungary, is in the war. %N%NWould you like to end the war with Romania and sign the Treaty of Bucharest?
<<TAG_257>>= Romania’s withdrawal from the war will also mean that Austria-Hungary will regain access to Romanian grain, so it will stop losing 50 National Morale points per turn.
<<TAG_258>>= Romanian Oil
<<TAG_259>>= %N%N%N%BChief %Bof %Bthe %BGeneral %BStaff %N%NWe have received an interesting proposal from Max Zupitza, the former head of the Medical Corps in German South West Africa. %N%NZupitza proposes that as our Zeppelins are now capable of staying in the air for more than 100 hours, one could be used to send supplies to von Lettow-Vorbeck in East Africa. %N%NThis suggestion deserves consideration as it has the support of a number of prominent people, including the Navy Minister and most importantly, the Kaiser himself. %N%NWould you like to authorize the expenditure of the 35MPPs that this mission would cost?
<<TAG_260>>= Supplies to East Africa
<<TAG_261>>= Sending a Zeppelin laden with arms, ammunition, medical supplies and mail for our Schutztruppen in Africa would, if successful, provide a noticeable boost to the German people's morale. %N%NIt is estimated that this mission has a 50% chance of success. %N%NThe actual mission launched in November 1917 nearly reached its destination, only turning back when it was flying over the Sudan because it received a radio message reporting that von Lettow-Vorbeck was about to surrender. %N%NIn the end, von Lettow-Vorbeck was to continue fighting on for another year, remaining in the field for nearly two weeks after Germany had signed the armistice with the Entente.
<<TAG_262>>= %N%N%N%BCentral %BPowers %BPlayer %N%NIf neither side have achieved a Major Victory by the 11th November 1918, would you like to continue playing on for a maximum of five more years? %N%NThe new end date, if a Major Victory has not been attained by either side, would now be the 1st January 1924. %N%NThis should provide enough time for one side or the other to win, but if not then the Minor Victory conditions will apply at that time. %N%NSo, say (YES) to continue playing for up to five more years, and (NO) to have the game end no later than the 11th November 1918.
<<TAG_263>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%BConrad %Bvon %BHötzendorf %N%NGeneral von Böhm-Ermolli and the IV and VII Corps of our 2nd Army are currently en route to Novi Sad and Temeschburg near the Serbian border, where they will deploy shortly to take part in the invasion of Serbia. %N%NHowever, deploying them there may leave us with insufficient forces facing the Russians, therefore it has been suggested that we send them to the Russian border instead. %N%NUnfortunately, sending them to fight against the Russians will delay their arrival by several weeks. %N%NWould you like these units to immediately deploy to fight against Serbia (YES) or would you rather send them to fight against Russia (NO)?
<<TAG_264>>= Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia before their army had finished mobilizing, and Russia's support of their Serbian ally led to the mobilization plan being changed. %N%NThis caused extensive delays and confusion, with many of the soldiers sent to fight the Russians having to march long distances after disembarking from their trains. %N%NAdditionally, sending these units of their 2nd Army to serve against Russia left Austria-Hungary's offensive against Serbia lacking in sufficient strength.
<<TAG_265>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%BConrad %Bvon %BHötzendorf %N%NSome daring naval officers have put forward a proposal to employ divers equipped with explosives to strike at Italian warships in their home ports. %N%NThis is a risky venture but if successful the damage inflicted could be quite significant. %N%NThe cost of recruiting, training and equipping the saboteurs will be 50MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise the use of these saboteurs against Italian ports?
<<TAG_266>>= Training Saboteurs
<<TAG_267>>= Austro-Hungarian saboteurs were active during the war and they were at the time credited with sinking the Italian Pre-Dreadnought %VBenedetto %VBrin, though the actual cause of the explosion that sank the ship may have been accidental.
<<TAG_268>>= %N%N%N%BKaiser %BKarl %N%NFollowing Conrad von Hötzendorf's dismissal from his position as Chief of the General Staff, he has requested a command in the field. %N%NProviding him with the necessary logistical support will cost us 200MPPs at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NWould you like to provide von Hötzendorf with a field command, or shall we let him retire into obscurity?
<<TAG_269>>= Deploying Von Hötzendorf
<<TAG_270>>= Having failed to lead the Empire's forces to victory, Kaiser Karl dismissed von Hötzendorf, replacing him as Chief of the General Staff with Arthur Arz von Straußenburg. Von Hötzendorf was then appointed to a command on the Italian Front. %N%NIf deploying another HQ unit will assist in the war effort, then it is recommended to say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_271>>= Austria-Hungary Provides Conrad Von Hötzendorf With A Field Command
<<TAG_272>>= %N%N%N%BKaiser %N%NGiven the serious situation in the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire requests that we dispatch an Austro-Hungarian unit to assist them in halting the enemy's advance. %N%NWe can recruit and train a unit at short notice at a cost of 200MPPs, at 50MPPs a turn for 4 turns. %N%NThe proposed name for this unit is the K.U.K. Orient-Korps, and it will deploy at Belgrade. %N%NWould you like to provide the funds to raise and equip K.U.K. Orient-Korps?
<<TAG_273>>= Forming K.U.K. Orientkorps
<<TAG_274>>= Small detachments of Austro-Hungarians served in the Ottoman Empire for most of the war, especially in the artillery. %N%NBut when the British started to make significant gains in 1917, Austria-Hungary considered sending a larger force, the K.U.K. Orient-Korps to help their allies. %N%NAlthough more than 8,000 men were gathered at Belgrade as the basis for this formation, they were in 1918 sent to Albania instead of the Middle East.
<<TAG_275>>= Austria-Hungary Forms K.U.K. Orientkorps
<<TAG_276>>= %N%N%N%BKaiser %BFranz %BJosef %N%NNationalist figures in Italy are calling for war against us unless we hand over the areas of Trento and Trieste to Italy. %N%NThe transfer of territory they are demanding would include the city and port of Trieste, and the towns of Trento and Bruneck. %N%NHowever, if we were to give these places to Italy then this would massively reduce Italy's desire for war against us. %N%NWould you like to transfer Trento and Trieste to Italy?
<<TAG_277>>= Agreeing to transfer Trento and Trieste will not only reduce our economy, but doing so will be deeply unpopular. %N%NIndeed, such a move would be met with massive opposition from our own population, and it would have a huge negative impact on our nation's morale. %N%NNevertheless, doing this will almost certainly end Italy's moves to enter the war, enabling us to devote all our attention to fighting the Russians and Serbs.
<<TAG_278>>= Austria-Hungary Transfers Trento And Trieste To Italy
<<TAG_279>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%BConrad %Bvon %BHötzendorf %N%NWith Albania in friendly hands, we could increase our strength in the area by forming a Detachment from Albanian volunteers, to be called the Albanian Legion. %N%NForming this unit will cost us 50MPPs, and it will deploy at Tirana. %N%NWould you like to authorise the formation of an Albanian Legion?
<<TAG_280>>= Albanian Legion
<<TAG_281>>= During Austria-Hungary's occupation of Albania, efforts were made to win support among the population. %N%NInfrastructure was built up, use of the Albanian language was encouraged, and men were recruited to serve in the armed forces. %N%NSaying (YES) to this is recommended as it will increase our strength in this region for little cost.
<<TAG_282>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%NThe morale of our subjects has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_283>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%NThe morale of our subjects has fallen even further, and the situation is now very serious. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_284>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%BConrad %Bvon %BHötzendorf %N%NHuge numbers of refugees have fled from the areas of fighting, and the need to feed, clothe and house them is placing a huge burden on our Empire's economy and infrastructure. %N%NIf we are to prevent any further impact on our National Morale, it would be wise to invest in caring for the refugees. %N%NSaying (YES) to providing food, clothing and organising housing for them will cost 50 MPPs, and it will raise our National Morale by 2,000 points. %N%NWhereas saying (NO) will increase demoralization within our land, leading to our National Morale falling by 2,000 points.
<<TAG_285>>= Assistance to Refugees From Galicia
<<TAG_286>>= More than a million people became refugees in the first year of the war, being displaced by the successful Russian campaigns around Lemberg and Przemyśl. %N%NThe news they brought from the front affected morale, and they placed a huge burden on local services, so the authorities acted to provide them with relief, ultimately spending more than two million crowns on their care.
<<TAG_287>>= %N%N%N%BChancellor %N%BConrad %Bvon %BHötzendorf %N%NThe Polish Supreme National Committee are offering their services in our fight against Russia, and Józef Piłsudski is proposing to raise a Polish Legion for service in our army. %N%NGiven the number of likely Polish volunteers, these volunteers would form a half strength Detachment which could deploy at Kosice in early September 1914. %N%NWould you like to approve the raising of this Polish unit, at a cost of 30MPPs a turn for 2 turns?
<<TAG_288>>= Forming Piłsudski's Polish Legion
<<TAG_289>>= A Supreme National Committee was formed by Polish activists in Kraków in August 1916 to promote their interests within the Empire, and the Habsburg authorities agreed to form a Polish Legion to fight for them under Piłsudski's command. %N%NPiłsudski had started the war by trying to trigger an uprising in Polish Russia, but the attempt failed. His efforts then turned to raising this Legion and more than 10,000 men were recruited in the first months of the war. %N%NThe Polish soldiers swore allegiance to Franz Josef and formed part of the Austro-Hungarian army, with their unit ultimately reaching a strength of more than 20,000 men. %N%NBut by allowing this unit to be raised, the Austro-Hungarians helped stimulated Polish nationalism, and demands for self-determination from Poles and other nationalities within the Habsburg Empire will pose a threat should the war turn out to be much tougher than expected.
<<TAG_290>>= %N%N%N%BWar %BMinister %N%NSheikh Sidi Ahmad Esh Sherif, leader of the Senussi in Cyrenaica, remains loyal to us and longs for the day when he can drive the Italians from his lands. %N%NHe is ready to rise, but asks for officers to lead his men, and weapons and equipment to arm them. %N%NWould you like to spend 50 MPPs to provide the necessary support for this rising?
<<TAG_291>>= Payment To The Senussi
<<TAG_292>>= Until Italy conquered Libya in 1911, the region had belonged to the Ottoman Empire, and the Senussi were a religious sect who retained links with their former rulers. %N%NWhen Italy entered the war in 1915, the Senussi rose against them, and their rising received Ottoman support, often being delivered by German submarines. %N%NThe Senussi rising proved a thorn in the side for the Italians and British in North Africa. %N%NAs our support for this rising will almost certainly divert greater enemy resources than those we will expend on this, it is recommended to say (YES) to this. %N%NIf the Senussi are successful, we may even be able to raise a regular force in Cyrenaica, and this could possibly give us sufficent strength to invade Egypt from the west.
<<TAG_293>>= The Ottoman Empire Sends Emissaries To The Senussi
<<TAG_294>>= %N%N%N%BWar %BMinister %N%NEmissaries from the Senussi report that their forces have been successful in taking up arms against the Italian occupier, and they have won a great victory by capturing Bardia in eastern Cyrenaica. %N%NThey humbly request that we send more arms and officers to train a regular Corps to take the field alongside their more irregular tribesmen. %N%NWould you like to spend 75 MPPs to smuggle the requested officers and equipment to form a regular Corps at Bardia?
<<TAG_295>>= Arms To The Senussi
<<TAG_296>>= Saying (YES) to this will enable the revolt to expand and further challenge the Entente. %N%NShipments were made by submarine to the Sennusi during the war, delivering officers, food and equipment. %N%NGiven that delivering these will tie up more enemy resources, it is recommended to say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_297>>= The Ottoman Empire Sends Arms To The Senussi
<<TAG_298>>= %N%N%N%BWar %BMinister %N%NOur Empire's morale has fallen to an all time low. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_299>>= %N%N%N%BWar %BMinister %N%NOur Empire's morale has fallen to a dangerously low level. %N%NTo slow any further decline, it would be advisable to transfer some of our military expenditure into the civilian economy. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25MPPs a turn, and in return we will gain 50 National Morale points per turn for the rest of the war. %N%NWould you like to switch some military production to the civilian economy in order to boost morale?
<<TAG_300>>= The Preparedness Movement exists to prepare the American population for war, and it is supported by some influential figures including Teddy Roosevelt. %N%NIt is in the interests of many in the USA that we do not lose this conflict. %N%NIf you say (YES), then via this movement our agents will make it clear to the American public that all US investments in Entente countries would be lost in the event of a Central Powers victory. %N%NThe effect this will have will be to swing the USA 4-7% towards the Entente, followed by a swing of 1-2% per turn thereafter.
<<TAG_301>>= Saying (YES) to this will allow you to play on for another five years, should you wish to. %N%NIf you say (YES) then the Entente will now be asked the same question, and only if they say (YES) will the end date be extended. %N%NThe AI will always say (YES).
<<TAG_302>>= %N%N%N%BCommander %Bin %BChief %N%NCurrently the UK can only send supplies to us via Archangelsk, and access to this port is not possible all year round as the passageway gets frozen over. %N%NIt is therefore recommended that we develop a new port in Kola Bay in the Barents Sea. This port will be available for use all year round, thus enabling the British to keep up a steadier flow of supplies. %N%NHowever, the railway between there and Petrograd needs completing, and infrastructure will need to be developed at the port so that goods can be unloaded there. %N%NDoing this will cost us 25 MPPs, and it is to be hoped that work will be completed in the summer of 1916. %N%NWould you like to authorise this plan to develop Murmansk Port (YES)?
<<TAG_303>>= Developing Murmansk
<<TAG_304>>= Thousands of prisoners of war were used in developing the port and railway, working in freezing conditions under Russian supervision, and the route opened in the spring of 1917. %N%NDevelopment may be quicker than historically, possibly being ready from the summer of 1916, and certainly no later than the spring of 1917. %N%NThere will be a message 5 turns before the route will be ready to say that it is nearing completion. %N%NAt this point all resources from Petrozavodsk on Lake Onega north to Murmansk will increase in strength from 0 by 1 point per turn. Once they have all reached strength 5, the convoy route will become operational.
<<TAG_305>>= %N%N%N%BWar %BMinister %N%NThe fall of Basra is a painful loss, and we should consider taking action here. %N%NSüleyman Askerî Bey, head of our Special Organization Teşkilât-ı Mahsusa, asks for permission to form a unit of volunteers in Mesopotamia to strike back at the British. %N%NAdditionally, a German officer, Captain Fritz Klein, is volunteering to lead a mission to sabotage production at the Abadan Oil Refinery. %N%NForming Askerî's Volunteer Detachment and providing Klein with the means to lead his mission will cost us 55 MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise this payment to strengthen our position in Mesopotamia?
<<TAG_306>>= Taking Action In Mesopotamia
<<TAG_307>>= Saying (YES) to this will reduce the enemy's ability to advance further into Mesopotamia, and Klein's mission has a 75% chance of damaging the refinery, in which case enemy income will suffer slightly. %N%NSüleyman Askerî was named Governor and Military Commandant of Basra and a force of 4,000 regulars and 15,000 irregulars was mustered for an attack on Basra. But it failed and he then committed suicide. %N%NKlein's team was more successful as it did manage to sabotage 12 miles of pipeline at the Abadan refinery, but this only deprived the UK of 70 gallons of oil.
<<TAG_308>>= %N%N%N%BWar %BMinister %N%NThousands of Georgian Muslims have crossed the border from Russian territory to offer their services in the coming conflict. %N%NWe could form them into a Detachment to help us take back the provinces we lost to Russia in the war of 1877-8. %N%NForming this Georgian Volunteer Detachment will cost us 50 MPPs. %N%NWould you like to authorise its formation?
<<TAG_309>>= Georgian Volunteer Detachment
<<TAG_310>>= Several units of volunteers were formed in the Caucasus early in the war and one seized Tabriz in Persia in January 1915. %N%NSaying (YES) to this may be wise because it will increase Ottoman strength in this area, and this could be crucial if the Russians decide to launch a strong offensive here.
<<TAG_311>>= %N%N%N%BGrand %BVizier %BSaid %BHalim %BPasha %N%NThe locust plague has drastically reduced food production in and around Jerusalem. %N%NIf we do not act then there will be widespread hunger this winter, and our Empire's status will suffer as we will be seen to be weak if we do not do something. %N%NProviding emergency food supplies to enable the population to get through the winter will cost us 30 MPPs. %N%NSaying (YES) to this will provide food and prevent any reduction in our National Morale, whereas taking no action (NO) will alienate many of our subjects and reduce our National Morale by 1,000 points. %N%NWe therefore recommend saying (YES) to this.
<<TAG_312>>= Food Supplies To Jerusalem
<<TAG_313>>= The huge plague of locusts that swarmed in and around Jerusalem in March 1915 caused widespread damage, leading to greatly reduced crops in the autumn and food shortages. %N%NBy acting now we can prevent this having a negative impact on our National Morale, therefore it is recommended to say (YES) to this.
<<TAG_314>>= %N%N%N%BGrand %BVizier %BSaid %BHalim %BPasha %N%NAn outbreak of typhus is affecting the combat effectiveness of our forces in the east. %N%NThe local medical facilities cannot cope with the numbers requiring treatment, and if we do not act then an epidemic is likely to severely decimate our units. %N%NProviding extra medical aid to the area will cost us 50 MPPs, at 25 MPPs a turn for 2 turns. %N%NIt won't prevent all further cases, but by saying (YES) to this we will be able to limit the extent to which the epidemic spreads, whereas taking no action (NO) will lead to much greater losses in our forces. %N%NWe therefore strongly recommend saying (YES) to this.
<<TAG_315>>= Sending Medical Aid To The Caucasus
<<TAG_316>>= 150,000 died of typhus and dysentery in north east Turkey between October 1914 and May 1915. The hospitals couldn’t cope, and the Ottomans were losing far more men to sickness than to combat. %N%NBy saying (YES) to this the effects of the typhus epidemic can be limited, whereas saying (NO) will see Ottoman forces suffer far more from sickness than they would have done.
