1938 prequel

[Geudens]

Alternative World War I – the Western Front (sort of 1938 prequel).

To be quite honest, this idea (probable isn’t new, but I’ll share it anyway) is based on the fact that I’m now painting  28mm WWI British, which I wasn’t planning to do if “1938” hadn’t popped up.  I also have early WWI French, Turks and German, whilst other members of TSA (my club) have similar stuff and late Germans as well, sitting in boxes for years on end.  Nothing much has been done with these figures so far…

The idea isn’t based on a completely different course of events but more of a “mix” of WWI and WWII background.  All WWI events outside the Eastern & Western Fronts might have taken place as they did (Gallipoli, Palistine etc – this would even suite my reasoning).

I only describe alternative events:
1914: The “race to the sea” is still on, but it is a war of movement rather than digging in.  The Germans win the race (as in 1940), take Belgium and move into Paris.  The BUF escapes via Dunkirk as do a fair number of French troops under Pétain.  The French government accepts a truce (to save at least part of la Patrie) and set up shop in Lyon.  The French controlled régions are Basse-Normandie, Centre, Bourgogne, Franche-Comté and all south of these (see map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_France).  All regions north of these are in German hands.

On the Eastern Front, the Russian armies fight bravely but would have been overrun without British convoys carrying British and US goods and… the BEF.  However, due to circumstances known all to well from both the Napoleonic wars and WW2, the Germans bite off more than they can chew and around the major cities trench warfare develops, whilst the countryside is roamed by cavalry; Russian Cossacks having the overhand in most cases...  Hence trench warfare techniques (as we knew on the Western Front in real history) are developed on the Eastern Front, including British made tanks, transported to Russia by convoy.  This is not always without risk, since both German submarines and fast squadrons of the Hochseeflotte attack the merchantmen and their escorts frequently.  A few German tanks appear as well, but these are few and far in between.

By 1916, the Germans have succeeded in replacing all anti-German elements of the Lyon government by pro-German people, but this doesn’t mean that the spirit of France is death: there is a strong armed resistance movement in German occupied territory as well as in the south of the country (be it without military action there: these French freedom fighters are waiting for Pétain to return to see how the Lyon government reacts then).

In 1917, the USA finally declares war on Germany and sends an expeditionary force to the UK.  At last, the allies (including Free French under Pétain) feel strong enough to cross the Channel to open the second front the Russian government has asked so long for (as has British public opinion, being not much in favour of British sons dieing in the Russian winter wastelands).

The Grand Fleet is deployed in the Channel to keep the Hochseeflotte and the navy of the Lyon government at bay and the allies land on the (Lyon controlled) beaches of Basse-Normandie.  The Lyon French have fortified the coastal towns there up to some extent over the past years, but the defence of both beaches and countryside is largely in the hands of mixed brigades composed of infantry (many still in 1914 style uniforms), cavalry, artillery and light tanks (of which there is a large factory in the vicinity of Bayeux).  Fortunately for the allies they are able to take this factory intact during the first week of the offensive and immediately put the light French tanks to good use.  Most of the personnel agrees to continue production in support of the allies.  Once the landing is on, German troops from the north of France (including reserve units still in pickelhaube); supported by a Turkish brigade (sent there as a token force to their German allies after Gallipoli, but now in the thick of the fight) move into Basse-Normandie to take part in the fight.  A campaign of mobile warfare is on.

The rest is… wargaming!

Rudi

[Westfalia Chris]

Interesting stuff, but I´m a bit dubious about this part:

On the Eastern Front, the Russian armies fight bravely but would have been overrun without British convoys carrying British and US goods and… the BEF.  However, due to circumstances known all to well from both the Napoleonic wars and WW2, the Germans bite off more than they can chew and around the major cities trench warfare develops, whilst the countryside is roamed by cavalry; Russian Cossacks having the overhand in most cases...  Hence trench warfare techniques (as we knew on the Western Front in real history) are developed on the Eastern Front, including British made tanks, transported to Russia by convoy.  This is not always without risk, since both German submarines and fast squadrons of the Hochseeflotte attack the merchantmen and their escorts frequently.  A few German tanks appear as well, but these are few and far in between.

How do you explain the German army being able to both repel the Russian offensive in Summer 1914 AND manage to complete the Schlieffen plan? Do you assume that the post-Schlieffen-era practice of weakening the "Right Wing" of the French front did not take place, so that the right wing was strong enough to push through? Did the East Prussian garrison forces fight a protracted war or did the Germans have to reposition troops to the Eastern front, but managed to do so in a fashion that did not jeopardize their chances of victory in France?

Apart from that, intriguing concept! Although I´m quite miffed that this situation probably won´t lead to the development of my favourite weapon of all, the Tank! Maybe some more advanced armoured cars to compensate... *sniff*

[Geudens]

Interesting stuff, but I´m a bit dubious about this part:
How do you explain the German army being able to both repel the Russian offensive in Summer 1914 AND manage to complete the Schlieffen plan? Do you assume that the post-Schlieffen-era practice of weakening the "Right Wing" of the French front did not take place, so that the right wing was strong enough to push through? Did the East Prussian garrison forces fight a protracted war or did the Germans have to reposition troops to the Eastern front, but managed to do so in a fashion that did not jeopardize their chances of victory in France?
Apart from that, intriguing concept! Although I´m quite miffed that this situation probably won´t lead to the development of my favourite weapon of all, the Tank! Maybe some more advanced armoured cars to compensate... *sniff*

Well, Chris, you've kind of explained it above (the Schlieffen plan part): the German pushed through, took Paris and the BEF retreated across the Channel (since the French high command lost heart) but took the Free French with'm.  The East Prussian forces did have a bad time in summer 1914, but after the treaty with the "Lyon" French government was signed, most of the best German divisions were redeployed in Russia, forcing the Tzar to ask the UK for help (hence the convoys, the BEF in Russia and - later - the landings in Basse-Normandie). 

About "no tanks", I wouldn't be too sure: the Brits brought theirs (tested in Russia) over to Normandy and the Americans acquired the French ones from the factory near Bayeux  .  Armoured cars were of course present for fast support and - as I stated - only certains areas (around towns) were fortified and entrenched, so you can both have open battles and trench fights if you like.  Cavalry can also -again - play a role...

Rudi

[commissarmoody]

You could also do a push up threw the Alps depanding on what way you want the kingdom of Italy to go. And why not go all out then if your going for over the top? When did they creat the parachute? Have Great war ear drops, or maby they do mass landings off of Airships!
Sorry being an old Parachute infantry man, i have a soft spot for thouse Devils. 

[xeoran]

What a great idea. Sounds like jolly good fun. Makes it much easier to use those pretty WW1 models without the usual complaints that WW1 consisted entirely of one muddy trench filled with gas on the Somme in 1916.

[Geudens]

What a great idea. Sounds like jolly good fun. Makes it much easier to use those pretty WW1 models without the usual complaints that WW1 consisted entirely of one muddy trench filled with gas on the Somme in 1916.

That's indeed the idea behind it.  I've got a copy of the Line of Fire DVD on the Battle of Mons (early war of movement, prior to the trench war), which inspired me to move the timeframe to late WWI, including tanks.  BTW, the whole Line of fire series is very interesting from a wargamer's point of view because of the computer generated animated battlefield overviews.

Rudi