The new year has begun. A massive reorganization occurs among the Entente front line troops. The British now form the 2nd Army and adds another hex to defend south of Arras. The French still hold Lille with their 5th Army. The reorganization will allow the Entente to have a chance at reinforcing almost any hex in their front line. The second line is also preparing to dig fieldworks and entrenchments when and where possible.
The Central Powers decline to react and assault Lille again. The DRM’s are just too steep in winter weather for a good assault without artillery HQs included.
Tom: The new year is here. Soon I will be able to increase my production multiplier (as will the Central Powers) and get more equipment and manpower points to begin to rebuild the French army. I will even begin to get an air force! I hope that my building up a reserve line is worth it. I had to weaken the main defensive line to build it, but the chance of reinforcing the attacked hex may keep him from attacking along the entire French line at once. I am still afraid of French casualties and the French morale level is getting too low for me.
The Central Powers celebrate the new year as the coal resource center in Liege is repaired and all of the factories can produce at full capacity. In addition, the Central Powers expends their last 5 resource points on repairing another 3 coal sites in Belgium and France and the captured Belgian factory in Antwerpen. The Central Powers also take advantage of the snowing weather to reorganize their front lines and pull back units for replacements. The new replacements received this production cycle are gone before enough cadres are back to full strength or new units are brought in. The first air raid of the war is finally pulled off as the Central Powers has a successful Zepplins air mission over London. Unfortunately, the bombs fall wide for no effect. At least this time they found the city!
The Entente do not react and the Christmas truce stretches on.
Carl: The new year brings the realization of just how many units have been chewed up in the war so far. I have a hard time collecting full strength divisions to assault Lille again and leave sufficient full strength divisions to maintain the defensive line and keep full strength ZOCs into the Entente line. I hope to be able to attack and capture Lille sometime before the end of February, 1915. In March, the rolling for Italy to enter the war begins and the capture of Lille would help keep them out for a while. The longer the better.
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