The weather has begun to clear. The Alps are still in mud, but the rest of the front is now clear weather. The British have begun to build a second line of entrenchments behind the first from the Somme north to the Channel. Some reorganization along the French lines continue as the front as a whole is strengthened and the French army begins to rebuild its losses from the 1914 campaigns. The Italians begin to shift more power to their 3rd Army as it begins to try to cut the supply line to Trient.
The Italian 3rd Army declines combat, but an unsupplied attack by the Italian 4th Army using the 6th and 7th Corps completes the capture of the Austrian defenses behind the Isonzo River. There are no losses as the Austrians retreat in haste from the hex.
The German 2nd Army reacts and sends reserve units towards the Channel.
Tom: I am not sure what the movement towards the Channel indicates – but I think I am ready for it. The Italian 3rd Army will be getting more reinforcements next turn which should allow a good chance at cutting the Austrian supply line to Trient. Another corps has pushed over the Isonzo so I should be able to continue trying to surround Triest. It will be slow going though. I am looking forward to production next turn because I need a lot more resource points.
Zeppelin raids on London and Lyon fail. A quick movement to the Channel to reinforce the 8R and 12th Saxon Corps. They will spearhead an attempt to knock out the remainder of the Belgian army. There is little movement on the Austrian front other than to reinforce near Triest to stop the Italian 4th Army offensive.
The first use of gas on the Western Front is utilized in the German attack on Dunkerque defended by the remains of the Belgian army. The Belgians successfully utilize their reserves and move the entire remains of the army into this last defensive attempt. A 6:1 +2 and a die roll of 6 destroys the Belgian army and captures the hex at no loss to the attackers!
The Entente loses 17 Belgian manpower and 13 Equipment Points.
Quick reactions by the Belgian cadres and the French 5th Army manages to plug the hole but they cannot muster enough for a counter-attack.
Carl: I think that I have just put the Belgians out of the war. With only .5 manpower points each production phase, it will be a long time before the two remaining cadres will be ready to do anything other than guard the rear lines for the Entente. This will mean the British or French will have to spread out one more hex in defense. It will be good to get production next turn – I am almost out of resource points. There will be another offensive by the Germans later this year against the French to try and wear down their morale. If all goes well, the French will be in deep morale problems by the end of the year. It will probably be an attack on a fortress which the French would lose 10 morale points if they lost it. This should set up another bleeding would like Lille for them.
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