
Custom Scenario Name:                2nd BATTLE OF YPRES
Scenario Starting Date:              April 22, 1915
Maximum Scenario Duration:           12 turns 

Scenario Author:                     RhinoBones
Author's E-mail Address:             RhinoBones@aol.com
Last Scenario Revision Date:         June 21, 1999


Revision History:
v1.0  06-21-99, Initial release

Background:
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On the morning of April 22nd the German army opened the 2nd Battle of Ypres with a thundering bombardment of the French, Canadian and British positions within the Ypres salient.  Some of the cannon used were the same 17 inch howitzers used the previous year to demolish the Belgian and French forts.  Late in the afternoon, around 5:30 pm, chlorine gas was released by the Germans which was gently pushed by the breeze to the two French colonial divisions stationed on the northern flank of the salient.  Their curiosity was quickly turned to panic as the unprepared troops began to feel the burn of the gas with in their lungs.  Those who could ran to the relative safety of the rear line while many of their comrades died in the trenches.  A gap of nearly four miles was opened in the allied lines by this unexpected attack, however, for various reasons the Germans were unable to take full advantage of their tactical success.  Either way, a new age in warfare had begun.

In Western histories (a body of literature often written in ignorance of the events on the eastern front) the 2nd Battle of Ypres is typically described as the first battle to feature the use of gas warfare.  This is not true.  In January, near a town named Bolimow on the Eastern front, the German IX Army attempted to use gas, however, the gas blew back on the Germans and the attack was quickly called off.  In any event, nothing would have probably been gain even if the gas had blown the correct direction since the cold temperature would have rendered the gas ineffective.  At about the same time there is another report of gas being used.  This time it's the Turks high up in the Caucasus Mountains.  The net result of the Turkish attack was so ineffectual that even the intended target, the Russians again, did not even report anything unusual.  What makes the attack at Ypres noteworthy is not only was the attack a surprise, but it also worked.

That the attack was a surprise is difficult to understand.  The attack was originally scheduled for the 15th  but then delayed till the 22nd due to unfavorable prevailing winds.  Considering the amount of preparation required for a major assault, this alone should have given the French a clue something big was about to begin.  More directly, prisoners captured at the end of March provided the French with detailed descriptions of the gas cylinders and their placement in the trenches.  Further more, on April 13th, a German deserter came into the French lines near Langemarck (just nine days before the attack) and gave the French additional details of the preparations for the gas attack.  This prisoner was also captured with a German gas mask in his position.  Reports were made and the generals notified, but no action was initiated to defend against the gas.  

There is also the question as to why the Germans were unprepared to exploit the initial gains.  With the French front collapsed in front of Ypres, any reasonable follow up should have easily been able to carry through to the rear of the Allies and conceivably, advanced all of the way to the coastal ports along the channel.  There are actually two good reasons why there was not a significant preparation for extensive exploitation.  First of all, the German high command was not fully impressed with the earlier uses of gas and were not at all certain a significant breakthrough could be achieved.  Secondly, and by far more important, the Ypres attack was never intended as a major offensive.  In April the Germans were busy transferring troops from the West front to the East front in preparation for the offensives in Courland and Galicia.  Ypres was intended to mask the troop movements and in actuality, the attack in Ypres did exactly as intended.  The result was that the forces used in the attack were supported only by the local reserve available to the area commander.

The last area of debate is the notion that the German army unleashed a horrible new weapon.  Is asphyxiation by gas really more horrible that being shredded by shrapnel, bayonets and bullets  .  .  .  or is it the same old horrible death merely repackaged in a cylinder?  It should be noted that a number of prominent scientist and humanists (French and British included) advocated the use of gas, deeming that a death by gas was much more compassionate than the rendering of the human body by conventional methods.  Quite controversial, no matter which side you take.

This scenario covers the action starting on April 22nd and continuing through the 28th.   The actual battle continued for another three weeks, however, all of the significant tactical gains were completed by the 28th .  The remainder of the battle was just a further expenditure of gas, shell and life.

Victory Conditions
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The German objective is to break through at Ypres and push through to the channel ports.  Completing this manauever compromises the Allied left flank and threatens the envelopment of Paris.  

Remarks
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This scenario is designed to be played solitaire from the German side.  The computer AI should be set on the Rugged Defense (blue computer icon) setting.  The scenario may also be played as a Cheyenne PBM game, however, it is suggested that the German side receive at least a +2 prestige boost to balance out the Allied defense advantage.


Regards, RhinoBones@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/RhinoBones/Tourney/htm


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