![]() However, the Grand Duke Nicholai, commander-in-chief of the Russian Army, stated that it was “an honour to make such a sacrifice”. The defeat was so great that Britain decided to keep it from the public. The defeat was so catastrophic that Samsonov committed suicide. Of the 150,000 men in the Russian Second Army, just 10,000 managed to escape, with 30,000 becoming casualties and more than 95,000 taken prisoner. In fact, many Russian soldiers threw their rifles away and surrendered. Samsonov had realised the severity of his situation on 28th August, but his attempts to breakout near Tannenburg ended in disaster. Other German units were also moved to the Tannenberg region and the Germans surrounded the Russian Second Army. The 1 Corps were then moved into a position that would prevent the Second Army from retreating to Russia, which effectively trapped Samsonov. General Francois, who commanded the 1 Corps, captured Soldau and further weakened the Russian lines of communication. The German’s attack on Samsonov’s Second Army took place on 27th August and was very successful. ![]() The Germans, on the other hand, were finding it easy to intercept Russian messages, including one informing Samsonov of Rennenkampf’s marching plan - stating outright that Samsonov would not receive help from the First Army - and another stating the routes Samsonov planned to use to attack the Germans. Struggling with lack of communications, Samsonov was unaware of what Hoffman had planned and he also didn’t that the Russian First Army had halted its advances - he assumed Rennenkampf was moving through East Russia as planned. Ludendorff and Hindenburg were both credited for the events at Tannenberg but it was actually Colonel Maximilian Hoffman who had detailed how they should surround Russia’s Second Army. Tannenberg can be completed in a couple of hours, making it the perfect game when time is short.By 22nd August, the Eastern Front was tabled and the Germans started to surround Samsonov’s army. The Marne (which contains an Allied Counterattack scenario in addition to the full campaign) can be played in an afternoon. Both are good for solo or competitive play. ![]() The two battles in Clash of Giants are similar in size and complexity to GMT's Saratoga and Brandywine games on the American Revolution. (But don't forget that the Germans can win instantly if they take Paris!) At the Marne, the Allied player will first have to successfully disengage and rally his French and British armies, before turning to deliver a powerful counterattack. In Tannenberg, the victory conditions force both sides to take risks - and the German player will have to use every advantage to avoid being crushed by superior Russian numbers. ![]() Simple but not simplistic, Clash of Giants has a unique combat system based more on a unit's training, equipment, and morale than numbers. The games focus on the difficulty of commanding groups of armies, with a system where movement allowance for each army is separately determined by a command roll.Ĭlash of Giants includes the standard and exclusive rules (including rules for Paris Taxis at the Marne and Geman wireless intercepts at Tannenberg), two full size large-hex maps, two player aid cards, and 264 large counters. Raicer (whose most recent game was GMT's Paths of Glory), and developed by Krieg designer Steve Kosakowski, the Clash of Giants system is intended to emphasize playability while still providing players with proper historical feel. Arguably a tactical draw, it was a strategic defeat for the Germans as their armies recoiled from the gates of Paris.ĭesigned by eight-time Charles S. The Marne was the climactic battle of Germany's attempt to defeat France in the war's first six weeks. Tannenberg was the German victory that halted a Russian offensive into East Prussia and destroyed the Russian 2nd Army. GMT GAMES: Clash of Giants: Campaigns of Tannenberg and the Marne, 1914Ĭlash of Giants contains two separate games (both using the same basic system) covering the two most famous battles of the opening phase of the First World War.
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