Clash of Giants II: Galicia 1914

Galicia 1914 pitted the armies of Tsarist Russia and Habsburg Austria-Hungary in a ferocious struggle along a 200 mile front. The Austrian commander, General Conrad, refused to wait for the arrival of his 2nd Army, which had been initially deployed to the Serbian front, before going onto the offensive. The Austrian attack began on 19 August, with Conrad's 1st and 4th Armies on the Austrian left flank striking the Russian 4th and 5th Armies on the Tsarist right. The Austrians outnumbered the Russians on this flank, and initially drove them back, and Conrad began to dream of pocketing the entire Russian army group. But the absence of the Austrian 2nd Army gave the Russians an even greater numerical advantage on the opposite flank, as two Russian armies (the 3rd and 8th) struck the Austrian 3rd east of Lemberg (Lvov). Soon it was Conrad's armies that were in danger of being cut off and destroyed. The campaign was a catastrophe for Austria-Hungary, but in the end the result was a fatally incomplete victory for the Russians.

The Russians juggernaut begins its advance from the East. Russia's westernmost army, Salza's weak 4th army, finds itself on the path of Dankl's 1st army's rapid advance. It seems Austria-Hungary has taken the iniative.

The Russian 4th army is surrounded and badly mauled by Dankl's 1st army. Yet, around Lemberg, the Austro-Hugarian armies are pushed back by Plehve's 5th army and Rusky's 3rd army.

With the Russian 4th army destroyed, the Austro-Hungarian 1st and 4th armies attack the Russian flank, in an effort to relieve Lemberg. In the East, Brusilov's 6th army is advancing against the understrenght defenders of the Austro-Hungarian 2nd army.

The battle turns into a stalemate, each side preparing for the next offensive. The Austro-Hungarians pull back some troops west in expectation of Russian reinforcements. 

The Russians renew their offensive. Plehve's 5th army pushes back the center of the Austro-Hungarian line, while Brusilov's 6th army halts an enemy offensive. 

In the face of Russian reinforcements, Dankl's 1st army and Auffenberg's 4th army begin to withdraw to a more defensible position. 

The Austro-Hungarian army establish their new defensive live, while the Russian army prepares for a major attack.

The Russian onslaught pushes back the Austro-Hungarians at great cost for both armies. Lemberg falls into the hands of the Russians.

The Russians try to capitalize on their gains with several more attacks, but their army is too exhausted to acheive much. 

With both armies unable to launch anything more substantial than local attacks, the battle of Galicia ends in a convincing Austro-Hungarian victory. (Austria-Hungary: 7 VP, Russia 3 VP)