from a military point of view- the Austrians need to spend more money lots of it and the Germans less. Its really that simple.

Austria needs
to buy modern artillery
have a 2000 shell reserve instead of the 500 shells they had
they'll need machine guns
their uniforms should have been designed for the Russian front instead of Italy
planes for recon to replace the horses- who had an awful saddle

The list is rather endless. The Austrians just didn't spend enough to keep up with the neighbors. Conrad once proposed a billion crown budget only to see it cut by a third. FJ told Conrad he needed to be realistic- actually FJ needed to be realistic. If Austria wouldn't spend the money, she couldn't play the Great Power

To get the Germans to do as bad as the Austrians, have the Reichstag hold up the budget as ransom like the Hungarians did. Get German spending down and especially don't pass the big expansion in 1912

The real problem with Germany doing Austrian level badly is that means the French are on the Rhine. Economically, Austria-Germany are then doomed from the loss of coal and iron. The war would be over by spring 1915
 
OTL during WW1 Germany widely overshadowed Austria-Hungary in the Central Powers and performed much better than them, becoming the dominant member and saving Austria-Hungary at critical points.
Try to come up with a way to reverse this so that the Germans perform very badly and suffer heavily to Allied forces, with the Austro-Hungarians performing highly competently and saving their floundering and ineffectual German allies, while Austro-Hungarian industry keeps the CP afloat in contrast to the poor efforts of their northern neighbors.
This war must still be a difficult struggle encompassing some length of time, utilizing an alliance structure which is preferably not excessively dissimilar to OTL (involving Austria and Germany on the same side at the very least) and the POD can stretch from 1900 onwards, with the war having to begin by 1920.

Extra points: Dissolving states of the German Empire at the end of this war try to join the stable Austro-Hungarians, who although defeated on the battlefield have no collapsed internally, unlike their poor northern neighbors.
Rather than Moltke successfully ordering Conrad to change his plans, Conrad successfully orders Moltke to change his plans. Austria thrashes Serbia out of existence while Germany strikes at thin air in the east and is mauled by France in the west. Central powers will probably end up losing pretty badly, but history will remember Austria as the militarily competent one.
 
Instead, let's pimp Conrad's influence to extend beyond A-H military circles (warning - scenario may contain nuts)

In 1908 Conrad converts OTL Serbian belligerence into an open war, resulting in a crushing victory for A-H over wee Serbia. Serbia is removed as a military consideration for 20 years and Conrad gains rock star status within A-H. Conrad's increased status, coupled with tensions with Imperial Russia result in A-H military spending being almost proportional to Germany.

In 1911 while the Italian military is distracted by an earthquake, Conrad launches a preemptive war against Italy, resulting in another crushing victory for A-H. Italy is removed as a military consideration for 20 years and the Hungarians are cowered into supporting further increases in military spending. Conrad gains rock star status among the international military community - including the Germans. This results in closer military liaisons between A-H and Germans - Conrad gains a detailed understanding of the Germans French first strategy.

Through Colonel Redl the Russians soon learn of the Germans intent to throw everything at the French. With a modern and more focused A-H military, the Russians decide it would be more prudent to focus on the Germans while they are distracted in the West. Meanwhile Conrad (after some combat experience) concludes without multiple fronts to worry about, he can conserve his forces while Germany deals with France and then together they can hunt the bear.

So when war kicks off in 1914 per OTL, A-H has to only deal with one front, has a truly modernized military and has adopted a tactically defensive posture. Meanwhile Russia has decided to place greater resources against the Germans and the French (courtesy of Colonel Redl) know exactly what to expect from the Germans (sort of).
you forgot the part where Conrad personally murders Oskar Potiorek in the middle of Maria-Theresien-Platz in broad day light, and the matter is dropped after he skips his day in court. :p
 

Deleted member 94680

In practice, this meant that the two territorial armies were relatively underfunded and kept a large amount of manpower away from the Common Army; despite widespread belief of the contrary, the K.u.K. Army was relatively better funded than either national armies. This meant that until the AOK was formed and command streamlined out of pragmatism thanks to the war, there were serious disparities between the forces.

Thought it was the other way round? I thought the Common Army was underfunded as the the two territorial armies took the majority of their halves’ funding? Also, the Austrians in comparison were spending far less than other Great Powers on their military.
 
Thought it was the other way round? I thought the Common Army was underfunded as the the two territorial armies took the majority of their halves’ funding? Also, the Austrians in comparison were spending far less than other Great Powers on their military.
According to Anthony Sokol in his book in the Austro-Hungarian Navy, he explains the difficulties of funding the Navy and mentions that the Landwehrs were badly underfunded compared to the Common Army. It would make sense since the territorial armies had (even worse) shortages of heavy weaponry and that they were meant to be second-line troops and dumping grounds for older reservists (and obnoxiously stubborn Hungarian nationalists).
 
Instead, let's pimp Conrad's influence to extend beyond A-H military circles (warning - scenario may contain nuts)

In 1908 Conrad converts OTL Serbian belligerence into an open war, resulting in a crushing victory for A-H over wee Serbia. Serbia is removed as a military consideration for 20 years and Conrad gains rock star status within A-H. Conrad's increased status, coupled with tensions with Imperial Russia result in A-H military spending being almost proportional to Germany.

In 1911 while the Italian military is distracted by an earthquake, Conrad launches a preemptive war against Italy, resulting in another crushing victory for A-H. Italy is removed as a military consideration for 20 years and the Hungarians are cowered into supporting further increases in military spending. Conrad gains rock star status among the international military community - including the Germans. This results in closer military liaisons between A-H and Germans - Conrad gains a detailed understanding of the Germans French first strategy.

Through Colonel Redl the Russians soon learn of the Germans intent to throw everything at the French. With a modern and more focused A-H military, the Russians decide it would be more prudent to focus on the Germans while they are distracted in the West. Meanwhile Conrad (after some combat experience) concludes without multiple fronts to worry about, he can conserve his forces while Germany deals with France and then together they can hunt the bear.

So when war kicks off in 1914 per OTL, A-H has to only deal with one front, has a truly modernized military and has adopted a tactically defensive posture. Meanwhile Russia has decided to place greater resources against the Germans and the French (courtesy of Colonel Redl) know exactly what to expect from the Germans (sort of).
This (as well as the proposal by BlondieBC) seems like an effective way to put Austria-Hungary into a leading role. I must question however, whether it would do enough to place the Germans in a negative position, and hence to fulfill the hope of reversing their OTL capacities.. I was under the impression that French intelligence had historically managed to come up with a good understanding of the way that the German attack in the West would occur, but this information was either rejected by French command (such as German use of reserves in the attack), or mal-utilized to support the Plan XVII catastrophe. Given Joffre's historical shortcomings, would additional Austro-Hungarian info be enough to dissuade the French and cause them to adopt a more realistic and effective strategy?
 

BlondieBC

Banned
This (as well as the proposal by BlondieBC) seems like an effective way to put Austria-Hungary into a leading role. I must question however, whether it would do enough to place the Germans in a negative position, and hence to fulfill the hope of reversing their OTL capacities.. I was under the impression that French intelligence had historically managed to come up with a good understanding of the way that the German attack in the West would occur, but this information was either rejected by French command (such as German use of reserves in the attack), or mal-utilized to support the Plan XVII catastrophe. Given Joffre's historical shortcomings, would additional Austro-Hungarian info be enough to dissuade the French and cause them to adopt a more realistic and effective strategy?

It is even better than that. The war plan previous to the one used had the French troops meeting the Germans in Belgium. It was a much better plan than the attack plan into A-L that was used. Then there was this huge scandal. In two separate incidents, Prussian officers had consensual sex with 16 year old French Girls in A-L. There was a huge outcry for punishment of these men, but the Prussian commander deemed the conduct acceptable. So the French papers went wild about the Prussians abusing the chastity of French maidens. So the war plan was changed to attack A-L at the start of the war.
 
It is even better than that. The war plan previous to the one used had the French troops meeting the Germans in Belgium. It was a much better plan than the attack plan into A-L that was used. Then there was this huge scandal. In two separate incidents, Prussian officers had consensual sex with 16 year old French Girls in A-L. There was a huge outcry for punishment of these men, but the Prussian commander deemed the conduct acceptable. So the French papers went wild about the Prussians abusing the chastity of French maidens. So the war plan was changed to attack A-L at the start of the war.
Well, you might need some soldiers to keep their flies closed to change the plan and I fear that might be ASB :D
 
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