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
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