Russian strategic victory at Lodz, 1914:

[Snake Featherston]

In November and December of 1914 the Russians fought the Battle of Lodz with the Germans, one of the largest WWI battles in terms of numbers of troops involved that wasn't a trench fight. Both Germany and Russia had opportunities to decisively win the battle, so what if the Russians encircle and destroy the Ninth Army at Lodz, if this is actually in their power to do so? What would this do at a tactical, strategic, logistical, and psychological level for the Russian Army?

 

[Catspoke]

I am a fan of early Entente victories in the WW1 and thus keeping Russia from going communist, it would be the best 20th century possible after WW1 started.

I am thinking the Germans would be able to exfiltrate from such a pocket, but assuming 50% infantry losses and 100% heavy equipment losses it would be a great Russian victory. Heads will roll in the German leadership.

However the result could mean an immediate German focus on Russia, with the Germans willing to run risks in the west to build up forces. Hopefully the Russians don't get ahead of themselves and don't get tempted to invade Silesia or push across the Carpathians or take Crakow or it could get ugly for them in a hurry.

Hopefully whomever got credit for the Russian victory was someone competent and could/would use the prestige of such a victory for the good of the Russian army during the long years ahead.

There would be more German POWs in Russia and some high ranking officers maybe. There may be some interesting politics there. Maybe the Russians would capture some decent German engineering staff and use the extra help to get the Murmansk railway done earlier.

 

[TheLordProtector]

If you're looking for a way to make it a better 20th century, I would suggest having the Kerensky Offensive succeed instead of this. That would preserve the Russian Republic and give democracy a fighting chance in eastern Europe.

However, as relates to the actual POD you propose, I assume this would come with heavy losses on the Russian side as well (all of their victories against the Germans did), thus meaning they won't be able to advance. Somewhat of a stalemate would likely develop on the Eastern Front, though a bit more mobile than the Western Front IOTL.

 

[lukedalton]

If you're looking for a way to make it a better 20th century, I would suggest having the Kerensky Offensive succeed instead of this. That would preserve the Russian Republic and give democracy a fighting chance in eastern Europe.

There is the probability that any major Russian victory can make German and A-H be more pliable to Italian request during negotiation to mantain her neutrality (and using her as a mean to lessen the blockade), if this happen big change are ahead

 

[Snake Featherston]

I am a fan of early Entente victories in the WW1 and thus keeping Russia from going communist, it would be the best 20th century possible after WW1 started.

I am thinking the Germans would be able to exfiltrate from such a pocket, but assuming 50% infantry losses and 100% heavy equipment losses it would be a great Russian victory. Heads will roll in the German leadership.

However the result could mean an immediate German focus on Russia, with the Germans willing to run risks in the west to build up forces. Hopefully the Russians don't get ahead of themselves and don't get tempted to invade Silesia or push across the Carpathians or take Crakow or it could get ugly for them in a hurry.

Hopefully whomever got credit for the Russian victory was someone competent and could/would use the prestige of such a victory for the good of the Russian army during the long years ahead.

There would be more German POWs in Russia and some high ranking officers maybe. There may be some interesting politics there. Maybe the Russians would capture some decent German engineering staff and use the extra help to get the Murmansk railway done earlier.

I'm not looking for that POD as it's very difficult to do without a short WWI that favors the Allies. What I'm looking at is the result of a clear-cut Russian strategic, as opposed to tactical, victory over the German army in the way that they secured against the Austro-Hungarians.

If you're looking for a way to make it a better 20th century, I would suggest having the Kerensky Offensive succeed instead of this. That would preserve the Russian Republic and give democracy a fighting chance in eastern Europe.

However, as relates to the actual POD you propose, I assume this would come with heavy losses on the Russian side as well (all of their victories against the Germans did), thus meaning they won't be able to advance. Somewhat of a stalemate would likely develop on the Eastern Front, though a bit more mobile than the Western Front IOTL.

Well, yes. Fighting in the open with huge modern armies did generally lead to enormous casualty rates. By comparison the armies of the Western Front had a different pattern of casualties from the static nature of the fighting.

There is the probability that any major Russian victory can make German and A-H be more pliable to Italian request during negotiation to mantain her neutrality (and using her as a mean to lessen the blockade), if this happen big change are ahead

Perhaps. On the other hand a major defeat for August von Mackensen would arguably increase the Russians' self-confidence somewhat and buy the Tsars a few extra months.