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Marcelo’s EOG
Well, it was an interesting game... at least
for me.
I am a little disappointed for my FINAL mistake
in not sending the correct orders. What a terrible error that did not allow
me to win this game SOLO.
Anyway, you all prevented me winning it and in
this you were successful!
I got a little lucky in the early phases of the
game when G and E entered into war and this allowed me to get their SCs. I
could manage to prevent anything difficult in the mediterranean and had the
chances to get War, but needed to move slowly.
Just hope we all can join ourselves in any
other game soon.
Ah, and i was really honest when i said i
wished an ally to share the game. But as time was running and none of you
joined me and i realized i could won solo, i tried that... but if any of you
(mainly R and T due to the positions desired to be my ally, we would be
sharing the game).
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My EOG
First of all, I have to confess that I probably
ruined the chances of everyone in the east with my opening tactics. I tried to adapt a black press strategy
that had worked very well as France of being very bullish and inviting
suitors, but failed to recognise that France and Austria start off in very
different positions. Austria has to
be much more cagey. So Russia and
Turkey formed the Juggernaut from the start, but were so open about it that
Italy had to rush to my aid. Pretty
soon the east was deadlocked, which stopped anyone getting close to
challenging France.
In fact, the Juggernaut’s progress shouldn’t
have been so slow. Russia was
initially doing well, doing well in Scandinavia and getting several armies on
my borders. But I fended him off long
enough for Germany to pose more of a threat.
Then Italy and I deadlocked Turkey until it became clear that France
was dangerously close to the solo.
France’s progress was interesting. I agree with Adam’s analysis (in his
Winter 1908 press) that France got very lucky in the way the game
progressed. England made a mess of
holding onto Norway, then made the mistake of disbanding his only army,
making it easy for France to overrun him.
Germany and Russia’s war then allowed Marcelo to pile in and fill his
boots before taking advantage of the confusion in the east to push forward
quite a way before a stop-the-leader alliance could be formed.
Having said that, a player can only play the
hand given to him, and Marcelo did a good job of capitalising on the
confusion around him. I can’t
remember all his play, but he certainly was solid against me in the end game
until that bizarre Autumn season when he blew a sure thing and lost Bohemia
into the bargain. However, I did feel
he lost a lot of credibility with his press, which continued to claim he only
wanted a draw. At the time it seemed
like a laughably weak attempt to cover up his ambition to win, since the solo
opportunity was plain to see. Given
his EOG statement though, it may well be that Marcelo really didn't see the
opportunity till late, which rather confirms the 'lucky leader' theory.
The last ten years or so were the usual tedious
grind required for a stop-the-leader effort.
My units didn’t move from Fall 1909 to Spring 1917, that’s how boring
it was. In the end, I feel a bit bad
for France that his mistake cost him the solo, but I’ll take the draw any
day. The stop-the-leader effort did
at least make it very clear who the veterans were, namely Germany and Turkey,
who marshalled our efforts very well.
Thanks to Keith, who urged me to go for Bohemia again when I’d given
up on it. That bit of press alone
probably secured the draw. Bad luck
to Adam, who was statesmanlike as always.
Isaac did his part very well in the defensive efforts after some very
ambitious attacking play in the first few years.
A quick query to Russia – what on earth was
going on? I’m hoping that RL concerns
only gave you five seconds to do your orders each season, because you ignored
crucial press, misordered units and very nearly gave the game away. If I’d been France, I’d have been tempted
to play for another couple of years and hope for a misorder. All well’s that
ends well, but next time let’s talk a bit more!
That’s all from me. Thanks to Phil for another immaculate GM’ing performance. What with this game and game 928, you’ve
run two of my longest and most tedious games ever (aren’t you impressed that
I didn’t get bored and throw the game this time?) so well done for keeping us
going.
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Phil’s EOG
Firstly may I offer my
congratulations to Marcelo for nearly getting there and for all the players
for staying right through to the end. As a GM, knowing what the orders were
and particulalrly towards the latter stages of the game, there were many
times when the French could have marched triumphantly into Warsaw and claimed
victory. However, France was not to know that.
I enjoyed GMing the game and
apart from one or two hiccups with Rami's orders towards the end everyone
should be congratulated for their timely submissions. I'd have found it
difficult myself I know. Note to Stephen: I'll try and run less boring games
in future <Grin>.
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Rami’s EOG
Well it was about time, the only mistake that I
did and that could change the cosre of the game was the wrong order when I
attacked Germany, one more supply center and I could change it all anyway I
don't regret it it was a fun game ...
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Yoav’s EOG
I was forced to retire from my games due to
lack of time (work, work, work). Phil is running a great game, thanks for
providing such interesting entertainment. It was fun to play with you all,
and perhaps one day I shall return to diplomacy
Playing
Turkey has good and bad sides. The corner position is easier to defend, but
it is also hard to expand beyond Bulgaria.
Since this is a press gunboat, I figured it
would be best to stay out of the Black Sea so Russia would become a friend
rather than a foe. It worked and we became allies (even if Russia was the
stronger power).
Italy went for the Lepanto, but as long as Russia
remains friendly I can not imagine how Italy is going to gain grounds.
France swallowed England, my guess is that soon
Germany will be stabbed by the French armies, while the French fleets try to
snatch Scandinavia and possibly StP from Russia.
Italy will come to her\his senses at some point
and start to work with Russia and Turkey in order to stop France from getting
the Solo. So all the new Sultan has to do is hold off Italy for a while
and then both powers would become
allies.
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Keith’s EOG
Phil, et al,
Thanks for an excellent job as GM. Always a
pleasure.
Joining late in this game, I enjoyed struggling
back and throwing the Italians from the Turkish shores. Black Press games
like this certainly give an advantage to single strategic actions over public
declarations and offers of support or else I don't think I could have done
it. Unfortunately this Black Press advantage turned into a disadvantage when
France started growing past the North Sea.
I still do not believe you, Marcelo, when you
were saying you were after anything but a solo right from the moment I
joined. I think that if I (or anyone else) had ever taken you up on the offer
it would surely have been the downfall of us all. I still would like to have
seen the French occupy all the English provinces before the stalemate as I
challenged many years ago. That all said, Marcelo, well played up until the
very last move.
I would like to hear from Italy on the game, as
I'm not sure why he didn't take France to task much earlier than just moving
to stop the stalemate.
All in all, lots of fun, guys.
Adam, some regret we got off to a bad start
there. There was obviously some bad blood on the table before I arrived, and
evidently put my elbow in it on my arrival. Look forward to playing with you
again, in a somewhat friendlier discourse.
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Isaac’s EOG
First I would like to thank Phil for GMing .
At the beginning I tried my luck in attacking
Turkey , hoping to get some Russian help but unfortunately he stayed loyal to
his Turkish friend.
Anyway I believe this did help to keep Austria
alive while T/R were after him.
When my attack on Turkey failed , It was quite
clear that the French were getting too strong and so I decided to turn back
and try my luck on the West , which was just in time to block him from entering the Med with support from Turkey.
The last 8-9 years I kept sending my same
orders hoping for some good news in the North which finally came.
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Adam’s EOG
Well, for me this was a pretty straightforward,
if ugly, game. As Germany, I needed
to try to stay on a balancing line between all my pesky neighbors, while
trying to snag a power base. Stay out
of any situation which commits me to battle until I'm sure I have the
advantage was going to be my method of operation. I had a slight preference for heading east, if possible, but I
couldn't commit early.
England got cute and pretty much intentionally
picked a fight right from the outset, so there went that plan. I published press to try to get him to
back down so I could stay flexible, but his repudiation didn't come until it
was too late - I had already been forced to build a fleet, and could see
France licking his lips at the prospect of having help against his first
victim. Meanwhile, the fleet build
pretty much settled a Russian target on my head, so France positively began
drooling in anticipation. I did what
I could to convince Russia that any attack on me would only solidify the
French position, but my pleas fell on deaf ears and the knife went in. I never had a prayer of holding my English
center, and without that I was frankly doomed. I disagree with the Russian that one more supply center would
have tipped the balance in his favor.
It didn't matter if the units were Russian or mine: the position in
Scandinavia could not be held.
By the time the Russian believed I was right
about France, my fate was sealed, as the stalemate lines were all behind
me. My career as a commerce raider
was stymied by a misorder, but I wouldn't have survived in any case. I would have just been buying time so that
the remaining powers could have built their stable line a decade or so
sooner.
As it was, I was pretty surprised this game
kept going for so long. I didn't
follow very closely after I was eliminated, but it was clear to me pretty
early on that this game would depend on the standard Eastern stalemate
line. I figured everyone would
beeline for it and that would be that.
The amount of maneuvering that went on was very dangerous for the
alliance, and France had several opportunities to win. I actually think if he had made an all-out
push to punch across that line before I was dead that he probably would have
made it and assured himself the win.
Instead, he was quite cautious and allowed his opponents to organize
ahead of him.
As for any friction with Keith, I frankly don't
even remember it. I've switched
computers since the game began, and have lost my archive of the
correspondence. I can only say that
you played well, and I'd be happy to lie to you in a future game. Did I say that out loud? Of course, I meant to say, "form an
alliance with you". I'm sure you
understand the subtle distinction.
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Mark’s EOG
Firstly thanks to Philip for GMing, and very
well too.
My game was short and it was short for the very
good reason that I played pants.
For some unknown reason early on I just decided
that I was going to head Germany's way even though that would never had
entered my mind in a standard game. I guess that summed up my brief game I
was trying to play too much gun boat and not enough sensible strategic moves.
Germany seen this early on and found plenty of help from elsewhere to finish
me off.
Still a lesson lernt and following the game
after my departure as been entertaining.
Thanks to all concerned for a great game.
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