|
|
Message from Russia to France
I'm one of the ones that's going to be unavailable (hence the long deadline
extension), but I wanted to share my thinking before rather than after going
silent:
I was disappointed to see you do such a huge backing off in the south. I'm
guessing it was partly based on my lack of help in Italy last season, so I
can understand backing off some, but the huge backing off seems more
problematic than a more measured one. I *was* trying to get Ben and Andy to
see me as not threatening, but I only wanted to do that in the Spring -- I
wanted to work with you in Fall.
I worry that by pulling back you may have effectively eliminated yourself in
favor of an EIR 3-way. While Andy may choose to attack me, he's certain to
use his fleets to head after Tun and Iberia (even if he does it at the same
time). And with no pressure on Andy or Ben, I can't influence either of their
moves anymore. I would have preferred to see you take Nap and then help you
into Ven in Fall. (I supported Andy in Ven because I knew you weren't
attacking based on the failure to ask me *not* to support it). Then in Fall
you could have ensured two builds, against only one loss to Ben, which would
allow you to put an army into Mar as fast as Pie can get there anyway, while
keeping Andy hemmed in.
You still have a chance to pick up Ven, but it's a lot less likely now. So
what is your plan, and can I help?
I hope this doesn't come across as me complaining. I'm just sharing how the
board looks to me, because I'd like to get your take on things.
--- Eric
Message from France to Russia
>
> I hope this doesn't come across as me complaining. I'm just
> sharing how the board looks to me, because I'd like to get
> your take on things.
Well, frankly, Eric, you haven't been the best about providing concrete
support when I've asked for it in the past, so I didn't really think I
could count on it now. Attacking Naples and providing pressure on Italy
is certainly convenient for you, but it means the certain loss of Iberia
for me (so let's count: with two fleets behind to take Naples, I'd lose
Por / Spa, Bre and Bel; at least now I'll only lose Bre and Bel, and
there was no guarantee of taking Venice or Naples anyway). No offense,
but your advice is taken with a grain of salt these days.
In any case, I have started to write off the game. Italy had the decency
to back off and let me try to defend myself against England, but I don't
know how much good that will do me when he's gotten back on his feet
against you. If you'd like to support me into Venice, I'm game to try it
out; otherwise, I will do my best to defend myself from Ben and then
Andy, when the time comes.
Alternatively, if you can demonstrate a set of moves on my part that
will get you close to a shot at a solo within the next few turns, I'd
entertain those, if for no other reason than to spite Ben.
Erik
Message from Russia to France
> Well, frankly, Eric, you haven't been the best about providing concrete
> support when I've asked for it in the past, so I didn't really think I
> could count on it now.
Fair enough of a comment. I can see why you would have this point of view.
> No offense, but your advice is taken with a grain of salt these days.
None taken. Obviously I've got a significant pro-Russian outlook. I haven't
given much advice recently for just that reason. It may have been
inappropriate to send the last comments as well. My apologies if I offended.
> Italy had the decency to back off and let me try to defend myself
> against England,
And if he really does back off -- even for a short time, then I think my
advice was even easier to take with that salt.
> but I don't know how much good that will do me when he's gotten back on
> his feet against you.
I was more focused on that in my comments, but you are correct -- you really
need to deal with first things first.
> If you'd like to support me into Venice, I'm game to try it
> out; otherwise, I will do my best to defend myself from Ben and then
> Andy, when the time comes.
If Andy doesn't support Ven then he'd lose a center to you. If he does, then
I take Tri. It seems like it's worth it to try -- but let me look at answers
to your next question before committing.
> Alternatively, if you can demonstrate a set of moves on my part that
> will get you close to a shot at a solo within the next few turns, I'd
> entertain those, if for no other reason than to spite Ben.
Obviously I like this idea better than the others. Let me look at it and see
what I can come up with. Again, it may be a while before I write. Don't take
any silence on my part as lack of interest!
--- Eric
Message from Italy to Russia
Eric,
Hopefully you will have time to chat, there are lots of things to do, and
this is the season that Turkey falls hard. And we get you moved to a more
forward position within France (ie...I support you to Tyrolia).
Look at this and tell me if I am insane...I dont think I am.
RUM - UKR
BUL - CON
BLA s BUL - CON
SER - BUL (to prevent AEG - BUL)
TYR - PIE or MUN (depends if you want to get into BER or MAR first)
ARM s EAS - SMY
MUN and SIL based on your chioce with TYR
GRE - AEG
EAS - SMY
VEN - PIE or s TYR - PIE depending on your choice.
ROM - TUS or NAP depending on your choice.
NAP - ION
I think it guarantees us at least 1 turkish dot, likely 2. It gets me a
build, which is a good thing for you so I can stop Ben from coming around
the horn.
How does this look to you...
I am now in the Bay area and look forward to meeting you on Friday.
take care
Andy
Message from Italy to Russia
Eric....you said I would hear from you....I have not....
what is going on.
Andy
Message from Italy to Russia
Eric,
You havent written to me, but I will write ot you.
I think Jason is going to concentrate on protecting ANK and turtle up.
This is what I see as our best set of moves this fall.....
Me...
NAP - ION
VEN s ROM - TUS
ROm - TUS
EAS - SMY
GRE either sup Bul or support SER - BUL or - AEG
you
ARM s EAS - SMY
BLA either s BUL - CON or convoy RUM - CON
BUL either s RUM - CON or - CON
SER either s BUL or - BUL
TYR - MUN
SIL s TYR - MUN
MUN - RUH which you explain away by saying you are looking to take
Burgandy
MOS s STP
STP h
your thoughts....it likely gets us 2 dots in Turkey...one each, which will
allow me to build what I need based on the French moves, and for you to
build another northern unit.
The more I think about it...the more the BUL - CON lookes better, because
RUM can get to the front alot faster without alot of tanglements with my
units.
Andy
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
I don't have anything exciting to write you about, but I hadn't heard from
you in awhile. . . I haven't heard anything from Erik in ages; Andy and, to
my surprise, Jason seemed pleased that I attacked Erik.
So, the baseball scene in San Francisco is in the news again. Excited? ;-)
Ben
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
> So, the baseball scene in San Francisco is in
> the news again. Excited? ;-)
This is a reference to the steroids scandal. Ok?
Ben
Message from Russia to all
Greetings all,
Well, after much packing, unpacking and schlepping of boxes, I believe that I
am close to rejoining the online world from my new locale. I'll be busy this
evening, but I think tomorrow morning and evening should find me with
sufficient time to check in.
I'll probably still have sporadic availability during the work day, but with
a phone line AND computer both in the same building, it should at least be
possible for me to communicate some. (I have yet to actually try to dial up
yet, but we'll see how that goes tomorrow AM).
Talk to you all soon,
--- Eric
Message from Russia to Italy
Hey there Andy,
I did say that I would send you some press, and then promptly went home and
packed my computer. Sorry about that.
My first question is pre-tactics, and really comes down to what are you
looking to accomplish at this point. While Erik was on your doorstep I could
see that it made sense in terms of revenge. At this point it seems likely
that he's going to get wiped out, and it's not clear that there will no
longer be any pressure on you to be eliminated. If that's the case, then
we're talking about maneuvering for a 3WD and not a Russian solo.
I recognize that these are all points you can see as well as I can, I just
wanted to verify (or repudiate) my expectation that your goals have changed.
If we're working for a Russian solo, then suggestions that have you trading
dots to me make sense. If we're working for a 3way, then we need to be a
little more careful about how we array our units.
Either way, I think it makes sense to get you at least another unit to help
hold off the Atlantic hordes, so your plan overall sounds decent to me. If
we're working for a Russian solo, I might want to look for a way to squeeze
an extra unit for me out of the arrangement (assuming I get a chance to look
at things).
I'll try to be more responsive now that I think I've got access from home
again.
--- Eric
Message from Russia to France
Hey Erik,
Sorry for the long delay. As noted, I've been incognito due to not having a
functioning computer.
I haven't looked at how intelligent this would be, but the most aggressive
moves I could think of to try to generate a Russian solo go along these
lines:
Tyl-Ven, Pie S Tyl-Ven
Ser-Tri
One of these two takes a dot from Andy. If we're lucky both would.
Alternately, we could try to get you Ven, which lets you keep a unit, but
probably isn't as good for trying to get me the solo. Depends on your focus.
Mun ??? -Ruh? -Bur?
That puts Marseilles in range for a potential quick-dot score
StP-Fin
Mos-StP
Might allow a quick steal of Swe or Nwy.
The rest is pretty obvious.
The problem is I haven't really looked carefully at what the EIT-counter
attack to these moves are. I think I could grab 2 or 3 dots that I can't get
to without your help, but that only gets me to 13. I could get the extra dots
-- Turkey, the Balkans and maybe Berlin and a dot here or there -- but I'm
not clear I could get them before I lost Mar and any Scandinavian gains.
As I said, I want to look the options over on an actual board, and I'm hoping
to have the time tomorrow now that things are settling at home. But I wanted
to give you my first thoughts as to how we might go forward if you are
serious about examining a Russian solo bid.
--- Eric
Message from Russia to England
>> So, the baseball scene in San Francisco is in
>> the news again. Excited? ;-)
> This is a reference to the steroids scandal. Ok?
LOL! It took me a sec, but I might have actually gotten that one on my own!
The only reason it was hard to figure out is that out here it hasn't gone out
of the news. Every day or two there's a steroid update since the story first
broke, so there's no "big new story" going on from my point of view.
Hey, I actually met Andy in person last Friday (he was in SF on business). We
were careful not to discuss the current/future state of this game, but he
mentioned that you and he are near neighbors. I failed to ask him if you two
know each other though? Are you at all involved in the FtF scene? Andy may
have convinced me to fly up for DipCon in Portland this April.
--- Eric
Message from Russia to Turkey
Hey Jason,
I finally have a moment to take focus on Dip --
I know I ask you this every turn (and answering me has yet to really be
helpful to you) but what are you looking for out of the game at this point?
Do you want to defend your home centers at all costs? Do you want to survive
at all costs? Do you want to make sure that someone (or that no one) solos?
Do you want to ensure that someone is hurt as you go out? Are you tired of
the game and just want it to end? I know you've been content to defend
against Andy hoping that I'll go away, but your motivation continues to
escape me. :)
It's clear that Andy will still be looking to help me eliminate you so that
he can pick up quick centers and ensure himself a place in the draw. It's
just as clear that I've been setting up to take your centers for my own
diabolical purposes. The main difference I see between Andy's position and
mine is that he can't get centers from you unless you are eliminated, whereas
I can help you stay alive while still growing myself -- especially if you
aren't too picky about which centers you keep.
Let me know what you are thinking,
Yours,
--- Eric
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
> Hey, I actually met Andy in person last Friday (he was in SF on
business). We
> were careful not to discuss the current/future state of this game, but he
> mentioned that you and he are near neighbors. I failed to ask him if you
two
> know each other though? Are you at all involved in the FtF scene? Andy may
> have convinced me to fly up for DipCon in Portland this April.
Well, I don't really play ftf, and I haven't been to DC from Baltimore
since I met Andy in this game. So, no we are not in the same ftf circles,
and we haven't met, but I look forward to looking him up when I next get to
the new home of Clinton Portis. I suspect I get there more often than he
gets *here*, but hopefully if he were to come to Baltimore, he'd look me up.
I'd probably get clubbed like a baby seal in ftf. Plus I don't have the
large blocks of weekend time; hell, DipCon was in DC last year, and I
couldn't get there.
Ben
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
About moving, Dave Barry wrote:
You would slit your wrists, if only you could find a razor.
Good luck.
Ben
Message from Italy to Russia
Eric,
> I did say that I would send you some press, and then promptly went home and
> packed my computer. Sorry about that.
No problem.
>
> My first question is pre-tactics, and really comes down to what are you
> looking to accomplish at this point. While Erik was on your doorstep I could
> see that it made sense in terms of revenge. At this point it seems likely
> that he's going to get wiped out, and it's not clear that there will no
> longer be any pressure on you to be eliminated. If that's the case, then
> we're talking about maneuvering for a 3WD and not a Russian solo.
Im not sure. I want to see Erik move away from me for one more season
before I believe him.
That is why my moves were couched the way that they were, it gets me a
build, probably gets you a build and I get to make that decision next
season.
> I recognize that these are all points you can see as well as I can, I just
> wanted to verify (or repudiate) my expectation that your goals have changed.
If Erik moves away from me for one more season, YES, they will change, but
I am not counting on it. Hence...hedging my bets.
> If we're working for a Russian solo, then suggestions that have you trading
> dots to me make sense. If we're working for a 3way, then we need to be a
> little more careful about how we array our units.
Agreed.
> Either way, I think it makes sense to get you at least another unit to help
> hold off the Atlantic hordes, so your plan overall sounds decent to me.
Thank you.
If
> we're working for a Russian solo, I might want to look for a way to squeeze
> an extra unit for me out of the arrangement (assuming I get a chance to look
> at things).
No problem.
> I'll try to be more responsive now that I think I've got access from home
> again.
>
No problem either.
take care
Andy
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
Would you please order SIL - BOH?
Just as defensive for you, and it will give me much more flexibility as I
try to withdraw further.
Ben
Message from Turkey to Russia
Good to hear from you again. Hope the move went well.
I'm looking to get out of this game what I've always wanted: the best
position I can. I generally don't throw games or try to get someone else
to win unless I've really ben screwed.
Since Austria cost me Bud, though, and Italy then turned on me, my
chances of staying in this game in the long term have dwindled. Right
now, I'm basically at your mercy, depending on if you feel like shifting
your attention north or not. I appreciate your janissary offer, but I do
think I'll decline for now. My pride usually can't take being ordered
around in Dip. ;-)
Morituri te salutant!
jason
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
Well, the post-deadline negotiations begin.
I don't need to know right now if you are ordering SIL - BOH. However, it
*will* make a difference in the upcoming build phase, as the eased pressure
on BER will permit me to focus more exclusively elsewhere.
Ben
Message from England to Russia
Eric -
> I don't need to know right now if you are ordering SIL - BOH. However, it
> *will* make a difference in the upcoming build phase, as the eased
pressure
> on BER will permit me to focus more exclusively elsewhere.
By "elsewhere," I mean, "France."
Also any comments about Jamal Lewis will be met with war.
I am distraught, and considering giving up football for Lent, and I'm not
even Catholic. Nor is it football season. That's how upset I am.
Ben
Message from Russia to England
Hey Ben,
Sorry to be so silent. I did manage to get orders in, though. Small
victories. :)
I'm not planning to move to Boh just yet. I want to wait until there's a tad
more defense for the homeland. (Sil protects War as well as Mun). But that's
not a refusal to *ever* move from there. I'm not going to attack Ber if that
helps you any.
Sorry to read about Jamal. Around here the talk is all about Garcia and
Owens. I haven't heard what C Woodson status is either. Fun, fun, fun.
--- Eric
England: Fleet Baltic Sea SUPPORT Fleet Berlin
England: Fleet Berlin SUPPORT Fleet Baltic Sea
England: Army Brest → Paris (*bounce*)
England: Fleet English Channel SUPPORT Army Holland → Belgium
England: Army Holland → Belgium
England: Army Kiel → Ruhr (*bounce*)
England: Fleet Mid-Atlantic Ocean → Portugal (*bounce*)
England: Fleet North Sea SUPPORT Army Holland → Belgium
England: Fleet Norway HOLD
France: Army Belgium HOLD (*dislodged*)
France: Army Burgundy → Paris (*bounce*)
France: Army Marseilles → Gascony
France: Army Piedmont → Marseilles
France: Fleet Spain (south coast) → Portugal (*bounce*)
France: Fleet Tunis HOLD
France: Fleet Western Mediterranean → Spain (south coast) (*bounce*)
Italy: Fleet Eastern Mediterranean → Smyrna
Italy: Fleet Greece SUPPORT Russian Army Serbia → Bulgaria (*void*)
Italy: Fleet Naples → Ionian Sea
Italy: Army Rome → Venice (*bounce*)
Italy: Army Venice → Trieste (*bounce*)
Russia: Army Armenia SUPPORT Italian Fleet Eastern Mediterranean → Smyrna
Russia: Fleet Black Sea → Constantinople
Russia: Fleet Bulgaria (east coast) SUPPORT Fleet Black Sea → Constantinople
Russia: Army Moscow SUPPORT Army St Petersburg
Russia: Army Munich → Ruhr (*bounce*)
Russia: Army Rumania SUPPORT Fleet Bulgaria (east coast)
Russia: Army Serbia → Trieste
Russia: Army Silesia → Munich (*bounce*)
Russia: Army St Petersburg SUPPORT English Fleet Norway
Russia: Army Tyrolia SUPPORT Army Serbia → Trieste
Turkey: Fleet Aegean Sea SUPPORT Army Constantinople → Bulgaria
Turkey: Fleet Ankara → Black Sea
Turkey: Army Constantinople → Bulgaria (*bounce, dislodged*)
|