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Message from Austria to Master
So far so good, Italy supported my fleet in Trieste
telling me that he wants to cooperate. There is of
course the risk thet he will sneak into Trieste this
time but I doubt it. With Russia and Turkey still
threatening to juggernaught it should not be an issue.
I will bounce in Galicia again, stopping Russia from
building in Warsaw and increasing my chances of
getting Rumania next year. The rest of the units are
just securing Greece, need to get those two new
armies.
It looks as EG vs F in the west, nothing that makes me
change my plans but it is good for me if Germany
denies Russia Sweden and they threaten Stp. That
should make it easier for me to get centers from
Russia in the south which is my first goal if
everything goes as planned this year. However I need
to see what happens this fall and winter before
speculating to much about my long term plans.
Message from England to Master
Germany seems to have opened anti-french. My bounce in the ENG may have
turned out to be ok.
On the other hand a spossible RT is in th making. My main concern now is
what will GErmany do.
Will he team up with me, his moves suggest that he will.
If I dont convoy to NWY then NWY is at the mercy of Russia next spring.
I will opt for the convoy.
As for the fleet in the ENG, for now I will push it to MAO.
Message from France to Master
England -> ENG, oh well.
Germany ber-mun!
This is new for me, and more worrying than England's move. It feels anti-F.
Now Germany is surely forced to order ruh-hol to get his 2 builds? On the
positive side, since England also knows this, maybe it increases the chance of him
ordering ENG-bel.
I'm definately ordering MAO-por. The only way that I might be able to get
Germany on my side is if I build a fleet, and I need Bre open for that. As
England, I would order to Bel, hoping that France simply covers Bre, and cannot
build a fleet.
Spain hold.
The question for me is what to order with Bur. The options are to support
Germany to Bel, to Support England to bel, support mun, or to go to Bel myself.
There are advantages to successfully supporting England there, and getting his
fleet out of ENG but . . . in this position I think I must order bur-bel,
because on the assumption that Germany orders ruh-hol, if England does take bre
then at least I am in with a good chance of 2 builds.
However, I would rather see a bounce in Bel, since my nightmare scenario is :
E ENG-bre
F bur-bel
G mun-bur
This results in a cemented E/G alliance and a real mess for me.
I hope Germany's opening ber-mun isn't a well known opening with obvious
follow up moves (especially if it involves Germany deferring a build in 1901).
Message from Germany to Master
In brief: *YAWN*. The only creativity shown by any of us was my move to Mun
and England's split over the Channel and North Sea. I guess that is a good
thing for me.
Ok, quick overview of the "way it is":
Austria: Usual opening strategy. Frankly I don't know why people use this
opening in no press. FAR too dangerous in my opinion, if Italy has nasty
intentions. Worked out well for him this time though. Italy moved Lepanto
style, allowing Austria to feel safe. Although he does have to worry about
Ven->Tri in Fall, if the Italian is adventurous.
England: a fleet split. I couldn't have asked for a nicer outcome.
England can now sack Bre if France doesn't cover it. OR England can bounce
France in Belgium, which means I don't have to, if I want to play the "screw
France" version of this opening. The split also means that North Sea will
not be moving to Holland, and causing me a problem. VERY good for me.
France: Well, you got Burgundy, you got Spain. You lost the Channel though
bud. Now what are you going to do? Munich isn't open, so you can't even
think about screwing around there. Are you going to risk Bre?
Italy: Lepanto stance, but moves to Naples instead of Apulia. Is this to
assure Austria that you won't try the Greece thing? (Since bouncing now
causes Nap to be filled). Ven->Tri man! Do it!!!!!
Russia: Bounces all over. Germany is in Denmark. IA are friendly.
Turkey, is neutral at best. I always hate Russia in nopress. This is why.
I most likely will not bounce Russia out of Sweden. I don't know how the
England situation is going down. And if I only get 2 builds,I do not need
Russia surprising me with a move to Bal.
Turkey: Standard. Keep trying on that Bla.
So that's my brief overview. Noone did anything creative enough for much
comment!
So what is this "screw France" opening I've alluded to thus far? Instead of
moving to Holland, I move to Belgium and bounce France. I only get 1 build
(Denmark). However, France doesn't gain Belgium either, and is GUNNING for
Belgium next year. In Spring I let him have it, while moving my Mun army to
Bur with Ruh support. Belgium is easily takeable in fall, AND I have a unit
past the Bur/Mun wall. France topples quickly soon after.
In this case, supporting France into Bel, while sliding my army in behind
him might also work. With any luck France doesn't gain the second Iberian
build (either using the fleet to cover Bre, or losing Bre), so he gains 2,
and might just want to smack England out of the Channel (though if I'm in
Bur, he may just go after me. So this is very dangerous). If England
supports himself into Belgium, my support of France causes a big bounce.
This also works nicely.
An ideal situation for me would be that England and France bounce over Bre.
This leaves Bre open for a fleet build, and France gains Belgium, leaving
Bur open for me to slide into. Even more ideal would be if Spa moved on to
Por.
Tentative orders:
Ruh->Hol
Mun->Bur
Den s GoB->Swe
So I get my 2 builds, offer friendship to Russia, have offered friendship to
England with my moves, and annoy France. But France annoyed me with that
move to Bur so hey, we're even.
My builds most likely be in Ber/Kie as Mun will be tied up. If France is in
Bur, it will be army Kie, F Ber. If not, and I'm in Bur (thus Mun is open),
it will be F Kie, A Mun. Either one gets me the fleet for Sweden, just the
one gives me the army to move to Ruh if Ruh is open with France in Bur.
Message from Italy to Master
Well, nothing really shocking from S1901.
Looks like England has done well, garnering ECH and a sure build for NOR.
He probably convoys the army. Be interesting if he gets involved in Benelux
or takes a stab at STP. ECH - BRE, hmm, no idea.
Wondering if the German bounces the Tsar in SWE. No reason not to. The
Tsar gets one with RUM, with two he becomes a worry. Holland is his build,
at least that is the way I'd go.
The Frenchman could end up with three if he displays the proper elan.
POR/SPA and BEL. Of course he could lose BRE and get bounced in BEL.
Iberia will always be there for builds later. His decision could decide my
ultimate strategy. BF at war leaves a move to the West possible.
Turkey is doing what Turkey can do. Still a chance he goes for Russia,
probably depends on what A and E do.
The Russian gets RUM and maybe SWE. With two builds, F STPO (nc) becomes a
possible move. He is not moving on Turkey, yet.
My neighbor is making progress in the Balkans. SER and GRE give him two
builds. Hopefully more armies to fight the Tsar. I still want him as a
long term ally. Hopefully he is planning the same.....
I order the standard convoy of A NAP - ION - TUN.
A VEN s A VIE - TRI. Who knows if he does a self standoff in TRI, then he
cannot build a fleet with me giving unwanted support. When I play Austria,
I always build as many fleets as I can, like to be able to take down Turkey
without help.
Message from Russia to Master
You know, this is why I hate playing Russia
in no-press games. The bounce in sweden pisses
me off. As a result, I'm not going to make it easy on
Germany, and may go after him. I'll concede the bounce
in sweden and instead go to baltic, and attack him
. Let him have the build. I'll keep him so busy, hell wish
he hadn't done that. Unfortunately, I have to give away
galacia. I'm hoping that turkey doesn't use his gift move
to the black sea against me.
Message from Turkey to Master
Shame that Austria moved towards Greece, and that Italy made friendly moves
towards him. Don't like that. Also a shame that England was so strong against
France - makes it unlikely that France will move against Italy quickly.
The biggest problem is that I can't see Russia siding with me very easily at
this stage, if Austria and Italy try to kill me off. So I think I'll have to
make it really obvious that that's what I'm after.
I'm going to let Russia move into the Black Sea if he wants, and support him
into Rumania. It might backfire completely if he decides to attack, but
hopefully not. I'm going to put my army back into Smyrna - really I'm thinking
it would've been better to have left it alone in the Spring, so that I could
move it to Ankara... but that was before I was expecting to see Austria and
Italy working together.
Anyway, early days... Italy might attack Trieste yet.
Austria: Fleet Albania → Greece
Austria: Army Serbia SUPPORT Fleet Albania → Greece
Austria: Army Vienna → Galicia
England: Fleet English Channel → Mid-Atlantic Ocean
England: Fleet North Sea CONVOY Army Yorkshire → Norway
England: Army Yorkshire → North Sea → Norway
France: Army Burgundy → Belgium
France: Fleet Mid-Atlantic Ocean → Portugal
France: Army Spain HOLD
Germany: Fleet Denmark SUPPORT Russian Fleet Gulf of Bothnia → Sweden (*void*)
Germany: Army Munich → Burgundy
Germany: Army Ruhr → Holland
Italy: Fleet Ionian Sea CONVOY Army Naples → Tunis
Italy: Army Naples → Ionian Sea → Tunis
Italy: Army Venice SUPPORT Austrian Army Vienna → Trieste (*void*)
Russia: Fleet Gulf of Bothnia → Baltic Sea
Russia: Fleet Sevastopol SUPPORT Army Ukraine → Rumania
Russia: Army Ukraine → Rumania
Russia: Army Warsaw → Prussia
Turkey: Fleet Ankara → Constantinople
Turkey: Army Bulgaria SUPPORT Russian Army Ukraine → Rumania
Turkey: Army Constantinople → Smyrna
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