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Message from Master to all
A player said:
>In games that I Master, I urge the players to write an EoY (End of
>Year) statement, or statements, during the Adjustment Phase each year.
> Some players Broadcast in-character "State of the Union" speeches,
>which would be fun for the Observers, but if we each send Doug a note
>each year revealing why we made the choices we did, it will make the
>Showcase much more instructive for people to read later.
.
.
.
>Some of these questions might be addressed in EoGs, but
>others will be overlooked, and the answers may reveal the differences
>between victory and defeat.
I wholeheartedly support this notion. This will be a showcase game,
of course, and your EoY broadcasts and just-to-master presses with
more description of your intentions are heartily encouraged. Many
beginners will no doubt rehash this game in the future, and if you're
willing to give them a glimpse of your strategy, I think it would be
a great help to them.
Either method is encouraged (broadcasts will be read by other players,
of course, whereas 'press to m' is to the silent universe that will
be reading along in years to come). Just as a reminder, though,
don't send a grey broadcast discussing the game and sign it with
your real name.
Cheers, everyone,
Doug
Message from France to Russia
Czar Nicolas:
> Yes, I wonder who suggested it to them
They could have suggested it to themselves I suppose. I
will do what I can to try and convince Turkey that he
should side with you. I am sure that you are pointing
out to him that his back is exposed to a Lepanto. Offer
him Rumania for peace?
At least it looks like Warsaw can be saved this year.
-- Prince Boar
Message from Russia to England
Ivy,
>Adjustment orders for Winter of 1901. (titleist.003)
>
>Turkey: Builds an army in Ankara.
Not good, though ...
>Italy: Builds a fleet in Naples.
Turkey could find himself hard-pressed before
he has a chance to get far against me.
>France: Builds an army in Paris.
>France: Builds a fleet in Brest.
Fairly neutral.
>Austria: Builds an army in Vienna.
>Austria: Builds an army in Budapest.
Also not good, it seems he wants war with
Russia after all.
>England: Builds a fleet in London.
>England: Builds a fleet in Edinburgh.
Hmmm, two Fleets? I expected one and one.
The position seems pro-French, and somewhat
anti-German.
>Germany: Builds a fleet in Berlin.
>Germany: Builds an army in Kiel.
Fleet Berlin? Geeze, I'm surprised he
didn't build A Mun, and move to Sil, as well.
Let me know what you have in mind.
Your soon-to-be-late friend,
Nick.
Message from Russia to France
Prince Boar,
>I will do what I can to try and convince Turkey that he
>should side with you. I am sure that you are pointing
>out to him that his back is exposed to a Lepanto. Offer
>him Rumania for peace?
Already been done. He must believe that Italy
will stab Austria. That's the only explanation I
can imagine for not building F Smy. any influence
you can provide would be appreciated, though. I do
hope that you and Ivy are going to hit Fredd hard, too.
>At least it looks like Warsaw can be saved this year.
You think so? I'm not so opptomistic.
The soon-to-be-late,
Czar Nicholas.
Message from Russia to Austria and Italy
Gentlemen,
We STILL have the opportunity to take Turkey out,
before he grows to big to be eliminated easily. For
your consideration:
Austria:
Gre-Aeg
Ser-Gre
Bud-Ser
Gal-Bud
Italy:
Ion-EMed
Nap-Ion
In the Fall, Tun-Ion-EMed-Smy/Syr, and
Aeg & Gre S Ser-Bul. Now, you might say that you
don't need me to do this, and strictly speaking,
that's true, but if you attack us both we will be
forced to ally, and that will slow your conquest
considerably.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Russia to Italy
Roberto,
Of course, if you happen to move Tyl-Tri next
Fall, I won't be at all upset...
Nicky.
Message from Italy to Austria and Russia
>
> We STILL have the opportunity to take Turkey out,
> before he grows to big to be eliminated easily.
>
I whole-heartedly agree. HOWEVER, I think Rumania should become Austrian
property in the process. Call it a good-will gesture for not pushing north
into Russian homeland. After all, the Turk was as much responsible for the
Rumanian debacle as Austria.
> For your consideration:
> Austria:
> Gre-Aeg
> Ser-Gre
> Bud-Ser
> Gal-Bud
>
> Italy:
> Ion-EMed
> Nap-Ion
>
So, I would alter the suggested moves slightly with:
Gal-Rum
Vie-Gal
In the fall, Tunis would convoy to Bulgaria with a bunch of support. Nobody
can blame me for suggesting a set of moves where Italy gains a build, right?
:)
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from Italy to Russia
>
> Of course, if you happen to move Tyl-Tri next
> Fall, I won't be at all upset...
>
It's possible but if there is an opportunity to eliminate Turkey, I'd have
to consider that a first priority.
Hope you're not too upset at my Rumanian suggestion. From what I've
gathered from Austria, he won't go along with any plan unless he gets the
best end of the trade. I'm still hoping we'll have enough influence to take
him out during the mid-game.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from Italy to all
Van Lingle Mungo reporting for Vatican Tonight backstage with the winners of
the 1901 Titleist Awards. Not too many surprises at this years award show
but there was still plenty of excitement.
Oh wait, here comes the winner of the best unit in a supporting role.
VT: Mr Serbia, can we have a minute. That was quite a performance you put
on in the fall. Tell us about it.
Serbia: Well, I was, uh, like trying to help a friend but some Russian
sailor dudes caused some trouble and I guess the Romanian borders were
closed tight as a drum. Bummed me out. We're tired of these supporting
roles though. We're looking to ink a leading role next year.
VT: Speaking of the best unit in a leading role, look who just stopped by.
Mr Yorkshire, rumor is you get seasick. How was it you made it all the way
to Belgium?
Yorkshire: Good question. As you know, there was a contest to figure out
who Ive Wingo was. Turns out, I was the only one who knew and I won a
3-month vacation in Belgium. I haven't had a vacation in almost four years
so I couldn't pass up the chance. I blew chunks the whole way but the beach
scene here is worth it. A couple of Peptos and I'm good as new.
VT: Congratulations on the award. We look forward to your next move.
VT: Here come the two winners in the writing categories, France for best
writing of an original screenplay and Russia for best writing based on
material previously published. Gentlemen, I know you're excited but do you
care to comment on the night's proceedings?
Russia: My work stands by itself. Just because nobody else was nominated
doesn't mean my work wasn't deserving of the statue.
France: I'm stunned and honored. I've worked hard reporting the greatest
bicycle race in the world and it's nice to be recognized by the Academy. I
really didn't expect to win. Ivy and Nicky have written some great stuff
thru the year. All I can say is, thank you, thank you.
We go live now as the best director award is being presented.
And the 1901 Titleist Award for best direction goes to ..........
Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke: Thank you. This award could not have been possible without my
talented ambassadors to Europe. They do all the work and I reap the
benefits. Doesn't quite seem fair, but, then again, you said life was fair.
That's it for the 1901 Titleist Awards. We hope to see you all again next
year at this same time.
Van Lingle Mungo reporting for Vatican Tonight
Message from England to all
>Van Lingle Mungo reporting for Vatican Tonight backstage with the winners of
>the 1901 Titleist Awards.
OK, that does it. No more anonymity for Roberto. He was the winner of the
identify Ivy Wingo contest and knows that I also considered the even
wackier name Van Lingle Mungo. Van Lingle Mungo was another baseball
player. I ruled him out, because the name was harder to type and he was
already celebrated in song.
So Italy is awarded Belgium as his prize and only needs to arrive to claim it.
As for that comment, "beware the snake who crawls into Belgium," I was
referring to the second person in Belgium, not the first. Obviously.
Ivy Wingo
Message from England to Russia
Nicky,
For ya.
I am not sure of my exact moves, but I am not interested in StP. [Well,
sure I am, I like all supply centers.] Anyway, I am not going to StP. I
am trying to find a set of moves that gives you Sweden and gives me a shot
at Denmark in the fall.
It occurred to me that it would be appropriate to seek your cooperation in
this. Are you interested?
Of course, this would mean war with Germany when all the world wants me to
fight France. Which brings up a related matter. Although I would have to
cooperate with France, at least for a while, you might find yourself in the
driver's seat should France and I come to blows later. Please distinguish
between a distant correspondent (France) who issues kind words that bear no
cost to him and a neighbor (me) who by his actual moves is proving to be
trustworthy. I am sure you see the distinction.
Finally, if we work together on this, I do have a favor to ask. Should you
be eaten alive in the south and your prospects ruined, please revenge
yourself on those tormentors down there as best you can. On the other
hand, if you thrive, I understand that you will do what you can to seek
winning chances even at my expense. Understood. But please consider me
for a possible ally in that case.
Most cordially,
Ivy Wingo
Message from France to all
I apologize for my recent silence. I know that I owe
most everyone messages. The Queen has had me washing
windows in the Palace. You think that once you get an
important job like The Ambassador to Europe, you are
beyond such things. I even won a content for my writing!
I have not been this happy since I won the third grade
poetry contest. All the other kids wrote dirty limericks
so were disqualified, but mine was still great.
Yesterday's Tour de France stage was won by Felix
Cardenas of Team Kelme. So no points are awarded to any
of our teams. A friend tells me that Lance Armstrong
took over the Yellow Jersey in today's stage. Simon must
have had no legs today in the Mountains. We french are
disappointed, but it seemed inevitable. I am still
waiting on the official times and report from my
reporters in the field. Therefore I will not update the
standing until later tonight.
Bonne Chance
-- Prince Boar
[Coming mother. I was just taking a short break ….]
Message from France to Russia
Czar Nicholas:
>any influence you can provide would be appreciated
I am doing everything that I can. England and Germany,
have certainly noticed your vulnerability. I am trying
to convince England that keeping you alive is in his best
interest.
>I do hope that you and Ivy are going to hit Fred hard
I guess we will find out who get hits this year. If it
is England or Germany, that is good for you. If it is
France, well, then it looks kind of grim for you, as well
as myself. :-)
>>At least it looks like Warsaw can be saved this year.
> You think so? I'm not so optimistic.
Well, Germany built a fleet in Berlin. So the most that
he can muster is that Army in Munich, which I doubt will
leave Munich because of the Italian Army. Austrian can
bring an army to Galicia. I suspect that you will only
see one unit against Warsaw. You can bounce that unit
from Ukraine. Turkey cannot take Sevastopol, so Moscow
is safe. I think that you can hold your own this year.
>The soon-to-be-late,
Cheer up, I am working for you.
-- Prince Boar
Message from Germany to Russia
Nick:
I've been looking at the board. What I see is England poised to move
east rapidly. (He says he's not going that way)
I also see that England can walk into STP unless you retreat a unit.
He can also move NWY-BAR and NTH-NWY this turn and support an attack on
STP.
England can also attack HOL with support this turn.
The bottom line is that Ivy says that he's going to move against
France, but a build in LVN would have been a much better option if that
was what he wanted. There are two possible options here, and I'm
trying to come up with a plan which will cover both of them.
I have a proposal. I will let you walk into Sweden this turn. You
can retreat FIN to STP if that's a good option for you. (It does give
you the ability to support an attack on NWY in the fall) I will also
move BER into the Baltic. If England makes a strong move into
Scandinavia, I'd like to coordinate with you in the fall, and throw the
bum out. If England makes a strong move to the south, I'll be attacking
SWE.
Can you agree to this, or is it too insulting?
Freddy Kruegerand
Message from Russia to Austria and Italy
Gentlemen,
Roberto Wrote >
> I think Rumania should become Austrian property in the process.
> Call it a good-will gesture for not pushing north into Russian
>homeland. After all, the Turk was as much responsible for the
> Rumanian debacle as Austria.
I would argue that War-Ukr, Mos-StP, followed by Sev-Rum are
sufficient good-will gestures for any reasonable person, but I'm not
realy in a position to make demands. Also, if we could get my Fleet
into Rum so that I could build F Sev, that will speed Turkey's
downfall.
> Gal-Rum
> Vie-Gal
I would expect that the Turk is going to attempt to take Rum himself
so Gal-Rim is likely to bounce, and I'd really rather see the AR DMZ of
Gal reinstated this Spring. If we decide that Austria should take Rum
it can still be done in the Fall.
> In the fall, Tunis would convoy to Bulgaria with a bunch of support.
Whether you convoy to Bul, Smy, or Syr is, of course, a decision for
you and Austria to make.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Germany to Russia
Nick:
I have another question. I hope you can answer.
Did England know of your intention to move MOS-STP or STP-FIN?
I ask because he took a hell of a chance by not supporting himself into
Norway. To do that I'd would have had to have a sure thing in Belgium.
If you didn't tell him, then France must have told him that Belgium was
open. If that's the case, then we could be in serious trouble.
Because it means E and F have a pretty good alliance going. We'll be
the opening targets.
Fredd
Message from Russia to Italy
Roberto,
> > Of course, if you happen to move Tyl-Tri next
> > Fall, I won't be at all upset...
>
> It's possible but if there is an opportunity to eliminate Turkey, I'd have
> to consider that a first priority.
Agreed.
> Hope you're not too upset at my Rumanian suggestion. From what I've
> gathered from Austria, he won't go along with any plan unless he gets the
> best end of the trade. I'm still hoping we'll have enough influence to
take
> him out during the mid-game.
Not a problem, but I felt I had to stand up for my position as the
wronged
party here. I'm not ruling out Austria taking Rum, but it would be better
for
our attack (and us) if I can take Rum and build F Sev. If Austria offers
to
support Ank-Bla-Rum, this Spring, and doesn't, I ought to be able to take
Rum
without losing Sev to the Turk, but you'll have to convince Ferdie of that,
I
think.
Nick.
Message from France to all
Tour de France Stage 13 Results:
Lance Armstrong took the overall lead with a dramatic win
today atop Plas d'Adet in the Pyrenees. He attacked his
rivals on the steep slopes of the final climb, soloing to
a one-minute win over Jan Ullrich. Earlier Jan had
somersaulted into a ravine during a turn, but was able to
jump back up and continue the chase. In an act of flair
and fair play, Lance waited for his rival to catch up,
checking to make certain he was all right.
After this Stage win, England now holds first place
alone. If Lance Armstrong holds on to win the overall
race, it is unlikely that anyone can beat England. The
Dauphin says that he hopes Ivy's sister is cute. I say I
hope that Ivy's sister is off the Continent! :-)
Official Tally:
Austria (Domo-Farm Frites): 0 points
England (USPS): 30 points
France (Festina): 10 points
Germany (Telekom): 20 points
Italy (Fassa Bortolo): 10 points
Russia (Robobank): 20 points
Turkey (CSC): 20 points
Doug (O.N.C.E.): 0 points
Selected Standings:
1. Lance Armstrong (USP) 57:49:26
4. Jan Ullrich (TEL) @ 5:13
5. Joseba Beloki (ONC) @ 6:02
-- Prince Boar
Message from Russia to England
My Good Ivy,
> For ya.
Glad to hear it.
> I am not sure of my exact moves, but I am not interested in StP. [Well,
> sure I am, I like all supply centers.] Anyway, I am not going to StP. I
> am trying to find a set of moves that gives you Sweden and gives me a
> shot at Denmark in the fall.
I'm thinking that I need to send A Fin back south, before things
hemorrhage there, but Nth-Hel, Nwy-Ska, Edi-Nwg, Lon-Nth should give you Den
and protect Nwy. This set of moves does imply a degree of trust for France,
though.
> It occurred to me that it would be appropriate to seek your cooperation in
> this. Are you interested?
I am always interested in cooperating with Powers who have a
demonstrated history of actually doing what they say they are going to do.
> Please distinguish between a distant correspondent (France) who
> issues kind words that bear no cost to him and a neighbor (me)
> who by his actual moves is proving to be trustworthy.
I can certainly make that distinction, and invite you to consider
joining the EEU as a full member. Since the EEU charter requires
member-states to settle differences through negotiations, rather than force,
it would offer you an additional measure of security.
> Finally, if we work together on this, I do have a favor to ask. Should
you
> be eaten alive in the south and your prospects ruined, please revenge
> yourself on those tormentors down there as best you can. On the other
> hand, if you thrive, I understand that you will do what you can to seek
> winning chances even at my expense. Understood. But please consider
> me for a possible ally in that case.
It seems that to have any hope of survival, let alone profit, I will
have to concentrate my focus in the south for a time after all, so I do not
expect that I will pose a threat to you. My best hope may prove a
stalemated 17-17 draw, which, it turns out we can achieve, if you're
interested. If the solo opportunity presents itself to you, I don't expect
you to ignore it, though.
A Worried,
Nick.
Message from Russia to France
Prince Boar,
> I am trying to convince England that keeping you alive is
> in his best interest.
Well, he's either trying to set me up, or he's decided that
you're right. I guess we'll see soon enough.
> I think that you can hold your own this year.
Perhaps, though I need to do more than just hold my
own to survive.
Czar Nicholas.
Message from Russia to Germany
Fredd,
> What I see is England poised to move east rapidly.
His builds suggest as much.
> (He says he's not going that way)
That implies that he's moving against you.
> There are two possible options here, and I'm trying to come up
> with a plan which will cover both of them.
I have found that trying to cover two options usually ends up
covering neither. (Review my opening for confirmation. 8-(
> I have a proposal. I will let you walk into Sweden this turn. You
> can retreat FIN to STP if that's a good option for you. (It does give
> you the ability to support an attack on NWY in the fall) I will also
> move BER into the Baltic. If England makes a strong move into
> Scandinavia, I'd like to coordinate with you in the fall, and throw
> the bum out. If England makes a strong move to the south, I'll be
> attacking SWE. Can you agree to this, or is it too insulting?
I can agree to it, since I don't see England moving south at all,
let alone in strength.
> I have another question. I hope you can answer.
> Did England know of your intention to move MOS-StP
No, it was a decision I made very late, without telling anyone.
> or STP-FIN?
Yes, I told Ivy of my intention to move to Fin to secure Swe within
hours of the Spring Results arriving, and then spent many letters trying
to convince him to bounce France out of Belgium. (Little did I know
that France wasn't trying for Bel.) I used the argument that bouncing
him made no sense for me, since it would leave my Army in StP where
in would be no use in gaining Swe, and would prevent me from building
in StP, if I had a reason to do so, and that since he had the option to
support himself, StP-Nwy was unlikely to do anything except annoy him.
Czar Nicolas II.
Message from England to Russia
Nicky,
>> I am not sure of my exact moves, but I am not interested in StP.
Still true.
> I'm thinking that I need to send A Fin back south, before things
>hemorrhage there,
I hadn't thought of this. My idea of going for Denmark was based on two
assumptions. First, that I might try for an alliance with France, Second,
that you would be trying for Sweden with both units.
Given that I still don't know if I am pro-France or pro-Germany, and that
you wish to move Finland south, I probably should be a little less
ambitious with the Norwegian unit.
>> Please distinguish between a distant correspondent (France) who
>> issues kind words that bear no cost to him and a neighbor (me)
>> who by his actual moves is proving to be trustworthy.
>
> I can certainly make that distinction, and invite you to consider
>joining the EEU as a full member. Since the EEU charter requires
>member-states to settle differences through negotiations, rather than force,
>it would offer you an additional measure of security.
We have always been open to dialog and have never harmed each other. You
did scare the living daylights out of me with your move to Finland though.
It will be interesting what you say about that in the EOG summary.
> It seems that to have any hope of survival, let alone profit, I will
>have to concentrate my focus in the south for a time after all, so I do not
>expect that I will pose a threat to you.
Finland->StP takes you south and protects StP, just in case. I repeat my
promise to ignore StP anyway. Have you considered convoying Finland to
Livonia? That gets you adjacent to Warsaw immediately!! No need to tell me
if that is being considered, but I thought you may wish to try that if you
hadn't thought of it.
Wish me luck with my EFG dilemma.
Cordially,
Ivy
Message from Russia to England
> > I'm thinking that I need to send A Fin back south, before things
> >hemorrhage there,
>
> I hadn't thought of this. My idea of going for Denmark was based
> om two assumptions. First, that I might try for an alliance with
> France, Second, that you would be trying for Sweden with both units.
I haven't ruled out leaving both Units in Scandinavia, and I'm certainly
willing to discuss options there, but we might want to consider Swe and
Den as Russian, with Hol going to you this year.
> We have always been open to dialog and have never harmed each other.
> You did scare the living daylights out of me with your move to Finland
> though. It will be interesting what you say about that in the EOG
summary.
That reminds me, I need to write my 1901 EoY today. Thanks.
> Have you considered convoying Finland to Livonia? That gets
> you adjacent to Warsaw immediately
Any Russian who does not always look for the possibility of a
Convoy to Lvn is destined to die a sudden and unpleasant death. 8-)
> Wish me luck with my EFG dilemma.
Please, let's discuss a continuation of my Northern strategy. Perhaps
if you pointed out to AI how wide open Turkey is to a Lepanto, and I
was sure of a build or two from the north, I would not need to waste
the tempo involved in sending A Mos home again.
Your Friend, and Hopeful Ally,
Nick.
Message from Russia to Master
Russian EoY: 1901
The VGFP semifinals ended in two Solos (thrown games, I imagine), and a
3-way draw of my crafting, so I picked my Power third. I had played Germany
in my semifinal, so I decided not to put it in my Pref list, and listed FRT
instead. France and Russia are traditionally the strongest Powers, and I
have more luck with Turkey than with England. I ended up as Russia, which
means that France (Prince Boar) is one of the people who soloed in the
semis.
France also was first to Broadcast, and first to send me Press, which
also marked him as one to watch. Virtually every Diplomacy strategy article
ever written has suggested writing to everyone, and writing as often as
possible, as the best ways to succeed, and as a frequent writer myself, I
certainly endorse that idea. England followed soon behind France, and
immediately offered to take Nwy with a Fleet, so my initial correspondence
with EF suggested to each that I viewed the other as a danger. I
established good relations with both of them, since we three were the only
ones writing on the opening day, and hoped to find someone as communicative
in the East to work with.
Titleist is only my third start as Russia, so I don't have a
set-in-stone strategy for playing from St. Petersburg, but given the higher
value placed on a solo here, I felt that a more distant Power would be a
better ally than an immediate neighbor, and I think that Russia's chances to
solo go way down if Swe and StP are lost or threatened early. Italy seemed
interested in an alliance, which I viewed as ideal, since AIR vs. T,
followed by IR vs. A is normally easy to accomplish, and presents minimal
risk to Russia. Austria and I agreed to ally against Turkey, and my
discussions with Turkey ended with us agreeing to bounce in Bla. Germany
however, refused to rule out a bounce in Swe, so I decided to open Mos-StP,
planning to move StP-Fin in the Fall, hoping that Germany would realize the
futility of the bounce.
The Mos-StP move generated a great deal more comment than I expected it
too, and it seems (based the Fall results) to have struck an opportunistic
streak in Austria. I'm surprised that Turkey agreed to Ser S Bul-Rum, since
it hurts me, and leaves Austria in a very strong position, without really
benefiting Turkey at all. Now I'll have to try to convince AI to Lepanto
Turkey, and leave me alone.
Eric Hunter,
Czar Nicholas II of Russia in 'titleist' on USIN.
Message from Russia to Turkey
My Dear Ali,
My, your trust in the goodwill of AI is astonishing! Do you really
think
they'll let you have Rumania, or support you into Sevastopol? Do you
expect Italy to just ignore Ion-Aeg/EMed, Nap-Ion, followed by
Tun-Ion-Aeg/EMed-Bul/Con/Smy/Syr? Would you care to discuss how
we can cooperate to hold them off?
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Germany to Russia
Nick:
Go for Sweden. I won't stop you. I will be moving into the Baltic,
possibly with support, maybe not.
>
> > I have another question. I hope you can answer.
> > Did England know of your intention to move MOS-StP
>
> No, it was a decision I made very late, without telling anyone.
>
> > or STP-FIN?
>
> Yes, I told Ivy of my intention to move to Fin to secure Swe within
> hours of the Spring Results arriving, and then spent many letters trying
> to convince him to bounce France out of Belgium. (Little did I know
> that France wasn't trying for Bel.) I used the argument that bouncing
> him made no sense for me, since it would leave my Army in StP where
> in would be no use in gaining Swe, and would prevent me from building
> in StP, if I had a reason to do so, and that since he had the option to
> support himself, StP-Nwy was unlikely to do anything except annoy him.
Interesting. The reason for asking is that I can't believe that England
would try for two unless he was sure of one. Perhaps he believed
you. My original thinking was if he didn't know about MOS-STP then
it's unlikely that he would have believed you were going for FIN. But
I guess it's possible.
The original line of thought goes like this then. If he wasn't sure
that he could take Norway, then he must have been sure that he could
take Belgium. Meaning that he was working with France. Not good for
either of us.
I might rethink how closely they might be working together in light of
your evidence.
Fredd
Message from France to all
Tour de France Stage 14 Results:
Today's stage was won by Roberto Laiseka of team
Euskaltel. It was fitting that a Spainard won a stage
in the Pyrenees. The important race was between the two
main contenders. Although Ullrich gave all he had, he
could not shake Armstrong loose. In a classic moment of
sportsmanship, Ullrich reach back at the finish line so
they could cross clasping hands. It was not only a sign
acknowledging Armstrongs' superior effort and eventual
final victory, but a sign of respect between the two
racers.
Tomorrow is a rest stage and then the race will become
about USP protecting Lance's lead.
Official Tally:
Austria (Domo-Farm Frites): 0 points
England (USPS): 30 points
France (Festina): 10 points
Germany (Telekom): 20 points
Italy (Fassa Bortolo): 10 points
Russia (Robobank): 20 points
Turkey (CSC): 20 points
Doug (O.N.C.E.): 0 points
Selected Standings:
1. Lance Armstrong (USP) 62 hours, 15 minutes, 4 seconds
2. Jan Ullrich (TEL) @ 5:05
3. Andrei Kivilev (COF) @ 5:13
4. Joseba Beloki (ONC)@ 6:33
-- Prince Boar
Message from France to Russia
Czar Nicolas:
Yes, I believe that England may be willing to not go for
your throat now that you are down. On the other hand
that is exactly what an active EG alliance would want us
to think. But if you have to trust someone, I would
trust Ivy ... for now. I believe that I convinced him
that having you alive is in his best interest. I know it
is in mine, but I did not bring up those points.
I am sorry that one of my earlier messages was wrong. I
did not realize that Austria was already in Galicia.
That is why the Dauphin is the military strategist and I
am just a poor wordsmith. He suggests that you offer to
support Austria from Galicia to Rumania (adding your
support to guarantee him achieving rather than Turkey or
yourself). When he agrees (really hoping that he can
then walk into Warsaw while you leave it unguarded) you
actually move Ukraine to Warsaw and bounce him. I do not
know if this is useful and am not sure if I understand it
all. But since the Dauphin suggests it, I am passing it
on to you.
I would worry about the supterfuge, but I suppose that
you can just point to the fact that he lied to you once
and you got worried that he was lying to you again - just
in case he actualy did move to Rumania. At any rate that
would make Austria and Turkey enemies and you would gain
from that.
-- Prince Boar
Message from Austria to all
Archduke Ferdinand has returned from his journey, and is currently
consulting with his ambassadors and advisors. The ambassadors will
soon be responding to many of the communciations received.
Message from Austria to Russia
> Do you really expect me to believe that?
Frankly, no, but I told the truth anyway.
> If the Archduke had such doubts, you should have contacted me
> yesterday and asked if I had come to a decision regarding
> Rumania
Orders went out before the Archduke left for his vacation. He was
only briefly in contact during the week, and that was after the
results of the movements were known. It certainly sounded like
Russia was not committed to fighting against Turkey. Turkey, on
the other hand, was certainly prepared to commit against Russia.
If not for the complications of geography, the choice would have
been obvious. The obvious dangers to Austria from allying with
Turkey, however, made my decision difficult.
> and, in any event, he should have respected our agreed
> upon DMZ in Galicia.
Should he have? In retrospect, since your own decision seems to
have come down on the side of the angels, you are right. Had your
decision been otherwise, the move to Galicia would have proven vital
to Austria-Hungary's national survival.
> We are not yet at war, but we are on the very brink.
I agree. But I am reluctant to attempt delicate private
negotiations with a prospective partner who kvetches in public
about private misunderstandings.
> If the Archduke feels that he can attack Russia since I only have
> one Fleet and one Army in the south, please remind him of my
> favorite aphorism, 'The pen is mightier than the sword.', and
> consider what I can do to Austria-Hungary with my pen before and
> after my military strength has been destroyed.
You seem to be assuming that Austria-Hungary has both the desire
and ability to destroy your military strength. I suggest that we
have neither.
On the Archduke's orders, I may not discuss prospective troop
movements at this time. But I suggest that any declaration of war
or desparate defensive strategms would be regretted by Russia even
more than by Austria-Hungary.
Ralassa, for Austria-Hungary, by the grace of Archduke Ferdinand
Message from Russia to Master
Doug,
Now that Austria is finally back, could I have an extra 24 hours (until
23:30 of July 24) to try and talk my way out of this hole he's dug for me?
8-) Also, I asked a question about victory conditions a while back, but
haven't seen the answer. Originally, in the event of a 17-17 (or other tied
for the lead) draw, there was going to be turn by turn rollback until one
Power had more Centers than the other, and that Power would be declared
Tournament Champion, but in your opening press for 'titleist' you indicated
that an equal center-count draw would be treated as a draw, and co-champions
would be declared. Could you clarify the victory conditions for us all,
please?
Thanks,
Russia.
Message from England to Russia
Dear Nicky,
> I haven't ruled out leaving both Units in Scandinavia, and I'm certainly
>willing to discuss options there, but we might want to consider Swe and
>Den as Russian, with Hol going to you this year.
...
> Please, let's discuss a continuation of my Northern strategy. Perhaps
>if you pointed out to AI how wide open Turkey is to a Lepanto, and I
>was sure of a build or two from the north, I would not need to waste
>the tempo involved in sending A Mos home again.
Aargh! I don't have any offer on the table from France or Germany that
enables me to offer you Denmark. At least not at the moment, and time is
running short.
As price for an alliance, Germany asks for my help in getting him into
Sweden. That's a reasonable offer, but it's nothing that you like.
And France's price? France wants me to give him Belgium as I march into
Holland. This can happen without any conflict between you and me. It
could be all three of us against Germany. But wait. You get Denmark;
France gets Belgium. That leaves me Holland (thank's guys). The Holland
Tunnel? How am I going to conquer the whole world if I have to funnel all
my units through Holland?
This is not a complaint. It actually amuses me.
But what it means, I guess, is that I probably need to stay in Norway and
not attempt my Norw-Skag gamble. The ultimate fate of Sweden may not be
known until the fall.
There is still time for a little negotiation today. I am at wits end. Let
me know if you have any bright ideas for me.
Most cordially,
Ivy
Message from France to all
[Greetings I am Trey Wingo and I have agreed to add
commentary to the presentation by Prince Boar on the
State of France at the Annual Symposium on Philosophy,
Europe and Everything. Why is an ESPN Sportscaster
commenting on Politics and Philosophy? Well, first of
all I always wanted to travel to France. Second, if my
third cousin Ivy can go from being a catcher to
Ambassador for England, I can comment on Philosophy. And
third, I am tired of Stuart Scott getting all the cool
jobs.]
Spring 1902 Symposium on Philosophy, Europe and
Everything.
- by Prince Xavier Boar
First I would like to thank the people of France for
inviting me to be the Plenary Speaker at this annual
symposium. It is one that is dear to my heart. The
topic for my speech will always be the state of a State
of the Union Address for France, although I reserve the
right to add a little philosophy. This first
presentation may be short of details because I will be
trying to cover both 1901 as well as pre-1901, and
perhaps a peak at 1902.
[The people did not really invite him, rather some
anonymous person suggested these presentation. The rumor
is that Prince Boar paid this person to make the
suggestion, just so he could "bore" the people with his
philosophies.]
Pre-1901
The original goal of my Bother, the Dauphin, and I was to
try to ….
[Unfortunately this part of the presentation was censored
due to state secrets. Why the color of the Dauphin's
underwear is a state secret is beyond me. Nevertheless I
cannot comment on what I heard.]
.
.
.
Philosophy
Many of you have speculated why the Dauphin does not
assume the thrown not that our father is so ill. Some
have even absurdly suggested that I might be more fit.
In reply I quote Plato
Philosophers should become Kings and
Kings should become Philosophers.
My brother is not yet ready to become a philosopher and I
am not yet ready to become a King. In the end only he
can be King, but together we may substitute in our
father's illness. We still have much to learn form him.
For example ….
[Here I will cut off the "highlights". I want to save to
you from it. Besides I fell asleep three times and
really do not know what he was saying.]
[Until next time,
Trey]
(loud enough for the speakers to barely pick it up)
[Now where are those French Babes you guys promised to
introduce me to if I took this gig]
Message from Russia to England
Ivy,
>Aargh! I don't have any offer on the table from
>France or Germany that enables me to offer you
>Denmark. At least not at the moment, and time
>is running short.
Calm down, my friend, I didn't demand Den, I
merely suggested it as a possibility to be considered,
and I got us an extra day to negotiate. When I have
an idea that I think will work, I'll lay it out in
some detail, but since I don't have a firm plan at
this point, I'm just running things up the flagpole,
to see who'll salute.
Fredd tells me that I can have Swe this Spring,
but suggests Fin-StP to position me to defend StP,
or attack Nwy. (This also leaves Swe unsupported
against Ber-Bal, followed by Den S Bal-Swe, of
course.) Why don't you suggest Par S Pic-Bur,
followed by Hol S Bur - Ruh to France, and suggest
that you will consider ceding Bel to him later? If
you want Den I would think Nwy-Ska, GoB-Bal, Fin-Swe,
Nth-Den (to cut Den S Ber-Bal) would be necessary to
give us 3 on 2 vs. Den. Do you agree? If you do
can you talk up the Lepanto possibilities to AI, so
that I might survive to be of further help to you? ;-)
Your Friend,
Nicky.
Message from Russia to Germany
Fredd,
You Wrote >
>Go for Sweden. I won't stop you. I will be moving into the Baltic,
>possibly with support, maybe not.
I'd advise Ber-Bal, Den-Hel. I'm not a threat to
you, but ABel, F Lon, F Edi, F Nth, and F Nwy are.
> > I told Ivy of my intention to move to Fin
>Interesting. Perhaps he believed you.
Well, I was sincere. 8-) I don't see much
point in annoying someone unless doing so would help
me, or is it is likely to weaken him.
>I might rethink how closely they might be working
>together in light of your evidence.
What he's said to me since builds suggests that
he's headed east, not south, and given that he's told
you that he's headed south, that suggests to me that
he's after you more than me. After all, if he was
coming after me, why wouldn't he enlist your aid?
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas.
Message from Russia to Austria and Italy
Ralassa, and Roberto,
(I am including Roberto in this conversation in hopes
that he can act as a moderating influence.)
>Message from Austria to Russia in 'titleist':
> > > when you told me you hadn't decided between
> > > an army or fleet in Rum, the Archduke thought
> > > that meant the army was coming, and felt > > forced to accept Turkey's
>proposal.
> > Do you really expect me to believe that?
>Frankly, no, but I told the truth anyway.
Ok, let's review: S1901M: I propose a DMZ of
Gal, and honor it, while moving Mos-StP, Sev-Bla.
I defy you to find a more pro-Austrian opening for
Russia. You expressed a preference that I occupy
Rum with a Fleet, and build a second Fleet in Sev.
I replied that I agreed that we both needed southern
Fleets, but that taking Rum with the Army offered
the possibility of my gaining useful intelligence
from the Turk. You expressed concern that I was
undecided about attacking Turkey because I listed
the advantages that taking Rum with an Army gave us.
I replied (still 3 1/2 days before orders were due,
and only 38 hours after the Spring Results arrived:
> > I expect that I will order F Sev-Rum, and build > F Sev, but I haven't
>finalized that decision, > yet. I am committed to AR vs. T, but if the
>Turk
> > were to suggest that I move to Bla this Fall, > and then Con in the
>Spring, with the intention > of moving to Aeg next Fall, I wouldn't turn
>him > down. (I wouldn't move out of Con next Fall,
> > either, but... 8-)
>
> > In Alliance,
We then went on to discuss the situation in the west,
and the possibility of Italy ordering Ven-Pie on
Tuesday, some 34 hours before the Fall Deadline, but
you did not ask whether I had finalized my decision
regarding Rum, so I had no suspicion that the Archduke
was the least bit concerned about my plans for Rum,
and frankly, I don't see that he had any reason to be
concerned.
>It certainly sounded like Russia was not committed
>to fighting against Turkey.
How does my being unwilling to finalize my
move 3 1/2 days before the deadline translate to a
lack of commitment to the alliance against Turkey?
It's right there in my last press to you on the
subject, "I'm committed to AR vs. T"! What more
could I have done, proxied my units to you?
> > and, in any event, he should have respected our > agreed upon DMZ in
>Galicia.
Should he have?
Yes.
>Had your decision been otherwise, the move to
>Galicia would have proven vital to Austria-Hungary's national survival.
I ordered Mos-StP. If I ordered Ukr-Gal
in the Fall, breaking our agreement, I would
have been left with an unsupported attack on
Rum with my Fleet. That's not a rational set
of orders by any definition that I've encountered.
If I ordered Sev S Ukr-Gal, and it worked, AND
GoB-Swe worked, AND I built A War and A Mos,
AND I had attacked Austria, rather than
Turkey or Germany, or England, you could have
still bounced any attempt I made to break our
DMZ in Gal. I'm sorry, even if I had TOLD you
that I was ordering Ukr-Rum, there was no need
for you to order Vie-Gal.
> > We are not yet at war,
>I agree. But I am reluctant to attempt delicate private negotiations with
>a prospective partner who kvetches in public about private
>misunderstandings.
I view treaty violations as a bit more than
"private misunderstandings", particularly when
there is no justification for the violation. I
have honored our agreements. As long as Austria
does so, you need not fear any "public kvetching".
>You seem to be assuming that Austria-Hungary
>has both the desire and ability to destroy
>your military strength. I suggest that we
>have neither.
Austria supported a Turkish attack on a Supply
Center that Austria had agreed would fall under
Russian control. Austria violated an agreed upon
DMZ, moving adjacent to an open Russian Home
Center. Why? Because I said I hadn't finalized my
decision to order F Sev-Rum. What conclusion
should I draw from these actions? That Austria
intends Russia harm seems a much more reasonable
conclusion than the one which you claim the
Archduke drew from our negotiations this Summer.
>I may not discuss prospective troop movements
>at this time.
The time to discuss them grows short. I have
laid out a reasonable course of action which gains
Austria, Italy, and Russia a build this year. I
await your response.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Russia to Italy
Roberto,
Our "friend" in Austria is either a bad liar,
or he is irrational.
Nick.
Message from Italy to Russia
>
> Our "friend" in Austria is either a bad liar,
> or he is irrational.
>
Both!
However, I also think he's a bit of a 'loose cannon'. I received a message
this morning detailing the need for Austria to shift it's primary target
from Russia to Turkey. He came to this conclusion despite the fact that he
was not at all happy that you broadcast his private press. I hope this
latest message doesn't change his mind back. We need to focus on Turkey and
we can deal with Austria at the appropriate time.
On an unrelated subject, England has told me that he has no interest in
moving to STP. Please take this information as you see fit as Ivy has been
known to relay misinformation on more than one occasion (not necessarily to
me though but I've heard thru the grapevine others complaints).
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from Italy to Austria and Russia
>
> (I am including Roberto in this conversation in hopes
> that he can act as a moderating influence.)
>
I'm honored; however, I'm not completely comfortable in being privy to
private press. I understand the reasoning in including it as a history and
background to the current conversation but if there were a way to have this
discussion without quoting actual press, I'd prefer it.
It's apparent that AR have had some misunderstandings regarding Galicia and
Rumania. I'll let you two decide where units should be placed so that
you're both comfortable but we need to focus on Turkey. The bottom line is,
if the dust in the west settles before the dust in the east, all three of us
are SOL. I truly believe none of us want the Turk at our back for the rest
of this game and that his elimination is important for all three of us and
our future growth.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from England to Russia
Dear Nicky,
> Calm down, my friend, I didn't demand Den, I
>merely suggested it as a possibility to be considered
I am calm. Only joint action by Germany and France can rattle me at this
stage.
> Fredd tells me that I can have Swe this Spring,
>but suggests Fin-StP to position me to defend StP,
>or attack Nwy.
Nice guy that Fredd! I am now considering complete passivity in Norway
this spring with the veiled threat that I could support either you or
Germany into Sweden in the fall. My choice then would depend on the
overall configuration or could be determined by mere revenge. That could
only apply to Germany, since you have no possible move that could be
interpreted as anti-English this turn.
> (This also leaves Swe unsupported
>against Ber-Bal, followed by Den S Bal-Swe, of
>course.) Why don't you suggest Par S Pic-Bur,
I think this is coming.
> and suggest that you will consider ceding Bel to him later?
It's tricky. I insisted that France not get Belgium early, for that would
give him a 6-4 lead over me. He agreed to 5-4 with Belgium neutral. When
he finally gave me his blessing to enter Belgium last fall it was with his
understanding that my ownership was probably temporary. I didn't
explicitly agree to that. Nevertheless, France now takes the position that
it is my turn to do him a favor. Let's see what I can do, though.
All this assumes that I will decide to be proFrance. ProGermany is still
alive!!!
>If you want Den I would think Nwy-Ska, GoB-Bal, Fin-Swe,
>Nth-Den (to cut Den S Ber-Bal) would be necessary to
>give us 3 on 2 vs. Den. Do you agree?
That would work. The tactics are simple enough. I just need some
confidence that when the dust settles I will have claim, if not actual
ownership, to either Belgium or Denmark.
Having typed this, I looked at the map and noticed that there is always
Kiel. The path between Belgium and Denmark is wider than I thought. A
case of map blindness. Even so, I worry a bit about being pancaked between
a superpower France and a revived Russia. But I am calm. Yes, sir, I am calm.
>If you do
>can you talk up the Lepanto possibilities to AI, so
>that I might survive to be of further help to you? ;-)
Do I understand you correctly that you are no longer upset with Austria?
CALM,
Calm,
calm.
Most cordially,
Ivy
Message from Russia to Italy
My Friend, Roberto,
> > Austria is either a bad liar, or he is irrational.
>Both!
*chuckle* Perhaps he's one of the "sub-1700's" and
is fighting a losing battle with raging paranoia?
The skill level here certainly has me nervous, but
I assumed, (incorrectly, it turns out) that no-one
would do something stupid in 1901. I tend to
suspect that Austria saw an opportunity to take me
out, and decided to go for it, but I don't know what
Turkey was thinking when he agreed to it. You must
have him convinced that you have no Lepanto
intentions, but an early Italian attack on Austria
doesn't make any sense, either. *Nick scratches
his head…*
>I also think he's a bit of a 'loose cannon'. I
>received a message this morning detailing the
>need for Austria to shift it's primary target
>from Russia to Turkey.
Hmmm, and he didn't share this news with me, because…
He realizes that Turkey building Armies is bad for
Austria in the long run, so he needs you to harass
the Turk while he makes gains in Russia.
>He came to this conclusion despite the fact that
>he was not at all happy that you broadcast his
>private press. I hope this latest message doesn't
>change his mind back.
Well, as I said, if he hadn't formally agreed to a
limited term DMZ, and the reneged on the deal one
turn later (for no good reason), and THEN tried to
justify his action as self-defense, I would have
executed the Foreign Ministry official who leaked
the story to "Pravda". Given the nature of
Ferdinand's act, however, I felt that making the
other Great Powers aware of how untrustworthy he
is, was appropriate. I did consider the risk
inherent in including you, but felt that since we
had established AIR communications regarding the 1902
Turkish attack, I could appeal to you as a moderator.
>We need to focus on Turkey and we can deal with
>Austria at the appropriate time.
Agreed.
>England has told me that he has no interest in
>moving to STP.
He's said the same thing to me, and France claims that
he's lobbying Ivy on my behalf. Given F Ber, F Bla,
and A Gal, it seems pointless for me to defend StP,
in any event. What's your impression of which way the
West will go? Have you heard from the Turk? I haven't,
in spite of having pointed out to him how wide open to
the Lepanto he is. (He can't defend against it, in any
event, but I hoped he would consider joint operations
against Austria.)
Nicky.
Message from Russia to Austria and Italy
>Message from Italy to Austria and Russia in 'titleist':
>
> > (I am including Roberto in this conversation in hopes
> > that he can act as a moderating influence.)
>
>I'm honored; however, I'm not completely comfortable in being privy to
>private press.
My apologies. I do not normally make a habit of
forwarding or publishing Press, but I do tend to
quote extensively in reply, and my previous note
began it's life as a private reply to Austria.
When I got to the end, however, and Ralassa's
inability to discuss troop movements, it became
a matter of interest to Italy, since we need to
coordinate our efforts against Turkey. So, I
changed the "Press to " line, and added the note
explaining why I had included him.
Nick.
Message from Italy to Russia
> I tend to
> suspect that Austria saw an opportunity to take me
> out, and decided to go for it, but I don't know what
> Turkey was thinking when he agreed to it.
>
Looking at the map, Gal-Sil and Vie-Gal with support from Budapest requires
Fin-Lvn to defend Warsaw. Of course, this would leave Rum and Sev and Swe
as lost causes. I do not envy your position my friend.
> You must
> have him convinced that you have no Lepanto
> intentions, but an early Italian attack on Austria
> doesn't make any sense, either. *Nick scratches
> his head...*
>
If I were to follow thru with the Lepanto, I would be in blatant violation
of a DMZ agreement. Here's an early press release for the next edition of
the "Pravda" should I actually make the fleet move.
Message from Italy to Turkey in 'titleist':
> In any case, let us solidify this position:
> that if I build an army, you agree not to send any
> fleet to Aeg or EMS. Agreed?
>
Agreed.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
>
> Hmmm, and he didn't share this news with me, because...
> He realizes that Turkey building Armies is bad for
> Austria in the long run, so he needs you to harass
> the Turk while he makes gains in Russia.
>
Entirely possible but I tend to want to believe him since the Lepanto is
virtually slapping us in the face. He has agreed to move to the Aeg and
convoy Tunis to Bulgaria this fall. If he fails on either account, he will
have my immediate and undivided attention. If I 'harass' Turkey while he
attacks you, it would force you and Turkey into a defensive alliance and
that would not be good for Italy.
> What's your impression of which way the West will go?
EF vs G. Just a gut feeling.
> Have you heard from the Turk?
>
Not yet but I did send him a message telling him that Austria had agreed to
move to the Aegean and asked him if Bulgaria was available to support an
attack on Greece. Previously, Turkey had expressed interest in supporting
my move there. After all, I have to get something out of not pursuing the
Lepanto.
I'm fully committed to the Turkish attack though since, as you previously
pointed out, IR vs A would be tactically better than IR v T with the added
advantage of eliminating my most natural eastern fleet enemy.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from Russia to Italy
Roberto,
I finally got an answer to my two-way draw question, (though I suspect the
question may well be moot for us).
> Message from masseyd@btv.ibm.com as Master to Russia in 'titleist':
> >Originally, in the event of a 17-17 (or other tied for the lead) draw,
> >there was going to be turn by turn rollback until one Power had more
> >Centers than the other, and that Power would be declared Tournament
> >Champion, but in your opening press for 'titleist' you indicated that
> >an equal center-count draw would be treated as a draw, and
> >co-champions would be declared. Which one applies?
>
> The tie-breaker was needed when players were advancing to the next
> round. There's no round after this
> I didn't want to decide the final champion on a technicality like
> SC-counts-through-history.
> I think this has been the rule *for the final* from the beginning.
> My original post to this game stands -- if you'd like to share it with
> everyone else, I'd point them to the history file for the game (July 3,
> 22:08 EDT).
So, a two-way is, in fact, possible.
Nick.
Message from Russia to Italy
Roberto,
> Gal-Sil and Vie-Gal with support from Budapest requires
> Fin-Lvn to defend Warsaw. I do not envy your position my friend.
Yeah, I understand why Austria did what he did, though he should
have the courage to admit it. I don't understand why Turkey ordered
Bul - Rum, though. Austria could easily go to 8 Centers this year, and
Turkey's best hope is to get 5, but remaining at 4, or actually losing
one, is more likely.
> If I were to follow thru with the Lepanto, I would be in blatant violation
> of a DMZ agreement. Here's an early press release for the next edition
> of the "Pravda" should I actually make the fleet move.
>
> > In any case, let us solidify this position:
> > that if I build an army, you agree not to send any
> > fleet to Aeg or EMS. Agreed?
>
> Agreed.
Ali built an Army, and you did not send a Fleet to Aeg or EMed during
Builds, as agreed. Has this agreement been extended into, or beyond
1902? If not, I don't see that you have a problem moving to EMed in
S1902M. Or, do you feel this agreement binds you for all time?
> Entirely possible but I tend to want to believe him since the Lepanto is
> virtually slapping us in the face. He has agreed to move to the Aeg and
> convoy Tunis to Bulgaria this fall. If he fails on either account, he
will
> have my immediate and undivided attention.
Yes, but if he takes War, Rum and Bul, which is possible, I'm sure
that his 8 Units will not be that bothered by your 4.
> If I 'harass' Turkey while he attacks you, it would force you and
> Turkey into a defensive alliance and that would not be good for Italy.
No, I'm allied with you. At least I thought I was, aren't I? If you
'harass' Turkey, this Spring, I'll survive and help you against A and T.
If you don't, you're likely to be facing an 8-10 Center Austria in a year
or two.
> I'm fully committed to the Turkish attack though since, as you previously
> pointed out, IR vs A would be tactically better than IR v T with the added
> advantage of eliminating my most natural eastern fleet enemy.
If you're committed to the Turkish attack Ion-EMed, Nap-Ion greatly
increases Turkey's headaches, and will ease the pressure on Sevastopol.
If you come to an agreement with Austria, any information you can provide
about his intentions would be appreciated.
Your Friend,
and Hopefully Your Ally,
Nicky.
Message from Russia to Germany
Fredd,
England still claims he's not going for StP. He did finally say that
France
agreed to let him take Bel in 1901, but that now France wants it as the
price
for an alliance against you. Have you heard anything from Austria? I'm
concerned that he may order Gal-Sil to gain a supported attack on War this
Fall, but I doubt that he'd violate your border without discussing it with
you.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Russia to England
> Message from England to Russia in 'titleist':
Very briefly, because Alexandra is demanding access to our correspondence
secratary.
> ProGermany is still alive!!!
I don't object as long as that is antiFrance, and neutralRussia.
I kinda NEED Swe.
> Even so, I worry a bit about being pancaked between
> a superpower France and a revived Russia. But I am calm.
If I get to that point I can as easily build Armies and push thru
Germany to harrass France, and since I would owe you more, I'd
be more inclined to do that.
> Do I understand you correctly that you are no longer upset with Austria?
Austria is an untrustworthy, scum-sucking slimeball, but I'll happily
work with him to eliminate Turkey if it extends my survival. ;^}
Your Friend,
Nicky.
Message from Austria to Russia
> Ok, let's review: S1901M: I propose a DMZ of Gal, and
> honor it, while moving Mos-StP, Sev-Bla.
I agree that you have committed no act of war, no act of
treachery, and no act contrary to the interests of the
alliance we hoped to form.
I did attempt to explain the Archduke's decision to enter
Galicia. This was not intended as accusation, nor even as
justification. You did deserve to know why such a move was
made, and I was instructed to tell you.
> How does my being unwilling to finalize my
> move 3 1/2 days before the deadline translate to a
> lack of commitment to the alliance against Turkey?
Because the alternative you were allegedly ruminating was an
uncommitting move, despite the Archduke's thrice-repeated
preference for the relatively committing Sev-Rum.
> I ordered Mos-StP. If I ordered Ukr-Gal
> in the Fall, breaking our agreement, I would
> have been left with an unsupported attack on
> Rum with my Fleet.
If you had ordered Ukr-Rum, as you gave indications was
likely, you could not have built a new fleet in Sev, but only
an army in Warsaw. Your position would have been more
threatening to Austria-Hungary than to Turkey. The Archduke
was surprised and embarassed that your moves actually were the
superior Sev-Rum. He takes full responsibility for the
current unfortunate situation; my responsibility is to attempt
to resolve it.
> I view treaty violations as a bit more than
> "private misunderstandings", particularly when
> there is no justification for the violation.
If we publish our treaties, then their violations will also be
public. If we reach a private agreement, then the custom in
my nation is that misunderstandings and disagreements should
be dealt with in private.
> That Austria intends Russia harm seems a much more
> reasonable conclusion than the one which you claim the
> Archduke drew from our negotiations this Summer.
Yes, it does; and I am aware that it does. We are at the
brink of a war. But there is still hope that war will be
averted.
> The time to discuss them grows short. I have
> laid out a reasonable course of action which gains
> Austria, Italy, and Russia a build this year. I
> await your response.
Your proposed course is indeed reasonable, but even if I were
to indicate that Austria-Hungary would move in accordance with
it, what reason have you to believe me? While if you do mean
me harm, truthful information about intended military actions
could be used to gain advantage. No, I will not be discussing
the spring orders with you. If you move in accordance with
the Italian plan, you will probably not be disappointed.
Ralassa, for Austria-Hungary, by the grace of Archduke Ferdinand
Message from Russia to Austria
Ralassa,
> If you had ordered Ukr-Rum, as you gave indications was
> likely, you could not have built a new fleet in Sev, but only
> an army in Warsaw. Your position would have been more
> threatening to Austria-Hungary than to Turkey.
I urge you and the Archduke to reread my my review of our
negotiations, or our negotiations themselves. I never indicated that
Ukr-Rum was likely, I merely offered it as an intelligence-gathering
alternative to Sev-Rum. Indeed I, in fact, indicated that I was
expecting to order Sev-Rum and build F Sev as you had requested.
Secondly, even if I had moved Ukr-Rum, that does not force a build
in War, I could still have built in Mos or StP, and even if I had build
in War, my position would still have been less threatening to Austria
than Austria's is to Russia now, or, for that matter, than Italy's is to
Austria now.
> > I view treaty violations as a bit more than
> > "private misunderstandings", particularly when
> > there is no justification for the violation.
>
> If we publish our treaties, then their violations will also be
> public. If we reach a private agreement, then the custom in
> my nation is that misunderstandings and disagreements should
> be dealt with in private.
The Foreign Ministry representative has been reprimanded for
leaking the information to the newspaper, but frankly, the fact that
the Archduke places so little value upon his word, is something the
other Great Powers deserve to know, in our opinion.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Russia to Austria and Italy
Ralassa, and Roberto,
Ralassa, speaking for the Archduke, Wrote >
> Your proposed course is indeed reasonable, but even if I were
> to indicate that Austria-Hungary would move in accordance with
> it, what reason have you to believe me?
Frankly, very little, but if you commit to a set of moves to both
Russia, and Italy, then reneging on that agreement would represent
a betrayal of two allies, and I suspect that even the Archduke would
be relucant to do that.
> While if you do mean me harm, truthful information about intended
> military actions could be used to gain advantage.
Oh, come now, what "advantage" could I gain? Security for my
Home Centers, perhaps the build I was entitled to last year for
Rum? Even if you lay out your plans for me completely, the most
I could do would be to support a Turkish Convoy to Rum, while
moving Ukr-Gal, and the mount a two Unit attack on Budapest
which you could easily repulse. And the end result of that would
be two Turkish Units adjacent to Sev. I may be a fool, but I'm
not an idiot!
> No, I will not be discussing the spring orders with you. If you
> move in accordance with the Italian plan, you will probably not
> be disappointed.
This is, simply, unacceptable. Austria-Hungary violated our
agreement without cause, and gave support to Russia's enemies,
but I am willing to set those actions aside, and work with you
toward the greater European good of eliminating Turkey.
For Russia to do that, however, I need you to commit to
pro-Russian, anti-Turkish moves, and then execute those moves
this Spring. If you do not wish to reveal your full plan to me, then
fine, reveal it to Roberto, I am willing to accept his word in this
matter, but the actions of the Austrian Army in Galicia, and the
final status of Rumania are subjects that we must agree upon.
Czar Nicholas II, for Russia and the European Economic Union.
Message from Russia to Turkey
Ali,
Your continued silence is troubling, but I will order
Sev S Ank-Rum this Spring. AI are planning to take Bul this
Fall, whether or not Italy orders Ion-EMed this Spring, so
you'd be well advised to accept my help.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message [from France] to all
BG> Holey Lepanto Diploman, did I miss something?
DM> Yes Boy Gambit, we have had a fall move as well as an adjustment phase.
BG> Wow! Are there any betrayers that we can bring to justice? I read in the
news that Austria betrayed Russia?
DM> Well, it appears that Austria and Turkey combined to betray Russia. But we
have not yet heard their side of the story.
BG> We should bring them in just in case.
DM> Now now, Boy Gambit, due process must be followed.
BG> What about Germany and France. Do they keep bouncing in Burgundy because
they cannot get along or was there a German betrayal?
DM> We have not heard but are vigorously investigating the matter. What
situations do you see that bear watching for this season?
BG> Well, Turkey seems to have a big kick me sign on his back. He must trust
Austria and Italy. Will that trust be betrayed?
DM> Yes, Boy Gambit! Excellent! Anything else?
BG> Ummmmm.
DM> What about the English-French-German triangle. Something must give up
there.
BG> Oh yeah. But whom will be betrayed?
DM> That is a good question. We must watch and see.
Message from France to all
Tour de France Stage 15 Results:
Today's stage was won by Rik Verbrugghue of Team Lotto
Adecco. He was part of a huge breakaway, but one that
did not contain any of the contenders. No points were
awarded for our game. Since the contenders were all in
the main pack (peloton), they were all given the same
time. Therefore there was no change in the standings at
the top.
Official Tally:
Austria (Domo-Farm Frites): 0 points
England (USPS): 30 points
France (Festina): 10 points
Germany (Telekom): 20 points
Italy (Fassa Bortolo): 10 points
Russia (Robobank): 20 points
Turkey (CSC): 20 points
Doug (O.N.C.E.): 0 points
Selected Standings:
1. Lance Armstrong (USP) 62 hours, 15 minutes, 4 seconds
2. Jan Ullrich (TEL) @ 5:05
3. Andrei Kivilev (COF) @ 5:13
4. Joseba Beloki (ONC)@ 6:33
Message from France to Russia
Nicholas:
>I have to take my wife to the Emergency Room, and I
>haven't got my orders in, yet. My apologies if
>I'm late.
I hope that everything works out well. Please do not
worry about being late. In fact you should have just
rushed off and apologized later.
-- Prince Boar
Message from Turkey to Russia
Czar Nicholas,
I'm sorry I wasn't able to reply sooner. I was out of e-mail contact due to
unexpected but unavoidable circumstances.
I see the same things on the board that you do. I'm sure you've been
writing to AI with plans for the three of you to quickly take me out. You
may hope that if Austria stabs me, I'll throw centers to you. This would
not be my reaction. Austria is too strong for you to take on by yourself,
so if you're interested in turning things around then now is the time.
Here's the bottom line. If you order Sev S Ank-Rum this turn, then I'll be
glad to switch back to RT, and will order Bul S Rum-Ser in the fall, leaving
Rum for you to move into. I realize this move might be with your fleet,
leaving Sev open for a build, but I'd have to trust you not to build in Sev.
Indeed I would hope you'd build armies to shore up your position in the
center.
What do you say? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Ali Baba
P.S. On a personal note, I hope your wife is ok. Nothing in my life is as
important to me as my family, and I know how traumatic it can be when they
are threatened. You have my very best wishes and prayers that all will be
well.
Message from Italy to Russia
First off, I hope your wife is okay.
>
> > If I 'harass' Turkey while he attacks you, it would force you and
> > Turkey into a defensive alliance and that would not be good
> for Italy.
>
> No, I'm allied with you. At least I thought I was,
> aren't I? If you 'harass' Turkey, this Spring, I'll survive
> and help you against A and T.
>
Sorry, not what I meant. I think what I meant was, that if Austria were to
continue to attack you, I would need to 'harass' Austria otherwise you might
be eliminated and thus IR becomes totally moot. But I don't want to put
myself in a position where I move against Turkey in the spring and then be
forced to move against Austria in the fall. That scenario doesn't help
solve the east one iota. I'm looking for a 3-way coordinated attack on
Turkey or Austria. Turkey seems the more logical choice.
>
> If you're committed to the Turkish attack Ion-EMed,
> Nap-Ion greatly increases Turkey's headaches, and
> will ease the pressure on Sevastopol.
Just got a note from Turkey saying he decided not to move to Armenia arguing
he wanted the unit in case he needed to defend Smy/Con. He must be playing
with a different map because in my eyes, Armenia and Ankara defend Smyrna
with the same force and Con won't need defending for at least another year.
> If you come to an agreement with Austria, any information you
> can provide about his intentions would be appreciated.
>
He doesn't tell me his moves but wants to know, and worse even dictate, my
moves. My patience grows thin.
Again, I hope your family is alright.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from France to Russia
Czar Nicholas:
Sorry to disturb you at a time like this with mundane
things like diplomacy. Perhaps you had time to reflect
upon your predicament in the ER. There is always ample
amount of waiting time in that location.
I have been working on Turkey to change his plans and
instead side with you. He assures me that he is of the
same mind. He claims that he is following through with
the plans that you proposed. I think that you best bet
is to follow through as well.
May you do well enough to get reelected at the next
General Union Election. Oh wait, you need no election,
you are born to power. Your biggest concern is keeping
your head. I can empathize with that.
-- Prince Boar
Message from Italy to Russia
Nick,
If Turkey has shown an interest in convoying Ank-Rum, I would not be opposed
to seeing you support such a move. It would give me a free shot at Smyrna
in the fall, with Austrian support of course but it shouldn't be difficult
to convince him to help me. AIR would be able to take Rumania from Turkey
in the fall.
Not sure if Turkey has asked for this support from you but just thought I'd
check.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from Russia to Turkey
> Message from Turkey to Russia in 'titleist':
> Here's the bottom line. If you order Sev S Ank-Rum this turn,
> then I'll be glad to switch back to RT, and will order Bul S Rum-Ser
> in the fall, leaving Rum for you to move into.
Consider it so ordered.
In Haste,
Nick.
Message from Italy to Russia
One last thing. Austria has been encouraging Tyr-Boh. I've tried to
explain to him that I would like to use Tyr to influence the Western powers
but that didn't seem to be enough for him. So, I told him that you told me
that if I moved to Bohemia, you would not help us in attacking Turkey. In
case Austria asks for confirmation, thought you might want to know that I
slipped a small white lie to Austria.
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from Russia to all
My thanks to everyone for their well-wishes. The good news is that the
doctors ruled out any life-threatening, critical causes for the pain my wife
is experiencing. The
bad news is, they're not quite sure what is causing it. We'll be motoring
off to see our family physician in the morning, so please forgive me if my
responses are not as prompt or as detailed as they have been in the next day
or two. Once again, our thanks.
Nick, Alexandra, and Alexi.
Message from Russia to Italy
Roberto,
I understand your reluctance to order Ion - EMed, and don't have a
problem with it. Everything seems to suggest that Austria has no true
interest in a peaceful relationship with me. I'll order appropriately.
Nick.
Austria: Army Budapest SUPPORT Turkish Army Bulgaria → Rumania (*void*)
Austria: Army Galicia → Ukraine
Austria: Fleet Greece → Aegean Sea
Austria: Army Serbia → Bulgaria (*bounce*)
Austria: Army Vienna → Galicia
England: Army Belgium SUPPORT German Army Munich → Burgundy
England: Fleet Edinburgh → North Sea
England: Fleet London SUPPORT Fleet North Sea → English Channel
England: Fleet North Sea → English Channel
England: Fleet Norway HOLD
France: Fleet Brest → English Channel (*bounce*)
France: Army Paris → Burgundy (*bounce*)
France: Army Picardy SUPPORT Army Paris → Burgundy
France: Fleet Portugal HOLD
France: Army Spain → Gascony
Germany: Fleet Berlin → Baltic Sea
Germany: Fleet Denmark SUPPORT Fleet Berlin → Baltic Sea
Germany: Army Holland SUPPORT Army Kiel → Ruhr (*void*)
Germany: Army Kiel SUPPORT Army Holland
Germany: Army Munich → Burgundy (*bounce*)
Italy: Fleet Ionian Sea → Eastern Mediterranean
Italy: Fleet Naples → Ionian Sea
Italy: Army Tunis HOLD
Italy: Army Tyrolia HOLD
Russia: Army Finland → Gulf of Bothnia → Livonia
Russia: Fleet Gulf of Bothnia CONVOY Army Finland → Livonia
Russia: Fleet Sevastopol SUPPORT Turkish Army Ankara → Rumania
Russia: Army Ukraine → Warsaw
Turkey: Army Ankara → Black Sea → Rumania
Turkey: Fleet Black Sea CONVOY Army Ankara → Rumania
Turkey: Army Bulgaria SUPPORT Italian Army Tunis → Greece (*void*)
Turkey: Army Constantinople → Smyrna
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