|
|
France: Fleet Mid-Atlantic Ocean can retreat to North Africa or Portugal or Spain (north coast) or Spain (south coast) or Western Mediterranean
Message from England to all
Very, very funny, a very clever practical joke. How did someone manage to
issue phony results for S1903M and what happened to the real results?
Message from Germany to England
Whoa Nellie. Can we say bye-bye Austria. I'm impressed by Turkey's
turning of Italy. And you're in the MAO a turn early. Plus I decided
to just push Russia out of the way. Now he'll have to move to STP to
cover it. Probably I'll support myself to LVN, and he won't have an
option but to retreat to STP.
Message from England to Turkey
Ali,
A toast! A toast to your success!
Please crate up 50 bottles of whatever elixir your diplomats are drinking
and send it to London. I wanna get my hands on some of that stuff.
In awe,
Ivy
Message from England to Italy
Good Roberto,
Good, good, good, Roberto!
My goodness you are exciting.
Now I know a little more about how you are going to "control" Austria. And
I know more about how I am going to control Germany. You are going to help
me, that's how.
Uh, that's quite a monster you have created in Turkey. Is it possible you
supplied him with a little more muscle than you intended? Will he now
follow your lead like a grateful puppy dog or will he develop a mind of his
own?
I would be very naive not to assume that you have prepared two options for
your western strategy, prop up France or take part in the feast. The
former option limits my growth, but it limits your own growth also. [At
this point I don't think an objective observer would list England as any
kind of immediate threat. Turkey and Germany bear closest watching
now.] The latter option permits me to grow within limits defined by you
and permits you to grow faster also. In the long run an English/Italian
relationship is more desirable and more stable than EG or IF, because we
have natural defense lines running between us.
Here is what I think was very smart about your move. You will now be much
more compact. It is very difficult to control events when you are spread
from one end of the Mediterranean to the other. Also, it would have been
very difficult to get those last Turkish centers.
I suspect now you may be able to solicit German cooperation against
Austria. Be careful, though You can never be sure of what he will
do. Once again he surprised me with unexpected moves. I was expecting Swe
holds and Bal->Prussia with the goal of Russian/German cooperation against
Austria.
More later, rest assured.
Dazzled in England,
Ivy Wingo
Message from Russia to England and Germany
>Message from Germany to Russia in 'titleist':
>
>Well that was unexpected. No wonder you were secretive about what was
>going on. 'there will be an attack' Of course, it also made me highly
>suspicious of your intentions.
I moved exactly as I said I would. If I had
been aware of the IT arrangement, don't you think
I would have done something more useful than
bouncing off of Bud? My note to you was just a
rephrasing of your question to me as a statement,
I'm sorry that you find your own words suspicious.
>At least now you have to go to STP.
Why do I have to go to StP? Are you
declaring war on Russia, Fredd? Will Ivy approve
of such a course of action? Even if Austria
guesses correctly with Ukr, he's losing three
Centers, and Turkey could easily gain three.
Are you sure you want to weaken me at this point?
I have consistently told you the truth, and
negotiated in good faith, do you really want to
sacrifice that for a Center?
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from England to Russia
Nick,
I swear. I swear that I did not know that Germany was going to make those
moves. That was never part of our discussion.
I invested a lot of energy in trying to help Russian/German friendship. My
selfish motive is no secret. A Russian/German friendship would limit
German potential in the north and would restrain the AI alliance.
I am even more stunned by Italy's moves.
More later. My head is still spinning.
Ivy
Message from England to Russia
Nick,
I just got your message to me and Germany as I sent off one to you.
This is not a good cop/bad cop routine. I just don't know what Germany is
up to anymore. I still proceed under the assumption that he is not going
to stab me and will help me with France, but I am a little worried about
the big picture.
On another matter. Was Turkey supposed to support you into
Budapest? Otherwise that was a strange move. Turkey looks scary all of a
sudden.
Ivy
[When I hit the "send" button, my word program warned me that the above
message is likely to offend the average reader. It suggested that I tone
it down a little. The words "to stab me" were underlined. I just had
Windows 2000 installed. I guess Microsoft Word has turned into a prissy
snoop.]
Message from Master to all
Extension at player's request. Everyone take a week off!
Doug
Message from Russia to England
>Message from England to Russia in 'titleist':
>I did not know that Germany was going to make those
>moves. That was never part of our discussion.
*nods* This is what I get for negotiating after
the deadline. I REALLY don't like the Quiet Setting.
>I invested a lot of energy in trying to help Russian/German friendship.
I know, and I appreciate it. You might want to
warn him off StP.
>I am even more stunned by Italy's moves.
Not as stunned as Austria is, I bet. 8-) IT
could end up at 6/7 after Builds, and if Fredd takes
StP, and Austria takes Sev, I could be at 2. Not
good at all.
Nick.
Message from Russia to England
Ivy,
>I just don't know what Germany is up to anymore. I still proceed under the
>assumption that he is not going to stab me and will help me with France,
>but I am a little worried about the big picture.
If you don't know what he's up to, can you afford
to assume that he won't stab you?
>Was Turkey supposed to support you into Budapest?
Yes, there was a GRT agreement to order Gal-Bud,
Rum S Gal-Bud, Boh-Vie (to cut support).
>Turkey looks scary all of a sudden.
You should see him from over here! 8-(
Nick.
Message from Turkey to England and Germany
Gentlemen,
By now you've both heard of my crazy scheme, and seen it come to fruition.
I must admit I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw the results.
Things could have gone very badly. But they didn't, and now I'm eager to
resume our discussions.
First of all, though, a quick note about Russia. I had thought that Russia
and I were coordinating our moves this turn. As it turns out, Russia
ordered differently than I was expecting. He now tells me he's claiming to
both of you that he had no foreknowledge of the IT plan, but you both
already know otherwise. I urge you to play along with Russia in this
matter, and please do not reveal that you might have know about his
involvement ahead of time.
Also, it seems Italy's main reason for changing course was to head off EG
dominance in the north. As you can surely imagine, it is vital to me that
Italy continue his new direction, so that I can secure my homeland and get
the foreign fleets removed from my shores. At the same time, I'm not
willing to give up my relations with you gentlemen, but I'm worried what
would happen if Italy knew I was in contact with you both. I therefore ask
that you keep our associations in secret for the time being.
I apologize for asking for this cloak-n-dagger stuff. I generally try at
all times to be as straightforward with people as I can. However, the
current political situation must be handled very delicately, given the
sudden change in the southern landscape.
Best regards to you both,
Ali
Message from Turkey to England
Ivy,
Heck of a result, eh? I came soooo close to changing my order, it just
didn't seem prudent to trust Italy so far. Italy had written with a
proposed combination, which I followed to the letter despite the obvious
risks. In the end I'm sure glad I did it, but it was very nervous-making.
Pretty surprising turn of events, given the '02 Leponto.
Unfortunately, now I have to juggle my diplomatic relations a bit to remain
friendly with Italy and EG at the same time; but once I can get the foreign
fleets away from my shores, I should be in pretty good shape. Thanks for
your continued encouragement and dialogue, it was very helpful to bounce
ideas off you as the turn progressed.
Meanehile, you've certainly gained ground against France. I was astonished
at his moves, how in the world did he think MAO S Bre-Eng would work? Had I
been in France, I'd have been holding onto MAO with both hands. Of course,
had I been in France, we might have an FE well under way by now. ;^)
In any case, I was certainly not best pleased that Russia told me one thing
and then did another. As you know, I was considering him as a target if
Italy moved against Austria. His "surprise" moves only strengthen that
resolve. Naturally, I will be trying to convince Russia I'll remain on his
side, at least through the fall move. I hope and trust that I can count on
your confidences. In return, if Italy and I develop close relations, then I
may be able to provide you with some valuable intelligence.
Best regards,
Ali
Message from England to Germany
Freddy,
>Whoa Nellie. Can we say bye-bye Austria. I'm impressed by Turkey's
>turning of Italy. And you're in the MAO a turn early. Plus I decided
>to just push Russia out of the way. Now he'll have to move to STP to
>cover it. Probably I'll support myself to LVN, and he won't have an
>option but to retreat to STP.
Whoa indeed. Take a deep breath.
What a nice letter from Turkey to the two of us. The only thing left out
was the fact that Turkey has jumped from being just another doormat to the
most dangerous country around. I find myself already thinking of ways to
contain Turkey.
I am going to take advantage of current good will with Turkey to strongly
suggest that he build a fleet. Turkey intends to blast northward with
armies and destroy Russia. I wont miss Russia, but Turkish armies will
eventually endanger you. A fleet represents one fewer army that you have
to worry about. More importantly, I hope to create friction between Turkey
and his new friend Italy. A Turkish fleet will help.
Notice the Italian fleet move. He either comes to save France or to nibble
away at France from behind. He tells me the latter, but he probably tells
France something else. In truth, I expect Italy is giving himself an
option and will make up his mind quickly. Certainly, Tyrhennian->WesMed is
bad news for me; Tyrhennian->Lyon is much better, but still a little ambiguous.
We may be the last two nations on earth who have formed and retained trust
from the beginning. It seems so long ago, but "titleist" is only 2 1/2
years old.
In spite of the recent shock, this may be a quiet week.
Most cordially,
Ivy
Message from England to Turkey
Ali,
>Heck of a result, eh?
I have lived to see a miracle. I worship you as a god!
>Unfortunately, now I have to juggle my diplomatic relations a bit to remain
>friendly with Italy and EG at the same time;
It is not totally obvious that there is anything incompatible with
short-term friendship with all three of us. I think the biggest
uncertainty now is whether the western Italian fleet is coming to save
France or to help dismantle France. My best guess is that Italy intended
to make up his mind later. He will have to do this quite soon.
Anyway, should Italy take a bite out of France, we are likely to see an
EGIT ending. This is best for England and Turkey, because that leaves
Italy and Germany as obvious candidates for a three-on-one
elimination. Then you and I wipe out the remaining player, taking
advantage of the stalemate line between us. Isn't diplomacy a simple game?
If you owe me anything (you don't really, but plan for the future), you
will encourage Italy to attack France, not save France. I will really,
really, really be in your debt and will remember it.
As for EG relations, I have no choice but to trust Germany for now. What
else is there for me? Communications still stink. Germany also conducts
his northern units in almost complete secrecy from me. Once again, I did
not know what his moves were going to be.
I do have some advice. Please build one fleet. Say in Ankara. This may
be the only time you can do so without causing a new war with Italy. He
won't like it, but you have a good argument. It helps take Sevast, and by
building in Ankara you are simply taking common sense defensive precautions
"just in case." Then some day, if you ever need to go after Italy, you can
build a fleet and have three, not two. Thinking ahead to an end game, I
have seen Italy have a tremendous advantage over a former Austrian or
Turkish ally, because Italy had complete fleet domination of the Med.
>In any case, I was certainly not best pleased that Russia told me one thing
>and then did another.
Just out of curiosity, what did Russia say he was going to do?
More importantly, any reason I once had for propping up Russia is now void.
Your distant friend,
Ivy
Message [from Turkey] to all
DATELINE: CONSTANTINOPLE
Turkey's capital city erupted in riots yesterday, as
the political crisis that has gripped the country
devolved into bloodshed. For months, there has been
widespread concern that Ali Baba, the self-proclaimed
Supreme Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces, would
attempt to overthrow the government of Sultan Suleiman.
The Sultan has not been seen in public since Baba seized
control of the army, and many believe he is either
imprisoned or dead.
Violence erupted when the Sultan's Cabinet Ministers
received an anonymous tip outlining Baba's battle plans
in his war against Italy. Dubbed "Operation Roulette",
the plan signaled a radical shift in Turkey's foreign
policy. One minister, who spoke anonymously, joked that
it ought to be named "Operation Russian Roulette",
predicting that Turkey would be overrun by its enemies
should it be carried out.
The Cabinet, taking advantage of Baba's absence from
the capital, passed a resolution stripping Baba of his
military rank and political titles. The resolution
cited reports from government psychiatrists who claimed
that Baba was a certifiable paranoid-schizophrenic.
Couriers were sent to the front lines to countermand
Baba's orders, and an anti-Baba political rally was
staged on the Capital steps.
What started as a small political rally turned ugly
when the details of Baba's plans were revealed. Mobs
of angry Turks took to the streets and Baba was burned
in effigy. The violence was only worsened when news
reached the city that Baba's orders had ultimately been
carried out, resulting in the strongest military
successes of Baba's career. As news of the victory
spread, the mob turned on its leaders, and some of the
ministers were literally torn limb from limb.
Baba himself re-entered Constantinople to find the
city in chaos. After learning of the Cabinet action, he
immediately placed the remaining ministers under house
arrest, disbanded the Cabinet and proclaimed martial
law. He then proclaimed himself Emperor, thereby
abolishing the last vestiges of the Sultanate.
Reaction from the world community has been mixed.
Baba claims that he will continue to abide by agreements
made under the Sultan, but some nations have so far
refused to recognize his new government. The Political
Sector in Constantinople has been barricaded, and no
journalists have been allowed entry. Rumors are on
every tongue that each individual Embassy is in fact
surrounded by troops and tanks.
Baba seems to be in control of the military for now,
though his political troubles are far from over.
Conservatives in Turkey have argued that Baba's
government is illegitimate, and have called for an
uprising to return the Sultan to power. And although
Turkish forces have seized Smyrna, several factions
there have vowed to fight for a return of Italian
control. They claim that under Roberto, life was
beautiful.
The streets of Constantinople are quiet today, and
Turkish paramilitary units have enforced a strict
curfew. There is rising concern that the city appears
to be in control of Baba's personal guard, instead of
Turkish army regulars. The official Turkish news media
is currently releasing pro-Baba propaganda, and is
proclaiming evidence of mass graves in Serbia. However,
journalists have been barred from going anywhere near
the area, so these reports cannot be independently
confirmed.
Message from Austria to all
The Austro-Hungarian ambassador to Italy has been recalled.
Message from Turkey to England
Ivy,
> I have lived to see a miracle...
Heheh, you're too kind. I would *never* have recommended those moves to
someone else. Far too risky. If Italy had ordered Smy-Arm, EMS-Smy,
instead of the way he did, then I'd have egg on my face instead of a smile.
But thanks for the compliment!
In truth, it was France who convinced Italy to change course, not me. I was
just in the right place at the right time, and lucky that Russia and Austria
were beyond making amends.
> It is not totally obvious that there is anything incompatible with
> short-term friendship with all three of us. I think the biggest
> uncertainty now is whether the western Italian fleet is coming to save
> France or to help dismantle France. My best guess is that Italy intended
> to make up his mind later. He will have to do this quite soon.
Indeed. I believe Italy sees the need for some other power to balance you
in fleet strength, and he sees himself in that role. That would imply that
he'll want as much of France and Iberia as he can get. He will surely
attempt to do this without giving any undue advantage to you, however.
I agree there isn't anything inherently incompatible with ITE cooperation.
In fact, I favor an ITE end game. My concern is that my relations with
Italy are still just getting started. As you can imagine, our press hasn't
been all warm & fuzzy since he moved to EMS. We're apparently on a new
course, but we're still getting to know each other as allies. Since I am
supposedly on board in an anti-EG coalition, I want to be careful not to
rock the boat. I hope you understand.
> Anyway, should Italy take a bite out of France, we are likely to see an
> EGIT ending. This is best for England and Turkey, because that leaves
> Italy and Germany as obvious candidates for a three-on-one
> elimination. Then you and I wipe out the remaining player, taking
> advantage of the stalemate line between us. Isn't diplomacy a simple
game?
Hmmmmm, my thoughts exactly. =)
> If you owe me anything (you don't really, but plan for the future), you
> will encourage Italy to attack France, not save France. I will really,
> really, really be in your debt and will remember it.
As I've said before, I believe our long-term interests coincide. I will
indeed be urging Italy to attack France; certainly it's in my best interests
that he have other avenues for growth than Austria and the Balkans, and I
don't want to see too many Italian armies. So I'm with you here, though I
feel I need to build my relationship with Roberto a bit before I try nudging
him in any particular direction. I'm sure we'll keep in touch regarding
this issue as we go forward.
> As for EG relations, I have no choice but to trust Germany for now. What
> else is there for me? Communications still stink. Germany also conducts
> his northern units in almost complete secrecy from me. Once again, I did
> not know what his moves were going to be.
That is frustrating, on both counts. I think if Roberto heard this kind of
talk from you, it might pave the way in France a bit. Certainly, the
stronger an alliance seems, the stronger the resistance to it. I think your
massive fleet force on the edge of Gibraltar has him seeing you more as a
competitor than a potential ally. I'm sure he would welcome any anti-German
hints from England.
Indeed, if Germany makes headway in Russia, and you get stalled in France
due to Italian support, then Germany may outpace you as we had discussed
earlier. In such an eventuality, it might not be bad to have the wheels
greased a bit, so to speak, for a German campaign.
> I do have some advice. Please build one fleet. Say in Ankara. This may
> be the only time you can do so without causing a new war with Italy. He
> won't like it, but you have a good argument. It helps take Sevast, and by
> building in Ankara you are simply taking common sense defensive
precautions
> "just in case." Then some day, if you ever need to go after Italy, you
can
> build a fleet and have three, not two. Thinking ahead to an end game, I
> have seen Italy have a tremendous advantage over a former Austrian or
> Turkish ally, because Italy had complete fleet domination of the Med.
Believe me, this matter is much on my mind, and something Italy and I have
discussed. I had considered F Con last winter, but changed it to an army at
the request of both Italy and Russia. I have to say that at this stage, I'm
not considering building a fleet this year. It would be too disruptive to
my tentative arrangements with Italy, and would not be helpful in attacking
inland, which is my immediate goal. However, Italy and I have discussed
that it is only prudent for Turkey to have an additional, western fleet for
defensive purposes, and I assure you my shipyards have by no means been
dismantled.
> Just out of curiosity, what did Russia say he was going to do?
The orignal plan was Ser-Gre, Rum S Gal-Bud, with Germany agreeing to
Boh-Vie and Italy agreeing to Tyr-Tri, Ser-Alb. You'll recall we had some
discussion about that. At the last minute, Italy wrote with news of
Austria's plans, specifically that Ser-Rum would defeat the Russian attack.
He proposed an alternative set of moves: the Turkish orders, you saw in the
result; the Russian orders were Mos S Gal-War.
I encouraged Russia to go with the plan, hoping Germany would move Boh-Vie,
with Vie moving to Gal. Russia said he would, then afterwards backpedaled,
citing concern that dislodged War would retreat to Ukr, and that he didn't
want Germany in Vie. But if I'm his ally, why didn't he voice his concerns
before the result? If an ally doesn't tell me what he's doing, it's an
annoyance but I can live with it as long as it doesn't affect my sphere of
influence. But when he tells me he'll do one thing, then does another,
especially in the framework of a supposedly coordinated move, that really
gets my guard up.
I guess it worked out in my favor, actually, since now Austria will be
unopposed in Sev, and had Russia ordered as agreed there would be 3 units on
Rum. But still. ;^)
> More importantly, any reason I once had for propping up Russia is now
void.
That is good news. I do think that if you somehow moved toward StP, and
kinda loomed over Scandinavia a bit, it would help encourage Italy to attack
France instead of supporting him. It would also prepare for a possible
English action against Germany should it come to that. I certainly
understand that you've no wish to unsettle your alliance, nor am I
encouraging you to do so. I just believe in keeping things flexible. Who
knows, maybe if the German sees you being interested in Scandinavia, he'll
pick up a pen more often.
All still speculation at this point. It's amazing the lines you can start
to go down when there's a big shake-up on the board. I guess it's not
surprising that in a game of this calibre, people would choose to shake
things up rather than head into a long drawn-out battle. I have a feeling
that the landscape in 3 years may look nothing like the scenarios I envision
today. But as my father always told me, it pays to keep your options open.
Best regards,
Ali
Message from Germany to England
Ivy:
I intend to take a break this week. But will reply if you have any
specific questions.
Turkey certainly is the master. It's my belief that he faked my out
and into BOH. I'll stay out of trying to influencing him on the build.
I do agree that having him build a fleet will be best. And I suspect
that he will.
I forsee a future where Ali, Roberto, and myself are all that is left
in the east. EFG all over again. I'll be playing these two very
carefully from now on. Naturally I'll be hoping that they start
fighting again.
Looks like we have little to discuss again this turn. I'll support
BEL, if you support MUN-BUR. I'll probably order that move this time.
But that's as far into France as I'm planning on advancing, so when your
builds come be sure to take that into consideration.
Freed
Message from Austria to England
Greetings from the lost (well, nearly lost) Austria-Hungary.
If Italy is to remain allied with Turkey, where will the Italian navies
go? They are of little use against Austria, and even less against
Russia or Germany.
They are probably destined for Iberia, I suspect. Which will not only
limit your gains there, but force you to permanently support a fleet in
the Mid-Atlantic, lest Italian fleets leak northward.
That would make it much easier for Germany to stab you than vice-versa.
Germany is already the leading power on the board, though Turkey is
close behind. And Germany has easy pickings in St Petersburg, even
without stabbing you in Norway, and will probably pick up several of the
centers in Austria-Hungary and Russia as well.
Suppose, however, you were to ally with France. I know that earlier,
you said you were afraid that such a course would merely add another
enemy. But France should be in mortal fear of the Italian fleets.
Freed from your pressure, he would find it far better to turn and face
the Italian than fight a futile war of revenge against you. That will
slow or stop the Italian advance, securing the Mid-Atlantic.
Meanwhile the German would be hard-pressed to protect his Scandinavian
and Lowland holdings, especially once Turkey enters Silesia.
If you decide not to shift your alliances at this time, perhaps you
could encourage the German to march on Marseilles; his passage through
Tyrolia and Piedmont would surely give pause to the Italian, and once he
arrives in Piedmont, he can both help against France and maintain
pressure on Italy.
If you have any other suggestions that would distract or divert the
enemies of Austria-Hungary, or assist her shattered and scattered
forces, your advice and comments would be most welcome.
Edna, for Austria-Hungary, by the grace of Archduke Ferdinand
Message [from Russia] to all
> Broadcast message from England in 'titleist':
>
> Very, very funny, a very clever practical joke. How did someone manage to
> issue phony results for S1903M and what happened to the real results?
You didn't really expect everyone to form alliances in 1901/1902, and then
Carebear their way to the end of the game, did you? We've all Soloed more
than once, and a Solo here means a great deal, so I, at least, expected some
rather bloody stabs.
Message from England to Austria
Edna,
>Greetings from the lost (well, nearly lost) Austria-Hungary.
I does look rather bad.
You will not be surprised to learn that it was France that engineered this
manuever. First he tried to unite Austria, Russia, and Italy against
Turkey, but that failed because of problems between you and Russia. You
probably can confirm this. Failing that, the turned to Turkey, Italy , and
Russia.
Why would he do this? Because a slowly developing east gives me more time
to encroach on France. France expects that Italy is coming to his rescue.
Italy may have gotten more than he bargained for with Turkey. That's one
big Turkey! Italy is supposed to get Greece in exchange for giving up
Smyrna, but that may be tricky. I am guessing that Bul-Rum, Gre-Bul,
Ion-Gre is called for. You could foul that up with your southern fleet.
Also, it appears that Sev will remain wide open. I doubt that Moscow will
be open.
Why do I bring this up? I prefer that Italy be a little weaker than he
thought he would be, so that he is more likely to want my help. I don't
want him propping up France.
Please do not divulge the above to anyone.
>Suppose, however, you were to ally with France. I know that earlier,
>you said you were afraid that such a course would merely add another
>enemy. But France should be in mortal fear of the Italian fleets.
Do you really think so? I expect that France would love nothing better than
to attack me.
>If you decide not to shift your alliances at this time, perhaps you
>could encourage the German to march on Marseilles; his passage through
>Tyrolia and Piedmont would surely give pause to the Italian, and once he
>arrives in Piedmont, he can both help against France and maintain
>pressure on Italy.
Now that is an interesting idea.
>If you have any other suggestions that would distract or divert the
>enemies of Austria-Hungary, or assist her shattered and scattered
>forces, your advice and comments would be most welcome.
See above.
Ivy Wingo
Message from Russia to England and Germany
Gentlemen,
> Message from Germany to Russia in 'titleist':
>
> Nick:
> Although I'm not going to declare war on you, I am going to do my best
> to move your fleet into STP. Negotiating is too much work with you.
> We differ too much in our beliefs. So my fleet orders in the fall will
> be one of the following:
> F GOB - STP
> or
> F BAL - LVN, F GOB s f bal-lvn
GoB-StP will bounce off Lvn-StP, and force me to build in StP. Is that
what you really want? The attack on Lvn, especially if it was GoB-Lvn,
rather than Bal-Lvn, would give me the option to rebuild F Lvn as an Army,
and fight a delaying action in the south. I can't believe that you want the
East to resolve quickly, or that you want to fight a two-front war. Neither
of those is in Germany's best interest, but attacking me, gives you both.
> If I guess correctly one of us will be sitting on STP in the fall. who
> it is doesn't matter to me. This the emergence of I and T as two very
> strong powers, I'm not as disinclined NOT to build. Especially since
> England now has a chance to build.
Weaking the opposition to IT would be a mistake, and realistically,
unless France does something incredibley stupid, England will not build
this year, (I overlooked France's retreat in my previous letter). Your
best bet would be to give me space to oppose IT, and shift Boh-Tyl-Pie
to crack France quickly.
Sincerely,
Czar Nicholas II.
Message from Master to all
We'll also have an extension from Aug 14 to Aug 20 -- hopefully,
we'll get the retreat and maybe the fall moves before that player
departs (if he's comfortable with his moves before leaving).
Doug
Message from Russia to England
Ivy,
Just a quick note to say hi. It seems that I've
finally gotten Austria off my back, only to have him
replaced by Germany. 8-( I realize that you're in a
rather delicate position, of wanting G to remain allied
with you, but not grow, so any information you might
feel inclined to let slip will remain strictly
confidential. The East remains confused, but if
G puts too much pressure on StP and War, I'm going to
end up sacrificing Centers to Turkey, and that will
resolve the East pretty quick. Please drop me a line
when you get the chance.
Your Friend,
Nick.
Message from England to Germany
Freddy,
No hurry, obviously, but here are some things you may want to think about
this week.
> I forsee a future where Ali, Roberto, and myself are all that is left
>in the east. EFG all over again. I'll be playing these two very
>carefully from now on.
I don't quite understand the EFG reference, but as for TGI notice that
Turkey has no choice but to fight Germany or Italy. There is no other
outlet for his units. As matters stand now, he will be doing his best to
cement relations with his new ally Italy. A key to his intentions will be
his build. Turkey came right out and said that he will not be building a
fleet, because he does not want to alienate Italy. So all those Turkish
armies will be heading north apparently. Get ready. 8-)
> Looks like we have little to discuss again this turn. I'll support
>BEL, if you support MUN-BUR. I'll probably order that move this time.
>But that's as far into France as I'm planning on advancing, so when your
>builds come be sure to take that into consideration.
Yes, please support Belgium, but I think it is urgent that we prepare to
hit France harder. The need for Ruhr to support Belgium has been
hamstringing us. I propose that this fall I support Irish->Channel and
move London->North Sea. Then next spring we can push back both French
armies with Nth->Bel, Channel supp Bel->Pic, Ruhr&Mun double-atttack
Burgundy. MAO can cut a support. The key is Nth->Bel to prevent Burgundy
from taking Belgium or retreating there. This involves a small amount of
trust, but I hope we are beyond that now. Heck, just this past move I was
encouraging you to remain in Sweden adjacent to a wide open Norway. Since
you will be building next year (see below), I need to have a chance to
build also.
I think it best that you prepare to take StP before something goes wrong
over there. Once you have StP, you and I have a lock on the water between
StP and Gibralter. This has great implications for the rest of the game,
since even if things don't go our way we cannot be eliminated.
Ivy
Message from Italy to England
>
> I will be in the Western Med by fall on my own.
^^^^^^^^^^^
There you go again. And you knew this prior to the Spring results. You
know, being the only psychic in the game probably breaks gunboat. I'm going
to have to check with the moderator. We may have to find a replacement.
>
> Leaving Western Med off limits would be the key to a very profitable
> relationship between us.
>
I hope you can understand my necessity to move to the Western Med this fall
(assuming a logical and sane retreat by France). The east is looking for me
to make sure you do not cross into the WMS too soon. It is not intended as
an aggressive move but rather a defensive move. I can still do just as much
damage from the WMS as I can from GOL but I would feel more comfortable
closer to Tunis with my lone western fleet.
>
> p.s. Is England part of Iberia also? Just how big is this place?
>
England no, Scotland yes. :)
> Uh, that's quite a monster you have created in Turkey. Is it
> possible you supplied him with a little more muscle than you
> intended?
Not really. I'm supposed to get Greece back this fall. We will see what
happens. In any event, as long as he keeps building armies, I have no
problem with Turkish growth (in moderation of course).
> Will he now follow your lead like a grateful puppy
> dog or will he develop a mind of his own?
He has been warned that if he doesn't follow my lead, the fleet currently in
the MAO will most likely find its way into the Ionean. He wasn't too keen
on that thought so I think he'll work with me.
> I would be very naive not to assume that you have prepared
> two options for your western strategy, prop up France or take
> part in the feast.
Those are the two options. Propping him up would have been easier had he
held the MAO this turn. I'm a bit late in getting there now. I've never
really had any intentions of propping him up though.
Is there a specific proposal as to the division of property?
Life is Beautiful,
Roberto
Message from England to Italy
Roberto,
>> I will be in the Western Med by fall on my own.
>
>There you go again. And you knew this prior to the Spring results.
"Western Med"
That was ugly. I meant Mid-Atlantic. I expected that France would defend
Mid-Atlantic from Brest in the spring. But since I would then have the
North Atlantic I knew I could force the Mid-Atlantic in the fall.
>> Leaving Western Med off limits would be the key to a very profitable
>> relationship between us.
>
>I hope you can understand my necessity to move to the Western Med this fall
>(assuming a logical and sane retreat by France).
It is not a necessity, but I accept your choice. I have (and had) no
intention of going there, because my future depends on cooperation with
you. The move to Lyon would have given you greater flexibility in that you
would have been adjacent to two French targets.
That you have a certain loyality to France is understandable, if only
because the two of you have kept the peace so far. And he is such a
friendly chap. However, now that you have ceded eastern power to Turkey, I
would think that you have to dominate the western Mediterranean. I have
never seen an Italy standing at the end of a game who has not participated
in the dismantling of either Turkey or France. I don't think it can be
done.
>The east is looking for me
>to make sure you do not cross into the WMS too soon. It is not intended as
>an aggressive move but rather a defensive move. I can still do just as much
>damage from the WMS as I can from GOL but I would feel more comfortable
>closer to Tunis with my lone western fleet.
I don't mind. Move there if you must.
>Is there a specific proposal as to the division of property?
Well, let's make the obvious proposal. You get Marseilles and Spain; I get
Brest, Paris, and Portugal. I know it seems a bit unfair that I pound
myself against France with all my might for so long and you walk in with
one unit and take 40% of the gain. [See Russia and the defeat of Japan in
WWII for precedent!] But any sound Italy/England relationship has to
acknowledge the natural boundary between us at Gibralter.
I anticipate a rapid increase in friction between Germany and me. We both
know that the German/English boundary is unstable whereever one attempts to
draw it. At some point our mutual self interest is certain to break down.
Germany should be getting StP and probably Warsaw and possibly Moscow
before he comes face to face with Turkey. If he gets those centers faster
than I get French centers, then I have serious problems. Your potential
difficulties with Turkey are less. Even if Turkey grows faster than you --
I think he will -- it will be hard for him to attack you directly.
In the short run then, I need you more than you need me. If we take out
France together, I expect then to be at war with Germany. It just seems to
be a natural consequence of the position.
Ivy
Message from England to Russia
Nick,
> I realize that you're in a
>rather delicate position, of wanting G to remain allied
>with you, but not grow,
Yes, the long-range plan is for me to grow to 18 while everyone else
shrinks. Given my lack of progress against France and the recent explosion
in the east, I don't have much greater hopes for my prospects than for yours.
>so any information you might
>feel inclined to let slip will remain strictly
>confidential.
Germany sent me one note on Friday (I think) saying that he wouldn't be
communicating much, if at all, this week. So, what else is new? I sent
him a note since then. He hasn't replied.
It will take a miracle to talk him out of taking StP next year. It is just
so tempting for him. I'll do my best, but Germany has gone his own way up
to now in the northeast.
> The East remains confused, but if
>G puts too much pressure on StP and War, I'm going to
>end up sacrificing Centers to Turkey, and that will
>resolve the East pretty quick.
This too is my fear. We may have a giant Turkey and a giant Germany.
Ivy
Message from Turkey to England
Ivy,
I'm just writing to touch base. How have things been going in your neck of
the woods?
Things are crazy in the south. Lots of strange talk going around. Austria
writes that he wants vengeance on Italy, and asks me to support him to
Trieste. Russia writes that he and Austria have exchanged a lot of press,
but that Austria considers an attack on Tri to be futile. Meanwhile, there
seems to be some discussion of AR combining their efforts in Rumania,
although who would actually get Rum in such a scenario is unclear.
>From my perspective, I have two broad choices. One, I can continue in the
spirit of IT, which would probably mean ceding Gre to Italy, in exchange for
Smyrna. Two, I can try to put the blades to Italy, which would mean
supporting Austria to Trieste, holding onto Gre and hopefully building two
fleets. In all honesty, I've not yet received enough consistent press from
I/A/R to determine which would be the better course. Any words of wisdom
from your perspective would be welcome.
I have little knowledge at this point about what Russia will do. He has
talked about Gal-Bud (hoping for IT support), and also War-Mos, Gal-War to
defend against German attacks. And, he's admitted he's talked to Austria
about working with him against Rum. Very strange. I'll let you know if and
when I get anything definitive from him.
I know we've got a long delay here, but I'll be out of town this weekend and
out of e-mail contact. So, I hope to get some kind of plan for the fall
shaped up by Friday. Please write when you get a chance, so we can compare
notes.
Regards,
Ali
Message from England to Turkey
Hi Ali!
>I'm just writing to touch base. How have things been going in your neck of
>the woods?
It's quiet. So quiet that I would be happy to divulge all my state secrets
to my worst enemy if only to make conversation. Fortunately my worst
enemy, my only active enemy, is absent.
My German friend let it be known that he would be silent for most of the
week. No change there (said with deliberate sarcasm).
Italy and I have exchanged notes. He must come to terms with what he
wishes to do with his western fleet. He certainly will move to Western
Med, and I will permit him to do so. What is up in the air is whether he
comes to defend France or to partake in the feast.
I must continue on my anti-France crusade at least until France has lost
some strength. I don't see how to harm Germany in the present
situation. I consider, and surely Germany considers, our mutual situation
to be unstable. My biggest fear is that he will be able to build again
before me and then be able to execute a stab.
Germany doesn't talk much. When he does, he never says precisely what he
will do in the northeast. Nevertheless, I believe it to be virtually
certain that he will advance on StP and take it next year.
Russia has sent notes. He remains very friendly towards me, but what he
wants I can't give. He wants me to talk Germany out of taking StP.
As you suggest, a Russia/Austria pairing is now quite plausible. They have
their weakness in common. Both have been betrayed badly at one time or
another. Both have to worry about being swallowed by a greater
power. They are surely very skilled players who are capable of putting old
grudges behind them.
> >From my perspective, I have two broad choices. One, I can continue in the
>spirit of IT, which would probably mean ceding Gre to Italy, in exchange for
>Smyrna. Two, I can try to put the blades to Italy, which would mean
>supporting Austria to Trieste, holding onto Gre and hopefully building two
>fleets. In all honesty, I've not yet received enough consistent press from
>I/A/R to determine which would be the better course. Any words of wisdom
>from your perspective would be welcome.
I have far more words than wisdom.
At least I will permit myself just a little input into your Italy decision
by saying that I don't care what you do. There must be an advantage to me
one way or another, but I can't see it. Right now I see two possibilities,
either the Italian fleet is friendly to me or unfriendly. If you attack
Italy, there will be a third possibility. He may send his western fleet
back east. That would be a tiny plus for me, I suppose, but not as
beneficial as Italian support for the French campaign.
Now a question for you. Do you know what Italy wants to do with his fleet
after he moves it to the Western Med?
Ivy
Message from England to Austria
Edna,
Discretion please, I beg you!
Turkey is toying with the idea of turning on Italy immediately. This would
involve supporting you into Trieste. If you are very, very friendly to
Turkey (hard, I know) and not make demands of Turkey for your cooperation,
you may have a chance at recovering Trieste this fall. If this happens,
you may have decent survival chances by taking sides in a renewed IT conflict.
If Turkey decides to remain friendly to Italy, he will have to surrender
Greece this fall. You may be able to thwart this exchange by effecting a
bounce with Aeg-Gre or Aeg-Bul.
Ivy Wingo
Message from Austria to England
> Turkey is toying with the idea of turning on Italy immediately. This
> would involve supporting you into Trieste. If you are very, very friendly
> to Turkey (hard, I know) and not make demands of Turkey for your
> cooperation, you may have a chance at recovering Trieste this fall. If
> this happens, you may have decent survival chances by taking sides in a
> renewed IT conflict.
An interesting ray of hope. Where, I wonder, might you have heard it?
Would Turkey be so careless as to tell you himself? He would have to trust
you a great deal. If true, he would presumably discuss it with me, but I
wouldn't pass such a thing on, nor would he need to discuss it much before
the next move deadline, more than a week away.
So, I suspect the rumor comes from someone who hasn't heard it from Turkey,
but either inferred it from something Turkey said, wishes it as something
Turkey would do, or fears it as something Turkey might do.
Supporting the last of those three bases was a grey press I received,
written somewhat in your style. It was sent to both Austria-Hungary and
Italy, and I though it was over 50-50 that it originated with Italy himself
(I figured if you sent grey press, you'd disguise the style some). It
warned that Turkey might be considering keeping Greece for himself, and
urged me to forgive the Italian stab in that case and realign myself with
Italy so that Turkey couldn't overrun us piecemeal.
If that wasn't Italy trying to pre-mend bridges, it was someone who wants
the south to resolve slowly, if at all. You, or Germany. France would
probably be delighted with a monster Turkey, which would allow throw-game
threats; besides, he was the player who needed an extension, and probably
wasn't around at the time I got the message.
Edna, for Austria-Hungary, by the grace of Archduke Ferdinand
Message from Turkey to England
Ivy,
> It's quiet. So quiet that I would be happy to divulge all my state
secrets
> to my worst enemy if only to make conversation. Fortunately my worst
> enemy, my only active enemy, is absent.
Hm, well I should have asked for all your state secrets then! Oh wait, I'm
not your enemy... would that still count? ;^)
> My German friend let it be known that he would be silent for most of the
> week. No change there (said with deliberate sarcasm).
At least you have the consolation that if he's not writing to you, then he's
not writing to anyone else either. I get the impression that nobody really
has any warm & fuzzy feelings about the German. This will likely work to
your advantage in the long run.
> I must continue on my anti-France crusade at least until France has lost
> some strength. I don't see how to harm Germany in the present
> situation. I consider, and surely Germany considers, our mutual situation
> to be unstable. My biggest fear is that he will be able to build again
> before me and then be able to execute a stab.
Interesting, the perspective I get from the others is that EG is rock solid.
If and when you decide to go anti-German, it should really stir the pot.
> Germany doesn't talk much. When he does, he never says precisely what he
> will do in the northeast. Nevertheless, I believe it to be virtually
> certain that he will advance on StP and take it next year.
The German has told me he's pulling out of the Austrian theatre to focus on
StP and War next year. I do not expect him to build this year, but he's
almost certain to gain one or the other next year. And, there's at least a
chance he'll gain both, depending on what Austria does. In particular, if
Austria goes to Moscow, then Russia will be in a lot of trouble.
> Russia has sent notes. He remains very friendly towards me, but what he
> wants I can't give. He wants me to talk Germany out of taking StP.
I'm sure he does. I'd think he would be better off talking to Germany, but
he's probably not getting much in the way of response.
> As you suggest, a Russia/Austria pairing is now quite plausible. They
have
> their weakness in common. Both have been betrayed badly at one time or
> another. Both have to worry about being swallowed by a greater
> power. They are surely very skilled players who are capable of putting
old
> grudges behind them.
This is my thinking as well. My only hope is that Austria will focus on
Italy as an enemy, in which case alliance with Russia doesn't really help
him. There's a slim chance that they both see their days as numbered;
Austria cannot prevail against RTI, and Russia cannot prevail if he loses
StP, War and Mos. So the best-case scenario is that they're thinking in
terms of how to go out, rather than how to prolong the inevitable. But my
gut tells me that in a game of this calibre, that's wishful thinking.
> At least I will permit myself just a little input into your Italy decision
> by saying that I don't care what you do. There must be an advantage to me
> one way or another, but I can't see it. Right now I see two
possibilities,
> either the Italian fleet is friendly to me or unfriendly. If you attack
> Italy, there will be a third possibility. He may send his western fleet
> back east. That would be a tiny plus for me, I suppose, but not as
> beneficial as Italian support for the French campaign.
Actually, believe it or not, this is helpful.
> Now a question for you. Do you know what Italy wants to do with his fleet
> after he moves it to the Western Med?
Sorry, but I don't. My discussions with Italy have focused entirely on
Austria and the Balkans. I figure TYS-WMS is a given either way. My sense
is that Roberto himself doesn't know yet, and is simply moving into position
to do one or the other. Embroiled in the east as he was, he didn't even
have that choice. So, I think he's set sail intending to decide once he
gets there.
Sorry that isn't much help. I'll keep you posted if and when I learn more.
Regards,
Ali
Message from England to Austria
>> Turkey is toying with the idea of turning on Italy immediately.
>An interesting ray of hope. Where, I wonder, might you have heard it?
> I suspect the rumor comes from someone who hasn't heard it from Turkey,
>but either inferred it from something Turkey said, wishes it as something
>Turkey would do, or fears it as something Turkey might do.
I chose the words "toying with" carefully. I didn't invent the rumor, but
I best not say where I got the information. I believe there is truth in
it.
>Supporting the last of those three bases was a grey press I received,
>written somewhat in your style. It was sent to both Austria-Hungary and
>Italy, and I though it was over 50-50 that it originated with Italy himself
>(I figured if you sent grey press, you'd disguise the style some). It
>warned that Turkey might be considering keeping Greece for himself, and
>urged me to forgive the Italian stab in that case and realign myself with
>Italy so that Turkey couldn't overrun us piecemeal.
I didn't send this. I'm betting it was Italy!
>
>If that wasn't Italy trying to pre-mend bridges, it was someone who wants
>the south to resolve slowly, if at all. You, or Germany. France would
>probably be delighted with a monster Turkey, which would allow throw-game
>threats;
France wanted anything except the status quo, for I was slowly encroaching
on his homeland. So slowly it is driving me crazy. And now Italy is
arriving with a fleet. What do you suppose that fleet is going to do?
Ivy Wingo
Message from England to Turkey
Ali,
>> My German friend let it be known that he would be silent for most of the
>> week. No change there (said with deliberate sarcasm).
>
>At least you have the consolation that if he's not writing to you, then he's
>not writing to anyone else either. I get the impression that nobody really
>has any warm & fuzzy feelings about the German. This will likely work to
>your advantage in the long run.
I predict that Germany will be a simultaneous target of two or three others
sometime later in the game. You will be one of the "bullies." Either
France or I will be another.
>Interesting, the perspective I get from the others is that EG is rock solid.
>If and when you decide to go anti-German, it should really stir the pot.
Rock solid only as long as both of us feel it serves our purposes. I know
this much. There is no chance of a EG 2-way. Ergo ...
>The German has told me he's pulling out of the Austrian theatre to focus on
>StP and War next year.
Good Lord! He is talking to you more than he is talking to me. This
frightens me.
>This is my thinking as well. My only hope is that Austria will focus on
>Italy as an enemy, in which case alliance with Russia doesn't really help
>him.
Surely Austria is sufficiently good that he will focus first on survival by
any means. If survival is compatible with Italy as the enemy, then Austria
will be delighted to have Italy as his enemy. Who wouldn't in Austria's
position?
>So the best-case scenario is that they're thinking in
>terms of how to go out, rather than how to prolong the inevitable. But my
>gut tells me that in a game of this calibre, that's wishful thinking.
Yes. I got one brief note of dispair from Russia when you and Austria
teamed up to keep him out of Rumania. But immediately after that Russia
got down to business and began to fight for survival. He isn't going to
make it though. He will lose StP next year and it seems to me that he may
lose Sevast this year.
>> Now a question for you. Do you know what Italy wants to do with his fleet
>> after he moves it to the Western Med?
>
>Sorry, but I don't. My discussions with Italy have focused entirely on
>Austria and the Balkans. I figure TYS-WMS is a given either way.
It is. Italy will go there with my blessing, even though I don't know what
he will do after he gets there.
Cheers,
Ivy
Message from Austria to England
> I didn't send this. I'm betting it was Italy!
I think so. If it were you, there's no reason for it to be sent grey.
Italy, on the other hand, wouldn't want his new ally, Turkey, to know he
was trying to cover his tail already.
> France wanted anything except the status quo, for I was slowly encroaching
> on his homeland. So slowly it is driving me crazy. And now Italy is
> arriving with a fleet. What do you suppose that fleet is going to do?
Italy doesn't consult with me any more. Turkey might know.
Were I to speculate, I wouldn't be so sure that fleet might not be
headed back south. If it does go west, Italy would want to pick up
SCs, I'd think; what good does it do him to statically prop up France,
while Germany and Turkey grow fat? Of course, that was the logic that
convinced me I was safe from being stabbed, however tactically easy I
made that stab appear. Oops.
Edna, for Austria-Hungary, by the grace of Archduke Ferdinand
Message from Russia to England
Ivy,
>Yes, the long-range plan is for me to grow to 18 Given my lack of progress
>against France and the
>recent explosion in the east, I don't have much
>greater hopes for my prospects than for yours.
I'd say your Draw chances are much better than
mine, though.
>It will take a miracle to talk him out of taking StP
>It is just so tempting for him. I'll do my best, but Germany has gone his
>own way up to now in the northeast.
>We may have a giant Turkey and a giant Germany.
Have you considered an alliance shift? You haven't
really harmed France, yet, and I'm sure he'd welcome
EFR vs. G. Bel-Hol, Lon-Nth, Iri S MAO-ECh would gain
you a build, overjoy France, and bring me some much
needed relief. I'm willing to lobby Prince Boar on
your behalf.
Sincerely,
Nick.
Message from England to France
Dauphin,
Your interlude was most enjoyable, I hope. A family vacation? Business?
All reliable sources credits you with the stunning developments in the
southeast. Inasmuch as I preferred the status quo, this represents a
victory for you. Major or minor, I can't tell yet. Turkey, anyway, must
be exceedingly grateful to you, for he seems suddenly to have the most
desirable position on the board.
Time will tell if Italy really benefited. That western fleet of his is
about to enter our lives. I wonder ...
Cordially,
Ivy
Message from England to Turkey
Ali,
It's quiet again. Since we last corresponded I have only heard from
Austria. Austria got an interesting anonymous message addressed to himself
and Italy that cautioned against a Turkish betrayal of Italy and suggested
that the two of them be prepared for reconciliation in case that
happens. Austria thinks that the note came from Italy himself "to cover
his tail" !! I suspect so. It certainly did not come from me.
Ivy
Message from Turkey to all
Fellow Powers of Europe,
I will be escaping the clamor of Constantinople, retreating into the hills
for a few days of meditation, reflection, and hallucination, ah, I mean,
religious instruction. I regret that our clerical staff is still working on
sorting and interpreting incoming messages, and I will do my best to address
the situation upon my return. The bureaucracy around here is horribly
inefficient, and if things don't improve, heads will roll.
Until then,
Ali Baba
France: Fleet Mid-Atlantic Ocean → Portugal
|