Oz,
And Austria, now.
All,
I do not necessarily believe Austria's destruction was bad for the game. If anything, there's more balance now than there was before this session. That does not mean that I was wise to leave the war alone-I didn't know Austria would be destroyed and I count on Dago, who's quite honorable, not to participate in a gang against England. Respecting our friendship, I let it go. That was probably a flaw in my diplomacy that's cost us a player, although Oz did intervene to no effect.
With a strong Germany, we now have three super powers. If Italy goes to Aragon, it too can join those ranks. But I think with eight players the game becomes more sterile, and that losing Fnuco (and Ear, for that matter) costs some of the interest and entertainment value.
What I suggest is this:
1. England and Muscowy shall sign a treaty recreating the Ottoman Empire. It shall receive the Greek islands, the Aegean basin, Turkey, Russian Arabia and Kurdistan.
2. England shall advance 1200 ducats to the Kahn of the Timurids for his Arabian provinces. They shall be turned over to the Ottoman Empire.
3. England shall grant rights to Genoa and 500 ducats to the King of Portugal for Alexandria, which shall also be turned over to the Ottoman Empire.
4. England shall purchase the Polish Balkans and Polish Hungary if the King of Poland will allow it, and grant those provinces to the Ottoman Empire.
5. England (and Muscowy and Portugal, if they so choose) shall provide financial assistance to the fledgling Sultanate, in its conversions and conquests.
6. The Ottoman Empire shall receive any lost, post-dated events (and will have its conversions changed to Orthodox or moved to Turkey if it chooses the Orthodox or Catholic faith; in the City of Men's Desire and other conversion events)
My main interest is that I want Fnuco in the game. However, I think this also averts a showdown between Muscowy and England, or at least a permanently static border, and curbs the power of both countries. Furthermore, it provides a powerful southern European check to Brandenburg, without resorting to endless wars between the three super powers.
It serves all interests. Portugal gets a Catholic COT in place of a Muslim, Muscowy and England are relieved of some of their burdens, Timur gains a potential ally in Central Asia and the Middle East, Brandenburg, along with everybody else, sees a serious reduction of English and Russian power, in particular their capacity to project it.
EDIT: Just to be clear, this proposal is from the King of England, not from HoG the Player.