Demonstration PBEM Diplomacy Game #1

[unmerged(34098)]

The newbie comments

I would say it looks like the French made the decision for me, and I'm glad I prepared for it somewhat, the situation would have been a lot different had he succeeded in gaining the English Channel this spring.

And it looks like the alliances and wars are now really taking form, with victims probably soon apparant.


Also, I just couldn't withhold this from you all

[sent in response to French comments that they were going to attack Italy with those fleets]

Humorous. Normally I'd frown on posting in-player communication in a public way, either in a mailing list or a forum, as players could edit the message to better their positions. Since you're not posting something from the French player, you're okay...just kinda skating close to the edge there.

You can lie all you want about what a player "said to you", but try not to use actual email material (edited or otherwise) to back your claims up. Sorry for not clearing that up earlier.

 

[unmerged(6779)]

Spring 1902 :

Because of their sea-oriented builds and the failure to consider the likely loss of Burgundy the French forces are caught off position : a German army easily breaks through the French lines and threatens the heartland nearly unopposed. The situation on land is critical but it is much safer on sea despite the loss of the English Channel : the Royal Navy will likely be forced to a long and exhausting fight to exploit its numerical superiority and hence will probably have to watch Germany and Italy grab a better share of the spoils. There are other reasons for hope too : facing a bitter Turkish resistance Italy is heavily involved in the East and England seems to distrust Germany... France still holds some valuable trumps but must not waste them.

Germany is confident about the English friendship : the two-army build virtually gave up the control of the seas to England and Holland is left without defense. Taking British benevolence for granted the Kaiser considers he can afford a two-front offensive with only five units and boldly attacks France and Russia concurrently. However the English forces suprisingly provide no support and no progress is made in Scandinavia. Despite the conquest of Burgundy Germany will not be able to secure a single build without foreign help this fall.

The English strategy remains rather unclear and could spoil the fruits of the excellent first year. In spite of the conquest of the Channel there is a worrying gaping hole in the line of English fleets that could prove a serious weakness in the case of a full-scale war against France and shatter the possibility of reaching the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover there is little coordination with Germany : F Norway supports F Edinburgh - North Sea instead of F Norway supports German F Denmark - Sweden suggests that the English are not convinced of the interest of a strong alliance with Germany even if the Kaiser has shown its goodwill by not building any fleets. Finally the Russian weakness has not been taken advantage of yet...

Italy is the main beneficiary of the confused western situation. The peninsula can be left without static defensive armies and a strong emphasis on fleets makes Italy the preeminent power in the Mediterranean Sea. Even if Turkey succeedes this turn in holding off the Italian fleets Italy can afford slow progress and still is the major partner in the alliance with Austria. There is no need to rush to the French coats either : England and Germany are likely to bear the brunt of the fight against France and this will perhaps allow Italy to slip into Iberia unopposed.

Austria is dragged down to an undecisive combat against Russia. Fortunately Italy is willing to keep the alliance with the double monarchy and Germany is now involved against Russia. Rumania may be reconquered but there is no certainty. If Austria wins the guessing game the situation in the Balkans will be strongly improved though.

Despite the conquest of Rumania the Russian situation has worsened because of the German offensive. The English passivity in Scandinavia provides a welcome but temporary relief although the progress of the German army will eventually be fatal to the Russian presence in the North.

Turkey wards off the progress of the Italian fleets but had to sacrifice Bulgaria to do so. Slowing down the Italian forces or trying to retake Bulgaria are the two main Turkish options if the AI alliance cannot be broken.

 

[unmerged(6779)]

You can lie all you want about what a player "said to you", but try not to use actual email material (edited or otherwise) to back your claims up.

- What are the intended benefits of such a rule ?

If one player uses email material from another player there is always the possibility it is faked. Plus it may backfire as other players may be afraid of this kind of brutal diplomacy. Only a desperate player would take such a risk IMHO.

- How do you enforce it ?

For instance, what about a player using ICQ to reach the other players.

 

[unmerged(34098)]

- What are the intended benefits of such a rule ?

If one player uses email material from another player there is always the possibility it is faked. Plus it may backfire as other players may be afraid of this kind of brutal diplomacy. Only a desperate player would take such a risk IMHO.

- How do you enforce it ?

For instance, what about a player using ICQ to reach the other players.

It keeps a game from running too hot. I've seen games where players do this and it turns into a flame war. Once that happens, the game is dead.

Though I can't supervise the actual diplomacy, I do rely on the good faith of the players not to do things like this.

ICQ is fine. I have no problems with players using ICQ to talk. The same rule applies, though.

 

[unmerged(6779)]

It keeps a game from running too hot. I've seen games where players do this and it turns into a flame war. Once that happens, the game is dead.

I see

 

[Strategist]

really looks like a fascinating game. I have never played it, but if you need a player for another game like this, I will be there.

 

[unmerged(34098)]

Sure, strategist. Always glad to see new players!

Once this game is complete, I'll be considering the next game I run. If time permits and there are enough players, I am considering one of a few worldwide variants.

 

[unmerged(34098)]

Summer 1902 Results

England - ForzaA
NONE.

France - Anzu
NONE.

Germany - Petrarca
NONE.

Italy - Leglaen
NONE.

Austria - Gobi
A Rum retreats to Bud

Russia - labalag
My army in Galicia may retreat to Poland.

Turkey - TheDarkside
NONE.

Observers:
Jack99
Champ
heagarty
Casluerj
Kikaider

SUMMER 1902 Deadline:
6pm Central/US Time, Friday 11-March-2005

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

 

[unmerged(6779)]

The tactical situation is really intricate on a line from Prussia to the Eastern Mediterranean. Even if both AI (with German help) & RT alliances hold, at least 3 centers (Warsaw, Rumania and Bulgaria) might switch hands depending on the amount of risks the different powers are willing to take. Nice brainteaser I must say.

On a side note this game shows an exceptionally clear dichotomy between the two main theatres of war (West around the Lowlands and Scandinavia, East around the Balkans) separated by a diagonal line (the main stalemate line of the map) from the upper right corner to the lower left corner. Only Russia (by design) and Germany (by choice) are involved on both theatres whereas Italy (that has the opportunity to go East or West at the beginning) is fully commited in the East. The continental center of the map is free of armies, there are no ongoing wars between the central powers (Italy, Germany, Austria) and except the classical continental powers (Austria and Germany) the other powers (France, England, Italy, Turkey) have put an emphasis on fleets.

A very important question : when will the stalemate line be crossed and by which power ?

 

[unmerged(2934)]

Cool thread. Well done lazyboy.

 

[unmerged(2669)]

Italy and Austria are doing nicely if they can hold it together a bit longer. Russia can't hold Rumania and Turkey can't retake Bulgaria. And there's all those fleets ready to sail east...

Looking forward to the next map.

 

[David E. Cohen]

A very important question : when will the stalemate line be crossed and by which power ?

In the Standard game (and in most variants), it is never too early to start thinking about this.

 

[David E. Cohen]

Italy and Austria are doing nicely if they can hold it together a bit longer. Russia can't hold Rumania and Turkey can't retake Bulgaria. And there's all those fleets ready to sail east...

Looking forward to the next map.

While Austria and Italy have the upper hand, if Russia and Turkey are cooperating, and imaginative, there are some tactical options that may make life difficult for their attackers.

P.S. I'd look forward more to the next map if it wasn't so BIG. LOL

 

[unmerged(34098)]

Cool thread. Well done lazyboy.

Don't thank me. Thank the players. They did all the work.

P.S. I'd look forward more to the next map if it wasn't so BIG. LOL

Tried a map half this size. It's difficult to read the province names...but I can try it again, if you like...

 

[unmerged(11439)]

Kinda wish i had caught this earlier, I once stabbed my dad and my cousin in the back and now they refuse to play with me, but i guess thats one of the risks of playing this game

 

[unmerged(24840)]

Tried a map half this size. It's difficult to read the province names...but I can try it again, if you like...

As I said earlier, if you save the image instead of viewing it on the forum, you can zoom in, out and look at it in different ways. Not ideal for some possibly, but its why the big map doesn't bother me so much.

 

[unmerged(11439)]

As I said earlier, if you save the image instead of viewing it on the forum, you can zoom in, out and look at it in different ways. Not ideal for some possibly, but its why the big map doesn't bother me so much.

or provide a link or thumbnail, i've seen both those done for AAR's.

 

[Oerdin]

I think everyone but Turkey saw the destruction of Army Bulgaria coming. Personally, if I was facing a duel assault from A/I then I would have taken more risks, hoped the enemy thought I would take the Aegean with support, and instead have gone for both the Agean and the eastern Med. He would have lost one unit in any event since he's losing Bulgaria but it would have left him with one more unit for the fall of 1902.

As I see it France is dead meat by the end of 1904 while it will likely take slightly longer to finish the Turk with the Russian helping him. That means the E/G alliance will have a one year head start in moving east before the A/I alliance can even begin to counter them. The big loser in all this? Italy he needs to get a fleet into the Atlantic before France dies or else he's stuck behind the stalemate line. He might be able to fend off the Enflish fleets but he's defenseless against the German armies so the Italian is next as soon as France dies (thought the English will likely take St. Petersburg very soon).

Once the French are dead and St. P has been taken then the English player is safe from invasion as long as he is smart enough to insist on the Germans building zero fleets. The only reason the Germans would need a fleet is to invade England so the English need to tell him it will be war the second he builds a fleet. This should trouble the German as that means the English can stab him but he has few places he can stab them back. A/I need to patch things up with Russia ASAP so the three of them can finish off the Turk quickly and move to block the E/G advance.

 

[TheDarkside]

I think everyone but Turkey saw the destruction of Army Bulgaria coming. Personally, if I was facing a duel assault from A/I then I would have taken more risks, hoped the enemy thought I would take the Aegean with support, and instead have gone for both the Agean and the eastern Med. He would have lost one unit in any event since he's losing Bulgaria but it would have left him with one more unit for the fall of 1902.

But I did send both fleets out into separate zones... my move to Eastern Med was bounced by Italy.

 

[Oerdin]

Oppies. Oh, well. You're in a tough spot and I guess you did the best anyone could do. Remember the name of the game is diplomacy so you need to keep hammering away trying to see if you can't break up the alliance against you.