Russia: what to do when Germany opens with F Kiel-Den?

[Oerdin]

I'm currently playing Russia and during the opening moves Germany opted to move his fleet North into Denmark setting up to (most likely) bump me in Sweden this fall. My question is what is the best move for me? To go ahead and bump him in Swe or to move down to the Baltic Sea where I can threaten Berlin, Kiel, Den, and Swe in 1902? I opened F StP-Bot, A War-Gal (bumped by Austria), F Sev-Bla, and A Mos-StP. France and England created a neutral zone in Eng Cha while Italy and Austria bumped in Trieste.

turkey seems friendly to me while Austria seems mistrustful but not hostile. Germany moved his other two units westward. So what to do with F Bot? Bump in Swe or sneak down the coast?

 

[Nikolai II]

Sounds like a quick alliance/non-agression with Austria and Warsaw joining the navy in putting the pressure on the Germans would be a good idea.

Also try enticing England to go for Denmark, in case you believe Germany will head for Sweden. That way your army could go for Norway. Or you could ferry the army to germany instead of moving the navy there, to put a fiercer pressure on things.

Interesting start anyway. Best of luck (and skill)

 

[Oerdin]

Thanks for the advice. I decided to go for it and low and behold Germany let me have Sweden though they moved an army up to Den and their fleet to Ska. Here's a map of Fall 1901.



This is the history of orders for the first year:

Autumn 1901 Large map:

England:
The fleet at Norwegian Sea convoy to Norway from Edinburgh.
The army at Edinburgh move to Norway via convoy.
The fleet at North Sea move to Belgium.
France:
The fleet at Mid-Atlantic Ocean move to Portugal.
The army at Marseilles move to Spain.
The army at Burgundy support move to Belgium from North Sea.
Italy:
The fleet at Ionian Sea convoy to Tunis from Apulia.
The army at Apulia move to Tunis via convoy.
The army at Venice move to Trieste.
Germany:
The fleet at Denmark move to Skagerrack.
The army at Kiel move to Denmark.
The army at Ruhr move to Holland.
Austria:
The fleet at Trieste hold.
The army at Serbia move to Bulgaria.
The army at Vienna move to Galicia.
Turkey:
The fleet at Constantinople move to Aegean Sea.
The army at Smyrna move to Constantinople.
The army at Bulgaria support move to Rumania from Black Sea.
Russia:
The fleet at Black Sea move to Rumania.
The army at Warsaw move to Galicia.
The fleet at Gulf of Bothnia move to Sweden.
The army at St. Petersburg move to Finland.
Spring 1901 Large map:

England:
The fleet at London move to North Sea.
The army at Liverpool move to Edinburgh.
The fleet at Edinburgh move to Norwegian Sea.
France:
The fleet at Brest move to Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
The army at Paris move to Burgundy.
The army at Marseilles support move to Burgundy from Paris.
Italy:
The army at Venice move to Trieste.
The army at Rome move to Apulia.
The fleet at Naples move to Ionian Sea.
Germany:
The fleet at Kiel move to Denmark.
The army at Berlin move to Kiel.
The army at Munich move to Ruhr.
Austria:
The fleet at Trieste hold.
The army at Budapest move to Serbia.
The army at Vienna move to Galicia.
Turkey:
The army at Smyrna hold.
The army at Constantinople move to Bulgaria.
The fleet at Ankara move to Constantinople.
Russia:
The fleet at Sevastopol move to Black Sea.
The army at Warsaw move to Galicia.
The fleet at St. Petersburg (South Coast) move to Gulf of Bothnia.
The army at Moscow move to St. Petersburg.

 

[Oerdin]

So the question becomes what should I do with my two builds? One should obviously be F StP(NC) and the other should be in Sev but the question is an army or a fleet. A fleet would mean I'd be stabbing Turkey who claims to be my ally and who supported me last turn (not that I really needed it) while an Army would be useful against Austria but would leave me open to a stab should Turkey build a fleet on the Bla.

BTW Austria claims to be a first time player while Italy claims to want to stab Austria. Germany claims to want to stab Eng but it's pretty clear he and Eng both are making a move in Scandinavia so I'm going to be on the defensive there more often then not. I'm leaning towards an Army in Sev as the build because I really need another army though that would mean everyone would know I'm working with Turkey against Austria and I'd be leaving myself open to a possible Turkish stab.

So stab Austria or stab Turkey?

 

[Snake IV]

My gut tells me to stab Turkey. He has left you Black Sea, and Italy does a Lepanto on the short term views, and on the long terms England and France seems buddies which makes it good to have your possetions behind Austria. Attacking Austria is running for the win earlier, and this is not your game yet. You'll also be rather dependent on that Turkey doesn't stab if you ally with him if the England-France allince is solid.

 

[Oerdin]

I decided to go for the stab at Turkey and cut a deal with Austria which he only half honored. He moved in to Rumania with my permission but then didn't honor our Neutral zone in Galicia. Germany moved against me in Sweden and seems tight friends with both England and France while Italy refuses to work with Austria and I to stop the E-F-G alliance. The player must be stupid.

Any way this is the positions after Spring 1902 next move F 1902.



Spring 1902 Large map:

England:
The fleet at Norwegian Sea move to Barents Sea.
The fleet at Belgium move to North Sea.
The army at London move to Yorkshire.
The fleet at Edinburgh move to Norwegian Sea.
The army at Norway support move to Sweden from Denmark.
France:
The army at Burgundy hold.
The fleet at Marseilles move to Gulf of Lyons.
The fleet at Brest move to Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
The army at Spain move to Marseilles.
The fleet at Portugal move to Spain (South Coast).
Italy:
The army at Venice move to Trieste.
The army at Tunis move to North Africa.
The fleet at Ionian Sea move to Tunis.
The fleet at Naples move to Tyrrhenian Sea.
Germany:
The army at Holland hold.
The fleet at Kiel move to Baltic Sea.
The army at Munich move to Tyrolia.
The army at Denmark move to Sweden.
The fleet at Skagerrack support hold to Norway.
Austria:
The fleet at Trieste hold.
The army at Budapest move to Rumania.
The army at Vienna move to Galicia.
The army at Serbia support move to Bulgaria from Rumania.
Turkey:
The fleet at Aegean Sea convoy to Greece from Constantinople.
The fleet at Smyrna hold.
The army at Constantinople move to Greece via convoy.
The army at Bulgaria support move to Greece from Constantinople.
Russia:
The fleet at Sweden move to Norway.
The army at Warsaw move to Silesia.
The fleet at Rumania move to Black Sea.
The army at Sevastopol move to Armenia.
The fleet at St. Petersburg (North Coast) support move to Norway from Sweden.
The army at Finland support move to Norway from Sweden.

 

[Nikolai II]

I can't see your maps from work. I might try again from home. Sounds like a good show anyway

 

[Snake IV]

Auch, a tripple. The key to breaking a tripple is in my opinion to close the Britain front. Whatever you do, don't hold on to Norway any longer time, because that is an excuse for England to attack. When England is behind the front he's more likely to attack. Of course, England might still not stab, because people who do the tripple alliance are often strange

 

[Oerdin]

It appears I either do some masterful diplomacy and pull my nuts out of the fire or I will be dying shortly.

 

[Nikolai II]

Umm.. yes. Lies and apologies all around, I suspect. Good luck.

 

[Oerdin]

Well game over. Austria killed us both as he stabbed me and left his homeland open for an Italian German invasion.

 

[Nikolai II]

Just make sure you tell him this - maybe he'll learn the lesson and listen more to you next time

 

[Oerdin]

I did but he doesn't seem to bright even for a newbie. He's continued his attack on me and let Italy and Germany take all of his home supply centers. Just where does he expect to build new units? :rofl:

 

[Nikolai II]

Some people get stubbornly vengeful. Just add a memo to yourself about his behavior, so you can (ab)use it against him if you ever meet again