A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

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flashthompson
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A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#1 Post by flashthompson » Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:47 am

I thought it would be fun and rewarding to look at how alliances shifted in a game that lasted until 1934. By 1923, 6 out of 7 nations were still alive. This game really shows how important it is to be fluid with your allies. Let me know if you notice anything I didn't that led to this win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIm0bF7EOTk
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Octavious
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#2 Post by Octavious » Fri Jul 10, 2020 5:53 am

Firstly, I'm a little curious over why you're using a flag that stopped being used over 200 years ago to represent England. The current Union Flag, or even the Cross of St George, are both acceptable options. A relic of the American rebellion is a distraction.

In terms of the game, it's still a mystery to me why Turkey won. There's no obvious reason why he should have. He's not managed to sneak a unit across the stalemate line or anything like that (although I find it very hard to tell on the Backstabbr map). Did someone missorder? Was there an unfortunate Civil Disorder? Did Turkey make a deal with someone to throw the game? Your comment in the end that Italy maybe joined forces with Turkey to end the game... what is that based on exactly?
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#3 Post by flashthompson » Fri Jul 10, 2020 1:37 pm

Ha. I just went for the most recognizable flag. Totally inaccurate I know. I did the same for Russia. I also called them England / Britain interchangeably, which I know drives some people nuts. Oh well.

Turkey seems to have counted on the other powers squabbling and he pounced at the right moments. I would have predicted an English win based on board position. The second last turn had Turkey in Nap. The only other available place for him to secure a build would have been Mun. I'm guessing that England didn't want Turkey to win, and he had the power to stop Turkey. So, without seeing the final move, I think Italy, who was mostly dead, must have united with Turkey. I could be wrong though.
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A_Tin_Can
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#4 Post by A_Tin_Can » Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:06 pm

I think the point Octavious was making is that you *didn't* go for the most recognisable flag:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Jack
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#5 Post by A_Tin_Can » Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:07 pm

Interesting analysis, though! I'm curious how you decided who was working together and who wasn't- there were some turns there where it's hard to say for sure - and in many games I've been in, I don't think the alliance structure is well represented from the moves.

Also, was this a game with press, or no press?
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#6 Post by A_Tin_Can » Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:12 pm

> I would have predicted an English win based on board position.

Go on....
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Valis2501
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#7 Post by Valis2501 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 6:43 pm

Apparently this was a gunboat game among F2F players for additional context.
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Durga
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#8 Post by Durga » Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:04 pm

Hey! I was France in this game. It was a no press gunboat tournament game.
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#9 Post by Durga » Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:07 pm

Also Turkey did not win, we stopped him at 17.
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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#10 Post by flashthompson » Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:24 pm

A_Tin_Can wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:07 pm
Interesting analysis, though! I'm curious how you decided who was working together and who wasn't- there were some turns there where it's hard to say for sure - and in many games I've been in, I don't think the alliance structure is well represented from the moves.

Also, was this a game with press, or no press?
It was a Gunboat game, so no press. I mostly looked at whether a nation was actively attacking, passively waiting to attack, moving away from, or working to help another nation. That was my scale.

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Re: A Diplomystery: Tracking alliance patterns in a game to 1934

#11 Post by flashthompson » Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:25 pm

A_Tin_Can wrote:
Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:12 pm
> I would have predicted an English win based on board position.

Go on....
There was no way that any nation would have gotten into the English seas which means they have a lot of protected builds without many forces needed to guard them.

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