I don't think I've ever been in a game that took so long to do so little.
I drew Russia, my second GB in a row. Last time I'd gotten swamped by a Northern attack from Germany and England, and crushed pretty quickly, so this time I decided to open North instead, with the plan that Austria and Turkey might fight it out a bit before I got involved in the South. Of course, that went right out the window in Spring 01 with Italy's attack on Austria, since from there it was obvious that Italy and Austria would be deadlocked without some outside interference.
NORTH
Clearly, I need to play more as Russia, because the Scandinavian peninsula confounded me to no end. Every round I thought I was making progress against England, we ended up just shuffling around each other, and that probably would have continued forever if not for Germany's patient alliance. I never managed to get Sev free for a build (missed my best shot in Autumn 02) so I was hamstrung the entire time, and with four units tied up in a complex guessing game with Turkey, it was all I could do just to hang on. Finally, I broke through and got to England's home SCs, and with German help finally pushed him back... Just in time to lose Norway to a retreat (I was too relieved to finally be done in Scandinavia, and moved my units out too quickly). The game ended before it could get ugly, but I was on the verge of a slow death I think, with France whittling away my northern SCs and Turkey outlasting me in the south.
SOUTH
My hope was that, after bouncing Turkey and giving him the Black Sea in Fall 01, he'd go after Austria in 02. I even offered him support into Serbia, but instead he decided I was a better target and knocked me out of Rumania. I had to retreat to Budapest to save the build, after what was happening in the north, but vacated as soon as I could for fear of pissing off Austria or (more importantly) emboldening Italy. I could have maybe helped Italy against Austria, but was worried that by the time he was ready to turn against Turkey, that I'd already be history. So, starting in Spring 03, I engaged in the longest guessing game I've ever had. I had enough defense to hold one of two SCs, and Turkey had enough offense to take one, so it was a matter of figuring out where he'd go and trying to stop him. My biggest worry was in '04, with England there. In the Spring I managed to guess correctly and fend off Turkey, but had he wanted to, England could have made things very messy for me by disrupting the standoff around the Black Sea and letting Turkey do his work for him. Again in 05 I got knocked out, this time choosing not to step on Budapest (again, for fear of breaking what was now a years-long standoff between Austria and Italy), but I was amused that in 06 it was Turkey's turn to retreat there. Autumn 06 I had the chance to retreat to Serbia, and nearly did before I realized Austria would be retreating there anyway. And, again, the game ended with me in a precarious position.
I'm curious, having played it a few times and seen it several more -- what's the key to Scandinavia as Russia? I see it happen in games all the time, where Russia and England get into a dance in Scandinavia that just takes up time and energy and doesn't tend to go anywhere until a third party joins in somehow. Any really obviously horrible tactical blunders I could correct?
Again, entertaining game all. I've never seen such an even, stable standoff across the whole map before.
)
Diablo...is making me sad....
)
)