AAR/EOG - Newbie Grind
Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2019 4:46 am
This was my first game on this site - I like a lot of the features compared to the older version of phpDiplomacy that runs on Facebook. I probably shouldn't have joined a 24-hour turn length game, but oh well. I've played a score of games online through FB (all classic, a mix of normal & gunboat), once live, and once via email. (Side note:the live game and the email game were for a college paper on communication.)
I honestly wasn't thrilled with drawing Turkey, as that was who I played in my last game. I've only played the yellow pieces twice before (the first was a total train wreck in the live game mentioned above) but hey, learning experience, right?
Initial messages to everyone were pretty friendly... light messages to the western powers... I don't think I initially promised anything to anyone, other than trying agreeing to an R/T in a way that wasn't *really* agreeing to an R/T, just in case I wanted an out. I think Italy also wanted to attack Austria, but I can't remember for certain. Russia and I did agree to bounce in BLA.
Post Spring 1901 - Turkey's standard boring moves. I didn't want to attack R right from the outset. Russia moved on Austria who left Galicia open in order to try for Greece. Italy made kind-of Lepanto moves, I was a little worried about that. The big surprise was England's move to the channel and France's opening moves which were unusual. At this point, Russia suggested a split of Rum/Bud/Vie & Gre/Ser/Tri/Bul. I said that sounded good, but I played passively since Gre or Rum weren't really options. Curious to see what happens with Gal...
Post Autumn 1901 - Nothing truly unexpected happens here - Russia guesses "correctly" and gets into Vie, but gets bounced out of Bud - and guess where Austria's going to build? Vie is indefensible in the spring. France saves Brest, but only gets one, as do England, Italy, and I. Germany and Russia both get 3 and Russia can't build in Sev, so that's good. Curious to see what Italy builds. I'm building a fleet in Smy, bound for the Aegean for leverage on Greece and against a Lepanto if needed.
Post Winter 1901 - OK, well, Germany builds some east-side armies and those ought to be a little frightening to Russia... he builds two armies in the middle and a fleet on NC St.P, which might have possibilities with Norway being vulnerable. Italy built fleet Rome, which means that he can't be in TYS and ION after the Spring 02 moves... going towards France, perhaps? I ask Russia to let me into BLA to use the fleet to help defend Bulgaria from Austria and he isn't cool with that... so we plan to bounce again. I don't remember if I said anything useful to Austra or Italy at this point.
Post Spring 1902 - Smy to AEG with no issue. Italy just moves to TYS, so that's very non-threatening. I don't remember if this is where I sussed out the E/G alliance or if I'd heard before this. Russia could have moved Swe->Nwy supported by St.P., but I'm not sure it would have mattered as there would have been three E/G units on Norway after the fact anyway. Germany makes some aggressive moves towards Russia and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I want Russia to not do to great in the north if I do want to attack him some day. France is doing OK but he's not getting Por which is tough, he needs another build. Russia wants to focus on the north (I think he should have abandoned St.P and clogged the middle of the board) and says I can move to BLA... I think Austria is going to be occupied and so I take the risk of angering him and try for Greece.
Post Autumn 1902 - Greece captured. In BLA. Russia's moves are, in my humble opinion, not good - maybe I should have made some suggestions here. Germany's move to Livonia is well played and he's guaranteed Moscow next turn. G also gets into Gascony, which is a nice place for him to be. G is at 7 and E is only at 4 - I think it was at this point I started trying to get E to attack G... it didn't work. At this point, E, G, and A all try to persuade me to attack Russia. I tell each of them (well, maybe not A, I don't remember) that something is coming but I do not directly state that I'm attacking Russia... build is another Army Con for back-fill. I think Russia is toast and I want to get Rum/Sev before A or G do. I think G made a statement to me about not caring about what happened to Austria here, that was interesting.
Post Winter 1902 - Well, army build for me and army build for Germany. Russia removes Gal and Sev (I would have gotten rid of Sev and Bot?) and I'm planning on taking Rum... Russia drops out of the game. New Russia shows up and makes a statement about continuing our alliance, which I don't acknowledge and ask him about his moves. I ask France if a strike on Munich is in the works but I'm doubtful.
Post Spring 1903 - Nothing going on with Munich. I take Rum, send Russia an apology and that's the last either of us communicate with each other. G takes Mos as expected, which is actually probably a bad thing for me. Don't remember what I said to A or I at this point, save that I is headed to participate in the dismembering of France, which means he's not bothering me but he's going to get some more units soon. I think about Serbia, then decide to just defend everything and try to move to Sev with the fleet to cut any support of the expected Sev S Gal -> Rum, but I wouldn't be surprised at Sev->Arm, either.
Post Autumn 1903 - ...and that's what happens and my fleet waltzes into Sev and I get two builds. I don't particularly like the fleet there, but oh well. E gets 1, G gets 1, I gets one but he lost a unit so he builds 2. G still the board leader at 8. Austria's moves are surprising as he does not support into Serbia... I could have taken it, but I'm not sure I should have. Austria's move to ION is a pain, maybe I should have moved AEG->ION. Builds will be F Smy and A Ank, mostly to get rid of that last pesky Russian unit. Ank will plan on rotating up to Sev at some point.
Post Winter 1903 - Well, nothing shocking there. OK, now what? Hit Arm with Ank, Smy has to hold to block a retreat. That's annoying. Russia will lose Warsaw by the end of 1904 but I have to prevent anything happening before then. I decide to not try for anything Austrian and come up with a set of moves that is actively defensive (as opposed to just support holds). Just deal with Russia.
Post Spring 1904 - England still hasn't made any progress in France - France is single-mindedly defending against him... France should be making the same overtures to E that I was earlier... with G at 8 and soon to be 9 to England's 5, maybe F could have patched things up and convinced E to turn. Maybe not. Immediately after the turn I tell A that my moves were defensive... I think his were too (tap my two outer units but support Greece?) but I don't think the Austrian at that time said anything about it. This is where I warned Austria about Germany - G made some great moves and now A is in trouble. I wanted A to turn around - I would have then had to make a decision about defending A or trying to move in behind him... I wasn't sure. I struggle with deciding what to do here but I again, play probably too passive and just defend.
Post Autumn 1904 - Austria does nothing but a useless attempt at Greece. I could have taken Serbia, again. Probably should have. I send Austria a message that he should have listened to me and get no response... no builds for me this year. G gets only 1 due to an arranged swap w/ England. Italy rightly covers Ven and gets a build. France is holding on.
Post Winter 1904 - More armies for E, G, and I. Russia is gone. I think this is where the 4th Austria joins up and is committed to defending against A. I agree, and it sounds like Italy is on board. I think G is going to move to Ukraine this turn, which I don't like. I should have bounced him, instead, at Austria's request I used Rum to tap Gal, which didn't matter.
Post Spring 1905 - Yes, A gets Trieste back and since Italy gets into Tyo and Ven, a Tri is destroyed. Germany does get into Ukr, which coupled with his unit in Gal is really annoying. Austria makes big suggestions here about A/I/T fighting G and then A/T going after Italy. Austria wants me to move to ION, which I explain Italy and I had DMZ'ed in Autumn of 1902 (couldn't remember when the DMZ was earlier in this post). I think I ask Italy to move to ION and he doesn't like it... I decide to do it anyway. Mostly support holds otherwise, although for some reason (I really don't remember why) I decide not to support Trieste from Alb... and then the turn deadline comes and goes without a chance to change my mind. Germany says he doesn't want to attack me.
Post Autumn 1905 - Italy doesn't like the fact that I've moved to ION and wants to know what's going on. England has to retreat to Naf and offers to support me into Tunis. Italy has attacked Austria. I should have seen it coming, but since I didn't support Tri, it falls. Germany gets into Venice and Austria is down to 2. 1 for G and 1 for I this year.
Post Winter 1905 - A fleet in Naples for Italy and another army for G. I claims he wanted to build A Ven but E's fleet in Naf forces his hand. At this point, both Italy and Germany offer to help me against Austria. Germany offers to give me Austria in exchange for my commitment to a E/G/T draw - Italy offers to help me against Austria as well. Austria, after the stab by Italy, tells me my units are to do with as I please. I make the very difficult decision to attack him as even though he could get Trieste back, I think his time is done... so I give Austria a useless suggestion and then accept Italy's support into Serbia, even though I can take it by myself based on Austria's expected moves. I have a feeling Italy's going to push into ION, but as long as I get a build this year it should be OK.
Post Spring 1906 - I get Serbia. Austria is disappointed but takes it much better than I would have expected. I apologize - it really was a hard decision. Both Germany and Italy offer to support me into Bud - it's nice to be loved! England has still not taken a French SC. I believe I accepted help from both Italy and Germany, again committing to the 3-way draw. Italy wants to move to ADR - I don't want him to because it can defend Tri and I'd like it at some point. So this turn it's Rum->Bud, backfill Rum, and hopefully bounce in ADR.
Post Autumn 1906 - There's Budapest and Austria is eliminated two builds for me. England finally gets Bre. Recap - E-7,F-2,G-9,I-7,T-9. I've caught up but I feel horribly vulnerable along the G/T border. I'm going to build A Con, F Smy, although it was originally going to be 2 fleets. This is where I send me a very long message about the state of things and the E/G/T, suggesting I/T vs. G would be more interesting. I have a hard time coming up with an answer because I'm honestly not sure what to do. I think at this point I start thinking about taking a shot at Galicia with Tri->Ven, Sev->Ukr, Rum->Gal S Bud. Then I get a message from I that he's sort of giving up and going to defend Spa/Mar/Tun and moving out of ION. I was so surprised that I wrote back stating that I was worried that meant he and G had come to terms...
Post Winter 1906 - Builds come down. England builds another army, and my army/fleet. Italy says Tri is mine if I want it, so I go ahead and plan on it. I decided, still, to not try for Gal and just take Tri and hope G doesn't try for Rum so I can get Con up to Bul to defend it.
Post Spring 1907 - That all went nicely, Germany did not get Venice and got blocked from moving to Pie. I'm *still* considering taking a shot at Gal but just can't decide if I can profit from it at all, especially since I hear G is getting Paris... Italy says he's moving out of Rome and I can move in. Okay then! I think here G and I agreed I would get Nap/Tri and he would get Ven/Rom.
Post Autumn 1907 - Hitting Gal would have worked (Tri->Vie, Rum->Gal S Bud, Sev->Ukr, Bul->Rum) but again, what after that... Welcome to Naples. France loses Paris to Germany, so G gets a build, but I get two. So now I'm the leader with 11. Builds will probably be fleet and army again.
Post Winter 1907 - Italy loses Venice when he says he meant to lose TYS - if he'd have kept Ven I might have done things differently. In the end, I still avoid attacking G but plan on taking Rome preventing him from taking Ven to give myself time to get units into Alb and Bul to make myself almost impregnable against German attack in Tri/Bud/Rum. I have my apology all ready to go...
...when the German mysteriously disappears and the turn resets. I check the game a few hours later and notice a new Germany has taken over, he wants to continue the 3-way. I see that E/F/G/I have all voted draw. I make one last push at England trying to get him to attack Germany but he doesn't bite, so I agree to the draw as well.
In general, I never really got attacked by anyone - maybe a couple of times by one of the Austrias but even then I wasn't sure if that's what it was... did I really diplome that well? Never feels like it.
Good game everyone!
England - I still think you were too tied to Germany - there were a couple of turns where I would have been severely tempted to attack him if I were you. With the way France was keeping you out it might have been wise to try to renegotiate there. Maybe not, I don't know... were you and Germany initially planning a 17/17 of any sort? I was hoping one of you two would eventually have to turn on the other.
Italy - You really seemed reluctant to attack me most of the game... did you ever really consider it? I did quite enjoy our back and forth. I was on the fence at the end about allying with you against G, but even if I got Mos/War, I still end up more than likely having to move on you in the end.
Germany (original) - As Italy mentioned in the global at one point, I'm very surprised you didn't attack me and I was waiting, turn after turn, for you to hit Rum. I could have turtled against you alone to keep from being eliminated (and I was prepared to at one point) so maybe you felt the gains wouldn't be worth the fuss. Like I said to England, I was really hoping you or he would turn on the other at some point, but I didn't think it was likely.
France (2nd) - About the best you could do with what you had. You mentioned motivations in the global chat - I don't know what messages went back and forth between you and E but you seemed bent on revenge and thus I think missed an opportunity to work something out with E - but then again, maybe E was so committed to G that nothing you could have said would have worked. That being said, I think you did well for facing a tri-pronged attack.
Austria (4th) - Well, that stab in Serbia may rank as the most difficult one I've ever done. Otherwise, again kudos for taking over a difficult position.
Russia (2nd) - You were doomed when you took over the position. If there had been some way to salvage the position I would have considered working with you, but I just didn't see it happening.
Maybe I'll see some of you in another game soon - enjoyed playing with all!
Whew!
I honestly wasn't thrilled with drawing Turkey, as that was who I played in my last game. I've only played the yellow pieces twice before (the first was a total train wreck in the live game mentioned above) but hey, learning experience, right?
Initial messages to everyone were pretty friendly... light messages to the western powers... I don't think I initially promised anything to anyone, other than trying agreeing to an R/T in a way that wasn't *really* agreeing to an R/T, just in case I wanted an out. I think Italy also wanted to attack Austria, but I can't remember for certain. Russia and I did agree to bounce in BLA.
Post Spring 1901 - Turkey's standard boring moves. I didn't want to attack R right from the outset. Russia moved on Austria who left Galicia open in order to try for Greece. Italy made kind-of Lepanto moves, I was a little worried about that. The big surprise was England's move to the channel and France's opening moves which were unusual. At this point, Russia suggested a split of Rum/Bud/Vie & Gre/Ser/Tri/Bul. I said that sounded good, but I played passively since Gre or Rum weren't really options. Curious to see what happens with Gal...
Post Autumn 1901 - Nothing truly unexpected happens here - Russia guesses "correctly" and gets into Vie, but gets bounced out of Bud - and guess where Austria's going to build? Vie is indefensible in the spring. France saves Brest, but only gets one, as do England, Italy, and I. Germany and Russia both get 3 and Russia can't build in Sev, so that's good. Curious to see what Italy builds. I'm building a fleet in Smy, bound for the Aegean for leverage on Greece and against a Lepanto if needed.
Post Winter 1901 - OK, well, Germany builds some east-side armies and those ought to be a little frightening to Russia... he builds two armies in the middle and a fleet on NC St.P, which might have possibilities with Norway being vulnerable. Italy built fleet Rome, which means that he can't be in TYS and ION after the Spring 02 moves... going towards France, perhaps? I ask Russia to let me into BLA to use the fleet to help defend Bulgaria from Austria and he isn't cool with that... so we plan to bounce again. I don't remember if I said anything useful to Austra or Italy at this point.
Post Spring 1902 - Smy to AEG with no issue. Italy just moves to TYS, so that's very non-threatening. I don't remember if this is where I sussed out the E/G alliance or if I'd heard before this. Russia could have moved Swe->Nwy supported by St.P., but I'm not sure it would have mattered as there would have been three E/G units on Norway after the fact anyway. Germany makes some aggressive moves towards Russia and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I want Russia to not do to great in the north if I do want to attack him some day. France is doing OK but he's not getting Por which is tough, he needs another build. Russia wants to focus on the north (I think he should have abandoned St.P and clogged the middle of the board) and says I can move to BLA... I think Austria is going to be occupied and so I take the risk of angering him and try for Greece.
Post Autumn 1902 - Greece captured. In BLA. Russia's moves are, in my humble opinion, not good - maybe I should have made some suggestions here. Germany's move to Livonia is well played and he's guaranteed Moscow next turn. G also gets into Gascony, which is a nice place for him to be. G is at 7 and E is only at 4 - I think it was at this point I started trying to get E to attack G... it didn't work. At this point, E, G, and A all try to persuade me to attack Russia. I tell each of them (well, maybe not A, I don't remember) that something is coming but I do not directly state that I'm attacking Russia... build is another Army Con for back-fill. I think Russia is toast and I want to get Rum/Sev before A or G do. I think G made a statement to me about not caring about what happened to Austria here, that was interesting.
Post Winter 1902 - Well, army build for me and army build for Germany. Russia removes Gal and Sev (I would have gotten rid of Sev and Bot?) and I'm planning on taking Rum... Russia drops out of the game. New Russia shows up and makes a statement about continuing our alliance, which I don't acknowledge and ask him about his moves. I ask France if a strike on Munich is in the works but I'm doubtful.
Post Spring 1903 - Nothing going on with Munich. I take Rum, send Russia an apology and that's the last either of us communicate with each other. G takes Mos as expected, which is actually probably a bad thing for me. Don't remember what I said to A or I at this point, save that I is headed to participate in the dismembering of France, which means he's not bothering me but he's going to get some more units soon. I think about Serbia, then decide to just defend everything and try to move to Sev with the fleet to cut any support of the expected Sev S Gal -> Rum, but I wouldn't be surprised at Sev->Arm, either.
Post Autumn 1903 - ...and that's what happens and my fleet waltzes into Sev and I get two builds. I don't particularly like the fleet there, but oh well. E gets 1, G gets 1, I gets one but he lost a unit so he builds 2. G still the board leader at 8. Austria's moves are surprising as he does not support into Serbia... I could have taken it, but I'm not sure I should have. Austria's move to ION is a pain, maybe I should have moved AEG->ION. Builds will be F Smy and A Ank, mostly to get rid of that last pesky Russian unit. Ank will plan on rotating up to Sev at some point.
Post Winter 1903 - Well, nothing shocking there. OK, now what? Hit Arm with Ank, Smy has to hold to block a retreat. That's annoying. Russia will lose Warsaw by the end of 1904 but I have to prevent anything happening before then. I decide to not try for anything Austrian and come up with a set of moves that is actively defensive (as opposed to just support holds). Just deal with Russia.
Post Spring 1904 - England still hasn't made any progress in France - France is single-mindedly defending against him... France should be making the same overtures to E that I was earlier... with G at 8 and soon to be 9 to England's 5, maybe F could have patched things up and convinced E to turn. Maybe not. Immediately after the turn I tell A that my moves were defensive... I think his were too (tap my two outer units but support Greece?) but I don't think the Austrian at that time said anything about it. This is where I warned Austria about Germany - G made some great moves and now A is in trouble. I wanted A to turn around - I would have then had to make a decision about defending A or trying to move in behind him... I wasn't sure. I struggle with deciding what to do here but I again, play probably too passive and just defend.
Post Autumn 1904 - Austria does nothing but a useless attempt at Greece. I could have taken Serbia, again. Probably should have. I send Austria a message that he should have listened to me and get no response... no builds for me this year. G gets only 1 due to an arranged swap w/ England. Italy rightly covers Ven and gets a build. France is holding on.
Post Winter 1904 - More armies for E, G, and I. Russia is gone. I think this is where the 4th Austria joins up and is committed to defending against A. I agree, and it sounds like Italy is on board. I think G is going to move to Ukraine this turn, which I don't like. I should have bounced him, instead, at Austria's request I used Rum to tap Gal, which didn't matter.
Post Spring 1905 - Yes, A gets Trieste back and since Italy gets into Tyo and Ven, a Tri is destroyed. Germany does get into Ukr, which coupled with his unit in Gal is really annoying. Austria makes big suggestions here about A/I/T fighting G and then A/T going after Italy. Austria wants me to move to ION, which I explain Italy and I had DMZ'ed in Autumn of 1902 (couldn't remember when the DMZ was earlier in this post). I think I ask Italy to move to ION and he doesn't like it... I decide to do it anyway. Mostly support holds otherwise, although for some reason (I really don't remember why) I decide not to support Trieste from Alb... and then the turn deadline comes and goes without a chance to change my mind. Germany says he doesn't want to attack me.
Post Autumn 1905 - Italy doesn't like the fact that I've moved to ION and wants to know what's going on. England has to retreat to Naf and offers to support me into Tunis. Italy has attacked Austria. I should have seen it coming, but since I didn't support Tri, it falls. Germany gets into Venice and Austria is down to 2. 1 for G and 1 for I this year.
Post Winter 1905 - A fleet in Naples for Italy and another army for G. I claims he wanted to build A Ven but E's fleet in Naf forces his hand. At this point, both Italy and Germany offer to help me against Austria. Germany offers to give me Austria in exchange for my commitment to a E/G/T draw - Italy offers to help me against Austria as well. Austria, after the stab by Italy, tells me my units are to do with as I please. I make the very difficult decision to attack him as even though he could get Trieste back, I think his time is done... so I give Austria a useless suggestion and then accept Italy's support into Serbia, even though I can take it by myself based on Austria's expected moves. I have a feeling Italy's going to push into ION, but as long as I get a build this year it should be OK.
Post Spring 1906 - I get Serbia. Austria is disappointed but takes it much better than I would have expected. I apologize - it really was a hard decision. Both Germany and Italy offer to support me into Bud - it's nice to be loved! England has still not taken a French SC. I believe I accepted help from both Italy and Germany, again committing to the 3-way draw. Italy wants to move to ADR - I don't want him to because it can defend Tri and I'd like it at some point. So this turn it's Rum->Bud, backfill Rum, and hopefully bounce in ADR.
Post Autumn 1906 - There's Budapest and Austria is eliminated two builds for me. England finally gets Bre. Recap - E-7,F-2,G-9,I-7,T-9. I've caught up but I feel horribly vulnerable along the G/T border. I'm going to build A Con, F Smy, although it was originally going to be 2 fleets. This is where I send me a very long message about the state of things and the E/G/T, suggesting I/T vs. G would be more interesting. I have a hard time coming up with an answer because I'm honestly not sure what to do. I think at this point I start thinking about taking a shot at Galicia with Tri->Ven, Sev->Ukr, Rum->Gal S Bud. Then I get a message from I that he's sort of giving up and going to defend Spa/Mar/Tun and moving out of ION. I was so surprised that I wrote back stating that I was worried that meant he and G had come to terms...
Post Winter 1906 - Builds come down. England builds another army, and my army/fleet. Italy says Tri is mine if I want it, so I go ahead and plan on it. I decided, still, to not try for Gal and just take Tri and hope G doesn't try for Rum so I can get Con up to Bul to defend it.
Post Spring 1907 - That all went nicely, Germany did not get Venice and got blocked from moving to Pie. I'm *still* considering taking a shot at Gal but just can't decide if I can profit from it at all, especially since I hear G is getting Paris... Italy says he's moving out of Rome and I can move in. Okay then! I think here G and I agreed I would get Nap/Tri and he would get Ven/Rom.
Post Autumn 1907 - Hitting Gal would have worked (Tri->Vie, Rum->Gal S Bud, Sev->Ukr, Bul->Rum) but again, what after that... Welcome to Naples. France loses Paris to Germany, so G gets a build, but I get two. So now I'm the leader with 11. Builds will probably be fleet and army again.
Post Winter 1907 - Italy loses Venice when he says he meant to lose TYS - if he'd have kept Ven I might have done things differently. In the end, I still avoid attacking G but plan on taking Rome preventing him from taking Ven to give myself time to get units into Alb and Bul to make myself almost impregnable against German attack in Tri/Bud/Rum. I have my apology all ready to go...
...when the German mysteriously disappears and the turn resets. I check the game a few hours later and notice a new Germany has taken over, he wants to continue the 3-way. I see that E/F/G/I have all voted draw. I make one last push at England trying to get him to attack Germany but he doesn't bite, so I agree to the draw as well.
In general, I never really got attacked by anyone - maybe a couple of times by one of the Austrias but even then I wasn't sure if that's what it was... did I really diplome that well? Never feels like it.
Good game everyone!
England - I still think you were too tied to Germany - there were a couple of turns where I would have been severely tempted to attack him if I were you. With the way France was keeping you out it might have been wise to try to renegotiate there. Maybe not, I don't know... were you and Germany initially planning a 17/17 of any sort? I was hoping one of you two would eventually have to turn on the other.
Italy - You really seemed reluctant to attack me most of the game... did you ever really consider it? I did quite enjoy our back and forth. I was on the fence at the end about allying with you against G, but even if I got Mos/War, I still end up more than likely having to move on you in the end.
Germany (original) - As Italy mentioned in the global at one point, I'm very surprised you didn't attack me and I was waiting, turn after turn, for you to hit Rum. I could have turtled against you alone to keep from being eliminated (and I was prepared to at one point) so maybe you felt the gains wouldn't be worth the fuss. Like I said to England, I was really hoping you or he would turn on the other at some point, but I didn't think it was likely.
France (2nd) - About the best you could do with what you had. You mentioned motivations in the global chat - I don't know what messages went back and forth between you and E but you seemed bent on revenge and thus I think missed an opportunity to work something out with E - but then again, maybe E was so committed to G that nothing you could have said would have worked. That being said, I think you did well for facing a tri-pronged attack.
Austria (4th) - Well, that stab in Serbia may rank as the most difficult one I've ever done. Otherwise, again kudos for taking over a difficult position.
Russia (2nd) - You were doomed when you took over the position. If there had been some way to salvage the position I would have considered working with you, but I just didn't see it happening.
Maybe I'll see some of you in another game soon - enjoyed playing with all!
Whew!