Missed opportunities

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Brinbino
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Missed opportunities

#1 Post by Brinbino » Sat Oct 31, 2020 7:54 am

I recently finished up a game as Germany which came to a draw but which I'm sure I could have won. The problem is that however I played out the game in my head, I couldn't make it work, so I chickened out and played it safe..

https://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=322994

What am I missing, if anyone has thoughts, I am extremely interested
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President Eden
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Re: Missed opportunities

#2 Post by President Eden » Sat Oct 31, 2020 8:27 am

I think 1908 was the year personally. I only skimmed the press from around that point in time, but it seems France was very frustrated with England and willing to harass England with each unit left. You got a fleet build in, and going into the fall had guaranteed captures of Brest (with French assistance to cut support) and North Sea (on your own power). Turkey ended up backstabbing Austria that same turn. Had you taken Brest, you'd have gotten a second army build, and sending them both east would let you protect Warsaw from the English armies left in the area. (Moscow would have been a tough ask given that Turkey was in position to protect it. But Warsaw you had, and could plausibly reclaim.) Turkey would need to spend valuable time mopping up Austria, and you could possibly recruit France to stave off Turkey if France was that interested in throwing to you to spite England.

It would have been difficult - public press is particularly hard to win because everyone in the coalition to stop you can see everything you're saying to bait individual members to throw, and counter it - but that was the window. Choosing to put England back into North Sea, choosing to cripple France beyond all utility to you instead of taking Brest, those choices gave England the breathing room to shut down your solo attempt.

You still got a great result so don't beat yourself up about the missed opportunity, but that was it. Germany is a particularly exciting country when it comes time to solo, because everyone is in striking distance of you, and because you're often having to clean up raider units and isolated holdout centers while pressing past a major stalemate line. You need nerves of steel to win with Germany because after a certain point you're under duress from everybody. Bury your targets when you have the chance and say whatever it takes to recruit any help from disaffected players.

Good performance!
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Brinbino
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Re: Missed opportunities

#3 Post by Brinbino » Sun Nov 01, 2020 3:59 pm

Thanks for the analysis. I probably misrepresented myself in my initial post, I am happy with the result and figured a public press game would be more difficult to score a solo victory given everyone has all the information. The fact that the game has been stuck in my head for the last few days just suggests to me that maybe I could do better, or at least learn something from the experience.

It was around 1908 that I started seriously thinking it was possible, so perhaps I need to hone my senses a little, so that I can put myself in a better position before the crucial turn. I also agree, nerves of steel would have been a useful. I tried to be relatively personable throughout, and if I had been a little more hard nosed about the game I could have taken the North Sea, and caused some serious problems for England.

We live and learn. Thanks again

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