Fall 1902 – Things Become (Pretty) Clear
As typically happens during the second half of 1902, the game’s major alliances have been revealed. 1901 is a year for feeling out your fellow players (both in the press and by watching their moves). By Fall 1902 you’ve had a fair amount of time to press with people and so you ought to have a good feel for each of the players. You’ve had three movement phases and a build phase to see how people are going to act. Now it’s time to go to work.
That work got off to a good start in some sphere and not so much in others. Let’s take a look around the map to see how things are shaping up as we’re considering what to build.
AUSTRIA: The failed stab of this Spring has really thrown your strategy for a loop. This season you faced the difficult question “Do I keep pushing it or do I beg forgiveness and go another route?” From the looks of things you chose the 2nd option. At this point it’s too early to know how that will turn out for you. Italy helped you against BUL, which is good, but he also backed away from Turkey, which is not so good. You should be concerned about the German army in TYR (though perhaps not as concerned as Italy). You are going to have to work out some sort of alliance with someone soon, whether it’s Italy or someone else is irrelevant, or you’ll find yourself very lonely in 1903. And that’s a very bad thing. No build.
ENGLAND: Speaking of loneliness, all I can say is “I’ve been there and I’m sorry.” Well, that and “Why didn’t LON support hold in NTH, too?!” If LON had supported the NTH hold you wouldn’t have lost that sea and you’d be in a much better position. Still not a GOOD position, but hey one thing at a time. 1903 is going to be a very difficult year for you (possibly your last year if you don’t play your press and tactics right). Look for a friend. Although they may not see it, you would make a good ally for one of your neighbors if they’re looking to stab someone else early. Press. Press. Press. No build.
FRANCE: Dyager suggested that perhaps that you were drunk when submitting orders (not that I can judge – I’ve been there) and at first I was also confused. The more I looked, however, the more sense your movements became. This is how I read it – you made the push to move against England (as I assumed you would given your build from 1901) but Italy’s move to PIE and threw a wrench into things. Regardless of press, you didn’t feel MAR was safe, so you covered it. MAO had to take POR. The move to IRI was a good one given your anti-English campaign. And the GAS move tells me you want to push armies towards Italy soon.
Ultimately, I like your moves. You can easily take LVP next year and will probably hold it. You’ll have a hard time squeezing armies through PIE but you have an ally with a unit in TYR, so that will help. It’s too bad you weren’t sure MAR would be safe. Otherwise you could have taken POR from SPA, moved MAO to SPA(sc), and left MAR open for a build. Oh, well. I’m guessing you’ll put out another fleet.
GERMANY: If England’s problem is not enough friends, yours may be too many. You’ve done well so far to make friends out of France and Russia. That will likely get you the bigger share of English centers. But after that, where do you go? Do those fleets sit idle in England, or do they move against Scandinavia or northern France? Something that you (and your allies) should probably be thinking about. Also, I like the move to TYR. You are in position to take English territory without too much fuss. That army in TYR gives you a foothold against your next target – either Italy or Austria. Though, given your ally France’s moves, I’d venture to guess Italy has more to be worried about. I’d guess army over fleet. Not sure where. MUN probably.
ITALY: Like France, another curious set of moves at first glance. You support Austria towards BUL after his stab, but you also remove your fleets from the fight in the East. Then I put myself in your shoes. Austria just stabbed you and he has a fleet that can move into ION. You need to pick up TUN to assure yourself a build but you can’t risk vacating and letting Austria in. Hence the move back to ION. The move back from PIE to VEN was likewise defensive, not some sign of a new-found peace with France I think. Probably the same thing I would have done. It’s tough when your Fall moves simply undo everything you did in the Spring, but at least you’ll get a build out of it. Hard to say what that build will be. A fleet might be nice but may not be practical given the armies likely to head towards your peninsula soon.
RUSSIA: The more time I’ve had to look at it, the more I have really liked your opening two years. You secured yourself 2/3 of Scandinavia and got yourself RUM without getting yourself steeped in a brawl over the rest of the Balkans. You have a friend in Germany and don’t have an enemy in Austria. You’re free to choose your own adventure. Austria and Italy would do well to note that you tried to support Turkey into SER. That might turn some heads and may need to factor into your build. Your build is the one that I’m most interested to see. I expect an army in MOS and I expect it to move anti-Austria.
TURKEY: You had the unenviable task of stopping the Key attack and you did very well. I like a good aggressive defense. Good to see you garnering Russian support for your movement. He would be a good friend to keep. The move to AEG was necessary to cut possible support from there. Gaining access to that sea is a bonus. No build for you but I’d say things are looking up.
I look forward to seeing the builds. I hope I was right on a few of them (and I hope I was WAY wrong on a few – keeps things interesting).
I'm thinking of setting up a new passworded game
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