BoV is right.
another point to add is that if the austria isnt a complete noob, he will throw everything at you and make sure you dont get anything from it. I know, I do it all the time.

FUCK EVERYONE. IF YOUR ATTACK ON AUSTRIA DOESN"T WORK, STOP AND DO SOMETHING ELSE. DON'T JUST KEEP FIGHTING UNTIL YOU ARE BOTH DEAD. SHIT

I open to Armenia as Turkey almost every time. It's the best move for Turkey.

And if the attack doesn't work, yeah, I'll back off.

Everything that uclabb wrote is right down the line with how I play. On the other hand, I pretty much disagree with everything bo_sox's wrote. I do not believe the crusher is the best move, and I'm pretty good at ripping Austria apart as Italy. Biding your time allows for more flexibility. I'm also not a fan of the anti-Russian opening as Turkey.

Well thank you.. I'll take this opportunity (since I'll never get it again) to say we're nearly equal in points so, per the dumb scoring system on this site, I am nearly as smart as you. HAAAAAA

Who's bo_sox's? Is he new?

Yeah, there's a reason for it.

I'm gonna agree with Barn3tt and uclabb on this one. I don't play much gunboat, but when I do, I seem to be Austria about half of the time, and nothing pisses me off more than a stupid Italy. It's pretty easy to counter that 1901 stab, and I've come out on top of the situation more times than the stabbing Italy (though usually we just both die).

I've been Austria three times today, and Italy twice (and that's it, except for Turkey once! So much for variety). I will post a summary when my last game ends.

FUCK TURKEY and FRANCE when they let Russia win while ITALY tries to set up a stalemate. Will comment more when I win as Russia

You were not that bad Czech... Definitely my least bad offender of the day... Having said that, all you did was launch the juggernaut.

Crusher again... resolved in zero (ZERO) austrian SCs to Italy, because - obviously - Turkey didn't attack Russia....

what game are yo talking about. BOV? Czech's game didn't have a Crusher

You guys are acting like someone said the crusher is a guaranteed win for Italy… I've never done shit as Italy without using it, so I use it. I'm sure there'll be a game where it doesn't work.

As someone who was busy popularizing the Crusher while most of its fans here were still in their webDip diapers...

The Crusher only works in press or against an Austria that at best made a severe miscalculation and at worst is outright grossly incompetent. It is completely illogical not to play a strong defense against Italy as Austria in a gunboat, moreso when you know the Crusher is in vogue. If I'm Austria in a gunboat, there is no reason on Earth not to play the Southern Hedgehog... and should Austria do that the Crusher is completely neutered right there. Done. Cooked. What are you going to do, support yourself into Venice? Then Austria moves into Adriatic Sea and builds A Tri (or moves Vie -> Tri and builds A Vie). Now Austria's better lined up against you than you are against him.

uclabb is completely right about it. 2ndWhiteLine made a really convincing discussion point a while back in saying that Italy was going to have to take down Austria to win, and that an Austria that gets going in GB (i.e. 7-8 centers) is really hard to stop. I think if Italy's going to win, it will have to strike when Austria is still down at about 5-6 centers - but striking in 1901 just seals your fate.

There are many games where it doesn't work. That's why Italy SHOULD wait a year or so until an ACTUAL opening in Austria happens, and be ready en it does.

I wholeheartedly agree with PE.

game links, achillies? I rarely see it fail (the main times I see it when Germany interferes in 1901 with the Munich army

Sorry FD, here it is (I was sure Czech was posting about it, anyway)
gameID=101895

BOV, you clearly do not understand what the Crusher is....

^

Oh, sorry, no crusher... shame on me

that was the most basic attack form on Austria you can do, the Crusher is more effective than that

no, I realized only now. I only recall an Austrian attack.... -_-"

FD, leaving aside my Alzheimer, every single time I see Italy attacking Austria with a Boh crusher I see Turkey spreading in Med and Greece/Serbia. Always. I'll try to provide links....

There are defenses to the crusher, but to say it's a horrible play is downright stupid because it obviously works at least sometimes. The lepanto play absolutely sucks and playing I/A results in either Austria getting killed and you getting nothing or Austria getting big and you getting nothing.

From what I've seen and played against crusher a few times it doesn't mean Italain victory only Austrain demise. As Russia and Turkey will play there standard first few rounds and will go for Balkans all the crusher does is kill Austria quick.
After that if Italain player can out guess or Russia/Turkey fight can the benifits of the crusher be seen.

but, with English attacks on Russia getting a lot more common, Russia is less likely to send troops down there

You are right, the crusher works sometimes: When 2 out of 3 of Russia, Austria, and Turkey are bad players. That is the only time.