Well, I suppose I should prepare an EOG statement, considering my defeat. I started this game excessively disappointed at getting Austria. Austria is a fun country to play, but only if you can talk. In gunboat, I’d have to say it’s probably one of the worst.
In Spring of 1901, I took a chance, hoping that Italy would stay off my back, and hopefully work with me at least to Turkey’s defeat, if not to the endgame. Of course, their moves made that nearly impossible. I had an interesting choice at that point. Try to take Greece, or pull back and re-group. I figured that a few, clustered centers were probably far easier to defend than a long string of centers with possible enemies on all sides. I also believed that, with an aggressive Germany, Russia would hopefully keep their distance. Hence my moves in the Fall of ’01. I had hoped that Turkey would try for Greece, thereby opening Serbia for Italy’s retreat and practically forcing them into war with Turkey. That hope did not come to fruition, and the situation was pretty dire.
1902 was probably my best year. Turkey was holding off from smiting me, Italy failed to take Trieste, and I was in control of the Adriatic. The “guess” in the fall was not so much of a guess as “if I lose Trieste, at least I get Venice.” The Russian incursion was offset by the Turkish betrayal. Everything was running, if not smoothly, then at least bearably. 1903 led to an interesting choice for me. I could keep holding Italy off using the same pattern as before. However, eventually they would have begun varying their moves, and eventually, I would guess wrong. Taking Venice would have been small consolation, as it would have been re-taken shortly after, with no-where to retreat to. So, I decided to go on the offensive. Give up Trieste, and move on Naples. I hoped that Italy would enter basically the same set of moves, specifically with the Ionian tapping the Adriatic. They complied wonderfully. Hence I had Naples, but I also found myself with only two other centers, both bordered by my enemy. They were basically stuck there until Italy and I could make up, which happened soon after.
Turkey’s stab on Italy offered a new means for my survival. I knew the Turk was not to be trusted, so instead, a helpful hand should be offered to Italy. I signaled my intentions by not attempting to re-take Trieste, and by offering support into the Ionian with Naples. Italy didn’t take me up on that offer, but I think they got the message. Fall of 1904 showed Italy shifting focus against the new enemy. However, as happens with gunboats, miscommunication abounded. We simply could not effectively co-ordinate our efforts against Turkey. My support to Greece was torn apart by Italy’s own move to Serbia, thereby giving the Turk another center.
After that failure, with France moving in the western Mediterranean I decided that it would be a good time to strike at the Turkish homeland, before he could effectively draw up a concrete line of battle. I abandoned the mainland, striking futilely at Turkey, and sailed into the Easter Medd. From that point on, my goal was to be useful to France, as you generally speaking don’t kill that which is useful to you. I figured (correctly) that I was at his mercy and he could destroy me at any time. I also figured that he would find a fleet in the Eastern Medd. under friendly control far more useful than a feet of his own in Marseilles. It appears I was slightly wrong on that point, but I really don’t see what else I could have done.
I’d like to thank the commentators for their job of keeping this game interesting, and a hearty congratulations to those players still remaining. Good luck to all of you, and may the best player win!
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SoW2 Commentary
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