Not only did we start without any CDs, but everybody played very quickly. A joy to behold.

I played Turkey and managed to get two fleets out just when everybody realized that Italy was an uber-noob. I took Rome, Naples and Tunis. In my complacency, I forgot that fleets aren't very flexible in Italy, which Austria used to the full advantage. Having made a truce with Russia against my threat, which did seem big at the time, Austria started a long game of chess in the Balkans that lasted almost until the end...

In the meantime, the northern and western theaters had their own share of drama. England and France struck it off immediately, ganging up on Germany. It seemed that France was the dominant partner, and as soon as he got the chance, he went for the British Isles. When French fleets entered Liverpool and Wales, everybody crossed out England.

However, relying on his safe German and Scandinavian holdings, England methodically came back, retaking his centers one by one. The southern gang, including me, was slow to realize what was going on. I took the Iberian Peninsula from an already weakening France, but since I was bogged down in the Mediterranean, I couldn't hold them. Perhaps the biggest crime was made by Austria, which supported England to Spain against me when England already had 13 centers.

Anyway, when the Balkans finally started cooperating, it was too late, as usual. England, played by SplitDiplomat, thrashed us real good.

I had a chance until turkey attacked me, even then i tried to slow down england...

You pointed out excatly the key of this game Stress - Turk's attack on France gave me the solo here,I didn't play so well the game but Zmaj was my other account,thanks Zmaj!

Zmaj- I was weakening when you took 2 of my centers in a year...

the biggest crime was me supporting england? England probably woudl have never made it to spain, if you had not stabbed france.

I simply decided to help finish what you started.. I knew I had little chance of unlocking from you in the balkans, so I guess if you wanted Engalnd to win, I was going to go along withe the game plan...lol

yes, your fleets in Italy, allowed me to play havoc with 1 army there for a while. I never got the chance I wanted to get 2 armies into italy with the fleet, because Russia refused to help me support romania, no matter HOW MANY TIMES I supported warsaw to ukraine.

Yeah, Russia was a prick. But I really enjoyed our little games in the Balkans. We were being very clever with limited resources, it's a pity England came with its big boots.

I'm with Stress, he seems to have covered all of the points...

Zmaj, italy was a tool. As soon as he built that 3rd army, I knew you would get 3 of his centers quick like.

Not only THAT, but I had to fight him off in the north his 3 vs my 2 and hold serbia and budapest.

Thankfully, he tried to run all 3 armies up at the same time, and I knocked him out of tyrolia, causing him much pain and suffering, and I did get venice out of the war, which I thought was not much since I did all the heavy lifting...lol

our war in the balkans was fun. When i warpped that army around into albania, to flank greece, I had to guess right on the attack after that.

Also, destroying my fleet very early, gave me some internal fortitude, to support more inside, and fight italy.

however, most important was that there were no CDs or NMRs of any real notice. Very rare game indeed.

Congrats SD>

Yeah, Austria and Turkey were certainly taking their time in the Balkans... jklol

achilles, hard for Austria to unlock from turkey down there. Really, it was all I could do to keep him off me.

Stupid italy...wtf I hate when italy starts like that.. I really do. When I am italy I NEVER start like that. Support trieste, move to apulia. Austria is your ONLY buffer between Russia and turkey. He has some chance if he knows you are not going to punt him in the a$$.

Actually zmaj, if you recall, I solo'd with Italy alst night, but Asutria came after ME on the first turn...lol

I have some rotten luck with the idiots.

@Stress,I know, i was joking...

i know you were. It was just such a shocking move to hit you. I thought for sure this game was going to a 4 way.

Stressed, have you seen the openings collected by Vaft? That attack on Austria (it's called Obrioni, I think) is by far the most popular Italian opening. Go figure.

rap is also popular, does it mean it is good?

in Gunboat, I think its a terrible opening. maybe in regular Dip, it might be okay, but for italy, I think they need austria around longer.

for me, zmaj, when Italy opens like that, then I am going to throw EVERYTHING at him. If I lose, I want him to lose and learn his lesson. In this case, italy lost, England won. hs destroys also sucked a lot...lol I was hoping for a venice destroy, as a reward for kicking him around in the north, but I did not get it..lol

Yeah, but as you or somebody else said yesterday, Lepanto is a no-future strategy for Italy. Even if everything goes well, he regulary ends up with 2 or 3 SCs less than Austria around 1904-1905, praying that Austria doesn't start feeling strong enough to stab him. I wonder what Italy can really do in this game without a lucky setup.

lepanto is also somewhat thankless, but in that scenario, I still have a small border to defend against austria, and the buisl i get from Turkey should help me defend said border, and give me SOME chance.

If it goes well, and I get all of turkey and tunis of course, I have 7 SCs. Austria gets the balkans, he also has 7. I will probably be fleet heavy (4 armies and 3 fleets, or 4 fleets and 3 armies. I lean towards the 2nd one.) one Army in armenia to hold serve, 1 fleet in constan. 2 armies on the austria border. leaves me with 3 fleets to get a little more interesting with.

Sure, nto the best situation, BUT, I would rather have 7 SCs to work with than the usual 4 or 5.

Lol, Stressed, I just remembered you played as Italy yesterday and kicked my incompetent Russian ass. Still, I hope I don't play Italy next time. Well, it's a good feeling, playing such an exciting game after that horror on Monday. Good night all.

I was watching that game off and on and I was amazed that Germany and France were building ALL armies for the first wo years. A great way to eventually get stepped on by England. England did end up winning, but it's hard to tell whether the army binge was the reason. France did eventually build a couple fleets.

I thought for sure that Turkey would solo as he was moving on France so early, and F/G/E was such a jumble. But he forgot about that little obstacle called Austria ;-) .

Yeah, i didnt build fleets because my hands were full with germany, I couldn't risk provoking an attack from england.

cpieker, Turkey going to for france so early was a shock to me. Not only was Austria (me) still alive and kicking, but Russia also had not been disposed of.

true, i was no threat to Turkey itself, but I certainly had enough to keep him occupied in the Blakans and italy. He should have used them fleets to put me in the ground (which he could have) or landed 1 army in apulia.to release his fleets in southern italy for western med duty.