gameID=80847

England EoG Part 1

Pre-Game: So, shortly after I achieved my first Classic WTA solo, Grand Duke Feodor opened signups for a variety of Classic game that is relatively rare amongst high-end players: a non-anon PPSC! Several highly talented players joined, and as I was rising in the GR ranks I managed to get myself on the list as well. What an opportunity!

I draw England, my second game as said nation. The first had ended as a Survive after a ERT triple concluded with Turkey CDing and Russia stabbing me for the win. I knew I was up against significantly stronger players this time, however, so I took any lessons from the prior game with a grain of salt.

I decide that my first priority will be minimizing the number of hostile fleets in the north. This entails the capture or pacification of Brest, StP, Kiel, and Berlin. I need to ensure that these centers fall, either to myself or others, or else produce few, if any, fleets.

Spring 1901

Grand Duke Feodor, as Russia, immediately contacts me and states his intention to move south. I also receive a very friendly message from Austria, who flatters me a bit and suggests that exchange information and coordinate our diplomacy. His suggested course of action is pro-German and anti-Russian, which does not surprise me much. I heartily accept his offer of coordination, and suggest that he feint a CPA until the opportunity arises for us to work openly together. He seems interested in a CPA, and I hope that he can get France and Italy fighting.

That leaves starting a war between Russia and Germany. With Russia, I try a fairly blunt approach, offering him Norway if he opens to Silesia. While I await his response, I begin communications with Germany. He comes across as flexible, both toward who we fight and the fate of Belgium. He seems to be leaning toward attacking Russia first, which I actually don't prefer because I would rather the Russians strike first, hopefully at the same time that Germany infuriates the French. I propose moves to the Channel and Burgundy and wait to see how he'll respond.

I then message France, inquiring as to his opinion regarding Belgium, the Channel, and Burgundy. Already I'm leaning a bit toward siding with Germany, as we've exchanged several messages, but I know that info is gold and I need to keep my options open.

I also reach out to Turkey and Italy for info, though I don't get much of use.

And then, Grand Duke Feodor gets banned.

Miraculously, the game manages to not implode, and MadMarx of all people becomes the replacement Russia! He expresses interest in Norway, but not in 1901. Since that was sort of the point, I push the matter, and ultimately settle with me giving him Norway in 1901 in exchange for him bouncing Galicia in the spring and occupying Silesia in the fall. I plan my opening accordingly, which ends up backfiring because Russia gets cold feet during the final hours of the turn, and I'm not online to ease his final concerns (or so he tells me).

Anyhow, while I'm negotiating with Russia, I finally start talking with France. It doesn't start off well, as my proposal to move to the Channel to assist against Germany leads to France declaring that he now _must_ move to the Channel for fear that I will occupy it. There is an undertone of hostility in our early exchange, which leads me to put all the more effort into talking Russia into taking Norway and Germany into taking Burgundy. France expressing an interest in Belgium, which of course is my main hope for a center if I give up Norway, just seals the deal.

Regardless, I respond in full to France's messages and try to appear sympathetic. While my plan is to create early conflict between Germany and France while forging a strong Russia that will force German army builds and make me an essential ally, I know full well that it might not work, and don't want to burn any bridges.

I also suspect that France will soon be changing his tone, as his fate looks grim. Germany says he'll move to Burgundy, while Italy, Austria, and Turkey all inform me of Ven-Pie.

I ultimately open Lon-Eng (not bounced, to my great surprise!), Edi-Nth, and Liv-Yor. Germany and Italy both move against France, though the French support themselves into Burgundy. The bad news is that Russia opens south, meaning that I must either pull back a unit from my French attack or settle for a vacant Norway.

Fall 1901

Austria and Turkey both suggest that I go for Brest and Belgium, which I seriously consider. Taking Brest would be great, but if France bounces me then he might build a fleet in my face. There is no guarantee that Germany and Italy will follow through, after all, and with Russia having let me down the elimination of France is less appealing.

I do a lot of talking this season, but while the conversations remain friendly I am unable to attain too much valuable information. Germany and Italy also seem to have lost their enthusiasm for attacking France, and for a while I contemplate encouraging Germany to make peace with France and focus on Russia instead. I ultimately decide, however, that France and Germany really should be in conflict, so I continue painting France as a threat and myself as not-so-threatening.

For my moves, I want to make myself a clearly valuable ally against a strong France. To this end, I convoy an army to Belgium while taking MAO with my fleet. I am gambling that Germany and Russia will, at worst, see how entangled I am in France and let the two of us go at it while they move elsewhere, preferably against each other.

The revealed moves see France get two builds, Turkey taking Rumania (but not Black!), and Germany allowing the Russians into Sweden.

Spring 1902

While France growing strong was acceptable, German and Russian friendship was not. Russia then requests Norway, which does little to ease my suspicions. I negotiate leaving it vacant in the spring, hoping that he will be too concerned with the south to break such an agreement.

On the subject of the southeast, I spread a lot of suspicion throughout the entire region, not interested so much in who is fighting who so long as none of them trust each other. I lean toward Austria stabbing Turkey, though, which would strengthen one of my more reliable allies while creating a strong nation at the rear of Germany and Russia. I also of course push for continued Italian aggression against France, which will ensure that they remain occupied as well.

My faith in Italy and Germany is rewarded by a push into France, with the Germans taking Burgundy. I lose MAO, but I expect to get it back. Austria, whom I remain in frequent contact with and I suspect will be a late-game ally, stabs Turkey and looks to be a rising power. Russia, alas, lets me down and sails into Norway.

Fall 1902

Russia's move considerably undermines my trust in him, and his justifications don't help matters. He talks about his own security, but fails to acknowledge that his move undermines my security just as much as the move he was supposedly countering would have undermined his. That he hadn't communicated his concerns to me until after the fact makes me question how seriously he is taking our friendship. I conclude that I can't rely on him, though I try to stay amiable enough in my communications.

Germany seems far more reliable. He has worked with me against France like clockwork, and only has a single fleet. France warns me that I am about to be stabbed, but I consider it unlikely. As I see things, working with Russia against me would benefit the Russians more than the Germans, and I've been a loyal ally who is tying up most of France's forces and isn't growing out of control. Why in the world would Germany stab me in such a position?

Meanwhile, my goal of occupying Brest is almost within my grasp. I order a move to Picardy, and Italy promises me assistance in retaking MAO.

France continues to warn me of my impending doom, but I shrug him off. My confidence is rewarded by a German stab, and possibly an Italian one as well, as he fails to support me into MAO. Meanwhile, Austria and Russia continue working together against Turkey, which does not surprise me.

My mind is absolutely blown by Germany's stab. Not only did I think, and still think, that he could have timed it better, but he leaves Holland open for my fleet to retreat into. Furthermore, he makes no overtures to France, supporting the Italians into Marseilles, which basically guarantees that France and I are going to become best friends (me failing to take MAO helps).

The first major decision I need to make is whether to retreat to Holland for no net loss, or retreat to Edinburgh to stall the German invasion. I spend the Retreat phase re-examining the state of the board and my relations with the other players, and my findings aren't promising. Austria is sympathetic, but sees little hope in attacking Russia. The problem is that he is also stalled out against Turkey, meaning that unless he stabs Germany (unlikely) he is going to be a lame-duck ally. I don't particularly trust Italy, and even if I did there is little that he can do for me. Either he will continue attacking France, which is bad, or he will stab Austria, which is worse.

Germany's tone toward me changes entirely, and he shows no remorse regarding the stab and offers me little hope of relations improving. It felt as if he had planned the stab from the beginning, deceived me with a perfectly straight face, and now intended to finish the job and wasn't trying all that hard to hide it.

Russia's messages are friendlier, but I still get the feeling that he's just being polite, and is proceeding according to his own, mysterious agenda.

Turkey seems to have lost his will to live.

I decide to retreat to Holland and cast my lot with France, who part of me fears will seek revenge at some point (I fully admit that 1902 made me rather paranoid), but is my only real hope for salvation.