-2010-
Things get crazy! Quebec gets kicked out of South America entirely, but stabs Canada hard. Said Canadians are also getting booted out of Asia, so their future looks grim. Meanwhile, Argentina continues his prolonged conflict with Oz.
Fall, Argentina supports me into Brasilia, restoring me to two centers and allowing me to build a supporting fleet. Argentina also makes progress in Oz while taking Colombia, while Canada and Ghana get absolutely wrecked by the three dark green powers (Quebec, Kenya, and PRussia).
-2011-
My buddy Argentina fails to learn from my mistakes, and leaves himself horribly open to an untimely convoy. Instead of a Quebec army rampaging through South America, however, he is confronted with a Kenya army rampaging through Antarctica. So entangled is he with Oz that he is almost completely helpless, and I can't do a thing to aid him.
The situation is looking dire elsewhere, as well. Kenya betrays the Russians and takes all of Africa, and PRussia looks eager to fight his former Russian friend as well. Canada continues his nose dive.
-2012-
The Dark Green Triple continues their death march, with PRussia stabbing Russia directly and attacking Argentina as well, Quebec taking Mexico, and Kenya grabbing both Southwest Atlantic and Norwegian Dependency (which together border seven Argentinean centers, six of them unoccupied).
-2013-
Argentina and I have an amusing bounce in Recife as we both try to protect it from Quebec, but elsewhere Argentina is shockingly passive. He only moves a total of three of his units, missing opportunities to dislodge Santa Cruz or SWA, or defend Mawson.
In the fall he gets his act together, but it is too late. Kenya has by far the superior position, and no external assistance seems likely. I can see my hopes of surviving this game dwindling away.
-2014-
Argentina seemingly starts paying attention to the game again, and makes some much more effective moves against Kenya. The bad news is that Quebec is looming large, and has nearly finished off Western Canada.
The demise of WC concludes in the fall, and Quebec simultaneously launches a fresh invasion of South America, taking Colombia. Argentina loses more ground in Antarctica, and things once more look bleak.
-2015-
Quebec has his eyes on more than just South America. He begins encircling Russia as well, who already has his hands full fighting Kenya and the remnant of the Near East.
Speaking of the Near East, what a miraculous turn for him! He has three centers left: Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In the east, a supported attacking on Delhi manages to completely stall the PRussian forces. In the west, his Iraq army bounces Russia out of Syria, while Russia and Kenya bounce each other in Iraq with supported attacks!
In the fall, PRussia invades Argentinian Australia, leaving my buddy at war with the entire Dark Green Triple. And he most definitely is not winning.
-2016-
My moves and Argentina's finally re-synch, with him double supporting me into WAO, but the home front is bleak. Quebec now has four armies in South America, and his two allies are closing in.
In the fall, Kenya convoys into South America while completing his conquest of Antarctica. PRussia takes all of Australia, and suddenly Argentina is no longer a colonial power.
-2017-
I pull back to Rio de Jeneiro as Argentina throws his remaining forces at Quebec. Kenya is swarming all over the place, and I start looking to see if Argentina and myself might be able to plant ourselves on some sort of stalemate line. To stall, I cut Salvador's support to save Recife in the fall.
Elsewhere, Near East is surviving in Syria thanks to becoming a protectorate of Russia. Russia, for his part, pulls back his forces into a tight defensive line. An analysis of this line actually leaves me extremely impressed. Its only vulnerabilities are located where the forces of his enemies meet. This requires them to coordinate in order to defeat him, difficult in a gunboat game.
-2018-
Expecting that Kenya will certainly claim the valuable WAO, I bounce him out of Sao Paulo. Surprisingly, he never goes for WAO, leaving Quebec to claim it in the fall. This misread on my part ensures that Quebec will have superior forces in my vicinity, allowing him to finish me off without clashing with Kenya. Probably what I should have done was offer to support Kenya into WAO, but who knows if that would have actually worked.
Meanwhile, Argentina is defeated by the Dark Green Triple. Rest in peace, my friend.
-2019-
Quebec finishes me off in the spring, while Kenya sits by. In the fall, Russia makes what is in my mind a mistake, defending Moscow instead of Scandinavia. I would have considered Quebec the more immediate threat, were I in his position.
Also in the fall, Quebec attacks Kenya. This will get messy.
-Afterward-
Actually, it doesn't. On the very next turn, the Dark Green Triple decide that it isn't worth the effort to duke it out with each other, and all vote to draw. Russia and Near East (with one center!) are happy to oblige. Five-way draw.
-Closing Thoughts-
Argentina: Quite possibly my finest ally in this entire tournament! A South American Alliance is a rarity as it is, and for a gunboat game the two of us worked together remarkably well. My sincere apologies for letting myself get stabbed by Quebec and forcing you to come to my aid. That you came to my aid at all was impressive and commendable, though, and I think we might have actually pulled through had you not later made the same mistakes I did. I can hardly fault you for that, though! Good game.
USA: You just had to get killed by the Canadians and take Greenland from me, didn't you? Can't fault you too much, but it really put a monkey wrench in my plans.
Western Canada: You had such a good position, but you didn't learn from my mistake of trusting Quebec. Had you fought him instead of attacking South America, I think the game would have turned out much better for both of us.
Quebec: My arch-nemesis! Your stab was brutally effective (and, in my opinion, rather lucky), and it completely shattered my game. It was quite satisfying kicking you out of South America alongside Argentina, but I guess you got the last laugh by coming back and killing both of us. Well-played.
Europe: You had the misfortune of being my designated first opponent, and nothing else that happened swayed me from that path. It didn't turn out well for me, though, so I guess you have that.
Russia: Like Western Canada, I feel that we could have been friends, but instead we both got pummeled by Quebec. At least you managed to survive the experience.
Libya: Sorry for refugeeing into Egypt. I was desperate, and it did help me to salvage the situation back home.
Ghana: You made a really impressive comeback against Libya. Shame that Russia had to side with Kenya afterward to kill you.
Kenya: You were a monster in this game! Not only did you conquer all of Africa, but Antarctica and half of South America as well? I was surprised that you didn't make an attempt at a solo.
Near East: We both fought tooth-and-nail to survive this game, and congrats on being the one to pull it off!
Pacific Russia: It is rare to see PRussia do well, but through many trials and tribulations you pulled it off! Definitely one of the more impressive PRussias in this tournament.
I predict an Ohio World Series...
and the game will be WTA full press. Chime in if your interested and anon versus non preference or requirements.
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