I enjoyed that game but, as it was gunboat, I don't have much to say.

bump

Bump for EoGs.

India:

Pregame -- India is a country that I often see lasting quite some time, and I think that's because of its relatively uncontested land borders and easy access to the sea. My goal, then, is to get big enough that I can't be easily threatened, pick a direction, and just steamroll whatever I can. Early on I figure I have to decide between China and Near East, with China being the easier target (and more likely target to hit me first). If all goes according to plan, I'll take most of Southeast Asia and be able to focus on Oz, Near East, PacRuss, or Kenya at my leisure.

2000 -- All does not, in fact, go according to plan. I start with a fairly typical opening (Lanzhou, Western China, NE Indian), then grab Calcutta, Afghanistan, and Thailand. Yay, 3 builds! Moreover, I get an overture of peace from China, and Near East isn't threatening. Even more hilarious, Libya grabs Saudi Arabia and Europe snags Egypt, meaning that the Middle East should devolve into a clusterfrak rather quickly. I build two armies and a Navy, hoping to capitalize on the disarray and the Chinese peace offering by carving out my own section of the Mid East.

2001 -- I throw everything Westward towards the Middle East, grabbing the Arabian in the Spring and Iran in the Fall, along with a failed convoy into Saudi Arabia. To fuel the war machine, I blithely steal Indonesia from OZ, who has been outpositioned by Antarctica. Build is another fleet, both to secure the Indian Ocean and to help protect against any Australian backlash.

2002 -- I finally get the chance to offer peace back to China (though I figure it's obvious at this point), and continue my all-out assault on Near East. Australia, blessedly occupied by FA, doesn't challenge Indonesia at all, and I position in the Red Sea to continue my attack. Unfortunately, the predicted clusterfrak in the Middle East has dissolved (Libya is gutted by the other African nations and England is headed North at full speed), so I'm left to bear the brunt of the Arabian aggression. Predictably I lose Iran, but have somewhere to retreat so I'm not too worried. In the fall I grab the Arabian, and try to continue stealing SCs from Australia, to no avail.

2003 -- This is a year of failure, and looking back it seems to be the turn where I stalled out and started slipping. In Spring I fail in two assaults (Iran and Saudi Arabia) as NE completely turtles up, and my proffered support to FA goes wasted two turns in a row. I had hoped that he could grab it and be a potential ally in the south, but he seemed (understandably) worried about South Africa marching steadily through Antarctica. Meanwhile, I manage to grab Iran again in the fall, but it's a hollow victory as it allows NE to exchange a relatively-useless fleet for a more-versatile army.

2004 -- Frustrated by my lack of progress, and realizing how unassailable the fully-turtled NE had become, I decide in Spring to try and break in through Russia...? Don't ask -- looking back, it feels like the stupidest move I could have made, even given Moscow's proffered support of NE that same turn. On other fronts, I give one last, futile support effort to FA, and get offered one from Kenya, of all countries (which, while ultimately unsuccessful, is much appreciated). Then Fall arrives like a knife in the back -- China's war against PacRus having ended successfully for the Commies, he stabs me, grabbing both Indonesia and Bangladesh. I crumple, and lose the Red Sea and the lost Turkmenistan army, disarming completely on my Western front.

2005 -- Thus begins Operation Oh No You Di'nt! *snap*. I turn every unit around and sprint East, determined to throw my SCs to whomever I can that isn't China. This works astoundingly poorly, as I lose Calcutta to the Pink Menace and barely hold onto the rest of my holdings. Antarctica offers support, though he'll likely do more to contain the Chinese than to actually repel them.

2006 -- I manage to lose 2 SCs to the Arabs and only one to the Chinese, which I decide is a success, but my joy is short-lived as the Russians finally backstab Near East, which I worry may slow their progress against China. Luckily, though, the Russians have *also* started moving against China. Way to jump into both sides of the fight, Ruskies.

2007 -- I retreat my battered and broken forces to Thailand, ceding the glorious capitol in Bombay to the Muslim heathens, and manage to hold it for a whole turn despite the best combined efforts of FA and China. This lasts precisely as long as one might think, and my last unit is crushed in Fall 2008.

Closing thoughts -- I played well for the most part, and am pleased with how strongly I started the game. My inexperience in world games cost me against the Near East, as I threw myself at them turn after turn without making a dent, and left the door wide open for the Chinese in the process. Not sure what I might have done differently, though, given the situation -- I certainly don't think it would have made more sense to turn against China, for instance, and I needed almost every unit I threw at NE just to keep making the little progress I could. I'd actually love some feedback on what other people might have done in my position to continue expanding, since I'm sort of at a loss.

Shout-outs -- Near East, you bore the full brunt of my attack and managed to come out stronger for it, and though you were eventually swallowed up by Russia I think you were the star of the Asian show. China, you backstabbing bastard, you played your hand exceedingly well and timed the stab perfectly. I have to give you props for being so committed to peace right until you weren't, and then being so ruthlessly effective in cleaning me off the map. Russia, you too played very strongly -- I just wish you could have turned against Near East about 10 turns earlier. Frozen, I appreciate your position, but I was exceedingly annoyed that you didn't drop everything and help me when I needed it. Where's the sense of cooperation? :P And finally Australia, I apologize for so casually stabbing you when you were tied up with Frozen. I tried to use the forces I gained from you in the best way possible, but in the end it wasn't enough. No hard feelings :)

Finally, I love that my very first unit, my fleet, was also the very last unit to survive, finally being laid to rest off the coast of Thailand.

Jmbo: Once Near East took back Saudi Arabia in Fall 2001, there wasn't much you could do without significant help from Russian or European fleets. You would have been slightly better off attacking China come 2003, though attacking one's only ally is always a risky move. Alternatively, you could have pursued Oz more aggressively, or even turtled and waiting for a new opening. I agree that continuing to make mostly futile efforts against NE, and worse against Russia as well, wasn't the best choice.

Around the World Gunboat Tournament EoG
Game 16

Player: Tasnica
Nation: South Africa
Result: Defeat, 2012 (9th Place)

PPSC Points: 0
Townshend Points: 0
Continent Points: 0

-2000-

South Africa! The only nation to start on two continents! Which is awesome, if you can survive into the mid-late game. Until then, however, the isolated centers and powerful neighbors makes one quite vulnerable. FA has all the advantages in Antarctica, and Kenya can defeat SA in a slugfest in Africa. Additionally, any Ghana that is at peace with Libya tends to look southward, and the victor of the South America war commonly comes after Antarctica as well.

So, what is a South African to do? Try an unorthodox opening, of course! And have everything go terribly wrong at first, and then just get weird afterward.

I know that, if Kenya/Ghana want to kill me, they will probably succeed. So I don't even bother trying to compete with them. Instead, I go straight after FA, hoping to dominate that continent before South America can get involved. Sure, I might get kicked out of Africa, but I'll have a strong base from which to counterattack.

Now, the entire point of this opening is to ensure that FA doesn't get a build. Normally, FA only gets one, in Syowa. If that is prevented, FA can't get the South Pole, and could then be picked apart by a southern army build.

So, on to things going horribly wrong. This starts with the very first turn, where FA moves to SWI rather than straight to Syowa. Well, that's problematic. Now I have to guess whether he will move to Syowa, as is common, or to South Africa, which would of course shatter the entire plan of denying him a build.

Kenya's moves, fortunately, are relatively friendly. He moves to Zaire, Ethiopia, and Mozambique Channel. The latter seems an odd move, as aggression against myself is best paired with Ken-Tan, peaceful acquisition of Moz is best accomplished by moving straight there, and a direct offer of peace to me is better accomplished by moving to NEI or supporting me into Moz. The only other possibility is defense, but the Channel holds little defensive value for Kenya early on. So, I interpret the move as mild aggression.

Worse is the fact that everyone else is making things easy for Kenya. Libya is setting up an attack on Near East, and Ghana is making a beeline for Libya. At least Argentina didn't open to SWA.

Fall moves, expecting that either FA or Kenya will move there, I pull back to SAf. I also claim Mozambique, and Kenya makes no offensive against me.

What's bad is that FA bounces me out of Syowa, but at least he won't get a...

Oh. God fucking damn it, Oz.

So Oz, despite WAu under threat from two different players and India possibly going after Indonesia, manages to lose WAu to FA. Not only does this put him in a really awkward position against FA, but it also gives the latter a build. My gambit has officially failed miserably.

The only good news elsewhere is that South America is likely to become embroiled in conflict. Libya gets no builds thanks to attacks from Ghana and Europe, Ghana gets three builds and is likely to come knocking, and Kenya gets two and has no enemies.

I build a southern army and hope for the best. Kenya builds two armies. Yep, he's coming to kill me. FA, shockingly, builds F Casey, an incredibly surprising move given my early aggression. This guarantees me South Pole, and allows me to either put up a token resistance against Kenya or retreat and still have a chance of dominating Antarctica. I choose the latter.

-2001-

Kenya throws himself at me, and I hightail it out of Africa. I have hardly any hope of defending myself against him, given my southern build, so I don't even bother. Oz, meanwhile, completely fails at fighting off FA (though he had already gotten himself into a horrible position). He even retreats to SIO for some reason, instead of the far superior Vostok.

Fall moves, Argentina earns my wrath for dickishly slipping into Sanae. The only reason this doesn't end my game immediately is because Ghana and Kenya bounce each other in Namibia. At least go for BAT if you want an easy center, Argentina! You will pay for that.

Meanwhile, Fail Oz manages to get WAu back, but loses both Indonesia and New Zealand for it. He then, of all things, disbands the WAu army! Are you serious, Oz? Your homeland is under siege and you keep your useless fleet in SIO over your army? I hope that you're trying out some crazy gambit, because otherwise you're looking like an idiot for no reason (as opposed to looking like an idiot for a good reason, like me).

Shockingly, FA builds yet another fleet instead of an army to ruin my day with. I reconsider the foundation of my entire strategy being killing him off. Said reconsideration is a lot easier given Argentina being a dick.

-2002-

So, I stubbornly make one last attempt at Mawson, possibly still having difficulty believing that FA could possibly want peace with me after opening all-in against him, but he offers me a support hold in case I still haven't gotten the picture.

Meanwhile, I kick Argentina out of Syowa. GTFO!

Kenya, of course, takes all my African stuff, though it looks like he may end up in conflict with Ghana. That's another possible ally there (along with, extremely ironically, FA). Also, Brazil, who I'm now working with by circumstance.

Fall moves proceed precisely along these lines, with no surprises.

-2003-

Spring, Oz gives up and stops moving, ensuring that FA will remain a dominant force. I consolidate my position. In the fall, I exploit an opening to take Santa Cruz from Argentina, which more or less cements his own downfall.

-2004-

Concluding I won't be able to hold Santa Cruz for long, I aim for Southwest Indian so that I can begin a campaign against Kenya. Unfortunately, both Kenya and FA get the same idea, with Kenya's double support winning the day. In the fall, Kenya surprisingly vacates the position while both FA and I try to support each other. This is bad news, as Kenya remains secure and now threatens EAO. Somehow, I keep Santa Cruz.

-2005-

Leaving SWI for FA and Kenya to fight over, I swing my fleets back toward South America, hoping to pick up another build. My hope is that Brazil will leave me alone at least long enough for me to gain a foothold against FA or Kenya. Unfortunately, North America is still a mess, so Brazil is mostly unmolested, but I'm hoping he won't see me as much of a threat.

In the fall, Oz dies, and I get Buenos Aires. Now I finally have a decent navy to work with, and FA continues to build no armies. Reclaiming South Africa is now a real possibility, if I'm given a bit of time.

-2006-

Brazil, being a dick, gives me absolutely no time, and immediately takes both South American centers. See if I help you again, asshole! Seriously, fuck those South American nations.

Oh, and he adds insult to injury by offering me a support hold in the fall. Yeah, dude, I'm totally going to be cool with you wreaking my navy immediately after helping you take out Argentina.

Being very pissed off, not having the time to attack Kenya, and not certain I will have the openings necessary to attack FA, I throw everything at Brazil in the hope that the rapidly growing Western Canada will join a pincer attack.

-2007-

FA now trusts me quite a bit, and sends his navy north. WC makes some motions around Brazil, but Brazil's defenses are extremely solid. Worse, he has three units bordering SWA, meaning that these is a good chance he can breach by own defenses while holding off WC. I decide to take a gamble, stealing Mawson from FA in order to build a third fleet and solidify my defenses against Brazil. I hope that I will be able to sway FA away from significant retaliation, though his disbands aren't promising.

-2008-

Nope, my one-center "stab" causes FA to go absolutely berserk, and he pulls back literally his entire navy to attack me with. Despite my extremely friendly moves in the spring, he hits me hard in the fall and then builds an army in Len. Well, I'm screwed.

-2009-

FA continues his rampage, and Brazil keeps the pressure on as well. WC is leaving Brazil completely alone, China is hardly touching FA, and the Indian Ocean seems to be completely ignored by everyone. In short, I have one player trying to kill me out of dickery, one player trying to kill me out of [completely over the top] revenge, and no one else threatening either of them in the slightest.

Despite being massively outnumbered, however, I manage to lose only Syowa this year.

-2010-

Noting the limited number of armies in Antarctica, I focus my efforts on defending the South Pole. I manage to hold both it and Norwegian Dependency, powerful spaces when Antarctica has few armies, but lose BAT. Everyone else continues to suck Brazil and FA's dicks, and they even get rather friendly with each other.

-2011-

I manage to feint my way into Len, and am positioned to kick FA out of South Pole before he can take it. Unfortunately, Brazil is not yet done being a dick, and bounces me out of there (because he totally had a shot of taking it). He also tries to support FA into Sanae, which is fortunately declined. Still, my last chance of inflicting upon FA is negated, and I am doomed to die while my two worst enemies generously divide up my corpse.

-2012-

I die, managing only to briefly retake South Pole before Brazil finishes me off. I really hope that both of them won't survive to the draw.

-Afterward-

Both of them survive to a draw. Brazil tries to cause some trouble, of course, but the rest of the players seem to get tired of fighting. Which is good for FA, as he would have collapsed quite quickly if Kenya or China went after him.

-Closing Thoughts-

Antarctica: This was just a weird game between the two of us. My initial plan was an all-in against you, which failed spectacularly, but we somehow managed to become pretty good friends afterward. Then, when I perform a much smaller "stab" of you later on out of desperation, you become genocidal. You're lucky that Oz was completely inept and that no one else gave a shit about the Indian Ocean.

Kenya: You took great advantage of my strategy, which is understandable, and played a very solid game in Africa. Congrats.

Ghana: You did a nice job of holding off Kenya for a while, but unfortunately were never able to get out of turtling. Oh well.

Argentina: The only real victory I had in this game was killing you off. Alas, Brazil didn't turn out to be any better of a neighbor.

Brazil: Go die in a fire. You're definitely the player who contributed most directly to my demise, and you're lucky that WC seemed to have absolutely no interest in fighting you, or I would have made you pay for crippling me at such a crucial moment in the game.

Whew. All that ranting sure felt good. Now for my unit fates.

South Africa's Starting Units:

-Fleet South Africa-

Early on, this fleet never traveled far from home, dedicated to the defense of Johannesburg. After convoying the final evacuation from Africa, the fleet led the counterattack against the treacherous Argentinians. It fought single-handedly in South America for several years, before finally being destroyed during the Brazilian betrayal.

-Army Namibia-

After operating in Africa virtually on its own, this army transferred to the Antarctic Front, where it was stationed in Syowa for several years. After launching the fateful invasion of Mawson in 2007, it participated in furious fighting against Frozen Antarctica, breaking into Leningradskya and ultimately the South Pole, where it too was destroyed by Brazilian forces.

-Fleet Sanae IV-

After leading the initially unsuccessful blitz against Syowa and supporting the later convoy out of Africa, this fleet assisted in retaliation against Argentina, retaking its home base of Sanae IV. Afterward, it secured the Southeast Atlantic against Kenya, eventually advancing to the Southwest Indian Ocean as a vanguard for the liberation of South Africa. Unfortunately, its supply lines were cut during the Brazilian betrayal, and the fleet was scuttled near Madagascar.

Around the World Gunboat Tournament EoG
Game 16

Player: LakersFan
Nation: Russia
Result: Six Way Draw

PPSC Points: 18
Townshend Points: (?)
Continent Points: 10

-2000-

Ah, Russia. Pretty much guaranteed two builds to start. My plan is to corral Europe ASAP. From there, I will try and expand eastward. My one concern is that Russia doesn't have the ability to build fleets en masse, which could hurt in the long run.

I elect to take W.Siberia, and try to bounce Europe in Poland. Unfortunately, he goes to A.H. instead, which means I have to bounce him in Ukraine in fall. Europe also gets egypt, which gives him a second build. I have to build two armies, much as I would like to get a fleet built. Squaring away Ukraine will be the first order of business.

2001

I enter what will probably be the first of many support hold orders on the
Siberian border. Pac-Russia almost always needs that army mobilized against china or India, so I figure it is only a matter of time before I can claim it. Not being able to bounce Europe in godthab will suck in fall though. The build turns into a south coast St. P fleet.

2002

Wow, P.R. wastes no time heading for the front. Europe winds up massing his three fleets all around Scandinavia. This could get ugly. Fortunately, china/P.R. and India/N.E. are both thoroughly engaged with each other as well.

2003

Europe heads to godthab, fearing Quebec I would guess. He also retreats from Poland, likely expecting me to convoy to Germany. Seeing that I need another build, I elect to stab into east Siberia. This becomes a fleet in St. Pete north.

2004

I push into A.H. in Spring. N.E. elects to vacate Armenia as well. India pushes into Kazakhstan for some reasons, while leaving multiple sc's completely unguarded. I push into Yaktusk as well. This works well, as I am able to bounce P.R.'s attempt to retake E. Siberia from Irkutsk. Fortunately, Ghana helps me out by cutting France's support, and I also take Germany. Due to India's aggression against Moscow, I can only build 1 fleet though.

2005

Ghana continues to show friendship by cutting France yet again. China and I established friendship at our border. I mobilize to kick India out of Kazakhstan. W.C. looks to be locking up N. America, which could mean a rival on the seas soon. I pick up two builds, but can only build in belorussia. Yet another fleet behind, sadly.

2006

Godthab looks to be mine. However, with only the Atlantic seaboard left to claim, W.C. looms large in the west. I look to position my excess of armies east in case of any sc's that might pop up. I also elect to stab N.E. in Armenia. I fail to build a fleet in Moscow, which proves to be a mistake long term.

2007

I elect to take Vladivostok. Europe does me one last favor and bounces W.C. (after giving me G.B. uncontested). Sorry about all the strife, my blue friend. N.E. doesn't take Armenia back when I leave it unsupported in Spring. 2 more builds, one more fleet.

2008

Well, I am torn. I send my arctic circle fleet to Kamchatka, but almost immediately regret it. I think it sends the wrong message to china (I.e. I want to focus on you to the exclusion of other rivals). Also, I am thinking that I should have banked some of the army builds from previous years, as my fleet force is far too thin. I move to Spain as a means of either taking the Med or backing up NEA.

Hmm, and N.E. takes Kazakhstan, Good Times.

2009

China pops my fleet in Kamchatka. I get the sense it won't be the first fleet I lose.
I also take turkey from N.E. And for whatever reason, I take Algeria. That's right, pick more fights. Great tactic! I guess it will make up for godthab turning yellow, which is imminent.

2010

I see that the Middle East should be mine rather soon, which might just make up for losing Vladivostok, Algeria and godthab.

2011-2012

N.E. takes Kazakhstan again. Sigh. The W.C. Northern Naval Blockade is in full effect as well. I push to lock up the borders so he can't force his way in. Kenya looks to be lining up to attack me from the south as well.

2013-2015

I pick up Afghanistan and Delhi, but lose Saudi Arabia and med. I am glad to see the draw go through, just rough having so many fronts to worry about.

Bump. Of all the EoG's posted here, only one was written by a player who actually made it to the end!