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Athena ENDGAME STATEMENTS
GM : Andy Scott
GM : Andy Scott As for the game Italy's moves in the beginning were inspirational but I can see why they would have infuriated Germany co badly :-) All in all it was a game I think won by experience, Brian's experience to note the quality of the opposition and to keep them off balance, his experience in reading the game board and knowing when to make his move and when to hold. It was an accomplished display and once again I send him my congratulations. I also have to congratulate the others that survived and commiserate with those eliminated. Good luck to you all in the future and I look forward to either GM'ing you again or crossing swords with you myself at some point. Regards, Andy Scott
AUSTRIA : James Barrington-Brown The game started very interestingly, with Italy making some terrific moves around Tyr and Boh. First a great successful attack on Munich and then an even better double back to take Vie and Tri from me when I had started looking the other way. Unfortunately, the Italian surprise attack on Germany weakened it enough for France to pile on through and take out England at the same time. It was then Italy's turn to see the full might of the French navy piling into the Med. I really think we could have pulled a draw out of this one with a stop-the-leader alliance. Italy and Russia (and I) were doing the right things, but Turkey for some reason thought that having armies in Con and Smy were somehow more useful than an Austrian one in Bud and Russian forces in the North. Following the Turkish builds, there was no way that France was going to be stopped and so we all voted for the French solo a year earlier than it was going to happen anyway. France played a good game, gaining slowly while the Eastern corner fought over the Balkans and the Austrian centres, but my man-of-the-match' has to go to Italy for his clever manoeuvres early in the game - I wonder who it was? Thanks to Andy for his faultless GMing and allowing us folks to have fun while he does all the hard work.
FRANCE : Brian Frew It became clear from the beginning that this would not be a quick walkover for anyone. Nobody made any significant inroads on anyone else at the start and I was glad that I had made an aggressive opening, grabbing Belgium. I was able to use the builds to start a grinding process on the English position. He couldn't fend me off and make progress elsewhere at the same time and eventually this fact undermined him and I was able to make progress. Germany meanwhile had played his difficult position as well as possible and he held me up as best he could, but I managed to grind ever onwards. I was greatly helped by the fact that nobody else was able to make any significant progress, so I was the only seriously growing power. The next phase came when I launched my assault on Italy, who was showing signs of making gains. At this point I was aware that more or less anything Turkey did was going to help me - latterly he did try to prop up opposition to the rampant French but of course, it being a Gunboat game, this was unco-ordinated and my eventual win was clear from some way out. I think the oddest part of the victory was that it was aided in many ways by the quality of the opposition - because all concerned defended their positions as best they could, nobody else was able to grow and challenge me! Thanks for the game. Brian Frew
GERMANY : Thomas Champion Russia ... I really wanted to work with you while the game was still recoverable from the French solo (Recoverable meaning before Italy stabbed me in Munich, while I was the only thing trying to hold back the tidal wave that was France). We basically took turns being to aggressive in trying to seize Scandinavia ... it was a learning experience. Italy ... I cant begin to explain my confusion at the Munich stab. I was perfectly willing to hold France at the cost of being eliminated, just to give enough time to for everyone else to form the stalemate line. My confusion at that stab lead to general loathing of Italy, being an annoyance to Italy was my only goal at the end. Austria ... I really thought i was clear enough about helping you retake your home centers, at the end ... just to spite Italy. I don't understand where the problem was, maybe since I turned my back on trying to stop France ... you didn't wanna help?... don't know. I would have reeeeally liked to cause some more damage to Italy at the end, I just couldn't get you on board. Turkey ... never really made note, hope you enjoyed yourself. England ... England england england ... WTF just doesn't to it justice. Ironically the same thing that infuriated me about your moves was the same thing I was guilty of later on. I don't get how you were willing to protect Scandinavia to the death against myself and Russia ... at the expense of your home centers. I would have played this game very differently had I known the unusual style you were going to use and the meticulous style France used to win. Once it became clear that you were on your way out I was looking forward to helping Russia stop the French advance ... but then oddity ensued. France ... Very well done. As I said, had I known then what I do now, I would have not attacked so aggressively and helped you take down England ... oh well. Well done again, Ive never seen anyone play with the patience you showed. As much as it might annoy some, I'm pleased you took down the solo. Thanks to everyone for the learning experience and again to Andy for the hard work. Cheers, -TJ
RUSSIA : Nikolay Pavlov Then somehow I managed to mess it up in A02, losing my two external supply centers at the same time (well actually I know how - I fell into the same state of negligence regarding the northern front that I'd seen in so many other Russia's and sworn never to let happen to me; and the position of my southern fleet in Rum was very precarious from the start). After that I didn't have enough forces on either front to accomplish anything by myself, so I had to try and get someone on my side. In the south Turkey was the natural choice, while in the north a conflict was stirring between England and Germany. I devoted whatever units I had to encourage any prospective allies, sat and waited. After some time it became clear that the south was a dead end, so around A04/S05 I relocated all but one unit to the north and managed to reclaim some territory. That same year went very badly for both England, who was successfully invaded by France, and Germany, who was, I believe, I surprised by Italy. At this point France was emerging as the dominant western power, and I was thinking out plans for division of the remaining German and English provinces between Italy and myself. Then it was my turn to be surprised by Italy - was the whole sojourn in Mun just a ruse for Austria's benefit? That presented some problems. I did not think Germany would be able to resist France without outside help - I'd much rather Italy had taken over, as I wasn't in a position to give much help. It was crucial to secure Scandinavia quickly and build as many fleets on the north coast as possible in order to set up a solid defense. But... Germany's actions in that stage of the game frustrated me to no end. Defending Denmark, when it was of no use as an extra supply center (with no free home centers to build in) made no sense whatsoever. I could understand England's support as possibly the best chance of keeping him/her in the game for another season or two, but it was, in my opinion, not even a remotely plausible strategy for Germany. When that policy was continued at the expense of virtually leaving home centers at the mercy of French armies, the game was pretty much over, at least on my front. What followed was not at all unexpected. Thank you Andy for GM-ing the game, and thanks to all the other players for playing. Congratulations to the French player and good luck to everyone in future games. Nick.
TURKEY : Lyle Youngblood
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