GM : Andy Scott
Starting date : 29th March 2007
End date : 31st October 2007
Result : Solo win for Germany

AUSTRIA	Mike Snelling	Eliminated
ENGLAND	Christopher Houston	Survived
FRANCE	Stuart Egerton-Read	Survived
GERMANY	James Barrington-Brown	Won
ITALY	James Ogle	Survived
RUSSIA	Sean Timoney	Eliminated
TURKEY	Doug Stewart	Survived

GM : Andy Scott
Starbuck was a solid example of gunboat diplomacy where an early mistake can have a huge impact on the game. The French NMR in an Autumn phase really meant E and G were destined to win and Given the Russian implosion that put Germany firmly in the driving seat. I know James doesn't think it was quite that cut and dried but to my mind from that point on all he had to do was remain methodical and consistent. Something which James is very good at. (That sentence doesn't read right somehow! It's meant to be a compliment James honest!) Added into this the uncharacteristic NMR's from Doug and the seeming relentless war between I/T over the graves of a few million Austrians and the only real possible outcome was a German solo. I am however a little disappointed that we are three EGS short!

So huge congratulations to James for another fine win and well done everybody else for the game. See you all soon,

Regards, Andy Scott

ENGLAND : Christopher Houston
'Well-done' to the plucky Hun! I knew that I was in trouble when the Russian went north (to his ultimate demise) and F & G both built fleets in Autumn 01. From then onwards I decided to take my frustration out on France with the occasional piece of opportubism directeted towards the Germans or the Italians (sorry about Tunisia but I wanted to help Turkey force G to a draw). Thanks for the game guys.

FRANCE : Stuart Egerton-Read
Congratulations to Germany on a well-played game and thanks to Andy for being GM. I am pleased to have avoided an early elimination after missing the adjudication deadline for autumn 04. That I survived until the end of the game is largely due to England's restraint and support and I'm only sorry that he wasn't also able to record a survival. I resisted the German forces with tenacity, but did allow a German army to gain residence in Gascony, from where it was able to undermine my and England's positions in Iberia. Sadly, the destruction of the English fleet in Spain would contribute significantly to England's demise and I feel I must take some of the responsibility for that. German managed his resources extremely well and after the fall of Russia there was an inevitability about the outcome. Turkey and Italy initially failed to recognise the German threat, and when they did see the need to address it they were unable to co-ordinate their forces effectively. The arrival of a Turkish fleet in MAO gave me hope that Germany could be denied a solo, but rather than use this fleet to support my defences, Turkey elected to support the German campaign in Iberia. Starbuck was an enjoyable game and I look forward to doing battle with you all again some time. Best regards, Stuart

GERMANY : James Barrington-Brown
A good result for me :o) Gunboat can often be about what the other players do or don't do. In this game, there were a few strange things going on, but in ways that should have helped players other than myself. Austria seemed to capitulate after an excellent start. He intentionally moved all his forces out of his SCs and disappeared in A03. With Russia and France producing NMRs, Turkey or Italy should have romped home with this game. Luckily, they got bogged down in a tit-for-tat fight with each other over the bones of Austria which left me to slowly grow until an I/T peace treaty was too late. France never really recovered from his NMR early on in an Autumn move with me and England piling on the pressure.

Other than that, it was a fairly unspectacular game. I was all over France with three of my armies on their soil in A04. But I correctly predicted that England, who had previously been helping me to tame France, could see I was a bigger danger. I mostly blocked his stab, but then had to spend the next few years pulling out of France to take on/out England. Once England was reduced to two units, I could return to France to get the centres I needed for the win. Russia had a promising start, but with too many NMRs meant I could gain in Scandinavia and eventually moved East through Warsaw to own all but Sev and set up a stalemate with Turkey (who as I mentioned was happy with this as he was concentrating on Italy).

In the last year, Italy NMR'd in the Spring, which meant I was assured Vienna and the game. The move I feared from Italy that season was to get three armies in his three home centres and that would have stalemated it. I then would have had to break into the Med to get 18 and may not have done it, but (unless it is in their EGS) I am not sure Italy saw this, in which case my attack from Gal would have had the same effect.

Thanks to Andy for giving up his time GMing to allow us gunboaters to have our fun.

Regards, James

TURKEY : Doug Stewart
First off is a big thanks to Andy for GMing. I opened witha typical anti-Russian start including Armenia - quite unsure if it would sway anyone else to either leave me alone, or come for the ride. I was still difficult to tell as 1902 progressed, although Austria was gettig large, and Italy had made some pin pricks aginst his armour. Russia was holding, and I had NMR'd - Damn! In 1903, I surprised Russia (took Sev), and Italy grabbed Greece. The East was now officially an absolute mess. 1904 was a turning point in lots of ways; A/R both NMR'd, Italy got Ser (then Vie), I got Bud, but Germany was looking threatening and was now in Moscow. Could a sleeper type alliance have developed between I/G - I was getting concerned. 1905 was a wheel spinning turn as Italy and I traded Bud and Ser - then traded them back. .... but I gained Greece. 1906 was a nother wheel spinning turn, however it looked like E/G had stopped Germany, and we simply could and with a balnce of power tussle to continue for a while. I stuffed up 1907 with another bloody NMR in Spring (losing Vie & Rum), but getting Rum back in the fall. More importantly the West had almost fallen to Germany (on 13). I managed to change the battle in the south by slipping through Tunis in 1908, and ending up in the Wes - being now hopeful that I could hold my home centres, and stir up the west a bit more. Egland's NMR in 1909 was devastating, while France continued to hold Germany at bay. 1910 was a difficult turn. There was no stalemate line to keep Germany out from the south; England was about to lose another centre to Germany, and the Germans had broken through France's defence. Admittedly I aided some of that by supporting Germany to Spain. In the end it was not the losing move, but without Italian support on the western front, my unit was not enough to prop up the French - the German fleets would have burst through next year regardless, so I took a chance at getting Portugal, so I could build an army at home and maybe push Germany back from Rumania. 1911 Spring saw the unfortunate NMR of Italy, and our central defensive position was lost. Germany struck hard and fast in the fall with Par/Mar and crucially Vie, which could never have been held that turn against 3 units. Congratulations to Germany on the win, well done france on a stirling effort, and Italy and I played hard against each other, but both failed to move at the right times to slow down the eventual winner - Germany. This was a well contested game. I was dissapointed in the result (especially my 2 NMRs) - but accept I hold an amount of cause of our failure. Doug