AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (Graham Foster)
A(Vie) - Bud (FAILED, DISLODGED - DISBANDED NRP); F(Nap) - Apu

FRANCE (Bruce Spurr)
A(Tus) - Rom; A(Ven) s A(Tus) - Rom; A(Spa) - Tus; A(Mar) - Pie; F(GoL) c A(Spa) - Tus; F(Tun) - ION (FAILED); F(TYS) s F(Tun) - ION; F(MAO) - NAf; F(WMS) s F(MAO) - NAf; F(ENG) - MAO

GERMANY (Manfred Pade)
A(Gal) - Vie; A(Tyr) s A(Gal) - Vie; A(War) - Gal; A(Sil) s A(War) - Gal; A(Lvn) - War; A(Mos) s A(Lvn) - War; A(StP) s A(Mos); A(Mun) - Boh; F(NTH) - ENG; F(NWG) - NAO; F(Swe) - Den

RUSSIA (Stuart Danby)
A(Sev) s TURKISH A(Ukr)

TURKEY (Justin Sadler)
F(NAf) - Tun (FAILED, DISLODGED - DISBANDED NRP); F(Alb) s A(Tri); F(EMS) - ION (FAILED); F(AEG) s F(EMS) - ION; A(Tri) s A(Bud); A(Rum) s A(Ukr); A(Bud) s GERMAN A(Gal) - Vie; A(Ser) s A(Tri); A(Ukr) Stands

PRESS

ALB: Two thing for you to vote on with the first being an EGP. It's a F/G two-way draw. Failure to vote = 'yes' to the EGP.

The second vote is in terms of speeding the game up to a one-week deadline. In this vote, failure to vote = 'no' to one-week deadline. Needless to say, if the EGP is agreed by all, then we're down to the End Game Statements (EGS).

Vie Gov't: Cry havoc and let slip the hogs of peace. Can we not bring calm to a continent in stalemate?

Ber Gov't: Unification between the germanic peoples of Germany and Austria has been completed at a lightning pace. Austrians voted overwhelmingly in favour of anschluss, and the German army has moved in to protect the Austrian peoples from all aggressors.

Ber Gov't - Vie Gov't: The Kaiser sends out heartfelt apologies to the former Archduke for the loss of the Austrian throne. Graham - you were a great player and a very good ally. I'd love to play a game with you on side again. Sorry I had to attack

you now, but I had the impression that you wanted out of the game anyways. I wanted to keep you in the game till the end, but once you lost interest in even fighting your arch-enemies the Turks, I knew you had totally lost interest in the game and that made you unreliable and a potential threat. Best of luck in your next game.

Ber Gov't - Con Gov't: Sultan - the situation on the board has dramatically changed. As suspected, the Emperor's interest in the game is waning, but after discussions with the French Government, the Emperor has agreed to proxy all French units under the command of the German Wehrmacht. This proxy is conditional upon me keeping France in the game for a 2-way G/F victory. I have accepted this offer. If you are reading this press, it means that the offer was genuine, and France has moved exactly as I ordered. As proof, look at the French army. Right now, you should be seeing the entire French army sitting in Italy, having a big party. You should also see that the French fleets have continued to move south, opening the way for my fleets to also head south towards the mediterranian.

When I started this game, I never expected to get more than a 2-way win, and so that was my goal. I was always looking for one ally in the game who I could totally rely on, and France proved to be it. For the last couple turns, possibilities really were starting to open up for me to make a stab against France to get to 18 SC's and the solo win. In the end, I decided not to let greed get the better of me, as I would rather go down in history as a leader who stands by his word when it really counts, instead of a leader who will backstab anyone for the victory. It's really a character decision.

Obviously, that's not the result you were hoping for. But after thinking about it, I will also stand by my original plan and not settle for anything less than a 2 way victory. That means G/F victory, and you are basically left out. Sorry. You played a great game,

but looking at the tactical situation now, there's just no way you will be able to fight both France and Germany and hold out. It doesn't really matter to me if it is Germany or France that makes inroads against you, I can always swap supply centers behind the lines to keep both powers balanced. With all diplomacy out of the game now, there's really not much chance you can hold out. That's the way I see it, and I think you will probably see the same. Therefore, I am resubmitting the F/G victory proposal. Either you can accept it, and the game ends, or you can choose to fight, but it will be on a purely tactical and strategic level as I will not respond to any further diplomatic parlays, and I don't think France will be responding to his e-mail at all. I will still be happy to discuss the game with you from a strategic point of view though. If you choose to fight it out, that's fine by me, but I would prefer for the game to end sooner rather than later, as then we will all be free to start a new game. I will also be asking Ally if it's possible for us to speed up the remaining game to 1-week deadlines if the victory proposal is refused, as 1-week seems more reasonable if all diplomacy is over and we can then end the game much faster.

Autumn 1907 deadline: 7pm BST, 17th June 2004.