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CONGO TETRA END-GAME STATEMENTS
GM:
Ally Bain [EGS]
Started: 10th October 2006
Finished: 13th May 2004
Result: England, France & Italy three-way draw.
| Country | Player | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | Result | | Austria | Meru Bhanot | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated | | England | Graham Pearce | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 13 | Draw | | France | Julian Musgrove | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | Draw | | Germany | Taras Z. Saranchuk | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated | | Italy | Jerry Curry | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | Draw | | Russia | Eric Haaser | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | Anarchy | | Turkey | James Ogle | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Survived |
AUSTRIA (Meru Bhanot) This game started out poorly for me, as I picked my moves poorly and never recovered from it. As I struggled along in the early stages, Italy came to my aid and held me up for as long as he could, for which I am grateful. When it was clear that I was going to fall, he stabbed me. I can't blame him. I would have done it too.
Congratulations to England France and Italy on a game well played, and to the rest of you for making this game enjoyable for the brief time in which I was a part of it.
Thank you to Ally for GMing, and I hope to meet all of you at another game on this site!
MeruReturn to Top
GERMANY (Taras Z. Saranchuk) Congo Tetra was my sixth game of Diplomacy and the sixth country I have played. I requested and received Germany, not realizing that I would end up with Julian Musgrove as my neighbour in France. I immediately knew that I would be at war with him and so I contacted England and Italy to form alliances with both against France. England was somewhat receptive, but Italy was not interested in the least. As per usual, the rest of the opening talks between all the players were greetings and introductions and the odd diplomatic feeler to figure out who can be worked with and against. Austria and I agreed to a DMZ of both Tyrolia and Bohemia and to share information, but we were both headed in different directions. Russia agreed to a non-aggression treaty as both of our focuses would be elsewhere to start. I received no word from Turkey, but that wasn't particularly surprising as we are not in direct contact at the start.
The game began with technical difficulties due to e-mail issues, and was somewhat delayed. The first turn saw France attack the channel while being aggressive against me. The second turn was delayed as Ally was off to run the Dublin Marathon, and I misread his reminder e-mail and NMR'ed which was a contributing factor to my eventual downfall. Russia attacked England in the North, France turned defencive, and I was left alone to consolidate my meagre gains in S02. I attempted to provide sound tactical advice to England, but it fell on deaf ears as he allowed France to outmanoeuvre him in 1903. I tried to keep England alive so that France would have to divide his focus between two enemies, but that ultimately led to my downfall. Russia decided to rescind the non-aggression treaty in 1904 and thus my focus was now split West and East. I made some gains against Russia, and helped England retake some of his SC's from France, through 1905, but things were starting to snowball on me. Russia was moving against my borders in the East, France against me in the West and North, and England was still barely holding on. I reached out to Austria, Italy, and Turkey in an effort to convince them to set aside their differences and work together against Russia, so that I could relieve some of the pressure I was facing. Not surprisingly, they continued their ineffectual conflict in the South, which left me stuck in the middle with no support. 1906 saw the rapid decline of my forces as France moved against me, and England refused to support me, after all the effort I had invested in keeping him alive. S07 saw the most insulting EGP I had ever seen, as someone, most likely Julian Musgrove, proposed a 6 way draw between A/E/F/I/R/T. I took this as an opportunity to play spoiler and ensure that this would not come to pass. I held out long enough to see Austria eliminated, Turkey weakened, Russia encircled, and Italy out of position to stop the French advance into the Mediterranean. I was thankful I was finally eliminated in F08, as I would no longer have to suffer through more of this game.
Austria: We had our initial contact to agree to a DMZ between our countries, and then a long period of silence as we were both focused in other directions. When I made my proposal to you, Italy, and Turkey, nothing came of it, and thus we were both eliminated. Perhaps we will meet in another game and things might turn out differently.
England: I had thought that I could work with you against France, as I knew how untrustworthy Julian is. What I didn't realize was how useless an ally you would eventually be, and how thankless you would show yourself to be. I provided you with sound tactics to stop France from claiming your SC's repeatedly, which you ignored. I supported you into SC's I needed to keep you alive. For all my efforts I was rewarded with a knife in the back and the callous statement that you could not support me in my time of need against France because you needed the SC's. My biggest regret in this game is that I did not eliminate you when you were weakened by France. Should we meet again in another game, I will remember your actions here.
France: Having learned what kind of player you were in a previous game, I knew that there would be no need to communicate with you as there would be nothing but lies spewing from you. It was war from the beginning and will remain war if we ever meet again.
Italy: I approached you early to propose an alliance against France, but you were not interested. You spent most of your time fighting Austria and Turkey, and left yourself open to France in the West. Hindsight is 20/20, but I did warn you against France from the beginning.
Russia: Your rescinding of our non-aggression treaty forced me to split my focus between you in the East and France in the West and hastened my downfall. It also led to your downfall as England and France were able to encircle you. Your downfall was a result of your own actions.
Turkey: We did not communicate very much as we were never really in a position to work with or against each other. My attempts to convince you, Austria and Italy to work against Russia went unheeded, and thus led your downfall.
GM: Aside from some early technical difficulties, the delay for the Dublin Marathon, and some late technical difficulties due to broadband and computer death, this game was run well As a volunteer, you did well, and I would have no problems playing another game with you as the GM.Return to Top
ITALY (Jerry Curry) My first aim was always to destroy Turkey (nothing personal James!) I wanted to destroy France too but I felt had some breathing space on that. I tried to coax Austria and Russia into a league against Turkey but they had an early falling out over something, I never found out what. With Russia and Turkey seeming to be in an alliance I felt I had to throw in with Austria to prevent a runaway RT. Meru and I had some initial mutual suspicions but we eventually formed a pretty good working relationship.
When I tipped my fleet into the TYN in 03, I honestly wasn't sure whether I was going to go West or to swing back East and attack Turkey. I decided to go against Turkey because of my previous experiences with the player playing Germany. We'd had a bitter earlier game, much like the one he'd had with Julian, and I felt he'd come after me for revenge as soon as he eliminated his previous target so I decided to let France hang on as best he could. If I'd known he was soon going to patch things up with England and come streaming East I obviously would have acted differently.
The next few years are a blur. Austria hung on and Russia held back not seeming to trust any of us anymore. I made some progress against James, getting as far as Bulgaria but then I stalled and he started to roll me back.
By 07, with Germany falling, I felt the East had to come to some sort of resolution so I divided up Austria with Russia and Turkey. The fact that Austria NMR'd did a lot to lessen my guilt over that (by this point Meru actually seemed relieved to be out). With Austria gone I was hoping Russia would finally be willing to make common cause against the Turks but we suffered from the same communicaton problems we'd had the entire game. Eric responded either late or not at all. His help did allow me to pick up some builds and get some protection on my Western flank.
With France finally coming East I had a decision to make. Despite everything that had happened, Turkey was still willing to come to terms. I thought moving everything West with a reviving Turkey behind me would be a recipe for a slow death so instead I decided to keep moving East and gradually cede my Western provinces. My hope was that I could eliminate the remnants of Russia and Turkey and that the Western powers wouldn't trust each other enough to divide everything up 17/17. Alternately, I hoped that time and friction would cause a rift in the EF and that happened much earlier than I expected with France's NMR.
Once the break occured my only worry was that Graham would get to 18 so I tried to accomodate France as much as I could. Having entered the game with low expectations I was more than happy to settle for a three-way draw.
Thanks to Ally Bain for running Congo Tetra. I hope the lack of press and the indecisive nature of much of the game didn't drive you too far around the bend.
For the players:
Eric: If you'd put a tiny amount of effort into the game you could of done quite well. Maybe you should wait to your schedule clears up some before playing again.
Graham: It was sheer laziness on my part not to contact you till I did but then you didn't write me either so I guess we're even on that score.
James: Once again, nothing personal. I came after you for purely strategic reasons. An IT alliance is theoretically possible but I never seriously considered it. I give you credit for sticking in the game to bitter end and staying active diplomatically despite your situation.
Julian: At least our long period of peace was helpful for both of us. I came to regret letting you off the hook in 1903.
Meru: Good working with you for as long as it lasted. About the support into Greece in 03 (I'm sure you remember this) I could have clarified which piece was moving but I didn't expect Russia to come through in the first place and didn't I want to discuss where my Ionian fleet was going. In retrospect, of course, that was a mistake. One thing, you did make me a bit nervous when you kept saying that if you were in my position you would have attacked Austria by now.
Taras: You should either quit taking bretrayal so personally or start playing another game. Also, it would pay for you to be a bit less rigid. You act surprised when the other players look after their own interests instead yours and think an alliance is amatter of sending another player the moves you want them to make. In the end you lash out at everyone else for your failure but you have no one to blame but yourself.Return to Top
TURKEY (James Ogle) From Ally: Even though I got this after the Deadline & hence I wrote my EGS, based on what he wrote to me (opening line), I thought it was fair to allow this EGS to be shown.
Hi Ally,
Like i said ive just finished it after spending a couple of precious hours this evening on it. I hope you can include it after ive spent all that time on it, especially with me having so much coursework on at the moment. I'm sorry it was late
EGS for Congo Tetra:
Well. An interesting game! My first game as Turkey and what a complete mess I made of it! I did several things wrong in this game, and it didn't help that I seemed to be having trouble with hotmail when the game first started. I wasn't getting emails from Ally, and I wasn't sure Graham was getting my emails either but this was the first time I had had trouble with hotmail on the site. I vaguely remember there was trouble with the game start because of Graham not handing in provisionals, but it all got sorted out in the end. I have since changed to gmail and had no further trouble! Anyway to the game...
The first turn
My first acts were to email those around me and England. Russia replied quickly and told me he was "Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana, United States) studying computer science and communications." Considering his later performance I thought this was a bit of a joke...but I digress! Jerry email was the bare minimum which instantly made me wary, and Meru was very talkative from the off. So I had to make a decision about who to go with. Austria or Russia? Both seemed talkative, Meru more so, but talks with Russia seemed to be more constructive and have a plan in mind and I was attracted the idea of a juggernaut. It worked out quite well to start with, Meru and I talked whilst me and Russia arranged a bounce in the spring. Meru was put under pressure by Eric which allowed me to get Greece and Bul. It looked a good start.
1902
The spring turn passed and I took Serbia as well, but this was where things went down hill. To Meru's credit he got Italy onside, convoying his army into Alb which put me a little out position. However what I didn't expect was Eric to go into hiding or underground. The last email I had from him was just his orders for the spring, but I assumed he was having a busy time at uni or something and it would straighten out. Didn't hear from him again for several turns, yet he continued to hand in orders...I don't know if he wasn't receiving my emails, but he certain received them and replied when I tried to offer a proxy to him! I tried to negotiate with Italy and Austria to see what I could do there, and tried retreating from Serbia which I knew I couldn't hold. I think Allys comments about not know what was going on rang pretty true for me as well that point. I'd noone to help and I was pretty hemmed in in the corner. Meanwhile Eric had jumped to 7!
The next year was a case of me blockading myself in to stop Italy and Austria whilst trying to negotiate with them so I could attack Eric as I didn't feel he deserved the position he was in. England was stuck out of Scandinavia, fighting against France with Germany, whilst in the Balkans we were all stalemated.
By the end of 1903 I had tried to negotiate with Italy to stop the war, and we both made a gesture of good will, neither of us completely believing the other, but I had little other choice. In spring 1904 I got stabbed by Italy forcing me to take Serbia and lose Greece in the fall, and Russia moved to take the black sea. Things were looking bleak, so I emailed Russia to attempt to give him my proxy. Strangely enough he got that email and replied almost instantly! However I wanted to do it indefinitely and Ally said no, which I understood. I told Russia and didn't hear from him for another month, although in this time he did NMR for the first time.
1905 saw me lose Serbia and Bulgaria and threatening Italy and Austria that if they continued to attack me then I would let Russia take whatever he wanted, a tactic which I am a big fan of, and do carry out when pushed even if it pushes the game one way. Its one promise I definitely keep! Russia then gave his support to me in Bul, but didn't tell me, whilst he began losing Sweden and Scandinavia to Germany. One interesting development occurred, France and England joined against Taras finally, despite each owning some of the other players home centres. I thought it was quite interesting how they trusted each other enough to do this and to continue to finish Taras off. Well played to both of you!
1906 saw me and eric communicating again, but also me and Italy. I retook Bul, whilst warning Italy again that he wasn't getting anywhere, whilst France and England were mauling Germany. I have to say Tara's inspiring moves of 'all units stand' was pretty poor play, just because he was losing. I had been under the kosh most of the game, yet I was still trying to play properly! He really amused me when he started emailing in 1905 telling me and Meru to get our acts together against Russia like we were a couple of naughty school children. I had been trying to patch things up with him and Jerry all game! The icing on the cake was the email I got in 1907 when he was down and out telling me:
"I warned you a while ago to stab Russia while you had the chance, and now look at your situation. If you would have attacked Russia he would have had to divert from his attack on me, and I would have been able to deal with France, and things would have been much different. I am sorry that I never eliminated England when I had the chance, as that would have changed things as well. You'll last longer than me, but not by much. Better luck next time."
Well obviously things would be different. I would have been eliminated! Not really sure what he expected me to do in the face of a hostile Italy and Austria, but I wasn't really up for suicidal attacks on the one person who was supporting me at the point with AI looking for a way in, just to save his sorry ass. I've played two games with Taras now, and both games been someone elses fault for not doing what he said, which caused him to lose the game, and both times hes got himself eliminated ASAP only to aid the people that attacked him in the first place. The first time he even blamed the GM as well, whos GM'd me in several games now, and has always been faultless!
Anyway I've digressed again! 1907 saw France building a southern fleet and me come up with a convoy plan to Greece, which I could use to negotiate with Italy to finish off Austria and clear things up a bit so Italy could face France who was moving into the lead quickly. It worked nicely, and Meru went out, with IRT claiming one a piece. I should have just hung onto Greece, but i was getting bored having defended most of the game and i do like it when a move comes together. The idea was me and Italy then moved north to take out Russia with the new fleet id built, but Italy stabbed me again in 1908 (would I never learn!!!), and I lost Serbia for a 3rd time and Bulgaria for a second! Russia however was being crippled with attacks on her north front and the Russian units that moved to attack me from behind began to disband quickly. I was down to 3 units and pretty much out, as I could not hold on anything any more. So I decided to go all out on Russia, just as Moscow fell. Ally said he laughed at my defense, but I was expecting the obvious killer blow and wanted to teach Russia a lesson. At that point Russia NMR'd just as I destroyed his fleet and went out in anarchy the next turn. I was stuck on two for the rest of the game, as England stabbed France and it was all pretty even. I was just happy to have survive several Italian stabs and Russia's degree in communication.
Julian- We hardly ever spoke, there was never much need to as we were both under pressure from others and I never looked like going anywhere. Well done for getting Graham onside against Germany
Graham-I did email you several times early on and didn't get a response. I'm assuming it was hotmail trouble or the obvious RT? Well done for stabbing France, or it could have been a French solo
Taras- A lesson for you would be Julian's France's defence in this game. Despite fighting both of you, I don't remember him ordering all his units to stand or retreat to Spain or something daft like that?
Eric - No idea what happened to you at all. We started out quite well, but after 1902 I received nothing until I offered you my proxy and then all I ever got was 2 or 3 sentences and possibly some orders you might carry out. If it was something serious or work related you could have let me know.
Meru - I should have picked you, and spent most of the game regretting it, though I did try and justify things to you later, however I think we were both fed up with how the game was going and it wasn't constructive. Maybe next time?
Jerry - Your emails were always short, which put me off instantly as it seemed you didn't want to say much at all to me. You claimed I stabbed you at some point I think, yet we hardly ever had a conversation going until I was trying to get somewhere after the Russian debacle. So you stabbed me a couple of times to repay the favour. Well played for the draw.
Ally - Thanks for Gming, always spotless and I hope you enjoyed watching the game, and that this EGS clears up a few things over the AIRT corner!
Thanks,
JamesReturn to Top
GM (Ally Bain) Only three EGS coming from countries. That isn't good, in fact from my point of view, it's awful. It simply doesn't take long to write a few lines & to give you an idea, this EGS took just under 5 mins.
Well done to England, France & Italy for your three-way draw.
As you know I do stats for games & the Openings & Ending of this game has been added. Use the link below & that'll take you to a page, which itself has links to the number of stats I do:
http://mysite.orange.co.uk/alb_gsb/diplomacy/stats/stats.htm
I'll see you on the boards.
Ally
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