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FLAME TETRA END-GAME STATEMENTS
GM:
Ally Bain [EGS]
Started: 5th January 2003
Finished: 24th April 2003 (Autumn 1908)
Result: England won
| Country | Player | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | Result | | Austria | Michael Lorenz | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated | | England | James Cochrane | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 18 | Won | | France | Chris Rupp | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Survived | | Germany | Donald Forrester | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | Eliminated | | Italy | Robert Dane | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Survived | | Russia | Simon Prebble | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated | | Turkey | Sean Timoney | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | Survived |
ENGLAND (James Cochrane) I was England in this gunboat game, and had to go to Iraq before the game was over if you remember. Well I'm back now and glad to say that we suffered very few serious casualties in the fighting. Sorry I was unable to submit my EGS on time, but I enjoyed reading the others. I would Like to say thanks for all your help during this game and particularly for your support with me going away. I don't know if it will be possible to post this to the site, but here's my EGS anyway.
I started this game as a newcomer to diplomacy, and had never played a gunboat game. Having looked at some archived games for England, I thought that its poor record at winning and survival was due to not attacking France early enough. Because of this, my plan from the outset was to attack France at the earliest opportunity. However, I knew that it was important to keep the balance of power, and not let any one country become too powerful too soon, so I wanted to harass the country that I saw as the biggest threat to myself.
At first it appeared that Germany was going to be very strong, after a very clever move against France, so I looked at slowing him down if I could. Fortunately things didn't go well for Germany and the threat was gone. Then Russia made allot of gains, and if left alone could easily have stopped England from progressing, so that became my next target. Luckily Turkey seemed to think the same and weakened Russia in the south, and with a NMR, they quickly lost strength.
So far so good, I could now concentrate on France. At the very least I wanted a defensive line along NAO, IRI, ENG to stop France coming at me, but everything seemed to go my way and I got into MAO. From then on I thought I could slowly pick away at them, but luck and some strange French moves meant I got into Iberia and French sc's quicker than I thought. I now needed to go for the all out win fast before Turkey could get to a stalemate line.
Gaining Tun was the most important move as I could now afford to lose Mos and War, and with France attacking everyone who could slow me down and making my life easier I quickly got to 18. Luck played a big part in my win as everything seemed to go in my favour right from the start.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the game and thanks to everyone for playing. I'm just sorry I missed the end. Also thanks to Ally for being such a good ( & quick) GM, you certainly made the game what it was.
All the best,
JamesReturn to Top
FRANCE (Chris Rupp) I thought Germany was going to be non aggressive and I was wrong. Screwing around with Germany too long cost me the game.
ChrisReturn to Top
GERMANY (Donald Forrester) I took this game on knowing I had very little time and thinking that therefore a Gunboat game would be a good idea. Unfortunately, I discovered that when you have virtually no time (my daughter was born on 21st March and work is hectic) then it is very difficult to properly play any version of diplomacy. I also discovered that I am not really cut out for gunboat. I can see the appeal - but diplomacy without the diplomacy is a pale imitation of the real thing as far as I am concerned.
In terms of the game itself I think I failed to try to get an ally early enough, I publicly stabbed France at an early stage which set me up as a target and I failed to actually gain very much from the stab. I also have a feeling that being a central power must be a disadvantage in gunboat - though that could be sour grapes! I certainly felt very exposed as Germany without any allies and should perhaps have tried to make some friends. But fundamentally I couldn't really work out how to make alliances work in gunboat. I will give it another try when I have the time, but for now will have to bow out of diplomacy for a while.
Having said all that I have to commend Ally for an exemplary performance as GM and whoever played England was clearly an excellent player. Sorry if my rather random and un-thought-through moves caused anyone any difficulties - particularly after the first couple of years. I guess this applies particularly to Turkey. I suspect that if I had played better it might have been possible to force a draw, but I didn't have the time to think things through and so just sent moves asap in order to avoid NMRing.
Best wishes
DonaldReturn to Top
ITALY (Robert Dane) Italy is amazed to escape with a survival and was expecting to be eliminated at the final hurdle. Out of the all the gunboat games I've finished this is my forth. I now have a record of 2 eliminations and 2 survivals which combined give me 3 SC's. Oh well, I'm sure that one day I'll get lucky in a gunboat game! This EGS is made up of the commentary I sent to ally throughout the game to explain my thinking throughout and any additional comment in brackets. So if this writing style appears disjointed then this is why!
Spring 1901
So here are my opening orders for Flame Tetra. Not being able to negotiate with my neighbours I've decided to play it safe for my first season moves and not go for the obvious all out war on Austria tactic. I think (or at least hope) that the alpine chicken will serve as a nice start, not at least for the chance of gaining three builds if I'm lucky. I look forward to playing.
Autumn 1901
Well, the alpine chicken hasn't really left me in a very strong position. Hopefully it means France won't vacate Mar and not build a fleet there. I've decided just to go all out on Austria since he seems to be in trouble on his other borders.
Spring 1902
Damn as the saying goes.(after misordering F(Nap)-Tun I really am going to have to make sure i start double checking my orders more carefully. Now everyone is going think Italy doesn't know what he's doing (which is probably true!) So now in order to salvage some sort of position I'm going to try and help people take apart Austria and take Tunisia in the Autumn.
Autumn 1902
The new Italian plan is to go for broke and head everywhere at once. I'm going to hope Germany lets me walk into an undefended Munich as he's a bit tied up with the French army. And I'm going to hope Russia gives me support in to Trieste.
Spring 1903
This is more healthy after the horrendous misorder of A1901. I'm now in more of a position to defend myself. My only worries are that through over stretching into Munich i might be vulnerable. My main worry now is if Russia is likely to attack me or work with me at all.
I don't like the sight of French F(Mar) Hopefully it will head north. If not then it can't touch my SC's this year and I'll have advanced warning and make builds accordingly.
Autumn 1903
Plan is to try and keep hold of Munich, signal friendliness to turkey and hope all the other players realise that we have to work against Russia before it's to late.
Spring 1904
Obviously the NMR's are disappointing but on the good side it appeared with the English moves i wasn't the only player who decided to head in the direction of the over powerful Russia.
I doubt very much keeping Munich will be possible so i think unless I stay friends with France so I'm going have to try and stay nice to them.
I'm hoping turkey saw friendly intent in my moves but his fleets could cause me agro. I'm hoping he won't dislodge F(ION) as it only end up in EMS (which means I'll lose Tun I threaten Smy)
Autumn 1904
Looks like I'm going to lose Tun or Nap, I expect it to be tun as Turkey should be expecting me to try and bounce him in Nap. so hopefully I get Trieste properly and not lose any units.
The Two Russian Units in Austria can easily defend any attack my units make against them so A(gal) will hope for Warsaw and the ever lonely A(Mun) will this time try to sign friendliness to England.
Spring 1905
I lost Tun as expected and will now have expect turkey to move F(Tun)-(TYS) and will have to move my units to defend home centres rather than supporting Trieste in place. I feel slighter safer about this as Russia did give me unused support last turn. I'm hoping I can get Russian support again into either Ser or Rum. As For F(Smy), Turkey can dislodge that unit with no trouble at all so rather than sitting there and being forced out I'm going to move to AEG in the hope I can be of more agro to turkey by neighbouring 4 SC's
Autumn 1905
I'm a bit annoyed at Russia ordering all stands. That to me just suggest laziness when he could still have an influence. Either that or wish he supported me into turkey. Oh well. With the loss of Mun looks like I'll have to try and support myself into Vie which is Russia plays the apathy card again will work.
The Fleet in TYS gives me a guessing game for A(apu). Smy will be lost unless as I can't cut support for A(Ank). But as that fleet is still useful to me in someway I'm going to try and move out to AEG and disband a northern army instead.
Spring 1906
Well I guess right that Russia would just stand again! Shame i didn't guess right with the nap/rom gamble.
Now it seems that it's a case of trying to slow down the progress of Turkey as much as possible.
Autumn 1906
The witches keep on rising then.
I'm hoping France doesn't do anything silly like go to Venice which will weaken all the remaining central powers. To be honest I'm seriously expecting (Bud) to get dislodged but don't fancy it's retreating chances. I'm expecting Turkey to move gal-vie so Tri will have to bounce that unit and then F(ADS) might have to protect tri in case tri-vie succeeds but I'm going to go to alb in the hope for a better tactical position next year.. If I avoid losing any SC's though it means I can build and army in Ven (hopefully at least!)
We've yet to see if England is going to be prop or anti Turkey. I'm not sure if he's going to try and set up a stalemate line or if he will flood the med with fleets now.
Spring 1907
I'm surprised at France making cheap grabs at Ven/Mun in an attempt to survive. Now I have to hope he will work with us to try and hold the witches back but i doubt this will happen
Autumn 1907
Glad to see France is supporting me in Rom however this turn is probably I'll lose Rom to turkey, unless Turkey tries to claim Tun back then I might stand a chance. I'm also going to hope France supports A(Tri), it's on this hope I'm hoping I'll take Bud from turkey even though I won't be able to use such a build.
Spring 1908
Strange French player. I'd have though remaining powers should attack the strongest powers left to hold them back, not attack weaker ones.
Oh well! I'm now going to try and slip behind Turkish lines and hope!
Autumn 1908
Well my chance of survival is now based on France supporting me into Tri. Me thinks I shall now have to start penning that EGS!
End game
Congratulations to England's for there solo and thanks to ally for GMing. Apologises to the French player if any of the above sounds bitter towards them! Thinking about it logically you were just trying to do what ever was necessary to survive. Overall I'd say Russia became a victim of there early success with England and Turkey capitalising on this. In future I've been double checking my orders more carefully since I do think failing to build in a1901 did have a serious effect of my chances.
Robert DaneReturn to Top
RUSSIA (Simon Prebble) I took on this game whilst GMing about half a dozen other Gunboat games. I though it was time to play rather than just GM. I was given Russia.
I elected to open with a reasonably neutral opening. It was then clear that Austria was in trouble, so I opted for an attempt at
the Jug. Turkey seemed to go along with this plan (ish). My problems in the game started when I grew to fast, others find this
worrying for some reason. Quite rightly they all turned on me. At this point work started interfering with my life. I was not able to get to the Pc, that or was too stressed to even remember dip. Both this game, and those that I was GMing started to suffer heavily. At one point I was even phoning in orders to Ally!
The game at died for me at this point. I was totally unsure as where to turn, so I tried to retreat centrally, and act humble with stands. Only because I really could not give the time.
People say that Gunboat games are simple because of the lack of diplomacy; actually I would say that they are just as hard because of the lack of diplomacy.
In the end I was glad to have taken part in the game, and my thanks go to all who played, and Ally's exceptional GMing and telephone manner.
I hope to get back to dip soon, but job is the first priority at the moment. (Anybody got one for a lowly computer engineer?)
All the best,
Regards
SimonReturn to Top
TURKEY (Sean Timoney) Congratulations to England for a well played conquest. I had high hopes for Turkey after Autumn 1904. However, France's bizarre behaviour over the next few seasons put paid to Turkey's chances of a draw let alone a win. Over 1905 and 1906 France went over completely to the old enemy, abandoned the Iberian peninsula and her home supply centres to England and helped England out by milling into her neighbours to the east. So much for the First World War concept of the balance of power. Italy's behaviour was much more understandable, given that Turkey was giving her a hard time. But in the last analysis, I think Italy too could have helped Turkey to the stalemate that would have secured us all a draw. Thanks to all for an interesting, if somewhat bizarre, game.
SeanReturn to Top
GM (Ally Bain) As you know, I said something like, 'this game is a paradox compared to the conflict in Iraq'. Not long after I said it, James (England) mentioned that he is in the British Marines & he might be going soon. Whilst submitting his Spring 1908 orders, he told me that he was going to Basra & can he proxy to his brother. Needless to say, I wished him well & said yes to Andy (his brother) doing it for him. As you know, Andy only had to submit one set of orders & you know what happened.
Andy, I haven't heard from James so I assume he is still there however, how's he doing?
To you all for playing, thanks & hopefully I'll see you soon.
AllyReturn to Top
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