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GLASSFISH END-GAME STATEMENTS
GM:
Ally Bain [EGS]
Started: 10 March 2003
Finished: 20th August 2003 (Spring 1911)
Result: Three-way Draw
| Country | Player | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | Result | | Austria | Mike James | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Survived | | England | Jeff Young | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | Draw | | France | Julian Wheeler | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | Draw | | Germany | Michael Lorenz | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated | | Italy | Brett Wallace | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated | | Russia | Hereward Tresidder | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 10 | Draw | | Turkey | Alexandre Santos | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Anarchy |
AUSTRIA (Mike James) I got off to a good start, taking and holding most of the Balkans except Rumania in the first couple of years, until Russia snuck into Trieste. I had been signalling peace to Italy, trying to get support against Turkey, however I didn't trust Italy, who kept trying to get into Trieste.
Finally in Autumn 1903, Italy supported me out of Vienna to Trieste, giving Vienna to the Russians. This I believe was the beginning of my downfall. I had been planning to stab Italy a year later, but this convinced me to do it earlier and hope for cooperation with the Turks against the Russians. In 1904 I took Naples, and supported Turkey to hold off the Russians, but Turkey ignored me and threw away Rumania. At this point, with three Russians bordering Budapest, and Turkey not cooperating, things began to look grim.
Any hope for Turkish support was lost in 1905 when Turkey NMRd, and I lost my last home SCs. In Spring 1906 I started a job in a different city and NMRd myself. After that I hung on with just Vienna and Venice until Autmn 1910, hoping to be part of a stalemate. I had a great time - this was my first game in about 15 years, and my first Gunboat game ever. Congrats to England, France and Russia.
MikeReturn to Top
ENGLAND (Jeff Young) England to the world:
Glassfish started out with a typical English opener: anti-French. Of course, unlike history England and France ended up being allies for the majority of the game, but at first glance it didn't seem like it would be so. In 1901 I was in ENG, and I can only assume that didn't make France very happy. But then I looked at the map and realized that Germany had no opposition. Russia didn't move over, Austria would have been stupid to attack and thus didn't. And I couldn't stop Germany from getting a 3 build 1901. So I did the next best thing...I supported France into Bel, not expecting him to take it but hoping that a 3 build Germany plus my support would sway him to my side. And it worked (Germany attacking Bur probably didn't hurt either). From that point on England and France were solidly against Germany.
Not that it helped much at first. We were hard pressed to make any headway into German territory, and when Russia started helping out things just started looking down. Consider being England and, after a decent opening and solid alliance, you have only 3 units in 1904. Things were not looking as good as I wanted. And then a miricle happened...I was able to get in line with France and, having supported him into Bel the previous season, I took Hol. From that point on I was king of the seas.
And then I looked closer at the map and realized that Russia had 14 units. France and I pushed back Germany even while I was battling with Russia in the north. Eventually I was able to take Nwy and Swe, taking Russia down, but not out as he made gains in Turkey. After several seasons of battle I ended up pushing Russia back and had 9 units...and France had 14. I went from defeating one solo to having my ally close to a solo. The second to last season saw me pulling back my units from Scandinavia...not necessarily anti-French but putting me in a position to try and stave off a possible solo attempt. It ended up not mattering as the game ended the following season with a E/F/R draw, which is what I wanted anyway. That final season had me attacking France, and while I didn't want to do it (obviously I vote in favor of the draw), I didn't want my partner to solo without me.
To Germany: You put up a VERY good fight, and held us off longer than I'd hoped.
To Russia: I'm just glad you didn't close the solo. Very good playing, you are a fine strategist. It's just hard to get hit from two directions.
To France: Thanks for joining the alliance early on. I didn't even know if it was possible with me in ENG, but I couldn't get out right away without knowing what your intentions might be. I'm glad it worked out and I'm pleased that our alliance lasted so long. Congrads on a well-deserved draw.
I don't really have anything to say to Italy, Austria, or Turkey as I never even got close to having contact with them.
Ally, you're the man. Thanks for a game with some gooding GMing. And with that, I'm out.
Jeff YoungReturn to Top
FRANCE (Julian Wheeler) Very annoying ! I was away and therefore couldn't vote against a 3 way draw. Russia, you're very lucky.....(unless of course, England was about to change sides !) Otherwise the Western Alliance would have got a 2-way draw, in my opinion. Well done England for having the courage to trust me and not attempt a stab, which would have let Russia walk away with a win.
However, I thoroughly enjoyed this game even though Turkey's appalling disappearance changed the course of things dramatically. I wonder what Austria thinks of a player who plundered his territory and then left it without even adding the builds so Russia could waltz in unopposed ? If he'd only gone one year earlier after the first NMR......
I'll just pick out a few points, as I saw them...........
Autumn 1903
Having offered support as early as the second turn, England and I got it right: his support of the Burgundy army allowing me to take Belgium and cementing the alliance. I continued to support his Fleet and built an army in Brest to reassure him. With Russia having a Northern presence and Germany on 6, it seemed logical we should work together but it doesn't always work that way :-)
At the same time, I was seeing something I have never witnessed before at this stage of a game: 3 Italian units surrounding Turkey leaving Tunis and Naples wide open. Too good an opportunity, even though it meant having a second front. Austria spooted the same thing and Italy was cut in half next year.
Autumn 1905
Good and bad news: England and I are not communicating well, resulting in Germany regaining Holland, while Italy has pushed Austria out also. The good news for me, which must have annoyed Russia, was Italy's NMR so he didn't get the important 3rd unit back in play, leaving me with the advantage. (He failed again the following year)
Spring 1906
Critical move. Germany had defended well up to this point but now pulls back from England and France, almost appearing to resign, just at the point when Russia was stepping in with support. This was the turning point in the West and I felt confident of getting at least a draw. Didn't like England offering Denmark to the Russian though and this was the only time when I thought I was going to have to attack him.
Spring 1907
Both England and I spotted the lone Russian raiding Fleet in NAO before it could get behind us or it would have been a disaster for me especially. Meanwhile the anarchy in Turkey set a whole new problem of getting some forces there before Russia could annexe the whole country. There was no way I could win solo now as I would need England to grow or Russia had it in the bag. I was pleased to see Austria finally take Venice, which I had been leaving for him as he was on the front line.
Spring 1909
The North going well as England retook Norway, my Fleet in NAO treading carefully so as not to upset my ally, we seem to have stopped Russia at 14. Delighted with my position in the Med with 4 fleets, while Russia's one is landlocked in Ankara. Happy to give him Bulgaria backin return for a foothold in Turkey. Thought E/F was very possible but with holiday approaching I threw in the EGP for a 3 way draw. (Could have saved us all a month!)
From there until the end it was gradually going the way of the West. Attacked Austria because he wasn't helping me, just in time as it turned out because he moved left that turn. With a French army in Bud and now Ser Russia had a lot to think about........ Thankyou Ally for another faultless game, England for being a loyal ally from start to finish ( very rare in Gunboat) and to the others who stuck with the game.
Julian WheelerReturn to Top
GERMANY (Michael Lorenz) I can't remember anything about the game.
MichaelReturn to Top
GM (Ally Bain) What a great game! As some of you have said there were plently of things in the game that do mean mentioning.
As for Turkey going into Anarchy. Put in the 'Press' in that season I asked for reasons or otherwise 'grey-listed'. No reply came therefore 'grey-listed'. A few days later I got an e-mail from him & felt it was OKish. I wrote to Admin & the decision was made to lift the 'grey-list' but status dropped from 'Reg'.
As for the Western Corner I think all three of you should take a 'pat on the back'. Obviously England & France for creating a long-term alliance but also Germany for slowing their growth down for quite a while.
The Eastern Square was a very odd layout but the one thing to say is that Russia have done well.
I look forward to seeing you all on the boards.
AllyReturn to Top
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