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IRONHAND END-GAME STATEMENTS
GM:
Andy Scott [EGS]
Started: 20th August, 2003
Finished: 4th March, 2004 (Autumn 1907)
Result: Solo EGP for France
| Country | Player | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | Result | | Austria | Mark Nowitz | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eliminated (A05) | | England | Stephen Robling | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | survived | | France | Adrian Deume | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 0 | (WIN by EGP) | | Germany | Koichi Karasawa | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | survived | | Italy | Michael Floyd | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 0 | survived | | Russia | Donald Reinhard | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 0 | survived | | Turkey | Alexandre Santos | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | survived |
AUSTRIA (Mark Nowitz) Well, so ended my first game on this site, out in 05. eh, such is life.
Russia and Italy both opened against me, apparently without conspiring to do so. I tried to grab 2 sc's and fight off Italy, Russia said he wouldn't attack. But he did. Looking back I think I should have moved a little differently, but that's always the way it is, isn't it. After that it was a long slow death.
I tried to play Russia and Turkey off against each-other but it didn't work. I became friends with Turkey in the process, Sorry I stopped writing. I couldn't help you any more.
Now for the Players:
I never really talked to England or Germany, Italy only talked to me pre 1901 and after fall 1901 I only really talked to Turkey. So the key thing that I've learned is that I should communicate more :)
England-Stephen Robling
Got one e-mail from him and sent him two. Never talked. I feel your pain.
France-Adrian Deume
I talked alot with Adrian, or he talked alot at me, very good communicator. Asked if there was anything he could do, I said "put an army in Pie" and he said he'd talk to Italy, now I see why. Congrats on the win Adrian.
Germany-Koichi Karasawa
Never Really talked to Koichi.
Italy-Michael Floyd
Talked alot to me before the game started. He talked ALOT about how Turkey had plans to attack me. But... I was getting along with Turkrey? So instead of opening against Russia I opened more neutrally, and in came Italy. Good tactician. Never talked to me once the game started though.
Russia-Donald Reinhard
Tried to work with me but I kept trying to get him to move in a way to be open to turkish attack. Didn't talk to me after 1902.
Turkey-Alexandre Santos
I think that we got along. I wish that I could have been more help and that I had been more coordinated in my help. Hope to see you again.
I'm in a new game, I wish you all the best in your next game.
Mark.
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FRANCE (Adrian Deume) Thanks are due to Andy for putting in the time as GM that allowed us to play Ironhand. We had some disagreements on GM decisions made during the game, but I respect the time and work Andy puts in for dip2000. Thank you.
I wrote everyone early to establish relations and get a sense of how Ironhand would develop. Austria responded with a daring attack plan against Germany, but when I probed for further information, I realized that Austria had not done the legwork with other powers that such an unorthodox attack requires. I responded that Austria is usually unwise to attack Germany so early without a very solid plan. I then informed Germany and Italy of Austria's plan to gain favor. I was honest with Austria about doing this and suggested that talk of plans was different from actually effecting them so that Austria could still take another course. I had a hunch Germany might have been putting Austria up to the task of determining if I was anti-German.
Germany and I hit it off and decided to go after England. Italy also was friendly, so I suggested that Italy and France work on a relationship that would be long lasting. This proved to be a lucky decision, for while Italy had some bad luck with server problems that led to an NMR or two, Italy was very friendly to France. France was also very friendly to Italy I must add.
The other decision was to work with Russia while maintaining a cordial relationship with Turkey. England was unlucky because Stephen was away for the first few days of pre-spring 1901 diplomacy. When England wrote, England asked if I would countenance an English move to ENG. That practically sealed my alliance to Germany though I tried to be open to other options and I wanted to give England a chance. I wrote to England that while I was impressed by the use of "countenance," I was not inclined to allow an English fleet to La Manche. So we bounced.
I was extremely lucky in 1901. First, Russia sent me his provisional orders for autumn 1901. I think I gained greatly by immediately writing Russia and suggesting that builds be added. I had done enough reading to see that the omission of builds was a common error. I had everything to gain from Russian success as that would contain my ally Germany. I was also very lucky that England forgot to build in autumn 1901. If England had built, England would have had much stronger defense against France, and France would not have had such an easy early game. The other luck and some skill I like to think occurred when I won an argument with Alex by convincing Germany to allow Russia into Sweden. Russia's growth gave me more opportunity for expansion while assuring that Germany would have to worry at least a little about the eastern front.
Germany and France coordinated very well in the attack on England. Russia held off an aggressive Turkey while growing. Italy grew as well. This helped relieve pressure on me, especially because Italy deployed so aggressively in the east. Italy's NMR helped me because stronger Italian growth would undoubtedly have placed more pressure on France. Even so, I realized that the Italian NMR was clearly a server problem when I received an Italian e-mail several days after it had been dated. I wrote Andy and protested the NMR. Even though I might have gained, I did not want to do so in that way: computer problems should not work so harshly against someone, even an enemy, which Italy was not. I considered Italy and Russia my friends in the game, and we even came up with the nicknames Frog for me, Duck for Russia, and Flipper for Italy because that it what Italy looks like: a flipper at the bottom of the map. I published press once about an Aquatic Alliance. That was it: FIR. And it worked well.
I stabbed Germany as Germany was helping me take England. Andy's comment about doing it in the true spirit of alliance made me laugh. Good one Andy! Koichi, you were a great ally for some time, but I had strong alliances with other players. My hat is still off to you for your defense, which I found difficult for a few seasons. Good job for fighting through difficulty.
The rest of the game was a bit marred from unfortunate NMRs and inattention. Italy stabbed Russia, partially because of my encouragement Donald will likely be disappointed to find out. I knew an Italian stab of Russia might give us either a two-way or me a possibility of a solo. The solo was the result.
Sorry Donald, but I guess I have to confess that my thoughts were not always pure. Mike, I think this could easily have ended in a two-way. I suppose I could have said the same thing to Donald, but Donald had some problems after your stab.
In conclusion, I am delighted to have soloed in my first game at dip2000. For future allies who read this, know that I do not want any more solos. I would like to become the first player at this site to have a solo and draws in all other combinations: two-way, three-way, four-way, five-way, six-way, and seven-way.
I would never tell a lie.
Thanks to all the players of Ironhand. I would very much like to play in a game with all or any of you again. I would expect a much different result. I wish you all the greatest luck imaginable.
Au revoir,
Adrian Deume
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GERMANY (Koichi Karasawa) Well, my first attempt at online diplomacy ends in failure. I suppose I was lucky to survive for this long. Congratulations are in order to Adrian for taking it all. While we'll never know if he could reach 18 centres by himself, I'm sure he could have done it.
To be honest I don't remember specific moves that I could have done differently. All I know is it started to go awry when France attacked me- the turn after I stabbed Russia. Perhaps I could have salvaged some sort of alliance with someone, but that didn't seem likely.
Anyway it was a pleasure talking and playing with you all, even though it has been months since you've heard anything from me. Thank you Andy for your services as GM, and I'm sure I'll be back in another game soon (hopefully not as Germany).
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RUSSIA (Donald Reinhard) Gentlemen:
Thank you to all for a game well played. I am pleased that France has won, because he has played the game honorably. As you know, diplomacy IS a game of deception. Perhaps I did not win, because I have been the most deceptive of any of you.
Mary
PS. The only people I did tell were Andy and Adrian. Thank you for being gentlemen with my secret!
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GM (Andy Scott) First off congratulations to Adrian for his solo, whether it's by EGP or 18 SC's it is still a major achievement, One I have not yet managed in all my e-mail diplomacy!
Game Ironhand got off to a weird start for me when I found out Donald was in fact Mary??? IT immediatly caused me some concern because technically speaking that's decieving the GM. However Mary did what she did because she felt she was getting picked on as a girl playing diplomacy and as she had not benefitted in any way in the game from such a deception I decided to let it ride as the alternatives were scrapping the game or forcing Russia into anarchy, neither of them were tempting proposition's so I settled for telling Mary that I would keep her secret but she needed to tell the GM of any game she was in again BEFORE it started or she risked being banned from the site! Just for your info she told me in S1902 which is why a replacement wasn't an option.
The only other major incident in the game was when Mary NMR'd in S1906 (I think it was?), She was less than happy as it seriously hurt her and her allies France and Italy. I apprciate that and you also had my sympathy for the viewpoint that your mistakes shouldn't hurt your allies. I bring this up again now not for any reason of getting at you but because I beleive it to be a very valyable learning point for all players who read this EGS whether they played in Ironhand or not.
The responsibility for ensuring the GM has your orders is yours, not the GM, Not your ISP provider and most certainly not your allies! This is why I always send a reply with the word received in the body of the e-mail. Apart from the obvious it's a receipt it gives you proof of receipt by me of your orders and like all GM's on dip 2000 that is the only proof I will accept that you have sent in orders. It also carries the actual orders you sent me below it in my reply which makes it easier for me to sort out should things go wrong! If you haven't received a reply from me within 24 hours then chase me up and/or send the orders again! If you don't get a receipt then I haven't got your orders :-( Mary protestations were very loud and robust (understandably!) and I double and triple checked my system but could find no orders, she got both Adrian and Mike to say that they knew she had sent them as they had been copied in which while I can appreciate the strength of feeling doesn't actually prove that you sent them to me! You all have to understand here that these rules exist for a reason, in this case it is because unscrupulous players in other games have tried to pull the wool over their GM's eyes! And while I happily confirm it is rare it is not unique, you must also bear in mind that by the time you find out you've NMR'd you also get to see how everybody else moved so know the best way that your units should have moved. As A GM it is my job to be impartial and unbiased towards ALL the players and that is what I strive to be. If I make a mistake I am happy to correct it as are all the other GM's on the site and as long as you can show us the receipt we give you for your orders then it's not a problem, however as is the case with many such things their value is not recognised until their disappearence makes them priceless! Suffice it to say that Mary could not produce the receipt and despite her continued protests and even threatening to quit the game, the adjudication stood. One more thing on this subject, If you do NMR, and it does happen I still occasionally do it myself despite my experience, don't take it out on the GM, he's only doing his job! Threatening to to walk out of games doesn't help you either, all that happens then is you get banned from the site for abandoning a game as it is EXACTLY the same as going into anarchy.
Ironhand was plagued by a very large number of NMR's for many different reasons, thankfully though there were no Anarchies although it was very close a couple of times!! As A GM I don't give my thoughts on individual players for the simple reason I am not involved in the game enough at the diplomatic level to construct accurate assessments of each player. However I have heard various people who did play in this game give definaitons about what they think Diplomacy is about, I have to say I don't think one of you got it right!!! Diplomacy is about communicating, how well you communicate has a direct relation to how well you do. Just look at the EGS for proof. 3 out of seven people couldn't be bothered to write anything or send it to me 4 did but the most comprehensive EGS was from the winner. Certainly he is more motivated to write as he explains his grand strategy but the fact of the matter remains he is willing to communicate well and frquently, That is what got Adrian his victory far more then his tactics!!!
Thanks to everybody for sticking with it despite some trying times and I hope to see you all in other games really soon.
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