ENGLAND (Lloyd Mitchell)
A(Lvn) - Den; A(StP) - Mos (FAILED); F(BAL) c A(Lvn) - Den; F(BAR) - Nwy; F(IRI) s F(Lon) - ENG; F(Lon) - ENG; F(NAO) - MAO (FAILED); F(NTH) s F(Lon) - ENG

FRANCE (David Queenan)
A(Bur) - Mun; A(Kie) s F(Bel) - Hol; A(Mun) - Ruh; A(Par) - Bur; F(Bel) - Hol; F(Bre) s F(MAO); F(MAO) Stands; F(Mar) - Spa sc; F(Tun) s RUSSIAN F(Gre) - ION

ITALY (Craig Shadbolt - NMR!)
F(Smy) Stands (DISLODGED - DISBANDED NRO); A(Ven) Stands (DISLODGED - DISBANDED NRO); F(EMS) Stands ; F(ION) Stands (DISLODGED - DISBANDED NRO)

RUSSIA (Tim Sweeney)
A(Bud) - Vie; A(Gal) - Sil; A(Mos) Stands; A(Ser) s A(Tri); A(Tri) s TURKISH A(Tyr) - Ven; A(War) s A(Mos); A(Ukr) - Sev; F(AEG) s TURKISH A(Con) - Smy; F(Gre) - ION; F(Sev) - BLA

TURKEY (Geerten Ejilkenboom)
A(Con) - Smy; A(Tyr) - Ven

PRESS

PRESS;

Press: Mos[gov’t] All: The Tsar of all the Russian’s sits quietly in his den, a glass of the finest cognac in his hands and the warmth of a crackling fire in the hearth, together these drive away the chill air of this Russian spring night not that the Tsar is even aware of the chill, on the contrary he has passed the winter in extremely fine spirits, the conquests of last year kept him chuckling through many a harsh winters night. At long last the Austrian Arch-Duke was brought to heel. It is with mixed emotions that the Tsar recalls his early efforts to bolster the faltering, senile Dual Monarchy in the early years of the war and with a slight twinge remembers the bitter news of a1904 when the Austrians invaded Rumania, presumably out of fear of Russian occupation, though top Russian aides believed that in actuality is was more likely out of the inability of the Austrian Diplomatic Corp to fully appreciate the complexities involved in attempting to separate the Italian-Turkish Alliance which threatened to topple the balance of power. Ahhh sighs the great Tsar, those where the nightmare years of Mother Russia.

As the Tsar pours himself another glass of cognac he recalls the efforts to disrupt the Italian-Turkish Alliance included a great deal of intensive diplomacy with the Italian ambassador and the Tsar had made some very generous offers that also had ended in betrayal, a betrayal even more abominable then that perpetrated by Kaiser Alan of the Prussian Empire, who returned Russian aid in the early years of the war by helping the English back into Norway just after the Russian Imperial Navy had taken it at Germany’s request the previous campaign season in order to aid the faltering German military!

Now as the Tsar looked at the large map of Europe hanging upon the wall, he smiled, his French allies occupied all of the former German lands a fitting end for the Kaiser and his traitorous deeds.

And even better was that the White Imperial Eagle of Russia flew over all the former lands of Austria and the Tsar was very pleased, as the 2nd of the three traitorous rats had been dealt with appropriately. But the 3rd rat the King of ALL RATS as the Tsar liked to refer to him had been cornered in his hole at last and now like a cats on the prowl, the Tsar and his stalwart friend and ally Sultan Eijk would pluck the King of All Rats from his dingy hole and fulfill a long ago made vow the destruction of Italy!

The Tsar reflected on his staunch friend, the Sultan and could not help but appreciate the irony that his earliest antagonist had proven to be Russia’s greatest friend and that had the two only understood and appreciated one another in the early years of the war, how different events could have been perhaps this war would have ended a long, long time ago. The Tsar reflected upon Russia’s two great allies, the French and the Ottoman’s and pondered upon how affective English diplomacy had been at keeping the three empires fragmented for so long, at the thought of the English the Tsar grimaced, even the word English brought a bile taste to his mouth and he railed at the thought of those English dolts occupying his northern capital, but a look at the French position brought him much satisfaction, after all, in the end the English may still be in St. Petersburg, but they won’t own any of England!

On an impulse the Tsar goes over to his desk and flips through some files, then finding the one document he searches for that which was written way back in s1905 he smiles and reads it:

The Imperial Nation of Russia here by Issues a Formal Declaration of War to the Nation of Italy (*spit*) and her allies. Those who aid, support or pass on information or otherwise assist the Italian cause in anyway will earn the enmity of Mother Russia and her citizens. The Tsar has declared that nothing less then the total defeat of all Italian forces will end this conflict and has vowed to forgive and aid any country which plays a key role in the dismantling of the Italian forces.

Yes he says with much satisfaction, this moment has been a long time coming but come it has the end of Italy is almost at hand and the fact that all the lands are to become the possession of the Ottoman’s is another sweat, sweat irony I think this calls for another glass of cognac!

PROPOSALS.

The game end proposals were rejected.

A change of deadline from 3 to 2 weeks has been proposed. All players must agree for it to be accepted.

The deadline for Autumn 1913 will be Friday 27th September at 18.00 hours GMT.