*O'Club* Diplomacy, Fall 1901: Supply Center Grab-Fest

[Wanker]

As the sun sets in the fall of 1901, the neutral supply centers fall like ripe fruit from a tree.

http://www.floc.net/dpjudge/gamemaps/oclub.gif?map=0.852115


In the Balkans, Austria, Turkey and Russia divide the spoils between them.

In a bold move, the Russian Tsar has seized Vienna, home of the famous Vienna State Opera and some pretty darn good schnitzel. Russia has also retreated his fleet back to Sevastopol, leaving control of the Black Sea to the Turkish navy.

The Sultan, now in control of the Black Sea, has also dispatched an army to protect his flank in Armenia. Could this be the signal of heightened diplomatic tensions between Ankara and St. Petersburg?

The Archduke, while losing his capital to the Russian peasant army(!), has quelled the Serbian rebellion in the south. The Austrian navy has flexed it's muscles and conquered the kingdom of Greece.

Meanwhile, Italian forces move closer to the border with Austria, and the Italian navy pays a visit to Tunisia and takes the oppotunity to proclaim it as the first of the Italian colonies.

In the North, France has decided to leave the peaceful gardens of Spain and establish a base of operations in Portugal. A French army has also laid claim to Belgium, placing her armies but a stone's throw from the German border.

The Kaiser has also had a busy fall, sending units to control Holland and Denmark, while the Imperial German navy, with French help, has defeated the English navy and taken control of the North Sea.

Does England possess one friend? It appears not. While the King's navy has invaded Norway and placed that under English control, the admiralty has to be distressed by the defeat at the hands of the joint German/French naval operation in the North Sea.

The Russian navy, erstwhile pretending to hold manuevers in the Gulf of Bothnia, has shown her true intentions by turning Sweden into the next great Baltic playground for the Tsar's children.

Ownership of supply centers:

Austria:    Budapest, Greece, Serbia, Trieste.
England:    Edinburgh, London, Liverpool, Norway.
France:     Belgium, Brest, Marseilles, Paris, Portugal.
Germany:    Berlin, Denmark, Holland, Kiel, Munich.
Italy:      Naples, Rome, Tunis, Venice.
Russia:     Moscow, Rumania, Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden, Vienna,     Warsaw.
Turkey:     Ankara, Bulgaria, Constantinople, Smyrna.
Unowned:    Spain.

Austria:     4 Supply centers,  3 Units:  Builds   1 unit.
England:     4 Supply centers,  3 Units:  Builds   1 unit.
France:      5 Supply centers,  3 Units:  Builds   2 units.
Germany:     5 Supply centers,  3 Units:  Builds   2 units.
Italy:       4 Supply centers,  3 Units:  Builds   1 unit.
Russia:      7 Supply centers,  4 Units:  Builds   3 units.
Turkey:      4 Supply centers,  3 Units:  Builds   1 unit.

Respectfully submitted,

Master banana

[Stringer]

Originally posted by banana

Master banana

Hehe....I like it!

[gofaster]

Originally posted by banana

The Archduke, while losing his capital to the Russian peasant army(!), has quelled the Serbian rebellion in the south. The Austrian navy has flexed it's muscles and conquered the kingdom of Greece.

Alas, I had predicted that the French would be in beloved Salzburg, but it appears the Russians have beaten them to it.

[_Schadenfreude_]

The amount of back stabbing going on in here we might have to be issued with a 2nd set of daggers.

[Tarmac]

All your base are belong to us!

[Sandman]

Wow... this game has backstabbing... can we find a kinder, gentler Diplomacy game?

[Bcnu]

Yes, "dippyiii" over on the a.g.w. boards has such kind and gentle folk they're shooting for a three way draw although Italy there has ample opportunity for the solo (zzzz).

I have thought up a name for that new Spring 01 Turkish opening, but I won't say it yet as it might unduly influence the flow of things.

Pity for Austria that he guessed wrong.  At least Italy isn't in Trieste.

[Wanker]

Originally posted by Bcnu
Yes, "dippyiii" over on the a.g.w. boards has such kind and gentle folk they're shooting for a three way draw although Italy there has ample opportunity for the solo (zzzz).

I have thought up a name for that new Spring 01 Turkish opening, but I won't say it yet as it might unduly influence the flow of things.

Pity for Austria that he guessed wrong.  At least Italy isn't in Trieste.

No.6, why don't you share with the crowd how you got the nickname "Sultan of Stab"?  

[Bcnu]

Sure, but for context first I must relate the fates of Dippybirds I and II.

In Dippybirds I (I was GM, having found DPJudge and come up with the idea of an a.g.w. game), Webs as England was teamed up with Germany.  They were on their way to a 2-way draw when real life caused Germany to miss a turn; knowing this, England stabbed Germany to the tune of THREE SCs and there was nothing a replacement Germany could do, so the players voted England the win.

http://www.floc.net/dpjudge/gamemaps/dippybirds.pdf

In Dippybirds II I was Italy, allied with Austria and Russia in crushing Turkey and then I was to hit Webs' France, which I proceeded to try and do.  In the process of deploying against France I BSed him to the effect that I was in fact about to hit Austria, so France felt stabbed when I arrived.  In fact, he felt strongly enough about it that he abandoned his gains in England entirely and ensured that Vadr would take the solo (which he did).

http://www.floc.net/dpjudge/gamemaps/dpii.pdf

In Dippybirds III I was Turkey, with the intention of reducing Austria, then Italy, then Russia (played by our friend banana here) in that order.  Austria went smoothly, but France had been allied with Italy and I looked at the next stage as a stalemate.  With that in mind, I stabbed Russia instead, looking to England to pick up the northern half.  This as you can see from banana's nom de stab for me annoyed him greatly; at the time his sole comment was "You Bastard!"   Fortunately for Russia, France chose that moment to go after England and the English were never able to get past St. Pete.  When that happened, I petitioned Russia offering to give back what I had stabbed for and reorient against Italy; however Russia stuck with Italy and together they eliminated me.

As you can see from the map Italy is, if Webs chooses, capable of taking SEV, MUN, MAR and retaking ANK with no questions about it, as France and Russia both fight England.  Apparently it suits Webs to play at the three-way draw instead of taking the solo which is at hand; that's why I write "zzzz."  DippyIII should be done by now, but it'll be another 5 turns until England can be wiped out, none of which offer any hint of the unexpected; it's a pure grind.

In the larger scale of things, a piddly two-SC stab hardly qualifies.  I think this OClub group has the potential for much more mayhem.

http://www.floc.net/dpjudge/gamemaps/dippyiii.gif?map=0.257425

[Wanker]

Hehe, I have to admit that that stab of yours really torked me off at the time. I guess I'm one of these players that holds a grudge, no matter what.

On the other hand, you taught me more about how the game is meant to be played than anyone else.

I still like calling you the "Sultan of Stab". I think it rather amusing that in two straight games, you happened to pick the non-forgiving person to stab!

[Bcnu]

In DP2 my 'stab' was that I didn't stab Austria when asked to by France, so is that a stab?

My personal philosophy in Diplomacy is to preserve the balance of power.  What I mean is of course I am going to try for the magic 18 centers, but in the meantime I am perfectly willing to make friends with my enemy and attack my friend if my friend is trying to rule Europe instead (e.g,. if I could have gotten to Russia in DP2 to stop the solo, I would have).  A theoretically-perfect game of Diplomacy should never end.  Never happens, though.

In practicality people bring their own agendas, all of which are valid.  Some people want to win, others want to stick with their alliance, or avenge a wrong, or play kingmaker if they can't be king.  Mistakes of tactics and of strategy are made (again, in DP2 I really would have been better off stabbing Austria).  Some games are played at tournaments and 2nd or 3rd place may be good enough to get to the next round (and time limits become a factor; it may only be 1904 when the game ends abruptly).

I don't mind "Sultan of Stab" ... has a nice ring to it.