The Diplomatic Pouch

Player Analysis for Spring of 1904 in describe

Austria

a bul s rum
	R has 3 units rum, so I need to protect.  50% chance of being cut
by con-bul, depending on if T chooses to protect con or eas. Italy and I
are going for eas in our 50/50 shot against T.

a tyr s vie
	G told me he doing boh-vie and R will support.	I need bud to
support rum to gaurantee I have 2 supports for rum (assuming Italy does
ser s rum, so tyr is need to support vie.

f gre s aeg
	Keep T out of aeg.

a rum s bul
a vie s tyr
	Both are holding to recieve support, so I used them to provide
other support, just in case.

a bud s rum
	bud and ser(Italy) give two gauranteed supports to rum to protect
againsts R's 3 units.

Turkey
    No communcation with him.  IA will continue our attack.  We are
going for eas.

Russia
    Sent a couple of message telling him what a bad ally G is by
portraying G's move in nth as further evidence of G's aggressive,
stabbing style.  R did not respond.

Germany
    G's move into nth puts him in a position to stab E.  If he does
indeed stab E, that would shake things up.	Perhaps then R would be
interested in AR vs G.
	We've been talking about AG vs R again.  But in the end, the moves
G said he would do don't really demonstrate any desire for an alliance.
He told me that he would do boh-vie and that R was providing support to
"fool" Russia.

France
	It's not clear if and/or G's move into nth will shake up the
Western allinaces yet.	Let him know I was having talks with G, but I
regard G with great suspicion.

England
	He doesn't seem worried about G's fleet in nth.	 I can't see that
he would like it, but he just may be in a position where he can't do
anything about it.	We continue to talk about an AGE.

Italy
	We continue our guessing game against T.  Italy's activity in the
game has decreased substantially, which worries me.  Is he communicating
less because he's thinking about a stab?  Or has he just lost interest in
the game, which doesn't bode well for our allinace either.

England

	Things are at a very crucial point now.	 Not that events are
never not crucial, but this year, in particular, will decide how things
go for the remainder of the game.  I think.
	I'm obviously committed to attacking France and to do so with any
expectation of progress means leaving my back wide open to a German
stab.  It's a risk, but I know that after my middling start, I need to
take chances in order to get back in the running for a win.	 It's not out
of the question now, but my horse needs to giddy-up, and I trust Germany
enough to take risks.
    But Russia is another problem, however.  He asked Germany for a
supply center last year so as to even out the gains for our triple
alliance.  Germany said sure, as long as EG had made gains in the West.
As soon as Germany said this, I knew that Russia would come begging this
year, and of course he did.  So Russia means to move to Sweden, over both
Germany and mine objections.  Russia's big reason is that he wants a
fleet in Sevastopol, which is a noble reason but that doesn't mean that
he has to take a German center to do so.  I proposed fleet moves in the
North that would allow the Russian northern fleet to be disbanded and
rebuilt in Sevastopol, but the Russian was non-committal.  So I fear his
voracious greed and that he might be joining AI this turn.  We'll see.

	Tactically:

	F Mid-Atlantic-Gascony:	 I order this to cut any support of F Gas
of Brest.
	F English Channel S German A Pic-Bre:  Along with German moves of
A Bur-Par and A Pic-Bre, this will dislodge the French F Bre.  Unless he
moves F Bre-Mat with support, the unit will be eliminated.
	F Irish-Mid-Atlantic:  This fleet really has nothing to do
considering the other moves, but should France put in some really strange
moves, this might have some use.  It can't hurt me.
    F Belgium-North:  This is primarily a defensive move that might
make things a little more stable with Russia.  I asked Germany to do F
Nth-Nwg, but I think he might do F Nth-Nwy.  If EG get fleets in Nwg and
Nth, we could take Norway if we want, and thereby have a great platform
in keeping the Russian in line.

    My general thinking with these moves was to get one
French center this year at the least.  This method of putting Germany
into Brest was the only guarantee.  I risk my position in the
Mid-Atlantic, true, but this is intentional.  If he dislodges me, I
should be able to retreat to one of Portugal or Spain (but he might be
able to eliminate my unit in the Fall), or perhaps better, retreat to the
Western Med.  I have no problems with putting a fleet in the Med this
early, since I have to do it anyway.  If my fleet does end up there, I
think I'll make it a "raider", a unit that is generally used to annoy the
hell out of Italy and make him use several units in order to deal with me.
	The big question is when that next build is coming.	 If I don't
get any this year, I could probably take two the next, and so I'm not
worried.  As long as Germany is with me, I can take my time, build a good
relationship with him, and then get my fair share.

	Diplomatically:

	Austria:  We talked some more about an AGE, but it's not going to
happen anytime soon, because he is not set up to attack Italy and Germany
is still sitting in Bohemia.  But I think I believe that he's willing to
go through with the idea, particularly since he is at a disadvantage to
the EGRT coalition.
	France:	 Didn't talk to him.  Germany is trying to manipulate him
horribly, but I don't think anything will come of it.
	Germany:  We continue to get along, but I don't think he's doing
the right thing by being aggressive to Russia.	F Nth-Nwy will be a
public relations disaster, I'm pretty sure, but I think we could work out
of it.  He likes the idea of an AGE as well, but also realizes that
Austria has to do something about Italy before we proceed.
    Italy:  Didn't say much, which is disappointing after some mutual
agreement about the state of the game last turn.  His move F Apu-Nap
shows his indecisiveness and his willingness to stick with Austria.
	Russia:	 I'm really getting annoyed with the Russian over the
Sweden question, because it's just too greedy.  He's the one who let the
Austrian into Rumania because of blindness, and now he's pestering
Germany for a center.  My proposal to disband the fleet would have worked
very well, and gotten him a southern fleet, and his refusal to do this
makes me very suspicious.  So does the A Lvn.
	Turkey:	 Says quite a bit, but nothing really of import.  Has a
50-50 chance of staying at three centers, and I sincerely wish him luck.

	A big turn coming up...

	Lord Sheringham

	-----------------

	Correction for England's Spring 1904 Turn...

    F Bel S F Eng:  Since someone didn't show up on time (France, I
believe), then we got a few more days of diploming, and this was useful
in convincing Russia to disband his northern fleet this year in order to
rebuild in Sevastopol.	So this turn, I hope, Russia will move to the
North Sea, Germany will move to Norwegian, and next season Germany and I
will dislodge the Russian fleet, he will disband it, and rebuild in Sev.
That's the plan.  I know I'm taking a huge risk here, and it's never a
good idea to give someone(s) a wide open center (or even worse, a lot of
them), but I trust both Germany and Russia and I know that I have to take
some risks in order to get back to contention.  If our alliance stays
together, I'll be turning the corner soon and making good progress, but I
have to get there first.

	Lord Sheringham

France

No analysis submitted

Germany

	 It is too late for a renewed Franco-German alliance. France only
seems too nervous and as a result, I cannot base the future of the Reich
on his POSSIBLE actions. Besides, there will be very little difference
in the gains available by swiching sides now and I would therefore be
left without my trusted ally England. If France does as I have asked him,
invading Piedmont, as a condition of alliance, he will be destroyed. This
would also mean that it is possible for Germany to successfully be played
as England generally is. That is, using German indifference and
Franco-English animosity to play one another off against each other. I
have successfully limited the gains of both France and England in
comparison to the German Reich. This up and comming turn, if successful,
will tip the scale even further in my favour.
	The erratic Russian has continued his greediness and wants
Sweden. He has passed this off as simply a consideration, one in which he
will not act upon until he receives a German okay. His movement into
Livonia last season did nothing to confirm any level of trust we have
since such action was not necessary. It seems only as a move against the
Reich.
	Austria and Italy should make more progress this season in the
south. Since Russia is not very trustworthy, in our eyes, and tentions
between Austria and the Reich have grown, I thought it best to appease
the Austrians in order that they do not sign a rapproachment with Russia
against me. I cannot afford to have war on three fronts let alone two.
	Austria wants to join together in a war against Russia. I am
interested only if Russia seems to be two-faced. I realize such a move
can jeopardize the balance of power in the game in favour of the South,
my first priority is the survival of the Reich.(I am trying to play this
game from the point of what is best for Germany, not anyone else. If
possible I will play for the win and will only moderately accept a draw
or defeat.)
	I certainly donot trust the Austrian since I expect him to retake
Bohemia this turn by force, which we both agreed upon, however, the
Italian will probably slide into the Tyrol. Italy is up to something. I
think both Italy and Austria think they can open a new front against me
with French help.
	I have ordered A: Pic -> Bre since I expect British support and
this would guarentee that France loses at least one, if not two supply
centers. A: Bur -> Par is to cut any support this unit has on Brest to
guarentee its fall. If dislodged, I will retreat to either Picardy or
Gascony or even Marsaillies which ever may be open.
	I have ordered A: Kie -> Munich with support fron the Ruhr to
guarentee it holds against a possible Austrian attack. A: Boh -> Vie is
to please both the Austrian and the Russian since they both want me to do
this. I need no more enemies.
	I have ordered F: Nth to Nwg. If Russia does attempt to stab at
both Germany and Sweden, he will lose Norway and will be repulsed from
the Reich having signed his own death warrent.
	I hope the war with France goes fast and sucessful while Russia
holds the Austrians to a hault. I would love to see Turkey hold on. If
stabbed by anyone this turn, I should be fine.

Kaiser

Italy

No analysis submitted

Russia

No analysis submitted

Turkey

No analysis submitted

[ The Zine | Online Resources | Showcase | Email | Postal | Face to Face ]
The Diplomatic Pouch is brought to you by the DP Council.
The Diplomacy Showcase section is maintained by Ry4an Brase ([email protected])
Last updated on Sat, Sept 27, 1997.