Broadcast message from [email protected] as Russia in fresh:

Hello All,

     Well, wasn't that fun? I've been playing Diplomacy for a number
of years.  Almost always FTF games. This was my first judge game.  I
must say it is a very different experience. The first thing I noticed
was that strong alliances had already been formed before I even figured
out how to send press. Lesson 1: join early, join often. This causes a
few problems for the Tsar. Namely three hostle fronts. The first Turkish
player seemed very untrusting. Not until Austria succeeded in bottling
him up did he finaly ally with me. Then he quickly cast my alliance aside
to make a simple gain through dubious dealings with Austria. Although, as
England pointed out, I am a good sport when territory is won in battle, I
look unkindly to this sort of backstabbing.  It was a simple matter to
panic the Austrians into smashing the Turk.  Unfortunately, that is when
he left the game. For this I am sorry. But, all is fair in war.
     From then on things seemed to go from bad to worse. I supose I could
have tried to force my weight around, but when reduced to one army all I
could do is wait until such time as I become most valuable to one player
or another.  Although this didn't really happen I can still feel very proud
in supporting the valiant retreat of the Germans out of St. Petersburg.

     As for hanging around while others would have fled, well, with the
people I play FTF with, the greatest sin is to leave the table just because
you think you can't win. On more than one occasion, I have seen pawns
become king makers (like our Austrian friend) and in a couple of bizarre
games a single army came back to win.  However, not really knowing the
people you are playing with makes it very difficult to take advantage of
their personal foibles and irrational thought patterns. Perhaps one day
I'll have the opportunity to know you all better so I can do so.

Paul Smerek, Tsar of Livonia and Rumania (retired)
Ottawa, Canada
[email protected]

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