Broadcast message from B-Berserkers in hgwells:


Here, at last, is my long-awaited EOG.  Hope you find it worth the wait.

My analysis of the ICFOS variant rules indicated 2 key rules and 2
potentially promising strategies.

The 2 key rules:  beam downs and the lack of fleets at the start.  Beam
downs allowed the potential to leap frog enemy strong points by beaming
into un-colonized provinces in his rear.  Taking advantage of this
offensively and protecting against it defensively would be critical.
The lack of fleets meant that, ultimately, the power best able to build
fleets early would likely be able to establish domination of the seas
and, thus, most coastal SC's.  In order to do this, of course, easy
access to coastal SC's for building purposes was required.

The 2 strategies I named "stronghold' and 'outpost'.

In the Stronghold strategy, a power would attempt to beam down all of
his units in the first turn to closely connected SC's, colonize them,
and expand contiguously from there.  Given that beam downs were not
possible into colonized provinces, a key part of the expansion process
would include colonizing all contiguous provinces to prevent surprise
attacks.

Pros:  If satisfactorily implemented, this strategy would enable the
development of a unified front for defense.  If this front could be made
narrow enough, other units could be freed up to engage in offensive
actions elsewhere.  If the proper location was chosen, naval forces
could be built early and often.

Cons:  only 2 areas of the normal Dip board are suitable for this
strategy, France and Turkey.  England and Italy are not suitable
because they do not possess enough closely connected SC's.  Germany,
Russia, and the Balkans are not suitable because it is impossible to
establish a secure rear or a unified front.  Also, while a unified
defensive front has advantages, it is also limiting.  If the power on
that front is not friendly, the ability for offensive action elsewhere
is severely curtailed.

In the Outpost strategy, a power would beam down all of his units to
physically separate SC's, colonize them, and expand each of them
independently.  Given that armies in orbit are effectively adjacent to
any province, any unit on the board would be only two moves away from
any other.  Though armies in orbit could not support, they could be
landed and provide support on the next turn.  Access to multiple SC
clusters and coastal SC's is possible.

Pros:  multiple outposts reduce vulnerability to sneak attacks and, if
such attacks happen, negative effect is reduced.  Multiple locations
about the board increase the opportunity to aid other powers and, thus,
to ally with them and gain their aid in other areas.  Greater flexibility
in choosing and supporting offensive targets.

Cons:  limited resources of each outpost make it difficult to hold
against a concerted attack.  Small size and apparent remoteness of each
outpost increase likelihood of attacks after initial phase (colonizing
free SC's) passes. Though units from orbit and other areas can be
brought in to aid, this is likely to make the other outposts vulnerable
to opportunistic attack.  Multiple locations about the board increase
the likelihood of perceived threat by other powers and, thus, increases
the difficulty in establishing alliances with them.

As should be obvious from game play, I chose the stronghold strategy.
If I had not felt that I could take France and Iberia uncontested, I
would have reconsidered.  While Turkey is suitable for this strategy, it
is not ideal because of the limited sea access.

As the game developed, I was surprised to see that all of the other
powers except the Jedi had chosen the same strategy.  I felt that this
made them vulnerable.  The Terrans in England because of limited growth
potential (though I was gravely concerned that he might start building
fleets if he gained any continental SC's); the Empire in Austria/Germany
because he had the worst front to defend and was likely to grow so
quickly that he would become Target 1 on everybody's list; the Evil
Scientists in the Balkans/Turkey because of the naval limitations
inherent in that position.

I decided that strategically, I needed to colonize all of France and
Iberia ASAP and diplomatically, befriend the Empire and the Jedi.  The
Empire because I wanted him to focus his aggressive tendencies westward
and so that I would be in a good position to stab him.  The Jedi both
because I saw them as my greatest long-term threat if they were able to
pull off the outpost strategy and my greatest potential ally for the
same reason.  Strategically, I succeeded with no interference and,
diplomatically, appeared to as well.

About the same time that the Evil Scientists decided to suicide against
the Empire (why?), I was defensively comfortable enough to begin an
aggressive campaign and I chose the Terrans.  This was proceeding
tolerably well until the Empire decided to stab me.  Strangely enough,
he didn't coordinate this with the Terrans and I was not seriously hurt.
While my aggressive actions were placed on hold, I was in good position
to hold the Empire indefinitely.  I kept 1 or 2 armies in orbit at all
times in order to move them into the defensive posture most helpful.
That, coupled with an Imperial misunderstanding of the retreat order
preventing retreat into colonized provinces, allowed me to hold my own
against the Empire.

It was during this time that I became really concerned about the Jedi
because they were not taking advantage of the Empire's concentration on
me to take several easy SC's from him.  So, while I sat, stewed, and
held the Empire to a standstill, the Jedi grew by finishing off the
Evil Scientists and going after the Terrans.  The Terrans gave a good
account of themselves but were overmatched, largely as a result of the
damage I had done earlier.  The Empire never looked back at his decision
to form an unholy alliance with the Jedi.  He was oblivious to the fact
that, in order to mount a defense against him, I could not defend
myself against Jedi encroachment in the north and south.  Ultimately, I
only lost 2 SC's to Imperial forces but found myself surrounded by Jedi
forces.  Even when the Jedi began to colonize all the provinces in my
rear, the Empire did not waver from his policy.  The Jedi's final stab
and victory was predictable, though well-deserved.

Though I was never close to victory, I still think my initial analysis
was correct.  Dan's Jedi strategy is much riskier than a stronghold
strategy.  If the Evil Scientists had not suicided against the Empire
or the Empire hadn't been so caught up in the role-playing aspect of the
Empire/Jedi alliance, I think that the Jedi would have been targeted for
attack by one or more powers early on.  Though I followed the lead of
the other players and role-played my Berserkers (and what a pain it
was trying to communicate as a force which inherently despises all other
forms of life...), that was always secondary to me.  Still, Dan
capitalized on every opportunity that came his way and made no errors
that I could see.  Congratulations on the victory.

Thanks to all the other players for a good time.  A special thanks to
Dan Percival for creating and GMing the variant.  I found it highly
enjoyable and I hope to play it again soon.

-Pitt Crandlemire
 (Berserkers in 'hgwells')

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