Eastern Stalemate Positions

Eric Verheiden

For all practical purposes, stalemate positions of less than 18 centers which do not include all of England or all of Turkey simply do not exist. In finding stalemate positions for the Eastern powers then, we must content ourselves with those including Turkey and seek to find what other areas must be included -- and what other areas can be safely sacrificed without risking the loss of the stalemate.

Positions including England as well as Turkey were explored.... ((see "A Progressive Series of Asymmetrical Stalemate Positions" by Robert Bryan Lipton)). Against a hostile England, stalemate positions for the Eastern powers must include a portion of Italy or a portion of Scandinavia. The former positions were.... ((see "Fundamental Stalemate Positions, III" By John Beshera)). The latter positions, those which do not extend into Italy, are dealt with here.

Position 1

Centers:

Russia, Turkey, Scandinavia, Ber, Bud, Bul, Rum, Ser, Vie. (16)

Units:

A Ber, A Boh, A Bud, A Bul, A Den, A Nwy, A Pru, A Rum, A Ser, A Sil, A Vie, F Aeg, F Bal, F Bar, F Eas, F Ska. (16)

Orders:

F Bar S Nwy, F Ska S Den, F Bal S Den, A Pru S Ber, A Sil S Boh, A Bud S Vie, A Rum S Ser, A Bul S Ser, F Eas S Aeg.

(Note that here and in what follows, country designations represent home centers, Scandinavia represents Den, Nwy and Swe, and Balkans indicates Bul, Gre, Rum and Ser.)

In terms of supply centers, this seems to be the minimal position for holding onto a piece of Scandinavia. Improvements to 17 centers are rather obvious. Shifting either A Pru to Mun or A Rum to Gre and the ordering of appropriate supports holds the additional center. Each improvement frees an extra unit which may be used, among other things to compensate for the absence of F Bar with armies in Swe and StP supporting Nwy.

Position 2

Centers:

Austria, Russia, Turkey, Balkans, Ber, Nwy, Swe. (17)

Units:

A Ber, A Boh, A Bud, A Gal, A Gre, A Nwy, A Ser, A Sil, A Tri, A Vie, F Aeg, F Bal, F Ber, F Bot, F Eas, F Ska, F Swe. (17)

Orders:

F Bar S Nwy, F Swe S Ska, F Bot S Bal, A Sil S Ber, A Gal S Boh, A Vie S Tri, A Bud S Tri, A Ser S Tri, F Aeg S Gre.

This position seems to be about minimal in terms of ownership of Northern supply centers (i.e. those North of the North-South boundary line running NAf-Wes-Lyo-Pie-Trl-Boh-Sil-Pru-Lvn-StP/Mos) without giving up all of Scandinavia or going over 17 SC's. Mun instead of Tri is held by shifting A Gal to Mun, A Tri to Bul supporting A Mun by all neighboring units and ordering A Bud S Vie, A Bul S Ser.

Position 3

Centers:

Germany, Russia, Turkey, Scandinavia, Bud, Bul, Rum, Vie. (17)

Units:

A Boh, A Bud, A Bul, A Con, A Kie, A Mun, A Nwy, A Ruh, A Rum, A StP, A Trl, A Vie, F Aeg, F Den, F Eas, F Hel, F Ska. (17)

Orders:

A StP S Nwy, F Ska S Nwy, F Den S Hel, A Kie S Ruh, A Mun S Ruh, A Boh S Trl, A Vie S Trl, A Rum S Bud, A Con S Bul, F Eas S Aeg.

This position appears to be about minimal in terms of ownership of Southern centers (i.e. those South of the N-S boundary line), again without going over 17 centers or expanding to England. To hold Ser instead of Nwy, remove A Nwy, A Rum and A Con and replace them with F Swe, A Fin and A Ser; A Bud and A Bul S Ser, F Swe S Ska, A Fin S StP, and the position is again solid. Or, to hold Ser instead of Mun, remove A Ruh, A Mun, A Trl and A Con and replace them with F Bal, A Ber, A Sil and A Ser. Support A Kie and with F Bal and A Ber, A Boh with A Sil, A Vie with A Bud, A Ser with A Rum and A Bul. The new position is again unbreakable.

Slight improvements are possible with many of the positions, sometimes freeing an additional unit. However, the above are generally minimal for the supply centers held.