Northern Stalemate Positions

Eric Verheiden

During the past few years, a number of analyses of Western stalemate positions were published. See, for example, the articles by John Beshara and Robert Lipton, and my own "Western Stalemate Positions" in Graustark #313. None of these, however, extended a certain fundamental progression: Positions not requiring control of the Mid-Atlantic.

Position 1

Centers:

England, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Bre, Par, Kie, StP. (12)

Units:

A Bel, A Bre, A Den, A Kie, A Nwy, A Par, A Pic, A Ruh, A StP, F Eng, F Iri, F NAt. (12)

Orders:

F Eng S Bre, A Pic S Par, A Bel S Ruh, A Den S Kie, A Nwy S StP.

Remove A Pic and A Bel. Add A Bur and with support from Paris and Ruhr, this new position requires only 11 units for 12 centers. From here, trade-in A Den for A Ber and F Bal. By supporting Berlin with A Kie and F Bal, there are now 12 units and 13 centers. Notice in the last two positions StP is expendable; the stalemate is effective with A Swe S Nwy.

(A slight reduction of this position appeared in John Beshara's "Fundamental Stalemate Positions, IV" in Atlantis #73).

Position 2

Centers:

England, Germany, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Bre, Par, StP. (14)

Units:

A Ber, A Bre, A Bur, A Kie, A Mun, A Nwy, A Par, A Ruh, A StP, F Bel, F Eng, F Iri, F NAt. (13)

Orders:

F Eng S Bre, A Par S Bur, A Ruh S Mun, A Kie S Mun, F Bal S Ber, A Nwy S StP.

Extensions proceed in two directions:

First, heading towards Russia, add armies in Prussia and Livonia, remove A Nwy and A Ruh. A Ber & A Kie S Mun, F Bal S Pru, A StP S A Lvn, making the position solid.

Next, exchange F Bal for A Sil, to be supported from Berlin and Prussia. A new A Mos supported from A Lvn and A StP adds another center. Alternatively, A War is controlled by support from A Pru & A Lvn. To hold both Mos and War, move A Lvn-Mos. Then A Pru S War, A StP S Mos, owns 16 centers with 14 units.

Position 3

Centers:

England, Germany, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Bre, Mos, Par, StP, War. (16)

Units:

A Ber, A Bre, A Bur, A Kie, A Mos, A Mun, A Par, A Sil, A Ukr, A War, F Eng, F Iri, F Nat. (13)

Orders:

F Eng S Bre, A Par S Bur, A Kie S Mun, A Ber S Sil, A War S Ukr, A Mos S Ukr.

This position of 16 centers with 13 units allows certain reductions without sacrificing the stalemate:

Remove A Par, add A Pic, A Bel and A Ruh. To retain this stalemate, F Eng and A Pic S Bre, A Bel and A Ruh S Par, needing all the units of the 15 centers.

Position 4

Centers:

England, Germany, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Mos, StP, War. (14)

Units:

A Bel, A Ber, A Hol, A Kie, A Mos, A Mun, A Ruh, A Sil, A Ukr, A War, F Eng, F Iri, F NAt, F Nth. (14)

Orders:

F Iri S Eng, F Nth S Eng, A Hol S Bel, A Ruh S Mun, A Kie S Mun, A Ber S Sil, A War S Ukr, A Mos S Ukr.

Returning to position 2 again and heading towards Iberia instead of Russia, we see that by moving A Par-Gas and then ordering A Ber and A Bur S Gas, we're again solid. From here, build F Mid, supporting with all three fleets in the coastal waters off England. A Bre becomes superfluous.

Position 5

Centers:

England, France, Germany, Low Countries, Scandinavia, StP. (15)

Units:

A Ber, A Bur, A Gas, A Kie, A Mar, A Mun, A Nwy, A Ruh, A StP, F Bal, F Eng, F Iri, F Mid, F NAt. (14)

Orders:

F Nat S Mid, F Iri S Mid, F Eng S Mid, A Gas S Mar, A Bur S Mar, A Ruh S Mun, A Kie S Mun, F Bal S Ber, A Nwy S StP.

All positions described herein assume unopposed dominance of Northern waters by the stalemating power or alliance. Combinations of progressions proceedings in the two directions from position 2 are generally viable and sufficiently obvious so as not to require delineation.