Minimal Southern Stalemate Positions

Eric Verheiden

As anyone familiar with the Eastern stalemate positions should know, the following position is usually given as minimal (assuming no French or Iberian centers are owned):

Position 1

((Skipped, covered in Part II of Lipton's "A Series of Progressive Southern Stalemate Positions". Mark Berch, Diplomacy Digest 10-11 (April--May 1978). ))

Position 2

Centers:

Italy, Turkey, Balkans, Bud, Sev, Tri. (13)

Units:

A Ukr, A Bud, A Tri, A Pie, F TyS, A Rum, A Sev, A Ser, A Alb, A Ven, A Tus, F Nap, F Ion. (13)

Orders:

A Rum & A Sev S Ukr; A Ser S Bud; A Alb S Tri; A Ven & A Tus S Pie; F Nap & F Ion S TyS.

The loss of Sevastopol can be withstood....

Position 3

Centers:

Italy, Austria, Turkey, Balkans. (13)

Units:

A Arm, A Rum, A Vie, A Pie, F TyS, F Bla, A Ser, A Tri, A Bud, A Tus, A Ven, F Nap, F Ion. (13)

Orders:

F Bla & A Ser S Rum; A Tri & A Bud S Vie; A Tus & A Ven S Pie; F Nap & F Ion S TyS.

Note that the presence or absence of a fleet in Sevastopol is irrelevant for this particular position.

Tunis can be held in either (2) or (3) by moving the three Western fleets into the blocking position F NAf & F TyS S Wes. This addition gives the East a free unit to play with, which can be used to compensate for the loss of Pie in (2) or (3) with: A Rom S Tus; A Apu S Ven. The loss of Ukraine in (3) can be compensated by A Bul S Rum; A Arm S Sev. Finally the more usual F Nap S TyS; F Ion S Tun holds Tunis for the East without the extra unit.

In order to withstand the loss of both Vie and Sevastopol, further expansion into the Mediterranean is necessary, to the final position:

Position 4

Centers:

Italy, Turkey, Balkans, Tun, Tri, Bud. (13)

Units:

A Arm, A Rum, A Bud, A Trl, F Lyo, F Wes, A Bul, F Bla, A Ser, A Ven, A Tri, F Pie, F NAf. (13)

Orders:

A Bul & F Bla S Rum; A Ser S Bud; A Ven & A Tri S Trl; F Pie S Lyo; F NAf S Wes.

In addition to the positions previously mentioned, there are a few others which may be of interest:

Position 5

Centers:

Austria, Italy, Turkey, Bul, Ser, Gre, Tun. (13)

Units:

A Bul, A Bud, A Boh, A Pie, F Bla, F Wes, F Arm, A Ser, A Vie, A Trl, A Tus, F TyS, F NAf. (13)

Orders:

F Arm S Bla; A Ser S Bud; A Vie & A Trl S Boh; A Tus S Pie; F TyS & F NAf S Wes.

This might be called a "basic" position for holding the South without either Sev or Rum. As before, certain adjustments are possible.

If Boh falls, the following position is still viable:

Position 6

Centers:

Austria, Italy, Turkey, Bul, Ser, Gre, Tun. (13)

Units:

A Bul, A Bud, A Vie, A Trl, F Lyo, F Wes, F Bla, F Arm, A Ser, A Tri, A Ven, F Pie, F NAf. (13)

Orders:

F Arm S Bla; A Ser S Bud; A Tri S Vie; A Ven S Trl; F Pie S Lyo; F NAf S Wes.

From here, retake Boh and the loss of the Bla can be withstood.

Position 7

Centers:

Austria, Italy, Turkey, Bul, Ser, Gre, Tun. (13)

Units:

A Arm, A Bul, A Bud, A Boh, F Lyo, F Wes, A Ank, A Con, A Ser, A Vie, A Trl, F Pie, F NAf. (13)

Orders:

A Ank S Arm; A Con S Bul; A Ser S Bud; A Vie & A Trl S Boh; F Pie S Lyo; F NAf S Wes.

Certain rather obvious extensions to 14 or 15 centers are possible; however, these will not be dealt with in further detail here.