At long last, the Pouch Deposits column is back!

We received a few comments on the "A Smy-Syr" article, so here they are!

Mail Received Concerning
A Smyrna-Syria, or Should It Be A Syria-Smyrna?

From Edi Birsan([email protected]):

Dear Editor:

Army Smyna Default order is NOT to hold. It is Army Smy-Ank.

There is a fundamental flaw in the research and logic flow of the article advocating that Smyna should Hold given

A Con-Bul
F Ank-Bla

The optimal order is Army Smyna-Con on the basis that if Turks get into the Black Sea it is vastly superior both tactically and diplomatically to have the army in Ankara. Not only can it go to both Con and Armenia in the Fall (just as a hold order would) but it now allows for:

1. Convoy to Rumania,
2. Convoy to Sevastapol
3. attack on Armenia if the Russians moved their fleet there without risking the move of Arm-Ank
4. supported attack on Armenia if the Russians moved there and thus the option to destroy the Russian fleet by a subsequent negotiation

Diplomatically if the Turks get into the Black then they have options to discuss with the Russians regarding where to go.

They also have the option to Convoy Ankara to Bulgaria and have Bulgaria move on to either Serbia or Greece with the Italians in support or just to mess with the Austrians mind.

None of that is available by holding.

Now, you could argue that sometimes by restricting your options you are sending a diplomatic message, however that message is often read as: “Kill me, I do not know what I am doing.”

From Andrew Goff([email protected]):

Hi Larry,

A Smy - Syr has been my standard Turkish play for over a decade.

There are (I concede) rare cases where A Smy - Arm is a good opening and even rarer ones where Smy - Con could be considered. My rationale is quite different from the article, but the reasons given are also very solid - I applaud your excellent work.

My only dispute is A Smy - Ank being useless alongside F Ank - Con. The potential for:

S1901:
TUR: A Con - Bul; A Smy - Ank; F Ank - Con
RUS: F Sev - Bla; A Mos - Ukr; A War - Gal (bounce); F StP - GOB

followed by:

F1901
TUR: A Bul s Ank - Rum; F Con - Aeg; A Ank - Rum RUS: F Bla c Ank - Rum; A Ukr s War - Gal; A War - Gal; F GoB - Swe

Winter Adj:
TUR: +F Con; + F Smy
RUS: + A War (or F StP(nc))

This is a devastating RT alliance that is forcing against Austria and then Italy. Only western intervention can save AI from here. Russia has gambit their southern build for a year (if Serbia is next to go, then Russia gains Rumania back) in return for Black Sea control. Turkey is going to float through Italy for their part of the bargain.

It’s all about options, and I prefer Ank over H for this reason (though I stress I far prefer Smy - Syr).

From Geoff Kemp ([email protected]):

Hi,

Welcome to Quartz 94 / Tween 3.18. It has taken quite a while to be able to produce the zine unfortunately and I apologise for the awful delay. hopefully now this is out I can get on with the other parts and thank you for being patient with me.

This issue sees 5 Game starts including one GM'd by Nathan. These are:

1]	K'UNG-TSE:	Intimate Diplomacy 11:	GM Geoff	Players — Mark Firth v Tony Sait.
2]	GRAVENSTAFEL:	WW1 Diplomacy 7:	GM Geoff	Players — Edwin Hutton v Tony Dickinson.
3]	ST BLAISE:	Cathedral 2:	GM Nathan	Players — Alan Jarvis v Geoff Kemp.

Those are on page 6:

4]	ABRAM S:	Ogre 1:	GM Geoff	Players — Jed Stone v Edwin Hutton.
5]	CACOMISTLE:	Gunboat Diplomacy 3:	GM Geoff	Players — See Separate email.

After this group email goes out I shall attempt to send a separate email to the players to confirm what they are playing in and any information they need.

Please can you confirm receipt of the zine please.

Best Wishes

Geoff

Well, there you have it. Another Deposits column. Yep, it sure is.