French End of Game Statement
Jeff Sucharew Played France
The story of my game is a pitiful one involving a long, unrewarding struggle with England, suffering betrayal after betrayal from Germany, and watching ominous events unfold in the East.
I drew France, and it was my plan from the beginning to encourage Germany and England to fight while I grew in Iberia and nipped off what I could in England as I supported Germany's offensive. To this end, I attempted to persuade Russia to head South, Italy to head East, Turkey to head North, and both Germany and England to head toward each other. I wished Austria good luck.
Unfortunately, my opening Diplomacy did not achieve what I wished. England came right at me Spring '01 and never backed off. I miscalculated and she took the English Channel from me and I never really recovered my stride. Germany paid only lip service to our agreements to fight England while he danced around the Baltic with Russia to no avail. Luckily, while I was fighting my off-balance struggle with England, Italy did indeed go East. I also managed to forge a decent working relationship with Russia, but we were rarely in the position to aid each other directly.
All I could accomplish was an exchange of Brest with Edinburgh, which was most unsatisfactory.
Austria fell quickly, and it looked as if Russia and Turkey would roll across the board. But Turkey instead joined with Italy to knock Russia back. Italy then reversed his position and sent every fleet he had West, toward me. In conjunction with this, Germany decided it was time for him to stab me for a dot. Things looked grim.
But then Italy reversed again (new player) and became occupied with dismantling Turkey. It was a new breath of life for France. I patched things up with Germany (although at this point, after he failed to follow through on so many things and had actually walked into Paris when I most need him *not* to, it didn't comfort me very much), and tried to talk some sense into England. Inexplicably, she seemed determined however, to invade France no matter what, even as the Russians and Germans were fighting for the North Sea and threatened her homeland.
After Turkey was wittled down, it seemed as if there would be a new Russo-Italian hegemony. The Russian began moving in force against Germany, and Italian forces began making the long trip from the East toward me. Coinciding with this was the introduction of a new English player. I tried to take advantage of these new developments by ingratiating myself to everybody.
I worked with England and Germany to form a Western Alliance against the R-I, while separately speaking to Germany (who I didn't trust, but I had no other options) about wiping England out once we stopped the East. Meanwhile, I attempted to sow discord among the enemy... I offered my services to Italy as a servant in the West should Russia betray him, while I was openly courting Russia to betray Italy with my help.
There actually seemed a chance that France might live when Italy turned on Russia's defenseless southern flank. I did not want Russia to die, so I attempted to talk Germany into helping him survive so that we could all fight against the increasingly inevitable Italian victory. Meanwhile, I went ahead and stabbed England for a couple dots, effectively crippling him and strengthening myself against the coming Italian thrust. Unfortunately, I misread Italy and tripped myself up with my orders and could not take advantage of the builds I gained.
Germany decided it would be better to take meaningless Russian dots while leaving Italy to do what he would. Italy did exactly that, and soloed the game.
Congratulations Akshay/Joshua, very well played.
hank you Nathan for managing the game so well, and sorry this is so late.
--Jeff--