Hi Doug,
Thanks for being an excellent GM, consistently timely with a lot of
flavour text and fun little add-ons.
This was easily my least rewarding and fulfilling game of Dip played
so far. For that, I certainly blame myself. This was my first time
playing a variant like this where you had great control over your
starting units. I made what I imagine to be a classic mistake, of
trying to do something different and creative at the expense of having
a good strategic plan. So it was that I clumsily set up my starting
centers with a strongly north-northwest deployment without have a good
diplomatic plan for either crushing England or working in concert with
him. This ambiguity of purpose quickly led me to a marginalized board
position. If I hadn't become buddies with Michael (France) I certainly
would have been eliminated.
I was very much looking forward to this variant, so when my own lack
of strategic planning made the game go quickly sideways, it was indeed
a disappointment. In retrospect the only thing I really enjoyed in
this game as it played out was my friendship with Michael and talking
about moves. But even there, I had kind of "checked out" early in the
game and my contributions to our tactical planning were often littered
with mistakes and oversights. Sorry for not bringing my "A" game,
Michael.
"Taking the Peace" was not my finest hour of dip. I do like the
variant and think Doug is a quality GM, so will be looking to play
this and with Doug again in the future.
I tried posting this at Redscape but it said only users with "Special
Access" can post in that forum. Which apparently means not me!
Feel free to reprint this over there...
Dirk
P.S. - David, at least from my side, all of our antipathy was in good
fun, frustrated though I really was!!!

On May 25, 2010, at 7:49 AM, Douglas Fresh wrote:

The Summer sun twinkled on the surface of the Saone, as the
dignitaries made their slow procession over the bridge and in to the
city of Macon. In the square in front of the Hôtel de Montrevel, a
huge mahogany table had been placed and, flanked by smartly suited
attendants, six high backed chairs evenly-spaced around it.

Promising the coming of Fall; a cool breeze whipped at the huge
stack of paper work piled on the table, and adjutants struggled to
keep all in place as the dignitaries gathered about it.

Tesarik took his seat first and, reaching for a crystal decanter of
Pouilly-Fuisse, grabbed it with both hands and took a large swig,
before wiping his beard on the sleeve of his overcoat.

Commandant Ciro, of the Mediterranean People's Coalition sat to his
right and smiled at those about him as if greeting long-lost family
members at a late Summer's picnic.

Taking a seat to Tesarik's left, the Turkish delegate eyed the
assembled warily before nibbling at some of the egg and cress
sandwiches proffered by an attendant.

Across the table sat the general of the Realm of Frankish Visigoths
alongside President Franz Heinrich of Greater Hannover. Looking
battle-weary, but dignified, the pair eyed the English Prime
Minister; the figurehead of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and
Scandinavia - noting their impatience - took his cue and began his
address.

From his position in the front ranks of the Yugoslav honour guard,
Agent Fresh watched the dignitaries as they waded through the paving-
slab-thick peace agreement. The Head of each state finally took his
turn in signing the Macon Accord, and with a splash of ink on paper,
the first war in Europe in five hundred years was ended.

Agent Fresh felt the weight of his shouldered rifle and stifled the
urge to raise it. The statesmen before him had caused untold terror
and bloodshed, not to mention the extermination of the Russian
people... surely the deserved to pay for what they had done?

But no. There had been bloodshed enough; and martyrdom to some
fictionial cause was not really a facet of Fresh's personality.
Besides, the Peace attained, must now be maintained, and in his deep-
cover as an officer in the Yugoslav national Army, Agent Fresh was
poised to carry out the work of the League of Shadows and to see to
it that: Never again would the ugly shadow of war fall across the
face of the continent they all must now share.

********************

Dear Players,

Many thanks for your participation in this game. I hope that you
enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you around another board at
some time in the future.

If you wish to write any End Of Game comments or reports, please
post them in the redscape forum: (http://www.redscape.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=982&sid=c60e5ff9651e8d60c3f6d30c17f828d0
) and also email them to all players, including dc301(at)diplomaticcorp.com
, so they go on the forum (wherever that is!)

The proposed and unused moves for Fall 1905 were as follows:


PROPOSED MILITARY MANOUVRES FALL 1905.

YUGOSLAVIA
A bur - gas
A mun - bur
A pru - sil
A ber holds
F gre holds
A bul - con
A rum - sev
A mos supports A rum - sev
A tyr - ven

YES

UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN & SCANDINAVIA
proposed DIAS

VOTE YES to DIAS

A STP S A Sev - Mos
F Kie - Hol
F NTHS F Kie - Hol
F Den - HEL
F Wal - ENG
A Yor - Edi
F Nwy S F NTH H

FRANKISH & VISIGOTHIC REALM
F Lyo S A Mar - PIE
F MAO - NAO
A Mar - PIE
A Pic - Par
F Tun - S F WES - TYS
F WES - TYS

I vote for the draw


GREATER HANNOVER
F Bel S Ruh - Hol
F Bre - ENG
A Ruh - Hol

VOTE YES!!!!!!!!!!!


MEDITERRANEAN PEOPLES CONFEDERATION
A Pie to Venice
F Naples to Apulia
F Tys to Ion
F Tus to Tys
YES

TURKEY
YES
NMR