Thanks for your comments Dirk - I think I gave access to the forum for redscape users - no matter, I shall post your comments for posterity!
Anyone else have anything to say?

On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 3:16 PM, Dirk Knemeyer <dirk(at)knemeyer.com> wrote:

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

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