Hi Players,

Sorry that took a little long.  Our friend the Sultan had me scrambling for the rulebook again.  The orders in question were these.  Would you allow these moves?


F Bulgaria(ec) - Constantinople

F Constantinople - Bulgaria(sc)



Realpolitik did not.  After consulting the rules, the tournament directors and I agreed.  It seems logical enough, but the rules are clear that fleets on either coast occupy the entire province, and no two units in adjacent provinces can switch places EXCEPT when a convoy is utilized, as Turkey did last year.  So, the result of these orders is a bounce, with neither unit moving.  (See the end of this message for the relevant rules.)

Now that we've settled that, what actually happened on the rest of the board?  Quite a lot, actually.  Germany and Austria both are getting hammered from all sides.



Germany and Austria are getting hammered from all sides.

Still, as much as Austria is on the ropes, the whole Balkan area looks like it's still up for grabs.  Just for fun, I looked at every Austrian and Balkan dot.  There isn't a single one that can be held, without help, by the
country currently occupying it.  Pretty cool... to watch.

The Italian army quits Africa, but for the Dalmatian coast, not the mid-East as the Sultan feared.


France flips sides, or does he?  He helps England take Kiel, but claims London for himself.  Is it a double-cross, or simply a payment for services rendered?

Germany does make one good guess, blocking the Russian advance to Baltic and causing a three-fleet bounce all the way back to St. Pete.

All added up together, I think it sets us up for a very entertaining Fall season.  I hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am!

Cheers,
Chris

RETREATS:  German fleet Kiel was auto-retreated to Berlin.  The Kaiser may choose to disband the unit if he prefers.  Let me know ASAP.

NEXT DEADLINE:  Fall 1903 orders are due Thursday, January 27, at 1800 EST.


Orders as resolved.  Any problems,
let me know.
========================================
Austria:
F Greece Supports F Ionian Sea - Aegean Sea (*Void*)
A Serbia Supports A Trieste - Budapest (*Disbanded*)
A Trieste - Budapest
A Vienna Supports A Trieste - Budapest (*Cut*)

England:
F Denmark - Skagerrak (*Bounce*)
F Edinburgh - North Sea (*Fails*)
F Helgoland Bight - Kiel
A London - Yorkshire

France:
F Brest - English Channel
F English Channel - London
A Holland Supports F Helgoland Bight - Kiel
A Paris - Burgundy
A Spain - Marseilles
A Wales Supports F English Channel - London

Germany:
F Kiel - Baltic Sea (*Dislodged*)
A Munich - Kiel (*Fails*)
F North Sea - Skagerrak (*Bounce*)

Italy:
F Eastern Mediterranean - Aegean Sea
F Ionian Sea Convoys A Tunis - Albania
A Tunis - Albania
A Venice - Trieste

Russia:
A Budapest - Serbia
A Galicia - Vienna (*Fails*)
F Norway - Sweden
(*Fails*)
A Sevastopol Hold
F St Petersburg(nc) - Norway (*Fails*)
F Sweden - Baltic Sea (*Bounce*)
A Warsaw - Silesia

Turkey:
A Armenia - Syria
F Bulgaria(ec) - Constantinople (*Fails*)
F Constantinople - Bulgaria(sc) (*Fails*)
A Rumania Supports A Budapest - Serbia
F Smyrna - Eastern Mediterranean
======================================

Relevant excerpts from the rules relating to the attempted movement of Turkish fleets in Bul and Con.


Bulgaria, Spain, and St. Petersburg: These are the only coastal
provinces that have two separately identified coasts. A Fleet entering
one of these provinces enters along one coast and can then move
to a province adjacent to that coast only. The Fleet, nevertheless,
is considered to be occupying the entire province. Such a Fleet
should be placed on the coastline rather than completely inland.
For example, a Fleet at
Spain???s North Coast can???t be ordered to move
to the Western Mediterranean or to the Gulf of Lyon or to Marseilles.
It is, however, considered to be occupying all of Spain.

and

Units can???t trade places without the use of a convoy. If
two units are each ordered to the province that the other
occupies, neither can move.