England EOG


 


The opening EFG alliance was strong, but definitely unsustainable. I was looking for an 'out' rather quickly, when I realized that I was in a bad position with the agreements.


 


I was expecting a quick demise of Russia, from the rumors sweeping around, but that didn't happen quite fast enough for me to expand.


 


Both France and Germany played well, and I couldn't sway them, so the writing was on the wall. As Michael indicated, I was very surprised by his reaction, but that's what I would have done as well. There was a window where I could have had the chance to run the board, but I was one turn off, and France was able to pivot far faster than I hoped.


 


Germany played tough, but Sun and I got caught in the trust issues, and I got caught in a death spiral.


 


I had one or two horrible moves and the one miss of retreats, which completely doomed me.


 


My learned lessons: EFG is confirmed again to be an impossible alliance for E, and if you're worried about being the one ganged up on by the two, you probably will be, either by design or self-fulfilling prophecy.


 


--Joe