Thank you all for the game. It was
very fun..but I guess when you win you can usually say that
right?
 
Cory, thank you for volunteering
your time to GM in the WB.(you too Gary)
 
Let's start with Mike in
Austria..I wanted an alliance with
you right from the start. Yes I said the same thing to Russia and for a
time I had a fragile alliance with both but even a fragile one is better than
none at all. Mike had some ordering issues and Russia kept making all the right moves so I threw
in with Russia. It was like the whole board
was pushing us together though I was fighting all the way. I do not remember too
much of Austria going down.Germany sent units south and east and west, I knew
long term that was going to be a problem for him but it kept Austria and Russia
from really getting any momentum which is what I needed and it spread German
armies all over the board.
 
Andrew, when those 01 build orders
did not post.that sent Italy west and then I could pretty much do anything I
needed from there..i sent all my fleets west and picked off Italian centers when
I needed them. I have a bit of experience playing Turkey so I did whatever it
took to get as many fleets out to MAO as I could as fast as I could. The land
war was not going anywhere..G/A/T/R were all bouncing around for a bit but that
was OK I was more interested in getting to MAO. I think this was when Maslow and
I decided that he and I should take the game over and go for a two way
draw.looking back.we never actually supported one another's moves but I worked
against him diplomatically as I am sure he did to me..it looked like we were the
guys to beat..until he attacked England. On the next turn he retreated from that
attack. Maslow, I think that was your downfall..you had now attacked every one
of your neighbors and rebuilding anything to fight me was going to be very
difficult until I was very large and close to the lines. Had you sustained the
pressure on England things might have been
different..
 
I think it was only a couple of
turns later as Germany moved in on Russia for the kill that I approached Scott
and suggested we move in on Germany and knock this down to a 2 player race..i
thought if I could get England to land an army or two that all the pressure to
my north would collapse and I could make a big push. England said he would do that if I surrendered
Iberia..so I let him pick me apart
over there at a pace I was comfortable with while I pushed armies north. The
solo bid looked to be stopped and I thought it was until the vote issues started
to come up...Maslow said he would never vote for anything that did not include
him in the draw. I took this to England and suggested we move in such
a way that he gets the message that it will be E/T or he will be eliminated. In
the meantime I supported England to SPA and we attempted to take Italy
out..Germany worked on Russia while holding me south..I picked up a second
chance to get a solo when I convinced Scott to send a strong message to Germany
about E/T..i played my hand to Germany but England needed to show Germany that
he meant business too. I suggested that England put 4 units on KIE and that
BUR-MUN be the move to do just that. I knew that England would be taking MUN
with German support but it was imperative that England use BUR for the
attack..this left MAR with no defense.when I saw that I new I would/could
win.
 
I know I told E/G that I was not
interested in a solo because of the target I would have in round two..but one of
my arguments to Scott on why to cut Germany out of the draw was that we
would be eliminating a great player from contention for the tournament.
Ultimately that is I why I went for the solo on the second chance; eliminating
competition for the overall prize was the
intention.
 
A lot of things happened that I
forgot to mention I am sure..Maslow turning Russia against me unexpectedly
though Brian you mentioned that you were upset with me never leaving the Black
Sea.so it was probably not too difficult a decision on your
part.
 
Thanks for a good game, I have a lot
of respect for each of you and can't wait to share a board with you again. Good
luck to each of you in round number two.
 
 
tim