Alright,
 
Well I'll go first with my EOG as I expect many of you are interested in understanding my actions especially towards the end of the game.
 
At the beginning of the game I started off game in a ton of alliances and sub alliances of various strength.  Fuzzy on all the details but I think I was in a EIG, EFI, AIG, IR, IT, AIT, EF maybe some others
 
AIT was very successful in year one.  Although I think the suballiance of AG gets more of the credit there.  Although also could be said they were potentially too successful.  Although I feel the need to tip my hat to Autria for his year one play against Dan.  Obviously Dan recovered masterfully but definitely a minor work of art performed there.
 
For obvious reasons maintaining all of those alliances was impossible.  Although I did remain friendly with almost every power on the board for most of the game.
 
EIG was also working pretty well after year one but a huge turning point that dramatically changed my strategy was when England switched sides and stopped fighting France.  My plan which was to attack France basically became an impossibility.
 
I spent a few years carefully maintaining relationships and waiting for the right opportunity.  Balancing timing and relationships was a key strategy to my game the entire time. I moved against Austria because I needed somewhere to grow and Austria seemed to only be interested in his own ambitions.
 
I continued to grow and was feeling very good about my chances after Russia turned against Turkey.
 
Another key point in the game was when Germany and France turning on England.  Possibly I'm overselling my involvement but I would like to think I helped bring them together and establish their trust to help do this.
 
England abandoning the game was a dissapointment that certainly helped France and changed things.  It would have been interesting to see how the game would have progressed is England hadn't left.
 
Also want to take this opportunity to thank Austria, Germany, and despite his method fighting to the end, Turkey for sticking around and fighting to the end.
 
Then to me the most shocking moves of the game occured when Turkey disbanded his army and built southern fleets.  Turkey if you get a chance to write a EOG I'd love to know what I did, or Dan did to convince you to make that move.
 
From that point on my relationship with Turkey went from him not likely me, but likely Austria and Russia less to all out suicidal war against me.
 
Around this point Russia and I, as well as Germany finally decided we needed to start working together against France.  Although I think it was definitely me who dragged me feat on this one.
But we did it in time to stop France from being able to hold the stalemate lines.
 
The slow battle proceeded but eventually we would break through because we had the advantage.  France took the strategy of going all out defense against me while being less protective of his borders against Russia.  The goal was to force me to turn on Russia but obiviously it didn't play out how he felt it should have.
 
There are few reasons for this.  First for a long time I was opporating under the assumption that if Tim couldn't get his win he would help me get a solo.  I knew at best it was a half truth but I did hold out the thought that if I played the politics right I could make it happen.  (Tim also continually told me he would help me solo)
 
Part of my strategy of working with Russia instead of continuing with France was that Russia could only win allied with me and not allied with France so I didn't have to worry about him switching sides.  Of course this dynamic changed when Dan needed a solo to win.
 
The key item that may explain my actions toward the end of the game was a deal that I offered Dan a few years ago.  With the realization that unless one of us helped the other one this game was doomed to be a 3 way I offered Dan an agreement that would give each of us a chance to win the overall tournament.
 
With the understanding that we both wanted to place high, but that what we each truly wanted was the tournament championship we agree to randomly determine on us and the other one would help them win.  Dan took some time to think and agreed he was on board.
 
Certainly some complaints out the method could be made but our reasoning
 
It gave us the opportunity to win the tournament
 
Certainly we had no garentee that either of us would follow through with the deal

So Dan and I played odds and evens with our orders last fall and he won (hold 0, move 1).  I honored my agreement to allow him to solo.  Would Dan have done the same if I had won?  Not sure, I would like to think that he would have, but I don't know.  I decided to honor my side of the agreement.
 
So there you have it.  Certainly one of the more dynamic and interesting diplomacy games I have ever played dispite the NMR's and England leaving.

Congrats on the tournament victory Dan!  Sorry for the complications Tim, I really did enjoy working with you and wouldn't have had anything against you winning the tournament, but I played the whole game (until honoring my agreement) to give myself the best chance of the total tournament victory.  That involved not working with you at the end.
 
Thank you very much for the well run game Christine!
 
Good game to all!

--- On Thu, 6/21/12, Dan Dzikowicz <ddz999cat23(at)yahoo.com> wrote:


From: Dan Dzikowicz <ddz999cat23(at)yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: dc418 Game over
To: "GM Christine" <dawench(at)hotmail.com>, "odvaha(at)aol.com" <odvaha(at)aol.com>, "wtfleming(at)msn.com" <wtfleming(at)msn.com>, "timothyl.crosby(at)gmail.com" <timothyl.crosby(at)gmail.com>, "derekthefeared2(at)yahoo.com" <derekthefeared2(at)yahoo.com>, "blitz(at)diplomaticcorp.com" <blitz(at)diplomaticcorp.com>, "landru428(at)aol.com" <landru428(at)aol.com>, "tmssteve(at)gmail.com" <tmssteve(at)gmail.com>, "kielmarch(at)hotmail.com" <kielmarch(at)hotmail.com>, "mike(at)fuzzylogicllc.net" <mike(at)fuzzylogicllc.net>
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2012, 9:55 AM



Good game all, and MANY thanks Christine. Yes, I believe my EOG will shed some light, from my single perspective.  I'll try to get that together tonight or tomorrow.  Quite interested to hear other people's takes too.


Thanks all!
Dan





From: GM Christine <dawench(at)hotmail.com>
To: odvaha(at)aol.com; wtfleming(at)msn.com; timothyl.crosby(at)gmail.com; derekthefeared2(at)yahoo.com; ddz999cat23(at)yahoo.com; blitz(at)diplomaticcorp.com; landru428(at)aol.com; tmssteve(at)gmail.com; kielmarch(at)hotmail.com; mike(at)fuzzylogicllc.net
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 8:27 AM
Subject: dc418 Game over





Board:

Austria - landru428 - Andrew Cassese - eliminated F '05
England - RickHunter - Mike Brady - eliminated '07
France - fencertim -Timothy Crosby
Germany - stevec - Steve Cooley
Italy - derekthefeared2 -Derek Eiler
Russia - ddz999cat23 - Daniel Dzikowicz - Solo '11
Turkey - MrSmiley - Will Fleming - eliminted '08

GM Note:

A Russian Solo has been achieved, congratulations Dan.

Thank you all for playing, I hope you will submit EOGs.  Some moves in this game were mystifying!

Final Supply Center Count:

Austria:     0
England:     0
France:      5
Germany:     1
Italy:      10
Russia:     18
Turkey:      0

Map:

http://home.comcast.net/~dawench/418/41811EG.gif

Orders and
Results:

France:
F Brest - English Channel
A Burgundy Supports A Spain - Marseilles
F English Channel - North Sea
A Gascony Supports F Portugal - Spain(sc)
F Mid-Atlantic Ocean - North Atlantic Ocean
A Munich - Kiel (*Dislodged*)
F North Atlantic Ocean - Norwegian Sea
F Portugal - Spain(sc) (*Bounce*)
F Skagerrak Supports F English Channel - North Sea
A Spain - Marseilles

Germany:
A Ruhr - Belgium

Italy:
A Bohemia - Munich (*Fails*)
A Bulgaria - Rumania (*Bounce*)
A Greece - Bulgaria (*Bounce*)
F Gulf of Lyon Supports F Western Mediterranean - Spain(sc)
F North Africa - Mid-Atlantic Ocean
A Piedmont - Marseilles (*Fails*)
A Tyrolia - Piedmont (*Fails*)
F Tyrrhenian Sea - Western Mediterranean (*Fails*)
F Western Mediterranean - Spain(sc) (*Bounce*)

Russia:
A Armenia Hold
F Baltic Sea - Denmark
A Berlin Supports A Silesia - Munich
A Constantinople -
Bulgaria (*Bounce*)
A Kiel Supports A Silesia - Munich
A Liverpool Hold
F London Hold
F North Sea - Holland
F Norway - Sweden
A Sevastopol - Rumania (*Bounce*)
A Silesia - Munich

Retreat Due:

French A Munich can retreat to Ruhr or OTB.


------------------------

Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions.
Sun Tzu