And from the South...

T.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rob Bristol <rbristol(at)cogeco.ca ([email]rbristol(at)cogeco.ca[/email])>
Date: Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Subject: RE: DC178 The Search For Spongebob - Fall 1908 - SOUTH SOLO!! - South EOG
To: Former Trout <former.trout(at)gmail.com ([email]former.trout(at)gmail.com[/email])>


Hi Guys.

It was a pleasure playing this variant with all of you.

Here's what I think I remember, if I haven't got it quite right, forgive me as there's always alot going on at the house of Bristol.

I decided that from the outset I would try to be bold or at least do the unexpected where I could. The map offered equal odds of early loss or early gain depending on what happened to the left or right of each of us (either direction of attack were viable for early gain or stalemate), so I tried to choose whatever course would might fiirst advance my position and widen my options of what centres I could take. Fairly early on that strategy paid off when I was able to steal an Eastern centre early when it appeared I'd settle for an open centre close to home. The centre close to home came directly afterwards and the numbers game started to work in my favour. From then on I decided to "swap" centres whenever it advanced my position to the centre of the map. Not that I was actually swapping with just one power, as long as my centre total and units grew or at least stay the same, I would take advantage of my newly gained position in the centre, causing unexpected problems for each of the other powers. In doing so I gave up centres near home but gained more units as I went along. Giving up centres close to home meant a running cat and mouse battle with the West, but as I grew new units I was able to push him off of more widespread centres than he had units to defend. North and East battled, and as North began to get an upper hand I made sure I captured the undefended North centre on his flank, before I worked on finishing the West - if North finished East too soon he might grow too big for me to handle. Near the end it appeared that some of the other powers were trying to anticipate and support each others move against me. In this gunboat game with it's cutthroat kind of map, it came too little too late and I was able to solo.

Hard to admit this after putting in the time and effort, but the whole game would have been dramatically different if the first moves had turned more southward. I still think the bold style would be key, and may have won it for me - but after a much longer game. I was expecting to conyoy my army at some time to one of the islands, but West never really gave me a chance. Did anybody convoy? Was this supposed to be a convoy crazy variant?

Thanks to Former Trout for running a fast paced game, one of many he always has on the go. I wonder where do you find the time man for so many, but I'm glad you do.

Goodnight Mister and Missus Amurica, and all the ships at sea.

Rob "The Chicken Of Bristol".

-----Original Message-----
From: Former Trout [mailto:former.trout(at)gmail.com ([email]former.trout(at)gmail.com[/email])]
Sent: June 21, 2008 1:15 AM
To: dc178
Cc: Steve Lytton
Subject: DC178 The Search For Spongebob - Fall 1908 - SOUTH SOLO!!


The Thirteen Gun Salute!

Aye, Spongebob be found in the clutches of the South as with the gain of the two Western centers the South Wind declares his Captaincy. For the rest - the grog!! (And not beforetimes, methinks!!)


Yes - my apologies for getting this out a day late. Severe thunderstorms are doing weird, wacky things with our power-grid, and I'm not actually sure I'll be able to get this email completed before it goes out again... But ever onward - we find the West eliminated in Fall 1908 and the South cruising to a solo win. My thanks to all players for what I've found to be a throughly enjoyable game. EOG statements are DEFINITELY welcome.


The Fall turn results are below. Also, the player roster is included so that you can see just who you were Sail-Hoing against. =)


Congratulations to Rob, the Chicken of Bristol for his first DC solo win. Thanks to Garry Bledsoe for coming in and running the helm for the Northern ships. And a hearty 'good game' goes to Jerry Todd of the East and Steve Caponigri of the West.


Cheers everyone. See you in the next one...


Trout


DC-178 Search For Spongebob Player Roster


East - Jerry Todd (sgttodd)
North (orig) - Kassu Korhonen (Kassu)
North (rep) - Garry Bledsoe (garry.bledsoe)
South - Rob Bristol (chknbrstl)
West - Steve Caponigri (scaponig)


Deckhand - Former Trout






Movement results for Fall of 1908. (DC178 08 FALL)


East: F Amazon Village Hold.


North: A Echo's Glade Supports F Amazon Village.
North: A Hercules' Respite - Alcmene's Village (*Fails*).
North: F Alcmene's Village - Morpheus' Palace (*Bounce*).
North: A Prometheus' Cliff Hold.
North: F Cupid's Cloud Hold.


South: F Western Ocean - Morpheus' Palace (*Bounce*).
South: F Aphrodite's Beach Hold.
South: F Sea Of Fire - Isle Of Lesbos.
South: F Lover's Lane - Cupid's Cloud (*Fails*).
South: F Serina's Village - Strife's Cave.
South: F Poseidon's Curse - Nestor's Kingdom (*Bounce*).
South: A Persephone's Garden - Depths Of Hades (*Bounce*).


West: F Forest of the Golden Hind - Nestor's Kingdom (*Bounce*).
West: F Sea of Tears - Depths Of Hades (*Bounce*).


Unit locations:


East: F Amazon Village.
North: A Echo's Glade, A Hercules' Respite, F Alcmene's Village, A
Prometheus' Cliff, F Cupid's Cloud.
South: F Western Ocean, F Aphrodite's Beach, F Isle Of Lesbos, F Lover's
Lane, F Strife's Cave, F Poseidon's Curse, A Persephone's Garden.
West: F Forest of the Golden Hind, F Sea of Tears.


Ownership of supply centers:


East: Amazon Village.
North: Centaur Forest, Village Of Aeolus, Hercules' Respite, Prometheus'
Cliff, Cupid's Cloud.
South: Morpheus' Palace, Aphrodite's Beach, Isle Of Lesbos, Convent of the
Vestal Virgins, Nestor's Kingdom, Strife's Cave, Xena's Rest, Depths
Of Hades, Tartarus.
Unowned: Palace of Ares.


East: 1 Supply center, 1 Unit: Builds 0 units.
North: 5 Supply centers, 5 Units: Builds 0 units.
South: 9 Supply centers, 7 Units: Builds 2 units.
West: 0 Supply centers, 2 Units: Removes 2 units.




GAME RESULT: SOUTH SOLO!!