Thanks once again to Trout for a really well managed game that was both fun and interesting throughout.

Congratulations of course to Mikael! Well done.

You were the first to write me after the game launch and here's what you had to say on 2/19/08, a day after the start:

"Bruce, I must say, we seem to be the brothers of misfortune here - our nations are extremely vulnerable, compared to the others. A toast to our luck and fortune to survive! / Mikael"

Here's my toast to your victory in this one!

But as Mikael pointed out in his early email to me, Briton (not the Bretons from Brittany, right?!) is in a tough starting position. Essentially surrounded by the other three Western powers, you pretty much have to hope you can make friends with someone. My diplomacy unfortunately failed me utterly in this one as ultimately two of my neighbors stabbed me (I attacked the other), relegating me to second class power status for most of this game. I didn't get on a roll again until the Swedes invaded! The never-ending civil war-like situation in the West guaranteed a victory for either the Norse or Swedes by by the middle game. I tried to jump on the S/N bandwagon, and did I guess, but too little, too late I'm afraid.

No matter, a better player than me could maybe of done something more with the Britons. I can envision it starting out as a land-based force complementing one of the other Western powers' sea-based force in an effort to clean out the British Isles before confronting the East. The most geographically advantaged player on the board to start with in my opinion is the Anglo Saxon.

I look forward to seeing the new map and making a comparison.

Thanks again to all and best regards.

Bruce


----- Original Message ----
From: B H <screwtape777(at)gmail.com>
To: Former Trout <former.trout(at)gmail.com>
Cc: dc161 <DC161(at)diplomaticcorp.com>; Bruce Quinn <coebq(at)yahoo.com>; Clark Landry <clarklandry(at)gmail.com>; Josh E. <aramis604(at)yahoo.com>; Mikael Johansson <m_don_j(at)hotmail.com>; Nathan Deily <ndeily(at)yahoo.com>; Rob Ackerley <rob_ackerley(at)yahoo.ca>; Rob Bristol <rbristol(at)cogeco.ca>; Steve Lytton <stevelytton(at)hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 4:31:16 PM
Subject: Re: DC161 Knights Who Say Ni! - Fall 836 - Swedish Solo Victory - Ministry of Silly Walks

Please do CC me on all EOGs - and in your commentary on the variant (which is very welcome and appreciated, both positive and critical) - please - please - please - take a look at the new Dark Ages map (Trout has a copy, as do I - so please ask if you don't have it) and let us know if you think the changes made already address your concerns or if further work needs to be done.

Unlike most surveys your opinions here really do count and will all be considered as I continue to develop Dark Ages.

Thanks to one and all for playing - I hope you all enjoyed it, and please consider giving the new revision a chance if you feel inclined to GM or play more in the future - it's much more balanced, particularly as it affects the Danes, Gaels, and Swedes.

- B., the variant designer


On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 5:37 AM, Former Trout <former.trout(at)gmail.com ([email]former.trout(at)gmail.com[/email])> wrote:

Good morning. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, but I'm afraid my walk has become rather sillier recently, and so it takes me rather longer to get to work.


-----------


The walking in DC-161 is complete now, the Swedes marching their way into a 19 center solo victory. A big congratulations go to Mikael, as well as to Bruce, Josh and Clark who hang on through the Swedish tidal wave to pick up survivals. All end-game proposals failed to reach united consensus, but Mikael took matters into his own hands.


Through blood and fire, the Dark Ages game now comes to conclusion. My thanks to all players for their efforts in this one - I think we can easily say that it was a resounding success. Your end-game statements are highly encouraged, along with any comments you might have as to the layout of the map and the playability of the positions.


This was truly a pleasure to GM folks. Thank you all for taking a part in it. Congrats once again to Mikael, and thanks for everyone for being such a wicked bunch of savages. =P


Cheers everyone!


Blood and Mutton-Chops Trout




Movement results for Fall of 836. (DC 161 836 EW)


Scots: F Arctic Ocean - Norwegian Sea (*Fails*).
Scots: F Bernicia - Firth of Forth.
Scots: F Cait - Scapa Flow (*Fails*).
Scots: A Circinn Supports A Deira - Strathclyde (*Void*).
Scots: F Firth of Forth - Rogaland Coast.
Scots: F Meath Hold (*Dislodged*).
Scots: F Moray Firth Supports F Firth of Forth - Rogaland Coast.
Scots: F North Channel - Dal Riada.


Britons: F Atlantic Ocean Hold.
Britons: A Connaught Supports F Leinster - Meath.
Britons: F Dyfed - Cardigan Bay.
Britons: A Gwynned Hold (*Dislodged*).
Britons: F Leinster - Meath.


Norse: F East Anglia Hold (*Dislodged*).
Norse: F Hebridean Sea - North Channel.
Norse: F Norwegian Sea Supports F Scapa Flow (*Cut*).
Norse: F Rogaland Coast - Moray Firth (*Dislodged*).
Norse: F Scapa Flow Supports F Rogaland Coast - Moray Firth (*Cut*).
Norse: A Sogn Hold.
Norse: F Ulster Supports F Hebridean Sea - North Channel.


Swedes: F Bay of Pomerania - Ribe(ec).
Swedes: A Deira Hold.
Swedes: A Hwicce - Hamptonshire.
Swedes: A Mercia - Gwynned.
Swedes: A Middle Anglia - Kent.
Swedes: F North Sea - Jelling.
Swedes: A Powys Supports A Mercia - Gwynned.
Swedes: A Skane - Alvheim.
Swedes: F Strait of Dover - Neustria.
Swedes: F The Wash - East Anglia.
Swedes: F West Frisian Coast Supports F The Wash - East Anglia.




Retreat orders for Fall of 836. (DC 161 836 EW)


Scots: F Meath - Irish Sea.


Britons: A Gwynned - Chester.


Norse: F East Anglia - Middle Anglia.
Norse: F Rogaland Coast - Hordaland.


Unit locations:


Scots: F Arctic Ocean, F Cait, A Circinn, F Dal Riada, F Firth of Forth, F
Irish Sea, F Moray Firth, F Rogaland Coast.
Britons: F Atlantic Ocean, F Cardigan Bay, A Chester, A Connaught, F Meath.
Norse: F Hordaland, F Middle Anglia, F North Channel, F Norwegian Sea, F
Scapa Flow, A Sogn, F Ulster.
Swedes: A Alvheim, A Deira, F East Anglia, A Gwynned, A Hamptonshire, F
Jelling, A Kent, F Neustria, A Powys, F Ribe(ec), F West Frisian
Coast.


Ownership of supply centers:


Scots: Cait, Circinn, Dal Riada, Fortrenn, Strathclyde.
Britons: Brittany, Cornwall, Gwent, Leinster, Meath.
Norse: Agder, Hordaland, Ulster, Trondelag, Vestfold.
Swedes: Austrasia, Deira, East Anglia, Frisia, Gotar, Gwynned, Hamptonshire,
Jelling, Kent, Lappland, Mercia, Neustria, Pomerania, Powys,
Prussia, Ribe, Roskilde, Skane, Svear.


Gaels: 0 Supply centers, 0 Units: Builds 0 units.
Scots: 5 Supply centers, 8 Units: Removes 3 units.
Britons: 5 Supply centers, 5 Units: Builds 0 units.
Norse: 5 Supply centers, 7 Units: Removes 2 units.
AngloSaxons: 0 Supply centers, 0 Units: Builds 0 units.
Danes: 0 Supply centers, 0 Units: Builds 0 units.
Swedes: 19 Supply centers, 11 Units: Builds 3 units.




GAME RESULT: SWEDISH 19 CENTER SOLO!!

--
www.geocities.com/nairenvorbeck/files
Realpolitik files available here for the Sengoku, South American Supremacy, and DarkAges Diplomacy Variants