Fellows,

First of all, many thanks to Steve for GMing this game.

This is my second time to play a 1898 game. At the beginning of a 1898 game, some players thought that they should take some "strategic dots" at the first year of the game. But in fact, I think this is unwise because it would be better to take a home center for two builds next year. This happens to England, and makes England weak in this game.

In the beginning of the game, I was thinking whom should be my ally and whom I should attack first in North Europe. Through negotiation and the development of the map, I found that England is weak; France is a beginner; and Russia is ambitious. The first turning point of my game is to attack Russia. This is a last minute decision. Before that I thought I would stab France with the help of weak England. England has agreed to attack France, so if I help England, France would die soon. Meanwhile, I found that Russia would be in a great position as he work with Turkey against Austria. And if I did nothing about Russia, Russia would become a great power that it would be difficult for me to deal with in the future. I also thought that, if I helped England, I would only help England revive and I will have two big possible enemies after I took France. So, why not let England and France keep fighting so that keep them weak, and I attack Russia to keep Russia weak? I admit that Austria had done a lot of works in convincing me to help him. Yet, I had thought of this before Austria asked me. So I would say this was my own decision.

The attack of Russia was successful. And soon Russia was in struggle of survive. In West, England and France were busy in fighting, so that no one would threaten my west. When Russia is dying, I decide to start attack England, and hopefully take control over the North Sea. If my plan works, I would have got most of Russia, Scandinavia and some England by 1903-4.

Surprisingly, Austria stab me. I thought that he would have stabbed me after the end of Turkey. But I was wrong. Soon we have made some agreement that we would share Russia together. But again I was wrong. My next hope would be a fast kill of England and Scandinavia, so that I can bring my troops back against Austria.

This is my strategy.

But in diplomacy, I have tried to make 3 way draw since the first stab of Austria. Italy and Austria agree with that too, because they also agree that other nations have no chance to revive. Also because if one of us attack the other, the third player would help the weak in order to maintain the balance of power. In fact, strategically, Austria cannot move any further towards Germany. And my troops will soon turn back after the death of Russia and get back STP and Moscow sooner or later. So in the end, it would be a three way draw anyway.

This is a good game. And I must say, well play Kevin!

Brian