And now, for a little Russian perspective…

Now I know what it’s like playing in the WB. A nightmare! Keeping up w the fast pace was incredibly difficult, combine this with a slew of mid-life changes, staying in the game at all was challenging, not to mention trying to talk to ppl that fast, and get moves in. Things were compounded when the deadlines moved from evenings to mornings, cuz that sort of cut out a day, since you had to have moves in the night before anyways (unless you get up to play at 5am). I got too many messages from Turkey around 11pm, when I’d signed off, with no way to react to them by the morning deadline. Then I’d hear my phone chime at 7am (Andy was so prompt!) and I knew results were out.

The game was fun tho – lots. And perfectly GM’d (now that you’re seasoned at running these speedy games, we’ve still got that WB spot open!)

I really enjoyed the early discussions, things were lively, everyone was interested. However it came out of the woodwork after about the 3rd or 4th stab by Andrew (England) unto me, that he’d planned from the start to strictly work with France in an EF duo. I picked up on this too late to save Germany, who I think fell pray to their banter and made some bad moves at me early on. Still tho Andrew (Ott) – was a pleasure to play you in this one, from your strange ramblings, to crazy moves, I was never bored and always entertained.

I don’t quite remember how things worked out in the south, that was so long, a home, a baby, a job, and 2000 miles ago. But I do remember Austria didn’t last very long. I think we all just ganged up and took him out. That left the 3 of us, Italy, Russia, Turkey, that sort of squabbled a bit, but also wanted to pull off some grander plans to stop the EF. Those plans were jumbled up by a hodgepodge of NMR’s that came around mid-game, when I think the speedy pace and extended / slow alliance game was taking its toll on everyone. At one point we could have broken into MAO, but for an untimely NMR which I remember getting annoyed at Turkey over.

Don’t know if he meant to vote down the DIAS, cuz he’s really the only one that could affect the game. Turkey had the clean shot at the solo, as we had 18 centers on our side of the line that had formed. This of course led to the countless discussions Andrew (England) had with me, about how I wanted him to back down so I could secure myself and prevent the solo, but he wanted me to “trust him” that he’d sit idly beside me and never attack me. So I wasn’t biting, rightfully so, for he’d said similar things, then stabbed me over and over again for Swe, Nwy, and StP. This set up the solo chance for Turkey, which he probly could have got if he’d wanted to go for it, but it would have been a slow process to meticulously transfer centers in a way that England couldn’t nab Mos.

Oddly enough, Andrew and I traded more emails together (by about double) than I did with any other player, and he attacked me all game. Just goes to show sometimes you stick it out, persevere, and write someone all the time it will pay off… and other times, like this, it doesn’t. Good learning experience in terms of just how many times one can fib to your face and still expect you to believe him!

Overall, glad the DIAS passed as it was a stalemate by every definition, unless Turkey wanted to try for the win.
-mike