Re: 1096 Draw agreed

Just that I'm happy of having one obligation less  :-)

Now let's play another ;-)

I'd love to hear comments from the creator and also from the other=20
players. I've already stated my opinion on the game design and so on, so=20
let's write a small EoG:

Starting: "great": two recent Dip-acquitances at my sides: I had just=20
shared board with Joel and Mike in successive rounds of Maharajihad=20
tournament. I had mad life impossible for Joel in the first game so I=20
rather expected revenge. Mike had been sort of an ally in the second=20
game but I didn't know how could it be being so close side by side. They=20
were natural choices but on the other hand what I saw as natural areas=20
for eventual expansion.

I was very wary of Uesugi by definition: I see Uesugi as the "Russia" of=20
this variant and without the weaknesses of standard Russia. So, while I=20
treated with him and even "sold secrets" to him, I treated to keep a U-T=20
balance while trying to capture Hojo centers and secure southern coastal=20
domination, something that Takeda made particularly difficult always=20
disturbing my attempts at Izu.

On the other hand, I saw far away countries of Shimazu, Chosokabe and=20
Mori as a distant problem. I was offered a peace by Choso and, though I=20
tried to contact Mori and Shimazu, I got no valid reply. The second=20
Mori, Adam, could have been a good option, as I knew him from another=20
game and knew he was fairly reliable. But for that time Mori was without=20
options.

So I based my strategy in:
a) Peace with Chosokabe
b) triple alliance with Asakura and Takeda
c) sporadic contacts with the rest (though only Uesugi was of some use:=20
why do people play Diplomacy if they don't like to bargain and=20
negotiate? =3D-O )

My plan was just to secure a bit of Hojo and then possibly rush onto=20
either one of my allies or maybe Choso, though this latter option seemed=20
unlikely to work without Shimazu's help. I also managed to scuttle Mino,=20
a province that supposedly was to stay neutral forever and ever. This=20
made me vulnerable to stabs from my allies but also made them vulnerable=20
to my treachery.

For that time I was so upset by Takeda's obstructionism, mad play and=20
evident lies that I decided to hit him badly. Too much probably. I=20
secured South Shinano, what made me then virtually invulnerable... but I=20
also made Uesugi big.

Meanwhile I had just realized that Chosokabe wanted my lands and there=20
was no way to dissuade him nor to persuade silent Shimazu to change=20
alliances. So I had to keep many troops in the Kai area just to fence=20
Choso off my waters. We were like that the rest of the game as you know...

I had suggested Asakura to build a fleet in Settsu then but he prefered=20
to build an army elsewhere. I believe that was the choice that decided=20
the game (c. 1572/73): that fleet would have made Choso fall back and=20
Shimazu would have either fallen with him or been forced to deal with=20
me. Controlling Osaka Bay would have allowed both Oda and Asakura the=20
best position to fight for the no-man's-land of Ina and nearby=20
provinces... and beyond.

As Takeda remained as a border realm holding back the Uesugi-Hojo=20
fragile alliance with my late help, we could maybe have rushed westward=20
and change the destiny... it was all on that early decission of building=20
a fleet in Settsu when in time - I believe.

After that, I just had not enough ships nor room to fight against Choso=20
and, while the war wasn't decided in that static naval front, the=20
impossibility of supporting any Asakuran advance by the south or=20
stealing Chosokabe's centers made us stay in a defenssive attitude.

For me the game ended there. Or rather soon after, as Asakura's centers,=20
starting with Settsu, fell to our foes.

...

As it was clear that neither Asakura was falling down by moments and the=20
alliance wasn't very enthusiatic about any possibilities, I decided to=20
help his end, as I would have thanked anyone helping mine (except from=20
Choso, as he had betrayed his word with me ;-) ). But that was just=20
doing something: pawning around while waiting for the unavoidable.

So far my story.

Now yours.

Luis.

Stephen Worthy escribi=F3:
> Right that's it, just heard from Joe, so the DIAS draw is agreed.  I=20
> don't know if the previous commentaries have been considered EOG=20
> statements, but if anyone has any more, do send them out.
>=20=20
> Stephen
>
> http://www.geocities.com/stephen_worthy/


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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