WMSF3 England EOG

First of all, thanks Craig for the time devoted to this impecable adjudication.
Thanks also everybody, I enjoyed the game immensely. Sorry for the late EOG,
but I was not at my office these days, I'm having a small dip break before the
finals :-)

English EOG:

General considerations and pre-1901 game:

This has been a very interesting game to play... I remember the discussion on
the WM02 chat room about Ray Setzer being or not an alliance player after 2
solos - well, he not only was my ally from start to end, but also gave me his
own deserved dots to achieve this one solo here. The theory that there's always
someone willing to take advantage of a "everybody kills Ray" strategy held, at
least for this game. But let's talk about how things happened before analizing
too much.

Game started the usual way: I started meeting the other players, and identified
the 2 I felt more comfortable dealing with - Kester (A) and Eric(F). I knew
John(T) and Kester had played in the dip2000 site, and thought they could be
allies, actually I was hoping for an AT vs R, and suggested it for a couple of
times. Nick (R) seemed too defensive, but I could establish an early peace
treaty, and was willing to respect it for as long as I would take to sort EFG
out. Roger (I) appeared as a French ally right from the start, which made me a
little uncomfortable. Ray (G) was a different story - he was my GM in R2, we
had changed a couple of mails even before we knew we would play together, and
he proposed an alliance from the start - I was hoping to establish trust with
him ASAP, and perhaps go after Russia.

However, things started to complicate - Ray seemed too suspicious of everyone,
probably fearing the whole board would jump all over him for his two previous
solos (he was right about it)... I began feeling a bit suspicious myself, and
this made my relationships with FA, and to a lesser extent RI, to grow
stronger. I began thinking "Well, since Ray is not talking much, maybe it's
better to prepare myself for something right from the start" The question that
kept coming to my mind was "why right now?" England is a power that can wait
for quite a while before making its decisions, especially up to 1912... And so
I did - gave Ray some time to prove his intentions, promised Russia to open
friendly and not convoy to Nwy, and started talking to France about invading
Germany (just in case). That would yield me Belgium with an army, and put me
into a better position to decide which way to go. Belgium is always a great
exchange card in case I needed....

1901

France supports itself into Bur, like he said he would do, we both respect the
DMZ in ENG, bounces in Bla and Gal, Turkey goes for Bul but not for Con....
Austria goes for 2 builds, Russia does not look great.... But out of the blue,
Germany bounces Italy in Tyr!!!! Damn, I heard Roger and Eric talking about
something like that, but Ray must have used his psychic powers to move Mun-Tyr.
I asked him about it, he said "Well, I knew Eric was lying when he proposed a
bounce in Bur, so since it would be useless to do Mun - Bur, I chose Mun-Tyr."
Amazing. Ray was right, everybody was afraid of him. Now the question was if
they would keep the attacks or try something different....

Fall has no unpleasant surprises, and I manage to convoy my army into Bel, and
get 2 builds... I had exactly the position I wanted, at least! Time to lurk.

1902

This is the year that decided the game IMHO.... EVERYBODY was talking about
crushing Ray - I was promised Kiel, Den and Hol. Wow, I would get rich, eh?
Well, when the offer is too good, it sounds strange...

I say yes to everyone, but instead of moving into Hel, which would make my
options limited, I decide to move into Ska. I KNEW there would be a great car
crash in S02, and wanted to watch it from the best position possible. My
agreements: I asked Ray to support Ruh, agreed for a attack on Ruh with Eric,
and tried really hard to understand what Russia wanted...I can say I was
annoyed by how Nick talked with me those days - it was a Spring move, 1902, I
asked him to use Nwy to support myself into Nth in case I went for Hel, and
even so he declined my askings, saying he preferred I left Nwy. Hmmm, he was
not really my best ally. Turkey was not talking much, and Kester, my friend,
was all enigmatic about his moves. No, I definitely had to go for Ska, and not
rush - even if I got Hol/Kie/Ber (and now after I saw Ray playing I'm sure this
would have been inmpossible, the guy is unbeatable :-), I would lose probably
those dots in like 2 years. I'm sure Eric would have sticked with me, but Nick
and Kester would stall England and ask France to finish my hopes.

So there I went to Ska, and did not leave Nwy like Russia wanted. Another good
part of this Spring was that I went for ENG with French permission - told Eric
I needed extra support for Bel in case Ray attacked it. We had agreed upon an
attack to Ruh, and I was going for it. However, like a few hours before the
deadline, Ray said he KNEW he was going to be attacked, and that we had to talk
seriously. I said our arranged moves were going to be just fine: Hol s Ruh s Mun
- Bur.... The attack I agreed with Eric would fail, but also Ray's on Bur - I
would be positioned for Den or Swe, and GF would fight. Perfect. But Ray said
it was not enough - he needed Hol to defend Ber - I found that really strange,
as I would never imagine what would come, but freeing Holland looked like a
good step. Well, changing my moves would make me look bad to my best friend at
the time, Eric. OTOH, Ray would be entering Burgundy, making me necessary for
France anyway, so I held Bel. If this front was reasonably under control, OTOH,
Eastern Germany was a mess: Austria entered Boh, and Russia enterd Pru/Sil while
ATI were fighting Turkey as well!!!! Damn, what the heck?! Never saw anything
like that, the whole board was fighting one single guy, he didn't even have
enough dots to give them all!!! No, that was not right, I could not enter a
door 4 other guys were trying to enter at the same time, so I decided to defend
it. Done, I had a goal, and for the first time in quite a while, I could see a
lon-term, rocksolid alliance almost without cracks - Ray needed to save his
scalp, I needed him to block the other side of the board and (unfortunately)
kill the most important naval power I could see - France. I was not happy with
it, Eric, but it seemed the best way to go at the time (it still does) - and
when you asked me to build that second fleet in Mar, I knew it would be hard to
do it... Anyway, from the minute I decided on, all I had to do was some fine
tuning in the alliance, and surfing the big McZet wave.

Fall 02 was just a consequence - my decision to hit Russia was already taken and
confirmed after he went for Pru/Sil and left Swe unattended... Ray had to
retreat from Bur to Defend Mun, and even offered me Den, as he had gone to Bal
- another brilliant move from his part. I still don't know how he managed to
hold all his centers during those times! Eric was pissed with me of course, and
I decided to do Eng  - Iri in case he went Mat - Nat. He didn't, and my moves
looked good to Eric again, and I would have more space to stab him. The only
great game turnaround was the Austrian stab on Italy - Kester saw he would not
grow over Ray, and did it immediately. I told Roger I thought it was coming, I
asked him to convoy to Alb, but I think he did not trust me cause of my
unexpected alliance with Ray. Too bad.

1903

Time to betray France for good. I built a fleet in Liv, the single thing I had
agreed I would never do. Then it was guessing right about Nat/Eng, and putting
3 fleets to break Mat. Ray was doing pretty well with his psychic powers, and
entered Sil and Bal. No immediate threats. During Fall, I entered the Mat,
while Ray managed to keep even Sil.

1904

EG enter Bur in Spring while Ray keeps holding his lines. Austria assaults
Italy, and I keep trying in vain to make something  to change things - I ask
Russia to betray Kester, I ask Italy and Turkey to unite.... But AR had quite
an alliance there, I gotta admit. Good thing is that as long as AR are together,
there's no way Ray would attack me, even if he wanted, considering his borders
are never free... Our alliances are mirror images, and the fastest will win...
I was pretty worried about that, as we would have to kill a well managed France,
while Italy and Turkey are falling apart.

Anything new? Yes, big time. Russia moves Rum - Bud.... Is that a stab? Could
well be if he didn't move Sev-Mos, War - Lvn!!! Nah, he was going to attack me
- the Southern alliance finds a way to hurt me by exchanging dots.Am I right?
Winter comes and he builds a Fleet in Stp. Glad I built one in Edi, too! :-)

1905

Another Key year. Had the stab been successful, no way I could have topped.
Russia has to decide between defending War or attacking me. Ray thinks War is
the most likely, but I please please ask him to dislodge BoT. Result? The
funniest outcome possible - The convoy LVN - Fin fails, and Ray brilliantly
enters both Sil and War. The Johnnie Walker units starts their journey: during
Fall, Ray loses War, but enters Gal and retreats to Ukr. One of the few
retreats Germany has during the game.

Ray told me later he really considered stabbing me this year when he saw the
builds. The problem? Nick does not want to fight Kester. Our perfect alliance
stays intact! I also manage to make my first build over Eric, who does
everything right. Amazing. I grab Bre in the Spring, but let myself be
dislodged from Bre to Par, and put my only tiny army inside France. Ray gets
Mar and we finally start to make progress. But still a long way to go....

1906

Hilarious year. Ray enters Rum, Sev and Vienna, forcing Russia and Austria to
shrink and leave their fronts not to lose their own home centers. In the end
Germany gets only Sev, but Italy and Turkey can breath while Austria has 3
builds but nowhere to make them :-) Our alliance looks to be in the lead now,
thanks to the Johnie Walker armies.

1907 - 1908

I grab Stp, convoy an army there, Turkey is doomed, we finish France. The
stalemate starts to be built, but with us leading - Germany enters Italy and
gets Rom/Ven, and also Tyr.


1909

Key year for the solo. I was planning to finish with 11 dots, and give Ray 10 -
first and second places, maybe even 8th overall. We would not grow more than
that, even taking Nap. I was planning to let Roger live and participate in the
draw  - after all, he deserved it, and helped me invade the Med in 1907-8
However, things change. Nick enters Vie and Con, and it looks like Kester is
throwing Nick his dots. It's helpless, and the outcome would be horrible: I
would tie Russia, which would advance, and Ray would not get any better. We
start plotting the solo.

1910-12

We go for the solo, and AR seem not to notice till the last year. We could have
even done it in F1911, but a move Ven-Rom would stall it, making Ray disband
too many units.

The question is: Why the solo? My answer is: because it sounded fair. Not fair
to me, of course, I did not deserve it, but I think both England or Germany
would be better candidates for the finals than Austria or Russia, even for the
second place. I don't know if the original AT plan was Russia getting 11 dots
or not, but I can say I tried my best to give my ally second place, and was not
able to. It may even have some impact on the next game, I know, but I decided
not to mix things and play one game at a time.

-Roger, I promised to let you live, and had to break my promise. At least you
know it was not for fun - I had a purpose, and helped with your enemy. Good
game, especially in the way you managed to survive and help me. I'm just sorry
Ray didn't bounce Kester in Nap to give you a build when I supported you into
Tunis. That would have been fun!
-Eric, I had to do it, man. I tried to push you against Italy and make a triple,
but you insisted in attacking Ray even with all those guys hitting him. You gave
me every second chance, but in the end.... It was the only way I found to win
the game, sorry.  Things would have been very different if you had drawn
Russia/Austria and not France.... I must say it was tough to break you, though
- nice defense! Hope to come accross  you again sometime, and then ally...
errrm - ok, I'll let you stab me back, I deserve it :-)
-Kester, you're one of the best players I've ever seen. Congratulations! You
played Roger, you played Nick, you ran faster in the beginning.... I don't
know, I just think you shouldn't have broken the Anchluss so early and gone for
Boh. The stabs on Italy and Turkey were brilliant. I just think you had to stab
Nick at some point if you wanted me and Ray to fight.
-Nick, I don't know why, but I was sure I had to hit you since Swe was open.
Maybe it was the Nwy thing, but man - that convoy attempt was really something,
I was not threatening you in any way at the time!  Great player, great ally for
Kester, I respect the way you played, even not agreeing with it, especially the
convoy and the move to Pru/Sil in 1902.
-John, we didn't talk much, but you resisted bravely for almost a decade,
without any help. The move to Greece was hilarious, and helped a lot. Thanks.
-Ray, I said I was going to call you Dip God in my EOG, but I don't think it's
appropriate. You're Aquiles, almost invincible, with all those legendary combat
tactics. It's a pity the game had to finish early, cause I would split the whole
world with you if we had time for that. I'll Take my hat off for ya, and shame
on those who thought you were a stabbing liar. Egg was damn right about it.
Definitely would play with you again and again, as we had such a great time
together. Maybe we kill Egg together one of these days :-)


So, that's it - too long a synthesis of a game won by circumstances more than a
player - forgive the poor English, please. Thank you all for the votes on the
finals, gonna do my best to well represent this board.

Regards,


Julio.




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