Your imaptience is a shibboleth, ShibbOleth. This started as a slow paced game. Kids these days… 
Wow, no bounces at all. Isn’t it nice when people get along?
<impatient> Another power outage, or do I need to put the pain on one of our players?
I’d close the impatient tag, but only Dave can satisfy me that way.
:: slides up chair next to Wikkit, lifts tattered copy of Golf Digest from the end table ::
Keep your pants on, I’ll get to it tonight.
Well, it’s easy to tell who has the “real life” in this game and who is sitting at his desk, late in the evening, copying files from an old computer to a new one. Isn’t it?
It’s done. Shibb, since you’re so eager, I’m sure you’ll send me your retreat right away and BTW- rething your strategy in 1117.
rethink :smack:
Retreat is in, and Dave’s emailed it out to you all, for those who are up late keeping score.
As for my strategy in Penguin Herding, I dunno… it seems to be playing right into your hands. Are you sure you want me to rethink it?
</impatient>
That was odd. I eagerly await the commentary from our residing expert.
Dee doo dee doo dee doo thpbttttttt.
Why are you looking at me funny?
Geez, I don’t check in for a month, and this is all there is? This is the totality of our “smack” talk.
Abe Babe normally can never keep his yap shut, but now nada. Methinks I best rethinks my strategy… Well that was quick.
This thread doesn’t get a lot of movement, that’s for sure. I think the title doesn’t lend itself to Mulliganesque smack. Maybe we should start a new one and post links?
I think we should start a new one. But first, how about a new number? The game we’re playing now doesn’t have all the same players, none of the players are playing the power they started with, and even the name and GM are different. Other dip games have had more similarities and been considered different games. Bobble didn’t get a chance to resolve itself, but I think it deserves to be 1099, and this one to have it’s own number.
So let’s re-number and start a new thread. It’ll be like a dip game that found religion at midlife, changed it’s name, and moved to the holy land.
The current map, in case anyone is interested or wishes to comment.
I figured I’d jump in here and make a few comments on the game. I didn’t see a link to the webpage in the thread, so here’s a new one.
Diplomacy Game 1099 “Mulligan”
I haven’t been tracking the game very closely since its rebirth, so I don’t know all the nuances, and while I looked at all the maps, I probably overlooked alot of supports, bounces, cuts etc. that probably explain alot of the dynamic alliances. Keep that in mind when reading my opinions, it’ll make me look less dumb.
Here we go:
France
It’s certainly been a very noble battle against some tall odds. You’ve lasted 3 years with what looks to be a 3-man pig pile, and you’re still a viable power if you manage some shrewd moves. Don’t give up, many a power has come back from far worse odds. As it is, it looks like England and German’s friendship is beyond repair. If he can hold off Russia long enough to make a nuisance of himself to England, you could get some help. Italy’s all over the place, so I hope you two have been talking alot. If things in the Balkans fall right, it could really ripple to have some big implications in the west. Talk to everyone.
Italy
Your units are making this map look like a Jackson Pollack. You seem to have had Augustus Ceaser as your inspiration, your legions reaching from Germania to Spain to Constantinople to Egypt…but if I recall my Classic Civ class, he did a somewhat more thorough job of it. I don’t know who’s side you’re on, but you don’t seem to have any sworn enemies, and are probably being courted by everyone, if for no other reason than that you have units in place to help (and hurt) everyone. You should be cautious of England and Russia’s successes. Even though they aren’t likely to crash into you anytime soon, by the time they do it’ll be too late. Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face my friend.
England
You’ve had some great successes. It all began with you gaining the channel, and guessing correctly in year one. Did you stab Germany too soon, or at just the right time? Time will tell. You probably feel a little invincible right now, and you have good reason to. You’re clearly the favorite right now. You’d better be talking to Russia and Italy, cause if they gang up on you, it doesn’t matter how strong you are. You’d better hope this instability in the Balkans continues, it’s served you exceptionally well so far. Building a Fleet London was probably the safe bet, but wouldn’t another army on the mainland have been grand, could have made the D-Day invasion look like Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello throwing a party?
Austria
Looking at the red spots on the map and the phrase that comes to mind it Ebb and Flow. You’ve never been up, you’ve never been down, and it seem like you’ve flip-flopped allies nearly every turn. You’re largely responsible for getting Italy and Russia tied in knots in the Balkans, if nothing else it was probably fun. You’re in both Galicia and the Ionian and have all your home SCs, normally this would be the prescription for Austrian success. But then again, how often are you actually surrounded on 4 sides by white? Not to mention, attacking Russia and Italy would prove to be trouble long term since it’ll get England to a huge lead. If you’re feeling spiteful, you’re in a good spot I suppose. You’d hardly ever hear me say it, but you and Turkey should get to be fast friends.
Turkey
Can’t say I’ve ever seen a game where both Turkey and Austria both are unable to get off the ground. Neither has really lost much along the way, but you haven’t gained much either. If one of you is down, its almost always the case that the other is up. Like I said above, you and Austria need to buddy up close. Your interests are one in the same at this point. It felt weird to type that. Not sure who you should be bargaining with…well actually you should be bargaining with everyone…I should say I don’t know who you should be cozying up to. There’s more bad than good in just about every alliance except for that Austrian one.
Russia
It’s awfully nice to only have one front, isn’t it? Granted it spans the entire board, but anytime it’s Russia that can claim to be fighting a one front war its a cause for celebration. Now, who are you going to cozy up with? Everyone see you as a threat, but I bet everyone sees England as a greater one as far as a solo is concerned. Can you close ranks with Italy and England and make it a three horse race? Of course you could…but is that really what you want? The elimination of France or Germany could pose problems for you, yet I don’t imagine Turkey or Austria are very fond of your accent these days. Bulgaria is ripe for the taking, and would allow you to bring some cohesiveness which could be decisive against Turkey. Though I wonder how Italy and Austria feel about that idea. Its interesting, but I get the impression that what happens in the west will have a bigger effect on you than the details in the Balkans…funny since I said the exact opposite about England. Get in position to grind west, you’ll out pace England if you do.
Germany
Whew, quite the turn of events. Sucks when your ally goes and gets fat and then forgets about you, huh? The English can be selfish like that. Bummer to be pinned right between the two leaders. They are either going to team up and sweep the board…which puts you right in front of the steamroller. Or, they are going to go to battle and race one another to 18…which means that you’re the battlefield. If anyones going to ring the panic bell and try and rally a coalition against a solo, you’ll be the one to do it. Is it too soon to start playing that card though? I don’t think so, but I bet its a tough sell. You need to get friendly with France and forgive Italy’s transgressions. Mediate between him and France if needed. Get married to Austria, and for god’s sake make that fleet in the North Sea a huge pain in the ass. This is when the game can be lots of fun.
Then methought the board grew denser, attacked from a many shore,
Swat by Serbia whose armies slept upon the tufted floor.
“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee- by these allies he
hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of way Nor!
Judi, oh adjudicate this game and give me Nor!”
Quoth the Weirddave, “Nevermore.”
So the Russian, still is plotting,without blinking, still is thinking,
On the rocky coast of Norway, bounced right off of Kiel’s fair shore;
And Russia’s generals still are scheming, England’s shores set eyes a’ gleaming.
The map revealed he sits there beaming, 8 SCs but he wants more;
Europe trembles in that shadow, grim spectre of a civil war
Hovers o’er land-forevermore!
Now, why doesn’t the newbie game get such beautiful poetry?
Welcome to the majors.
Woo-hoo, that was beautiful guys. Johnny Bravo what the hell are you doing in here?
Probably doing the same thing as me; looking at how the real diplomacy players do it