Welcome to the club:)
Spring 1901 of Game Two is now adjudicated!
Our players:
England: Clarissa_xx
France: Waverly
Germany: Firx
Italy: RocknrollKillingMachine
Turkey: Bluesman
Austria: Ryoushi
Russia: Evil Ghandi
The game info is at:
http://www.wooleysark.com/dip/936
Let’s hear some kibitzing here!
In game two, the balkans should certainly be interesting.
I also like Austria’s rogue army in GAL.
God Save the Queen
Abe Babe.
p.s. with the “press” people talk about, is this thread it, or would press include “send to all” emails? Short of making anonymous phone calls, I don’t see how anyone could be anonymous.
Russia better hope Turkey and Austria aren’t in bed.
France needs to learn how to support properly (or I do . . . one of the two).
England is in a bit of a pickle.
Austria looks rather obvious and is relying on a very trustworthy Italy.
Germany either moved very well or very stupidly, as I cannot figure out his/her moves (and that means one of two things).
Turkey . . . 
I don’t allow anonymous press in my games. If you say it, you need to own up to it.
So it can be either here or in a broadcast email to all participants. Include me, too. I can always use a laugh.
Well now - this is much more like an opening season!! People laying their cards on the table and going for broke. None of the sneaky, distrustful lurking of Game 1 - who wants to bet there will be a few quick retirements in this game???
Gp
You willing to be the ‘Official SDMB Diplomacy Betting Line’ guy, grimpixie?
We need one.
That was a valid support. Supports only require that the supporting unit is adjacent to the space the moving unit is moving into. So it was fine, and a good plan if one doesn’t trust Germany.
As for my kibbitzing?
England is at war with Germany and Russia.
France is at war with Italy but expected a stab from Germany.
Italy is at war with France.
Austria doesn’t trust Russia, which is good, because Russia and Turkey have an alliance, or at least a “you go your way, I go mine” arrangement.
What I’m going to watch next turn?
*Whether France and Germany knock heads over Munich and/or Belgium.
*Whether Turkey and Austria start mixing it up or instead join up against Russia.
*Whether Italy turns an anti-French opening move into a full war, or does a swing against Austria or Turkey.
*And Russia… do you protect Warsaw, or try to keep that Austrian unit from slipping in to Ukraine (and having easy access to three centers)? Oooh, that’s a tough decision.
Cripes, I’d have a lot less stress in my life if I didn’t play Diplomacy and instead hired myself out as a play-by-play man. Anyone want to be my color commentator?
I don’t see the France-Italy conflict as strongly as you do, John. I’m guessing that army in Tuscany was just a defensive measure, and will be in Tunisia by the end of the year.
Germany and Austria are the countries to watch in this game for the moment, I think. Russia, Turkey, and England may be having some long serious talks right about now…
::makes mental note re: Rumania.::
How fun opening moves can “decide” a country’s immediate fate:D
Or, as the Austrian, do you make a supporded attack into Rumania? Unless the Turks support the fleet, it can be dislodged, essentially removing Russia from the Balkans.
With two new builds, Russia could safely kick the Austrians out of Ukraine.
God Save the Queen
Abe Babe
grimpixie, are we looking at the same games here?
These openings are much more conservative than those of game 1.
Russia has not committed himself whatsoever. He has a good chance of losing Rum in the fall.
Austria chose the credulous opening par excellence. Unless he is willing to support Turkey into Rum, he has rendered his A Ser useless this turn, for unless he trusts Italy spectacularly, he will have to move to cover Tri.
[sub]And since Italy knows this, there are a few devious things he can do…[/sub]
Germany’s opening denies him the ability to bounce Russia out of Sweden. Hardly “all the cards out on the table.”
Italy’s anti-French variation of the traditional Tun grab will amount to nothing if he changes gears and goes after Austria. Which must be goddamned tempting.
France and England clearly trust each other. Otherwise France’s opening is identical to mine.
England’s opening is 100% traditional.
And it looks like Bel or Den will be unoccupied this turn. That is, if England and Russia are friendly. For Russia’s sake, I hope they are.
MR
I agree with grimpixie on the France/Italy conflict, or lack thereof. Unless Italy gets a fleet in Gulf of Lyons or France in the Tyrrhenian Sea, France can’t take piedmont and Italy can’t take Marseilles.
God Save the Queen
Abe Babe
It’s hardly useless. Austria has a shot at getting Serbia, Rumania, and Greece in the fall (although that would involve some serious diplomacy…both buttering up Italy and stabbing Turkey). And if Austria doesn’t trust Italy, he can still use the army in Serbia to try for Rumania while his fleet keeps Italy out of Trieste. And even if Serbia does retreat to cover Trieste, Austria still gets the build provided Turkey remains cordial. Austria has a lot of negotiating to do, but he’s still got loads of options.
On the other hand, Germany has a shot at getting Holland, Belgium, and Denmark. That English fleet in the North Sea may be too busy securing Norway to stop him. (Although, as you point out England and Russia could hold him to two builds if they cooperate.)
I think this French opening is a little more aggressive. You were willing to accept a bounce in Burgundy and getting only one build. This France was guaranteed to get into Burgundy (right on the German border), and is probably going to snap up all of Iberia.
Negative, Speed Racer. He has a shot at all of the above perhaps if everyone else’s units held for the fall turn.
Austria requires a guaranteed build this turn. All of the scenarios you outline show Austria benefitting only on the goodwill of two of his neighbors.
It is precariously easy for Italy and Turkey to agree to contain Austria early. They both benefit and they don’t infringe on each other by doing it.
For example:
Gal > Rum (perhaps anticipating Turkish support)
Ser > Tri (anticipating an Italian attack)
Alb > Gre
Austria gains three! Hooray.
This is foiled insultingly easily. Hell, Turkey and Italy don’t even have to cooperate in order to pull it off.
Bul > Gre
Ven S A Ser > Tri (anticipating a potential double bounce between Alb > Tri and Serb > Tri)
Austria gains nothing.
No one’s in the Black, so Russia and Turkey probably get along. Turkish support against Rum is thus not bloody likely.
Bollocks. He has loads of ways he can get skewered unless he is both very lucky and playing with very credulous people.
Also not bloody likely. Like it or not, he is going to have to cover Mun against Bur, which denies his moving unit access to Bel. Moving in from Hol would be pointless, as he would lose the build on Hol if he vacates it in the fall. If Kie moves to Mun instead of Ruh, he loses Denmark.
If he’s lucky he gets two, but the odds are real good that he’s only going to get one.
Willing to accept a bounce in Bur? I am not sure what you are talking about here. The fact that I knew that Germany would move to Ruh and chose not to support myself does not mean that I would have accepted a bounce. 
I knew I was going to get Bur, and I wanted my confidence to speak for itself. Nothing says uncertainty like an unnecessary support. lno understands this, and it sets the diplomatic tenor a little more on my side of the fence.
We clearly play a different game here, MathGeek. In the first year or two I believe that position and tenor are vastly more important than a quick SC grab. Those who go after as many SCs as they are able get shaken out in the midgame, in my experience. Rational, controlled expansion is my preference. And more than a little subtlety.
Iberia is mine for the taking, hence I see little need to devote two whole units to securing it. I believe it’s quite wasteful, actually. A large number of early game builds invite the jealousy of neighbors. Furthermore, I have to waste time, space, and most importantly surprise getting units out of Iberia to wherever I choose to expand. I’d rather just build them right on my home centers right as I am about to use them.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
I’m just pissed off nobody told me this was going on. You all suck.
Game 1: Russia makes the early move at dominating Asia Minor by occupying the Black Sea and moving two units southward. My guess is making a run for Rumania, but it looks like Turkey and Austria are aiming to prevent that. Con cuts Bla’s support, and it’s 2 on 2 in Rumania. Bounce. Warsaw’s left wide open, but with Germany making sure Remarque has to choose another title, that’s not an immediate problem. Sweden’s still up for grabs, but that question’s not likely to be settled quickly unless Denmark’s looking to keep her home waters crumpet-free.
England and Germany seem set to clash over the Low Countries, but again it’s too early in the game for a quick outcome, unless there’s an agreement to divide and conquer, and thence southward to France.
Lord only knows what Italy’s up to. Venice is a lost cause this turn - there’s no defense and a retreat is almost an inevitability. If there’s a clash in the Balkans, it’s pretty certain Greece will be occupied, and a supported hold in the fall should keep them even for the year. But in the early game when increases in force are crucial, it’s just not going to be enough.
Game 2: Russia parts the curtains and bids Austria welcome. Occupation of Galicia is a bad omen for any Russian intent in the Balkans, especially if Austria and Turkey collude, as they seem to be. Rumania should not be counted on as a supply center this year. Warsaw remains guarded, and the occupation of Sweden seems to be guaranteed. Turkey’s hold on Bulgaria is iron-clad if there’s an Austro-Turkish treaty.
Austria looks to be wide open, but the only real threat is Italy’s Ven>Tri, which is easily countered from Alb. France seems to be pretty quietly easing into Iberia, while Germany makes a grab for the Low Countries - there seems to be no obstacle toward seizing both of them by the end of the Fall.
Amendment to previous post: insert after “You all suck.”
I gotta agree on one point, Maeglin…we clearly play differently. (Or more accurately, have different opinions about the game, since I’m not actually playing right now 
…oh, if only I’d been able to join in…)
Only Italy has to hold. Russia and Turkey just have to be convinced to go for each other’s throats instead of Austria’s. But I grant that even getting Italy to hold is unlikely. Nevertheless, if Austria can trust any one of Italy, Turkey, or Russia, then he can get two builds this turn. Turkey is whom I would be approaching at this point, as Turkey is easiest to bribe given the state of the board…
Bollocks right back at you, sir…he has one guaranteed build, and should (I think) be able to negotiate his way to a second, and only one serious threat (the Italian army in Venice).
About the German positions…
I will admit here that I was wrong, upon sober reflection. Looking at the situation more closely, Germany has quite the guessing game to play.
bites tongue
It’s not my place to comment on the strategies employed by my players.
But, O do I want to.
This just cracked me up and I have no idea what this game is about.
Looks like RISK to me.
Why, yes, I am a retard.