Stalemate seems imminent. Austria will get Turkey, eventually, France and Russia will get England, eventually, and that’s about it. Unless…
England (Weirddave): Your prospects look bleak. Very bleak. In fact so bleak that now is the time to be checking property prices in Switzerland.
France (Omniscient): With Russian help, you get England. I assume the deal is one supply centre each. Then it gets very tricky. France and Russia will have more supply centres than Austria but not much opportunity to use them. I’ hold in Germany and pack the Med with fleets to try and turn Austria’s flank. Not easy but it can be done. Keep the Russians on side and who knows.
Germany (White Lightning): Scene – Switzerland, a remote hunting lodge in the Alps. Wilhelm von Hohenzollern and his major domo, von Schlieffen, are dining.
Wilhelm: “Vell von Schlieffen, how goes ze var?”
Von Schlieffen: “It goes on, much fighting, death, destruction, you know, ze usual stuff. Oh, and it appears that some Italian tourists are in the next valley.”
Wilhelm, reaching for the gun-rack: “Und how many zis time, half a million, a million?”
Von Schlieffen: “Nein, nein, zey really are tourists. Or rather, exiles. It’s ze Italian government, or rather, vas.”
Wilhelm: “Ve must haf zem over for dinner.”
Von Schlieffen: “Ja, a fondue party, I zink. I expect ze English and ze Turks vill be joining us later, as vell.”
Italy (Jonathan Chance): The barbarians are at the gates, again. Yet another Roman empire bites the dust, I make it four now – Roman, Byzantine, Holy Roman and you. Poor old Romans, always declining and falling about.
Austria (Abe Babe): It’s all over for Turkey. You’ll get there in the end but then what? The Russians have got the measure of you and are closely allied to the French. Their united front will block any expansion in the north and west and I think you’re vulnerable in the Med. But I do have a cunning plan – persuade the Russians to stab the French, offering second place as bait. The French could win with you second, forcing the Russians into third place, whereas you could help them into second behind Austria. You never know.
Russia (Steve): Do you want to come second or third? Negotiate now. The Austrians can block you for ever, the French are vulnerable to a stab. Just a thought.
Turkey (ShibbOleth): Not a lot to going on for you right now. You can delay the inevitable, though. Go for Constantinople in Spring and with luck you’ll block the Austrians. Then, in Fall, persuade the Russians to support you into Sevastopol. With luck you get Sevastopol and build in Ankara. It might work, it might not, but at least it keeps the Austrians guessing.
Go Alien – Whose day job, fortunately, doesn’t require any strategic ability. 