for the star. looking forward to this!

Picking up the star.

Posting for the star, and also for star.

Very excited to be a part of this.

Star

What is all this stuff about stars? I'm confused already

Forum threads of which one has participated in are preceded by a green star shape at their title; having participated in a thread, and thus having the server put a "star" on its title for oneself, one can often signal that the thread is of particular interest to the user and should be regularly check, or at minimum, not muted offhandedly.

Stars are cool.

As I mentioned earlier, I will be expecting quality moves from players. Every so often, I will pose questions to the various nations. Instead of posting to the thread, PM me your responses so that they are not broadcast to the public, as it can influence a game. I will focus on alternatives that could have opened up other opportunities and grading you on your answers.

Here's an example: assume England is working with France and Germany is being battered down. In the following year, England digs a bit deeper into German soil but doesn't make any center gains while France does. To make this happen, England chose to forgo switching sides and stabbing France where he could have stolen a French center in the process.

Here, I might ask "What might have happened if you instead chose to talk Germany into working with you whereby you gain his support into French-controlled Belgium for yourself and he gets an ally and the chance to get back into the game?"

I will be looking for the insight that a player has to this response. It's perfectly reasonable for him to say that the press he received from Germany clearly indicated that he was just going to attack him and his only real future and goal he had is to pursue Germany to nothing and get a foothold into Russia. Being genuine with your answers is much better than trying to tell me something you think I want to hear.

I may ask your future vision based on a strange move I see that I didn't expect or where you think a player is headed, etc.


Questions will vary by country, and it's conceivable that I won't ask every player a question each year. Questions will arise by situation.

As tin can posted, I expect a higher quality from the Study Group. That said, good luck to everyone.

Star for me please.

I hope to learn a lot from the TA's in this game.

Nice start, hope there will be many more to come.

Guess I'll take a star.

Staring me.

hope we get to play this soon.

If the last player doesn't join by tomorrow, I'll be giving the spot to a replacement.

Sorry to you all. I was the last player to join, because I had difficulties to pay for joining the game. I look forward to an awesome game.

And we're off!

The players in this game are pretty high end so I wont barrage you with basic advice people give in the standard SOW game.

Instead I will leave you with this piece of advice :
Make sure in your negotiations and interactions, that you understand what your fellow players want now and will want later. This helps you predict a stab well before it comes. It also helps you make offers of alliances and/or mutual support to people who would otherwise be your enemies. It also, in those rare gems of diplomacy, allow you to lead a willing individual to the slaughter.

If you make your diplomatic press about what you want or what you need, you will not be as successful if you make it about what the person your talking to wants.

star please

bump.

Star!

I see the first season went through. Here is my first round of questioning. Remember, I won't ask everyone a question, merely those that have possible viable alternatives.

Please take time to thoughtfully consider my questions and pose thoughtful answer VIA PM. Do not post answers on the forums.


France: You moved to the MAO, Gas and Mar. This left you with no play on Belgium. (a) What was the merit and motivation to this set of moves? (b) How could you have moved differently that still allowed you to take both Spain and Portugal and yet have some say over Belgium? (c) Is the set of orders you posted for (b) better or worse than the route you chose? Please explain your reasoning.


Italy: You moved to Pie and Ven both, and when France bounced you in Pie, it caused a chain-reaction that left units doing the equivalent of nothing. (a) What was the assumed goal of this movement and how could you have moved differently to allow at least one of those units to see progress toward your goal? (b) What implications or future issues can you see happening in the fall season for 1901 and the Spring season of 1902, if any?


Russia: You isssued two bounces, one at Galicia and the other at Sevastopol. In 1901, most bounces are more harmful to one country than another. (a) Who got hurt by the bounce more, you or Austria? You or Turkey? Why? (b) How does your movement to St. Petersburg from Moscow change what might happen for you, both in the north and the south? What's the best-case and worst-case scenario for the outcome you have looking at the Fall 1901 season? (c) What alternatives do you see that you could have had that would change the worst-case and best-case scenarios? (d) What is your goal in the next two years and did this set of moves help or hurt that goal?

Just to reinforce:

***Do not post answers on the forums.***

Thank you abge :)

I say this because I DON'T want these answers to be read by your opponents. It may influence the way they act.

I forget, are those questions to be answered by the student or the TA?

Wait, this is the study group thread. Woops.

I'm not sure what Tru is planning with the answers to his questions (but make sure you send them in if you've been asked something), so I'll stay away from commenting on the situations he's asked about.

We have a very interesting situation with Germany. It's difficult to predict the outcome without access to the press. If left alone, Germany will pick up a strong 3-build opening year, which creates a very interesting situation with England and Russia.

Both E and R have opened North. Although England's move to Yor is sometimes used to signal that the army is heading to the mainland, there's still the possibility of a supported move to Norway. Or, there's the possibility of bouncing Germany in Bel, but only a non-supported move to Norway.

Now, Russia also opened North, with the option to bounce a non-supported move to Norway. Russia also has no guaranteed builds this year - the Russian will need to rely on their diplomacy to pick up any builds.

Germany of course has the option to bounce Russia in Sweden, and to potentially offer a build to England by letting him take Belgium. Whatever you do, remember that being the early leader isn't always a good thing in Diplomacy. It would be unwise to be at three builds with no friends.

Each power has the ability to make deals that will affect the balance of power in the medium term. It's not just which player do you want to work with, it's also which (other) power you want to be the strongest. I'm hoping that this situation is generating lots of press between the three of you.

So:

England, Germany, Russia: When making your deals this turn, consider how many builds you want the other powers to have and how that affects you.

Austria: You've had a solid defensive turn. You have lots of potential friends without making any real enemies. I think your moves this turn will be written by the rest of the board - and if they aren't, I will eat my hat.

Turkey: A standard opening without giving anything away. The big question now is what you do with Bulg.

Alliances don't really start becoming clear until the fall, so I look forward to seeing the next turn. Oh, and Austria - whatever you order, remember that I have a hat riding on this.