F 1907
I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction. This game will end in one of two ways. Russia will be killed off and there will be a four way draw after the upcoming build turn. The other option is a prolonged mess of a game where Italy and Turkey mess around with Greece and Rumania, France continues to bumble his stab of England, and we end up with a four way draw, but not for another two months.
Its frustrating as a supposedly "impartial" observer to watch a game with beginners. My own GR notwithstanding, its a lot like watching a youth basketball game. How did you miss that wide open layup? Don't pass to the other team! Why are you sitting down in the middle of the game? Ultimately, this is a learning process, and I hope that our players have actually benefited from this game and the commentaries.
By the way, there will be a test after class.
At this point, I don't know how much more I can add to my running commentary, so I'll be brief.
1. ENGLAND - Yeah, you lost London, but France has left himself in such a vulnerable position that you can't possibly be upset. Plus, you still got a build, which is fantastic. Holland is easily retaken, and Munich is easily defensible. Getting rid of that pesky Italian army in Livonia will also save you a headache in the long run. France has found himself sandwiched between you and Italy, and right now, you should be begging Italy to join your cause.
2. ITALY - Like hamster mentioned, I'm not sure how you still have Rumania, but at this point in the game, a Rumania for Greece trade is probably the best outcome you can hope for in your fight with Turkey. Much like you and France traded Tunis, taking Greece and losing Rumania puts you and Turkey at a deadlock, and unless England jumps in to intervene, which is unlikely, you've got Turkey well bottled up and can focus your efforts elsewhere. With Turkey taken care of, you should be drooling at the lack of southern defenses in France.
3. TURKEY - Please, for the love of all that is good in this world, take Rumania. Then sit back and consider whether it was really worth it. The answer is no. Feel free to sit back in your corner and enjoy Rumania, because its probably the last center you'll take. For all intents and purposes, your game is finished unless you and Italy can come to some kind of agreement and help each other out in the north.
4. FRANCE - Of all the positions a player can find themselves in during a game, the absolute worst is being expendable. You've grabbed London, which is a positive step, but your home centers are almost laughably unguarded. Again, let me emphasize what I said last turn - France, above all other countries, needs a balanced attack. A 2 army France in 1908 is ultimately doomed. At the end of the game, every player wants to turn themselves into an necessary piece of the endgame, whether than endgame is a draw or solo. A good player will put their units in positions that are so integral to the outcome of the game that no other player would dare disrupt that position. Right now, you're in the worst possible spot - stuck between two large powers who have no reason to keep you alive to see the end of the game.
England, if he chooses, can take this game to 16 or 17 centers. He'll probably lose Munich and won't be able to take Warsaw, but with good diplomacy he can convince Italy to cut you out of the draw. A 3 way draw is a much more desired outcome than a 4 way draw. Right now, Italy holds your destiny in his hands. By splitting up your forces for the stab, you've violated the most important of the seven principles of warfare - mass. Now, instead of one large combined fleet in the south or north, you have two smaller and inherently less effective forces that are both fighting losing battles. Your best (and only) hope right now is a mercy draw after Russia is killed.
Is Communism a form of religious belief?
, World Map, non-anon, must not be a thin-skinned fucktard.
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