mmm not much chat from spectators is this not a good idea, or is it too soon in the game to get excited?

It is good to see austria back in the game, but can herecover from a poor start?

Well it is clear that Germany wants to work with France, Italy wants Austria dead, England is anti-France, and either both Turkey and Russia were expecting the other to support them into the black sea, or they want to fight. I am sure that they would love to work together now that Austria has NMR'ed

The German support of F PAR to BUR is a good signal. Supporting a move that doesn't need to be supported = I love you.
I like F LON to ENG. The French Iberian Gambit offers such a huge advantage if successful that to anticipate it was a good call by England.
The simultaneous set-up for a convoy to NOR is interesting, as it signals a two-front war. Luckily for England, Russia went south. If the England-France animosity continues, Germany could definitely take advantage to collect a couple of builds (fleets) and go for England's jugular.

The Turkey/ Russia first moves don't signal much except common sense.
Also, Austria is totally fucked and everyone knows it in Spring 1901. Austria is tough in gunboat.

Who opens like that as Italy in a gunboat? They obviously must be suicidal or something. Austria's only hope is a AH/R alliance, but given the Russian opening that seems doubtful.

What I wonder is whether Germany will move to North Sea this fall. Russia opened south and has room to expand down there, so is not an immediate threat, and moving to North Sea would virtually guarantee England has at best an average first year and show clear intent to actually move on England.

good guess Uclabb, an inspired move by germany to north sea, I think germany's messages to russia and france have been spot on and shows the importance of messages and alliance building in gunboat. As an aside I can't remember the last game I played where every neutral country was over ran in 1901?

Why didn't italy take tri btw? Any ideas?

Also what builds would send signals to allies and enermies?

The beauty of the Germany move is it makes crystal clear to Russia that a build in St. Petersburg will yield a center, and France will likely notice that and build to move on the soon-to-be weakened England as well.

italy went for munich, that's a standard ploy if you think munich is going to be in bel/hol... but given the german opening it is clear that munich was not takable.

Not taking trieste is a clear indicator that italy wants an alliance with austria. Venice supports Trieste to hold is another clear indication.

North sea is a nice bounce but given italian agression against germany and the french triple build germany may need to reconsider his position regarding england.

However it may be difficult to come back from the obvious anti-English position. Though a pair of armies makes sense to re-assure england of a change of direction.

Russia has clear options aswell. Army warsaw and Fleet stp(sc) would afford an excellent opportunity to invade germany thus taking advantage of the english-german hostilities. (and therefore implicitly, i think, forming a loose Russian-French alliance, one of the most dangerous in full press games)

Austria has of course no choice but to build an army...

Turkey will need to decide whether to acquire a second fleet and secure black sea (and possibly armenia) which would put him in a good position to take sev and rum OR hope for russian support and go to the med with multiple fleets...

French builds also will indicate which of his three neighbours he intends to attack. With all three being tempting targets, though the fleet in portugal indicates italy is less likely to be one. (fleet spain(sc) is optimal along with a build in marseilles if france wants to head south)

again the choice which russia faces of invading either england or germany (or ignoring both and heading south/east)

both russia and france are on 6, but russia centers are less secure, stp and sweden could easily fall to england+germany while both sev and rum could fall to turkey alone...

My quesiton, how could france/russia indicate their willingness to work with each other?

@uclabb - yep germany's move to NS is brilient IMHO, it allowed GoB-Swe and gave russia oppertunity to snatch Norway this coming year. Germany also supported a bur unitthat was obviously moving as another signal to france (people need to always view large map in gunboat games or such subtleties are lost.

@ Orathaic - agree with most of your analysis. I think Fran/Russia can signal to one another by attacking germany; which would be dangerous because he is obviously a skilled player.

Should france postpone a build in mars to signal his neutality to Italy?

Without being critical would players see Austria's NMR and moves rather than holds as been the sign of a less experienced player?

Will austria see that venice supported trieste and act accordingly?

Italy looks like he wants to be friends with Austria, but either wants to sneak up on Germany, or move around him into Russia. not the best plans...
Russia should be a little wary of Turkey, with two builds, if he sends one or both of them north, Russia will be in trouble.
I think France and Turkey are the big winners this year, they each have a pick of whom they want to fight, and everyone around them wants to be their ally.

Looks like a Jugger forming. But I always say that ;P

Perhaps by both attacking Germany? Or keeping England busy down south.

Very spectacular move by Germany, moving F DEN-NTH in Autumn 1901. If France was in the Channel I'd understand it but now I doubt the smartness of that move. Would the move have succeeded, it would mean Germany would only have one build and probably that England would have two builds (a succeeded move to either BRE or BEL). For Germany it would be suicidal to be at four when three of his neighbours are stronger. Easy pickings for France and Russia.

That said, Italy picked up the signal right in allying with Austria. Though the latter is weak, steps must be made to prevent a Juggernauth forming. Frankly it's up to Turkey to decide whether to join Russia in a western campaign or attack southern Russia.

But it may be already too late. The West may have see the Juggle forming and will decide to act. Wild card in this matter is France, with three builds. He could still mean to take on one of his neighbours, particularly England.

Yeh that german is far too clever. Wouldnt be surprised if the league of nations decides to take out the star player. While they still can.

France got 3 builds, Germany needs England as an ally now, and he is in perfect place for a delayed Barbarosa, build a fleet in kiel and an army in Berlin, support Englands move to the North Sea with denmark to say "my bad," then move Munich Silesia, kiel Baltic, Berlin Prussia, witch which he could probably force sweden and Warsaw, meanwhile he'll keep his natural ally Austria alive and hopefully break up any hints of a jugger. The wildcards are Italy and of course France, but I assume Italy will be tied up with the build in marseilles and France will be focused on that remaining fleet in the channel

The jugg forming? i doubt the west very much needs to blink at that...

austria-italy have the potential to hold up any juggernaut and at present may be allying if austria picked up on those obvious moves (like A ven sup trieste to hold)

turkey hasn't done anything to work with russia, and while it is an option he doesn't have any threat in the form of a lepanto coming his way and can afford to simply take rum and sev while waiting to see what Italy-Ausria actually do (or infact help austria into rumania if he wants an aly against russia)

The west have their own business to conduct. And as such will likely ignore any threats from the east until they are clearly threats...
France-Russia is possibly a bigger threat that a juggernaut in this game at this point...

the beauty of this is that the fleet kiel and army in berlin will be seen as anti England when it is really anti-russia

@ursa - you're right about germany's move to NS which I had previously thought brillient was in fact quite risky, EC could have moved to Bre or bel or NS but NS wouldn't have been the 33% chance, prob far from it so perhaps Germany's mind reading skills far exceed mine or he just got lucky and should now reap the rewards for brave play.

@Fiedler - are you English -in real life - only the english (and I'm 1 of them) could have thought up the phrase "too clever by half".

I really like that German play. First, you jsu thand Sweden to Russia (signaling friendship). Russia will be happy to be able to build two southern units. Then, build a fleet, and take it for 1902.

If you can't take Sweden in 1901, just do it in 1902.

But, seriously, England/Germany really need to team up. France and Russia are on 6. They need to get their act together.

England.Germany are not going to team up. I find that in gunboat it takes time o get a message across and even longer to revise that message. Den-NS was so risky that to risk it and then back peddle really isn't an option.

a support to North sea from London will get the message across real quick, and England wont have time to be pissed. Germany will have both holland and Denmark covered and Enemy France will be at the gates in MAO and Brest in all probability, meanwhile that yellow line helping the move into NS tells England "I was wrong, you're cool" England will eat it up, he has to

of course, us writing this here changes everything

Predict-a-build (copy and paste then ammend with your picks)

Russia
F St P (nc) +1
Leave St p empty 0
France
F Mars 0
Leave Mars empty +1
Germany
F kiel +1
A kiel 0
Eng
F Edi +1
F Lon 0
Italy
F Naple +1
F Rome 0
Turkey
Build two fleets +1
Build 1 fleet/1 army 0

You may b right santa, perhaps germany will see that Russia/France gain more from his last moves than he did and will need a new ally. I think he may wait until he sees French and Russian builds before deciding who to throw his hat in with. Your suggestion of F Kiel, a Berlin leaves him options and doesn't offend anyone.

Russia
F St P (nc) +2
Leave St p empty 0
France
F Mars +1
Leave Mars empty +1
Germany
F kiel +2
A kiel 0
Eng
F Edi +2
F Lon 0
Italy
F Naple +2
F Rome 0
Turkey
Build two fleets +1
Build 1 fleet/1 army +1

@maniac - I am a New Zealander. They used to say we are more english than the english.

Of course the english are well practiced at taking down continental napoleons, over a sherry at the london club ;P