Russia has just overextended (as Russia always does). F Stp (nc) sounds nice when you build it, but I predict Russia will be regretting this particular decision before the year is over.

He just opened himself up to Germany and Turkey.

Italy has to stop wandering around and formulate a clear plan. It's 1902 already, and he has communicated nothing (except that he likes to get centers handed to him).

In spectator sport, public must take side. So I am supporting France. Which side are you supporting?

I like England.

The central powers are all fucked. Germany bouncing NTS is really dumb, Italy is being too wacky and Austria NMRed. Jugg vs. E/F but Jugg has big advantages because ofthe Central Powers.

I like germany, not because he has a great position, but because he has done the most to signal his intent and build alliances, this will serve him well as the game progresses. I agree with the earlier comment about germany having to plan for a Europe without England.

At this rate, if germany plans for a europe without england he is planning for a europe without germany either. they need each other and he doesn't realize.

Germany may just be happy for fra and russia to tak england, so that he can get busy elsewhere (austria)

The big signal this turn would be rum-bud; giving turkey serbia and alerting the whole board to a juggernaut.

GO Germany! smart moves yet again. Russia seems to have problems everywhere, turkey is making advances but did he think about serbia's retreeat and the difficukties they may now cause. And austria - whay can one say?

Really spiteful attack on venice by Austria. Not good diplomacy. Could make nice with italy by supporting into greece.

Russia will lose....2 scs this year?

I think Italy was foolish to not attack Austria... now he is way behind Turkey in growth.

The most interesting choice this turn to me is France.... It was smart of England to move out of English Channel in my opinion... especially since France didn't move there. Now France will likely strongly consider a move south.... they do have potential for another unit in Marseilles next build.

it's kinda amusing to know who is whom and see what they are saying, though i'm trying to avoid connections, i will also refrain from responding to specific points.

i do like the idea of 'getting behind' your team, especially because it could involve collective advice from supporters, who may include enemy players...

anyway, i digress, back to my personal commentary where i ignore everyone else for fear of bias.

Austria must be crazy, first mistake support bud to hold and then not holding? losing serbia, oh the pain. Also indicating the desire to attack italy while not following up on it, i'm really not sure what you're going for, if it was to piss off italy while turkey and russia are at your door then i'd say it worked.

germany does indeed enter another brilliant set of moves. careful defensive, ready to rock, not pissing anyone off, except the cut of sweden's support, which helps elongate the war between russia and england...

france moving north is pretty simple, and i hate simple moves, i can't possible support france in the future...

england moves pretty much counter secured norway, though now that he hasn't lost it they seem like overkill.

still good work, giving france options, though he doesn't seem interested.

russia, oh migthy russia, how you have fallen.Turkey wil be busy defending greece/serbia from austria, but a swift convoy to sev/rum will hurt, and the convoy is unbreakable basically an moves you can make in the south are going to at best be retreats to a more defendable position.

moscow to sevastopol is nice, but it may result in not being able to build a fleet there next season, and you really need a second fleet to take on turkey... alas not having any builds might be a bigger problem.

Italy, Tyrrhenian sea makes as much sense as germany's hold in munich, defensive, not antagonizing france, lots of options, though it appears you're opting for the cache of centers in the balkans... good thing turkey has no med fleets... infact you pretty much dominate the med, make good use of it. But don't let france get too strong or he'll be joining the party before too long.

Just short comments:
Nice preparation by France: defending against anything without antagonizing anyone.
Well played by England: it was his only decent option. Even the hold in Wales was well-thought.
Good turn around by Germany: safe and aggressive at the same time.
Russia pays the price for a fast growth, but maybe Sweden to Norway with support from StP could have kept Germany friendly?
Most aggressive Turkey ever? But attacking both Austria and Russia at the same time can only make Italy happy.
Italy, by the way, seems unable to communicate a message to Austria.
Austria, on the other hand, seems unable to make a coherent set of moves, so maybe that's the reason.

Maybe turk was planning to move through serbia to rum giving him the Sc at the expense of russia rather than austria and setting up a fine position and an ally in austria - hard to convey that message in gunboat, and harder still when austria seems to be a wild card, but then maybe he wanted turkey to move through serbia and that is why he didn't support hold it? Advanced thinking from austria - well played :) My money is still on germany for a solo or share of a good draw.

Germany choose to ally with England, maybe a good choice considering that Russia is weak, but how France will react to this choice and will him be able to move after Russia with so many units on his border?
France did a really solid set of moves, keeping all his options open and with an extra build on his hat. My favorite to a strong finish.
England give up France hoping he move elsewhere, either a good choice or a good way to elimination.
Russia is a bad spot, tryied to signal goodwill to Austria supporting Ser to Rum, but Austria moved to Gal, with England and Germany allied and Turkey at the gates, Russia will be in trouble soon, unless he can get an ally in the East.
Turkey seems strong, but withou a single ally, so it could be a problem in the future if Italy stop to move on Austria and move to the East. But with a desperate Russia, and A/I fighting a late Jugg could unleash a really powerfull Turkey.
Austria is attacling everyone around, not a good way to go in a gunboat.
Italy has a good position, but will advance really slowly on Austria and with Turkey growing fast, maybe a focus change will be his best choice. Also, the move to Tyr Sea could make France rethink his strategy and this won´t be good fot the Duce.

At this point, France and Turkey are my bets for a solo or any draw.

@rdrivera - i'd missed that russia tried to support ser-bul. I also missed that austria had tried support holding vie, even thougn it couldn't be attacked, tri and ser were at risk and vie moved anyway. I'm guessing austria is new so it may be a good idea if his supporters gave him a feww hints

The obvious tip now is: retreat to Albania, 'cause you'll need this army badly next turn, and it may even not be enough!

Advice to Austria: make peace with Italy and Russia and focus on Turkey, and even this way you will have to fight hard to survive. Like Jesus pointed, a retreat to Alb it´s pretty obvious but this not guarantee a shot of taking Ser back.

babumba

I'm actually curious to see fiedler's views.

England: Pretty much his only option. So, good choice.
France: Good move, does not threaten Germany. overall very safe.
Germany: Definitely looking to get an SC this fall. only person offended could be Russia... Maybe France depending on how he reads the lack of attack on England.
Italy: Good control of the Med, hopefully he can get the idea across to Austria that he isn't after him.
Austria: To use someone else's phrase, definitely the "mad dog"
Russia: Definitely losing at least one SC this year. Hopefully Austria pulls it together and helps him.
Turkey: Looking to gain big this year, but has to watch out for italy. Good moves all around though, an important player to watch for sure.

Germany's fien, thank you very much. He's taking Sweden, without having committed himself in the western triangle. Given that France has built F Bre, he's not yet facing a F/E alliance. In fact, If I were England, I'd seriously consider moving Nwg-Nao. France can move to Ec and Iri, and convoy Picardy to Lon/Wal/Lvp.

The Jugg is scary. Italy's playing it right, but Austria doesn't know what he's doing. Top tip: Look at this thread, and follow the advise of the better players.

Russia is already in serious trouble. He should never have built F Stp (nc). Diplomatically, he should abandon the Juggernaut, since it attracts attention, and Turkey benefits more. Tactically, he's completely stuck. That move Sev-Arm was useless.

I don't agree with the Jugg. It looks to me as if Turkey plans to gobble up Russia *and* Austria. Which poses serious problems for himself, as that will quickly cause whoever is not working together to work together.

Question for Maniac: Can we speculate which player is which power? The last comment gave me some clues...

I think it's better not to do it.

It is better not to speculate who is playing hich country and who are bystanders. I think we will try this again without player anonymity - they play gunboat and only spectators can comment.

My suggestion for next time is that the game is passworded. The password could be given in the thread, not only by PMs.

looks like turkey will grow fast enough (on tasty russian/austrian centers) to oppose italy in the med when the time come!

also i don't need to speculate :p i've just been ignoring who says what in the thread so i don't think of them as countries... as interesting as it would be to see who is saying what hidden behind their aura of anonimity. i've tried avoiding getting drawn into conversation too, so only skimming the thread and commenting on the game as a gunboat... but yes, i can see who is whom if i wanted to.