EOG: Oh, to be in England!

I am given Germany, which has never been my strong suit - too many options. Russia and Turkey post that they're going to Juggernaut in Global, clearly we have some comics :-) I reach out to my rivals, and hear from France, But on England or Austria. Russia and I agree to a NAP and he intends to go North. WIth no word from England, I prepare to move west. I also decide to move toward Austria, although I have some misgivings that I may be stretching myself thin. However, Russia is willing to help with Austria in return for Sweden, so I decide to take the chance. I ask France to go to Pic and stay out of Bur to signal our alliance. I move Munich to Bohemia, and take Denmark.

THe Spring 01 moves are surprising. Liverpool doesn't move, and England goes South. France goes MAO, Paris follows to Brest, but Mar doesn't move. Italy tries a sneak attack on Trieste. Austria and Turkey use more standard openings, and Austria is lucky to bounce Italy in Trieste. Russia move Gal to help with Austria.

Austria lets me know that Italy reneged on his word to stay out of Trieste. I offer to help, and even might have, but never received a response back. Italy and I start a nice conversation about tourist spots in England - he's from London. He also asks me to attack Vienna, which was my plan anyway. I plan on moving into the North Sea and forgoing a build for the strategic position.

Autumn 01: At the last minute, I change my mind and go for 3 builds. I take Holland And Vienna. England does take Belgium, but is bounced in Norway by Russia while I allow Russia to take Sweden. France gets 2 builds from Iberia. Italy convoys an army to Tunis and is bounced in Triest for only one build. Liverpool still hasn't moved.

Spring 02: France, Russia and I agree that England's lack of strategic knowledge and non-existent diplomacy mean that we should just divide it up. I offer to support France into Belgium in return for keeping Bur open. Russia decides to trust me and not defend Sweden. I support Italy into Trieste, to no effect because Austria is clever, however, that's oK with me, keeping it status quo in the center. Italy moves an army to North Africa, that's confusing because he doesn't have fleets in the West. I wonder if he thinks he can cross at Gibraltar?

Autumn 02: France moves to Bur, signaling the end of our alliance? Well, I was planning on stabbing him anyway....
Italy's army in North Africa sits there, not sure what to do. I take the North Sea, readying for the English invastion. We finally get Russia into Budapest, and Italy gets Trieste, Austria isjust about done.

Spring 03: I move back into Munich, ending my Southern front, but France just supports o the Maginot line. I convoy into Yorkshire and France goes with 3 fleets against the West of England. That enigmatic North African army still sits....

Autumn 03: I take Edinburgh, but France takes London, which was supposed to be left to me to move into so Russia could have Edinburgh next year. Russia, Austria and Turkey are dancing in the South, but it appears that Russia wil come out on top in that fight. England is out.

Spring 03: I promised Edi to Russia, and I realize that I don't have position on France - so I convoy my army back to Belgium. I lose Vienna to Austria, who is making a bit of a comeback with Italy's help.

Autumn 03: I lose Belgium, and my army is destroyed. However, I jump into Sweden - Russia gets one build anyway, and I don't have to destroy another unit. I apologize profusely to Russia, and while negotiations are a little tricky at first, he sees that if I had gone down one more, I probably would have been overwhelmed, and forgives me.


Spring 05: Italy stabs Austria and helps France get position on me, making himself a player in the game. I work on Italy, convincing him that an RGI is the right way to go. We agree that it'scritically important to keep France from any builds, secondailty getting me another SC to keep me from disbanding.

Autumn 05: I'm able to force my way into Burgundy and take London while bouncing France in Munich. Still no builds, but my position is a little better, adn we succeeded in keeping france from any builds. However, our work is not done. Russia NMRs, but amazingly he's fine.

Spring 06: I had planned a surprise move on France, moving to Gas to have all his open SCs in front of me rather than attacking Paris, but he figures it out and bounces me there. I'm impressed.

Autumn 06: Italy helps me back into Bur, and while I lose London I get a build to replace my disbanded Army. France has to disband and that annoying Army in Tyrolia is gone. Italy is getting stronger in the South as he takes the Balkans.

Italy and I dismember France over the next couple of years. In Autumn 08 I take Brest from Italy, to make sure Italy can't solo. I now have a good stalemate line and we are at 13-10-7 SCs for a 3-way draw. We prepare to invade England (Again) this time to remove the Norman invaders.

Spring, 10: France, in his final surrender, supports me into London to take his final SC. We just need to wait until the Fall for the SC to turn over, then the RGI draw can be finalized. And then...

The Banhammer drops on Italy. We still don't know why, he definintely didn't multi in this game, but apparently broke the rules somewhere else. So now we have a problem. If we just wait for Autumn, Russia and I can draw and get a 2-way draw without worrying about the 17 unit problem. OR...

We contact France, offer him the draw for his clever play, and he accepts. 3-way draw between 11SC-8SC-1SC. Much better than having someone buy in and get an immediate draw - or even worse, having to fight against a solo try.

A decent game. I guess best that that banhammer dropped right at the end so we were able to come to a reasonable conclusion. England's lack of strategic nouse definitely unbalanced the game.