Players:
AUS: airborne
ENG: zscheck
FRA: kol1562
GER: Jerkface
ITA: Invictus
RUS: Poseidon
TUR: Ursa
EOG-STATEMENT: TURKEY
As winner of the last 'Tribute to Diplomat1824' game* I coun't resist joining another game in honor of our beloved Professor. It turned out to be a dissapointing and frustrating game.
Being Turkey, I had a safe corner to build upon and in the mean while test the other players. Two of them I didn't really know, one of them being Poseidon, my big neighbour. He had played Russia once before, and well, resulting in a win with much diplomacy (at least, I distilled that from the board). So I contacted him about a possible Juggernauth. In the mean while I agreed with Italy to carve up Austria, promising him the whole of the AH Empire. While we three slowly ate him away in the west things were stirring. England and Germany were teamed up against France, who made some mistakes in early game, resulting in Germany taking Paris in Autumn 1901 (!) and a very quick elimination. With FRA eliminated ENG and GER reigned supreme - but I get ahead of myself.
While having solid progress, growing into six centers by Autumn '02, Russia suddenly tried to stab me - a very strange move which led to his downfall. While still fighting Austria he asked me to support his move to BUD with RUM while at the same time entering BLS as to 'cover up our alliance by pretending to be enemies'. I quicky responded by dislodging RUM and he showed his true purpose by entering an undefended ANK. At this point his fate was sealed by a threatening and now beginning German invasion and me taking SEV.
But having still the shock of Russia betraying me while he was threatened from other sides, now Italy came after me, sneaking into AEG. I tried to convince him to fight the ENG-GER coalition but he wouldn't listen so we fought for the Balkans. I tried to convince England to stab Germany but their alliance was way to lucrative. With Italy still pounding on my defenses and G/E invading his territory, I was getting kind of frustrated. At that point Germany supported ITA into RUM and took VEN at the same time! I asked ITA what he was doing - he didn't do much except easily blocked attacks on me - he told me he logged in from an I-phone so wasn't able to do much.
With ITA being eaten and Russia defeated Germany now pointed his arrows on me, already at sixteen. I feared a 17-17 coalition, so when the last year arrived ITA told me that when GER would support an English move into Greece I would be sure it was a 17-17 attempt. So I took pre-arrangements to let Germany win and block England. To my surprise ENG did want to convoy into GRE but wasn't supported by GER - and GER won by taking Norway - from England! Confused but happy I survived with six centers.
Throughout the game press was little, and diploming didn't help much. Ofcourse, ITA was logging in from his I-phone, which supposedly made him somewhat lazy. I still wonder about some actions of Germany - supporting ITA and sparing me. I'd like to know other's points of view.
* See: http://www.phpdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=7715