I want to know what could I have done better considering I knew in Fall 01 that France and Germany coming after me...
I approached Russia for help but the best I could get was "leave Norway alone"

Michael - you actually played a solid game. It's true there's not much you can do when a group of people decide to issue you a beat down. You certainly fought back with a solid defense.

Couple of pointers:

Be careful with the accusations, especially early on. Sociopaths such as myself (and most strong diplomacy players) are not motivated by guilt. My opening wasn't anti-British, but you quickly tipped my hand with this.

After that, what I think you should have done, and failed to do, was to be messaging me with a series of bribes and proposals to switch to your side. Remember, people as rotten and horrible as I am will quickly agree to most enforceable one sided deals that favor themself, especially against the expense of either Russia or France.

Thanks again for the match lad, I actually thought you played well.

"My opening wasn't anti-British"

I'm curious what the purpose of Kiel->Holland was?

Kiel -> Holland with the bounce in English Channel is about as anti-British as you can get?

Some beautiful play by France, especially in the first few years.

Sirs,

You're welcome to review my game history. I pretty much always open that way.

There are some powers, for example that I will consider flexible opening strategies for. For me Turkey is very flexible. I can be persuaded to open up anti-Russian, anti-Austrian or neutrally, depending upon how I read people.

Not so with Germany. I use the same opening every time and so my opening wasn't anti-British. It wasn't anti-anybody. If anything, it was pro-British in that I could have been persuaded to cede you Denmark. Be careful though, as most German players would never cede Denmark to England in the first year, and would get mad if you brought it up.

Oh no, France was terrific. He had the upper-hand on me for most of the game, yet was terrifyingly polite.

I think Turkey was the MVP, though. He was the last to draw.

He was down to two centers, potentially the most vulnerable remaining power, and yet his drive for violence just hadn't been sated. Truly a man man.

I would not presume to ask for Denmark, but the fleet in Holland has nowhere to go in 02 but Belgium or "bad for England" and you specifically declined my offer of Belgium, that's why I am just not seeing how I can view this opening as anything but direct "FU England, I'm coming for you."

As to France: How much of his success is attributed to Italy's play?
And how is that a beautiful play ?
"The army at Paris move to Gascony.
The army at Marseilles support move to Burgundy from Paris. (fail)"

I think your mistake is to assume that the German wants to quickly nail England. Whilst it is true that England represents the greatest danger to Deutchland at the start of the game, it's actually better for Germany if he can get a hold in Scandinavia. That's simple risk management.

You were never my target. You're letting your paranoia get the better of you. I was after Russia the whole time, and after his subjugation my next target was France.

Look at one of my games where I solo as Germany. It's all about Russia.

Let's look at the last three games you played as Germany:
http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=148694 Fall02
"The fleet at Holland move to North Sea. (fail)"
http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=164416 Spring02
"The fleet at Holland move to North Sea."
http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=167567 Spring02
"The fleet at Holland move to North Sea."

Looks like it's not paranoia, but a fact that you use Holland to attack England in 1902 100% of the time, usually in the Spring.

Nice try, Kid. The games you're citing are games where I had imperfect diplomatic options, as memory serves.

Let's take a look at the last game that I was in that produced an undisputed winner:
gameID=172382, featuring Valis ( userID=63487 ) , who's much smarter than I am. He's arguably a much stronger player than myself. Oh, and look who won? Germany. Like I've outlined, he attacked Russia first. His move on England seems almost to be something of an afterthought.

Okay? You're wondering, but how about a game where I've won as Germany? Germany is after all my best country. Here is my last victory as Germany, where you will notice that I first attacked Scandanavia;
gameID=137422
England fell lower for me in the targeting order even after he attacked me.

Onto my second victory as Germany:
gameID=128798
Here I use the opening which you are currently bemoaning...
...and then promptly proceed to attack Russia.

For purposes of completion, let us consider my first win as Germany, at a point of time when I was still a comparative noob:
gameID=113735
Lo! Same opening, and again I attack Russia. This time England even manages to survive my victory (in 1906, no less!) and he was the one to betray me, not vis-versa.

Admit to the facts, my friend - there is no cabal. Your press turned me against you, and even when I made overtures to turn you against France, you declined.

"Be careful though, as most German players would never cede Denmark to England in the first year, and would get mad if you brought it up."

I think this is the key. There are some English players who would never be happy with a fleet in Holland in Spring 01, and would get mad if you make that move.

Still, it's an interesting game. Thanks for sharing!

And michael - the misorder wasn't what I meant about France's play. Highlights include:

* Not having two builds in the first year, so he's not a target
* Mar->Gas in Spring 02 gives defensive options
* Gas->Bre in Fall gives diplomatic options with England
* Building F Mar in 02 gives flexibility
* Convoying to Gas in Spring 03 gives defensive options, while moving Mar->Spa allows the attack on England to continue without really risking Marseilles
* Taking the british isles was efficient with no wasted repositioning
* The fleet movements towards the end of the game were similarly efficient, leaving France in a clean position for a strong solo bid, especially with Germany's fleets so out of position in the north east.

I think I would have preferred York hold, Cly->Nwg instead of the bounce in Edi. Bouncing in Edi was vulnerable to Nwg->Nth, Bar->Nwg, which gives a guess over Edi and London.

Al is a good strong player, and maybe he wasn't planning to attack you. If that's the case, it's a great example of clashing styles. Like that time I tried to go for an intense opening for an A/I with Valis, and he wasn't into it but claimed he was.

Also, Al, in all of the examples where you did that opening (except for the one where you say you were a comparative noob), you went on to attack England :)