I drew Italy, and decided to try the Ven-Tyr variant of the Lepanto opening just for kicks.

Pre-Game: France and Austria contact me immediately and we discuss the standard terms of friendship. I tell Austria to push for two builds in the first year, as well as attempt to coordinate bounces in Gal and BLA to stir up as much trouble in that triangle as possible. In the west, I try to set up an E/G alliance that antagonizes both Russia (in Swe) and France (from Bur and/or ENG). Turkey asks me about a Lepanto, and I tell him that if an R/T alliance doesn't form, I could look for gains elsewhere. I don't hear anything from Russia.

1901: Austria is obviously worried about Tyr, as is Germany. I say it's to help defend Austria against Russia and for diplomatic flexibility (both potentially true, depending on how things went). E and F bounce in ENG, so I try to prod out which way Germany is leaning and again hint at bouncing Russia out of Swe. Seeing Turkey in BLA has me a bit worried, but it seems Russia isn't a big communicator and things may have gotten confused. I end up convoying to Tun and keeping my army in Tyr.

1902: It seems a joint attack on France is materializing, and I'm asked to join. I slip into AEG with help from Austria, and in the fall move to Pie to tie down a French unit for the E/G alliance. A new Russia joins, and I tell him my offer to the previous Russia is still open. Turkey warns me off of a Lepanto, and I point at my army in Tyr. I'm willing to jump in on Austria if I see that R/T's relationship begins to sour.

1903: I NMR in the spring, and return to AEG and Tyr in the fall. France lands in Lvp and Germany breaks through Bur. It's a delicious mess in the west, but I'm worried my missed move will put me seriously behind developments in the east. Austria had CDd, and a new one takes his place, and Turkey prepares to build a third fleet. I again point Turkey in the direction of my army in Tyr, saying I'll break off my attack if he'll just make a push for Rum and Sev. He'll have none of it though, so I coordinate with Austria how to defend against Russia.

1904: I'm able to maneuver an army into Syr and keep the Austrian defenses intact. England is down to 2 SCs after losing Nor, and despite losing Par, things aren't looking good for the attack on France. I once again reach out to Russia to pick a side between Turkey or me should Austria fall. He never responds. The new Austria is quite talkative though, and I enjoy bouncing ideas back and forth on how best to keep him at 5-6 SCs in the face of the R/T.

1905: Things are fairly uneventful for me at least. I'm now fully committed to an attack on Turkey but can't seem to make my way into any of his SCs and Austria NMR's, letting Russia into Vie, and loses Gre to Turkey earlier that year. Germany gets farther into France, and England isn't doing much of anything. I start talking to France about going easy on England to focus on slowing down Russia and Germany, who are starting to get a lead on the rest of the board.

1906: I'm still stalemated in the south, but I'm able to help Austria back into Vie. Germany is now very strongly entrenched in France, but the French fleets are marauding behind the lines keeping things messy.

1907: Austria loses Bud and Vie, but I'm able to take Gre. I take a potshot at Mun to get Germany's attention, offering it back to him for free if he turns around to stop the increasingly strong Russian.

1908: Not much change for me or Austria, but England retakes Nor and Germany begins sending armies east, as well as stealing Swe from Russia. Aside from the stable understanding between R and T, I'm pleasantly surprised at how fluid the diplomatic climate has been throughout the game.

1909: Turkey NMRs, allowing me to slip into Bul. I instead move on to Con in the fall, which opens the door for Russia. My disband for losing Mun puts a damper on my coordination with Austria this year, but he's able to maintain 2 SCs, trading Tri for Bud. England lands in Bel and Hol (at my insistence) to prevent Germany from becoming the new leader.

1910: I take Tri, Bul, and Ank, but lose Con. It's a fair trade-off though, as Russia is still quite a way ahead of everyone except Germany. Austria moves back into Vie, giving our side the upper hand in the south. England continues hitting Germany by landing in Bre, and it seems the underdogs are leveling the playing field all over the board.

1911: Austria fully repulses Russia, taking Rum and moving into Gal. Turkey is dead by the fall (our first casualty!) and I move back into Mun to break past the stalemate line. Germany is holding his own against England for now, but that doesn't look to be the case for long.

1912: I can't hold Mun, but I begin my push to break out past Spain. I let Austria back into Tri and help him into Sev. I'd worked with him for so long, I don't see that this might be a step too far. I begin talking with Germany about another shift in the diplomatic climate...

1913: I'm able to slip into MAO (a critical error on England's part, I believe), and in the fall, my hasty stab of Austria fails spectacularly, netting me only Vie. Fortunately for me, Germany and France are receptive to a coalition against England who is now tied with me for the lead with a strong presence in Iberia.

1914 - Victory: My focus for the rest of the game is to take and hold Spain and Serbia, the key spaces, I believe, for holding a position past the stalemate line and for killing off Austria, respectively. By '15, I have taken both Iberian SCs and have reduced Austria to a lonely exile in War. I offer Austria assistance into Mos as a small token of gratitude for a good fight (this was a PPSC game after all), but he declines and disbands all but his army in Tyr. '16 sees Italian forces in War, Mos, and Mar, ending the game with my empire at a healthy 20 SCs.

@England: Coming back from such a position is quite a feat, and it was a pleasure playing with you. There were a handful of years in the middle where you were disappointingly silent, both diplomatically and tactically, but you put up a good fight around Spain. Thank you.

@France: You were a receptive and talkative neighbor, which I appreciate. Unfortunately, you were one if the game's early leaders, and never were able to make a comeback like a few other players.

@Germany: Well played. When France started making headway, you took action to neutralize his gains, and then again likewise against Russia. I think it's mostly Germany's position that eventually led to your downfall. Your turning against England was the critical moment for my victory I think. Not that it would've mattered much either way, as England could've easily crushed you once he stabilized his southern front.

@Austria: Coordinating moves with you was probably the best fun I've ever had as Italy, not that you'd had much choice about my army in Tyr, jumping in on the previous CD. I was glad such a move had worked out so well, and I encourage future Italys and Austrias to consider this approach to bolster Austria's defense against a Juggernaut. Stabbing you at the end of the game was truly a bittersweet moment, but this is a game about getting to 18 SCs, and my aid in growing you into such a healthy state in the first place was probably my biggest mistake in the game.

@Russia: Between you and the previous Russia, I got maybe two sentences out of you the entire game. Offering me Tri in exchange for turning against Austria was a step in the right direction, but was a pitifully small reward for such a drastic swing of allegiance.

@Turkey: Somebody had to be the first elimination, and I'm surprised it ended up being one of the more defensive nations on the board. Those first half a dozen years, I was honest about swinging against Austria if you'd turn against Russia, especially since I had that army in Tyr almost the entire game! Unfortunately for you, you didn't see things the same way I did, and once I got that army into Syr it was just a matter of time. Thank you for making me earn it.