Adzuki Beans AAR

[Dar Krum]

http://www.playdiplomacy.com/game_play_ ... e_id=14416

Game Players
ENGLAND (unfunfunt) WINNER
FRANCE (jstott)
ITALY (Crunkus)
GERMANY (shockj) WINNER
AUSTRIA (Philby)
TURKEY (Dar Krum)
RUSSIA (DOI)

Let's hear what all you treacherous buggers were thinking.

My report is quite simple; I was thinking that I had a decent deal in place with both Austria and Russia. I felt that going with the Austrians was the better way to go. (Gut. The game was Anon, so I just decided.) Philby played the betrayal perfectly. I thought he and I were good, then he takes Bulgaria while allowing the Russians into Rumania. I franticly bring my units home to make a stand and make some calls for help.

To no avail. Pope Crunkus the First decided to spread his particular brand of believe into the heathen regions of Turkey. The only hope that I began to see was that the Austrians, treacherous dogs that they were, had turned on the Russians. I figured that was fantastic as it would give me breathing room. Again, no dice. The Germans and Austrians AND English proceeded to make short work of Russia. I was simply an afterthought, stuck in a corner as I was.

The Fall of '04 saw the fall of Constantinople. That was pretty much it. My biggest question would have to be the English thought process? They ended up with a piece of the win, but it seemed to me that there was a an obvious Central Triple at work. Generally the English would be the odd man out in that scenario. I guess karma bit Chancellor Philby of Austria. And I, for one, couldn't have been happier!

[unfunfunt]

No, it was an E/G from the start. Me and shockj (apparently) went after france from the beginning, until he became so entrenched we couldn't break him. Then we offered a fake WT (which is what spring 03 was about), but he never really went for it, so we recommenced fighting in '05. Then it was a rush to the stalemate line, but when italy and austria stabbed each other in fall 1907 it gave us the lead required to break through. From then on it was only a matter of time.

I want to congratulate jstott on playing such a ridiculous game. I have no clue how he managed to stick around until the end with no real allies to speak of.

[shockj]

Seriously. This is probably the best and hardest fought game I've ever played. And it finished on my birthday. Good fortune indeed. But really. No one gave an inch this entire game. Every inch of ground was won with sweat and blood. I was pretty much terrified the entire game that England was going to stab me. I can't thank him enough for not doing so. England was pretty hard to read much of the game so I was never really secure in my position. Especially during the middle years when France (who probably played the oddest but toughest game I've ever seen) was hunkered down that I was basically trying to fight a war on two fronts with basically two less units than I needed to do so.

England summed up the series of events rather well. France would not be reasoned with from the outset, so that really brought England and I close together. While we worked on France, I started sending out my tendrils toward the stalemate line. Austria broke the damn on Russia, so we made relative short work of them, but A/I proved to be very resourceful. If they had not stabbed each other temprarily in 07 or so, we'd probably still be mired in battle as we speak. It opened the window just enough our forces could slip through. I think in the end we would have still come out on top, maybe just an extra 5 years along the road, if England hadn't stabbed me by then. Thanks again England. Seriously. Best game ever. Not to toot my own horn much but as far as tactics go this was hands down some of my best work. Dividing Austria's forces is probably what won us the day.

Unfunfunt - Don't know if we've ever played before but it was an honor and a priveledge. You earned yourself some good diplomacy karma.
Crunkus - Always a pleasure. Well fought. Wish some of our mid game talks could have been a little more fruitful. Next time perhaps.
Jstott - I have no idea what you were smoking this game but send some of it my way. I've never seen someone entrench themselves so completely effectively. Well done.
Phillby - Also well fought. You never gave an inch. Wouldn't have it any other way.
Dar Krum - Wish you weren't stuck on the opposite corner of the map. Always a pleasure. We'll always have Cuba.

Thanks again everyone! Salute!

[Philby]

It's been so long since this game started ... I find it hArd to remember all the early play.

Crunkus, friend, was that really you I was negotiating with over the years? You sure drive a hard bargain!

Dar Krum, sorry about the way the early moves panned out, what with you being the first casualty ... I HATE playing Austria, because there are so many relationships to negotiate, and I usually prefer the tactical side. In this game, Crunkus (Italy) made me a sensible long-term offer at the start of a lepanto, which I was always mindful to accept, but I also tried to negotiate with Russia and Turkey as well. The lepanto decision was cemented when Russia agreed to attack Turkey as well, so with 3 against 1 poor ol' DK was history.

With the strongest links with Italy rather than Russia, and with E/G on his borders, DOI (Russia) didn't stand much of a chance after that ...

Crunkus, about that mid-game stab, you will be interested to know that I (honestly) didn't intend to stab you, except that (1) you kept on insisting that I was, and (2) you were driving such a hard bargain that I couldn't see where I was going to grow. I don't think either of us realised how strong the E / G alliance was. Anyway, the mutual stab of me and Crunk (which of course helped noone except E/G) probably decided the fate of the game.

I tried mid-game to help France, but there was not much I could do. But he did play an excellent defensive game.

Well, played, all. That was the first anonymous game I have played.

[jstott]

I have no idea what you were smoking this game but send some of it my way.

Stop trying to read where I get my drugs, Philby!

[DOI]

This game was a long time ago. The only thing I still remember was Germany taking advantage of my late efforts to salvage life. Well done, shockj. You were the only one talking to me. Let's see the order history....

I remember now. France offered me an immediate attack on Munich, so I moved to Silesia. But when France didn't move hard on Burgundy, I immediately retreated. I worked hard to gain Germany's trust, and it worked. I had to deal with Turkey's aggression. To that end, I supported him into Rumania. The result was a lot of trust, but no builds. That did not help. England kept bouncing me in St. Petersburg, Austria kept me without builds, and then Germany came east in a big way. The three of them feasted on my weakness.

I'm can't say I see how this ended in a 2-way draw. Both Austria and Italy are alive and kicking. After I saw the names, I couldn't believe that Philby and Crunkus got to play Austria and Italy and didn't know it. Religion, evolution, abortion... it all could've been settled the old-fashioned way.

[Philby]

I'm can't say I see how this ended in a 2-way draw. Both Austria and Italy are alive and kicking. After I saw the names, I couldn't believe that Philby and Crunkus got to play Austria and Italy and didn't know it. Religion, evolution, abortion... it all could've been settled the old-fashioned way.

I tried to hide my writing style in the early part of the game (just for fun), but then I think Crunkus worked out who I was. It didn't help when I accidentally signed one of my messages ...

[Crunkus]

Sorry i missed this thread early on.

Philby, it was unfortunate how this turned out between us. I think you were trying to negotiate with too many people at once and I was somewhat dismayed by your lack of commitment. Seems a long time ago though. It certainly felt like a stab, as it certainly was a move that you would normally give me a heads up about first. It could have worked out so much better....

But such is the way things go.

Thanks all for a good game, I look forward to the next one.

Crunkus

[bb82]

I'm can't say I see how this ended in a 2-way draw. Both Austria and Italy are alive and kicking.

I'm not sure either. There seems to be much game left to be played. If Germany offered the draw, I would say that was a sound tactic. But I can't reason why the others would accept, especially england.


Sometimes I want a game over early too, it just depends.

[shockj]

I'm not sure either. There seems to be much game left to be played. If Germany offered the draw, I would say that was a sound tactic. But I can't reason why the others would accept, especially england.


Sometimes I want a game over early too, it just depends.

I wanted the game to end ASAP because I had 0 confidence in my position and was terrified of an English stab. I got lucky with a very classy England, we managed to hold things together with gum and dental floss for what felt like an eternity.

As far as A/I went, we had broken their backs, we were just mopping up the pieces. Only hope for them would have been a stab by England, and even that might not have changed much except that the game would have ended in an English solo rather than a E/G 2 way draw. I can't say that prospect looks alot better from their perspective.

This game would definitely go in my Top 5 games though. It was probably one of the hardest game I've ever played.