MaccCon Spring 2019

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Welcome to MaccCon Spring 2019!

I'm going to post regular updates and commentary as the day progresses, so check back here often if you want to watch the saga unfold

We've got two boards, populated by the following legends and reprobates...

Board 1 is:

Austria: Greg Mostyn
England: The Tibetan Blackbird
France: Brumark
Germany: Andrew Harvery
Italy: Jack007
Russia: CaptainMeme
Turkey: Pootleflump

Meanwhile over on Board 2 we have:

Austria: dib
England: Leon McCaslin
France: Simon Fowler
Germany: Andrew Harris
Italy: Big Gun
Russia: Adam Smedley
Turkey: Strategus

Italy has opened to Tyrolia on both boards, signalling trouble ahead for both Austrias. But is a juggernaut brewing on Board 2?? Watch this space as the morning's moves unfold...

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Controversy on Board 1 in Fall 1901!

England's convoy to Denmark fails due to a failure to write Yorkshire's order, as does France's move to Belgium, with no order given to Army Burgundy. Rookie errors by Brumark and Blackbird - but there's plenty of time to recover!

Meanwhile on Board 2 England has upset Germany by bouncing Holland in F01 and left the Kaiser in a tricky spot. Three builds for France puts Simon Fowler in pole position at the end of the first year.

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Spring 1903:

On board 1 Russia and Turkey are both in the lead on 6 and Pootleflump has a very satisfied smile on her face and Markus is looking quietly confident. What can Greg do to survive the onslaught? Austria is on the ropes.

Meanwhile over on board 2 England and France are also both leading on 6, squeezing Germany out. Big Gun's Italy has lodged himself firmly in Munich, England has fleets in Norway and StP. But what is France planning for his fleets in MAO and Spa sc? He's just finished a quick chat with England, who has rushed over for a last-minute negotiation with Germany straight after. Something is afoot...

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Fall 1903. Strategus's Turkish fleet is in the Ionian and Tunis and Naples are open. Will Big Gun feel the knife between his ribs this turn?

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Spring 1904. Final turn before lunch.

On Board 2 Germany is down to his last unit, Fleet Berlin. Things look bleak for the Kaiser. Meanwhile rumours abound that the ever devious Big Gun will throw his centres to Turkey! What can dib do about it??

Over on Board 1 it looks like it's "Goodnight Vienna" for Greg Mostyn. On his last two units (Fleet Adriatic and Army Trieste) with the Pootle/CaptMeme juggernaut bearing down on him, it looks like a lunchtime exit for the plucky Archduke...

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Fall 1904. Beautiful recovery by Germany on Board Two, doubling his centre count this year. Will the build of Army Berlin keep him in this? If he can dislodge the rogue Russian army from Munich, maybe he'll stand a chance.
Meanwhile Leon's England is reeling from the French move to NAO. But is France letting Italy off the hook in the Med? Time will tell...

Meanwhile on Board One we've another rogue fleet, this time German, occupying the Mid-Atlantic Ocean. Will it push on past Gibraltar and create mayhem in the Med? Things are looking bleak for Greg's Austria now. Down to a single centre, Trieste. But the big news here was that Russia attacked Turkey last turn and broke the juggernaut, before withdrawing again this turn in a desperate attempt to rebuild the alliance. Will Pootleflump accept the olive branch?

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1907 and the ebb and flow continues.
On Board 1 Austria (Greg) is the first to succumb, losing his final centre after a stubborn rearguard action against the Juggernaut of Pottleflump and CaptMeme. However, Pootles was just spotted conferring with Italy and England in a sneaky corner. Is she building up to a stab??

Meanwhile on Board 2 Andrew Harris has played an absolute blinder. Having been down to a singly army in Berlin he has surged back to four units with a beautifully timed stab against France, who had a horrible turn, disbanding three units and losing two home centres. Russia meanwhile is despondent, with his last army in St Petersburg clinging grimly on. He's decided to seek solace in a bottle of Bulmers cider as he watches the action unfold around him

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Seven exhausted players on Board Two agree to a secret ballot on calling a 7-way draw, which passes. With Turkey having brutally stabbed his way to 12 in F08 everyone agreed that they'd used up the last of their mental energy and needed a drink and a curry.

The final standings were:

Austria, Dib = 4 centres
England, Leon McCaslin = 5
France, Simon Fowler = 2
Germany, Andy Harris = 5
Italy, Big Gun = 5
Russia, Adam Smedley = 1
Turkey = Strategus = 12

A great game by all, with two complete newbies (Leon and Adam) showing real spirit. The game ended with an Austrian fleet in Portugal for that slightly surreal twist in the tail...

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Meanwhile on Board 1 the five survivors (E, F, R, T, I) are still slugging it out.

Italy (Jack007) is close to defeat, holding only Naples and Tunis, leaving a likely 2v2 of England and France vs Turkey and Russia. Will they be forced to settle for a 4-way draw? Brumark's misorder of Burgundy MOVE Burgundy didn't help the Western cause!

Surreal highlight of the game so far - Germany's fleet making it into the Ionian before finally having to disband at the end of '06...

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With brains fried and livers recovered enough to go again, Board 1 agree to go the way of Board 2 and declare a unanimous 5-way draw. Cheers all round the room.

Final scores were:

Austria, Greg Mostyn = 0
England, The Tibetan Blackbird = 8
France, Brumark = 8
Germany, Andrew Harvery = 0
Italy, Jack007 = 2
Russia, CaptMeme = 8
Turkey, Pootleflump = 8

A great time had by all and a fantastic day, thank you to all participants!