Tried to move both fleets to the North Sea

[Synche]

Did they bounce off each other? Neither moved. Both my fleets are where they were supposed to be on turn 1.

[Tortellacci]

Yes, that is called a self-bounce. For instance, if you move Brest and MAO (both French fleets) to English Channel, neither supporting the other, you will bounce. The benefit of this is that you can guard three provinces with only two units, but be wary, someone can be sneaky and support one of your units in, making it a 2v1.

[Phlegmatic]

Yes that’s right, they will have bounced each other.

Sometimes it’s a very clever tactic as a way of using two units to defend three places.
Imagine you feared a French fleet would move into the North Sea but you couldn’t afford to leave London and Edinburgh vacant.
What to do?

If you bounce both yours in North Sea they stay in their starting locations, but unless the French fleet is supported it will also bounce off them. London, Edinburgh AND North Sea are defended by just two fleets.

Of course if the French player is REALLY sneaky he might instead support London into North Sea in which case it doesn’t bounce. Instead it enters North Sea using unwanted French support, and you find it out of position!

So self-bounces are really useful, but be wary of cunning opponents...

[Synche]

Thanks friends. I am curious this puts me basically 1 army behind the entire game. This isn't like a game ender, is it? There was some comment in the news section that thinks I'm dead. I am thinking it might just be funny language look at the newb kind of a thing, but I am curious if you guys think it's much worse than I think it is.

Obviously its not good cause I miss the first supply, but I don't feel like I am crippled. Is that true?

[Tortellacci]

Thanks friends. I am curious this puts me basically 1 army behind the entire game. This isn't like a game ender, is it? There was some comment in the news section that thinks I'm dead. I am thinking it might just be funny language look at the newb kind of a thing, but I am curious if you guys think it's much worse than I think it is.

Obviously its not good cause I miss the first supply, but I don't feel like I am crippled. Is that true?

It depends on the country. Austria is probably crippled if he doesn't gain a center, but Turkey and England for instance can get out of a situation like that if they play their diplomatic cards right.

[Figital]

In this thread there is a sticky with 22 hints of the rules.

The SECOND of those is "There can only be one unit in a province at a time". This clearly explains why your moves were unsuccessful. The other 21 hints are ALSO useful to a player who is learning the rules.

The only reason to order 2 units of your own to the SAME space would be to defend that space from an attack from a third unit, whilst still ensuring that your units remain in their current positions. i.e. your 2 units can effectively defend 3 spaces.