Winter 1901 - Trainwreck on the Orient Express

[Ari Rahikkala]

The highlight of the year is the Russian advancement into Rumania, which causes a pileup of no less than five bumped moves and leaves Austria's forces precisely in their original positions. Only Turkey's fleet manages to escape the domino of fail by snatching the Black Sea away from the White Menace. On the northern flank, Russia meets face to face with England in Scandinavia, where both powers secure a supply center. Italy decides it could use an army in Tunis for whatever reason (at least it gets them a supply center), and Germany and Italy together appear to be throwing a Great March Westward... to which France is responding by being le tired and not submitting any orders at all. The people of Spain and Portugal stand in breathless amazement at their lack of being occupied. Seriously, I checked my PM and email inbox and spam folder and no, there was nothing from France. Oh, and England crosses the Channel and drops an army in Belgium.

At the end of the year, Europe stands as:



And as new territories have been conquered, and the factories at home are churning out units, the allowed builds are:

Austria can build 1 unit
England can build 2 units
France can build no units
Germany can build 2 units
Italy can build 1 unit
Russia can build 2 units
Turkey can build 1 unit

Build orders are due ASAP as I will resolve builds as soon as I have orders from everyone, but not later than Tue Dec 1 12:00:00 UTC 2009. We'll be going with three days for moves and two days for builds (or maybe just one day for builds and retreats so we can do a year a week? That too fast for us?) afterward.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Wow. Weird turn.

Italy either didn't know that ships can occupy supply centers, is saving its fleet for an attack on France for which it doesn't expect to need armies, or just wants to pretend to be Rommel. Austria and Turkey either didn't realize Russia had units that could support its move into Romania, or thought that they were both supporting each other instead of attacking each other, or else Russia stabbed both of them in some complicated way. And even though two powers were within range of Greece, neither decided to take it - either a weird agreement that they're both sticking to religiously, or a breakdown in communication.

France completely dropped the ball and is now doomed unless it does something brilliant, with no builds and German tanks in Burgundy well-placed to team up against either an English attack from Belgium or an Italian attack from Piedmont.

Russia is non-subtly gunning for Austria, or at least doesn't mind letting people think they are - and Austria seems slightly doomed unless they can start working with Turkey a little better than they've been doing so far.

I'll send builds in ASAP after talking to friends and allies.

[Harvey Steffke]

I'm not sure if there is any provision for mercy in unusual circumstances, but in the past few days I have flown in four different airplanes, helped cook two different Thanksgiving meals, and stupidly spent most of a morning in a parking lot to get look for some deals on stuff that I ultimately didn't want to buy anyway. I know, ball dropped etc etc, but my holiday breaks end up being more work than my actual workweek sometimes.

The moves I was planning on but apparently didn't submit were:
Fleet in Mao returns to Bre
Army in Mar heads to Spain
Paris tank bumps in Bur again

I talked to Scott and Icy about these types of things, so they can vouch for me not just making them up on the spot, if the word of backstabbing Diplomacy players means anything.

I know I screwed up and this is a hassle and I'm sorry. If you don't want to redo the map I'll understand, though I'll also drop out since there wouldn't be much point in playing from this sort of position.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Fleet in Mao returns to Bre
Army in Mar heads to Spain
Paris tank bumps in Bur again

Eh, I can redo the maps, it's not that big a deal to do it just once (truth: I already have redone them, just not uploaded)... but I think it'd be unfair to allow you to submit your orders after the update had already been posted. Personally I'm willing to let you go with these orders, but only if I can get agreement from the other players in the game (well, let's go with at least four nations, don't want to wait for everyone or the next turn might get delayed)... not that it'll be any fairer but at least those in agreement will have given up their right to complain of unfairness . So how about it, guys?

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Harvey did talk to me about some of the moves (the Brest one came as a surprise, but since it was aimed at me I suppose that's excusable, and if I was cheating and making moves up that wouldn't be the one I'd choose). I'm willing to accept the moves if Ari is willing to to add them.

[Malliki Tosha]

I am neutral on the matter.

[Andreas the Wise]

I'm willing for Harvey to get the moves in.

[Icebreaker]

HERE'S THE THING, THOUGH.

HARVEY MAY HAVE BEEN BUSY, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT HIS POST HISTORY HE STILL MANAGED TO MAKE A BUNCH OF POSTS DURING THE FIVE DAYS OF THE LAST TURN. I SPECIFICALLY POSTED ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE BUSY TO SUBMIT AN INITIAL SET OF MOVES, WHICH CAN BE AMENDED LATER - THIS WAS CONFIRMED AS ACCEPTABLE BY THE GM. SO WHILE I SYMPATHIZE WITH HIM BEING A BUSY MAN, I CAN'T SYMPATHIZE WITH HIS INABILITY TO SEND A TEN WORD MESSAGE CONTAINING SOME REASONABLY GOOD MOVES WHILE HE WAS BUSY TOOLING AROUND IN THE LANDSRAAD OR WHATEVER.

ALSO, ARI'S GOING DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE HERE - IN HIS LAST POST, HE MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT THE DEADLINE IS FINAL AND BINDING, AND YET HERE HE IS AGAIN CONTEMPLATING MAKING UP ANOTHER MAP FOR A SINGLE LATE PERSON.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I AGREE THAT THE MOVES THEMSELVES ARE PROBABLY WHAT HE WOULD HAVE SUBMITTED ANYWAY, AND IF THE MOVES AS SUBMITTED ARE COUNTED THEN THE GAME IS BASICALLY BROKEN FROM HERE ON OUT. FOR THESE REASONS, I AM VERY, VERY SLIGHTLY LEANING TOWARDS VOTING TO ALLOW HIS LATE MOVES TO BE COUNTED. SO YEAH.

BUT SERIOUSLY, WTF HARVEY

[Harvey Steffke]

Forget it, I'm not going to wreck the game with bad prescience. Request rescinded.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Harvey, IRC, now.

[Ryan]

I indeed did not know fleets could occupy supply centers. But it's a lesson learned - can't change it now.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Ahhh screw it. New turn at http://shireroth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=259&t=12062