TopGunBoat Journal—Table of Contents
Introduction | Spring 1901 | Fall 1901
Winter 1902 | Spring 1902 | Fall 1902
Winter 1903 | Spring 1903 | Fall 1903
Winter 1904 | Spring 1904 | Fall 1904
Winter 1905 | Spring 1905 | Fall 1905
Winter 1906 | Spring 1906 | Fall 1906
Winter 1907 | Spring 1907 | Fall 1907
Winter 1908 | Spring 1908 | Fall 1908
Winter/Spring 1909 | Fall 1909
Winter/Spring 1910 | Fall 1910
Winter/Spring 1911 | Fall 1911
1912 | Conclusion | End of Game
The pressure has been building up around Germany and Turkey. Will they be able to withstand it?
Fall 1904 Adjudication
England
F bal C
A swe – kie
A swe – bal – kie
F den S
A swe – kie
F hel S
F nth – hol
A wal – lon
F nth – hol
France
A bur – bel
F eng S
A bur – bel
A tyr – mun (*bounce, dislodged*)
A sil S
A tyr – mun
A pic S
A bur – bel
Germany
A ruh S
A mun
A bel S F hol (*cut, dislodged*)
F hol S A bel (*cut, dislodged*)
A mun NMR
A ber S
A mun
Russia
A mos – sev (*bounce*)
A ukr – rum (*bounce*)
A war – gal (*bounce*)
Italy
A ven S
A pie – tyr
A pie – tyr
F eas – smy (*bounce*)
F aeg – con (*bounce*)
Austria
A tri S
Italy A ven
A sev S
A rum (*cut*)
F gre S A bul
A bul S
A rum
A rum S
A sev (*cut*)
A vie S A tri
A gal – ukr (*bounce*)
Turkey
A smy – ank
A syr – smy (*bounce*)
F con S
A syr – smy (*cut*)
F bla S F con
GM Observations
I wasn’t paying close enough attention after the spring movements. England had moved to Wales to block a potential French convoy; that tells me that England doesn’t fully trust France.
Thus, England could only do one convoy and had to take Holland with a fleet. Germany will be down to Munich and Berlin now. France is up one and England is up two.
Austria is up one and now is stuck without Italy’s help to keep growing. Turkey continues to defend as best as possible and Russia took a chance to move into Galicia or Sevastopol (Austria is playing too conservatively for that to happen). Perhaps Russia was hoping Turkey would support an attack here?
The most interesting thing here isn’t Italy’s movement into Tyrolia. The spring convoy messages did portend an attack on Tyrolia, as it appeared to be doing. The most interesting thing is that France trusted that and didn’t cover Marseilles!
This leads me to believe that if a player consistently uses convoy orders (or impossible support orders on Backstabbr) to build up a “reputation” in the game that their convoy orders can be trusted, this player could use that to stab someone at the right time. Or, to use it the first time to stab someone (like Italy could have done with France right now). Of course, once the stab happens, any player paying attention to the convoy orders would not trust them again. It could be a one-time ploy to make a gain somewhere.
Player Journals
England
It will be interesting to see how Germany defends. He can move such that I get no centers and France gets one. Italy’s move into Piedmont sure puts a damper on France’s growth. Hopefully it will cause the French fleets to venture South.
France
the gambling game has started
this turn I go for Mun, however it could be dangerous to have Ruh-Bur succeeded by the Germans
that is why good defence of Germany will only bring England success
Germany
From now on I’m doing my best to prevent France getting any gains at my expense but I don’t think I can stop him taking BEL.
Russia
Three hits on A units with the hope that the T F BLA might support UKR – RUM. Hits on GAL and SEV to cut supports.
E has left StP alone for the time being.
Italy
All right – Turkey will be dropping a unit and then should have to yield either Con or Smy next year with units in the wrong places to make AI guess.
Will France take the hint and let me push him out of Tyrolia to create a four-way attack on Munich? I hope so.
England is circling in on Germany; this could become an E/F v A/I battle of pairs if I don’t get squeezed out. Happily the French fleet is fairly far north to concentrate on Belgium. Now if I can just keep Austria from going into ION…
Austria
rum s sev
gal-ukr
sev s rum
vie s tri
tri s ven
gre s bul
bul s rum
Well, this is all very dull and defensive!
I could well lose an SC this move if R&T get it right. I am guessing in this company they will take back RUM or SEV. Leaving me at net +/- 0 this year.
The French presence in TYR continues to annoy me and limit my scope. I am interested to see what Italy does after that eye-catching move to PIE. If Italy moves on France, so will I. But, I cannot afford to fight F,R&T together alone, so I cannot act first only to find out that Italy remains at peace with France. Those 2 stray French units could soon join up with Russia!
Experience teaches me that Italy and France are natural allies and not foes, so I play it safe for now. Hope Italy makes a move on France so we can ally. Hope we reduce Turkey by 1 so that Italy can get a 5th SC soon. And keep hoping Germany remains strong whilst he waits for Austrian help to arrive.
The English decision not to move on Russia is also a cause for concern.
So, this is a bit wait and see moment!
Turkey
I am toast. Best I can do is to delay the inevitable.
A key lesson I have learned from this game is that playing with top ranked players is like any other gunboat game: a lot of luck involved as to what other players will do and you still have players doing insanely stupid things.
I need to comment on Italy’s continued bizarre play. He signals for France to attack MUN while moving to attack MAR. Does Italy really think France is going to ignore the Italian army in PIE and attack MUN just because Italy asks him to?
Fall 1904 Retreat Adjudication
France: A tyr – boh