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 last neutral has been taken. Will Germany or Russia provide easy centers to their foes?
Spring 1904 Adjudication
England
F den – bal
A swe H
F ska – den
F hel S
F edi – nth
A lon – wal
F edi – nth
France
A bur – ruh (*bounce*)
F eng S
A pic – bel
A tyr – mun (*bounce*)
A sil NMR[1]France entered sił s tyr-mun, which was not recognized by the adjudication engine (which only recognizes characters of the English alphabet). Had the English letter “l” been utilized, the result would have been the same.
A pic – bel (*bounce*)
Germany
A ruh S
A bel (*cut*)
A bel NMR
F hol S A bel
A mun NMR
A ber S
A mun
Russia
A mos S
A ukr
A ukr S
A lvn – war
A lvn – war
Italy
A apu – ven
A ven – pie
F eas C
Austria
A ser – bul
F aeg C France
A tyr – mun
Austria
A tri H
A sev H
F gre S
A ser – bul
A ser – bul
A rum S
A sev
A vie S
A bud – gal
A bud – gal
Turkey
A smy NMR
A syr S
A smy
F con – bul (*void*)[2]This order was void because a coast was not specified. Had a coast been specified, the result would have been the same since Austria’s movement was supported.
F ank – bla
GM Observations
I’m slightly surprised that England didn’t move to Finland/Norway to move on StP. Still could happen, but England may simply be focusing on Germany (perhaps there are convoys coming to Kiel and Holland this fall?) to allow Russia to defend more (and slow Austria’s growth).
The most interesting thing here is Italy’s orders. The movement to Piedmont is not friendly to France at all, but Italy ordered a convoy of Tyr-Mun. Is Italy trying to tell France to get out of Tyrolia because Italian troops will be forcing their way into Tyrolia soon?
The second most interesting thing is Germany’s lack of defense against England. Is Germany trying to throw to England to make France back off? I feel like it is very difficult to get players to stop attacking in gunboat. I’m curious to see if that is the strategy and if it works.
Meanwhile, Austria picks up another center and Russia prepares a southern defense (which will hold until someone intervenes or Austria gets a unit into Silesia as well). Turkey will have to decide this winter which unit to disband, which will almost certainly result in losing another unit (or two) next year. Turkey will fall to AI due to Russia’s northern shenanigans.
Player Journals
England
The Northern Russian fleet is now gone. It is just a matter of seeing how quickly France and I can take out Germany and turn against Austria/Italy.
France
full attack on Germany, try to get Mun or Bel, without any risk to loose position in Bur.
with proper defence of Germany, I do not win anything, but England wins it all……..
Germany
Just hoping now. Hoping England doesn’t grab KIE and hoping France goes for BEL rather than MUN.
My days are numbered.
Russia
To counter the obvious A threat, I will leave StP on it’s own (A MOS can still cover in the Fall). I am supporting LVN – WAR with A UKR and supporting UKR with MOS.
Let’s wait and see what happens.
Italy
Time to try something interesting. Turkey won’t let me in this turn. I might as well tell France to hit Germany and then help out next turn by pushing Tyrolia into Bohemia. Austria continues to prosper; Russia is in decline and the north remains unsettled. If I am really lucky, Austria will take Bulgaria from Greece.
Austria
gre s ser-bul
ser-bul
rum s sev
sev h
tri h
vie s bud-gal
bud-gal
Well! This is going surprisingly well!
England is bouncing Russia and it looks like the EDI build could mean a move towards StP. Good news.
Germany retook MUN without me needing to upset France. Good news too.
France remains both a blessing and an annoyance. The presence in TYR keeps me from advancing VIE, but also gives me an excuse to remain in TRI and block any Italian temptations!
As far at letting down the Juggernaut’s tyres, Russia is weakened and now RUM looks like a definite SC gain weakening Turkey. I need to watch out for that ANK fleet though and I MUST try to help Italy make his 5th SC at Turkey’s expense – maybe as soon as this Fall.
As an overall, I remain committed to Italy and determined to destroy Russia/Turkey (before they get me). In the words of Machiavelli:
“In general you must either pamper people or destroy them; harm them just a little and they’ll hit back; harm them seriously and they won’t be able to. So if you’re going to do people harm, make sure you needn’t worry about their reaction.”
I am not anti-France, but would not like to see the France advance now and tempt Italy into an FI. My key ally in the medium-term may well be England or even Germany – and I think these options remain open and highly possible.
Spring 1904 (change):
gre s ser-bul
ser-bul
rum-ukr
sev s rum-ukr
tri-bud
vie-gal
bud-rum
Having viewed the obvious opportunity for ANK to move to BLA along with an ARM army taking back SEV, I have decided to move differently and risk SEV now. I may gain UKR!
If I gain BUL and lose SEV, the Juggernaut is +/- 0 this move, but I expect SWE-FIN with England moving on StP this Fall plus an Italian move on SMY in the Fall – so let’s hope even if I end up with no gains that RT is weakened further this year and I am better positioned.
Spring 1904 (2nd change):
gre s ser-bul
ser-bul
rum s sev
sev h
tri h
vie s bud-gal
bud-gal
Sorry – back to plan A. Of course I am worried about a ANK/BLA/UKR/MOS move on SEV in the Fall – but this is Gunboat and so R&T will not know for sure which of their units is going to take SEV (unless one of them makes a support/convoy order this Spring that makes it clear – though this is tricky for them with their limited units). Let’s see how good they are!
I may yet change my mind about TRI, but I am playing safe for now.
Turkey
Things are looking bad for Turkey, largely because of Russia’s bizarre play. RUM & SEV never should have been lost.
I managed to hold onto BUL last season, but I am certain to lose it in the Spring unless there is some miracle. Once BUL is lost, CON will be vulnerable.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | France entered sił s tyr-mun, which was not recognized by the adjudication engine (which only recognizes characters of the English alphabet). Had the English letter “l” been utilized, the result would have been the same. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | This order was void because a coast was not specified. Had a coast been specified, the result would have been the same since Austria’s movement was supported. |