Game 1: After Spring 1901

Okay, the Turk is proving to be quite a pain in the ass.

His belligerence is amazing. He is now demanding I cede Bla, and allow him to take Rum at his leisure in 1902, while I continue to accommodate his army in Arm. Oh, I suppose I should clean the path to Mos as well, eh?

I am trying to be very reasonable with this lout, but it is going nowhere. My suggestion was that he move his sorry infidel ass out of Arm, that we keep Bla nice and open, and that we divide the Balkans (at least initially) along the traditional lines of Ser to Austria, Bul to Turkey, and Rum to Russia.

But the filthy swine is having none of it.

So, I turn to Austria for help (what would you do?) I tell him that we need to deal with the Ottoman scourge as fast as possible, otherwise he will continue to be a thorn in our side until he brings us down at the expense of one of the other powers. Initially, Austria wanted me to allow him free passage from Gal into Rum for Fall ’01. He and the Turk put me in a position where I hardly could refuse, or at least, could hardly manage to stop him. Arm could freeze Sev, and Ukr would not be able to stop Gal – Rum if Ser was to support. So what could I do? I acquiesced, because I would rather have Austria on my good side for now to help me fight Turkey.

Also, I am working an alliance with Italy, with whom I hope to put the squeeze on Austria in a year or so.

But that still leaves some problems. Austria is unsure of whether to use Gal to take Rum, War, or protect Vie. My offer was that he should use Gal to defend Vie for now, and put the build he gains from Ven into Bud. In the mean time, I would move Sev – Rum, and Ukr – Sev, bouncing Turkey’s bid from Arm. The down side is that gives Turkey Bla outright, and causes grief to Sev, but the upside is I get presence in Rum, and can work with Austria to dislodge Bul.

Of course, I could get stined if Arm does not move into Sev, as then I would lose a build area there. Still, at least I don’t concede the south completely.

I am waiting to hear from Italy, Austria, and Turkey.

My situation in the North is much nicer. Germany is conceding Swe (because of pressure against Mun by Italy via Tyr, and France from Bur), and I may even manage to get StP into Nwy. Those would both be important moves for me, as it would give me two builds, and could offset the loss of War, should Austria look that way.

I haven’t had communication with either France or England at all yet. I feel my move toward Nwy may change that.