RootZ: AAR

[attitudes]

Feel free to post whatever comments you like regarding the game or variant.

Congratulations once again to Morg for a solo victory as Italy1 or, as he likes to be known as, Italia Primera.

[Morg]

This was a fun variant.

It had a unique aspect that while I was talking to Britain and Germany about stopping a Juggernaut, I was also talking to another Britain and Germany about stopping a completely different Juggernaut.

When this game started out, I didn't have a firm strategy. Then I saw Britain2 & Germany2 gang up on France and I demanded to be included in France's dismantlement. After France was dismembered it became clear that there was a strong R2T2 Juggernaut going on and I encouraged B2G2 to focus on that. There was a R1T1 Juggernaut that was almost as strong. So I began coordinating with B1G1 to stop and roll back that Juggernaut.

Then Italy2 collapsed and Turkey2 looked nearly unstoppable, meanwhile Russia1 was strong in the north and Scandinavia. Russia2 and Turkey1 were struggling at this time making the two standard Juggernauts look broken, however a R1T2 Juggernaut had just B1&G1 in between them. I make a bargain with B1 & G1, if they would organize a defense line against T2 then I would focus my attacks on R1.

This benefitted me in 2 ways. First I was able to gain a greater share of Russia1's SCs and it hemmed in Turkey2 so that he was unable to get to 18 before me.

Then it was simply a matter of maintaining a low enough profile by focusing on gaining position rather than openly grasping SCs, until I was ready to make the final push. B2 & G2 managed to pick up on it in time to avoid my capture of Portugal, but in the end I still got my 18th.

Thoughts on the variant: The Juggernaut is much more powerful in this version and it skews the balance a bit. Russia is especially powerful as it is the only power capable of building fleets in both the seas of the 2 Europes.

[VGhost]

I don't have much to say about this one. Early on I actually tried to set up an alliance with Austria (1) because I was worried about Russia's potential... but he wasn't very communicative, and Russia got the better of the early moves, so I worked with vaderi most of the game.

I really didn't talk much - partly because I was kind of busy, mostly because Russia got bogged down in a war with Germany and/or England (I never did figure out exactly what was going on). I sent out feelers to Italy (Morg) once or twice, but I guess wasn't consistent enough in the communication to actually make an impression.

The last few years I don't think I wrote at all - maybe one or two messages to Russia about supports.

[Pharaoh of nerds]

I moved early along with Germany2 to crush France2, and accepted the help of Italy(not sure which number) when offered. I was in a good position to stab Germany2, but Russia2 was growing too fast - I think Germany2 may have been helping Russia grow specifically because of that. Germany2 and I attacked Russia2 and made a few gains but then got really bogged down in a stalemate and made very little progress. We were unable to convince Turkey to stab Russia. Meanwhile I co-ordinated with Italy to demilitarize our border, but when he was moving towards Portugal Germany and I caught on. We thought we could keep him at 17 that last year and then mount a counter-offensive to bring him back down to a safe number of SCs, but he made one too many gains on other fronts. Congrats Morg, well played.

[vaderi]

I joined the game a little ways in, I took over Russia1 just as the map got remodeled and my first orders were in fall 1902.

I took over a Russia that was at war with every single neighbor and losing every fight. I set about seeing who I could convince to stop attacking me, Austria1 was more than happy to stop attacking me and side with me against Turkey who wasn't communicating with either of us but England1 refused to work together with me against Germany1. I almost immediately stabbed Austria in the back when Turkey1 started talking to me, which I want to once again say I'm mostly sorry about that stab was not one I feel too good about.

I didn't do to much more (other than finishing Austria off) until Ferdy0 took a break when I was able to reach a truce with his temp, we both positioned our fleets to attack Germany, then I stabbed Ferdy's temp and secured Norway.

at this point(1904-1905) I was attacking Germany1, while Turkey1 and I were engaged in fighting Italy2. Germany1 and I were pushing each other in and out of Berlin and Munich, neither of us were making much headway until I mis-ordered a retreat ( I should not have tried to edit that PM, I should have just sent in a second set ) losing an army without costing Germany1 anything at the same time that Italy1 finally outmaneuvered Turkey1 signaled the downfall of the Side1 Juggernaut.

At this point nobody was pming, I think from spring 1906 to the end of the game I had 2 PMs, 1 from GhostEcho(Turkey1) and one from Morg(Italy1), the one from Turkey1 was a short communication requesting support, which I supplied while the one from Morg was turned into something of a discussion of the game and how it had turned out. Since I like to communicate with everyone and since college final projects were coming due and the utterly predictable trudge towards defeat, I started to lose interest in the game around 1907. I was being attacked on every front and my one ally was in worse shape than I was. I fought every step of the way (until 1911) which ended up making me feel worse about the game since my defeat dragged on for 14 turns ( spring, fall, winter ) in incremental steps which I was powerless to prevent. I finally found myself ready to quit in winter 1910 since I was essentially defeated.

In the end I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this game, especially since I managed to reverse the initial fall that my predecessor had started. I enjoyed talking with everyone, even England1 who was my enemy just about the entire game. I had dismal time of it the second half though, largely due to the death of any communication involving me.

Good game and good job Morg

[Blackfish]

Russia is especially powerful as it is the only power capable of building fleets in both the seas of the 2 Europes.

That comment make me wonder what this variant would be like if Build Anywhere was added. Chaotic, probably.