That was my primary plan, but in the back of my mind I also wanted to keep a Jugg on the table. I wasn’t wild about it because comms with Russia were a bit awkward in the spring, but I didn’t want to burn the bridge either. I worked out a DMZ with Russia in the Black Sea so that I could get my fleet into the Mediterranean early, much like how the AT started in the PDET final. Russia betrayed our deal in Spring 01 by taking the Black Sea, but then he used that fleet in the fall to take Rumania, so I thought things were okay between us. Here’s what the board looked like after 1901:
During the build phase and early in 1902, I heard rumors that some players were worried about Austria growing too quickly, and others were worried about a looming Jugg. I didn’t hear a peep about the possibility of an AT alliance, so I kept that on the qt. I got the sense that Russia was about as interested in the Jugg as I was, so I figured he’s be willing to turn on me. I arranged for Austria to support Russia into Bulgaria, forcing the destruction of my army there. The plan also required Austria to keep Italy close, because Italy had to use Ionian Sea to tap Aegean Sea, or I’d accidentally take Greece from Austria. If things went well, Italy and Russia would think Austria was allied with them, but the plan all along was for him to turn on them. He’d gain Venice and Rumania, and equally importantly, reduce me to one army so his flank was secure.
This was a risk, because Austria would have to support my other army back into Bulgaria in the fall, or I’d lose an SC. I figured it was worth the risk because I was offering Austria a very good deal that I didn’t think he’d turn down. I was right, and the plan worked.
The one part of the plan I didn’t think through enough was that Russia retreated to the Black Sea, so I had to build a fleet for defense, not offense. This proved to be a big problem, because I couldn’t be as aggressive into the Med as I wanted to be. Position after 1902:
In ’03, Russia poured all of his energy into his southern front. Germany took Warsaw and Norway, reducing Russia him to 5 units and 3 SCs. I thought that would give me the security I needed, but it really didn’t. I still was unable to free fleets to head west.
Meanwhile, Austria and I arranged to let Italy take Greece in spring 03 while I snuck a fleet by. In fall 03, Austria retook Greece, and I snagged a free Tunis. Meanwhile, Italy took Rome but lost Venice. Net, 1 build for both of us, and the board looked like this after ’03:
Things went well enough for me in 1904, with Austria ceding Greece and the Black Sea stabilizing. Unfortunately, the Russian fleet in the Black Sea forced me to continue playing defense. I would have rather be able to send more force into the Med. Oh well. But things went far worse for Austria in ‘04. He didn’t lose an SC, but his forces were scattered everywhere and Germany all of a sudden turned south. At the end of 04, Austria was in serious trouble:
By the start of 1905, it was clear that my path to success was joining the FG. I didn’t speak with France much, but Germany and I talked extensively. I wanted to stay quietly in the corner for a while, but he told me he wouldn’t wait for long and would instead turn to Russia for support against me. Reluctantly, I took Serbia instead of Sevastopol in fall 1905. Here’s the board at the end of that year:
From there, as I said in the OP above, the rest was mop-up. Austria tried to help France put a dent in me, ostensibly in support of a GF two-way, with Austria gaining tie-breaker points. But Germany was concerned that France was trying to solo, and that he could succeed. So Germany shut it down and we played the year out to take the tiebreaker points for ourselves. I turned down a 3-way draw proposal (or rather, never acted on it) because I very well could need the points.
