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Games go to Cock and the General

We were back at Guthrie’s Tavern in Wrigleyville last night for an evening of Dip and Drinks. Despite having four players drop during the week, we still managed 13, which was good enough for two boards, with me pulling double duty. And our outstanding recruiting year continued, with five more new players. Special thanks to Peter Lokken, Ben DiPaola, Mike Morrison and Nate Cockerill for bringing them in.

Game No. 155 was the novice board. It featured three players playing their first game, two playing their fourth (and the first face-to-face game for one of them), one playing for the first time in more than 20 years, and yours truly. The game ended by time limit after the Fall 1906 turn in the following center counts:

Austria (Eric Wilson): 1; 0.400 points.
England (Ulysses Peterson): 10; 40.000 points.
France (Beau Mueller): 4; 6.400 points.
Germany (Rick Toboz): 0; 0.000 points.
Italy (Jim O’Kelley): 4; 6.400 points.
Russia (Will Glynn): 6; 14.400 points.
Turkey (Simon Marcelis): 9; 32.400 points.

Eric found us last month at Red Lion and is officially our first successful Dip and Drinks recruit. Over the years, we’ve had lots of people express interest in our game and ask about our club, but he’s the first one who actually followed up by signing up for a game. Beau is a college friend of Mike’s, and Rick, Will and Simon are someone connected to Ben and Peter.

Meanwhile, the sharks were swimming in Game No. 156. That one ended by draw vote in Spring 1906 with the following center counts:

Austria (Jeremiah Peterson): 4; 6.400 points.
England (Jim O’Kelley): 0.000 points.
France (Nate Cockerill): 10; 40.000 points.
Germany (Aaron Bernhardt): 6; 14.400 points.
Italy (Ben DiPaola): 0; 0.000 points.
Russia (Mike Morrison): 7; 19.600 points.
Turkey (Peter Lokken): 7; 19.600 points.

The supply center charts are here.

Next up for the Weasels is another Dip and Drinks event next Thursday, this time at Emmett’s Alehouse in Downers Grove. That game will feature at least one more new recruit. Then it’s on to Dan Bugess’ home in Downers Grove for the Weasel Royale and Undercard games on Nov. 12. And we’ll play at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair at Navy Pier on Nov. 20. Hope to see you at one or more of these games!

Join the discussion!

Find out more about an upcoming event or article, talk smack before a game, brag about your board top, or most likely, ask what on earth your fellow Weasels were thinking!

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Chris Martin

    There must be a mistake with your report – is this an old one? I only ask because I see Jeremiah Peterson listed as playing Austria, and Austria isn’t a country in Here I Stand.

  2. Jim O'Kelley

    Austria is shorthand for the Hapsburg Empire.

  3. Jeremiah Peterson

    Ho ho.

    Chris, any time you want to get your ass handed to you in Here I Stand, find four friends and let me know 🙂

  4. Nate Cockerill

    I just typed a session a report for 90 min and the site logged me out. Shit! Tomorrow I guess. Damn it!

  5. Nate Cockerill

    As I was riding the train to Guthrie’s I began thinking about Diplomacy. Reflecting on my last game at Buckeye Game Fest where I played France. France is the country I have played the least in Windy City Weasel League play only once before with an elimination.

    I allied with a beautiful girl named Jannna (Wanna) from the Canary Islands who’d never played before, so I was being care bearish in my play. She was beautiful and needed a friend. I’ve never been one to turn down a lady in need. Anyway I digress, so how could I as France get the jump on England and Germany.

    There are of course certain moves but alone France cannot take on both England and Germany so I resolved it must be done tactically and diplomatically. First a move to the Channel, and into Burgundy with support but before that takes place, convince Russia to move north with Moscow, secondly convince Italy to move to Tyrolia in the spring. I thought well if you could pull this off you’d be sitting pretty as France Fall 01 or at the very least you’d have a lot to talk about with your neighbors.

    I hopped off the train at Southport and hoofed it the rest of the way to Guthrie’s finding Jim O’Kelley and Peter Lokken upon my entrance. After a drink, rules explanation to the kit’s table, and drawing countries we were under way. Lo and behold I drew France and decided to enact my strategy.
    The Dramatis Personae
    France: Nate Cockerill Your very own Sub Prime Weasel
    England: Jim O’Kelley Your Very own War Weasel and Founding Father
    Germany: Aaron Burkhardt Kid Tactics
    Russia: Mike Morrison Your very own Dutch Rudder Brother
    Italy: Ben DiPaola 2011 Kit of the Litter
    Austria: Jeremiah Peterson Chorister/Mixologist
    Turkey: Peter Lokken Communications Weasel/Aash Anand Impersonator
    Right off the bat I went to talk to Russia asking him to move North with Moscow and a move to Norway in the Spring. He said he would and I said I’d see what I Could do about Sweden. Next I talked with Aaron(Germany ) seeing what he wanted to do , we agreed to go after England with him getting North Sea and to “demilitarize Burgundy”. I pulled Mike in and got the Sweden deal done with Mike promising not build a fleet on the south coast of St. Pete as well. I wasn’t sure of the Turkish Russian situation as of yet and neither was saying much on their front.

    I next went to Ben DiPaola(Italy) and asked for the move Ven- Tyrolia suggesting he follow up into Venice in case Austria wasn’t going to play nice and or to give him the Trieste option. I said I wouldn’t build a fleet I Marseilles. Ben and I have worked well together in the past. He is a great ally as long as he doesn’t become intoxicated. I also wanted the Austrian Italian alliance to head towards Turkey which they assured me they would do and I didn’t want to hinder that operation . Next Jim and I spoke agreeing to “demilitarize the Channel”. Jim was playing Italy on the Kit board pulling double duty and we were both lying to each other so our conversation was brief. Now I just had to hold my breath and wait.

    Spring 01 A Par- Burg, A Mar sup A Par- Burg, and F Brest- Channel
    Check out the opening moves to this game because they were interesting in particular Austria’s opener to the Adriatic.

    So I got almost everything I wanted except England bounced me in the channel. Russia and Italy carried through though Italy didn’t follow up to Venice. Austria had supported Munich to Tyrolia but Munich didn’t go there. This led me to believe Ben spilled his guts to Austria or Jeremiah overheard the plan . Italy was worried about Austria and wanted to move home to cover Venice, he wisely said if he took Munich with my support he couldn’t hold it

    Germany wasn’t pleased with my move into Burgundy. I said” look I can support the Italians in , I can go there or if you want me out support me into Belgium. That way we each build two and I’m “outta there”. He questioned what I was going to do with the fleet in Brest and I said I don’t try and retake the channel. Aaron countered if you don’t take it MAO and build a second fleet in Brest I won’t take you seriously as a partner in the attack on England. So that solidified my move as I didn’t want an unchecked O’Kelley running mad in England.

    Fall 01F Brest-MAO, A Burgundy –Belgium, A MARS- Spain
    Build F Brest A Paris No English builds.

    The rest of 1902 was fencing with
    England to get a toehold on the island on a curious note Austria took Tunis and Italy was behaving rather odd so by the end of 02 I built F Marseilles from the build for Portugal
    Spring 02 FMAO S F Brest-Channel, F Brest-Channel, A Par-Pic, A Spain-Port, A Beg- Holl
    Fall 02 F MAO- Irish, F ENG CH-London, A Pic-Belg, A Belg- Burg, Portugal H
    Build F Marseilles

    One thing of note I’d said in round 01 to Lokken (Turkey) you’ve got at most 5 years. When I thought they were going for Turkey.

    Spring 03 Mars-GoLyon, Burg- Mars,A Port- Spain, A Belg-Wales, Channel C Bel- Wales, Irish s Belg-Wales
    Fall 03 A Belg-Lon, Mar-Pied, A Spai-Mar, Irish- Liverpool, Eng Ch c Belg-Lon, F GoL-Tyrh

    So I believe Austria had a fleet in Eastern Med at this time. Italy made a tactical retreat error and had to pull one that made Austria decide to side with Turkey at about the time. So I believe in Spring 04 Austria stabbed Italy with Turkey somehow also in the midst of this FG popped Jim’s fleet and he had 3 armies on the continent but we didn’t stop. I decided to prop Italy up against Austria and try to set up for some scraps.

    A Pied s Italian A Tyrolia- Venice, A Spain- Mars, A Holland_ Liverpool, Irish and Eng Ch c Belg – Liverp, A Belg – Livp, F Tyhr- Tuscany
    So with the Austrian Turkish stab on Italy that season Lokken snuck an Austrian dot which apparently wasn’t part of the plan as it infuriated Jeremiah to no end. Who promptly offered me two dots Ven and Rome to move against and build against Germany and whatever else I might need in the future. I accepted wholeheartedly.
    F Eng Ch- North Sea, A Pie- Ven, Mar-Bur, Irish –Channel,, F Tusc- Rome,
    Build F Brest A Paris
    So at this point I went outside to smoke with Lokken who asked me not to go to Apulia so he could retreat there and not be destroyed. I assured him I wouldn’t but he had a fleet nearby too and an army on the peninsula. He said all he wanted was Iberia and he’d happy I said what and he said oh a Freudian slip I meant peninsula and we laughed, but deep down my motors were turning . Hmm Kill a Turkish army and diminish his presence on my frontier border very tempting. I discussed it with Austria it delighted them. I did it. I also made convention to Germany to allow him to be a vassal.
    Spring 05
    FRome Supp Naples, A Ven- Apulia, A Bur- Ruhr, APar- Bur,FBrest-Chan, F Chan- Belg, F Irish- Wales, A Liverpool s Irish Wales. I believe at this moment Jim had no units left though London was still his.
    Now in the fall I could’ve taken Holland for sure but I thought why not try and take more so I did a reconnaissance in force poking at three German dots with no support. Also I could’ve let the Italians into Venice to live but then I’d have built one instead of two. I was a greedy bastard. I also lobbied my old pal Russia for a support cut on Munich remember that sweet deal I brokered for him turn one getting him Sweden his only build in 01?

    Fall 05 Ruhr-Kiel, burg- Mun, Lvp-York,Apulia-Ven, F Wales- Lon, F Wales- Lon, Chan s Wales-Lon, Belg-Holland, Rome s AustrianF Tyrh- Naples
    Italy and England were gone. I supported Austria to Naples as they’d lost ground to an enterprising German in their Turkish war. Russia didn’t get me the support cut .

    I built A Paris F Marseilles
    We played the spring turn and Russia supported the North Sea against me. Mike M called a draw and it passed I voted as we could’ve played fall and England had taken a center in England. I saw an easy way to twelve but probably not in time and Russia and Turkey both in second were tied with 7 centers so I knew they’d split points. So I ultimately voted yes knowing I’d get a decent score.

    I had fun but wonder what could’ve happened had I not went against Germany. He was a great ally but at the time Austria’s offer was sweet and I knew I was playing against the clock. Here’s to the Weasels and more Diplomacy games in 2012!

  6. Jim O'Kelley

    Thanks, Nate. I appreciate an endgame statement that helps me understand what happened. I’ll just add one or two things.

    [quote]He said he would and I said I’d see what I Could do about Sweden.[/quote]
    Interestingly, we were both on the same side of the Russian negotiations.

    Because I was playing on both boards, I only had time for two meaningful conversations in the first turn of this game. The first was with Germany.

    “Will you support me into Belgium?” I asked.

    “I’d rather keep it open,” he said.

    “I’m fine with that,” I responded. “The only thing I’m not fine with is France getting it. I’d rather you get it.”

    “Me, too,” he said.

    “Well, why don’t you open to Holland to ensure that France can’t get it.”

    He agreed. I then went to Russia and told him that he’d be getting Sweden.

    “Don’t move Moscow to St. Petersburg,” I said.

    “You’re going to the Channel, right?” he asked.

    “Of course I’m going to the Channel,” I said. “So don’t move to the Channel. If you do, you’re going to screw me.”

    He did. In the Fall, he asked me to concede Norway.

    “That’s my only build,” I answered. “I’m going to Norway.”

    “Then we’re going to bounce,” he said.

    “If you bounce me,” I said, “you won’t be able to build in St. Pete, and you’ll bone my game.”

    He chose to bone my game.

    Germany, meanwhile, plead with me not to bounce him out of Denmark.

    “I want to work with you against France,” I said. “I absolutely will not bounce you in Denmark.”

    He chose instead to work with France against me.

    In Fall 1902, my fleet in Belgium was annihilated and I was dislodged from the North Sea. I chose to retreat off the board, and then I build two armies, giving me three on the island. I hoped one or both of my Western neighbors would appreciate the elegance of stranding me on the island. Alas, they kept up the attack.

    Nate did a great job of negotiating his way into a flexible Fall 1901 position. But as I said that night, it was Mike’s decision that sealed my fate.

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