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:
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:
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!
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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.
Austria is shorthand for the Hapsburg Empire.
Aha, that explains it. đ
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 đ
I just typed a session a report for 90 min and the site logged me out. Shit! Tomorrow I guess. Damn it!
As I was riding the train to Guthrieâs 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 whoâd never played before, so I was being care bearish in my play. She was beautiful and needed a friend. Iâve 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 youâd be sitting pretty as France Fall 01 or at the very least youâd 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 Guthrieâs finding Jim OâKelley and Peter Lokken upon my entrance. After a drink, rules explanation to the kitâs 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 OâKelley 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 Iâd 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 âdemilitarize Burgundyâ. 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 wasnât 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 wasnât going to play nice and or to give him the Trieste option. I said I wouldnât build a fleet I Marseilles. Ben and I have worked well together in the past. He is a great ally as long as he doesnât become intoxicated. I also wanted the Austrian Italian alliance to head towards Turkey which they assured me they would do and I didnât want to hinder that operation . Next Jim and I spoke agreeing to âdemilitarize the Channelâ. 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 Austriaâs 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 didnât follow up to Venice. Austria had supported Munich to Tyrolia but Munich didnât 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 couldnât hold it
Germany wasnât pleased with my move into Burgundy. I saidâ 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 Iâm âoutta thereâ. He questioned what I was going to do with the fleet in Brest and I said I donât try and retake the channel. Aaron countered if you donât take it MAO and build a second fleet in Brest I wonât take you seriously as a partner in the attack on England. So that solidified my move as I didnât want an unchecked OâKelley running mad in England.
Fall 01F Brest-MAO, A Burgundy âBelgium, 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 Iâd said in round 01 to Lokken (Turkey) youâve 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 Jimâs fleet and he had 3 armies on the continent but we didnât 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 â Liverp, A Belg â Livp, F Tyhr- Tuscany
So with the Austrian Turkish stab on Italy that season Lokken snuck an Austrian dot which apparently wasnât 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 âChannel,, 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 wouldnât but he had a fleet nearby too and an army on the peninsula. He said all he wanted was Iberia and heâd 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 couldâve 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 couldâve let the Italians into Venice to live but then Iâd 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 theyâd lost ground to an enterprising German in their Turkish war. Russia didnât 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 couldâve 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 theyâd split points. So I ultimately voted yes knowing Iâd get a decent score.
I had fun but wonder what couldâve happened had I not went against Germany. He was a great ally but at the time Austriaâs offer was sweet and I knew I was playing against the clock. Hereâs to the Weasels and more Diplomacy games in 2012!
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 Iâd 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.