Goodday everyone,

Hope you all are having a good weekend. The orders are in and there was a lot of movement. Before we get to that though, I have some news and stuff to go through.

I have been getting a few questions regarding how my grace period system works, and I want to clarify all of it.

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Let me define my grace period rule. Grace period is a 24 hour deadline extension, that all players are free to submit orders. Once player using grace period has orders in, or the 24 hours has expired, then I will adjudicate. Here are examples:


Harry Potter missed deadline, and gets orders in within grace period. His grace period is gone for next time.
Bella AND Harry both miss deadline another turn. A grace period begins. Same thing applies, except I adjudicate when I get Bella's orders or when 24 hours is up. If Harry gets orders in before I adjudicate, then they will be accepted. If I don't get his before I get Bella's, then Mr. Potter is outta luck, and should have saved his grace period.


Thomas the Tank Engine and Pee-Wee Herman both miss deadline for first time. I will adjudicate once I get both of their orders or after 24 hours. Doesn't matter when they get orders in after grace period is enacted. They both get 24 hours, and both lose grace period for next time.


And remember, all players are free to submit orders during grace periods, if you still have a grace period, if it is your grace period, or if it's someone else's grace period and you don't have yours.


Hopefully this clears things up for everybody. If you have further questions ask me. And I apologize fore not clearing this up earlier, but I thank you all for asking before these rules needed to be enacted.


and p.s. Ross. These rules are different than my DC280 rules. Keep that in mind. I think these work better than the rules I put in place in DC280.

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With that out of the way, we get back to the game. We have a lot of action in Scandinavia, but no movement. The Russians are only able to move to Warsaw. The Brits have a similar situation with a failed convoy as well, and only get a fleet into the North Sea. Germany begins to mobilize its army, while the French are shifting units around trying to get set up. The Turks rearrange everything, and in spite of a failed Italian support, they get a fleet into the Aegean Sea. With all of that going on around them, the Austrians slowly begin moving north. Tune in next week to see how things play out!

ORDERS:
Austria:
A Budapest - Galicia
F Greece - Albania
A Serbia - Trieste
A Trieste - Tyrolia
A Vienna Supports A Trieste - Tyrolia

England:
F English Channel Convoys A Wales - Picardy
F London - North Sea
F Norway - Barents Sea (*Bounce*)
A Wales - Picardy (*Bounce*)

France:
F Brest - Mid-Atlantic Ocean
A Burgundy - Picardy (*Bounce*)
F Marseilles - Spain(sc)
A Spain - Gascony

Germany:
A Berlin - Silesia
F Denmark - Sweden (*Fails*)
A Holland - Belgium
A Kiel - Ruhr
A Munich Supports A Kiel - Ruhr

Italy:
A Apulia - Venice
F Ionian Sea Supports A Constantinople - Aegean Sea (*Void*)
A Piedmont - Tyrolia (*Fails*)

Russia:
A Finland - Norway (*Fails*)
F St Petersburg(nc) - Barents Sea (*Bounce*)
F Sweden Supports A Finland - Norway (*Cut*)
A Ukraine - Warsaw

Turkey:
A Ankara - Armenia
A Bulgaria - Rumania
A Constantinople - Bulgaria
F Rumania - Black Sea
A Sevastopol Supports A Bulgaria - Rumania
F Smyrna - Aegean Sea

DEADLINE:
With all of the bouncing and movement of the spring, we have no retreats and move right to the fall. The fall 1902 deadline will be ***Friday, March 12th, 9:00pm EST*** We will be missing a player next weekend, so I have the deadline for Friday. If you need extra time let me know(asking for extra time doesn't cost a grace period), if you don't, get orders in!

PLAYERS:
Ctry : Italy
Name : Alex Maslow
Email : Blueraider0-at-gmail.com ([email]Blueraider0-at-gmail.com[/email])
Ctry : England
Name : Kyle Rudge
Email : krudge-at-goldenwestradio.com ([email]krudge-at-goldenwestradio.com[/email])
Ctry : Russia
Name : Justin Card
Email : justin-at-darkenedpath.com ([email]justin-at-darkenedpath.com[/email])
Ctry : France
Name : Ross Yaggy
Email : ross826-at-gmail.com ([email]ross826-at-gmail.com[/email])
Ctry : Austria
Name : Joe Rizzo
Email : kangaroohp-at-aol.com ([email]kangaroohp-at-aol.com[/email])
Ctry : Germany
Name : Matthew Stevenson
Email : rocketship.rocketship-at-gmail.com ([email]rocketship.rocketship-at-gmail.com[/email])
Ctry : Turkey
Name : Michael Walters
Email : michael.alan.walters-at-gmail.com ([email]michael.alan.walters-at-gmail.com[/email])

PRESS:
Published by TactPred - Tactical Predictions in the Practical Traditions, an independent intelligence agency working for a well informed humanity.

Title: Continental Concerns: Who is hungrier?

In the past year, as the European Powers have begun "military maneuvers," reports have been flying back and forth about the fate of Italy against an aggressive Austria and France against an agressive England. Pundits and politicians alike have been giving their opinions, usually of the inflammatory type. After all, politicians have voters to appease, and pundits have audiences to draw. But we at TactPred have desire only for truth. And our analysts have come up with some thoughts that are, as usual, highly contrary to "common sense." But we'd like to think by now we have proven the old adage that what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.

French fears of England are entirely unfounded and can be dismissed wholesale. This is not to say the raising of a fleet in Marseilles was shortsighted, nor that said fleet is responsible for staying the thirst of England. No, it was the shocking builds of the Russians that have rendered the British impotent. Following tense negotiations, Russia has bowed to Turkish demands that they not work to regain their south. This aids the Turks in two ways - it frees up their hand instead of requiring them to defend their new gains, and it ensures England remains on the sidelines, which is ultimately the enemy of the Turks for continental domination. As an unintended consequence, it helps France. England is now stuck either trying to retake Norway or sacrificing the new build for a strategic reorganization. However, a 3 unit England is thoroughly crippled (even if the army is disbanded in the fall, which leaves them with 3 mobile but unthreatening fleets). England is not out of the game, but the idea England is still threatening France at the moment is absurd.

This leaves France with the choice to pounce on England, ram through Germany, or move south against the weaker Italian. While Italy seems like the best plan, it may not be strategically practical (for reasons we shall get to). Germany, with England engaged against Russia and Russia staking a huge claim in the north, might turn his attention to France. Attacking Russia has more longterm losses than shortterm gains. Once the army in Moscow dies, there is little stopping Turkey from gobbling up he majority of Russia, given that Russia's fleets can do absolutley nothing. Germany would have to be bold, indeed, to create such a vacuum without the resources to back it up. In any event, there is fear of a French move against Germany, or at least Belgium and Holland. That one army in Burgandy can cause quite some havoc without even moving. Germany would be wise to deal with France long before attacking Russia, which is playing a key role in directing power in the south east.

With Russia giving up southern claims, Turkey now has a chance to strike against Austria. Italian press has been very successful in painting the Austrian in a poor light, and Turkey could move against Austria "jointly" with Italy, feeding off the support Italy has worked hard to gain for itself. Italy would be hardpressed to defend against an Austrian offensive, and even harder to make an offensive against even a simple Austrian defense. Turkey has the greater ability to crush Austria, and therefore will overrun Austria with ease, and then moving against Italy (or Russia if desired). But then again, it is possible that Italy and Austria will see the rising threat and put past differences behind them to contain the Sultan's forces. Such a move directly supports Austria, but would also support Italian interests. A joint attack into the Aegean Sea would do much to hold Turkey back, but would ultimately help the Italians much more than Austria. In an Austrian/Turkish war without outside help, Turkey is poised for victory, or at least indefinate defense. If Austria fell, Italy would probably crumble next. But if Austria and Italy work to keep Turkey out of the Aegean, Turkey would only make gains in the north. Austria will still fall, but Italian forces could have time to take Tunis and organize a defense based on the Ionian Sea. And as long as Greece remains out of Turkish hands, Turkish efforts through the Mediterranean Sea could be stalled enough for a reorganization of Russian power.

Presuming success in the north for Russia, we expect to see Russia slowly reorganize its southern offensive. Russia would use the Norway build to make another fleet and secure its northern border and begin to move against England - Meanwhile that army in Finland will swing downward to make a show of force, and the next Russian build will assuredly be an army to counter the Turkish/Austrian forces (not joint forces, just whichever of those two forces are stronger by 1903 or 04). By then, Turkey and Austria will be locked in battle and Turkey will be frustrated against an Italian defense in the south (propping up Greece), but unable to withdraw fearing an Italian counter. Russia could work with Italy to exchange notes and use the battle to ensure their own gains - gains that once made will be difficult to lose again. Russia and Italy will not fight for quite some time, and Turkey and Austria will need quite a bit of cooperation - unlikely in the environment that by then will exist. And once Russia and Italy have defeated their mutual neighbors, they'll each go west, in their own way.

This is why earlier we had said France would be best served by attacking Italy. If France could get these growths for itself France would be better off. A strong Italy will be a disaster for France - once the Balkans have been sorted out, Italian fleets will have to go somewhere. But France can't really attack Italy any time soon because if Italy collapses Turkey will obliterate Austria, and the Turkish fleet production will far outsource the French fleets.

The key to domination in this worldview, for now, is control of Hungary. As long as Budapest remains under Austrian control, Turkey will be held back. If Turkey manages to get it, Austria will likely not recover. If Russia eventually gets Budapest, expect Italian and Russian forces to dominate their respective areas. If Italy gets Budapest, expect Russia and Italy to fight fiercely over their gains. We know Western Europe likes to take the spotlight, but in this case, it is the East that is where everyone's eyes ought to be......

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DATELINE SWITZERLAND, Spring, 1902

Players, let's get back to DipJeopardy...

Bobbarkerfan: "We still have 3 categories... "Bodies of Water," "Liars & Cheats," and "Potpourri."

Bobbarkerfan: "Joe, as Patton told us, "All fame is fleeting." Select for us won't you?"

Joe: "I'll take 'Potpourri' for $100,"

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is...'Is that a rocket in your pocket or are you just glad to see me.'"

:::Kyle buzzes in:: "I'd like to buy a vowel."

Bobbarkerfan: "Sorry, Kyle, wrong segment of press..."

:::Joe buzzes in::: "What Austria was not happy to see when Germany's '01 builds were announced?"

Bobbarkerfan: "Select..."

Joe: "I'll take 'Potpourri' for $200, bobbarkerfan."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is 'Stp(nc).'"

:::Kyle buzzes in::: "What is the stupidest build in the history of Diplomacy?"

Bobbarkerfan: "Possibly true, but not what we were looking for."

:::Russ buzzes in::: "What is the best build I could have hoped for?"

Bobbarkerfan: "That's it..."

Russ: "I'll take 'Potpourri' for $300."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is...'Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a god.'"

:::Justin buzzes in::: "What the French will need if they louse up the defense of BUR?"

Bobbarkerfan: "Select..."

Justin: "I'll take 'Potpourri' for $400."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is, 'Make him an offer he can't refuse.'"

:::Matthew buzzes in::: "What I told Italy to tell Austria on my behalf?"

Bobbarkerfan: "More specific information..."

:::buzz, buzz, buzz:::

:::Michael buzzes in::: "What is a line no less than four players have used to try to convince Austria to launch attacks against me?"

Bobbarkerfan: "That's amazing...it's almost as if you're reading their e-mail. Select..."

Michael: "I'm sure Austria would be happy if I would kill off 'Potpourri' for $500..."

Joe: "I told you...never use the words "kill off" and "Austria" in the same sentence. It makes me nervous."

Bobbarkerfan: "And the answer is, 'When it ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY has to be DESTROYED overnight.'"

:::Maslow buzzes in::: "What is that stupid French fleet in MAR?...talk about stupid builds. You are moving that to the west, right?"

Bobbarkerfan: "Let's take a break..."


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VIENNA, Spring, 1902

It seems Ferdy is holding up well. After hanging around the dungeon for the last few months, I'm starting to see progress. Turns out he has a rather high pain threshold. This is really tiring out my right arm.

On other topics, I'd like to thank all of the players that warned me about the imminent Turkish attack on my rear flanks. If only....if only there had been some sign...some indication of what was coming...

Mistress Lash

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"It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing. The shadow, even the darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you - That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding onto something."
"What are we holding onto, Sam?"
"That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for."

END PRESS

Have a great week everybody, and get those orders/press in,

Joey