Columbia having nowhere else to go does make this map a little less balanced, as has been said, but to me that's only in as far as Turkey can only really hit either Russia or Austria initially.  I'd advise putting the Panama canal in (even if it wouldn't actually be completed for another 80-odd years) just because of the expanded tactical options it gives. 
 
I suppose as a replacement playing only 5 of the 12 years I missed out on the early negotiations where the really juicy stuff got sorted out.  My primary goal for this game was to survive, which I happily did - in fact, I was surprised at the come back Columbia made in ending the game in second place, though I suspect it was more by luck and outside circumstances than by skill on my own part.  Had Venezuela not been distracted by Brasil, I expect I would have made a quick exit, and though I was pleased to outmanoeuvre Peru in the two years or so after joining, I'm very aware that I only just got the block up in the south to fend off Chile's fleets as it was.  If that conflict had gone on a few more years Chile would have been pushing through there handily.
 
I'd like to point out that, in pursuit of this survival I allowed myself to be more ruthless in making promises or agreeing to alliances and breaking them, or manipulating others with no intention of reciprocating.  My play is not normally like this, so if we meet in a future game, please don't assume I'll be untrustworthy there too!  Usually I'd say I'm more inclined to be a straight talker than the average player, perhaps to my detriment as a diplomat.  Maybe I should learn from success in this game!
 
 
Further on the issue of balance, I think all the southern 2-centre powers get a very raw deal.  Bolivia has no guaranteed gains, and is practically thrown right into the fray against Chile from the outset as Golfo de Guafo borders a home centre for both.  Paraguay gets a slightly nore prosperous first year, but then is likely to come under heavy attack from the much larger Brasil, whil Argentina seems to be the Austria - nice initial growth potential, but in between lots of powers.
In the north, Venezuela probably gets two early builds to sit it on four centres and a comfortable size, though all four of these countries suffer the disadvantage of only being able to build two units a turn, which presumably can become important as the game goes on and powers are capable of taking many centres in a turn.
 
Compare this with the rich earlygrowth potential of Brasil and Columbia.  Brasil probably get 2 or 3 builds putting it on 5 or 6 centres, with a good offensive and defensive position and but a nasty case of early leader syndrome.  Columbia should really be getting two centres in the first year (if not, why not?), ideally putting it on 5 to Venezuela's 4 and Peru's 3.  As seen, these two can then team up on Columbia, but I don't think his position is any worse than a Russia with England and Turkey looking at him with hostility.  In fact, I still think a bit of deft play could see Peru repelled with an extra fleet, while Venezuela is stalled in the north with the remaining fleet and army.  Another build could see that flank becoming increasingly secure.
 
In my opinion, tactical play really starts working at four units and above, which I think is why all countries in Standard (bar England in the case of an aggressively northward-looking Russian) have at least one centre they can claim without contest.  With two, you basically have to guess whether or not to risk an opponent taking your home centre or not.  I think in the average game, the starting differences in size are more likely to magnify rather than equalise.   
 
Hopefully that's helped!
 
Ross
 
Subject: NNIGTFML - Game End - Solo!
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:02:05 -0500
From: mike-at-fuzzylogicllc.net ([email]mike-at-fuzzylogicllc.net[/email])
To: jwmchughjr-at-gmail.com ([email]jwmchughjr-at-gmail.com[/email]); cloudhurler77-at-yahoo.com ([email]cloudhurler77-at-yahoo.com[/email]); screwtape777-at-gmail.com ([email]screwtape777-at-gmail.com[/email]); githraine-at-yahoo.com ([email]githraine-at-yahoo.com[/email]); brn2dip-at-yahoo.com ([email]brn2dip-at-yahoo.com[/email]); jchdipaccount-at-gmail.com ([email]jchdipaccount-at-gmail.com[/email]); Gregory_Olson-at-brown.edu ([email]Gregory_Olson-at-brown.edu[/email]); alley_cat_1990-at-hotmail.com ([email]alley_cat_1990-at-hotmail.com[/email]); fredrik-at-familjenblom.se ([email]fredrik-at-familjenblom.se[/email]); blom.fredrik-at-gmail.com ([email]blom.fredrik-at-gmail.com[/email]); rodtheworm-at-hotmail.com ([email]rodtheworm-at-hotmail.com[/email]); dc273-at-diplomaticcorp.com ([email]dc273-at-diplomaticcorp.com[/email])

Chileans can be heard singing "llama llama llama llama llama solo llama" everywhere as they wrap up a win under the awesome leadership of Gary.  Yes, Gary gets his gold star today w his second solo in dc!
 
What more can be said? 
Just "Gary".  "He's the man".  "With the only name nobody in South America will ever forget, for he leads it all!
 
Business cards are ordered.
 
"Gary - The South American Dominator".  "Got a country?  Call us!  We'll capture it, squash the resistance, and assimilate it into GaryLand".  "Your centers are our centers."  "Really".
 
"Got Centers?"  "Nope, Gary took'em".
 
EGS's are encouraged from all!
Hope it was fun,
-mike
 
RETREATS (irrelevant):
 
Brasil:
disband A Parana
A Rio Grande do Sul - Sao Paulo
A Santa Cruz - Riberalta
 
ORDERS:
 
Brasil:
A Angostura - Caracas (*Fails*)
A Barinas Supports A Angostura - Caracas
F Boca de Navios - Cumana
F Golfo de Paria Supports F Boca de Navios - Cumana
A Iquitos - Cusco
A Manaus - Mato Grosso (*Fails*)
A Mato Grosso - Pantanal (*Bounce*)
A Orinoco Hold
A Parana Supports A Rio Grande do Sul - Misiones (*Dislodged*)
A Rio Grande do Sul - Misiones (*Dislodged*)
A Santa Cruz - Potosi (*Dislodged*)
A Santa Marta - Cartagena (*Bounce*)
A Sao Paulo - Rio de Janeiro
 
Chile:
F Arequipa Supports F Bahia de Arica - Lima
A Asuncion Supports A Misiones - Parana
F Bahia de Arica - Lima (*Fails*)
F Bahia de Paranagua Supports F Montevideo - Rio Grande do Sul
F Bahia Todos os Santos - Salvador
A Chaco Supports A Potosi - Santa Cruz
A Concepcion - Pantanal (*Bounce*)
A La Paz Supports A Potosi - Santa Cruz
A Misiones - Parana
F Montevideo - Rio Grande do Sul
A Potosi - Santa Cruz
A Salta Hold
A Santa Fe - Misiones (*Bounce*)
F South Pacific Ocean - Golfo de San Jorge
F Pacific Ocean - Bahia Sechura (*Fails*)
 
Colombia:
A Aquiris Hold
F Bahia Sechura Hold
F Galapagos Supports F Bahia Sechura
F Lima Hold
A Llanos Supports A Maracaibo
A Panama - Cartagena (*Bounce*)
A Trujillo Supports F Lima
 
Venezuela:
A Caracas Supports F Cumana (*Cut*)
F Cumana Supports A Caracas (*Disbanded*)
A Maracaibo Supports A Caracas
 
 
 




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