Therefore, a prudent ruler ought not to keep faith when by so doing it would be against his interest...If men were all good, this precept would not be a good on; but as they are bad, and would not observe their faith with you, so you are not bound to keep faith with them. Nor have legitimate grounds ever failed a prince who wished to show colorable excuse for the non-fulfillment of his promise.

In other words Machiavelli is telling us to not worry about those broken promises--people forget them really very quickly--particularly when you are strong and in a position to offer them something.

As a new year begins, the battle becomes desperate for some while others begin to look elsewhere for a little more action. In the East, the Sultan once again holds the Black Sea, but at the same time orders his men to perform a tactical withdraw, abandoning the ancient city of Constantinople and perhaps preparing for his final stand. Even while supporting his relentless assault on the Turks, the Austrian leader orders his units West, opening a new front; but against whom exactly? In the West the chaos continues, although an alliance may have shown itself...

My apologies for the delay in getting this adjudication out. I wanted to give our new Russia the time he needed, but was then dumped on by work.

Please watch those orders folks. If the RP doesn't accept it as written, I check to see what's up, but I can't make substantive changes. We had one ambiguous order this turn which could not be accepted and another completely erroneous one. Ultimately, the ambiguous order would not have mattered as it would have resulted in a bounce, but I would hate to see someone lose a center on a badly written order.

Let's get this one back on-track and moving. No retreats are due so straight into the Fall we go. Deadline will be Next Monday, October 27 at 2359 GMT. Hey, I'll be in Chicago!

Let me know if you spot any errors or need for time to plot and negotiate.

Good luck and best regards gentlemen!

Bruce

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Movement results for Spring of 1903. (dc208 Spring 1903 Moves)

Austria: F Aegean Sea Supports A Bulgaria - Constantinople.
Austria: A Bulgaria - Constantinople.
Austria: F Ionian Sea - Tyrrhenian Sea.
Austria: A Serbia - Bulgaria.
Austria: A Trieste Hold.
Austria: A Vienna - Tyrolia.

England: F Helgoland Bight Supports F Skagerrak - Denmark.
England: A Holland - Kiel (*Bounce*).
England: A London - Belgium.
England: F North Sea Convoys A London - Belgium.
England: F Norway Hold.
England: F Skagerrak - Denmark.

France: F Brest - Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
France: A Burgundy - Munich (*Fails*).
France: A Marseilles Hold.
France: F Spain(sc) Supports A Marseilles.
France: F Western Mediterranean - Tunis (*Fails*).

Germany: F Berlin - Baltic Sea.
Germany: A Denmark - Kiel (*Disbanded*).
Germany: A Kiel, no move received.
Germany: A Munich - Burgundy (*Fails*).
Germany: A Burgundy - Ruhr (*No Such Unit*)

Italy: F Gulf of Lyon Convoys A Tuscany - Marseilles.
Italy: A Piedmont S attack Mar (*invalid Unit*)
Italy: F Tunis - Western Mediterranean (*Fails*).
Italy: A Tuscany - Marseilles (*Fails*).

Russia: F Armenia - Ankara (*Fails*).
Russia: A Finland Supports F Sweden.
Russia: F Rumania - Black Sea (*Fails*).
Russia: A Sevastopol Hold.
Russia: F Sweden Hold.
Russia: A Warsaw - Moscow.

Turkey: F Ankara Supports F Black Sea (*Cut*).
Turkey: F Black Sea Supports F Ankara (*Cut*).
Turkey: A Constantinople - Smyrna.

Unit locations:
Austria: F Aegean Sea, A Bulgaria, A Constantinople, A Trieste, A Tyrolia, F
Tyrrhenian Sea.
England: A Belgium, F Denmark, F Helgoland Bight, A Holland, F North Sea, F
Norway.
France: A Burgundy, A Marseilles, F Mid-Atlantic Ocean, F Spain(sc), F
Western Mediterranean.
Germany: F Baltic Sea, A Kiel, A Munich.
Italy: F Gulf of Lyon, A Piedmont, F Tunis, A Tuscany.
Russia: F Armenia, A Finland, A Moscow, F Rumania, A Sevastopol, F Sweden.
Turkey: F Ankara, F Black Sea, A Smyrna.

Ownership of supply centers:
Austria: Budapest, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Trieste, Vienna.
England: Belgium, Edinburgh, Holland, Liverpool, London, Norway.
France: Brest, Marseilles, Paris, Portugal, Spain.
Germany: Berlin, Denmark, Kiel, Munich.
Italy: Naples, Rome, Tunis, Venice.
Russia: Moscow, Rumania, Sevastopol, St Petersburg, Sweden, Warsaw.
Turkey: Ankara, Constantinople, Smyrna.


NEXT DEADLINE: FALL, 1903 DUE ON MONDAY, 27 OCTOBER (at) 2359 GMT!