Six players: Jeff Prussia/Germany, Richard Great Britain, myself as France, Simon Austria-Hungry. Stefan Russia and Russell as the Ottomans.
Richard has provided this AAR on the first four turns.
Turn 1
Metternich plots to take over Italy and ally The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Meanwhile a Nationalist Wave immediately unifies Italy, scuppering Metternich's cunning plans. Austria has to re-calibrate and looks to the Balkans.
Britain puts down the Sepoy Revolt and moves to absorb Afghanistan.
Britain acquires Shanghai from the Qing.
The Second Opium War sees Britain gain Guangzhou and France Indochina from the Qing.
Britain ally Egypt.
Prussia absorbs Hanover and Saxony after a War of Unification.
Everyone industrialises.
Prussia invokes German Unification as a National Goal.
Turn 2
Prussia ally Bavaria.
Prussia declares a War of Unification but does not use the Bismarck card meaning other powers can come to the aid of the attacked power. Prussia absorbs Schleswig-Holstein after France, Britain and Russia ignore the pleas of the Danes. Bavaria joins to Prussia and the Prussians take control of the Germany flashpoint with a +1 Card marker.
A diplomatic war rages over Persia between Russia and Britain. Russia wins for now but burns up a lot of cards to do it.
Austria becomes Austria-Hungary and Hungarians are granted full citizenship.
Russia completes the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Britain conquers Baluchistan.
Britain ally Greece after play of Powder Keg.
The Ottomans move into the Triple Entente everyone else is neutral.
The Liberals are up to their old tricks, and reserve armies are scaled back across the continent.
Everyone industrialises except the Prussians and Austrians.
Turn 3
Prussia attacks France to liberate Alsace-Lorraine. The French surprise the Prussians by playing a 4 card for war budget (Austrian Military advisers are suspected of meddling on behalf of the French) which gives them a total war budget of 8 including 3 for industry level and 1 for 2nd Empire
The Prussians mobilise their reserves, France reinforces the frontier and then Prussia wins a decisive victory, but then halts their offensive. They had the opportunity to press on. Would they rue this decision?
France with their superior war budget regroups and counterattacks. The causes casualties, but attack fails, but they press on. This time causing the Prussians to retreat from Alsace Lorraine. France wins a defensive victory and with their defeat of the Prussian Naval squadron imposes a blockade on Prussia in addition to demanding reparations.
Prussia will be -2 cards for next turn.
The dream of German Unification looks to be snuffed out? Or maybe there will be a comeback?
Austria grants rights to Serbs, Bosnians and Italians.
Austria sees a Second Industrial Revolution and all powers benefit from a +2 DRM to their industrialisation rolls this turn.
The Meiji Restoration brings Japan into the game and the Russians sneakily ally them after a to and fro sleight of hand with placing their diplomacy markers in various locations.
Russia ally Ethiopia.
Italy expands its influence and establishes a naval base in New Guinea.
Russia moves into the Triple Entente, joining the Ottomans. Strange bedfellows indeed.
The Liberals have been at it again and more reserve armies are disbanded. (Ed this was actually before the Franco-Prussian War, but as we have seen failed to stop the conflict.
Everyone Industrialises.
Turn 4
Prussia licks their wounds and only have two cards to play plus their home card. They build up their army and industrialise.
The Scramble for Africa sees the Ottomans seize East Africa and Britain and France continue the carve up. It's nearly all gone by the end of the turn.
Britain plays Urabi Revolt and seizes control of Egypt and the Suez Canal. This gives them control of the Africa flashpoint.
Austria grants Romanians full citizenship and then engages in a diplomatic offensive in Romania. Russia looks on passively. Austria then ally Romania and then incorporates them into the Empire. Russia is now cut off from the Balkans.
Italy establishes a naval base in Aden and adds influence in Madagascar.
France takes control of Mexico.
France, Russia and Ottomans are in a fully committed Triple Alliance, with lonely Prussia in the Entente. (Ed: France was forced into this by the aggression of Prussia).
With variable National Goals, it's unclear which power is doing the best. It's virtually certain that Russia will not gain bonus VP for controlling Istanbul with Russia and the Ottomans in an apostatic alliance. Prussia has a difficult road ahead in trying to unify as Germany. It will take another war with France and they now have powerful allies to Prussia's East. Any chance of bonus VPs for Prussian Colonial Spaces looks virtually impossible with Britain and France claiming almost everything on offer. So it will be a very tight race assuming a Great War doesn't break out.
Play adjourned with turns 5-7 to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment