Ici, je suis assis

Six players for Here I Stand.  This time I am the French player.  Russell is having his second go as England, Simon is the face of the Protestants, Richard is the Pope's emissary, Mike hails for Constantinople and Jeff is the Holy Roman Emperor.  

For what is our third or fourth game we still found plenty of things to check in the rules etc which slowed things down and lead to one or two mistakes.  So it goes.

The Ottomans defeat Hungary leading to war with the Hapsburgs.

The Pope seizes Florence.

The French build a très belle Chateau.

The French and Hapsburg come to peace.

The citizens of Florence rise up against the Pope.

They subsequently enlist the aid of France to protect them.

The Hapsburg navigate round the world.

The unpronounceable league forms in Germany.

England goes to war with the Hapsburgs.

France continues building chateaux and also establishes a colony in the New World.

Turn Four and the Pope has reclaimed Florence.

France has yet more chateaux and even a silver mine.

The Ottoman is surging ahead on a wave of piracy,

but England struggles as Henry is excommunicated (as was Francis earlier) 

(and both got out of it by paying a pittance to the Pope's building plans).

The VP grouping is very tight.

And now for the Papal bull, eh, bulletin provided by Richard.

A Full House

For the first time since our very first game we had a full house and even a reserve in case someone dropped out (Thanks Stephen). What a difference playing with 6 makes, although everyone must still have been in holiday mode as a basic rule is missed at the very beginning of play, although no major harm done.

Turn 1

Moi, Moi, Moi and men in boats in search of ...moisturisers....

The game begins with a standard Ottoman move against Hungary/Bohemia, capturing Belgrade, a field battle ensuing in Buda and Hungary/Bohemia narrowly defeated. 2 War Winner VPs to the Ottomans and Hungary/Bohemia becomes a Hapsburg satellite. So far so good.

Charles V and 5 strength points goes on a Mediterranean cruise and is nearly ambushed by an Ottoman fleet. A 9 or more was needed on 2D6 to evade the Ottoman fleet. In what would set the tone for the rest of the session, the Hapsburg player pushed his luck to perfection and narrowly escaped a disaster. (But wait, this couldn't actually have happened, as land units including leaders cannot remain at sea, they , must embark and disembark following naval transport in the same impulse. Also naval transport cannot be intercepted). No harm done thanks to the golden dice of the Hapsburg player. It's surprising that none of us noticed this and it has only just occurred to me now writing this AAR. Ok people, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION in the future!!!! This should not be happening with experienced gamers who've played this game for hours and hours on end on multiple occasions!!!

Hapsburgs build mercenaries in Antwerp and invest Metz, securing this vital key.

England is next, attacking Scotland. The Scots fight bravely, but the Auld Alliance turns out to just be OLD, as France declines to intervene leaving the Scots to their inevitable doom. Thanks France!

Next was... (sigh) France.

Now I just want to make clear that I am NOT a Francophobe. Anyone reading previous game reports might think that I am unduly harsh on the French player, who, just for clarity, is a different player each game. This is simply not true, but there must be something about sitting in that seat that causes people to become selfish, soft and take some kind of perverse pleasure in mucking up someone who is of little or no threat.

Today we had another Master Class in France. In fact, I think today we had the Greatest Le France  Of All Time move (also known as GLOAT), but you will need to read on to find out about that one much later.... 

Having already abandoned their historical ally, France is just getting warmed up for a long day of France.

France starts off by playing "Patron of the Arts". In the first of a series of rules tips (all of which turned out to be incorrect) "Don't forget to roll 2 dice", interjected the Hapsburg player. No, it's just one die - little wonder he won when he played France! France follows up by playing Shipbuilding for some free fleets. Ok, can't really complain about those moves. The rest of the turn, is, well, pure France. Read on...

Now in one's turn there are so many options that are available. Build up your army, your fleet, send an exploration or conquest expedition, send out colonists, all positive moves that build for the future. But really, why do those things, when you can just antagonise someone from the get go and make them an enemy for the rest of the game...why? Because you are France.

France - Act 1

Aloe, Aloe, what's that over there? France plays "Fountain of Youth" cancelling the Hapsburg exploration that starts underway at the beginning of the turn. Luckily, the explorer is not lost forever and returns to the force pool. Nevertheless, the rumours of this Fountain of Youth and the mysterious moisturiser making it possible have spread throughout the explorer community sparking a race to see who can find it first, but more on that later....

Ok, next it's my turn. My first solo go at the Papacy. No distractions this time. I can concentrate on being the Best Pope I can be. Having waved away Henry VIII's request for a a quickie divorce, even rejecting his offer to play Indulgence Vendor which would have allowed a card to be drawn from the Protestant to help build St Peter's. Having seen how fast the reformation can spread in England from previous games, there wasn't any offer that was going to sway me this time.  It's hard core Pope this game. I'm going to be a Papa with a Dogma. No prisoners (well, not yet) this time...

Ok, so France could easily have (they move immediately before the Papacy), but did not move any further into Italy. (They start the game controlling Milan). Florence is independent and is up for grabs, so I'm thinking this is clearly a gesture from France. They want peaceful relations with me, I think to myself, maybe we can even work together later. Ok great, I don't have a great hand, but I'm going to take this gesture and use my valuable 4 CP Home Card to hire some mercenaries to see if I can get hold of Florence and build up a bit more or a geographic presence. It's a big investment, as I really would like to concentrate on the religious war with the Protestants. 4 Mercenaries are duly hired and Florence besieged. Next impulse and Florence is taken. This is great I thought to myself. I can now concentrate on the religious battle with the Protestant, now that I have this little power base. It's all that I wanted in a geographic sense.

France - Act 2

My satisfaction was short lived. I had the Sedea pulled right out from under me. France plays City State Rebels on Florence, rolls 3 hits from 5 rolls and wipes out my garrison, with Florence reverting to neutral control. This move was pure France. There were several other places this could have been played, Tunis and Metz being the obvious ones - remember France and Hapsburgs are at war with each other, they represent each others biggest threats, they should be mortal enemies, just like historically. But alas, we are talking about France. Ok, well, I can be nasty too. Expect Excommunication I rage!

The Protestants slowly expand the reformation, but it's  tough slog at the beginning.

Turn 2

Suleiman, perhaps distracted by his "armour" dithers at Buda with only a modestly sized army. The Hapsburgs pounce, with Charles V teleporting into Vienna and marching to engage Suleiman who must fight a field battle. Aided by his Golden Dice, the Hapsburgs are victorious and the Ottomans retreat into Buda, a risky move taking the Boss behind the walls. They narrowly avoid having Suleiman captured as the Hapsburgs follow up and recapture Buda.

England uses their Home Card to move Henry's marital status to "Ask for Divorce" and mops up the remaining Scottish spaces and launches a voyage of discovery, ultimately finding the Mississippi River.

France hires Cabot and launches an expedition, builds more Chateaux for easy VPs and marches Montmorency to Florence capturing that key.

An enraged Pope excommunicates Francis I and debates Tyndale in England, winning the debate, but by not enough for a" Burned at the Stake" result. As there are no Protestant spaces in England yet, the win is wasted somewhat. Counter reformation attempts are unsuccessful and the Protestants take a firm grip on Germany. England plays the Schmalkaldic league, and the Protestants shoot up in VPs, holding 4 out of six electorates. This is about all the Pope can do, having been dealt 3x1 CP and 1x 2 CP cards. Can't get much worse hand than that.

Cabot hired by France to search for ... more - moisturisers as it turns out, as the Papacy plays "Fountain of Youth", later in the turn cancelling that expedition. (It could all have been avoided - just sayin').

The Hapsburgs launch a voyage of discovery and show everyone else that real explorers don't use moisturisers, Magellan discovers the Pacific Strait, despite a -1 no charts modifier for the first expedition and then gets the ultimate prize, circumnavigating, for a whopping 4 VPs this turn. Golden Dice Jeff really is on a roll.

Barbary Pirates comes into effect in the Winter phase, with the Pirate Haven of Algiers ready for use by the Ottomans next turn.

There is a new Pope with Leo X being replaced by Clement VII, allowing a card to be held.

Turn 3

Frenemies, Piracy, A Royal Birth, Papal BBQ, England takes on the Hapsburgs - the game kicks into high gear.

England declares war on the Hapsburgs in the War Declaration Phase. Ill timed as it turned out, with a Hapsburg/Ottoman truce allowing the Hapsburgs to respond to the threat with their rear area secured.

New World riches appear for Golden Dice Jeff and the Hapsburgs have a hand of 7 cards available for the turn ahead, but first off is the Ottomans who start with Piracy directed against France. A "Gentlemen's agreement" sees the Hapsburg fleet conveniently sail out of the way and a land truce is declared. With only 1 anti-piracy die available, the Ottomans score their first piracy VP with a successful raid in the Gulf of Lyon.  The Ottomans reinforce, building a fortress at Mohacs with Trace Italienne and add regulars to bolster Algiers through play of Foreign Recruits.

The Hapsburgs move forces to Antwerp, however a large English army lead by Henry besieges the key.

The Hapsburgs play Unpaid Mercenaries against the besieging English which would normally have cost them all their mercenaries,  accounting for nearly half of the force. The Protestant, however, plays Wartburg electing to immediately cancel the Hapsburg's card. Despite inflicting heavy losses, the Hapsburgs lose Antwerp to the English by turn's end.

The play of Wartburg means that the Protestant Home card is unavailable and Luther cannot be substituted into debates. The Pope seizes this opportunity and plays Leipzig Debate to initiate a debate in the German language zone. Eck is the Papal debater and Oekolampadius is the randomly chosen Protestant debater. Oekolampadius is the graecised form of "Hausschein" (itself etymologised from his original German name Hussgen). Anyway, Hausschein translates as "House shine", and shine he did as Eck wins the debate with 4 hits to one and poor Oekolampadius is burnt at the stake, earning the Papacy a valuable 2 VP, being his debate value. Three areas in Germany are counter reformed.

France send out  colonists and another explorer, who finds nothing, more Chateaux are built and they sit tight everywhere else.

Clement VII doesn't last long and Paul III is the new Pope and the Papacy now win ties in counter reformations attempts and other benefits include being able to hold onto a card and drawing an extra card.

England plays his home card and marries Anne Boleyn who gives birth to a sickly Edward VI, so England is exposed to a Queen Mary in later turns, unless Edward recovers his health through another roll on the marriage table. The reformation can now start in England.

Turn 4

The Empire Strikes Back, the Pope plots revenge and the Ottomans finish their models...

The Papacy asks the Hapsburgs for military aid which is granted and 3 mercenaries are gifted to the Papacy which appear in Rome. In return, the Pope agrees to Excommunicate Henry VIII which is now possible as the reformation has started in England  with Cranmer appearing in London converting it to Protestant religious control.

The Ottomans conduct piracy against the Hapsburgs and the Papacy and pick up VPs. Elsewhere they reinforce.

The Hapsburgs strike back against the English and recapture Antwerp. At one point the combat and response cards were coming thick and fast from the fat Hapsburg hand, Landsknechts and Tercios adding to the Golden Dice smash the English. Brandon is captured, Henry retires to Calais to lick his wounds, but will he even hold on to that? With a weak English hand ahead, this might be a morsel that's that's ripe for the picking.

The Protestants and Hapsburgs fight over Electorates with the Protestants coming out on top (for now) whilst the Hapsburgs are distracted by dealing with the English, although Philip of Hesse is captured by the Hapsburgs after losing a battle and having his forces wiped out. (At least he has someone to talk to in the Hapsburg dungeon, with Brandon having been captured earlier in the turn).

The Papacy cuts off Montmorency's retreat route from Florence, tempting him to leave Florence and intercept this force. France decides to stay put, figuring that with 4 units and Montmorency its going to be six dice to 2 dice in any potential assault by the Papacy against Florence. The Papacy takes up the challenge and lays siege. France plays Mercenaries Demand Pay in an attempt to break the siege, forcing the Papacy to give up a valuable card to keep hold of their largely mercenary force. The first Papal assault causes losses, but is not enough to capture Florence. With only two cards left to play and with the deal struck with the Habsburgs, one of these needs to be used to excommunicate Henry. The odds are still heavily against the Papacy in Florence and with just two cards left, the Pope asks the Hapsburgs if they can defer the excommunication to next turn. The Hapsburgs remind the Pope that something might be happening in Italy this turn. With no time to spare, the Papacy assaults Florence and then recaptures it in an against the odds result. As a bonus, Montmorency is taken prisoner which will seriously limit any future military expeditions by France.

Henry VIII is excommunicated and with the loss of Antwerp he will have a paltry 3 cards to play with next turn if he lifts the excommunication. Not looking good for the English with a tiny hand of cards, Brandon captured, Calais vulnerable and a sickly Edward VI born which means a Catholic Mary becomes a distinct possibility if the game goes that long.

The Hapsburgs play Master of Italy, which if France had held on to Florence would have granted them a card draw.

France plays "Potosi" gaining a special colony and Cartier discovers the Amazon River for a valuable 2VPs and another Chateaux, keeping the VPs ticking along.

The Hapsburgs send out another explorer, De Vaca who finds the Great Lakes.

Turn 5

New World Riches and an Unholy Alliance is formed.

We start turn 5, but adjourn prior to commencing the Action phase.

France and the Hapsburgs clean up with New World Riches granting them extra cards.

With honour restored, the Papacy extends an olive branch and asks France for a white peace, but this is rejected. Ok fair enough. The rejection came with a certain amount of braggadocio concerning a powerful hand and nothing to really do with it (Nice problem to have...), which brings us to GLOAT.

France - Act 3

It seems that it's not enough for France to just be France. France has persuaded the Hapsburgs to be France too. In possibly the most surprising diplomatic move I've witnessed to date. The two strongest powers form an alliance! The Pope falls off his Sedea and his mitre hits the floor. This is very bad news for all the other powers, especially the weaker military ones, Papacy and Protestant and England too with a tiny hand of cards is very vulnerable. France lends their fleets to the Hapsburgs for anti-piracy operations.

The VPs shows all powers, except England, tightly bunched together. Being based on the religious control of spaces, the Papal and Protestant VP bases are not stable, however, unlike the other powers. They are vulnerable to military expeditions against them too. Nevertheless previous games have shown, however, that things can still be done and there will no doubt be further twists and turns ahead.

Expeditions of conquest are expected as both France and the Hapsburgs with large hands of cards look to mop up the last remaining new world VPs in the run to the finish line.

Thanks to all the players for today's exciting session, with another action packed session is ahead of us next week.