Chapter 12: My Second Stab Cometh

Season Covered: Fall 1904

I am enraged that I capitulated to France and supported him his taking of Holland with a fleet.  There France goes again, messing with the North Sea, and now I have no easy way to rid myself of my French ally/menace. I’ve got to contend with it; if not now, then sometime later.  It’s just another data point that tells me he acted too selfishly.  Like all of France’s play, it’s too clever by half. France asks me about my move to Ska, and I lie to him.  I tell him it’s for a reason that’s not the reason, and when he questions me, I play dumb.  The real reason was to preserve my options if I decided to stab. France seems a tad skeptical of my response, but I hope he just thinks I’m ignorant.

I look at the map.  If France goes south, I can take Holland and get position over him.  If he goes North, I can deny him a build and be in an acceptable situation.

I already stabbed Germany once.  Now, I’m considering turning the knife on France.  It may be too early, and it may not be a good game move, and it may be against logic.  It is, however, a necessary salve over several perceived slights. 

I know this is the season that will make or break my game.  I can’t win it with a stab, but I think I can get to the end game.  For someone like me, this is an important consideration.

Russia tells me France urged him to attack me.  

Now, I don’t know if this is true or not.  Russia has yet to lie to me.

Turkey and I finally start engaging in some real Diplomacy.  See how slyly he goes for the openings I give him:

I have not had many communications with Turkey, but I know he is a stone-cold player.  I continued to play the neophyte, which was not difficult.  I believe he told me what I wanted to hear, with an extra dose of anti-Austria nonsense.  He’s just so good at playing people off each other.

Nevertheless, I'm starting to think more seriously about turning on France.

Italy reaches out to pitch the move I've been thinking about for a while.  Here’s his press:

I fully comprehend the risk of writing further, but I do:

So, then Austria reaches out.  I think AI is real.  Anyway, he’s urging me to do the same thing.  At this point, I’d like to talk about Austria.  He’s played magnificently.  At first, I thought he was overmatched, but I was wrong.  And, I think I've genuinely come to like him, and vice versa.  We bond.  And here’s what we wrote to each other:

OK, so I see where everyone would want me to attack France.. It’s in their interest. But, is it also in my interest? In my heart, I'm trending anti-France. The bonding was also getting a little creepy. Austria’s “love” and “forever yours” was a bit much. I start to feel like it’s his way of manipulating me.  I’m not doing this for Austria. 

I didn’t need much encouraging. The die is cast. I decide to take Holland back and move to the Channel and Wales, and then get Brest in the spring.  One problem: Germany.  All day long Austria, Italy, and me try to talk to Germany, and he's gone radio silent.  Great, another silent Germany.  For the full stab to work, Germany needs to use Ruhr to support me into Holland.  Nothing; no word.

I tell Italy I’m in!

The time zone difference with Germany was very difficult for me to work with; probably even harder for him to work with.  I write back to Italy:

Then in the late afternoon, Germany just writes:

This bums me out.  I can't get into the Channel, although I can still take Holland.  It's not even a really good stab.  I waffle a bit with Italy, and then I confirm:

I enter the orders.  I don't even feel dirty.  I feel entitled.  Italy writes back about his situation:

I know about this from Austria.

I’m also committed to writing France to let him know we are still together, even though we are not together.

I just lied to France big time.  I’m stabbing. The orders are entered. =Then, 40 minutes before adjudication, Russia says lets' bounce in Sweden.  Crap!  This will mess up my orders.

In the final analysis, I figured the bounce problem would give a mild cover with France.  I will tell him Russia forced my hand.  I quickly rush off press to him right before adjudication.

I complain to Austria about Russia.

Russia and I figure it out as the orders were about to adjudicate.

So, after all that, here are the moves:

Fall 1904

I take Holland, puffed the French fleet, and get a build! Due to time zone differences, I could not get Germany on board to move in such a way to allow me to take the English Channel.  Is it a pyrrhic victory?  Italy collapsed.  France is going to get most of Italy and a build.  Russia gets a build.

France initially handles it like a gent. I offer to keep working with him.

In my head, I felt like France got what Tommy got in Goodfellas.

Except I didn’t whack France; I just pestered him.

Turkey sends some nice words:

I am genuinely sad for Italy, so I write him:

On the other side of the ledger, I’m happy for Austria, and we continue our bonding:

This was pretty positive.  As he asked me for some help with Italy, I wrote to Italy on Austria’s behalf:

I told Austria I did this:

Meanwhile, I try and work Russia a bit.  I am particularly worried about his upcoming build.

Time for some clips to my fans! I gin up some Rushmore clips for the players. I have France the role of Dirk.  “With Friends Like You Who Needs Friends?”

No likes.  My clips anger France, and he sends me increasingly bitter press. I try to politely dodge his bullets.

I think he's on crack for demanding a deferred build. As I am befuddled, I make a mistake.  I was going to write press to France, but I accidentally sent it to Turkey.  I immediately discovered my mistake, and since I had no other choice, I decided to immediately come clean.

I found that funny.  As everyone can now see, I wrote a lot of press, but I haven’t messaged frequently with Turkey.  I was wary of him. He seemed soooooo good.  I just tried to keep it short with him lest I make another error. Meanwhile, I get the right message to France this time.

Also, I was already working on Russia about that supposed “northern build.”  Let’s see how it all goes after a good night’s rest. After this long day, I need to hit the rack.