Chapter 23: “There’s A Fine Line Between Clever And Stupid”

Season Covered: Fall 1907 (Part II of II)

The next day real life got in the way and I did not have much time to devote to negotiations.

As discussed in Chapter 22, Austria wants me to lie to Turkey so he can take Warsaw. I’m inclined to help.

Turkey is not buying that Austria is moving to War.  I spend a couple of hours trying to convince him that this is precisely what Austria is doing.  I forward press that I edited heavily for my own purposes.  Some of this is true press and some I invented:

Now, this is where it gets crazy.  Turkey wants me to send fake press to Austria of me telling me I am supporting Turkey into Moscow.  This will hopefully convince Turkey to support me into Moscow:

Turkey is asking me to fake press to Austria on something I know will happen.  I don’t need to do it, but I do think Turkey will do anything, and I need to keep that in mind. I then tell Austria the whole story.

Meanwhile, Turkey wants that response from Austria before pulling the trigger.

Austria goes AWOL. I then make up a fake press back to Turkey, pretending that Austria sent me press back when he did no such thing. If I don’t do this, then Turkey won’t support me into Moscow, so what must be done will be done (note, in my anxiousness I did not even see Turkey’s press that he had the order entered).

This idea that I just acted so dishonestly starts to hit my conscience.  Am I really this low?

Meanwhile, France makes a hard sell for me to stab Germany.  I just can’t trust France enough to do it.  In fact, he calls it his hard sell:

Now, at the same time, Turkey suggests me ordering Nth S Wal-Eng. This sounds like a good idea, but I think France may order Eng-Bel, and I feel bad. I talk to Turkey about it:

Meanwhile, of course, Turkey is getting cold feet.  I don’t care if Turkey gets screwed so long as I get a build, and I can’t do that if someone doesn’t cut Warsaw, and Austria might not cut it.  He’s still AWOL.  Bad omens.

Finally, after all this, here are the moves:

Success.  For me, everything worked!  Turkey supported me into Mos, and I am grateful.  Germany got his build, but I wish he and France remained even.  Instead, France must disband one.  Turkey gets a build.  Austria no builds or disbands, and moves his units back towards Turkey.  I was a little surprised France supported Alb-Gre.  I wish he had not done that.

 The aftermath is not awful.  France correctly smells out the AGE.  

Turkey is inquisitive, and I suspect he knows what is really happening.  I lie and tell him that I was floored by Germany’s convoy.  I wasn’t.  Turkey intuits an FG.  Good for me.

Note, my statements are lies.

Sigh. So many deceptions. France demands I not build Lvp. No way. I’m not going through this madness again with France about him directing my builds. I tell him clearly and repeatedly it will not happen.

I’ve got a small path here, but I’m going to play it my way.  And, hilariously, that way is not through France, even though he’s paranoid. I reach back out to Turkey.

Wow.  France used that line I threw away in Spring 1907 (Chapter 20) against Turkey.  I had to just let this slip off my back.

I really like Turkey.  I don’t know why everyone says he lies.  Except for that fake press he wanted me to send to Austria, I have not seen anything egregious.  He and I have bonded on multiple occasions, and he supported me into Moscow.  I have nothing but good feelings, and wariness, about him. 

I send out Dr. Strangelove clips as a tribute to Russia.

No likes.  Yet, I really feel like I’ve played some great Diplomacy since my setback a couple of seasons back.