Imperial Dip 50: Fall 1870 Moves

[SnowFire]

President RUFFHAUS of the Confederacy was seen swirling in his oversized turny-chair while cackling maniacally at his latest press conference after the capture of England proper. "Mine! It shall all be mine! I am unstoppable! All shall bow before me as the divinely appointed ruler of the cosmos!" He stopped for a brief bit to twirl his mustache, and then went back to the laughter. Analysts pointed out how England would never have let her colonies off so easily in 1783 had she known that they would come back across the Atlantic at her.

Meanwhile, the English government's planned escape to Norway went sour when the Confederate gunboats sailed back up the North Sea again. Some mumblings about "Backup plan Alpha Zero" were heard, and the fleeing council members were last seen near Stonehenge.

On a totally unrelated note, reports of strange lights and cattle mutilations have recently gone up in the States. Some crackpots seem to think that this is some kind of bizarre revenge from afar.

Meanwhile, the brave Rebel Marines who landed in Kamchatka watched in horror as their sea support sailed off for an "important meeting" in convoying other fleets through the placid waters of the Kurile trench. Abandonded, the Chinese hordes poured over the Rebel positions, with no place for the men to run but the sea. The European troops have yet to hear of this due to "security reasons" in the Confederate press.

We have some reports from the French battlefields as well, but frankly, we don't care anymore and neither do you.

In the same theatre, the Chinese have finished their "reeducation" of the Taiwanese and expect them to become productive, military contributing citizens this year. "Don't ask me why," quipped one Chinese official, "but I have an odd feeling this will be important in the future." He then went on to assure that the Chinese dynasty will last forever, or at least until it has spread its wisdom all over the world.

The Chinese emperor himself was harder to reach. His agents merely complemented the fine British alliance and how the emperor especially appreciated some of the plant imports that the British have been able to supply for him. The alliance continues to go well, with Russian cossack recruits crusading south against the Turk and retaking Georgia for Mother Russi- er Britain.

Mexican soldiers continued their conquest of Southern America, meanwhile. Attempting to follow the great leader's new dictum of "Hablas espanol o muerte," the soldiers prepared for a mass ethnic cleansing among the heathens they conquered. Reports are they were quite surprised when they found the natives conversing fluently with their conquerors in Spanish and thanking them for overthrowing the incompotent French yoke. Mexican morale is down at this surprise, but the great leader, after a careful re-checking of the map, has promised new conquests of genuine foreign-speakers to sate his soldiers desire.

Japan continued its splendid isolation. "Really, it is most odd," said one representative. "It's almost as if the other countries of the world are being manipulated as puppets in some kind of vast game of global conquest that causes country sizes to continually increase. But we're really quite enjoying our independence." Negotiations continue on a Chile-Japan mutual commerece and protection treaty. The Republic of the Rockies has at the moment declined entangling alliances and is sitting out.


--

A reminder for those who forgot the retreats:
A Bot->Trn
F Bismarck->CRL
F W. Pacific->Izu
New retreats should be posted in this thread, as always.

Do the besieged English want to take one last Parisian vacation, or shall they nobly lay down their arms and surrender to the Austrians in hope of better treatment? I've assumed the retreat to Par, but if you want to go OTB, post so now.

Also, please feel free to check my build totals. I assumed that there was no "balance" from previous years of unused builds, which could be very false. If you've got extra builds, go ahead and use them, if you can. I also didn't do a full count of SCs, so if I missed any changing hands, then your count will be off.

Okay, that's it, I'm down to watch some World Cup Soccer. The US are the underdogs this time again, so we might have a chance.

PRESS:

Can you truly trust an imbred redneck?

We, the Mexicans, applaud the most glorious military of the CSA. President
Jefferson has created such a wonderful empire, that our scholars predict that
millions of illegal immigrants shall converge upon the North Americas around
1990. At the rate of millions a year, we, the Mexicans shall constitute 50%
of the populace of the CSA by 2025. Viva Mexico! Thank you CSA for making a
wonderful country for us to covet!

The CSA does very well when it comes to ridding the world of the French.

Hablas Espanol o muerte!

The Dutch and the French? Leaderless and clueless. As it was in the
beginning, is now and shall ever be.

French whores for sale in Rio. Tres pesos para una senorita de France!


England - You have dared trod upon orderly Metz without leave. For this
insult, Europe shall be cleansed of your wretched touch. Writhe before you
die.


The British government demands that the treacherous Dutch return Australia
to its rightful owners.

Say goodbye to Asia, take your clogs and leave, evil Dutch boy.

The evil Sultan will pay for his camel-loving antics in the deserts of the
Middle East

Turkish forces will be expelled from British Russia if its the last thing we
do.

Come on Sultan, you know the Arabian peninsula is British really - why not
just hand it over so we don't have to beat you to a pulp?

To England, "my English brothers, good fortune will fall upon you in
Georgia"
To CSA, "Rotton, back water, sister raping, moonshine guzzling, hillbillies,
get off of the civilized continent"
To Holland, "Remove you fleets from my pathways or bring the Hospital Ship"
To Japan, "Don't go away mad, just go away"
To France, "Get your froggie ass back to France, oh wait, there is no France
left, too bad so sad .

Out of the way, you filthy Mexican mongrel! This is not Taco Bell.
+
Nice play Holland. We'll mail you a post card from the World Cup. Maybe if you did more than 'mail it in', you'd be in Korea or Japan by now.
+
The French are snivelling slimey surrender monkeys.
+
Great Britain is neither (anymore). Remember the Stamp Act you Limey bastards! Get ready for some real fun.
+
God save the Queen! (heaven knows that the English can't)

(Editor's note: Shortly afterward, an angel from the LORD came down and insured that yes, in fact, the Queen was saved.)

Mexico (Gerwald) (+Cyn, +Lpa, +RDJ, -NZE) 2 builds
1. F N.Pacific - Westerlies
2. F SCT - SW Pacific
3. F SW Pacific - Coral
4. F FIJ supports F SW Pacific - Coral
5. F NZE - Tasman
6. F C. Basin supports F Drake
7. F A. Atlantic supports F REC - B. Current
8. F Drake supports F REC - B. Current
9. F REC - B. Current
10. F GoCalifornia - E Pacific
11. A QTO - LPA
12. A AMA supports A QTO - LPA
13. F NE Trades convoys CSA A CYN - SIE
14. A PRA - CYN
15. A BRA - OLI
16. F RDJ supports A BRA - OLI
17. F MHL - Bismark

CSA (RUFFHAUS) (+Luz, +NVS, +Lon, +GB, +Nan, +Cmn, +Sie, +Vtc, +Vnc, -Par?) 9 builds (10?)
F Eastern Seaboard - Cheasapeake
F Hudson Bay - Nova Scotia (NVS)
F Sargasso Sea - North Atlantic Ocean
F North Atlantic Ocean - London
F Helgoland Bight - North Sea
A Paris - Nantes
A Bordeaux supports A Paris - Nantes
A Toledo supports F Strait of Gibralter - Gibraltar
F Strait of Gibraltar - Gibraltar
F Canary Islands - Strait of Gibraltar
A Azores Islands - hold
A Tir supports A Cayenne - Sierra Leone
F Middle Atlantic Ocean convoys A Cayenne - Sierra Leone
A Cayenne - Sierra Leone
F Gulf of Guinea - Cameroon
F Washington Bay - North Pacific Ocean
A Washington State - Victoria
A Alaska - Vancouver
A Kamchakta - hold (*dislodged, annihilated*)
F Bering Sea supports F Westerlies - Kuril Trench
F Westerlies - Kuril Trench
F Kuril Trench - Izu Trench
F Western Pacific Ocean supports F Kuril Trench - Izu Trench
F Hawaii - Equatorial Conuntercurrent
F Bismark Sea - Luzon (LUZ)

Austria (His Divine Shadow) (+Vlc) 1 build
F W Med sup A Mrs to Vlc
F Lyon to Vlc
F Rom (WC) to Lyon
F Tyr sup F Rom (WC) to Lyon
F Adr sup Sic
F Sic sup Adr
A Mrs sup F Lyon to Vlc
A Pie to Mrs
A Stu to Metz
A Ruh sup A Stu to Metz
A Ber to Stu
A Sil to Ber
A Vie to Sil
A Sr to Wlc
A Wrs sup A Prs to Liv
A Prs to Liv (*bounce*) 2:3
A Bud sup Glc
A Glc sup Wrs

England (The Orange One) (+NSW, +Mls, +Grg, +Mos, -Lon, -Nan, -GB, -Vlc, -Vtc, -Vnc, +Par?) 0 builds
A-Que > Sau
F-Nsw S A-Que > Sau
F-Sp > Mls
F-Bnk/wc S F-Sp > Mls
F-Oki H
A-Ben S A-Rng
A-Rng S A-Ben
A-Kas S A-Raj > Krc
A-Raj > Krc (*bounce*) 2:2
A-Krc > Ban (*bounce*) 2:2
F-Persian S A-Krc > Ban
F-Arabian S F-H.Africa H
F-H.Africa H
F-Flk S F-C.Argentina
F-C.Argentina S F-Flk
F-Vlc > Gb (*bounce, dislodged, annihilated*)
F-Biscay H
F-Nan > Rou
A-Met S F-Hol (*cut, dislodged, can retreat to: Par, OTB*)
F-Hol S F-Kie/wc
F-N.Passage H
F-Kie/wc S F-Hol
F-Den S F-Kie/wc
F-Barents S F-N.Passage
F-G.Bot S A-Liv
F-Baltic S A-Liv
A-Liv S A-Mos (*cut*)
A-Mos S A-Prm > Grg
A-Prm > Grg
A-Oma > Hdr (*bounce*)

China (Defiant) (+CCH, +Fm) 2 builds
A-OMS S ENGLISH A-PRM > GRG
A-ORN S ENGLISH A-PRM > GRG
A-EVE S A-OMS
A-KRA S A-ORN
A-BKH S A-ORN
A-KSH S A-BKH
A-TIB S A-KSH
A-BRM > HOLD
A-YUT > HOLD
A-SIA > CMB (*bounce*)
F-S.CHINA S A-ANN > CCH
A-ANN > CCH
F-FM S E.CHINA > PHILIPPINE
F-E.CHINA > PHILIPPINE
F-YELLOW > KG
F-S.JAPAN S F-OKHOTSK > SAP
F-OKHOTSK > SAP (*bounce*) 2:2
F-SK > OKHOTSK (*bounce*)
A-YAK S A-VLA > KAM
A-VLA > KAM
A-SEO > HOLD

Japan (Richard Nutt) 0 builds
F Sap sup F Edo (*cut*)
F Edo sup F Sap

Turkey (Orange, made up by Bearcat) (+Bot, +Mnv -Grg, -Mos) 2 builds
A Grg-Orm (*bounce, dislodged, annihilated*) 2:2
A Khv S A Grg-Orm
A Bku S A Grg (*invalid*)
A Teh S A Bam
A Afg-Kac (*bounce*) 2:2
A Bam S A Afg-Kac
A Hdr-Oma (bounce*)
A Nej S A Hdr-Oma (*invalid*)
F De-HornofAfrica (*bounce*) 2:2
F Red S F De-HrnofAfrica
A Rho S A Bot
A Bot H
F Sud-Aby
A Sev H
A Rmm S A Sev
F E. Med H
F Trp S F Tun
F Tun S F Trp
F Mrc H
F KeSAM H
F Bag H (*no orders recieved*)
A Mnv (*no orders recieved*)
A Aden (*no orders recieved*)

France (King Philip VI, of Crecy fame) (-Sie, -Luz, -CCH, -RDJ, -Cyn, -Fm, -Mnv) 1 disband
A TWR -> HOLDS
F SIE -> HOLDS (*dislodged, annihilated*)
F GCS -> HOLDS
A COH -> HOLDS
A OLI -> HOLDS (*dislodged, retreats to Par*)
A CMB -> HOLDS
F CCH -> HOLDS (*dislodged, annihilated*)

Holland (George of Orange, the famous one's second cousin who majored in Art History) (+NZE, -Cmn, -Lpa, -Bot, -NSW, -Mls) 2 disbands
F IVC -> HOLDS
F OKN -> HOLDS
A LPA -> HOLDS (*dislodged, retreast to GYA*)
A URU -> HOLDS
F SGR -> HOLDS
F S.ATLANTIC -> HOLDS
A TRN -> HOLDS
F GOODHOPE -> HOLDS
F M.CHANNEL -> HOLDS
F NE.MONSOON -> HOLDS
F MLD -> HOLDS
F E.INDIAN -> HOLDS
F GoMANAAR -> HOLDS
F SE.TRADES -> HOLDS
F MLS -> HOLDS (*dislodged, annihilated*)
F JAVA -> HOLDS
F CELEBES -> HOLDS
F TIMOR -> HOLDS
F A.PACIFIC -> HOLDS
F CORAL -> HOLDS (*dislodged, retreats to NZE*)
A SAU -> HOLDS (*dislodged, retreats to PRT*)
F CRL -> HOLDS
F IZU -> HOLDS (*dislodged, annihilated*)
F PHILIPPINE -> HOLDS (*dislodged, retreats to Luzon Sea*)

[the_orange1]

confirm retreat to Paris

[Gerwald]

Isn't the press supposed to be secret? Posting the identities ruins the illusion and fun. Maybe we should stop the press all together?

[SnowFire]

Gerwald: Sorry, I wasn't following this game originally, and nobody told me to keep the Press identities secret (and the only person who chatted me with me about Press, Defiant, actually gave me the reverse impression- that you were supposed to post in character, and not try and be deceptive, which would make grey press white press anyway). White press is the standard, not grey press, but oh well. My apologies.

I've edited out the authors and will do so in future turns.

[Defiant]

Sh!it, that is how I was playing the game, never really looked at who sent what, just doing it to comply with rules of engagement, sorry.

[Defiant]

Statement to the World from Emperor Defiant of the Chinese People's Republic:

We are particuarily dismayed by the recent pilaging of thousands of women and children of the English at the Rebel hands. With most of the Queen's forces off to fight the good fight against the Sultan's reign of terror, the CSA took advantage of English provinces and chased down the only thing they could catch 60 and above women. They were aiming for the 12 year olds but unlike their sisters at home they were much faster so they had to settle for raping the grandmother's of England. This will not go un-noticed at the next UN meeting and the Chinese shall lead the fight against these most horrible acts. We already crushed the CSA enemy in Kam without using our full force, it is different for them when confronted by fighting men and not women or children.

Be Advised, we are watching you President Ruffhaus VIII.

[RUFFHAUS 8]

SnowFire, this game under MDR has been using a mandatory press requirement, necessitating the issuance of insults to attack occupied foriegn territories, and providing compliments to support and convoy orders. At this point I think it's up to you whetheryou wish to maintain that requirement. It's a lot of extra work for the GM, and this is already a bear to adjudicate. However, Gerwald is correct, all press (white, black, and grey) has been released anonymously, dovetailing with the insults/compliments variant theme (created by Andy Greenhouse on Cat23). It may be irrelevant now as the end game approaches and the pressis taking on less of a role.

You're doing us a favor, so if you wish to dump the manditory press, that's fine. But before any of us sticks our foot into confined spaces too much, some clarification might be good. Thanks again.

[RUFFHAUS 8]

Emperor Defiant...

[Defiant]

President Ruffhaus VIII is drunk again on the moonshine.

[Defiant]

President Ruffhaus VIII,
I wanted to keep the b!tching to the other site where related, however, bring those 9 rowboats to the coast of China and watch how fast you will see them sink!
You ain't nothing without your little Mexican buddy! And we have seen what he really thinks of the CSA.

[RUFFHAUS 8]

SnowFire and Dip 50 players: I made a map for the Fall 1870 turn, but I cannot commit to doing this full time. MDr was creating the map with his adjudication and I had agreed to host it on my geocities account for him. I'm not sure if this was clear or not when SnowFire agreed to take over the game.

http://www.geocities.com/ruffhaus8/IMPERIAL/F1870.gif

A few comments/questions/etc:

Assuming that French and Dutch units (civil disorder) are allowed to make retreats, which isn't how I understood the rules, but....

Dutch A La Paz retreats to Goya?
Dutch F Coral Sea has retreat options of New Guinea, New Zealand, or Queensland (which?)
French A OLI retreats to Paraguay?

Austrian A Piedmont - Marseilles (bounces)
English A Karachi - Bandar (bounces 2v2)
Turkish A Aden (unordered)
Turkish A HDR - Oman (bounces 1v1)

Please check for accuracy.

[SnowFire]

Oh. Didn't know that.

Well, we've got a problem then. It's not that I have a problem doing the maps, it's just that MS Paint and the fill tool work a lot better on large maps with lots of space, not a map like this where each territory in Europe contains roughly 5 pixels. Plus this is a map where it really helps to have a foreground and a background, like PSP lets you do.

So does anybody else want to volunteer to help lighten the load from RUFFHAUS? Otherwise, you'll have to make do with some ugly scratchings on top of this map.

Edit: Almost forgot, thanks for the move corrections. I knew them in my head, just forgot to mark it up on the otherside.

Assuming that French and Dutch units (civil disorder) are allowed to make retreats, which isn't how I understood the rules, but...

Why shouldn't they? More to the point, it sets a good precedent. Now it's unlikely we'll have replacements this game, but in many other games, there will be a replacement. Often, after a turn of civil disorder, some of your important units will have been dislodged... how would a replcament feel if these units decided to moronically retreat OTB, especially if it would have been viable position otherwise without these crucial units at the front disintegrating?

Anyway, the policy I outlined in the replacements thread was retreat to enemy SCs first, then home SCs, then other places. Flip coins to break ties.

So retreat to NZE, forgot that would be possible. That means one less build for Mexico.

[RUFFHAUS 8]

SnowFire: First, nice avatar! Next. I will TRY to do the maps, but as I said, I can make no promises. I appreciate you taking the game on and when the map didn't come out I suspected that because I have been hosting it, that people expected me to make it. Maybe Orange can help, though I imagine that he's not going to be happy that Bearcat turned in orders for Turkey. I guess it beats no orders, or maybe he authorized the switch. Not really my concern, but it may be his. But if Defiant, Orange, or Orange_1 can cover for me making maps when I cannot do it, then we should be set. I think they all have access to PSP.

Now on the civil disorder retreats. The reason that units in civil disorder should not retreat is that the rules specifically state that all CD units forced to retreat are disbanded. There's really no precedent to be setting here. Furthermore, who decides where these units retreat to? A perfect example is here to see in the Coral Sea. The Dutch fleet has three options: New Guinea to cover his own supply center, New Zealand to take a Mexican supply center, or Queensland to take an English supply center. While there is no 'retreat to enemy SC' rule, let's for the sake of argument assume there was. Which enemy does the retreating civil disorder unit retreat to? After all England and Mexico are both enemies of Holland right now. Why does Holland choose arbitrarily to punish Mexico here? And why wouldn't Holland retreat to his own SC? The reason that the civil disorder units go off the board is to avoid these very circumstances.

Incidentally, there are rules for disbanding civil disorder units as well, which I imagine we'll soon face as well. The thing is, that unless Holland and France are going to be played by someone, it's rather irrelevant whether their units retreat or not. With the rigidity of the current alliance structure, I can't see anyone wanting to play Holland, and certainly not France. These nations have been the world's punching bags since before the positions were abandoned.

SnowFire, I'm not trying to be a pain in the butt here, but there are established game rules that govern this situation. I know that issued my orders based on the rules of Diplomacy. I can't speak to Gerwald or Orange_1's plans, but I doubt that either of them would have left supply centers open to retreating units.

[Defiant]

Snowy,
Ruff is right, players would be making these moves with the understanding that these two nations are in civil disorder and the standard practice in any game unless otherwise specified is to remove the dislodged piece from the board. I think this turn you have to do that, if you state now that civil disordered units can retreat to enemy SC's than at least it is understood now and corrections can be made to the move sequence to cover such a chance.

[His Divine Shadow]

Originally posted by RUFFHAUS 8




Austrian A Piedmont - Marseilles (bounces)

*EDIT - Never mind, I just saw the order boo-boo. Ruff is correct, the A Piedmont is still there because I never moved A Mrs. My bad.