Results for Spring, 1901 (Movement)
General Notices: No retreating units; retreat phase skipped.
Order resolution completed on 31-Aug-2014 at 12:14:40 EDT
From the Daily Dissembler’s European correspondent.
Following a winter full of warm professions of peace and good will between the Crowned Heads of Europe, the movement of forces at the start of the campaigning season suggest that peace is not on anyone’s mind.
Of greatest interest to our readers will be news of a large clash between the Black Sea fleets of the Russian and Ottoman Empires. Reports from fishermen who witnessed the battle suggest that the two fleets approached each other and suddenly began exchanging salvos for at least a half hour, until both lines of battle turned and headed for their respective ports. Loss of life and ships in the battle is unknown at this time. The Dissembler hopes to have comments from bot courts in due course. Can this skirmish have been the result of a misunderstanding, or will war follow?
A source at the British Foreign Office suggests that elements of the Royal Navy have been sent north to protect British cod trawlers operating in the North and Norwegian Seas, but protect them from whom is the question of the day. It is unknown how the British react to the German High Seas Fleet and Army occupying Denmark. England and Russia appear to be moving on Norway and Sweden respectively to protect their interests.
The massing of armies along Russia’s western border suggests that tensions are rising in the region. It is unknown if the German and Austrian armies in Silesia and Galicia are cooperating.
The presence of Italian soldiers in Tyrolia is certain to cause comment by the German and Austrian emperors. France’s role in this matter is also uncertain, though it’s occupation of Piedmont suggests that Paris has intentions in the region. The absence of French and English naval moves into the English Channel suggests an understanding between the two powers, at least for now.
The Daily Dissembler will endeavour to have comment from Europe’s Crowned Heads in its next issue.
Order Results:
Austria: Austria: A bud -> gal Austria: F tri -> alb Austria: A vie -> tri
England: England: F edi -> nwg England: A lvp -> edi England: F lon -> nth
France: France: F bre -> pic France: A mar -> pie France: A par -> bur
Germany: Germany: A ber -> sil Germany: F kie -> den Germany: A mun -> ruh
Italy: Italy: F nap Holds Italy: A rom -> ven Italy: A ven -> tyr
Russia: Russia: A mos -> ukr Russia: F sev -> bla Bounced with ank (1 against 1). Russia: F stp/sc -> bot Russia: A war Holds
Turkey: Turkey: F ank -> bla Bounced with sev (1 against 1). Turkey: A con -> bul Turkey: A smy -> con
Deadline for next orders is midnight EDT, Saturday, 14 September.
Right, I’m off to have a margarita or three.
MP
I love the reporter and picture can't wait to see how this game turns out.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing how this develops. I like the updates as news reports too.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Pete.
Nice so far!
ReplyDeleteA commentary by General Sir Erasmus Blatt, geo-political and military correspondent for the Rioters News Agency.
ReplyDelete"With the breakdown of normal peaceful relationships among the Great Powers of Europe, the shooting war has begun. And some very interesting strategic decisions have been taken by several of the military heads, especially among the Central Powers, but by France as well.
"Some very strange moves, here. This correspondent is very surprised the Italian Fleet didn't enter the Tyrrhenian sea, or maybe the Ionian. It's a gimme: the only possible threat to Naples comes from the Austrians, and even they can't get there in time before Italy builds after taking Tunis or, (from the Ionian Sea) Greece if it can be taken without a fight. Then again, who knows but Italy's King and the Emperor of Austro-Hungary have not reached an Understanding - or even a military alliance withal? Stranger things have happened.
"I see France's and Austria-Hungary's opening moves have departed from the traditional opening strategy, that of beefing up the military by taking out the easily obtainable neutrals in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkans, in favour of apparently more aggressive early moves to discomfort, or at least disconcert, their neighbours. No doubt as the military situation becomes clearer, so will the political alignments, the motives behind these opaque beginnings, and what their outcomes will be.
"Meanwhile, the UK, Russia and Turkey at least appear to be opening their accounts along fairly traditional lines. Mind you, it has to be borne in mind that, lying on the peripheries of the European sub-continent, their options are more limited. The Kingdom and the Sultanate each has but one direction to go, after all, and if the Csar of the Russias has a wider choice (Northwest, West, Southwest, or South) its resources, though greater than any other Power, are far too slender to tackle them all. Russia must choose, and hope to have chosen right.
"On the matter of military cooperation, all Powers appear to be playing their cards very close to their chests. The Fall season, methinks, will no doubt discover, if not all, a great deal."
(Rioters, 31 July 1901)
I hope, Michael, that the occasional comment along these lines is OK - not jumping on anyone's toes. Under the alias of the good General (ret) Sir Erasmus, I have expressed only my own impressions as an outsider looking in. It will be occasionally possible that the general will give vent to some harshly expressed criticism - not likely, but possible - but you have to bear in mind that, crusty old coot as he is, the General isn't popularly known among his former messmates as Irascible Erasmus for nothing.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ion
Ion:
DeletePlease inform Sir Erasmus that Sir Rupert Mudrake, owner of Conglomerated Megapress, Inc, publisher of the Daily Dissembler, would like to hire him as a commentator on the current (and lucrative) events unfolding in Europe.
Sir Erasmus replies: 'Did you say lucrative?' Sir Erasmus is not the type to disdain soiling his fingers - in a good cause - with filthy lucre. But, seriously, I'd be happy to add further commentaries as the campaign progresses. I suspect, though, that there will be stuff that will be reportable (without giving away State secrets) that I won't be privy to.
DeleteOn the other hand, Sir Rupert sounds like the sort who would be willing to pay large for the purple prose of yellow journalism, the purpler and the yellower the better. That ain't Genl Sir Erasmus's style, of course. But I can imagine there might be one or two of the players who will know of such scriveners, willing to blacken the name of an enemy potentate and his nation...
These reports let us all get involved, thanks Michael ( and Ion)
ReplyDeleteSplendid reports and comments all round!
ReplyDeleteHow history repeats itself
ReplyDeleteRussia A Moscow takes Ukraine.......
Enjoyed both commentaries and slightly intrigued at a couple of strategies, looking forward to the next turn
Note, though, that on this map, the Ukraine has no Black Sea littoral...
DeleteSo we should rename Sevastapol as Novorossiya? :)
DeleteYou know - I hadn't really been paying attention to names, but what do you notice about 'Novorossiya'? Its literal translation is 'New Russia'. I'm not sure what that implies. But doesn't this whole conflict look very strange to you? It does me - it's almost if the meaning of words and actions reverse their meaning in that part of the world. A democratically elected government is labelled 'undemocratic' (I accept it was incompetent and corrupt); an unelected usurping government is a 'defender of democracy' (Equally corrupt and incompetent). It goes downhill from there. If ever a situation called out 'to follow the money', this one's a prime example.
Delete