Bravo and Charlie

[slappy]

This could be interesting to watch. Gnarf and I are each playing the same power in sister games over at Redscape. The game is a North American variant GMed by a nice guy and great GM named Roadkill315.

I'm playing British Columbia in About Face Bravo

Gnarf is British Columbia in About Face Charlie

Bravo S99
Charlie S99

If you look at the Spring 1999 (opening turn) results for each game, it looks to me like the main difference between the games, so far as BC is concerned, is that Gnarf's Quebec neighbour has opened to the Sea of Labrador (potentially threatening to bounce Gnarf from Greenland) while my quebec neighbour has opened instead to Hudson's Bay (where I may or may not choose to assist him against the "Heartland" power in Manitoba).

I thought this was an interesting divergence because I was very much hoping that Quebec would not open the way he did in Gnarf's game and I did eveything I could to prevent it. It will be interesting to see how the two games develop from here on in. Obviously, there are far too many other factors in play to give too much weight to Quebec's opening, yet it may still be a crucial decision by Quebec, for BC, in either game.

The only other two obvious differences I noticed: Bravo seems to have an early Texas-Mexico move toward California (good for BC) and Charlie's Peru seems to be better defending himself against Cuba (no clear significance yet).

 

[Dreadnought]

Interresting variant...I'll be watching. Good luck!

 

[Gnarfflinger]

Yeah, British Columbia is only likely to get one build in year one unless California is a fool or Quebec is charitable. I think I may have to face off with the Heartlands first. It's likely to be a tough fight as I may be left to my own devices for a fight. I think a case could have been made for a California first strategy, but I know the guy playing the Heartlands to be a real threat...

 

[slappy]

It's been a busy day of diplomacy since I started this thread. The north is communicating with each other (well with me anyway) a LOT. The only exception seems to be Heartland who, it seems, is too pissed at me and Quebec to even speak with us directly.

 

[Dreadnought]

Yeah Gnarf, it seems your neutral centers are being occupied by others. You can't allow that, can you?

 

[Gnarfflinger]

Yeah. I think that I may have to claim some of their home centres as a punitive action...

 

[slappy]

Fall 1999:

In Bravo, BC passes up a second build, apparently to block off any nasty retreats by Heartland's dislodged A Man.

In Charlie, BC ends up with almost identical positions to BC Bravo, but his neighbourhood looks very different.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

I've pretty much chosen my first target. We only get one freebie in the Neutral centres. Any more than that I'll have to take from someone. From what I know, the guy playing the Heartlands is a tough player. if he can be brought down fast, then that's better for the rest of us isn't it?

 

[Dreadnought]

Why didn't you go for Greenland?

EDIT: Oh to block the retreat...

Do you still get Greenland as a SC next year?

 

[slappy]

I'll get it next year or maybe the year after if other opportunities arise first.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

Well, it looks like California was not to be trusted after all. I seriously thought about going after California from the beginning, but after finding him to be reasonable, compared to silent as the Heartlands were, I elected to go for the Heartlands. Now California seems to be moving in my direction, and actually thought he was getting Washington (which he thought I'd leave unguarded), and has moved on Alaska!

 

[slappy]

Meanwhile, I've got pretty good relations with Cali (mainly because he's under attack from Tx and Mx) and I'm torn as to whether to help Qu resist NY and HL or help to take QU out in the hopes that NY will join me in turning on HL next rather than the opposite.

 

[slappy]

Okay, for better or worse, I'm taking my bite of Quebec and hoping that NY is willing to work with me.

Bravo: Fall 2000

I'm anxious to hear Gnarf's commentary on Charlie: Fall 2000. Lots of action for BC as well in that game.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

My commentary, as televised on BCTV, sounded like it was transmitted in Morse Code with all the expletives that had to be bleeped out.

I got Manitoba as planned, but the paradox of this game, Damned if I do, Damned if I don't reared it's ugly head. I asked Quebec to bounce California out of Ancorage, but California didn't go for Ancorage, I lost the centre offsetting my gains in Manitoba. Now there is a three on two to take Washington...

 

[slappy]

You forgot a link.

Charlie: Fall 2000

Man, Cali's really got it in for you, eh?

It looks like Cali and Mexico may be patching things up in Bravo so I'll have to start sleeping with one eye open myself.

 

[Gnarfflinger]

If you move on the Heartlands, to get any kind of Firepower, you need to overcommit. The one mistake I made was not asking Quebec to outright let me have Greenland in the first year, Possilbly also support me into Manitoba, promising him more of the Heartlands in return, then I could build enough to cover my butt and still finish off the Heartlands...

 

[slappy]

Okay, it's getting a little difficult to compare the progress of the two games now because Charlie is now nearly a half-year in front of Bravo due to our having to replace a player.

Still, one of the interesting differences that I see, at this stage, is that Quebec and Texas have been so thoroughly trounced in Bravo. BC (I) betrayed Quebec in the face of an organized onslaught by Heartland and New York, resulting in Quebec shrinking from 6 SCs to 2 in the space of about three turns. Texas, so it seems, is just a poor player and a non-diplomat whereas Quebec has found himself hopelessly set upon. The fact is that Heartland and New York make a pretty powerful combo. The best I could have done without a concerted effort by one of Heartland's neighbours would have been to keep Quebec in once piece. Since I saw an oppoprtunity to place myself in between HL and NY as a replacement NY ally (we'll see if that pans out soon), Quebec's fate was sealed.

Hard for me to comment on Charlie. The events there between BC and Quebec are confusing to an outsider. Texas is definitely in better shape there than in Bravo, no doubt partly due to a more experienced player at the helm. The one interesting similarity I see is the appearance of some HL-NY cooperation against Quebec, although HL seems to be more tangled up in southern matters in this game. (I'm hoping that HL is about to get tangled up with Florida's armies in Bravo as well. )

 

[Dreadnought]

Keep up the nice work!

 

[Gnarfflinger]

well, Basically, I had to stick the knife in Quebec just to keep myself alive, while California (a replacement here too) is asking me to self destruct so he can grow faaster. It looks like I'll be stuck with a disband this year, reducing myself to 2 centres, which will fall in another year. I have three weeks to play.

 

[slappy]

Fall 2002 in Bravo

This looks like the beginning of a slow downturn in BC's fortunes. New York has committed a minor stab, and nobody else is really doing much in the way of returning my emails. I could be wrong, but it looks to me like I'll only survive this thing at best.