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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Empires in Arms the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 - 1815 >> favorite country

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favorite country - 7/7/2003 11:26:05 PM

timewalker03
Matrix Trooper

Posts: 171
Joined: 6/9/2003
From: Omaha, NE
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1. Turkey: It is a country that is viewed as small in stature but can turn the tide of a continental war or even a naval war. If I play with a strong French player then I play most gracious lap dog. If the French player is weak or does not view Turkey as a longstanding ally, then I play Turkey as a thorn in Austria, Prussia, and Russian sides. You have to love the instant army and brutality of the Turks.

2. Austria: Can be the European linchpin or Pin cushion. All depends how the game plays out. It also has the ability to reach out for some good minors and has the leadership to be an autonomous nation for short periods of time.

3. France: Power Power Power with a little grace thrown in for good measure. The game is about you and your destruction. The whole world against you. The possibility of great victories or staggering defeats is awe inspiring.

4. Britain: In the navy is their motto. Small but powerfull land army. If you love money and the influence you have with it then you go with the redcoats. Nelson is a gem and not a bad naval officer to.

5. Prussia: They are a contradiction of countries. They are both weak and strong at the same time. If I play them then I do my best to bend over for the pleasure of the English throne for the Cav money. I also play with the hatred of the Austians and find a way to go to war with them as much as I can.

6. Spain and Russia. Spain I do not like to play. Russia I like more since you can add influence to the continent and can domeinate or be destroyed by the Turks. I like the great potential for the Grand backstabs that you get with Russia but can't stand the overall landlocked economy.

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 31

Spain is no so bad - 7/9/2003 11:10:04 PM

anibalbarak
Matrix Recruit

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Joined: 6/30/2003
Status: offline

The worst thing Spain had in 1805, her politicians, you can avoid as you are in fact the King of Spain. Spain is not obviously France or England, but is a good complement for them both, (normally them two feel concerned with what Spain thoughts are). Most commonly you will be at war with one of them during the game, but also you will usually have the other help. With that help is almost imposible for the agressor surrendering Spain.

England will seize all of spanish overseas possesions, but wont be able to conquer Spain herself or Portugal longtime if allied with France.

France wont be able to occupy Mallorca (cannot then occupy every spanish provintial capital), Spanish army can resist in Morocco or elsewhere overseas, with France not being able to support whole ocupation of Spain forever (is a great resources eater), or avoid every english or spanish landing.

Finishing off Spain is really hard, you need otherwise be patient.

Un cordial saludo desde España

Rafa.

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 32

- 7/9/2003 11:19:08 PM

DodgyDave
Matrix Trooper

Posts: 223
Joined: 9/30/2002
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all you need to force Spain to surrender is taking all manpower yielding home nation proviences, so africa is not important, Majorca is 0MP so also not important.

Main land Spain is easy to take as france.

Spain unless it sticks with France or England really helps out, is lost cause. Of those i play with, people will not want to be Spain, Prussia or Austria, due to them being kicked around too often.

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 33

- 7/10/2003 1:10:30 PM

John Umber
Matrix Trooper

Posts: 110
Joined: 7/2/2003
From: Sweden
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Spain, Austria or Prussia.

These middle powers are all in the hands of diplomacy. Their road to power can only be by diplomacy. They can never go alone against France or Russia. But Russia need them badly and so do the French (or rather keeping them away from Russia). I played once a strange game, as Russia. The diplomacy went straight crazy and the prewar declarations started a war Austria, Prussia and France versus Russia. I was beaten badly and the Turks could not just let such a good event go unnoticed. Russia never realy recovered. Funny thing was that France was so sure of herself that her battle in Spain bled her to much. The Prussia-Austria alliance changed to pro Brittish and attacked. By 1808 the middle powers were both all muscles and noone could hold them back. I don't remember if it was Austria or Prussia that became the dominant land power, but it didn't realy matter. They were unseperable, it was like fighting one nation... a very, very big nation.

_____________________________

John Umber

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 34

- 7/10/2003 4:25:53 PM

Pippin
Matrix Elite Guard

Posts: 1233
Joined: 11/9/2002
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I think people just give up too easily. IMHO spain has some interesting things to her. Her navy for example makes quite a high bargaining chip.
One thing im noticing is a lot of people here like France. I know a few not on this forum who absolutely hate it, as they can't stand having what seems the rest of the world continualy ganging up on you.

_____________________________

Nelson stood on deck and observed as the last of the Spanish fleets sank below the waves…

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 35

- 7/10/2003 5:40:52 PM

Dagfinn
Matrix Trooper

Posts: 110
Joined: 1/20/2003
From: Western Norway
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Russia is my favourit as I like to have my back free... :D

Brittain second, partly for the same reason.

I'm also one of those that doesnt like to play France, as she always has to be on the prowl and generaly anoyes everyone at some point in the game...

_____________________________

In our darkest hours all the shades are gray

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 36

- 7/11/2003 9:32:06 AM

Capitaine
Matrix Elite Guard

Posts: 1043
Joined: 1/15/2002
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France must be the "favorite" of those wanting the "challenge of the period". If it is not the ultimate, then the game fails to instill the nature of the period. Even contemporary Englishmen were quite taken by Napoleon's France and, had it not been for the (quite rational) rejection of divine right, as Napoleon and his "household" practiced, he would've had many more followers throughout Europe. After all, Beethoven wrote his 3rd Symphony about Napoleon, before he crowned himself "Emperor" (not sure what he was supposed to do; perhaps be France's G.W., but not sure that was a realistic option given France's proclivities).

There is, obviously, good play with any country, but playing France is like playing Germany in a WWI or WWII game.

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 37

- 7/11/2003 1:28:00 PM

John Umber
Matrix Trooper

Posts: 110
Joined: 7/2/2003
From: Sweden
Status: offline

Could not put it better myself.

Anyone not interrested in playing Germany in a WWII scenario?

France is the warmachine in the era, but outnumbered against the rest. If fighting one on one, no nation should be able to defeat the French...

The French player should be a ruthless manipulator with a touch of "toss the dice" spirit. Most war in the era is with or against the French. But you must always be on your alert and as mentioned in the posts above, not wishing to be the nice friend with everyone. You will make people angry as you destroy their plan of the grand future.

_____________________________

John Umber

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 38

- 7/22/2003 4:56:30 AM

Pippin
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Here is an archive I came across the web a while ago...

Empires in Arms

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 12, 2001 News:
David Swithers wrote to tell me that the EiA tourney at World Boardgame Championships (formerly AvalonCon) needs more players! So mark your calenders for next year to pack your bags and head on over to Hunt Valley, Maryland (just north of Baltimore - the inner harbor is a great place to visit, by the way!). For those who want to know, Jeff Slater of Minnesota won this year, his third time in five years! And he won playing Spain, if you can believe that! Hooray for the underdog! :-) Though David does say his Dutch allied fleet managed to run the British blockade and won three battles in the Channel before Nelson chased him back into Amsterdam, but this daring move enabled the French navy to sail freely out of Cadiz [how'd it get there?] and up into the Channel.
David also says there is talk of an EiA only world championship, separate from the World Boardgame Championships. I'll post more details as I receive them.

_____________________________

Nelson stood on deck and observed as the last of the Spanish fleets sank below the waves…

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 39

- 7/22/2003 5:08:31 AM

Capitaine
Matrix Elite Guard

Posts: 1043
Joined: 1/15/2002
Status: offline

Pip, if you look at my last post on the "changes" thread, you'd see that the EiA event at WBC was cancelled due to lack of participation and failure to find a GM.

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 40

- 7/22/2003 1:29:19 PM

John Umber
Matrix Trooper

Posts: 110
Joined: 7/2/2003
From: Sweden
Status: offline

Considering it is a game they stoped producing a long time ago, it is pretty amazing how many still like the game. You don't get new players...

So how will it continue to be "number one" at gaming conventions. People must know the game to play it properly.

_____________________________

John Umber

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 41

Spain - 8/13/2003 12:12:24 AM

bongina
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Posts: 126
Joined: 8/12/2003
From: Columbia, SC
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Spain has to be my favorite, mainly because I played them so many time. I always hated seeing Spain kiss butt to either England or France, so I decided to follow my own foreign policy. In one game, I was a stern French ally in the opening wars, mainly because I wanted us to fight the English navy together, instead of individually and outnumbered. However, when the French began making threats concerning my occupation of the Papacy (which he needed for KoI), I stood my ground and joined the other side. Only had to surrender to France when betrayed by my new 'alies'.
In another game, I joined in on the war with France, because I thought he was the bigger threat. However, having won Holland as my prize, I quickly gained the mistrust of the English. He declared war on me, but I hid my fleets in in good ports and dug in. When the Russian, taunted with gaining Holland for himself, and being buddy-buddy with England, also declared war on me, I decided to give them a full-fledged guerilla war. Even though I lost Holland, Naples, and even Portugal, and despite losing every major battle on Spanish soil (bad die rolls and/or chit picks), I still maintained a decent force (paid for by France) that held 10 British and Russian corps tied down in Spain. Since they could not take my last two provinces, they finally pulled out when France declared war on Russia and marched an army into Spain. Although Spain was no longer a major power, it had stood up to two. It was glorious and fun.

My other favorite, which I only played once, was Turkey. The entire game, Turkey maintained an anti-French attitude, mainly to balance the game. I only declared war once on a major power (France), and sent a large cavalry force to help the coalition armies in Central Europe. However, very soon afterwards, the British and Spanish (alies), convinced that they could win an easy victory over Turkey, as most of the regular army was in Egypt, landed an army near Constantinople. Scounging for every last infantry and feudal corps, my Turks bled the invaders in repeated battles, while also fighting a limited war with Russia (limited because he only had 11 infantry left after one one battle, but refused to surrender). Soon, even France sent 4 Corps, which finally tipped the balance and Turkey had to surrender. However, worried about power balance, France did not allow for Britain and Spain to take Egypt, so I didn;t lose that much. Again, it was fun and glorious.

(in reply to Pippin)

Post #: 42