[scorpiusx]

So first of all, I would like to say I had a great time, (albeit characteristically stressful), and I am really glad that @kevindola managed to convince me to try my hand at this again after getting crushed a couple of years ago in my first play, (especially since we got to share a victory together. ^_^ )


I want to give my end of game statement, but since I imagine it will take some time to type out, here are a few precursor notes to give this game some context on my end:


This was my second game of Diplomacy I have played, with my first coming a while back played with this similar group. In that game I played as Turkey, and had no idea what I was doing, to where I desperately didn't want to backstab either of my potential allies in Russia or Austria so I just stopped communicating with either one of them. Naturally the both allied against me and crushed me, (as I deserved. Definitely not bitter about it, I was just not prepared for the exact type of politicking required for this kind of game.)


I had no preconceptions that I was going to win this game at the start, (or share a draw like I did here), but I at least wanted to experience the joy of actually allying with someone in Diplomacy and feeling that I was part of a team, albeit a mistrusting one. I wanted to survive long enough to not be the first one out, and actually get into a spot where I was PLAYING the game before I was turned on and crushed.


The next note, is that I was able to figure out who @kevindola was pretty early on. Obviously we kept our identities anonymous throughout the game, but we have played so much CoN together and have had so many private communications that we were able to figure out one another's text styles within a couple of press messages. This isn't some intended breach of the code of anonymity, it's just that we are so familiar with one another that the only way we weren't going to identify each other was if we never sent any press at all honestly. Plus, I have this Masquerade Sleuth title for a reason, and I am honestly surprised I only guessed 2/6 nations correctly, (also figuring out Austria was @Knight of Scape . )


I also want to make it clear that knowing it was kevindola I don't think made it more likely for me to ally with him. I knew that he was skilled at this game obviously, but that was a double edged sword. I knew from CoN that he was a convincing liar and great analytical thinker, and very charismatic, plus he did crush me in my first game of Diplomacy. Knowing my vindictiveness and paranoia, this honestly should have made me more likely to try and join up with Germany and snuff him out of the gate. I also have played lots and lots of CoN and consider myself buddies with @All Your Pie , @MegaSilver , and @Knight of Scape , so getting to ally with any of them would have been just as fun in my eyes. I say this just to dispel any possible notion of "well he knew who his neighbor was, and he only allied with him because they were buddies outside of the game" sort of bs. My alliance with France rose organically through the game itself, even if the veil of anonymity was more like a silky see through bit of lingerie.