2nd Round

Austria (Alex Calderón) and Prussia (Mark Luta) exchange blows in the hearts sector around Magdeburg. This Austrian support for France would contribute to France’s final victory. (Bjorn, in a red shirt).

Blocked in the diamonds sector in Saxony, Austria (Alex Calderón) lent France (Bjorn) a lot of support through persistent attacks in the hearts sector around Magdeburg, seriously weakening the Prussian defence there. Russia (Rubén) initially suffered due to a lack of clubs and was unlucky as Elisabeth passed away just as the green pieces were coming into action. Mark Luta and his Prussians had to concede victory to France in round 19, having run out of time on the clock.

The game’s designer Richard Sivél meditates his next move deeply. But with three Prussian generals in Silesia, the defence against Austria seems to be completely under control.

This was a very favourable game for Prussia, efficiently played by the designer of Friedrich, Richard Sivél.  Already in round 3 the Russians Saltikov and Fermor suffered a 10 point defeat that saw them retreating all the way to Silesia. They were taken off the board soon later. Heinrich  joined Keith and Schwerin in Silesia forming an unsurmountable defense against Austria (Andrew). If this wasn’t enough, the Fate Cards dictated a short game, of just 16 rounds, that finished with a Prussian victory.

Detail of the game. The Russian spearpoint has been blown off the map. The Austrian-Prussian duel is centered around Saxony, where Guy has managed to cut the supply of the blue pieces.

For many rounds Andreas Zölitz’s Prussians were dominant, albeit by paying a heavy price in both tactical cards and clock time. Russia experienced difficulties as Saltikov and Fermor were taken of the board and it took a long time to clear East Prussia. Sweden and Russia dropped out in quick succession in turns 14 and 15, just as Andreas ran out of time on the clock, forcing him to play against the stopwatch, hanging on in the hope of France dropping out. First-timer Ty Wyman, having come all the way from the USA, misses a golden opportunity to win with the Imperial Army, allowing Guy Atkinson to achieve victory with Austria in turn 18.

Arnold de Wijs looks at his new card hand while José Manuel readies the cards for his allies.

Following a strategy well developed by himself, Arnold de Wijs stacks three Prussian generals with a total of 23 troops in Saxony. By round six Christian has attacks with an Austrian triple stack with 24 troops, forcing Arnold to send Cumberland to Saxony to add his weight to the defence. The Austrians beat him off however. Neither Russia nor France seem to get any closer to victory, which drives José Manuel to send a French general to the vicinity of Berlin to harass Prussia. Under the pressure of these combined attacks, Arnold succumbs in round 14, conceding victory to Christian Blattner’s Austrians.