ix415@sdcc6.UUCP (Rick Frey) (07/11/85)
I too have seen this discussion start to fade out, so before it dies
completely, I'd like to see any type of concensus possible on the best
move for the Italian opener.
It would seem to me that Italy has no hope in the game unless they can
get more than one build over the first two years. If they just stay at
four centers, eventually they are doomed. So it would then seem
crucial, even at the risk of immediate, open war, that they must go
after one of their two neighbors; the French or the Austrians.
An attack on the French will be difficult to carry out and slow to
develop. While the position in Piedmont can be obtained with little
effort by trickery, anything beyond that will be next to impossible for
at least a year to a year and a half (unless a possible German alliance
is formed) such that the only real available option is to immediately
attack Austria.
It would seem the simple move, A Ven - Tyr, A Rom - Ven and F Nap goes
to pick up Tunis. This forces AH to come back and cover herself, or as
in many cases, it leaves Austria in a guessing game that can possibly be
won by the Italians. Plus, with any support, Italy can destroy AH's
chance for growth on the innitial turns and hopefully be in a good
position to pick them apart by 1902.
The Tyrolian position also enables Italy should they choose to be very
sneaky to backstab Germany and go for a most likely unprotected Munich.
The Tyrolian position is far too good to give up for the supposedly
inevitalbe threat of a Russian/Turkish invasion later to come. Along
the path to Russian/Turkish world domination there are a number of other
obstacles, and Italy should not count herself out of the innitial feast
just because of a later fear.
Rick Frey
(...ihnp4!sdcsvax!sdcc6!ix415)
p.s. Anyone out there need players for a game or interested in starting
another? :-)