12th Friedrich World Championship, 2017
The Final
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I started the game with my main force in Silesia. Austria, however, decided quite early to invade Saxony first. By some tricky moves of Friedrich, Winterfeldt and Seydlitz, I was able to impede early attacks of Browne and Charles of Lorraine. (My generals were threatening with cross-sector counterattacks.) That way I succeed in transfereing Schwerin from Silesia to Saxony. Unfortunately, I am pretty low on diamonds and have to give up the area around Dresden after some battles. Austria conquers Radeberg. Since I am loaded with clubs, Russia has a hard time in conquering anything in the Kammin area. Only Küstrin falls. Similarly, Heinrich stops the Swedes, before he marches off to Magdeburg (where he is desperately needed). The Imperial army is no threat at this moment (Winterfeldt engages it in clubs). But later Lacy will come supporting the Empire. Hanover slows down the French advance. I am happy that Diepholz is not attacked. But in the South, after some skirmishes Cumberland is eliminated in Western Saxony. With Lacy supporting the Empire, Christian decides to go for an Imperial victory. I am swarming my Prussians to delay the moves of the Austrians. I also hope to get a chance to attack the sole Hildi. I believe that the Austrians are clearly superior in diamonds (however, as it will turn out later, I am wrong; Austria was lacking a good diamonds hand as well). Christian attacks Keith in Silesia several times with troops inferiority. By repeatedly taking cheap retreats, I trade space and only a few objectives for precious diamonds, shifting the diamonds balance in my favour. Turn 6 ends with the fate card India. Good news! Austria is now reduced to 4 TCs per turn. The situation in Saxony becomes more and more complicate. It takes a lot of attention, brain and time. There also some minor fights in hearts against the Austrians. At some point, Christian retreats one of my generals in such a way, that his supply train is eliminated in Southern Saxony. Due to his mistake, the Austrians have to withdraw to the East-of-Dresden area. Since I now expect the final showdown in Silesia to happen, I am sending a back-up general to Keith. In the meantime Russia kept on attacking in clubs. Dohna tries to avoid combat whenever possible. I am still feeling confident with my clubs. East Prussia, however, is finally conquered. The re-entering Lehwaldt takes care of Malchin. In the West, Ferdinand is attacked near Diepholz by two French generals. After drawing some French hearts, he is eliminated. Cumberland fights the French at Magdeburg. I am playing all my Hanover hearts and 4 reserves, then Cumberland is sent off-map as well. Prussian subsidy reductions occur in turn 13 and 16. Furthermore a 5th TC deck is brought into play. It will show disastrous effects! Suddenly (without my knowing) the Russians receives good clubs, so that my Kammin defense is not safe anymore. I, however, have not the slightest clue about that... After re-establishing supply in Saxony, Christian resumes his plans to lead the Empire to victory. So late in the game!! I am really taken by surprise. Some turns later, the last Imperial objective city is Torgau. At turn 18, I start a desperate attack in diamonds, so that I can protect Torgau not only from hearts, but also from diamonds. I do not believe to win the combat, but I do win! But will I be able to hold that position? I am pretty sure that the combined Austrian-Imperial attacks will drive my Prussians away in turn 19 the latest. I am absolutely sure that the Empire will win this game. At the same moment, my defense in Kammin broke down. In turn 17, I played all my clubs, and so Dohna moves to Rummelsburg (spades, at the sector border). From there he protects Colberg and Neu-Stettin. A clever move I thought, but it was a mistake! Dohna should have stayed in clubs; with my reserves I would have been able to take retreat after retreat. Andreas makes best use out of my mistake by blocking all paths back to clubs. (I can explain my mistake only by: a) I was already on the stop watch so that I did not anticipate Andreas' response. b) I believed my reserves were needed more urgently in Saxony.) My situtation has turned quite hopeless. I am mentally preparing for defeat. Both Hanover generals are not on the board. This increases my problems. I decide against recruitment, because the re-entering generals would have had to fight the French immediately, and my Hanover TCs are very few. But, again, this is a mistake. The French make a big attack against the Prussian Magdeburg defenders, but lose the hearts combat quite impressive. Then, turn 18 closes with the drop-out of France! The Imperial Army switches players! Good luck! And desperately needed! Poooh! Turn 19.
Dohna can be encircled on Rummelsburg, so he moves to Stolpe. I am sending two(?) more Prussians to the Russian objectives, although I am sure that they will come too late. In the most viable position, however, is Friedrich himself. He occupies the city adjacent to Küstrin. In Saxony, I am not feeling confident with my diamonds against Hildi. So, I want a 2nd protection site for Torgau. The only possible city is in hearts, and for it I have to defeat the Austrians by +1. With my first TC, I am offering Christian a fair −1 retreat. He declines. Playing a new hearts, I repeat my −1 offer. Christian declines again. I give up. (The bitter thing of this fight will show up in turn 20, where I will be in urgent need for one more card in hearts!) — The Prussian turn ends with only 1 general protecting Torgau. He is in diamonds, 3 cities distant from Torgau! No retreat option!
Hastily I am recruting troops for my defenders against Russia. I decide to give Dohna one more troop than Friedrich. (The other way round, I would win the upcoming hearts fight.) |
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(To the bottom right you can see leftover Prussia's hand cards.) |
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Friedrich World Champion 2017! |
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