1/4 Tony Huiatt
2/8 John Folz
3/7 Bern Luerhsen
5/9 Alain Deurwaerder
6/23 John Stagoll
10/22 Kim Andersen
11/20 Alan Gowler
12/21 James Christensen
13/15 Tim Huiatt
14/24 Mike Sankey
16/19 Mick Johncock
17/18 David Holt
Clint
Note - there’s a new GB filling - needs 4 players.
I’ll be playing (I hope) with a friend so hope to see you in that.
Clint (player & GM)
Ice King position was in good shape, as I suspected. If I had recruited Heavy Cav with the Blind Sorceror I could have stopped all the incursions into the back gates of Mordor, thus protecting the Cloud Lord. Lack of aggression on my part and I should have done that when I saw the Long Rider Cav go through Mordor. We could have made a game of this without the special service turns as well. As lopsided as the victory was, I do not feel we were as far off in competing in this game as I originally thought. Having said that, the free played so much better than the dark servants.
Tim
If this same set of 12 players wants to mix it up again, I’m game. I think we shouldn’t do anything as simple as switch sides. Rather, people should submit their prefered nation requests in the same old way. This is a great group of 12 players.
The fact that people are experimenting is actually quite good. SE coming to attack QA’s homeland is an example of an FP experiment. Alain - It did pull away my navy from the capital that would have been used (probably as an army) against HA, so that did, in the end (with the wonderful SS) result in QA death, because that army would have been on capital with a bunch more troops when HA arrived. So, yes, your experiment did net-net help FP. And I think some of the DS experiments were interesting and all were well-intentioned.
I realize that Clint is seeking 4 for GB he’s filling. As we already have 12 great players, I wonder if we can interest this 12 in regrouping? what do people think?
Dave
I would play again if we could get a commitment. My only hope is that players on my team use the diplo this turn. I realize we had some fall through the crack, but it would also be nice to here from the rest of the dark servants (Cloud Lord and Corsairs).
later,
tim
A new game with 12 committed players (we all still agree with the no-drop concept yes?) would hold my preference.
Alain
I would be up for another game but need to know soon as I can only play 1 GB game right now and I just threw my name in the new GB game that needs 4 players. Please reply asap one way or the other.
Clint, I would rather play with this group than the new game that only needs 4 players but don’t want to miss out on the start of the new GB if this one can not get up and running fast. So do your best to see if this one can get up fast or not 
John aka NM/DW
That’s four of us so far, you evil, er, i mean good ex-partner John:
Tim, John, Dave, Alain
Count me in
And I think Marty would also be willing to join, if so we would be sharing a pair of nations again.
My initial intention after my experience in this was not going to be to play gunboat again for a while but I might be able to be convinced.
I think that I’d definitely go for it if I could find somebody to share a position with me. Is there anybody out there that is interested? Otherwise I’ll ask around in some of the other games that I’m in.
Alan Gowler
I would play again if we could get a commitment. My only hope is that players on my team use the diplo this turn. I realize we had some fall through the crack, but it would also be nice to here from the rest of the dark servants (Cloud Lord and Corsairs).
Okay 5 of you have written here (one off list). I don’t take a note here as commitment to play, ie a sign up, as I’ve had too many actually not sign up when I email them, so please contact me directly if that’s what you want.
Note you won’t be able to force some players to use the Diplo scheme though. You won’t, IMO, get some players to comment here either (that’s why they play GB as they don’t want to get into these sort of discussions in the first place!) 
I could email everyone, but some are now committed to a Grudge game and some don’t really mind what game they are in as long as it’s GB, so I would suspect you would not get the game reformed. What would you like me to do to help out?
Clint (GM)
Hi Clint,
We can’t force players to play, nor can we force them to use the diplo. It just so happens some players on my side elected not to use them, while the other side all the players elected to use them. Those are the breaks.
As far as getting this game going. Let us just see how many are interested in playing, and how many are not. If we get nine of the players that want to keep playing, then maybe we as players can get the rest. If not, then the no quit game will go by the wayside. I personally like this format the most, as it requires your best game to win. If you make a crucial mistake, the oppononets make you pay for it. That is a good game. Plus, we have a lot of quality players in the game.
Also, we still have a couple of players elect not to check in. Once again, that is their prerogative, but it does take some of my enjoyment out of the game. Especially as I am playing alone and I have to wait until the end to discuss with other players. Tony and I would probably prefer to play as a team again but we could be persuaded to stay apart to keep the game alive.
I know some of the free were really disappointed in the play of the dark servants, and that could cause them to elect not to play anymore. Reading the posts of the players that did post makes me think we were not as far off from competing as I originally thought. The dark servants made some mistakes, the free capitalized on them, and thus the game was lopsided.
Back to your original question of what can you do to help. Give us until early next week to see who wants to play, and then we will get back to you as to what you can do to help us.
Thanks,
tim
Drew,
at least one of the folks in this game won’t sign up. You in?
no-quit
committed, experienced players (who try experiments… LOL)
diplos every 5th turn
2-player (1 nation each) teams possible (you and your brother?)
2/3 vote to concede w/ dead nations = vote to concede
otherwise pretty standard 1650 GB in its most modern format.
Alan- glad you’re back playing MEPBM. you up for going again?
Anyone else?
Dave
Cloud Lord/Rhudaur checking in - delayed I know but haven’t logged in for the last week or so due to other commitments.
Well I didn’t keep a log but will detail below my perspective on the game.
Rhudaur:
Started aggressively. Knew that with this being GB I would get little support, wouldn’t be able to coordinate with WiK and would get quickly swamped if the FP threw everything against me.
I decided to start aggressive and split off the Rhudaur cavalry and head it south to Rhudaur in the hope that would draw off the Duns and maybe some Cardolan troops. Named a number of emissaries to get camping but headed one south to Mordor for the backup I knew I would need from the ClL.
Unfortunately the army move south was quickly intercepted by the Duns and wiped and though I was recruiting like crazy I was literally swamped with Arthedain/Cardolan/Duns/Dwarves and even North Gondor. I got no dragons, despite having ems in the misties - not 1 encounter!
By the time my capital went I had the ClL backup and an influx of gold from them but then had to feed the armies to defend inner Mordor which was by then under attack.
Cloud Lord:
Unfortunately I made a number of silly errors with this position.
The first was when I had an army at 3627 to defend it from an Eo army. Now I know that when defending an allies centre you MUST ATTACK. That’s what I did but I issued CptPop order instead of AttEnmy. So no combat for my army. I can see why it looked like a SS turn.
The second mistake cost me the position on t11. The Eothraim where poised to take my last village on t10. That would bankrupt me without a natsell. I put the natsell order in on a commodity that was only at that village. I then imploded. First time I have ever made a newby mistake like that.
I was pretty unlucky elsewhere. Made two emmisaries early on putting one into the misties and leaving one to camp in the south. The latter only got one camp down all game. The one in the misties got eaten by a dragon on about t6.
My agents fared little better. Initially they stole gold to enhance ranks to make them good enough to take on army commanders and one got lucky stealing the mantle at 2732 after it was hidden but all my assassination attempts on the Eothraim in inner Mordor failed - not one went through. This was despite having Ji at 58/30, Balkhmog at 55/35 and Maugrath at 68.
Militarily I split off the cavalry to North Harad where I took 2730 (sabotaged fort) but achieved nothing else as 2732, my next target got hidden. The infantry I left for Mordor defence but it was insufficient in the face of the Eothraim cavalry.
Diplos
Forgot to sent out the t6 diplos - sorry
rectified it on t11.
Not a game I will remember with fondness. Congrats to the FP for a game well played.
Mike
It just so happens some players on my side elected not to use them, while the other side all the players elected to use them.
I don’t know the tally of the diplos for the FPs - anyone recall? I would suspect that not all of them used it when available…
As to waiting I can do that if you want. Ideally I think that waiting won’t help unless I actively contact the players concerned and tell them what’s up. Some of them don’t read this list.
Clint (GM)
Tony just told me all six diplos were sent on both turn 6 and turn 11 for the free.
Everyone has checked in except Corsairs/Dragon Lord. If you want/could check into who wants to play again we would appreciate the help Clint.
From the looks of it we will be short a couple of players, so now we will have to recruit to keep the game with the core players.
IF you can contact offline and post the interested parties, that would be great.
Mick Jancock should want to play again, as he is going to lose game 64 in about five more turns.
later,
tim
Ok, somebody has shown some interest in sharing a position with me. Assuming that we can get on ok then it looks like I’ll definitely play. I’ll have a chat with him then send preferences. If you could hold a position open for us it would be great.
Alan
Okay can those that are definitely interested please email the me address? Ideally even if you have already so that I can be clear what’s what.
Thanks
Clint
Actually I would prefer the no diplo variant, true fog of war.
Besides, wouldn’t want it to cut into my G57 or G67 time…
oh come on. you think you’re about to win 57, don’t you? <wink>
whereas I hold that’s not so likely. but I understand your fog of war perspective.
thanks for considering it.