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	British Empire IV This game was run by Ed Down.

The winner of this game was GranBretan

"British Empire IV - Oasis finished (At last!) last week. The winner was Granbretan.

It turned out to be a HUGE game, with several people being in a seemingly unquestionable winning position at various stages - only to be toppled by the combined efforts of the other strong players of the time. To give you an idea of the starting players (In fact a few weeks into the game, but because of the setup few people had been squished yet) here is a power report.

It's been so long since the game start that I can't exactly remember the starting configuration! But there was 100 start tech and very low fertility - just a couple of Oases in each 40 sector start territory, surrounded by mountains. Uncompensated workers were treated well in this game, and consequently they paid the same taxes and had an increased birth rate, but bank interest was almost non-existant so there was little use for the large gold deposits around.

Mid January saw some of the 'chaff' blown away, leaving the main players heading the field. (That little Kryptycthythyan fishing boat was to last the whole game, no mean feat with 1 sector water areas)

Early air and land forces seemed to be the order of the day, but with taxes playing such a large financial part of the game, a burgeoning population was the only real way forward. It was interesting that most of the longer-lasting countries had a foray or two into insovency, without any of the terminal consequences usually seen with banks playing an important role.

Wyoming was emerging as the tech leader, with quite a few of the top countries deciding that research into a growing population was a good tactic.

Sniper and Ratsbane then jossled for the top slot for a week or so, but DingDong was always creeping up on them. Interesting to see Upplands lowly position at this stage of the game.

Poor old Wyoming was soon to have a fall though, as Ratsbane and DingDong let their units run riot. It seems like the Wyoming tech lead was to do nothing to save him... The huge sleeper fishing fleets seemed to take their toll on their leader, the country seemingly left to drift rudderless for some time.

Ratsbane and Sniper then engage in a 'ding dong' battle at the head of the power chart, Sniper initially getting the upper hand, whilst Schytia and DingDong sweep up a few countries at the foot of the table to keep up with the big boys. But the prolonged conflict results in anarchy taking residence in Sniperdom - DingDong getting the lion's share of these pickings and sweeping away sleeper.

The next few days saw the vultures picking over the corpse of anarchist lands, and it seemed as if the game would soon be coming to an end with DingDongians victorious. But propping up the leading bunch, Banzai was creeping into an important tech lead.

But the DingDong bubble was soon to burst, with most of the other countries allying and launching a desperate attack upon what they saw as a probable game-winning country, led from the front by Megalomania and Schytia. Mis-information and uncertainty were the names of the game at this stage - the HIDDEN option (Oh yes, for got to say that was an option earlier..) playing its evil best.

DingDong had no answer to the combined and continuous onslaught from this opposition alliance and eventually the mighty had to fall! His only hope was a lessening of the ferocity of the battle if the alliance broke down, but it seemed to be holding firm. A referendum in Megalomanialand resulted in a change of name to GrandBretan, but with the same leader at the helm I am assured..

Meanwhile in tech city - Banzai was edging further forwards.....

Tensions eased at the head of the field over the next few days, Ratsbane and Banzai ceasing hostilities against DingDong and allowing him a build up of forces in the still ferocious battle raging with the two moral leaders of the former alliance, Schytia and GranBretan. An alliance is eventually declared between DD and Ratsbane in an obvious game-winning attempt. But it is to no avail and the continued efforts of Schytia and GranBretan eventually break the back of the hard-fighting DingDongian army.

Meanwhile, Moinsen and Pangloss continue their personal battle, but it looks like curtains for Moinsen as Ratsbane decides to expand into his territory. Not much hope for Pangloss either if he suceeds...

Uppland keeps in touch, polishing off Moinsen and Pangloss, whilst DD sinks into the morass. A good fighter sadly lost! Whilst in the techie states... Banzai strides further and further ahead and an important milestone is reached.....

Today the sky glowed with the wry smile of the Sun's heart! (Said one Schytian general). And it preceded the complete destruction of his forces. In one of the most sweeping moves this commentator has ever seen, a contended becomes an also-ran as a new alliance does its dirty deeds.

Then, sensing that the leader may be extending his lead just a little too far, Banzai and Uppland launch a attack on Ratsbane which catches his forces massed along the GranBretan border for an advance of his own. Caught in disarray, the Ratsbance forces don't know which way to turn and in trying to repel the attack are caught in a counter-attack from GranBretan forces, losing both ways.

A nuclear accident???

Tue Apr  9 20:01  Banzai explodes a nuclear device damaging Banzai territory

With his huge tech lead, and the help of the GranBretan forces, Banzai is able to cut a swathe through the Ratsbane territory, and grab most of the booty for himself. This was a truely game-winning potential position.

But recognising the position Ratsbane was convinced to swallow his pride and the leader in BEIV was yet again subjected to the combined forces of the other countries. Banzai realises the change in alleigance, but is still caught without adequate defences. Banzai troops fall back in a 'structured' retreat, not holding back on the nuclear weapons.

Wed Apr 10 19:47  Banzai nuclear device devastates GranBretan sector
Wed Apr 10 19:47  Banzai missile fired at one of GranBretan's sectors
Wed Apr 10 17:13  Ratsbane nuclear device devastates Banzai sector
Wed Apr 10 17:13  Ratsbane missile wreaks havoc on Banzai
Wed Apr 10 17:07  Ratsbane explodes a nuclear device damaging Banzai territory
                  two times
Wed Apr 10 17:07  two times Ratsbane missile wreaks havoc on Banzai
Wed Apr 10 00:17  Banzai explodes a nuclear device damaging Ratsbane territory
                  two times
Wed Apr 10 00:17  Banzai missile wreaks havoc on Ratsbane two times

Ratsbane takes the brunt of the Banzai fury, whilst Uppland becomes the main territorial winner. The tech lead is still frightening, but with both sides having weapons of mass destruction it was evening up..

And the nuclear tipped missiles did fly!! GB and Uppland were by far and away the main beneficiaries of the all-against-Banzai plan, Ratsbane seemingly taking all of the Banzaian counter-attacks. This depleted the Ratsbane forces and coffers time after time, and must have brought much despair to the homelands. Communication breakdown did nothing for the Banzai cause, with only a brief flurry of order-giving possible there was only one way to go for the forces of Banzai.

Uppland has a last thrust forward with a conquest of space, but he has come from too far behind to have a chance of catching the runaway GranBretan, and Ratsbane was still smarting from the prolonged Banzai attacks to think of another conflict so, with a veritable arsenal of nuclear missiles ready to rain down upon his former allies, GranBretan forces a surrender from the remaining players in British Empire IV - Oasis.

Ed."

Here is the final power chart: - = [ Empire Power Report ] = - as of Thu Apr 25 23:50:03 1996 sects eff civ mil shell gun pet iron dust oil pln ship unit money GranBreta 1.0K 95% 668K 14K 31K 3.5K 13K 231K 8.0K 22K 220 100 80 235K 91823.82 Uppland 745 98% 520K 14K 17K 645 12K 245K 6.2K 19K 120 80 100 100K 71128.33 Ratsbane 490 97% 375K 16K 31K 2.2K 18K 205K 4.7K 14K 30 70 40 65K 53896.65 Banzai 155 98% 101K 6.2K 200 20 800 12K 700 1.1K 0 80 20 45K 10191.74 # name tech research education happiness cap-location 31 GranBretan 285.25 145.02 19.21 18.63 48,-12 7 Uppland 303.11 184.17 33.88 11.55 -50,12 21 Ratsbane 276.68 134.04 0.35 0.00 11,-21 35 Banzai 324.86 121.79 14.46 0.00 -12,-18