Pax Pamir, Languish PBEM

[Solmyr]

Solmyr, there should not have been a Kandahar-Punjab road during your turn thanks to Tamas moving it during his own.

Which cylinder did you wish to shift around in order to place the new Russian army?

Transcaspian-Kabul then.

[Berkut]

Nope, I am ok with switching to Brit.

[Solmyr]

Uploaded my turn (number 36), so Habs can continue with his from that. We got a Topple!

[Habbaku]

With bags of gold are Imperial friends won, and Russia is no different.  The money lenders and gold merchants of Kabul conspire to ensure that, if there is a Russian potentate given control of the newest province of the Rodina, it shall be none other than those of the White Goat Tribe.

This newfound wealth being given over comes, of course, from a boom in the lands of Afghanistan.  Improvements in the railway and the wily manipulations of Alexander Burnes and his connections with John Company ensure that gold will continue to flow for some time.

Free Action (Political Struggle): Tax with Ranjit Singh (Punjab).  Take 1 Rupee from Anarkali Bazaar in the Market and 1 Rupee from Celedhring (since he owns Akali Sikhs).

Action 1: Buy Alexander Burnes from the market for 0.  Take 1 Rupee from card.
Action 2: Play Alexander Burnes to the left side of my tableau.  Trigger regime change to Economic Boom.  Gain 1 spy on Alexander Burnes.

Free Action 1 (Economic Boom): Commerce with Trans-Caspian Railway.  Take 1 Rupee from Barakazai Brothers in the market.  Take 1 Rupee from Count Ivan Simonitch in the market.
Free Action 2 (Economic Boom): Gifts with Helmand River Gold.  Buy the 6 Rupee Gift. 1 Rupee each to the six rightmost cards in the market.
Free Action 3 (Economic Boom): Gifts with Money Lenders.  Buy the 4 Rupee Gift.  1 Rupee each to the four rightmost cards in the market.

I go up to 4 Russian favor to Solmyr's 3, so I gain Russian Favor.

Over to Celedhring.

[celedhring]

The Orange Coconut tribe finds itself in a weakened financial position, but there's little it can do at the moment with the westerners having taking over the Afghani markets and roads. But maybe that will change in due time...

1) Purchase Jean-Francois Allard from the market, pay 1 rupee
2) Tax Kandahar, taking 1 rupee from the Karakzai brothers in the market

EDIT: Over to Tamas

[Tamas]

Count Ivan Simonitch starts his work for Russian interests in Afghanistan, by negotiating new commerce deals.

1) Buy Count Ivan Simonitch, placing 3 rupees on previous cards, receive 2 rupees from the card
2) Play the Count by paying 1 rupee to Mr. Purple in Persia
3) Free action: Commerce with Pandjeh Oasis, taking the 2 rupees from Anarkali Bazaar
4) Free action Commerce with Slave Market, taking 1 rupee from British-Persian Trade

File has been posted

[Berkut]

How can us non-Russians conspire to screw Tamas?

[Tamas]

 

You should conspire against everyone else but me. I have the least Russian influence, and I do not have my own 2nd placed faction, like Celed.

[Berkut]

You should conspire against everyone else but me. I have the least Russian influence, and I do not have my own 2nd placed faction, like Celed.

Yeah, but there is a principle involved. We know you won't make ANY move against Habs regardless.

[Tamas]

He is on the opposite end of the table, I can't reach him

[Habbaku]

Count Ivan Simonitch starts his work for Russian interests in Afghanistan, by negotiating new commerce deals.

1) Buy Count Ivan Simonitch, placing 3 rupees on previous cards, receive 2 rupees from the card
2) Play the Count by paying 1 rupee to Mr. Purple in Persia
3) Free action: Commerce with Pandjeh Oasis, taking the 2 rupees from Anarkali Bazaar
4) Free action Commerce with Slave Market, taking 1 rupee from British-Persian Trade

File has been posted

Tamas, you need to purge your tableau.  I didn't watch too carefully during your last play, but you're above your limit.  With no purple stars, the maximum you can have is 3 cards.  You need to select 2 to remove before Berkut plays.

[Habbaku]

Supremacy update since there is another topple on board:

Supremacy for the various regime types:

Military Struggle: No supremacy. 5 Russian armies vs. 5 Afghan/0 British.  No supremacy.
Intelligence War: Russian Supremacy . 10 Russian spies.  3 Afghan/British.  1 Russian road, army, and tribe are on the board.
Political Fragmentation: No supremacy. 4 Russian tribes vs. 2 British/2 Afghan.
Economic Boom: Russian Supremacy.  6 Russian roads vs. 0 British/0 Afghan.  1 Russian army, spy, and tribe are on the board.

Influence totals:

Solmyr: 3 Russian, 1 military star.
Habbaku: 4 Russian, 0 military stars.
Celedhring: 1 Afghan, 2 military stars.
Tamas: 2 Russian, 0 military stars.
Berkut: 1 British, 0 military stars.

[Tamas]

Count Ivan Simonitch starts his work for Russian interests in Afghanistan, by negotiating new commerce deals.

1) Buy Count Ivan Simonitch, placing 3 rupees on previous cards, receive 2 rupees from the card
2) Play the Count by paying 1 rupee to Mr. Purple in Persia
3) Free action: Commerce with Pandjeh Oasis, taking the 2 rupees from Anarkali Bazaar
4) Free action Commerce with Slave Market, taking 1 rupee from British-Persian Trade

File has been posted

Tamas, you need to purge your tableau.  I didn't watch too carefully during your last play, but you're above your limit.  With no purple stars, the maximum you can have is 3 cards.  You need to select 2 to remove before Berkut plays.

Sorry, totally forgot about that!

Corrected move is now uploaded, did it in a way so I don't have to redo my whole move: left the Count in my hand and discarded another excess card from tableau

[Berkut]

So, if I understand the game state now.

We have a topple on board, so if Habs gets up to play, he wins (assuming no change).

Solmyr, who plays before Habs, has no way that I can tell of getting 1 more influence in 1 play such that he could then buy the topple and win.

However, he can certainly buy and play the Orchards card to change to political turmoil, and then buy the topple himself to prevent Habs from winning.

So I can safely just ignore that entire "ZOMG THE GAME WILL END" thing.

I will just try to start chipping away at the overall Russian dominance...

[Berkut]

1. Play Baluchi Smugglers from my hand.
Place Brits roads in Herat-Persia, and Herat-Kandahar
Place cyliner in Herat (Garrison)
2. Play Wheat Fields from my hand
Place Brit roads in Herat-Transcaspian, and Herat-Kabul
3. Free action - Commerce Wheat Fields. Take rupee from British-Persian Trade and The Ark
4. Free Action - Commerce Smugglers. Take two rupees from the Ark

Solmyr, I left the ruppees on the topple card, figuring you should at least get some cash for your troubles.