Well, well well. Another galactic cycle has passed and with it the
shattered hopes and dreams of many a sentient species.
The map, as always, is available at:
http://www.onesite.org/observer/request.php3?judge=USIN&gamename=brinl1
The new line-up:
Earthclan/England: 7 centers, a gain of 1.
Tandu/Turkey: 6 centers, a gain of 2.
Tytlal/Austria: 6 centers, no net change.
Thennanin/Italy: 5 centers, no net change.
Jophur/France: 4 centers, no net change.
Gubru/Germany: 4 centers, no net change.
Soro/Russia: 2 centers, a loss of 3!
Huge change this year.
The Soro are all but extirminated. They were doing fine last year but
somehow the insane Tandu assault succeed against all odds. And since
the Tandu suicide attack managed to grab two supply centers, they were
able to make themselves safe against the Tytlal and Thennanin who were
hoping to profit from the vendetta. This librarian is frankly amazed.
The Tandu are now secure against attack. But those last two Soro units
will be tough to get to. The Tandu must guard their home sectors,
leaving only two units to continue the assault. Unless they can enlist
Earthclan I don't know if they can even take one of the Soro's
remaining centers.
So the only option for the Soro is to indenture themselves to Earthclan
or perhaps the Gubru or Tytlal. A humiliating prospect for such a
proud Patron clan, but what other alternative is there? They must now
beg for help. Their only consolation is that the other clans are too
busy to take the time to wipe them out and the Tandu are too
overextended. With skillful diplomacy they might last longer than one
more year.
But now that the Tandu are not vulnerable the Tytlal/Thennanin
truce/mutual understanding must now fracture. The Tytlal have a fleet
poised to grab either Tunis or Naples next turn. I don't see how they
can pass it up, especially since relief is two moves away. The Tytlal
also have a fleet ready to move into the Adriatic and could convoy
troops at will into the peninsula. The Thennanin must be oozing mucus
bullets right now.
They had hoped to grab some of the crubling Tandu hive, but now that
dream has been dashed and their dorsal surface is exposed for a Tytlal
stab. Their border war against the Jophur must be put on hold while
they beef up their defenses. Perhaps they won't lose too much to the
tricksy Tytlal, but a loss of even one center is disasterous.
And the Gubru seem to be ready to take back Munich. This librarian
can't understand why it's taken so long, but finally the Gubru are in
position to reclaim their home sector. Their Swedish fleet is
isolated, but perhaps Earthclan is too preoccupied to claim it. In any
case, the Gubru can congratulate themselves for making it through this
cycle without disaster.
Finally, the Earthclan/Jophur war. Very interesting...trading Brest
and Paris. The Jophur are holding their own, and the Thennanin must
retreat. But Earthclan is getting stronger. The build of a fleet in
Liverpool can only mean one thing...an attack from the Mid-Atlantic.
That extra fleet will give Earthclan the leverage to slowly crush the
Jophur. Even with currently engaged forces Earthclan will have no
trouble taking back Brest, although doing so means Paris goes back to
the Jophur. But Earthclan also has to worry about the Gubru...will
they overcome their cautious nature and peck Earth in the back? They
surely will if Earthclan takes the exposed Sweden system, a juicy fat
target. But is it worth enraging the Gubru over?
But the initiative is held by Earthclan. All the Jophur can do is
parry their attacks and attempt to hold what they have. A full blown
Jophur/Thennanin or Jophur/Gubru alliance would turn the tide, but how
can that be arranged? Those powers are just as likely to ally with
Earthclan to carve up Jophur space as to defend the Jophur. But still,
the Jophur can be thankful to make it through this cycle without
losses.
Well, that's this years Brin-L Cluster library report. The Soro on the
ropes, the Tandu recovered, and the Earthclan slowly gathering strength
were the top stories of this cycle. But what will the future hold?
Only the Progenitors know, and they're not telling.
=====
Darryl
Think Galactically -- Act Terrestrially
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