Are the Turks borked?

[Chernobyl]

ORIGINAL: Tanaka
Great tips thanks! This part still makes me wonder if a Russia first is not always the best option...

It probably still is. A strong attack against France might throw off an opponent who is expecting Russia first or not experienced defending France. But generally speaking I think France is defend-able while Russia, Ottomans, Serbia (and also Italy without any help) are going to die eventually. The winner is whoever causes these "weak" countries to collapse a little earlier.

[OldCrowBalthazor]

ORIGINAL: Chernobyl

ORIGINAL: Tanaka
Great tips thanks! This part still makes me wonder if a Russia first is not always the best option...

It probably still is. A strong attack against France might throw off an opponent who is expecting Russia first or not experienced defending France. But generally speaking I think France is defend-able while Russia, Ottomans, Serbia (and also Italy without any help) are going to die eventually. The winner is whoever causes these "weak" countries to collapse a little earlier.

I finally figured out some long term strategies to deal with a Russia First next time I have to suffer one while playing Entente. Had enough of that biznatch after it became so popular [:D]
Going to keep it under my cap though for the time being. It won't be easy...nor should it.

[Bavre]

You guys should pick ThisEndUps brain on that topic. Last autumn we had two very hair raising matches, both with me as CP doing Russia first + Serbia rush, each of us winning one game. He came up with some very interesting counter strategies [&o] ... and I did some very experimental (=stupid) things too, but that's another story...

[Bavre]

ORIGINAL: Tanaka

ORIGINAL: Bavre

I just remembered another tidbit for Turkish early game: you can savely ingnore all the partisan hexes for over a year. The first ones activate in Nov 15 iirc and there should be an old thread from mdsmall around somewhere about decision events that contains the details.

And about the Balkan push: no matter if you overall go east or west, sending some German troops to help Austria there on turn one is imho the investment with the by far greatest interests CP can make on turn 1. For reasons CP already mentioned I practically consider it mandatory in a Russia first.

Great tips thanks! This part still makes me wonder if a Russia first is not always the best option...

I honestly don't know. I've seen some really scary Schlieffens too in my time, albeit only by extremely experienced players like Dazo or Sigizmund. The Sigizmund match even has an AAR and while I was able to win it in 16 it was only because I was able to catch him on the wrong foot in the east on turn 1, otherwise it would have been a lot closer.