Hi there! I know you will not be inclined to trust me but I am not a fan of attacking Austria immediately as Italy. As such I hope we can work together. I’ll be playing pretty safe until I have a grasp of the board. Have you heard from anyone yet? Hello Italy.  I would be fine with being friendly.  How would you suggest we prove said friendliness to each other?  I am on the late side of messaging so I have received a few messages. I will hold Ven, I’m assuming you would hold Tri. If you trust me enough to move out of Tri then I’d move out of Ven when I see it in the fall. But that takes trust on your part. What have you heard from Russia and Turkey? not much from Russia.  I am currently speaking with Turkey Let me know how those go, are you negotiating the Balkans? trying to figure out how to deal with all of that yes if we are to be at peace, i would suggest Tyr remains a neutral territory between the two of us.  If you move there I will assume you do not have the friendliest of intents. That sounds great to me, agreed. agreed Has there been any discussion over Gre? we haven't... I am planning to take Greece. you should take Tunis.  Any thoughts on next season and how we can work together? Not yet, are you and russia on good enough terms that you feel comfortable? so far.  we kept Gal neutral which is as we discussed.  So, so far seems fine. I’m fine with holding our armies at Ven and Tri as long as you want since I’m more sea based, however i feel like you will want to move out of there at some point. Do you want to try and resolve that? I am open to your ideas.  If we sit forever we are just wasting a units movement I need my build this season, so vacating Ven and trusting you to not take it is too big of a risk for me. Right now you could stab me without any consequence to yourself, so I have to view me having Ven as a protection against that. You may have a different opinion, but I don’t see you as being in the same boat. Even if you vacate Tri and I take it (which I won’t) you would still get a build and I would end up being stuck fighting you without much momentum. So I propose that you move out of Tri first and when I see that you can’t take Ven, then I will move out of Ven. I realize this is a risk for you so if you have a counter plan or just don’t like the idea I understand. I will think on this.  Regardless I will not attack Ven And I will not attack Tri I appreciate the trust, however we will be stuck in the same position assuming you build back into Tri Would you like to coordinate an attack on turkey for this year? I am open to your ideas, though I would prefer trying to find a way to work against France though I need to think of ideas on that.  Let me know what your idea is and we can go from there, meanwhile I will also try to think of ideas Russia is planning on supporting Germany against France and England, if you did so as well that would slow them down. You could use your two Balkan units to help us against Turkey. We could get you Bul and help you keep it. I have some ideas for move combinations if you agree What makes you worried about France? well.. neither France nor England went into the English Channel.  That leads me to believe they are working together.  So, if that is correct there are only 2 directions for france to go.  through germany  or south through you. Gotcha, would you be interested in coordinating an attack on Turkey? what do you suggest.  also what did you think about what I said about France ? France has messaged me to tell me that there is tension that he think he has diffused with you.  I have played this game enough to not believe him. as I said, why would he leave you alone.  his placement seems certain that he is friendly with England.  I guess we will see after spring, but I would be careful there Yeah France and I are in negotiations that I hope are genuine, but I will be playing cautious.  I do not trust France at all, and if what they told me is true then England is wearing the pants in their alliance. Russia has a solid plan to hurt Turkey, it’s gonna take some trust on your part though. We need you to hold off on taking Bul. If you feel like you need to take it though then go for it. It looks like turkey and Russia are allied... to the detriment of turkey... they didn't want to listen and they put themselves in such a bad space.  I think the person playing Turkey does not understand this game.  I gave them a solid plan and instead they gave up the black sea... o well. How do you want to handle the situation? im not sure.  meanwhile I warned you about France and he has moved his fleet into Gold of Lyo... what do you think he is doing with that fleet? it cant be to help you. ug.. this is a mess now in the south do you want me to support your fleet into the agean? also.. if i were you you should send your army in tunis up to tuscany.  he will probably try to take pie this turn Yeah that support would be good Also France and I agreed to that move because we were in negotiations, now negotiating him out. You might be able to get a free SC at Warsaw, I guess you could just overpower Rum too he doesn’t have much to defend against you I hope you are right with France.  I will support your fleet into AEG should you chose to go there I’d be willing to negotiate a cease fire