Western Stalemate Positions

Eric Verheiden

Stalemate positions in the West without the Northern sea-going opposition are explored in some detail in John Beshera's "Fundamental Stalemate Positions, I" and "II" in Wazir #3 and 4, and Robert Lipton's "A Series of Progressive Northern Stalemate Positions" in Graustark #268. However, Western positions with Northern sea-going opposition were not seriously discussed previously and these are presented here.

In all of the positions examined, the West owns a minimum of England, France, Iberia (Spain and Portugal), the Low Countries (Belgium and Holland), Denmark and Norway. In some instances, Sweden, St. Petersburg and all or part of Germany is owned and in the course of the treatment it is necessary to expand as far East as Tunis and Italy. When permitted by the rules, any of the opposing spaces may be occupied by enemy fleets. Essentially, only minimal positions are presented.

Position 1: Enemy holds StP

Centers:

England, France, Germany, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia. (16)

Units:

A Ber, A Bur, A Fin, A Kie, A Mar, A Mun, A Nwy, A Ruh, A Spa, F Bal, F Bar, F Den, F Mid, F NAf, F Swe, F Wes. (16)

Orders:

A Nwy S Fin, F Den S Bal, F Swe S Bal, A Kie S Ber, A Ruh S Mun, A Bur S Mun, A Spa S Mar, F Mid S Wes, F NAf S Wes.

If there is no danger from a fleet on the North Coast of St. Petersburg, either actual or potential, then the position may be further reduced by removing F Bar, F Wes, F NAf and adding F Bre, A Gas, A Por. The orders for the new units are: F Bre S Mid, A Gas S Mar, A Por S Spa.

Position 2: Enemy holds Ber

Centers:

England, France, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Kie, Mun, StP. (16)

Units:

A Bur, A Gas, A Kie, A Mar, A Mun, A Nwy, A Por, A Ruh, A Spa, A StP, F Bal, F Bot, F Bre, F Den, F Mid. (15)

Orders:

A Nwy S StP, F Bot S Bal, F Den S Bal, A Kie S Mun, A Ruh S Mun, A Bur S Mun, A Gas S Mar, A Por S Spa, F Bre S Mid.

Position 3: Enemy holds Ber and Bot

Centers:

England, France, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Kie, Mun, StP. (16)

Units:

A Bur, A Fin, A Gas, A Kie, A Mar, A Mun, A Nwy, A Ruh, A StP, F Bal, F Bar, F Den, F NAf, F Spa(sc), F Swe, F Wes. (16)

Orders:

A StP-Lvn, A Nwy-StP, F Bar S Nwy-StP, A Fin S Nwy-StP, F Swe S Bal, F Den S Bal, A Ruh S Mun, A Bur S Mun, A Gas S Mar, F Spa S Wes, F NAt S Wes, A Kie*

*When the enemy has F Ber, Kiel must attack Berlin to prevent F Bal from being dislodged. When the enemy has A Ber, Kiel supports A Mun.

Position 4: Enemy holds Ber and Mun

Centers:

England, France, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Kie, StP. (15)

Units:

A Bur, A Den, A Fin, A Gas, A Kie, A Mar, A Nwy, A Por, A Ruh, A Spa, A StP, A Swe, F Bre, F Mid, F Ska. (15)

Orders:

A Fin S StP, A Nwy S StP, F Ska S Swe, A Den S Kie, A Ruh S Kie, A Gas S Mar, A Por S Spa, F Bre S Mid.

Position 5: Enemy holds Germany

Centers:

England, France, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia, StP, Tun. (15)

Units:

A Bur, A Den, A Fin, A Hol, A NAf, A Nwy, A Ruh, A StP, A Swe, A Tun, F Hel, F Lyo, F Mar, F Ska, F Wes. (15)

Orders:

A Fin S StP, A Nwy S StP, F Ska S Swe, F Hel S Den, A Hol S Ruh, F Mar S Lyo, F Wes S Lyo, A NAf S Tun.

Position 6: Enemy holds Ber, Mun and StP

Centers:

England, France, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Kie. (14)

Units:

A Bur, A Den, A Gas, A Hol, A Kie, A Mar, A Nwy, A Ruh, A Swe, F Bar, F NAf, F Ska, F Spa(sc), F Wes. (14)

Orders:

F Bar S Nwy, F Ska S Swe, A Den S Swe, A Hol S Kie, A Ruh S Kie, A Gas S Mar, F NAf S Wes, F Spa S Wes.

To withstand the loss of the Barents Sea remove F Bar, A Gas, A Mar, F Spa, F NAf and add F Nwg, F Nth, F Mar, F Lyo, A NAf and A Tun. The orders for the new units are: F Nwg S Nwy, F Nth S Nwy, F Mar S Lyo, F Wes S Lyo, A NAf S Tun. This new position requires an additional center, Tunis, for a total of 15.

Position 7: Enemy holds Ber, Mun, StP and Swe

Centers:

England, France, Iberia, Low Countries, Den, Kie, Nwy, Tun. (14)

Units:

A Bur, A Den, A Hol, A Kie, A NAf, A Nwy, A Ruh, A Tun, F Bar, F Hel, F Lyo, F Mar, F Ska, F Wes. (14)

Orders:

F Bar S Nwy, F Ska S Nwy, F Hel S Den, A Hol S Kie, A Ruh S Kie, F Mar S Lyo, F Wes S Lyo, A NAf S Tun.

To withstand the loss of the Barents Sea here, expansion into Italy is required, adding three additional centers for a total of 17. Remove F Bar, F Mar, F Lyo, F Wes, A NAf, and add F Nwg, F Nth, A Pie, A Ven, A Tus, A Rom, A Nap and F TyS. The orders for the new units are: F Nwg S Nwy, F Nth S Nwy, A Pie S Ven, A Tus S Ven, A Rom S Ven, F TyS S Nap.

Position 8: Enemy holds Germany and StP

Centers:

England, France, Italy, Iberia, Low Countries, Scandinavia, Tun. (17)

Units:

A Bur, A Den, A Fin, A Hol, A Nap, A Nwy, A Pie, A Rom, A Ruh, A Swe, A Tun, A Tus, A Ven, F Bar, F Hel, F Ska, F TyS. (17)

Orders:

A Nwy S Fin, F Ska S Swe, F Hel S Den, A Hol S Ruh, A Pie S Ven, A Tus S Ven, A Rom S Ven, F TyS S Nap.

If there is no danger from a fleet on the North Coast of StP, either potential or actual, then the position may be further reduced by removing F Bar, A Pie, A Ven, A Tus, A Rom, A Nap and F TyS and adding F Mar, F Lyo, F Wes and A NAf. The orders for the new units are: F Mar S Lyo, F Wes S Lyo, A NAf S Tun. This new position holds with three fewer centers for a total of 14 and does not require extension into Italy.

Position 9: Enemy holds Germany, StP and Sweden

Centers:

England, France, Italy, Iberia, Den, Nwy, Tun, Low Countries. (16)

Units:

A Bur, A Den, A Hol, A Nap, A Nwy, A Pie, A Rom, A Ruh, A Tun, A Tus, A Ven, F Bar, F Hel, F Nth, F Ska, F TyS. (16)

Orders:

F Bar S Nwy, F Ska S Nwy, F Nth S Den, F Hel S Den, A Hol S Ruh, A Pie S Ven, A Tus S Ven, A Rom S Ven, F TyS S Nap.