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Ah, gay Paris, the City of Light, the biggest tourist destination in the world. Home of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, l'Arch de Triomphe, the Louvre, Le Sacre-Couer, the Moulin Rouge, and hundreds of excellent restaurants and clubs. The home of Louis XIV, Napoleon, and thousands of American expatriates. The center of the civilized world in times past. As Bogey said in "Casablanca", "We'll always have Paris." For the Diplomacy Player, Paris is a vital center in the fight for France. A French player can lose Marseilles or Brest without it spelling disaster for his prospects. But the loss of Paris, especially early in the game, is a disaster. Paris influences Brest, Picardy, Burgundy, and Gascony. It is the heart of the French position. A German player who is a reasonable diplomat could be quite happy to "only get Paris" if involved in a division of France. From Paris, Germany could strike at Brest or move southward against Spain and Marseilles. English possession of Paris is a sign of dominance over things north and west. There are nine non-English coastal centers north of Spain. An England who has been allowed to capture all of them will often move against Paris as part of a solo bid. On the other hand, an England with too many fleets will have great difficulty capturing Paris. An Italian Paris is a sign that the west has fallen completely. It is a sign that Italy has turned the corner past the MAO mini-stalemate line and is in the process of routing England or Germany. Austria may sneak into Paris, especially if he has wandered through Munich. This would be a development all other players should worry about. If Russia or Turkey takes Paris, the game is over. Paris is often the last bastion of the west against eastern alliances. Shrewd players declining in strength should head for Paris (even in preference to Portugal, the usual "hide and wait" place) if they wish to have influence over the end game.
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