SHELDON

“This was the game that proved the saying, "strategy can't win you the game." You need rolling as well, which I had, for the most part. There was just one terrible turn that ruined the evening and prevented my victory, which all present will agree was assured. I drew three Australian cards off the bat. Sheldon had shuffled the cards. Sheldon attacked me first in the Ukraine then took his card (needless to say, I was last to go). Jason then attacked me in Venezuela and took his cards. In a stunning turn of events, Marty did not attack me, instead, opting to attack Sheldon in the Northwest Territories; even rolling three sixes. For my first turn, I attacked Jason in Papua New Guinea and lost while rolling two men against one. I next turned to attack Sheldon in Siam and I lost two more men. Early on, I attacked Marty in Yakutsk and he rolled a six. Then I attacked Sheldon in Irkutsk and he rolled a six as well. All of these were minor annoyances compared to what happened next. I was ready to clean up the board. Sheldon was tapped out, being the only other player left. I owned half the board and he had had an extra turn. I had a bunch of guys to add and he was at one per territory. What happened next was the most incredible sustained one-dice rolling defence I have ever witnessed. I only wish I had not been on the other side of it. For 17 straight rolls of one die, Sheldon rolled no lower than a four. Needless to say, my forces were devastated, and all my advantages built up through my intelligent gamesmanship were swept away in an instant as I killed only three of his defenders while not breaking into his continents and he took 14 of my soldiers to the grave. To add insult to injury, in a later turn, I only had three men to put on (of course, Sheldon was turning in multiple sets of cannons, while my multiple card sets were, again, mixed). I placed them. I rolled three fours, but Sheldon rolled a five. Then I rolled two fours, but Sheldon also rolled a four. Then I rolled one four to complete my perfect turn of rolling, only to be thwarted and denied a card when Sheldon also rolled a four to defeat me. Suffice it to say, I did not lose this game. I did everything right, but Dame Fortune, for some reason decided to give the game to Sheldon. What can you do, eh?”

“A fine start for the big Pink and Yellow triangle pieces, pulling off most of Australia and South America respectively - but that wasn't me, man. Something spoke to me about the far right stack and the red pieces. Should have ignored that voice. Anyway, slammed down three sixes in my first assault and it was mostly downhill from there. "No easier time than now," Blue remarked, surveying the Red (Me) and Blue positions versus the damn advantageous positions of the other two (bastards). And then somehow, in successive turns, Blue and Yellow forget eight armies between them. Yes, it was the easiest time - and continuing mostly downhill thereafter... Anyway, lots of one, two, three - and various combinations thereof - with these accursed clear dice. Time to retire another set of dice, though I fear the stench of their failure will follow me for games and years to come...”