This game involved two Round E contenders, with all warlords
well-ranked.  It had all the makings of a hard-fought game.  Would it end
in stalemate?  Would the high-ranking Warlords team up like in so many
games and attack the weaker warlords, splitting t he map in the end? 

King Chu of Formosa (8)  -- Red
Magnus (31) - Green
Wolfgang (52) - Blue
Duke of Death (15) -- Black

Filthy McNasty and the Lost Cause(Green) got off to a fine, if
unintimidating start on what would prove to be an inspired roleplay for
the first few turns of the game: 

> Still, the idea was sound. No more fighting; the Cause had 
> lost more wars than any survivor cared to count. It was 
> much better to profit on the ongoing wars instead - and 
> what could be a more desirable product than single malts 
> from the higlands of Aerolandia? Clear water, high 
> mountains, cheap labour...

Red and Black each hire two heroes, while Green and Blue eschew the
expense.  As explained by Green: 

> A new hero, Godot, was supposed to show up today.
> 
> Filthy sent three Lost Riders out to meet him, Vladimir,
> Estragon and  Beckett.
>
> The new hero did not turn up, but Vladimir and Estragon are still 
> waiting for Godot. Beckett disappeared. He told his friends that he
> wanted to be a writer and that he had got a great idea for an absurd
> comedy. Whatever will become of the lad?

By turn 3 Red and Black have a slight lead in cities, with 12 and 13
respecively, to 9 for the others.

Green's diplomacy and turn reports continue to be spectacular, though it
is more the tone than particular quotable incidents.  All should read
these early gems.

Black agrees to a border with Green by killing a Green dwarf.

On Turn 4 Red steals Blue's southern gold!  Neither Green nor Blue bought
second heroes, and they would both pay more than the saved funds in gold
ruins that went unsearched.  Blue does, however, profit from the griffins
he bought, by killing the red hero on the next turn. 

Red proposes an alliance with Black. 

Green is annoyed at Black for killing his dwarf:

> "-He is a psycho, that Duke!"
>
> "-Yes, so his ex-wife says, too; unfortunately psychiatry is so
> undeveloped today that the only known cure for diseases of the mind is
> beheading"

But, in the realpolitik world of Warlords, Green decides to accept what
has been done and agrees to Black's terms. 

Blue kills the Red demon and spider in one city, and the sacrificed red
hero in a ruin.  It appears that the weakest player in the game is beating
up on the strongest!  Will Red be able to hold? 

In a move sure to be debated in the World Court, Black decides to break
his newly formed alliance with Green and ally with Red instead! Black
begins the hostilities by killing the Green demon and taunting him with
the threat of stealing Green's gold next turn. 

On turn 6, after a stellar attack on Red, Blue makes a mistake and loses
his only hero.  So much for the little guy running away with the prize. 
After this, it is all downhill for the once-promising Blue and his Green
ally. 

On turn 7, Green finally goes missing after a number of almost-skipped
turns.  This leaves his hero open to attack by Black, and his fate is
sealed.  The Duke of Death destroys Green on Turn 8. 

Blue makes the standard, prophetic plea, but it goes unheard:

> King Chu,
> Are you sure that you don't want to become allies against Black, Who
> will surely wipe us both out if we don't join forces?

On turn 9, Red rejects Blue's pleas and fights him, asking Black to
declare war before attacking, figuring that would give him a few moves to
prepare.  Black declares war for turn 10! 
 
On Turn 10 it appears that Red and Blue might just be able to hold out
against the Black assault.  Blue has a hero again and they are cooperating
and preparing well for battle.  Unfortunately for the new alliance, turn
11 is disasterous for Blue.  Lots of fighting goes on, and blue's last
city is eliminated on turn 15 in a five-battle assault.

On turn 19, Red is eliminated by a Hero stack including 6 griffins - total
attacking stack strength of 101, against a devensive stack of strength
123!  (No cancel units or elephants were involved).  Could this be the
most powerful single battle fought this round with the attacker winning? 

What a surprise ending!  The second-ranked player not only holding his own
against one ranked in the top 10, or getting in a minor win, even, but
taking over the entire map on turn 19!  Were it not for a couple key
mistakes, this could have been a very different game.  Though short in
roleplay, this one was long in excitement.