THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
Russia is about the only country that can attract 4 powers to attack her in 1901-02 with any degree of regularity. The mass jump on Russia is often driven by personality factors as well as the simple desire to crush someone early. Critical to speed in the south is the failure of the Russians to stand out the Turks in the Black Sea. Failure to stand off in Galicia against the Austrians will also contribute to a massive down turn in Russian survival chances. When Russia dies early in a game it is usually from this sort of opening:
Spring 1901:
Turkey: A Smyrna-Arm, F Ankara-Black, A Con-Bulgaria
Austria: A Vienna-Galicia, A Budapest-Serbia
Germany: F Kiel-Denmark
England: A Liverpool-Edi, F Edi-Norwegian
Fall 1901:
Turkey: A Arm-Sev, F Black Support A Arm-Sev, Army Bul-Rum (or Supports Austrians there)
Austria: A Galicia-Rumania or Ukraine, A Serbia Support Turkish A Bulgaria-Rumania
Germany: F Denmark-Sweden
England: Convoy Army Edi to Norway, Fleet Norwegian to Barents
These moves may keep the Russians from having any builds in the first year and will attract the Vulture in the English if nothing else. In the Spring of 02 the Doom Ring is assembled as the English slip an army into St Petersburg and back it up by a fleet in the Barents, the Germans move armies to Silesia and Prussia, the Turks and the Austrians should have Rumania and Sevastapol and the only question is who gets Moscow. A sad fate for the Russians but a common enough one.