Eurovision Song Contest Semi Final 2, Part 1

Welcome back to Eurovision, and apologies for the wait! The game for Semi Final 2 starts off with a look at Romania with Ester Peony, Croatia with Roko, Moldova with Anna Odobescu, and North Macedonia (using the mod for Samuel's Bulgaria, with an edited city list) with Tamara Todevska.

Next we see Switzerland with Luca Hänni, Armenia with Srbuk, Ireland with Sarah McTernan, and Denmark with Leonora. Just off the screen is Norway with KEiiNO, which I somehow forgot to screenshot.

Off a bit farther east we have Sweden with John Lundvik.

Farther south, we see Austria with PÆNDA, the Netherlands with Duncan Laurence, Albania with Jonida Maliqi, Azerbaijan with Chingiz, and Latvia with Carousel.

Finally in the southwest we see Russia with Sergey Lazarev, Lithuania with Jurijus, and Malta with Michela.

Apparently I was a bit eager to see how things were going (yea I'm narrating this a good number of weeks after recording). Chingiz is taking his sweet time getting things *just* right.

Srbuk and PÆNDA glare at one another. Or at least they would, if it weren't for the jungle in between them. We can also finally see Norway, and yes I recorded this before the latest Norway mod was released. If Norway does well, perhaps I'll use it in the final!

Meanwhile, a massive area remains open to colonization between Austria and Malta. The Netherlands is there too, but let's be real that mountain range is in the way.

Azerbaijan and Latvia grow much nearer to one another. This can't go well.

Srbuk loses the game of chicken and has to find elsewhere to settle. Meanwhile, everyone else founds their second city.

Russia might want to secure its peninsula soon, to avoid getting boxed in.

The Armenian settler marches northwards toward the North Atlantic clique.

Gyumri is founded right between Yerevan and Dublin, and on a lake. This will be interesting.

Third settlers begin going out, with Romania and Croatia locking down their respective peninsulas

Azerbaijan is getting SQUEEZED.

N-Mac and Moldova work together to settle a vertical line of red .

The Statue of Zeus goes to Romania. Perhaps the neighbors should be wary of little old Ester Peony

Latvia.... decides to go on an adventure. "Screw the Carousel, let's do something crazy!" They venture beyond the Wall, of city-states and mountains.

Jurijus sang about "Running With Lions" but perhaps he should have been more concerned about eagles.

An Austrian army looms on Armenia. Now taking bets on how this will go.

Nobody Likes Switzerland. Probably because Luca got overhyped.

We watch as Yerevan falls in the same turn that Latvia's adventure party founds its city. Jurmala and Gyumri are both in questionably tenable positions, right next to other capital cities.

The Switzerland Hate Train continues, but really the main event is the loss of Winterthur. Perhaps it's Sarah who's "got" Luca.

The North Macedonians join in on the fun, as Norway's first Birkebeiners arrive with their bonuses towards hills, snow, and tundra.

The Swiss Reislaufers are stronger pikemen. And the N-Macedonians are proving to be quite disorganized.

A quick look at the Dutch-Azeri interface, where the Dutch seem to have the upper hand.

The tide turns in the north as the Swiss march on a newly-founded Moldovan city. oops

Ireland's completed Petra! would be nice if they had actual desert owned already.

Malta completes the Great Wall, which should pay off

Peace comes for Switzerland, as the N-Macs give up their second largest city, Tetovo.

The long-simmering Dutch-Azeri tensions have come at last! The Azeris seem to have the upper hand.

Azerbaijan, Ireland, and Croatia top the tech chart.

Armenia FALLS just as Norway unlocks its growth-focused Stave Church. Srbuk really is "Walking Out" of the contention

Roko, I know everyone was on your case for the wing props, but maybe this is overkill

Austria is being threatened at either end, but let's be real, the Irish have the better chance.

Everyone starts unlocking buildings.

Suddenly, a *real* threat arrives for the Austrians. PÆNDA finds her limits.

Would you look at that. N-Macedonia and Norway join on making sure PÆNDA ends in the bottom 3. Though remember, Switzerland still exists, so perhaps this is all bark and no bite.

Gyumri falls to the Irish, shortening the Austrian Line.

Budapest falls to the Maltese, shortening the Austrian Line.

Meanwhile nothing happens in the Netherlands-Azerbaijan peace.

Albania declares war against the Netherlands, aiming for Breda. Shame there are only two mountain passes to go through.

Meanwhile, Russia attacks Romania. Looks to be a tough slog.

Albania builds Alhambra in an effort to better its odds.

The unreinforceable city of Groningen falls to Austria, unsurprisingly. Though the forces could have been better used for defense; that Moldovan army does not look friendly.

Nearly at turn 100 and we see Croatia leading technology.

Switzerland and Malta lead in military, though Switzerland has quite a lead.

Switzerland, Azerbaijan, and Croatia lead in production.

Speak of the devil: the Swiss join the war against Austria! A clear path lies toward Lemberg and Yerevan.

On a side note, Latvia's exclave? colony? grows with the addition of Daugavpils. It's very undefended though, and right on the doorstep of Dublin.

Croatia comes for Lithuania, and Jurijus is not very prepared.

North Macedonia unlock a unique as the Croatians besiege Jurbarkas.

Jurbarkas falls and Roko wrangles Kaunas from a wheezing Jurijus. Running from Croatians must be more exhausting than running with lions.

Knock knock, the Swiss are here! Meanwhile, Malta and the Netherlands duck out of the anti-Austria party.

Azerbaijan thinks that Latvia has a very sound strategy and settles its own colony, Sumqayit.

Having found no success against Romania, the Russians aim for a still-exhausted Lithuania. This won't be a slog.

A return to the southeast where nothing really ended up happening. The Netherlands are not in a good position, though.

The Swiss flip Lemburg back and forth as the Irish join in at Yerevan.

Switzerland founds the World Congress! Fitting, as they founded Eurovision in the first place.

North Macedonia will not like my proposal but oh well.

Lemberg nearly falls at last to the Swiss, but Austria sneaks in a peace deal at the last moment.

What an odd mix of Irish and Danish cities. Leonora and Sarah McTernan have similar vibes, I guess.

Croatia attacks North Macedonia in some Balkan drama but I don't see the dedication. will likely flop just like Roko did in real life.

Albania gets even more defensive with the construction of the Himeji Castle! As if the mountain chains weren't enough.

The Latvians seem to be finally reinforcing those colonies. There is hope yet for North Latvia.

Moldova joins in on the craze with Tighina settled in the middle of Malta. This can't go well.

North Macedonia capitulates to Croatia and gives away Ohrid, which burns. Not something to be "Proud" of.

Moldova storms Lemberg as Yerevan is surrounded by a diverse variety of troops. Things aren't looking good for Austria. Things haven't looked good for Austria ever since they selected PÆNDA in the first place.

On the left, Russia is a turn or two away from eliminating Lithuania. On the right, Ireland takes Yerevan.

Lithuania once again joins Mother Russia.

Moldova threatens Vienna as Swiss troops head in the direction of North Macedonia

The Netherlands are caught between Albania and Azerbaijan and seem to have already given up hope on Breda and Utrecht. That's not what winners do, Duncan.

Malta gives up Budapest in making peace with the Swiss. North Macedonia joins in on the anti-Austria party, but Vienna looks to fall real soon.

The anti-Austria party is a RAGER. I'm not even gonna summarize all the civs that just jumped in.

Vienna predictably falls to Moldova as the Albanians close in to finish the job. Meanwhile, Dutch troops embark on a futile mission to save Utrecht from coercive robot surgery.

Albania and Croatia lead the game in wonders by a fair amount.

Utrecht falls, as expected, but plenty of Dutch troops remain.

On that note, we end part 1. Part 2 to come later this week!