[Fakeymcfake]

I actually technically won my first game online. Played MA Pan like it was MA Ulm, took over half the map but the game was called because it was at more or less a stalemate between me and a coalition of 3 smaller nations.

Not something I'd consider an actual 'win' especially considering what an atrocious amount of mistakes I made in the course of it.

As for getting knocked out early, in big games like this that can happen to anyone as people jockey for position, form snap alliances, or get crippled by one or two poorly timed random events at a critical moment.