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| Issue 7 | Feb 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The contents for this issue are:
How did you all enjoy your extended deadlines? I completely forgot about everything for December, since there were a lot of other things that took my attention. We finished work on the 20th of December, and I used a bit of holiday so that I did not go back until 9th Jan '97. This should be almost an eternity, and I should have oodles of spare time, but things never turn out as expected. As usual I did my Christmas shopping on the morning of the 24th, and this time I was organised enough to work out in advance what I was getting people, and so I had finished before 11am. Some people get there stuff in August or September - where is the fun in that? The days immediately after Christmas Day including the weekend were spent gaming. Since my brother visiting it was possible to play some four player board games with four, which absorbed all the time after Christmas until Monday morning. One game that is on everyones favourite five is Settlers, so several games of this were played (don't you find it amazing how people can play this time and time again - even game after game! At ManorCon last year people (including myself) were spending alot of time playing Siedler, often seven games in a row! This was also true of StabCon '97, though I only played one game). I had recently bought Entdecker and Marracash and so wanted to play these a couple of times prior to stabcon to get used to the rules. Both of these games are good and easy to pick up during the first game. Entdecker is a "discovery game" where each player on his/her turn pays for a voyage into unknown seas, if land is discovered they can either stop and build something or continue on for another square (depending how much they have paid in advance). When Islands are completely discovered Victory Points are awarded to players settled on the island, dependent on the islands size and the relative (to other players on the island) value of their settlement. Marracash is a game based around a bazaar. You play an owner of shops, and can buy shops as they are auctioned (you can auction an unoccupied shop as part of your turn). The shops come in different colours, so different players can own shops of the same colour. Visitors (of the same colours as the shops) enter the city in groups, and you can move these groups between fountains placed around the city as part of your go. If a visitor passes an owned shop of the same colour they enter the shop (and stay for the remainder of the game) and spend an amount of money proportional to the number of visitors already in the shop. If you move visitors into your shop you get the money, if you move them into someone elses shop they get the money but you get paid a bonus out of that (eg visitors spend 100 if they're the first and 200 if second, and if you put two visitors into an unoccupied shop, that player gets 300, but pays you 100 (50 each visitor) out of it. Similarly since the 3rd visitor spends 300, if you move the 2nd and 3rd visitor into someone else's shop in one go they get 500, out of which you get 200. Now before you get all excited these are the two most profitable situations, you get a maximum of 100 per visitor "bonus" and a visitor spends a maximum of 500, so moving a 5th and 6th visitor into someone elses shop still nets you 200, but them 800 [1000 minus 200]. Similarly putting a 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th visitor in someone elses shop will ensure you are not winning, thoufgh will most likely mean the other player will become your best friend (since they've just got 1600!). From Monday I started my post Christmas festivities that continued well into 1997. These were spent in Snowy Sheffield { I would normally have said 'sunny sheffield' except that it snowed a lot } where although frosty prior to New Years Eve, things soon changed. I tend to celebrate New Years Eve more than Christmas, in that Christmas is for "families and loved ones", and New Years is time with friends. This has often proved memorable, such as the time four of us were going to Nottingham and the coaches were missing, and the time we got on a bands guest list for their New Years appearance. This time seven or eight of us were going out around Sheffield, and the snow of New Years eve was causing many taxis to cancel, and we were trying for a minibus. We got one to go out but he was not operating later, due to the amount of snow forcast. Okay it ended up being four inches, but it was a fun night. After clearing my car of the snow on New Years Day, and ferrying people about, it got covered again the next night with another four inches. So the next day we started building a snowman - for the kid, and then ended up in a snowball fight with the local kids - two twenty-odd year olds and four pre-teens firing for dear life. The snowman was finished sometime, err the next day - five foot tall with a proper round body. Going home on Friday meant that I was now into StabCon weekend, but I'll leave that until later.
Well I am hoping, a week to the deadline, that this issue includes the rules for some Diplomacy variants, just to wet your appetites. As well you will find some sections of chat - such as my non-technical review of StabCon (I could do a very factual review, but to me these type are mainly only of interest to those who have attended (either that one or previous ones - thus I'll stick to my 'interpreted' tales). I am never too sure how large the zine is going to be until after the deadline, but it seems the zine will be getting larger. I am ready for the launch of Zealot, though there is little point until some games appear for it. ( Zealot has a longer turn around time to allow games that would not be able to keep up with my quick deadlines to be played. This will be hand adjudicated games, either being run by me, or by external GM's). So if you fancy trying you hand at GMing, either a variant of Diplomacy, or some other game that you like, then drop me a line. This then brings me on to the, often, unpopular subject of pricing. Since I am often bridging the postal boundary (which lies somewhere around 11 A4 pages plus staple and envelope), then I may either adopt a scale of prices, or change to a excluding postage price (e.g. 60p plus P&P) - or both! How about a price per word??).
Cheers
Nic
This event took place 3-5th Jan, and it was my intention to get there in the early afternoon on the Friday, but this did not go exactly as planned as the New Year festivities spilled over onto the Friday! Getting home for 4pm, it was either a quick pack and rush off or a rest and an early start the next morning - I chose the latter, which gave me time to decide what games to take. This would be my first winter Stabcon (since my first Stabcon was the one last July), and the first time driving solo to Manchester. Driving to that abyss that comprises of Manchester is a relatively easy task, just pop straight onto the M62 and remember not to turn off at Bradford (the pull of work even on a Saturday is sometimes immense!) The problem is reaching the venue, preferably without going into the city centre. StabCon takes place in one of the University Halls to the south of the city and my road atlas clearly shows I can get to it by taking a couple of A-roads from the motorway. Finding the first A-road was relatively simple - you just follow the signs on the motorway, and off I polled, quite releaved to get away from the rush hour traffic (okay, so it's a Saturday, but someone obviously forgot to tell everyone else this!) It was packed and at times the traffic slowed to a crawl - there is a big intersection between traffic flow and mathematics that describes why this happens. I'm not going to spew it out here because, err, I cannot remember it! - It is something along the lines of proportional to the number of cars in a mile and the reaction time of drivers; someone presses their brake, albeit slightly, and the person behind presses it for longer, to get back to a safe (in their eyes!!) distance. This then repeats down the line, each driver taking slightly longer than the one in front and pressing the brake slightly harder, until you start stopping. It does not stop here as then the time stopped get longer. Hmm, I wonder - if there were enough cars on a long enough road would it be possible for a young driver to join the queue and then die of old age before getting to the next junction? The first A-road was quite busy, clearly people heading into the centre, something you could tell from the signposts which usually said things like "Manchester X miles". After a while a grim aura started seeping into the air and all signposts disapeared. I carried on, eyes peeled, doors locked, scouting the junctions for the tell tale sign "quick exit out-a here". I saw a signpost for a road leading to the A57, which I took as according to my map was the road I wanted. I carried on down this for a while and then took a turning labled "city centre", which should be about right. Trundling on towards town I was looking for a street name of one of the major roads on the, err, close up map (eg here is where StabCon is and heres a couple of big roads around it). I found one!! Clicking on the indicator and turning the wheel, I must now be on the home stretch. Well, this road was parallel to the one I wanted, with no clear indication of getting onto the right one. Add to this the approaching "one-way" street, or more appropriately "not this way" street I took a right. Eyes peeled once more (now the size of pin heads from all that peeling) looking for the all important left turn, I ventured onwards maintaining a reasonable speed, something you need to do if you are followed by a line of traffic who think speed limit signs are refering to the minimum speed. Then there it appears the name of a street I recognise, now I am truely on the home stretch. Then there it appear, the Hall, and all is now straight forward. It is now 11am and I arrive for booking in. The place is packed, much more so than last time and after booking in I saunter off to my room to drop off my stuff. The number on the key did not relate to the number on the door, and although I must have been told which room I had, I obviously not been paying attention. I had gone to the car on the way to the room to get my stuff so I could either drag it all back and ask what room I was in, or try a few locks. I was certain it was fourty "something" so I decided on the latter. I started at 42, didn't fit, 41, 40, 49,... (they're on one corridor), and finally 43, which turned! The room was, sparse, there's a good word for it. The desk, wardrobe, and bed had obviously decided not to have anything to do with each other and that there had obviously been some mix up over the delivery and the rest of their matching furniture was elsewhere (probably the other rooms!!). Since on past form I would most likely be spending little time in there the layout was quite irrelivant. So off I popped to the games hall, box o' games in hand. By this time practically everyone were already involved in games. I saw one person standing around, and asked if they wanted to play a board game. We were now two looking for another two to play Entdecker. There was no-one around, so I proffered the Settlers Card Game, and went about explaining the rules. Although it is only a two player game it takes a lot of room as you expand your towns. The game generated some interest, as no-one else had seen the game, and only a few knew of its existence. After playing the game for almost two hours, we were both very close to winning with three people staying to watch (as opposed to the rest who after a while had returned to their games), we decided to declare the game a draw (what wimps!) since the others were interested in playing Settlers. There were five of us and after aquiring a sixth we started playing Settlers with the expansion set. One good aspect of these 'cons' is meeting new faces. I had not met any of the other players around the board prior to today. After a game or two it was getting on for 6pm, and a couple left for something to eat - time to whip out the Marracash. At this time I thought I was the only one to bring a copy, but later on I find someone else with a copy. The beauty I find with german games is that the rules can be easily explained, and if you are not too sure, you understand the rules once you play the game the first time. It is not that they are simple as they tend to involve abstract strategies that require some thinking about, and this is their appeal. The evening continued with different games, sometimes with different people until well after midnight, by which time I was exhausted and glad to crawl to my bed. Sunday morning was well under way by the time I entered the hall at some time after nine. I got into a game of Medici, something I had not played before, but like many german games was easy to pick up. After than I played Entdecker, then agin with some other people who had been watching, and finally a third time (or was there a fourth game - it's all sort of merged, though at least it gives you chance to get your explanation of the rules off to a pattern). The final game involved Martin Burroughs who kindly then proffered a game of 'demarrage' the cycling game. This involves a course with a hill, that has movement penalties climbing up and movement bonuses going down. You throw dice for your riders, and have a limited number of cards that you can use instead of the roll. After this things were winding down - well some people were leaving though others were still going full strength. After a final game of some chess like game involving dice with Martin (neither of us chess players - a game to me like cigarettes, something you dabble with in your early teens only to give up when reality sets in.), but it was entertaining, probably not soething I could have said if I was playing against someone who had planned twelve million moves ahead. There is a question for you - when you are playing Diplomacy, do you plan your moves for the next five years, or play a move and sod the consequences? After that I decided it was getting on for time to leave, I packed the car and went back in to say bye. I had a word with Michelle (one of the organisers). I found out that the winter stabcons tend to be bigger than the summer ones, and that this one had been bigger than previous ones. Okay sold me, so I have booked in for the next one. see some of you there. Wait, before you go off to make coffee the tale is not over, there is still the trip home. Hmm, only about.... 8 lines okay lets make this compact, but not too compact, no "I set off and arrived home 1.75469 hours later". Well, travelling out is far easier than getting there since you just head towards the centre but deviate onto the M62. This is what happened, sort of... I went past the junction I wanted, since it was labled with some 'A' road, but managed to get on the M62 westwards towards Liverpool! I just had to take the next junction of, go round the roundabout, and then I was back on direction. Everything then on went fine. The end. Wow it just fits.
Chetan Radia, Stanmore.
I'm not entirely sure what the furore for Intimate Diplomacy is about - Treachery, me thinks? I'm not sure if it's a good idea or not, but won't find out properly till I've had a go at playing the game. I'm also trying to get a game going without it in another zine and will let you know what I think. By the way, fancy a non-aggression pact in our game?!
NC: Please do let me know your opinions on the two versions, maybe I should do the same and then we can both put them in mini-articles for a future issue. I have never played Intimate before, and originally told Simon to put my name down if he needed to fill a game. Didn't think that one out too thouroughly did I - you only need one name on the list before I'm called in to fill it. Still I think Simon's doing well, only one more required to complete the entrants in the first leg of the tournament (unless of course that one gets filled by the time I am sent the flyers for this issue - then again I could easily edit this part once I receive the flyers - but that's no fun!). If I've got the rules right then, okay a pact, and I'll even support you into Brest and Kiel. No, no don't go rushing for your set of rules, its beneficial to you, trust me (*fakes a Dave "me, devious???" Horton smile*).
What do you think about quantum computers? Given their potential power, codes such as PGP would be quick and easy to break, once a quantum computer (that works!) could be built. Maybe one already exists. Perhaps it's in Langley, Virginia? Nothing is safe (I'm not a conspiracy theorist - honest!)
NC: They would reduce the time required to break the code, but PGP is still "pretty good", and it would still take a long time. The thing that annoys me about PGP is the time it takes to implement - still if you are using it for communications between two PGP users, and you require the privacy then the amont of time is irrelivant. Most things whizzing around the internet are uncoded and can be read by anyone - though who would want to intercept "letters to granny".
I found the articles on Turkey quite interesting - though I felt that they were a little over optimistic in their aims. I suppose it all depends on the experience of the opposition. NC: This is probably true of most articles, and so the idea was to give you a cross section of views. I guess the secret is to match the article to the game, ie which article best describes the way my game is going. Okay people would like to follow an article in a game, but that depends on the other players - if your game starts to deviate, then find a different article. I would think that most articles are based on a players games, which depends on both the players themselves and the quality of the opposition. That said it is possible to follow the ideas behind an article to get a good (or the desired) result. If you take Germany, for instance, I usually have a bad time with this country, obviously choosing the wrong strategy. The first time I played this I was under attack on both sides and by Spring 1903 I was down to my last unit (if my memory serves me right), to go out soon afterwards. In following games I tended to play Russia or Turkey, but went after articles on Germany for the next time. In the game Bergerac (still ongoing - and was played in the zine Meglomania) I was Germany and wanted to work to a particular article. The idea behind this article was to keep France and England warring, grab three centres in 1901 and then head east into Russia. So by W1901 I was on six units, with England and France unsure of each other. Not to go into much detail (as two of the players still in the game trade with me!), I went to take out Russia, now turning west I am battling France, and we're down to five players. Still things could happen in this game, so the less said the better!
As for whether all the articles should be included in one issue or spread out, I prefer the latter. Perhaps a discussion (or debate!) on a particular country or opening would be 'better'? For example, from my experience, not many people adopt the 'Edinburgh variant' as England, was wondering why? It can be risky, though one can gain more - especially if none of the powers are allied and / or not willing to commit themselves to a line of action. I'd be interested to know what other people think.
NC: The debate idea is one I toyed with when "Gentle.." was in the launch stages, but mainly got negative feedback. That said I think the zine now has a completely different audience, judging from the feedback of your letters. So the debate starts next issue (hopefully I will remember to put an announcement on the back cover). PLease send your comments on playing England (something I have not done yet!) and especially on the "Churchill Opening". To w-het your appetites here is an excerpt from the Player's Guide.
"This is England's best opening, sometimes called the "Churchill Opening" (after Sir Winston's plan to invade Norway in World War II). The army is sometimes stationed in Yorkshire (instead of moving to Edinburgh) partly to guard London in the case of French perfidy. If so, its offensive role is then much more limited. From Edinburgh, it can be convoyed by either fleet. It thus has the choice of going to Norway or to the Continent. It can also be convoyed to Norway by one fleet and support by the other. This opening is viewed as primarily anti-Russian. It can also be anti-German. One powerful Fall move is (A Edi-Nwy, F Nth C F Edi-Nwy, F Nwg-Bar) threatening Russia even more directly."
And by the way, what is Colonial Diplomacy? In what way does it differ from Standard Dip?
NC: Well it is a variant, but not just one as it is a commercial variant from Avalon Hill brought out in 1994. Based around the colonial era with the powers: British, China, Dutch, French, Japan, Russia, and Turkey. If you are looking for a different variant, check out Modern Woolworth which is the modern variant played to Woolworth IID rules, elsewhere in this issue.
Dave Horton, Swansea
Another enjoyable issue of GAME - I liked the "Siedler" variant idea, we'll be giving that a try very soon. Peculiar really that you need a sheep to build a bridge mind, but it does mean that there's an outlet for all those unwanted woolies. No more "Anyone give anything for three sheep?"
NC: If you have the six player expansion set, then try the variant including them. There is also other idea's e.g. a rule that says you get an extra resource so long as you are the sole occupant of an island (eg two for a settlement and three for a town)
Listen here, I subscribe to GAME to be insulted by Mark Stretch, not praised by him - what will happen to my street cred? Also I'm sure when I said he hadn't been right twice in a row, I actually meant once. And sorry for NMRing in SOD, I actually wrote out some heinus insults and then forgot to post them. If you want you can double the points I give this season - and you can particularly double those to Kath "Mata Hari" Collman & Stretch-o-matic himself
Richard Scholefield
I refer to Colin Hobb's letter of GAME 6, in which he mentioned his grandfather who worked at BP during the war and travelled in each day from Wood Green.
I attended a lecture at Bletchley Park the other evening and spoke afterwards to one of the museum's members. I told her of the Colin Hobb's Grandfather and she was most interested, especially the information about the code his Grandmother had to give BP when she telephoned in to say her husband was sick.
NC: So that's how all these stories told in museums start.
It is odd that I travelled a very similar journey to work in Hornsey Town Hall from Bletchley between 1992-4 only in the opposite direction. I did the 51 mile journey by car and he must have used the train. By the way there could be another postal strike in Milton Keynes soon.
NC: Also the railway would have been better 50 years ago. Is the postal strike on 'because' its Milton Keynes?
James Pinnion, Spilsby.
Thank you for GAME and the deadline calander. Just one problem - the outside GM deadlines are not marked (that might never affect me but... we'll see). I look forward to the possibility of Civilisation coming to GAME - but if more people want to play Seidlers, so be it.
NC: The outside GM deadlines for GAME are always the Saturday before the main deadline, so there seemed to be little point in adding it. As to the postal games, well Civilisation is based on the computer game, and the rules I've taken from the, now folded, zine The Mag With No Name.
Coo this Hundred dip is harder than it seems at first, oh well.
NC: Good isn't it. The idea of just three players is like the start of standard Dip when you get the waring triangles EFG and ART, but this is better - you cannot simply have a two verses one, since its quite easy for one of the 'two' to win if the other does not watch it. Also the improvements in version 2 give a better map that remove the weak spots.
Colin Hobbs, Tottenham
I was interested in reading your gig antics. It is a lot easier to live in London and go to London gigs by bus or tube. I once got balcony tickets for the Jesus & Mary Chain at the Brixton Academy. This was because they were the only ones left. Some people actually prefer them because they can sit down. I found it extremely frustrating. It isn't a big venue but even so you are cut off, the view is obscured and you are not a participant but a distant observer. A bit like listening to someone else's radio. Fortunately I was able to go a few months later, to see JAMC properly at the Town + Country in Kentish Town
NC: You can quite easily go to gigs by bus and coach in the north you know. Pre-car I would go to Sheffield (£3.50 return) or Manchester (£5 return), which is probably similar to what you'd pay in London! The car just makes life easier.
I hope you'll be publishing the map for Hundred Diplomacy. I'll be interested in seeing it.
NC: If you mean with the game adjudications, then yes. I am using the WinGM software by Stewart Cross, for which I've converted the Hundred game. If you mean a blank map to see, there was one with the rules, a copy of which I can give you if you want (and will this time if I remember).
Martin Burroughs, Oldham.
The game players database sounds good - not that I have internet access, but laudable all the same. (Actually I might get email etc if I can just convince Manchester Uni - I'm doing a (3 year) evening course, so I'm sort of on the margin.)
NC: The Database went online in the second week of Janurary, and has already got entries into double figures. As far as internet access goes, go along to your computer centre with your registration documents and ask. Different policies are on offer; some universities offer access to any of their students (including one term short course ones), others have open door policies, where the unemployed can get access.
Amazing the number of people interested in cryptography - I thought it was just me. Went to a talk on Turing / Bletchley Park in Manchester, last year I think it was, given by one of the chaps who is putting the machines together again if memory serves. The Voynich Manuscript was the thing that always fascinated me though, still undeciphered after what, 80 years?
Jim Rowe, Abingdon.
Thanks for GAME, I was impressed. Just wish I had a colour printer to print out the map.
NC: Just incase everyone else is confused, I'll explain. Most of GAME is published on the web - so your letters can be read my millions (I now claim the prize for the largest readership please). This includes the game reports, and I decided to colour the units on the maps in this time.
Some good news for you in ALOS. I've nmr'd, and on top of my messing up the previous orders will give real trouble, so you may have won already! I do, however, blame you. Was it a cunning strategy to put the Abwehr deadline 3 weeks after the Jason deadline when they all but co-incided last time. I was very upset last week to find I'd missed it.
NC: [ALOS is the zine A Little Orinial Sin]. So not having the deadline on the 3rd January was a good idea then. Less of this almost winning lark, people will think I can play Diplomacy! Which is more miss that hit!
In future I'll add the date to the GAME free gift which sits prominently above my desk... not that I'll need to for long!
John Langley
I would like to start another game of Intimate Diplomacy, outside the tournament.
NC: OK, who's up to challenging Lightening Langley? And no using "Ah, but there's that treachery rule.." to wimp out this time. Come on you can't disappoint the amassing crowd. There is also just one place left in the tournament, and err you could win...., you could win a trophy (now where did I put that bucket of paper pulp?).
Steve Watts, Shrewsbury
I would like to lodge an appeal against your decision to disallow anchovy pear. The entry in my Encyclopedia Brittanica for anchovy pear is as follows: ......
NC: If you insist on extremely obscure answers, then what do you expect! I looked in the Encyclopedia Brittanica Eleventh edition and it wasn't there, so was going to uphold my decision. Luckily for you there is also a set of Brittanica Micropedia at work, which did contain an entry for it, so okay have your single point. For future reference (to everybody), that if you want a really obscure answer to be accepted then you should submit evidence - eg a photocopy of the entry, which has been stamped and signed by a local official eg librarian. Otherwise it will be a zero point, and sleepless nights - they will also coincide with really long deadlines (just to prolong the agony!!).
Paul Hughes, Sutton.
It occurs to me that in all likelihood the one trait we dippers share is a desire to rule the world. Extrapolating from this I can only assume you wish to be God. Is this true?!
NC: This is obviously why all traffic lights change to green when I'm approaching them by car, (or to red if on foot) and nothing to do with signing that smelly paper stuff with the thick red ink! It is said that if you want to kill any chance of doing well in Diplomacy games then you should start your own zine. This is because you get 'known'. Alternatively you play games in a zine edited by a former adversory, who then puts 'advice' in the press section of your games in the said zine! [Any resemblence to T.I.M. is purely.... at your discression.]
All this cheap talk of Simon's I.D. I'm actually playing & its brilliant. I'd honestly recommend anyone to give it a bash. As long as the rules are fair, who cares if its a little more intricate? Perhaps that is the problem. Too hot for the hotshots maybe?!
NC: I can well believe that they are scared, just incase they prefered it to their own version. I do not mind a version that alters slightly from the usual. If you take standard Dip, then it makes a change to play a game with a simple change (such as Fleet Rome where Italy starts with F(Rom), or Milan where Venice is split in two with Milan (adjacent to Pie) the supply centre).
Nic, The Gentle Art gets better & better. Kindly credit my name with eight quid & get yourself a beer with the remainder of the enclosed sub.
NC: Thank you very much. Hopefully this will continue, especially with beer donations. I wouldn't look now but there are a few greenish looking editors reading this.
1) Unless otherwise specified, the standard rules of Diplomacy apply.
2) Players receive adjudications for their own armies and fleets, but not the armies and fleets of other powers. Similarly, each player sees only his or her own section of the supply center chart.
3) In addition to the standard units, an unit called a "spy" is added. A) Each of the seven powers begins with a spy in each home supply center. B) Spies are supplied only by home supply centers (i.e. Russia may have as many as four spies at a time while other powers are limited to a maximum of three). C) Spies are "built" and "disbanded" in Winter seasons at the same time as other units. D) There is no limit to the number of spies that may be present in any province and spies may be ``stacked" with armies or fleets (exceptions are listed in Rule 6).
4) Spy Reports A) Spies report the location and nationality of armies and fleets in the province they occupy and all adjacent provinces immediately following the standard Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons (i.e. just prior to the spy movement seasons). Spies can differentiate between units in retreat and successful attackers when two units "occupy" a province. B) Spies also report the nationality of spies in the province they occupy and the presence (but not nationality) of spies in adjacent provinces at the same time.
5) Movement of Spies A) Spy movement follows the collection of spy reports, so orders to spies may be made conditional on any information gathered by spies on opposing troop movements or the adjudication of one's own units. B) Spies move after each of the following standard seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall (note that all spy movements PRECEDE Autumn retreats), beginning with Winter 1900. C) Spies move as armies do with the following exceptions: a) Spy movements cannot be stood off by movements of any other unit. b) Spies may be convoyed by fleets of any power during any of the four movement seasons for spies. The convoy orders for fleets in these seasons must be ordered by their owner in the usual fashion or else the spy convoy movement fails of execution. Fleet convoy orders for spies may be made in addition to regular Spring and Fall moves (note, however, that the fleets themselves never move during spy movement seasons). c) Spies may also be "picked up" and carried by fleets of any power. Embarkation and debarkation are moves that must be made during a spy movement season and "permission to board" is not required. Embarkation consists of a movement from a land province to an adjacent sea province containing a fleet. Debarkation consists of a movement from a sea province containing a fleet to an adjacent land province. A spy may not "switch fleets in midstream". Once boarded, a spy may only get off by debarking. After boarding a fleet, the spy moves with the fleet during regular movement. A spy may not debark from a fleet awaiting retreat (e.g. if a fleet carrying a spy is dislodged in Spring, the spy may not debark until the spy movement season following the standard Summer retreat season).
6) Spy Mortality A) This rule will outline the circumstances under which spies may be captured or killed. Spies may be disbanded in Winter seasons at the same time as other units to meet the requirement that a power may not have more spies than the number of currently held home supply centers and spies are annihilated when they are on board a fleet that retreats off the board. Otherwise, spies may only be removed from the board (there is no difference in the game between capturing and killing a spy, but players should feel free to delineate between the two states in writing press) immediately following the four spy movement seasons. B) Spies killed or captured in a given season do not submit written spy reports for that season, though their final movement may have been made conditional on that spy report. Players may never know for sure how a spy was lost, just as in real life. C) Spies are "killed" by being assassinated by other spies. When a spy moves, he or she may attempt an assassination, specifying the nationality of spies to be executed if discovered. Each spy may hunt for only one nationality in each of the four seasons. The following rules and examples will govern the adjudication of assassinations: a) A spy may attempt an assassination without moving (for instance if the target is in the same province). In this case, any spies of the target nationality that end the spy movement phase in that province are assassinated with one exception. If the spy attempting the stationary assassination is himself or herself assassinated by a moving assassin then that spy assassinates no one in that season (not even a potential target other than the one that assassinates that spy). b) A spy attempting a moving assassination (may include a move of embarkation or debarkation from a fleet) is always successful in assassinating spies of the target nationality that finish the spy movement phase in the province that the spy moves to. This makes "mutual assassinations" possible. c) Example: French spy is on board a French fleet in the Channel. An English spy is in London. Both powers specify assassination attempts against the spies of the other. If the English spy embarks on the French fleet in the channel (remember that embarkation does not require the permission of the fleet being boarded) and the French spy doesn't move, the French spy is killed, but the English spy isn't (he may be immediateIy captured, however, see part D). If a German spy is also on board and the French spy tried to assassinate the German spy, that operation would fail as well. If the French spy debarks to London at the same time, the two spies "pass in the night" and neither is killed. D) Spies are "captured" by opposing armies and fleets. Players may attempt to capture spies, specifying the nationality of spies to be captured if discovered. Each army and fleet on the board may search for spies of one nationality in each of the four seasons. The following rules and examples will govern the adjudication of attempts to capture spies: a) Players may specify a nationality to be hunted separately for each unit or they may issue blanket searches to be applied to all units. b) At the end of the spy movement phase, any spies of the nationality specified in the same province are captured (for example, if the French player specifies a hunt for English spies on their Channel fleet in the above example, then the English spy is captured). c) Players are informed when they successfully capture an opposing spy. Note that the "owner" of the spy, however, is not informed of the capture. Communication just is cut. This rule is the only exception to the generaI rule that armies and fleets are blind. It is possible to play the game without allowing capture of spies by armies and fleets if one wishes to allow freer movement of spies (i.e. RuIe D may be ignored).
7) It is suggested that the game be adjudicated in four separate seasons in the following order: A) Spring: (for Spring 1901 this sequence is preceded by a spy movement phase (no spy reports are necessary) followed by assassinations or captures) a) Standard movement by fleets and armies, adjudication reported only for one's own units b) Spy report phase, spies collect information c) Spy movement phase, spies move according to Rule 4 d) Spy assassination and capture phase B) Summer: a) Standard retreats by fleets and armies, adjudication reported only for one's own units b) Spy report phase, spies collect information c) Spy movement phase, spies move according to Rule 4 d) Spy assassination and capture phase C) Fall: a) Standard movement by fleets and armies, adjudication reported only for one's own units b) Spy report phase, spies collect information c) Spy movement phase, spies move according to Rule 4 d) Spy assassination and capture phase D) Winter: a) Standard Autumn retreats by fleets and armies, adjudication reported only for one's own units b) Standard Winter builds and removals, also applies to spies c) Spy report phase, spies collect information d) Spy movement phase, spies move according to Rule 4 e) Spy assassination and capture phase
Hopefully you should have gathered that this variant is different from the SpyDip that I invisioned back when GAME started (and this version has been around a lot longer. It seems a very interesting variant, and one that could easily be run with GAME. I am not suggesting I GM it though, oh no, but if you would like to give a go at being a GM then give me a call.
Nic
Modern Diplomacy is intended to be diplomacy with an updated map, circa 1994, taking place in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Any country with more than 30 million inhabitants was made a power. Those with more than 60 million inhabitants were given 4 home centers, while Russia (with 200 million plus) was given 5. Iran would have qualified as a 4 supply center power, but this would have made it necessary to extend the map into Asia, so it was not done. Historically, we have to consider that the European Community and all international alliances and organizations such as NATO and the UN were broken down. Perhaps the United States suffered a major cataclysm, or simply decided to ignore the outside world - but in any case, it will not intervene in Europe. Other than this, borders and neutral supply centers were distributed to even out the game. Monaco was made a neutral SC (it has lots of money) even though it's size does not warrant it, and Gibraltar was made a British home SC, bot to give Britain a port in the Mediterranean, and to give Spain more than one neighbour). Also, there was originally, a new type of unit - planes - added to the game. Planes could go over water and land but could not capture a supply center. Therefore, if France managed to move a plane over London, England would still own it, but not be able to build there. The game was playtested both with and without planes, and it was felt that both were valid games. For reasons of simplicity what is discussed below is the game without planes.
Powers: 3 center powers: Egypt (E), Poland (P), Spain (S) 4 center powers: Britain (B), France (F), Germany (G), Italy (I), Turkey (T), Ukraine (U) 5 center powers: Russia (R)
Starting positions (Spring 1994): Britain (B) : F EDI, F GIB, F LIV, F LON Egypt (E) : F ALE, A ASW, F CAI France (F) : F BOR, A LYO, A MAR, A PAR Germany (G) : F BER, A FRA, F HAM, A MUN Italy (I) : A MIL, F NAP, A ROM, F VEN Poland (P) : F GDA, A KRA, A WAR Russia (R) : A GOR, A MOS, A MUR, F ROS, F STP Spain (S) : F BAR, A MAD, A SEV Turkey (T) : A ADA, F ANK, A IST, F IZM Ukraine (U) : A KHA, A KIE, A ODE, F SEV
Winning Conditions: 38 home centers + 26 neutral = 64 total centers 33 needed to win
Notes on Geography: Cairo, Hamburg and Istanbul behave as Kiel and Constantinople did in the original game: they have no coasts but fleets can pass through them to bodies of water of both sides. There is another canal linking Rostov and Volga, thus permitting access to the Caspian Sea to ships. Rostov is situated along the Don River which empties into the Black Sea, while the Volga empties into the Caspian Sea. In the real world there is a canal at Volgograd linking the two rivers, somewhere in the southern Volga region on the map. This is the only way to get ships into and out of the Caspian Sea. Iran is the only territory with multiple coasts in the game - the south coast touches the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, while the north coast touches the Caspian Sea. Where possible, the full name of a territory was put on the map. The following were only abbreviated by the first three letters:
adr sea : adriatic sea ana : anatolia apu : apulia auv : auvergne bar : barcelona bel : belgium bos : bosnia bri : brittany cly : clyde cze : czech republic edi : edinburgh fra : frankfurt gib : gibraltar ham : hamburg hel : heligoland bight hol : holland isr : israel liv : liverpool lon : london mac : macedonia mar : marseilles mil : milan mol : moldavia mon : monaco mun : munich nap : naples pic : picardy pie : piedmont por : portugal pru : prussia rom : rome sax : saxony ska : skagerrak tus : tuscany ven : venice wal : wales yor : yorkshire
Abbreviations: Abbreviations for territories are the first 3 letters of the territory, except for:
barents sea: bare, bars (conflict with barcelona) bornholm sea: born, bors (conflict with bordeaux) eastern black sea: ebs eastern mediterranean: emed eastern sahara: esah gulf of bothnia gulf of lyon: gol libyan sea: lbn north atlantic ocean: nao north sea: nth norwegian sea: nwg seville: sve (conflict with sevastopol) western black sea: wbs western mediterranean: wmed western sahara: wsah
Alternatives are also available for many spaces, especially water spaces. See the map file for these alternative abbreviations.
A note for GAME
Currently I am developing a variant that is a cross between "Woolworth IID" and "Modern", which I will be printing next time. This makes the game a 5 player with all the subtleties in Woolworth. Vincent Mous has developed a five player version of Modern which is Gunboat and each player takes two powers. However I prefer my idea.
Nic
Austria, sick of all these empty provinces last time, decides to fill them up.
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (Simon Langley-Evans) A(Gal) - War; A(Vie) - Gal; F(ION) - Nap; A(Rom) s F(ION) - Nap; A(Gre) - Ser
ENGLAND (Richard Scholefield) F(NWG) - Nwy (FAILED); F(NTH) s F(NWG) - Nwy; A(Wal) - Lon
FRANCE (Susie Horton ) A(Bur) - Bel (FAILED); A(Mar) - Gas (FAILED); A(Par) - Pic (FAILED); F(Bre) - Pic (FAILED); F(MAO) - ENG (FAILED)
GERMANY (Steve Watts) F(ENG) - Bre (FAILED); A(Pic) - Par (FAILED); A(Bel) Stands; A(Mun) - Bur (FAILED); A(Den) Stands; A(Gas) s A(Pic) - Par (CUT)
ITALY (Simon J Canham) A(Pie) - Ven; F(Apu) s A(Pie) - Ven
RUSSIA (Pete Duxon) F(Sev) s A(Ukr) - Rum (CUT); A(Ukr) - Rum (FAILED); A(Mos) s F(Sev); A(Nwy) Stands; F(Swe) s A(Nwy); F(StP) nc s A(Nwy)
TURKEY (Jim Rowe) F(BLA) s A(Bul) - Rum; A(Arm) - Sev (FAILED); A(Bul) - Rum; F(AEG) - Bul sc
Autumn 1903 Adjustments: A: +War, +Nap, +Rom, Ser, Vie, Gre, Tri, Bud, -Ven = 8; Gains 2. Builds F(Tri), A(Bud), A(Vie). E: Lon, Edi, Lpl = 3; No change. F: Mar, Par, Bre, Spa, Por = 5; No change. G: Bel, Mun, Den, Hol, Ber, Kie = 6; No change. I: +Ven, Tun, -Nap, -Rom = 2; Loses 1. R: +Sev, Mos, Nwy, Swe, StP -Rum, -War = 5; Loses 1. Removes F(Sev). T: +Rum, +Bul, Ank, Con, Smy -Sev = 5; Gains 1. Builds A(Con).
Europe decides to play Hokey Kokey as everyone moves inwards.
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (Roy Burnett)
A(Vie) s A(Bud) - Gal; A(Bud) - Gal; A(Sev) - Rum ; A(Tri) s A(Ser)
(CUT, DISLODGED TO Alb); A(Ser) s A(Sev) - Rum
ENGLAND (Jimmy Cowie)
F(ENG) - NTH; F(Edi) - NWG; A(Lpl) - Edi; A(Bel) - Ruh; F(Nwy) - StP
nc (FAILED); F(Hol) s F(ENG) - NTH
FRANCE (Mark Sherratt)
A(Pic) - Bel; A(Bur) s ENGLISH A(Bel) - Ruh; A(Par) Stands; A(Gas) -
Spa; F(MAO) - WMS
GERMANY (Geoff Kemp)
A(Boh) s A(Mun); A(Mun) s A(Ber) - Kie; A(Ber) - Kie; F(Den) - Swe
ITALY (Mark Ward)
F(Nap) Stands; F(Tun) Stands; A(Tyr) - Tri; A(Ven) s A(Tyr) - Tri
RUSSIA (Ian Lewis)
A(Rum) - Ukr; A(StP) Stands; F(BLA) - Sev; A(Gal) Stands (DISLODGED -
DISBANDED NRO)
TURKEY (Wayne Read)
A(Con) - Bul; A(Bul) - Gre; F(ION) c A(Gre) - Apu; A(Gre) - Apu;
F(AEG) s F(ION)
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (Geroff Marland)
F(Tri) Stands; A(Vie) s A(Bud) - Gal; A(Ser) s F(Tri); A(Bud) - Gal
(FAILED)
ENGLAND (Weatherwax)
F(NTH) c A(Yor) - Hol; F(Nwy) - SKA; A(Yor) - Hol (FAILED); A(Lon) s
RUSSIAN F(Swe) - Den (MISORDER)
FRANCE (Vick Sinex + The Nasal Sp)
A(Bre) - Gas; F(Mar) - GoL; F(Spa) sc - WMS; A(Par) - Bur (FAILED);
A(Por) - Spa
GERMANY (Noname4)
A(Den) Stands; F(Bel) - ENG; A(Mun) - Bur (FAILED); A(Ber) - Mun
(FAILED); F(Kie) - Hol (FAILED)
ITALY (Vesper Panic)
A(Tyr) - Pie; A(Ven) s A(Tyr) - Pie; A(Rom) Stands; F(Tun) - NAf
RUSSIA (Dmitri Shostakovich)
A(Mos) s F(Sev); F(Sev) Stands; A(Ukr) s A(Gal); F(Swe) s ENGLISH
F(NTH) - Den (MISORDER); A(Gal) s ITALIAN A(Tyr) - Vie (MISORDER)
TURKEY (Rat M.)
A(Con) - Rum; A(Arm) - Sev (FAILED); F(BLA) c A(Con) - Rum; A(Bul) s
A(Con) - Rum
BURGUNDY (Mark Wilson)
A(Dij) - Can; A(Lux) - Dij (FAILED); A(Fla) s A(Lux) - Dij; F(Hol) -
DOV
ENGLAND (John Langley)
F(Lon) s A(Cal); F(Dev) - ECH; A(Nmd) - Brt; A(Guy) Stands; A(Cal) s
FRENCH A(Dij) - Fla (MISORDER)
FRANCE (Doug Essinger-Hileman)
A(Dau) - Dij (FAILED); A(Par) s A(Dau) - Dij; A(Orl) s A(Par); A(Tou)
- Poi; A(Pro) - Tou
PRESS
King's Man - Outside World: I am alone - illusion or reality CMOT - All: Mark, was having computer problems at home though everything should now be fine, since he will be back at Univ. CMOT- All: Look at the section under FLANDERS, for some important news.
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (Paul Barker) A(Bud) - Ser; A(Vie) - Tri; F(Tri) - Alb
ENGLAND (Chetan Radia) A(Lpl) - Edi; F(Edi) - NWG; F(Lon) - NTH
FRANCE (Mark Wilson) A(Par) - Bur; F(Bre) - MAO; A(Mar) - Spa
GERMANY (Steve Ade) F(Kie) - Den; A(Mun) - Ruh; A(Ber) - Kie
ITALY (James Trotter) F(Nap) - ION; A(Ven) Stands; A(Rom) - Apu
RUSSIA (Paul Hughes) F(StP) sc - GoB; A(Mos) - War; A(War) - Ukr; F(Sev) - BLA (FAILED)
TURKEY (Mick Dunnett) F(Ank) - BLA (FAILED); A(Con) - Bul; A(Smy) - Con
BURGUNDY (Steve Dee) A(Dij) s FRENCH A(Par) - Cal (MISORDER); A(Fla) s FRENCH A(Par) - Cal (MISORDER); A(Lux) - Lor; F(Hol) - DOV (FAILED)
ENGLAND (James Pinnion) A(Cal) s FRENCH A(Par) - Dij (MISORDER); A(Nmd) - Orl (FAILED); A(Guy) Stands; F(Lon) - DOV (FAILED); F(Dev) - ECH
FRANCE (Chetan Radia) A(Tou) - Guy (FAILED); A(Pro) - Dau; A(Dau) - Can; A(Orl) - Nmd (FAILED); A(Par) s BURGUNDIAN A(Fla) - Cal (MISORDER)
Press
Lon-all: Good Luck. London Times: The English king is praying that this war does not over-run: All troops have signed on for a hundred years or the duration!