Diplomacy Dreams

[GeorgiaModerate]

Some thoughts:

Thanks for organizing this!

I suggest posting a link to the official rules that will be used for the game, for everyone's reference.

The very first turn should have a longer deadline to allow for initial negotiations.  In OTB Diplomacy, the first turn is usually twice as long as subsequent ones.

I would prefer to play entirely here, but am willing to go with the anonymous / protonmail alternative if that's what the majority prefers.

[GeorgiaModerate]

So I'm not in then?

I've got you written down in the substitute list and if people are interested in a second game after this one, you'll have a guaranteed slot.

I certainly hope it doesn't happen in this one, but based on the last game we played here, the odds are pretty high that one or more substitutes will be needed.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Is there anything I need to know before the game begins?

Turkey is the most peace-loving nation in Europe.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Jesse's too modest (and unable) to post it himself, so I'll do it for him:


This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call the Italian Renaissance.

Very nice! I’ve always thought Italy was the most difficult power to solo with.

I don’t have any maps to post, but I’ll relate the strangest thing I’ve seen in a Diplomacy game: a Russian northern fleet taking Tunis in 1904. How, you ask?

Russia built the fleet on STP north coast after 1901. In S02 it took Norway, but in Fall was dislodged and retreated to the Norwegian Sea.

In S03 it moved to the North Atlantic and in the Fall to the Mid Atlantic.

In S04 it moved to the Western Mediterranean and in the Fall…Tunis.

Every one of its moves after 1902 could have been bounced, but none was. Alas, that was Russia’s high point of the game, as it soon fell on hard times and was eliminated.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Just to be clear (because someone asked me about this, not to steal Jesse's thunder), the game play mechanism we're using is as follows, right?

- Players will send press to other players via PM, but may also feel free to make public statements here in the thread.

- Players should send their orders to Jesse (themaninthejinnahcap) by PM before each turn's deadline.  If they change their mind before the turn is adjudicated, they can send a subsequent PM to supersede their earlier orders, right?

- Jesse will adjudicate the turn, post the results and maps here, and announce the next turn's deadline. 

Have I missed anything?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Just to be clear (because someone asked me about this, not to steal Jesse's thunder), the game play mechanism we're using is as follows, right?

- Players will send press to other players via PM, but may also feel free to make public statements here in the thread.

- Players should send their orders to Jesse (themaninthejinnahcap) by PM before each turn's deadline.  If they change their mind before the turn is adjudicated, they can send a subsequent PM to supersede their earlier orders, right?

- Jesse will adjudicate the turn, post the results and maps here, and announce the next turn's deadline. 

Have I missed anything?

Them's the rules. Players can also send me a message they wish posted anonymously in the thread, for Public Press.

I will try to be online an hour or more before each order deadline in case there are last minute order changes or questions. If ever I should be offline and there is some sort of emergency of that sort, Scott is usually able to contact me in person and you can ask him to ask me to get online if possible.

Re: the thunder, I need all the feedback and cooperation anyone is willing to offer to fine-tune this experience. As I said before I have never managed a Diplomacy game before, just played it a fair few times. I'm sure there will be some hiccups along the way that will be smoothed out and future games will be even smoother.

In a few hours the first turn, Spring 1901, begins. I will post the map with the pieces on it and the 48 hours commences for negotiation, planning, and ordering. I hope you are all ready for a daring display of gentlemanly imperialism!

Just out of curiosity, are you planning to use a software tool to perform the adjudications (because it can be a pain to do manually once the position gets complex)?  In our last game here, muon2 used some free tool, I think it was called jDip.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Another question: could we make the deadline time a bit earlier, say 9 PM EST, if everyone is agreeable?  10 PM is getting a little late for this old man in the Eastern time zone.

[GeorgiaModerate]

I think I played a game with that Milan variant once.  It did make Italy somewhat stronger.

My favorite variant of all time is probably Aberration: http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Aberration

[GeorgiaModerate]

We are missing one power's orders. Is everyone here?

Have you tried sending them a PM?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Maybe name and shame the holdout?

It's TimTurner.

This may be a case of him being a new player and not being sure what to do. 

[GeorgiaModerate]

Maybe name and shame the holdout?

It's TimTurner.

This may be a case of him being a new player and not being sure what to do. 

Certainly possible, but I don't know why he wouldn't message me or in this thread to ask if he needed help. I hope he replies to my PM.

Fwiw I was exchanging messages with him earlier today and reminded him of the deadline, but he doesn’t seem to be online now.

[GeorgiaModerate]

In addition to the map, can we get the results in text form?  I.e. who ordered what, and whether any moves bounced.  Thanks.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Surely Germany ordered Ruh to Hol, not Bel, right?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Wow I'm rusty. Really sucking at this. Guess that makes me a big old easy target. Everyone send me messages trying to talk me into stuff. I clearly can't talk my way out of a paper bag anymore, it'll be easy to manipulate me.

Well, you know, sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear...well, he eats you.

I am wondering if this choice of analogy is intentionally fitting considering who Mikado is playing as...

It was not chosen for that, but it is a neat coincidence.

Ah. So that's it.

I do not want to hear any Thanksgiving analogies.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Tim, it was nice playing with you for the time it lasted.  Sometimes a new game or hobby just doesn't turn out to be one's cup of tea.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Is there any update on when the game will resume?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Congratulations, Scott, but if I were Russia I wouldn't have taken a draw there (at least not yet).  There's a lot of play left in the position.

[GeorgiaModerate]

If YPestis's friend doesn't join and you don't have any other volunteers, I suggest changing the thread topic temporarily by adding "Seeking New Player" or similar.  (To do this, go to your original post in the thread, click Modify, change the title, and Save.)

[GeorgiaModerate]

If YPestis's friend doesn't join and you don't have any other volunteers, I suggest changing the thread topic temporarily by adding "Seeking New Player" or similar.  (To do this, go to your original post in the thread, click Modify, change the title, and Save.)

It's probably worth doing this sooner rather than later, also. I'm concerned that as time goes on, more people are going to lose interest or forget about the game. We need a substitute ASAP, and the game should resume the moment a new person signs up.

It never ceases to amaze me how niche this game is even for Atlas. We're a site centered around political maps, FFS!

Since muon2 was in the last game, I'm going to reach out to him as well.

NOVA Green and Cath also played in the game back in 2018, so you could try pinging them as well.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Any news?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Any news?

NOVA Green said that he wished he had known about the tournament before, and I explained that the slots filled up pretty quickly. No further correspondence from him or Cathcon.

This isn't even like playdiplomacy where people surrender just as they're about to get wiped and leave any potential substitutes with one or two home centers about to be taken. France is off to a great 1901 start, so needless to say I'm frustrated.

I think it's time to change the title of this thread.

[GeorgiaModerate]

I created a poll in Forum Community to try and see how many players might be present in the forum (because I'm interested, and as noted above it seems like a natural fit).  I also conveniently included a plug for the opening in this game.

https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=584330.0

[GeorgiaModerate]

OK--- amazed that I was never contacted to participate since I played what I believe were the last (2) games that Muon2 hosted on Atlas and was consistently on the end.

So please somebody provide links to the rules and current maps, etc...

If there is a (24) hour TO time per move, might seem like a bit of speed chess on meth, especially considering all sorts of different time zones, time to do the whole behind the scene negotiating etc... which after all is what made it a bit different from even your standard early War Games from back in the dayz... (Thinking of you Avalon Hill with much love...).

I understand that France is open and it is 1901 build... if so am extremely interested so long as I don't need to be on a (24) hour gaming mode.

I was a little concerned about the 24-hour turns going in, but so far I haven't had a problem with it (we've only played two turns, though, and the first one was 48+ hours). 

Perhaps a compromise would be to move to 48 hours for movement turns, but keep retreats and adjustments at 24?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Count me in after sharing the links to the rules and maps and then I will confirm via PM and then the clock kicks off?

You can find the most recent map on the bottom of page 3 Nova .

Also, here's a summary of the game rules:

Just to be clear (because someone asked me about this, not to steal Jesse's thunder), the game play mechanism we're using is as follows, right?

- Players will send press to other players via PM, but may also feel free to make public statements here in the thread.

- Players should send their orders to Jesse (themaninthejinnahcap) by PM before each turn's deadline.  If they change their mind before the turn is adjudicated, they can send a subsequent PM to supersede their earlier orders, right?

- Jesse will adjudicate the turn, post the results and maps here, and announce the next turn's deadline. 

Have I missed anything?

Them's the rules. Players can also send me a message they wish posted anonymously in the thread, for Public Press.

I will try to be online an hour or more before each order deadline in case there are last minute order changes or questions. If ever I should be offline and there is some sort of emergency of that sort, Scott is usually able to contact me in person and you can ask him to ask me to get online if possible.

Re: the thunder, I need all the feedback and cooperation anyone is willing to offer to fine-tune this experience. As I said before I have never managed a Diplomacy game before, just played it a fair few times. I'm sure there will be some hiccups along the way that will be smoothed out and future games will be even smoother.

In a few hours the first turn, Spring 1901, begins. I will post the map with the pieces on it and the 48 hours commences for negotiation, planning, and ordering. I hope you are all ready for a daring display of gentlemanly imperialism!

NOVA, this is essentially the same game mechanism we were using in the muon2 games -- in which I recall playing as Turkey against your France!  What a coincidence.  (YPestis was also in that game, but IIRC as Italy rather than Germany.)  Jesse (themaninthejinnahcap) is using the same tool muon2 did (jDip) to adjudicate the results.

[GeorgiaModerate]

In order to accommodate Nova's schedule, I would have no objection to moving the adjudication time back to 10pm EST, as was originally proposed.