SDnet Diplomacy Game Sign Up Thread

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2005-10-18 03:53pm

Ladies, Gentlemen! Boys and Girls!

Welcome to the SDnet Diplomacy Game sign-up. I'd like to get a game of diplomacy started. I figure that we'll run 1-week long turns, with regularly posted deadlines for getting in turns to the adjudicator (me.) I'll be using the Realpolitik program to calculate moves, and will be posting a complete report at the end of every week-long session.

Moves will be submitted in in proper Diplomacy form, along with any comments or articles you'd like me to post in the Press section of each weekly move.

The wheeling, dealing, and lying will all be handled by PMs

Nation selection order will be determined by random number generator once seven players have signed up, highest player chosing first and so on. Once we've got 7 players, I'll open up a main game thread and we'll get this show on the road.

Who's interested?

Austro-Hungarian Empire

Great Britain

France

Germany

Italy

Russia

Ottoman Empire

Post by **Beowulf** » 2005-10-18 04:32pm

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-10-18 05:01pm

I'd change England to Great Britain, if not because it makes sense since England doesn't do much without the rest of the Union involved, but because it sounds cooler too.

Post by **Surlethe** » 2005-10-18 05:41pm

I'm interested, but not sure how to play Diplomacy.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2005-10-18 06:05pm

I don't know how to play. If that is not a problem, I would be interested.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-18 06:09pm

Diplomacy its pretty simple to learn, though the strategies take forever to master.

I'd like to play, though I'll likely suck very badly. Got the rules down excepting maybe complicated convoy scenarios, but I haven't ever played a game.

Akhlut · Post by **Akhlut** » 2005-10-18 06:22pm

I'm in the same boat as Surlethe and Adrian. Sounds intriguing, but I've no clue on what to do.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-18 06:28pm

PDF Rules for Diplomacy

Get learning, and trust nobody. Except me. Trust me, I'm trustworthy. I promise.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2005-10-18 07:08pm

Mr. DOD's PDF rules should be examined immediately. They've got it all more or less down.

Keep in mind this represents a significant expenditure of time. The game will probably last months, with extensive wheeling and dealing going on over that time period. However, it is very possible to sub in players if one goes missing.

However, it may be best to start the game with some more experienced players, and have some of the newbies lined up as subs.

Current players:
MRDOD
Surlethe
Akhlut
Adrian Laguna
Beowulf

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2005-10-18 07:09pm

I've never played, but the rules look pretty reasonable.
I'm in.

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-10-18 07:20pm

Errr? +1?

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-18 07:20pm

I know you can't enforce it, but is an Opening Library allowed or not?

I naturally will of course listen if we're not allowed, as the Openings Library seems to give an unfair advantage to players who can understand what the hell it's talking about

If you didn't know, it's a library that looks up what openings are possible from a certain 1st turn move, such as

Austria:
=F Tri-ADR
=A Bud-SER
=A Vie-BUD
=BLUE WATER OPENING
Any opening sending the Trieste fleet to the Adriatic Sea. The von Metzke Blitz (a.k.a. the Italian Attack) is recognized as a variant of the Blue Water Opening.
=[KENDALL KEY OPENING]
A variation on the Key in which Austria orders A Bud S A Ser-Rum in Fall of 1901. Thus, the Aus attack on Russia is delayed until F01 to allow a Russo-Turkish war to develop. (The variant was discussed by Alan Wells in issue #6 of Dot Happy.)

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2005-10-18 07:28pm

Well, I'm not really willing to say that any tactics are disallowed, but with most of the players being newbs, good luck telling your allies that you are going for the von Metzke blitz and have them have the slightest idea what you are talking about.

I guess my answer is, yeah, feel free.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2005-10-18 07:29pm

weemadando wrote:Errr? +1?

You want to play? you don't? You are getting an extra post? Huh?

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-10-18 07:37pm

Seeing if there is still a slot. I'm happy to do co-op play with someone though if they are up for it, in fact, I find that these games are often fun with 2-4 players per "faction"...

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-18 07:43pm

Thirdfain wrote:Well, I'm not really willing to say that any tactics are disallowed, but with most of the players being newbs, good luck telling your allies that you are going for the von Metzke blitz and have them have the slightest idea what you are talking about.

I guess my answer is, yeah, feel free.

I was talking more about once the first move is over you can see what someone is capable of doing without compromising his own opening. For instance, the Southern Welsh Opening for England pretty much commits to either French cooperation against Germany if France allows them into the Channel or it alternatively signifies an Anglo-German alliance against France if Germany opens with a Blitzkrieg.

Though really you could figure that one without any dictionary anyhow (England in the English Channel, France not bouncing them or England in the Channel and Germany going full west), but when it's automated why bother?

Akhlut · Post by **Akhlut** » 2005-10-18 07:48pm

How significant an expenditure of time is it? Like, a few hours a week? Or a few hours a day? If it's the latter (like, 2-3 hours everyday), I may drop out now since I'm going to expect plant science to start requiring more significant amounts of time for projects and papers (and, to a lesser extent, the same thing with ecology). If it's only a few hours a week(~10/week), though, I can definitely adjust some things and do it (I'm glad my work-study job is computer lab attendant

).

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2005-10-18 07:50pm

weemadando wrote:Seeing if there is still a slot. I'm happy to do co-op play with someone though if they are up for it, in fact, I find that these games are often fun with 2-4 players per "faction"...

Absolutely, you are in.

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2005-10-18 08:11pm

How significant an expenditure of time is it? Like, a few hours a week? Or a few hours a day? If it's the latter (like, 2-3 hours everyday), I may drop out now since I'm going to expect plant science to start requiring more significant amounts of time for projects and papers (and, to a lesser extent, the same thing with ecology). If it's only a few hours a week(~10/week), though, I can definitely adjust some things and do it (I'm glad my work-study job is computer lab attendant ).

A couple hours a week. You'll write a couple dozen short notes to different players as PMs, and then a little order slip to me. Of course, you may get really drawn in and spend hours surfing strategy websites and such, but that's not my business.

Current Players:

MRDOD
Surlethe
Akhlut
Adrian Laguna
Beowulf
Noble Ire
Weemadando

It would seem that we have enough, but I'm going to leave registration open until midnight EST friday, at which point I'll find out who gets to choose nations in what order.

The seven players who have signed up already are garuanteed spots, but if any want to leave, or accept a subordinate role as a "padawan" to any experienced player who wanders by, some of the spots might become open. Moreover, interested players can still participate as stand-ins should one player need to quit for some reason.

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-10-18 08:13pm

Its been nearly a 7 years since I last played diplomacy, so I'm happy to take a "padawan" role if a more experienced player wants in.

Akhlut · Post by **Akhlut** » 2005-10-18 09:09pm

I'll accept a "padawan" role.

InnocentBystander · Post by **InnocentBystander** » 2005-10-18 09:18pm

After reading the rules, the game sounds cool. I'd relish the opertunity to play the game in some form.

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-10-18 10:33pm

Well, I'm looking for off-sider to play politics with, and possibly another more experienced player as a "military advisor"...

Join the glorious ruling council of nation X!

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2005-10-18 10:40pm

I'd like to play also. Playing 'teams' sounds cool: who knows what the military dude is actually ordering?

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-10-18 11:06pm

Stark wrote:I'd like to play also. Playing 'teams' sounds cool: who knows what the military dude is actually ordering?

That doesn't work so well, I've learned, as the diplomatic guy essentially becomes a messenger for the military dude's policy decisions. Everything is determined by what you do with the units compared to what you say you do- that's why its Diplomacy and not Chess.

But if it were optional I could see it being implemented. If not, I'm sure as hell not going to like it as either guy (control-freak? Maybe.) but since I want to play some diplomacy I'll shut up now.