Mikado's Diplomacy Game

[The Mikado]

Welcome to Diplomacy.

Diplomacy, the board game, was created in 1954 by Allen Calhamer and released in 1959 by Avalon Hill.  The game is intended as a simulation of the alliance system that launched the war to such devastating consequences.  You, gentlemen, are each heads of a Great Power, and will be responsible for forging alliances (and breaking alliances) to help secure your country, expand its borders, and seek to dominate Europe.

Courtesy of the Diplomacy Pouch, a clear map of the game board:



We will not be using this map.  We will be using the free, somewhat lower quality one that came with my free Diplomacy adjudicator.  This map, however, contains the names of all the provinces and should be quite helpful to explain the set up of the game.

There are 34 supply centers (hereafter referred to as SCs) on the board.  Each country begins the game with 3 SCs excepting Russia, which begins with 4.  The number of SCs you possess is directly tied to the number of armies and fleets you can support.  If you have 9 SCs, for example, you can have a combination of up to 9 armies and fleets.  The game ends when one player controls 18 SCs.

The game's turns are dealt with in cycles of "years," two turns to each game year.  For convenience's sake, the first turn is Spring 1901.  Each movement turn is followed by a retreats phase, and at the end of a year, there's a builds-disbands phase in which the player harmonizes the new number of SCs he possesses with the number of units on the board (destroying excess ones and building new ones).

For example:

Spring 1901 is a movement phase.  Summer 1901 is a retreats phase.  Fall 1901 is another movements phase.  Winter 1901 is both retreats and builds/disbands.  Those four actions together are a game year.  This game will move at a year every two weeks.  Once a week we will do a movements phase.  When retreats phases are necessary, we will deal with them quickly over the following day or so.

Combat

Unlike many other board games, there is no chance involved in Diplomacy.  There are no dice.  Combat is directly calculated by the amount of force you have bearing on a space.  If two armies have equal force aimed at a certain space, they deadlock (or "bounce").  If one has more support than the other, it will take that space.  Similarly, if an army "attacks" with more support than the defender can bring to bear, it "dislodges" the defender, who has to either retreat or disband.

Every turn you can perform an action with each of your units.  They can move, hold (stay in place), support a movement somewhere else, support a unit holding somewhere else, or convoy (a land unit using naval units as a bridge to cross a body of water).  A unit can support to a province it borders: it does not have to border the unit it's supporting.  A land unit cannot support a move to a sea province, a naval unit may support a move to a coastal land province.  Naval units, of course, cannot move inland.

You will submit orders in a variation of this fashion:

(Example orders for England)

F Edinburgh-Norwegian Sea
A Liverpool-Yorkshire
F London-English Channel

If you prefer, you can use province abbreviations, but I don't insist on it (Edinburgh becomes EDI and so forth).

If multiple single armies are headed for a province, they bounce.  If there's support, one might make it (though it escalates: a unit with one support and another unit with one support will cancel out).

Remember always that your allies have their eyes on the prize of 18 SCs, and that they are likely to only be faithful to you as long as you are helpful to that end.  Your friends may want to backstab you, so maybe you should backstab them first.

Communicate with each other using PMs, and PM me your orders.  I will expect them in by Midnight on Saturdays (EDT) and will adjudicate on Sundays.  Because we're starting on a Tuesday this week, if you cannot get your orders in by Saturday, I will be happy to give an extension.

If you have any further questions regarding the rules of Diplomacy, PM me or check on one of the numerous sources online.

Belgiansocialist Germany
Jbrase Italy
DrCynic Austria
ProgressiveRealist England
Barnes Turkey
Oakvale France
Yelnoc Russia

[Gustaf]

Where are the customary condoleances to Jbrase for getting Austria?

Also, the map is a bit on the tiny side, no?

[The Mikado]

I forgot to note one thing.  Both Kiel and Constantinople count as passable straits.  A naval unit can sail through them or an army can walk across them.  Same goes for Denmark to a lesser extent: you can sail through it or walk from Denmark to Sweden.

[The Mikado]

If you're ready, please get your orders in.  I said the deadline was Tuesday, but if I get all seven, I'll process it when I get them.

[The Mikado]

Would like orders in the next ~18 hours.  Yelnoc, Belgiansocialist, Cynic, Jbrase.

[muon2]

In general I would recommend to all the players to send in provisional orders well in advance of each deadline. They can always be superseded with new orders up to the deadline to reflect new diplomacy. They have the advantage of keeping players from going into civil disorder from lack of moves, and they allow the judge to keep a firm deadline without bugging players as often for moves.

[The Mikado]

All orders are in, turn will be posted before I go to bed.

[The Mikado]

Note that Kiel is moving to Baltic, not to Denmark.  The map isn't clear on that.

[Yelnoc]

And this is the map of Europe after those moves.  Note that those abbreviations are the province abbreviations.  When you send in your orders next turn, you can right Con instead of Constantinople (for example).

[The Mikado]

I'd...really appreciate people talk in the thread.

Also, the KuK Cynic has resigned.  Any interested people in taking over Austria?

[Yelnoc]

I'd...really appreciate people talk in the thread.

All I can say is, I am really scratching my head.

[Gustaf]

I could be willing to step in, assuming I will have time to negotiate before the next round.

[muon2]

It would be helpful to post the move report as well as the map. JDip produces one when a move is resolved. The report describes why a move fails, and it would clarify map errors like the Kie-Bal one above. It also distinguishes between a hold and no order given, as would be the case in Vie above. Writing the moves also allows for some humorous non-moves when a unit is ordered to places it cannot go (eg Lon-Moon).

[oakvale]

President Oakvale of France and King Jbrase of Italy are proud to announce the formation of a defensive alliance, to better ensure the prosperity and security of our two great nations.

Long may this Pact of Steel (or some other appropriately 1901-y name) last! Hurrah! Muffins for all!

[Jbrase]

Long Live the Franco-Italian Alliance!

[Fmr. Emperor PiT]

     I don't know if I have ever seen so many belligerent moves in Spring 1901 as this. As a side note, Austria's orders were very...interesting. They worked out for him, but they could have also ended in disaster.

[The Mikado]

After some consultation, the throne of the Dual Monarchy is Gustaf's should he choose to accept it.

Orders will naturally be delayed so the new KuK can get his footing.

[Gustaf]

Ok, cool!

[Yelnoc]

After some consultation, the throne of the Dual Monarchy is Gustaf's should he choose to accept it.

Orders will naturally be delayed so the new KuK can get his footing.

For how long?  And welcome, Gustaf.

[muon2]

Ok, cool!

If Mikado would edit the OP to reflect the new leader of Austria the world will see it's official.

[Vasall des Midas]

Congratulations on the successful assassination of your grand-uncle, Gustaf!

[Senator Barnes]

Congratulations on the successful assassination of your grand-uncle, Gustaf!

Will there be a funeral?  The Sultan needs to book a harem in Vienna, if so. 

[The Mikado]

I guess updates are now officially going to be on Wednesdays.  Try to get me orders by Tuesday.

[The Mikado]

Please get orders in.  I only have 2/7.

[Progressive Realist]

Just sent my orders in. Sorry, Mikado!