The age-old problem of Diplomacy in PBM From: Andy Bodkin <andybod@b0dders.demon.co.uk> Date: Wed, 02 Jul 1997 00:00:00 +0000 One of the reasons I had a long gap from PBM of about five years is something that I've just experienced again and is to do with diplomacy. I wonder if anyone else has any thoughts ? Basically, whilst I know that diplomacy is an important part of PBM, particularly in the wargame/conquest type I enjoy I wish it wasn't always the *only* important part and where it is integral it makes a game easily spoiled by 'moles' or reluctant team-mates. For an example, I'll point out my experiences in my first game of MEPBM, my apologies to those who hate it and despise the fact it's the only game talked about on this list. Now, I know this is a high diplomacy game and don't begrudge that, because basically there are two teams and a few neutrals - to win you have to talk to your team and the neutrals. So, what happened in my game ? I joined as the Witch-King, which is a position fairly reliant on neutrals to later discover that one 'crucial' neutral to me (Rhudaur for those who know the game) was a school friend of three of the opposition. Actually, I got a victory in managing to convince him to stay neutral, which is the best I could hope for. As to my team, they haven't answered my letters, I prefer to write than phone though I realise some would consider that poor diplomacy. My team have contacted me only when they wanted money from me (in the game, another absurd suggestion for my position) and last turn one of my allies stole enough off me to near enough bankrupt me for the next turn. Whilst I realise this is partly faults with that game, other high diplomacy games suffer from the same thing and I got fed up of discovering supposed neutrals knew my enemies or allies who wouldn't contact me. It also annoys me slightly, in that no matter what strategic or tactical masterstrokes you pull, often convincing near neighbours to help comes down to how much you're willing to spend on a phone bill. Even in a game like Hyborian War, with supposedly inbuilt diplomaic orders, you will do better the more you're willing to spend on contacting others. Whilst I would agree 'getting to know people' is an important part of PBM and I don't want it to disappear, I'd also like to have a game where I could do just as well never speaking to another player directly, for once. I could play a sports game or RPG, but I don't particularly like them, what I want is a medieval wargame with _realistic_ constraints on your realms ability to contact others. Imagine, 'sir, our scouts report an army moving from 'evil' realm towards us, do you want to intercept ? If so, you'll have to order your army now to get there in time.' 'Hang on a moment, I'll just pick up this strange device called a telephone and find out what he plans'. It'd be nice to have to rely on 'messengers', carrier pigeons and so on for once. Anyone got any ideas of a game which might fit the bill or thoughts at all ? -- Andy Bodkin 'They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist..' Last words-Union General Sedgwick, Battle of Spotsylvania Referenced By Up