Re: play-by-mail strategy games?

From: paddles@kralizec.zeta.org.au (Tim Anderson)

Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 09:01:49 +0000

In <1993Nov14.094331.15300@muffin.apana.org.au> cas@muffin.apana.org.au (Craig Sanders) writes:

>i'm curious to know if there are any play-by-email strategy games
>available.

>if there are any, then :

>	- what are they called?
>	- are they fantasy/space/historical/other genre?
>	- where can i get them from?

Yes, there are a few around.  Diplomacy is a big one (purists note: he said
strategy game not wargame, no flames please!), with its own newsgroup
rec.games.diplomacy.  See the FAQ for that group there or in news.answers
for more info about PBeM diplomacy; there are several "judges" (electronic
adjudicators) running games (moderated and unmoderated), including
one judge in Australia.

If you are not familiar with it, Diplomacy is a game for seven players
where the players use negotiation and military strategy to try and
control Europe.  The mechanics are quite simple, although they offer
enough scope for strategic and tactical thought, but much of the richness
in the game comes from the negotiation (diplomacy) with the other players
which is essential for any measure of success.  The fact that it is difficult
to get together seven players for the time required (a face-to-face game can
typically take somewhat more than four hours) has resulted in thriving
PBM and PBeM Dip scenes.

Dip is not the only one, there are others, which I am sure other people
will mention.

Rgds

Tim
--
Tim Anderson (aka Paddles)       | Information Technology  (Sydney)
paddles@kralizec.zeta.org.au     | Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Note: .au = Australia, a small SW Pacific island about the same area as
the mainland United States (excluding Alaska) - - - #include<disclaimer.h>

References

play-by-mail strategy games?
cas@muffin.apana.org.au (Craig Sanders)
Sun, 14 Nov 1993 09:43:31 +0000