Diplomacy Magazine -- Chapter Two From: loeb@geocub.UUCP (Daniel LOEB) Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1992 13:44:46 +0000 Issue #276 of Chapter Two of the Electronic Protocol By Daniel Loeb (loeb@geocub.greco-prog.fr) March 3, 1992 Distributed via: rec.games.pbm rec.games.board dipl-l ------------------------------------------------------------- Electronic Protocol Games played on the Diplomacy Adjudicator ------------------------------------------------------------- **** TABLE OF CONTENTS **** PART ONE - Opinions, Letters, and Editorials: Judge is Down Missing Games New DIPL-L owner Lepanto Opening GRASSROOT'S Startup Continued Rule Discussion Contest Response Wooden Pieces Wanted Diplomacy in Northamtonshire Warp Speed Diplomacy PART TWO - Summary of all moderated games on the Judge: List of Gamemasters PART THREE - Report from the Battle Front Fontenoy Summary ***** PART ONE ***** **** JUDGE IS DOWN **** From: Nick Fitzpatrick <nick@SUNBURN.WATERLOO.EDU> For those of you who haven't noticed, yes the judge is down, be patient, and try not to send unnecessary stuff to the judge for the time being. From: Danny Loeb It is still down (Wednesday). If this continues, try and contact your GM directly to see if any alternate arrangments are being made. Also, I need a replacement player for NORMANDY and a replacement player in one of the DPP series gunboat no-press games. Would all of the DPPA,DPPB,DPPC players send me a copy of the moves they sent to the JUDGE. **** MISSING GAMES **** Please tell me if you have data from: GETSOME (before S07 only) NAVARONE (after W07 only) DUNKIRK#31, DRAGONSLAYER#12, NICKEL#46 (all) JACAL#17 (all) CAPTAIN-CAVEMAN#50, GETSOME#81 (all) MAELSTROM#4, DEFCON5#80, REPUBLIC#74 (all) VERDUN#19, TANNENBURG#18, SOMME#101 (all) **** NEW DIPL-L OWNER **** Nick Fitzpatrick (nick@sunburn.uwaterloo.ca) is now handling the LISTSERV list DIPL-L. Please contact him if you have any questions and/or problems. Thanks Nick! Once again I remind you not to send administrative messages to the list DIPL-L itself. **** LEPANTO OPENING **** Reprinted from: Le Front de Liberation du Diplomacy, Sept. 12, 1979, Volume IV, Issue 1, Page 3. By Bernie Oaklyn. FOR THE NOVICE ... but then, aren't we all! Many players use the LEPANTO opening for Italy, but, then, few know the refinements associated with that move sequence. Consider the move: SPRING 1901 ITA F Nap-Ion, A Ven-Apu, A Rom-Ven which is the more non-agressive opening towards Austria over the choice: SPRING 1901 ITA F Nap-Ion, A Ven H, A Rom-Apu The distinction here, as I see it, is the trust factor versus the suspicious note when you simply hold in Venice. Further, Austria can be told that will vacate Venice by moving to Apulia. And, what's more -- you actually do it, furthering the trust factor in your favor. FALL 1901 ITA F Ion C A Apu-Tun, A Ven-Tus which, once again builds up trust, both with Austria AND France. You move out of Vince if and only if Trieste and Tyrolia are not occupied. If they are occupied, say with the Austrian mistrustful move opening of: SPRING 1901 AUS F Tri-Alb, A Ser-Ser, A Vie-Tri then, you should tell Austria that you are holding in Venice, unless he agrees to move that army out of Trieste, but certainly not to Tyrolia. Of course, it is better for Italy if that army stays there, since if Trieste is vacant in the Fall, Austria could very well build another fleet there. Now consider the long range effects of the Lepanto opening if Turkey has opened: SPRING 1901 TUR A Con-Bul, F Ank-Con, A Smy-Ank FALL 1901 TUR A Ank-Con(BNC), A Bul-Con(BNC), F Con-Aeg <DL: A very good counter-Lepanto opening which nevertheless defends against a possible Russian fleet Black Sea> which usually finds Italy ordering his fleet to hold in the Ionian Sea in Spring 1902. But, if Turkey does, and I might add and stress, or does not, open in that manner, a good follow-through of the Lepanto is: SPRING 1902 ITA F Ion-Eas, F Nap-Ion, A Tus-Ven, A Tun H using your new build in Naples. Then, you spring the trap! FALL 1902 ITA F Ion&Eas C A Tun-Syr and you now have a real force against Turkey. Nonetheless, Turkey has not been idle all this time. He usually always gets a build for Bulgaria in 1901 --- unless --- Ah! Ha! You and Austria did you homework and planned, schemed, and cooperated by: SPRING 1901 AUS A Bud-Ser, A Vie-Bud, F Tri-Alb ITA F Nap-Ion, A Ven-Apu, A Rom-Ven TUR A Con-Bul, F Ank-Con, A Smy-Ank FALL 1901 AUS A Ser S RUSSIAN F Rum-Bul ... or RUS A Rum S AUSTRIAN A Ser-Bul which, as you can see, takes that build away from Turkey forever. Since he has moved his fleet into Constantinople, he is obviously coming out into the Aegean with that fleet. The point here is that he will not have support for army Bulgaria which makes that unit vulnerable. Do you get the picture? Now, it is better for Italy, and for Austria, not to let the Russian get that build for Bulgaria, since that gives him 3 builds in 1901. Russia is an all or nothing country ... such a mistake makes him the Bear he can be. But, that is not so important, even though not used often, as Austria can cause Turkey problems, or at least a little sweat, but supporting himself into Bulgaria, from Serbia and Greece, in 1902. Your worry is that the new build Turkey gets, which is almost always Fleet Smyrna, unless ... and this is where your Diplomacy comes in handy ... you get Turkey and Russia to show some action in the area of the Black Sea. In that case, rest assured that Turkey will build fleet CON or ANK. That is the time you Lepanto follow-through will take Turkey off the map ... but fast! And, you will get the supply centers, and Russia will probably take none. You are guilty of "using" Russia to do your dirty work. But, then, that's part of the game. I wondered when I heard that Italy is the favorite country, being requested as preference by players signing up for their punishment. But, to play Italy is to play style, grace, courage, wisdom, nerve, guts, over the other "easier" countries. **** GRASSROOT'S STARTUP **** From: Karl Dotzek I'd like to GM a standard Dippy on the judge, where all negotiations are carried out in German. So far I have five players, who will signon to the judge once the game is set up. I'm gonna start cravelling into the process of how to do that somewhen next week. The game will be called 'grassroot' and you can publish it in the next issue of the EP. At the short game info you can put the line: 'Spiel in Deutsch, alle Verhandlungen werden auf Deutsch gefuehrt.' Note, that my email address will change soon: please post all msgs to: >> karl@adler.philosophie.uni-stuttgart.de << I know, it's a long ID, but once the alias is in... This new ID is valid since immediate. The old one will fade out in a while, but still also can be used for some time. **** CONTINUED RULE DISCUSSION **** My contribution last week using JUDGE was erroneous. As Ken Lowe and Matt Ender pointed out. The (F Nwg) was unordered as far as the JUDGE was concerned. I have now rerun the orders with the following results: >Assuming game phase of S1901M in file S1901M. >Movement results for Spring of 1901. (test.100) > >England: Fleet Norway -> Sweden. >England: Fleet North Sea -> Norway. (*bounce*) >England: Fleet Norwegian Sea SUPPORT Fleet North Sea -> Norway. > >Germany: Fleet Denmark SUPPORT English Fleet Norway -> Sweden. > >Russia: Army Finland -> Norway. (*bounce*) >Russia: Fleet Sweden SUPPORT Army Finland -> Norway. (*dislodged*) >Russia: Fleet St Petersburg (north coast) SUPPORT Army Finland -> Norway. > >The following units were dislodged: > >The Russian Fleet in Sweden can retreat to Gulf of Bothnia or Baltic Sea or >Skagerrak. As you see the support given by Sweden doesn't count since (even though it is supporting an attack on the space it is being attacked from) it has been dislodged. This is an example of the exception to the exception in rule X. Without Sweden's support, Fin-Nwy bounces with Nth-Nwy. ------------ From: Jamie <PL436000@brownvm.brown.edu> The rules are actually unambiguous about this. Everyone is correct except Mel. Sorry, Mel. Danny's adjudicator gets it right, so does John of Gaunt and all those who agreed with him. Just read rule X. It is unambiguous, if not perfectly lucid. "If a unit ordered to support in a given space is attacked from a space *different* from the one into which it is giving support, or is *dislodged* by an attack from any space, including the one into which it is giving support, then its support is "cut." The unit that was to have received that support then does not receive it." Empahases in original, but note well the words "or" and "any" and "including." ----- From: daybell@aludra.usc.edu (Donald Daybell) >No. The attack on Sweden fails. This is where you misunderstand the >... NO, NO!! The attack on Sweden succeeds! There is no strength 3 attack from SWEDEN. The attack is from FINLAND, therefore does NOT stand off the strength 2 attack from Sweden. This attack, which can cut a support of an attack against itself, since it dislodges the supporting unit, succeeds, and the Russian attack, now strength 2, stands off the English attack into Nwy. -- **** CONTEST RESPONSE **** From: Brian Chojnowski <chojnows@osiris.cso.uiuc.edu> Germany: (start with the easy one) A Munich - Berlin A Kiel - Berlin France is certain to try to take either holland or munich. If it is holland, then Germany keeps munich. Either way, germany will not lose berlin. Because of the obvious EC - London move, englands best move with the North Sea is to cover london, therefore there will be no support for holland. England figuring this will no doubt move Holland - Kiel, Baltic supports Holland - Kiel. Germany is safe if this happens, as Kiel retreats to Denmark. There is no way Germany can be reduced to 1 center unless the english can trust the french not to make the EC move, but unlikly as the EC hasnt anything else to do. England: F Norway - St. Pete(nc) F Baltic - Sweden F North Sea - London F Holland - Kiel England trades liverpool for sweden here. He also trades Denmark for Kiel. If the attack is unsuccesful, then kiel could not have moved and so denmark is safe. England has the possibility of gaining a center because France may not want to risk losing belgium and therefore may not move belgium - holland. English also know that the french will lose a center if they cannot retake munich. France: A Belgium - Holland A Picardy - Belgium F EC supports Picardy - Belgium A Ruhr - Munich A Burgundy supports Ruhr - Munich F NAO - Liverpool France trades the possibility that england does not attack Kiel, for liverpool. EC ignores london, because the English are unlikly to use the north sea and holland to go for belgium (or cover denmark for reasons explained in germany's moves). Belgium is too easily defended, so the french must assume that the english will defend london. Just in case though, the EC supports the move to belgium. Belgium to Holland because the english covering london, cannot support holland and can assum holland to be moving to kiel. Knowing the attack on munich will cut support, Belgium moves on the chance that England succeeds. All in all, Germany is guaranteed to hold 2, France will gain one if the English cut kiel, and England gains one if france does not 2 one one belgium. (Germany could be reduced to one, but only if the english ignore france and choose not to take the free st pete or sweden build) ------------ From: ender2@husc.harvard.edu (Matt Ender) We begin in the NAO. As England cannot defend Liverpool, and no other French unit could reach unit, NAO - Lpl is a natural. Similarly, the English fleet in Norway picks up a free centre (either StP or Swe). Next, we consider the defense of Bel. If there is an attack by France on Munich, Picardy may support Bel, otherwise, Burgundy can support Bel. Noting that Germany Army Munich - Burgundy is a worthless move, we have freed up the English Channel fleet for something other than supporting A Bel / French Army ??? - Bel. The only contended spot (gotta love the short-sightedness of these piece) is London, so Eng - Lon is natural. As Eng-Lon is natural, Nth-Lon to prevent the sure loss of a home city is also natural. At this point, France chooses to attack Munich (possible success) or Holland (guaranteed success unless England gives up Lon or Germany supports England [not in Germany's interests]) So, naturally, France attacks Holland. As Germany supposedly does not care whether England or France holds the non-German cities, this attack may be from Ruhr or Bel. This leaves three English strategies -- Hol - Kie, Bal S Hol - Kie, Hol - Kie, Bal - Ber; and Hol - Kie, Bal - Den. Similarly, Germany may reasonably order Mun S Kie - Ber, Kie - Ber, Mun - Ber, Kie - Ber; Mun H, Kie - Den; or Mun S Kie, Kie S Mun. A simple expected value matrix reveal's Germany's best move as the self-bounce in Berlin, and England's as Hol - Kie, Bal - Ber. So the best strategies are: FRANCE: NAO - Lpl, Eng - Lon, Ruh - Hol, Bel S Ruh - Hol, Bur - Ruh, (Pic - Bur) ENGLAND: (Nor - StP), Nth - Lon, Hol - Kie, Bal - Ber GERMANY: Kie - Ber, Mun - Ber resulting in Mun (F->G), Hol (E->F) on the assumption that England would rather keep a home city, (StP->E), Lpl (E->F). A quick check shows that this configuration is locally maximal for all three players (a rare occurance in Diplomacy -- usually a probabilistic play is best) **** WOODEN PIECES WANTED **** From: chojnows@osiris (Brian Chojnowski) I am looking for wooden pieces from the old diplomacy games. I am interested in all powers and I do not care if you want to sell an incomplete set. **** DIPLOMACY IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE **** From: Dylan Harris <dylan@cix.compulink.co.uk> Attention: Diplomacy Players in and near the UK: I much prefer to play diplomacy face-to-face than over email, so I hold irregular diplomacy weekends. The next one will be 15th-17th May, in deepest Northamptonshire. All players welcome. If you would like to attend, mail me for directions, etc.. **** WARP SPEED DIPLOMACY **** Doug Van Belle <ASDAV@ASUACAD.BITNET> announces an unmoderated warp speed game. "On a more Diplomacy oriented note. I am a bit tired of the slow pace of play with a two day turn around and then two more days for the people who missed the deadline, etc. When the judge is back up I am going to start a fast game with turns every weeknight and a reliable set of players It will be called either Mercury or Hermes. If you want in on it let me know and if I an get six we'll all sign up for it the moment it's up so that we know we have a good, relibble group of players." Phillip Atkison <patki@ACPUB.DUKE.EDU> notes that SWIFT is the best ongoing game of this type. ***** PART TWO ***** JUDGE is dead this week. Here is simply the list of GM's so that you can contact him yourself. Brian Bacher bacherb@physics.orst.edu David M Bowen dmb@bigd.cray.com dmb@sequoia.cray.com Dave Cebula cebulad@physics.orst.edu Karl Dotzek karl@adler.philosophie.uni-stuttgart.de Jamie Dreier pl436000@brownvm.brown.edu, pl436000@brownvm.bitnet Bryant Durrell durrell@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu Nicholas Fitzpatrick nick@sunburn.waterloo.edu Nawwar Kasrawi skiman@leland.stanford.edu Edward J Koll koll02@snybufva.bitnet Koll02@snybscva.bitnet Danny Loeb loeb@nestor.greco-prog.fr Ken Lowe jdr@u.washington.edu ken@milton.u.washington.edu Matt McLeod c9106225@wombat.newcastle.edu.au Michael Luft scottb@cs.utexas.edu Sean MacIntosh casmacin@atlas.cs.upei.ca John Aidan O'Regan J_ORegan%csvax1@iruccvax.UCC.IE Andre Verweij andre@duteina.tudelft.nl andre@hlniob.uucp ***** PART THREE ***** **** FONTENOY SUMMARY FROM PREVIOUS ROMAN HEAD OF STATE **** From: John O'Regan <J_OREGAN@csvax1.ucc.ie> The previous head of state had worked the country into a severe conflict with the three major northern powers that he could not solve by diplomatic means. I hope that you prove to be more successful. In case you haven't been following the game the last few years, a little recap: Belgium stabbed his English Allies, London and Liverpool. German support for Belgium had minimized Italian and English ability to counter-attack. The foolish AF alliance continued to believe that without St. Pete they were dead, so stayed blind to the fact that St. Pete was killing them. They finally wised up, but not until they eliminated their ally Serbia and booted their ally Italy from Greece. Good luck in breaking the BS3 alliance. Germany supported both Belgium and Russia into centers this last year while gaining nothing for himself. If he cannot gain again this next year while Belgium and Russia continue to gain, he should be pliable. -Admiral of Rome, Retired. Up