Diplomacy Zine -- Chapter Five EP #143 From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1990 17:33:48 +0000 Issue #143 of ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL: Chapter One contains: NAVARONE, BLITZKRIEG, OPERATION OVERLORD, GETTYSBURG, and HMS HOOD And is published by daybell@aludra.usc.edu/Donald Daybell Chapter Two contains: DRAGONSLAYER, BISMARK, COLD WAR, JACAL, MANHATTAN, and VERSAILLES And is published by tedward@cs.cornell.edu/Ted Fischer Chapter Three contains: TANNENBURG, ENTENTE, MULHOUSE, DAWN PATROL, SNIKKEL-2, and BERLIN And is published by cwekx@htikub5.bitnet/Constantijn Wekx Chapter Four contains: PETAIN, FIRE WHEN READY, DREADNOUGHT, HOHENZOLLEN And is published by xcbe12a@ucrmath.ucr.edu/Wayne Wallace ------------- Chapter Five ------------- Spring '05 of the game BUSHIDO (BNC number 1989IN) (GM is ronin@cory.berkeley.edu/Sam Parazette) I am still waiting for orders from a player. Spring '05 of the game HUGO (BNC number 1989IO) (GM is willis@trwind.ind.trw.com/Willis Marti) Due Feb 11 Winter '03 of the game JUGGERNAUGHT (BNC number 1989IR) (GM is rdesper@eagle.wesleyan.edu/Rick Desper) Due Feb 13 Spring '04 of the game TOKUGAWA (BNC number 1989IS) (GM is rc0o@andrew.cmu.edu/Bob Cochran) Due Feb 18 Fall '03 of the game DUNKIRK (BNC number 1989KN) (GM is sjzwange@phoenix.princeton.edu/Steven Jacob Zwanger) Just replaced a player, results will be published soon. Winter '04 of the gunboat game VERDUN (MNC number 1989AZrb32) (GM is eric_s_klien@cup.portal.com/Eric Klien) Should be published tommorrow, having e-mail problems with 2 players. Spring '02 of the game BIG WILLIE (MNC number not known) (Blind game, GM is okamoto@hp-ses.hp.com/Jeff Okamoto) Not Received. Spring '01 of the classic game RED STORM RISING (MNC number not known) (GM is jbillone@jarthur.claremont.edu/Jeremy Billones) Due Feb 11 Winter '1913 of the game #40 COMRADES IN ARMS (MNC number not known) (GM is att!druwa!hardlj or hardlj@druwa.att.com/Larry Hardouin) Due Feb 20 Spring '01 of the game EL ALAMEIN (BNC number not known) (GM is cap@htikub5.bitnet/Joris Pinkse) Due Feb 20 Winter '01 of the game SNIKKEL (BNC number not known) (GM is cap@htikub5.bitnet/Joris Pinkse) Austria (Malhomme): England (Boyce): A Gal-Rum (* bounce *) A Edi-Bel A Bud-Ser (* bounce *) F Nth C A Edi-Bel F Alb-Gre F Nwg-Nwy /* builds: A Vie */ /* builds: F Edi, F Lon */ France (O'Regan): Germany (Fink): /* builds: F Bre, A Par */ /* builds: A Ber, F Kie */ Italy (Aubourg): Russia (Sinha): /* builds F Nap */ /* builds A Mos, F StP nc */ Turkey (Wekx): /* builds F Smy */ Winter '00 of the game OZARK (BNC number not known) (GM is sam@uafsysb.bitnet/Sam Huntsman) Due Feb 23 Publisher comments: For $950 I will be getting a 12 MHZ AT with 40 meg hard disk (28 ms) plus monitor and other standard stuff. A 2400 baud modem will set me back about another $80. I will have this setup in about a week, so you can stop sending me your suggestions for computers to buy! I also need a GM for a blind game. This zine would have been huge if I hadn't broken off a new chapter four today. (I on purposely put the largest game results into that chapter.) Hopefully this chapter will shrink a lot as I move a few more games into chapters three and four. ************************************************************************ I need more scribes! I need more scribes! I need more scribes! I need ************************************************************************ And here is the end of Zine Register #15: ---> International Zines: ***************** Sweden ******************* Lepanto 4 Ever (#3, November) Per Wetling Rydsv. 246 c:16, S-582 51 Linkoping, SWEDEN $1/issue (US), digest, xerox, 12-32 pp., monthly. Est. September, 1989. Runs: Dip, Gunboat. Openings: Dip, International Dip, Cline 9. The first (to my limited knowledge anyway) Swedish PBM Dip zine. His goal is to galvanize the apparently large scandanavian FtF Dip community and get them playing PBM. The first issue was apparently all in Swedish. The second mostly in English, with a policy statement saying that the zine would be in English except for letters submitted in a Scandnavian language. These will be printed in the original and translated into English, unless the author explicitly requests they not be. Issue #3 was all English. It well be interesting to see how this all develops. At this point, his readership appears to be more North American and British traders than Scandanavian players. Hopefully, that will change. TEN ***************** Australia ***************** Beowulf (#31 September) Andrew England, PO Box 14, Civic Square ACT 2608, Australia. $1.60/issue (AUS). 24 pages, digest, xerox. Circ. 41, est. May, 1987. Runs: Dip (3), International Dip. Openings: International Dip. Rumours of Beowulf's fold were much exagerrated. In fact, Beowulf has been published continuously since issue one in May, 1987. It is produced for the purpose ofg sending me broke, keeping my fingers fit and my mailbox full, to indulge my fantasies and eventually drive me around the bend AGAIN! Along the way it is hoped some postal Diplomacy will be played. We curently have an international game opening, so sign up now! AE Have only seen one issue, but in that it was the infamous "Bruce McIntyre gets propositioned" issue, tweaking the devil out of him for his comments on the "pre-occupation with sex" in the Aussie hobby, it was a good one. Looks a lot like Victoriana in the lay- out, and Cain-England are sort of, well, the McKee-Nash of the Aussie hobby. Looks god, now if only he'd respond to my offer of a trade! TEN The Envoy: (#25 April) Mat Gibson, 4 Oxenbould St., Parkside, S.A. 5063, Australia $25/10 issues, digest, xerox, 36 pages, 6 weeks. Runs: Diplomacy, (13), Bourse, Medieval Europe Dip. Openings: Diplomacy, Bourse, Medieval Europe Dip. With the April issue, Mat resumed the helm from Marion Ashworth. And I don't think I've seen it since then. What happened Mat? Another well laid out, laser printed job, with a lot of games and guest GMs, plus an active lettercol. Did I get left off the sub list, or has it folded? TEN The Mars Archeological Society (#2 October) Joshua Cole, 10 Noble Street, Bullaburra, NSW, 2784, Australia. $1 (Aussie)/issue. Digest, xerox, 20 pages, monthly, circ. 40, est. 9/89. Runs: Diplomacy (4). Openings: Dip, Final Conflict, Downfall, International Dip. At the time of writing, Australia's newest zine, The M.A.S. started to serve teenaged high school students in NSW. Although the early issues are messy and full of crap, steps are being taken to improve this situation. JC issue 2 represented a TREMENDOUS improvement over number one. At this rate of improvement, it'll overtake Victoriana as Australia's best zine in oh, about 10 more issues! TEN Victoriana: (#27 November) John Cain, 76 Banool Rd., Balwyn, 3103, AUSTRALIA $1.50 AUS/issue, digest, xerox, 32 pages, 5 weeks. Runs: Diplomacy (6), Downfall (3), World War II, Final Conflict III (2), Napoleonic (2), Railway Rivals, Deluge. Openings: Diplomacy, Railway Rivals, International Diplomacy (no game fee). Victoriana is easily the most internationally oriented Australian zine, and I am keen to start more international games. While the Australians'V is 32 pages, I leave out 12 pages of games for international traders/subbers to help reduce costs. Each issue features the letter column of around 8 pages (with normally a couple international contributions), a page of Hobby News (mostly Australian), regular contributions and one-off articles from subscribers (and myself), and of course game reports. Topics of discussion in the letter column and articles are quite broad, - of late hobby issues have dominated. International subscribers and trades are most welcome! JC A very good zine. Lots of games, of a wide variety, full letter column with active participation not only from Australian hobbyists, but many from North America, Britain, and New Zealand as well. Con reviews, articles, raging debates on the need for and structure of the Diplomacy Association of Australia, and the Derryn Hitler controversy. Easy on the eyes as well, it a well produced beauty. One warning: Bruce McIntyre has determined that Australian Dip zines such as this contain an overabundance of sexual innuendoe. NOT for the feint of heart! TEN ********************New Zealand************************* The Kiwi hobby basically came into existence this summer, with the appearance (re-appearance in one case), of two zines, and rumor at this point of a third on the horizon. The two couldn't be more in contrast: one polished, big, slow, and professional appearing; the other lean and mean, games only, and fast and relaible, if a bit rough around the edges. Take your pick... something for everyone. It will be interesting to watch the development of the Kiwi hobby in its relationship to the Aussie hobby... will it follow some of the same patterns as the US/Canada hobby(s)? Or develop as a completely seperate entity? Early returns tend to the former, although the Kiwi zines seem to attract players from Asia, Singapore, etc., that haven't appeared to connect to the Aussie hobby yet. Damn The Consequences (#11 November) Brendan Whyte, 96 Waiatarua Road, Remuera, Auckland 5, New Zealand. $1.50/issue, depneding on size, gamefee=sub for length of game. Digest, xerox, 8 pp, 3-4 weekly. Circ. 22+ in 5 countries, est. May, 1987. Runs: Diplomacy, Machiavelli, Mediaeval Dip. Openings: International Dip, International Machiavelli, Dip, Mach, Sopwith, Crusades, and any of a number of variants depending on interest. NZs first postal zine has been on and off for the last 3 years, but is now back with a vengence, and a raging pinko anarchosyndicalist editorial policy (pay up, play, or piss off). Seeking to expand his range of players, he setts out to entice them into his games only to kick them out for NMRing or not paying. In his attemptds to dominate the world, he sets his international players at each others' throats by having them play games that bring out primitive emotions of greed and bloodlust, and by including the odd one or two unbalanced Kiwis to keep the psychomania rolling along. But you are assured a good, well-run, if not perfectly typed game for little cost. For all our anti- nuclear (or unclear) policies, we Kiwis are just as good opponents as Russiansd or Biafrans. BW Rough and ready, regular as all get out, even given trans-Pacific mail, in this the third incarnation for the zine, and paired down to the essentials - games, and an occasional letter. Ugly as sin, but in a fannish sort of way. His International Machiavelli game will probably land George Mann as a player, then we'll have this nascent hobby thinking all US hobbyists like wrestling! TEN View From Another Shore (#2 November) John Dods, P.O. Box 2110, Ahuriri, Napier, New Zealand. $2/issue. Digest, xerox, 24 pp, 5 weeks, circ. 43, est, Aug, 1989. Runs: Dip (2), International Dip. Openings: International Downfall, NZ-Aus Downfall. A zine which covers not only the postal Diplomacy, but commercial PBM games as well. On the Dip side, there is a heavy tendency to Downfall. "View" is the result of some heavy pressure (over 2 years) from some Australian editors to see me publish a Kiwi zine. It's interesting that as I was beginning my own zine another one was already publishing. This could be the start of a Renaissance of the hobby in NZ. You may be hearing a few Kiwi accents at some future World DipCon yet. JD The very polished but quite slow partner of the new Kiwi pair. I don't EVER remember a brand new zine looking this nice, being this polished, and having quite this general, overall style on any continent. Truly impressive. But... the downside is the 5 week schedule announced has already become a bit of a joke. Issue number one was announced, then way overdue. Number two was more like 8-10 weeks later. Give us a few timely issues, and this one'll be a winner! TEN ************* Record Keeping ************* Boardman Number Custodian Don Williams, 1521 West Ave. J-8, #163, Lancaster, CA 93534 Right after John Boardman invented the postal Dip hobby by running a gme by mail in his zine gruastark in 1963, a few other games and othe zines turned up. Immediately some saw the value is keeping track of them, and so Boardman himself began assigning numbers to all games that started, and keeping track of all games that ended. He did this for a few years, and then passed the job on to a hand picked successor. And so was born the BNC. 26 years later, there is still a BNC, giving out numbers and tracking all game finishes for any statistaical purpose anyone may wish to use them for. Don has been on the post for just under 6 months, during which time his own zine has suffered. The BNC is called upon, at times, to make some general policy decisions on GMing procedures, and irregular of grossly mis-managed games, and to decide if they are "ratable," irregular, variants, or just fine. Next time you see Don, tell him thanks. TEN Miller Number Custodian Randy Grigsby, 93 St. Vincent St., R.R.#3, Barrie, Ont., L4M 4S5, CANADA The MNC, is, in essence, the BNC for Diplomacy variant games. The history of the variant hobby is almost as old, and is deeply entwined, with that of the PBM Dip hobby itself. There are literally thousands of variants designed by hobby members, and hundreds have been played over the years. Most involve cahnging either the board, or the rules. Some do both. The variant hobby is currently in a boom cycle, with variant game starts actually eclipsing regular dip starts. Many of those weird names in "Openings" lists are variants. TEN Miller Number Custodian/Under the Covenant Julie Martin, 17601 Lisa Dr., Rockville, MD 20855 Here we go again. The MNC/UC does much the same thing as the MNC. They are rival projects that have their origin in feuds of the past. Robert Sacks, who was once MNC, controls the passage of this cutodianship from holder to holder though his so-called Registry of Projects, of the New York Game Board, of which he is the head honcho. He claims this office holder is the legitimate MNC due to the presence of the Covenant governeing behavior in the office he drafted when he was MNC. Others claim this is ridiculous, and each MNC and only each MNC has the right to pass the office on to whomever they see fit, and they are not bound by the Covenant. Some GMs use both MNs, some use neither, and some "vote with their numbers," so to speak, by seeking only one brand. Ample discussion of the ins and outs and whys and wherefores of the original dispute can be found in many hooby zines, but recent issues of High Inertia, the folding subzineto Rebel, carried the best overall discaussion. You figure it all out. TEN Number Custodian for Machiavelli George Mann, 1701 NW 81st Way, Plantation, FL 33322 I've talked to various hobby members and mentioned this topic in my zine (Son of Flip). I've heard only positive feedback. I therefore would like to make it official that an NCM position will begin immediately. The NCM will be run very similar to my understanding of the BNC and MNC. I will probably use the exact rules I have for the BNC. GM ************** GM Problems ************** U.S. Orphan Service Vince Lutterbie (director), When a GM disappears, folds his/her zine without placing the game in a new home, or simply lapses into periods of irregular adjudications that are slowly killing the game, it is considered to be an "orphan" game. The USOS can help investigate the problem track down old, original players, and get the game restarted in a new zine. Vince took over a funbdamentally moribund office right after DipCon, and has placed a ton of games already. Contact him if you are having trouble with a GM deserting you! Vince will rehouse varinats as well as regular games. TEN Orphan Games Project Kathy Caruso (reg. Dip), 636 Astor St., Norristown, PA 19401 Robert Sacks (variants), 4861 Broadway 5-V, New York, NY The Orphan Games Project of Robert Sacks' Registry of Projects also provides assistance in rehousing "orphaned" games. The Orphan Games Project is no longer officially associated with the USOS because of a policy difference on moving a game not actually abandoned by the GM. OGP will not participate in the rehousing of a game due to player objections to GM policies or procedures. This difference between the two orphan services is based on a philosophical difference of opinion on whether a game fundamentally "belongs" to the players or to the GM. KP Ombudsman Service System John Caruso, 636 Astor St., Norristown, PA 19401 John holds a list of names of people who have volunteered to act as mutually agreed-upon mediators or ombudsmen for game-related disputes between GMs and players as well as non-game disputes between hobbyists. If you have a problem you'd like resolved, contact John for some help. Also contact John if you would like to offer your services as an ombudsman. KP ************* Help for Novices ************* Masters of Deceit Steve Arnawoodian, 602 Hemlock Cir., Lansdale, PA 19446 Ken Peel 8708 First Ave. #T-2, Silver Spring, MD 20910 This introductory publication costs $1.50 and provides a wide variety of articles useful for newcomers to postal Diplomacy. There are articles by Tom Hurst on preventing stabs, Bob Olsen on variants and playing your first game, and Kathy Caruso on women in Diplomacy. Most useful, perhaps, are the general information articles by Tom Swider, Brad Wilson and Steve Langley, and the annotated set of sample move results. An invaluable publication for anyone who wants to find out more about the hobby. KP Supernova Bruce Linsey, P.O. Box 1334, Albany, NY, 12201 This introductory publication costs $1, and contains many articles which novices will find both interesting and informative. Articles include a history of the hobby by Rod Walker, Francois Cuerrier on stabs, Mark Berch on tactics, and Dick Martin on press. Another invaluable publication for anyone new to the hobby. KP North American Zine Bank Tom Nash, 5512 Pilgrim Rd., Baltimore, MD 21214 Would you like to check out a large selection of zines listed in the Zine Register? If so, then send $2.50 (to cover first class postage) and, in return, you will receive as many zines as I can cram into a large manila envelope. This is useful both for newcomers and for those interested in expanding their participation in postal gaming. Let me know which zines you already receive, or if there are any zines in which you are particularly interested, or even broad categories "emphasis on regular dip," "no foreign zines," etc. If I have the zines you want I'll serve them up to you. If I don't, just wait unti the next time the Philadelphia/New Jersey guys dump, er, contribute, their old zines to the project. TEN Known Game Openings Robert Sacks, 4861 Broadway 5-V, New York, NY 10034 KGO is list of current game openings. It is an independent project affiliated with the Robert Sacks' Registry of Projects and his New York Game Board, and is published monthly. KGO only includes game openings voluntarily submitted, and also contains editorials on hobby issues (often controversial), a Convention Notes section, and a Directory of Hobby Services. KP Pontevedria Larry Peery, Box 8416, San Diego, Ca 92102 This publication, available for a self-addressed stamped envelope, is another listing of postal game openings around the hobby for Diplomacy, Dip variants, and other mostly multiplayer games. KP Kanuck Game Openings Doug W. Acheson, 95 Dundonald St., Barrie, Ont. L4M 3T4 Canada Subtitled "A Blatant Rip-Off of Another Source!", KanuckGO is a periodic listing published by the Coordinator of the Canadian Diplomacy Organization (CDO) of games open in all Canadian zines. Not so easy a task as it once was with the continued blossoming of the Canadian hobby. But what I want to know is why Doug keep calling himself a "chair" (everything that he puts out has a line stating "From The Chair") Maybe he's doing so much work to revitalize the Canadian sector of the North American hobby that he's always so glued to the thing that he can no longer tell the difference. This is definitely something to check out if your looking for a game in a Canadian zine, if for no other reason than to harass "Williams the Chair." Also contact Doug for other information relating to the CDO, which provides a range of services to Canadian publishers and players. KP The Zine Register Tom Nash, 5512 Pilgrim Rd., Baltimore, MD 21214 Duh.... TEN The KGO Zine Directory Robert Sacks, 4861 Broadway 5-V, New York, NY 10034 The KGO Zine Directory Chris Carrier, 1215 P St. #12, Sacramento, CA 95814 See, it's like this... it all started years ago, when the editor/publisher of this zine, that you're holding right now, was a good deal later even than I have been (amazing, but true!). A hobby member offered to help him out with some of the work, and an agreement was made. However, this helpful hobby member was also very controversial, and a lot of folks didn't want much to do with the ZR due to his presence. So Mr. Sacks started a rival zine listing called KGO ZD. He retains, he has stated, publishing rights and "custodianship" and appoints a new editor every year. In 1989 there was to be a co-editing team of Brad Wilson and Michael Hopcroft. A lott of work was said to have been done, and then suddenly, this summer, in a dispute with Sacks, Hopcroft turned everything he had over to Sacks enemy Chris Carrier, who took what Hopcroft had, added his own reviews to it, and published it as KGO ZD. See and here's the thing: Carrier claims that since hobby tradition supports the concept of custodians of projects handing the job on to the next one, who is of their own choosing, he "received" custodianship from Hopcroft. And so his is the "real" KGO ZD. Sacks, meanwhile, claims he was always the publisher, and therefore custodian, and only he would have the right to pass on the project, therefore Carrier has no right to the name KGO ZD. The long and the short of it is we potentially have 3, count 'em, three zine listings here in the USA. Brad had promised to go ahead without Hopcroft (who seems to have diappeared from the hobby after the smoke cleared) and do his own "official, Sacks version" of KGO ZD, but that was a long time ago and nothing's been seen. Stay tuned. We're about due, it seems to me, for Round 2. TEN ********* International Assistance ********* British Zine Bank George North, 24 Wigton Rd., Romford, Essex, RM3 9HD, ENGLAND This is the first and original Zine Bank, and works just like the North American Zine Bank (see p. 16). Well, at least close enough for government work. If you are interested in sampling a large selection of British zines, then send about $5 to the ISE (see next listing), and say that you want to use the British Zine Bank. You can specify types of zines (if you get any British zines already, list which ones), or leave it all up to George & Billie's discretion. KP International Subscription Exchange Paul Gardner, 20 Spruce St., Brattleboro, VT 05301 Randy Grigsby 93 St. Vincent St., R.R.#3, Barrie, Ont., L4M 4S5, CANADA Even though the major growth area of the hobby is in Europe and Australia, international contacts remain relatively small. this is a shame since there are always openings for international Diplomacy games. If you would like to subscribe to British or Australian zines, using the ISE is the easiest way to go. Here is how the service works. Let us suppose you want to subscribe to Prisoners of War. All you have to do is send Paul or Randy a check for (about) $10. Make sure to say which zine the money is for and whether you would like to receive it by airmail or surface mail. Surface mail is much cheaper, but delivery may take a month or more (not practical if you are interested in playing rather than just reading). Paul, or Randy, then informs Doug Rowling (the British end of the ISE) of your request and Doug will send the editor concerned the equivalent sum in pounds sterling. The service is quick, and it certainly saves you from either the ridiculous fees banks charge for exchanging foreign currencies or the excessive risk of sending cash by mail. SB ********* And still more invaluable Hobby Services ********* Once Upon a Deadline Bruce Linsey, P.O. Box 1334, Albany, NY 12201 For $3 you can receive OUAD, a 204 page novice editor's package. It contains articles on virtually every aspect of GMing games and publishing a zine. BL North American Variant Bank Lee Kendter, Jr., 264 Spruce Ct., Bensalem, PA 19020 The NAVB has maps and rules on hand for about 900 Diplomacy variants. Most are available for sale at .10 per page. The bank produces a catalogue, which is available for $5, listing games according to their various categories. The categories are explained in the introductory material. There are variants for almost every time period and every part of the world, as well as games played on the regular board with all sorts of rule changes. LKjr International Diplomacy Tournament Ratings Don Del Grande, 142 Eliseo Dr., Greenbrae, Ca 94904 IDTR is a service developed to recognize the best players in the world's "major" Diplomacy tournaments and to name a "World Tournament Diplomacy Champion" (not to be confused with the World Diplomacy Champion crowned at World Dip Con) each year. In addition, through its subzine "Meeting of Minds" (currently only in Life of Monty but available to anyone who wants to publish it- -just ask), IDTR advertises and reports on the major Diplomacy tournaments held throughout the world. DDG North American Tournament Ratings Don Del Grande, 142 Eliseo Dr., Greenbrae, Ca 94904 Originally started in 1986, NATR is similar to IDTR, except that it is limited to North American tournaments, and any tourney in North America with at least 14 players and two rounds of play is eligible to be rated. (Just send in the number of persons in the tournament, and the final results--no more than the top 15 finishers are needed unless more than 80 persons participated, in which case the top 20 will do.) If you have a tournament coming up somewhere in North America, send some information (and registration form, if you have one) and it will be published in "MOM." DDG Diplomacy World Anthologies Larry Peery, Box 8416, San Diego, Ca 92102 These are 200 page coffee table size volumes containing reprints from Diplomacy World, and are printed on book weight paper with comb binding. Vols. I, II, III, & IV are available. Vol. I costs $10 and features the best 60 articles from the first 39 issues of DW as chosen by the previous DW editors/publishers. Vol. II costs $5 and features the writings of Mark Berch. Vol. III contains all the Diplomacy variants published to date in DW, and Vol. IV reprints all DW demonstration games with commentary. LP Stabbing Gourmet Cookbook Larry Peery, P.O. Box 8416, San Diego, Ca 92102 This unofficial hobby cookbook costs $2 and contains a variety of real (and some not so real) recipes donated by hobbyists. It includes a variety of Dip-related lore, including a variant Dip game. LP Diplomacy World Reprint Series Larry Peery, Box 8416, San Diego, Ca 92102 This is for the serious collector. The DWRS offers a complete reprinting of the first 44 issues of DW: all 1,700 pages reproduced from the originals at a cost of $90. For overseas orders, add $45 postage costs. The price includes a copy of the Index & Menu of Diplomacy World, an index of DW by author, subject and issue. LP Lexicon of Diplomacy Mark Berch, 11713 Stonington Pl., Silver Spring, MD 20902 This is a glossary of the hobby and its history, including tactical ploys, variants, organizations, openings, GMing and publishing jargon, strategic concepts, scoring and rating systems, various tricks, special projects, a wide variety of flotsam and jetsam, plus a few ringers. Alphabetized with over 450 entries and accompanying text. 35 pages for $1.25. Also available is Son of Lexicon, an update with 150 new entries, correction of old entries and a short subject index to Diplomacy Digest issues #1-57. Twelve pages for .50. MB Dipcon XV - Tales of the Dipimasters Mark Berch, 11713 Stonington Pl., Silver Spring, MD 20902 A unique publication, this gives a complete account of Dipcon '82 --the biggest of all time. Included are the final standings, results of a player survey, the complete moves for the Top Board game, a description of the planning, statistics for countries at many other tournaments, and much more. 23 pages for $1. MB The Cream Shall Rise Bruce Linsey, P.O. Box 1334, Albany, NY 12201 The Cream Shall Rise is the official publication of the Runestone Poll pollster. Each year, hundreds of Diplomacy players rate their zines, subzines and GMs. The poll results are summarized in TCSR, along with extensive statistical analyses, letters, and articles about the hobby. The top five zines ranked by the 1989 Runestone Poll were Fiat Bellum, Perelandra, Carolina Command and Commentary, benzene, and Penguin Dip. Issue #5 giving the 1989 poll results came out in October, and can be purchased for $5. BL As of next year, the Poll will be run and the zine published by this year's Assistant Pollster, Eric Brosius. I wonder if those little magnetized baking sheets with Dip maps taped to them that have become so ubiquitious in the hobby have anything at all to do with any of this? Hmmmmm..... TEN ************************* Letters ***************************** Mark Berch: "Congrats on taking over ZR. "In #14, Ken Peel's review of Kathy's Kornor begins, "mark Berch called it right when he accused KK of being nothing but "gossipy silliness." The crowd took the charge as a great compliment...." This is untrue and unfair. I didn't say or imply that KK was "nothing but" that. Indeed, just the opposite. My plug for the zine (written in in DD #56) listed many delightful items appearing in Whitestonia #44, one of which was "the gossipy silliness of Kathy's Kornor." Of course it was intended as a compliment, and and anyone reding this lighthearted and affectionate plug would have understood it in exactly those terms. In those days I was on very good terms with the zine, contributing frequently, and being mentioned many, many times." Dave McCrumb: "What? Doubling your price? Are you trying to get rich a la Elmer Hinton? I shall have to talk to Robert Sacks about declaring you an Enemy of the Hobby. While we're at it, why don't I spread the rumor that you said "varaints are the pits," or some such comment, to get Fred Davis angry. Then you can get it from both sides. "Seriously, good luck." ((Thanks Dave, looks like I'll need it because with friends like you... But you're initial sentence segues nicely into another note from Mark...)) Mark Berch: "$1.50 an issue is going to be a problem for many dippers who might like to get the zine but don't think it's worth that much to them. "Why don't you sell advertizing? Figure out rates for 1/4, 1/2 and 1 page ads that will cut your costs and leave some $ left over to reduce the price of the zine. Roy Hendricks, who did the ZR before you were even in the hobby, accepted ads - I'll dig up the details on his rates etc., if you like. I'm sure some pubbers would buy ads (I would!) both to plug their zine and to support the ZR. Give it a thought." ((I'll do better than that, I'll throw it open for discussion. First off let me make my position clear on two points: I really don't think $1.50 for a thrice-yearly zine is unreasonable, particularly considering what I feel is going to be the quality, both in content and appearance. I really don't think there are many dippers out there, even impoverished university students, for whom $1.50 is prohibitive. Lots of zines are cracking that range for a monthly product. Second, I have no intrinsic objection to accepting advertising. I wouldn't do it without getting a sense that the hobby in general would not have a problem with it, and without being convinced that it wasn't more effort than it's worth. I hustled ads and laid them out on an "underground" community newspaper in Madison in the early 70s, so I know how much effort is involved for the pay-off. It's a lot of work, and right now in my life, time is more valuable than money. I am not an organized enough person to give anything like an accurate reckoning of the current state of ZR finances. I do know this... I'm going to lose a bundle on it. I mean a bundle. That's basically OK. This is my hobby. I enjoy doing it. I wouldn't have taken it on if I felt I had to break even to do it. But to do a good product today, and then mail the thing, is very expensive. Of course, as Ken points out, you get an intangible value in return in terms of getting the zines that come in trade, but then since most of those go out the door in Zine Bank sample packages... Anyway, ZR readers, what do you think?)) And finally, to answer the most oft asked question of pubbers, articulated recently by Garret Schenck, Jason Bergmann, and Phil Reynolds all within a week of each other, I get, on the average, about 3 Zine Bank requests a month. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Ken says the number rises significantly right after a ZR goes out. Garret, Phil, and Jason, you're doing fine. Your zines go in virtually every Bank package, along with Meta, Meglomaniac, Excelsior, C'est Magnifique, Bushwacker, Retaliation, Moire, Boob Report, and probably one or two other zines I've forgetting who's pubbers send a few extra copies each issue. And none are going to waste. Already 3 pubbers who do this have told me they have gotten new subbers that way. Remember, deadline for issue #16 is March 31, 1990! I am enjoying moderating this zine, keep that mail coming! Eric Klien Up