Diplomacy zine -- Chapter Three From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Date: Fri, 03 Nov 1989 03:18:01 +0000 Issue #111 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, DOUGHBOY, BISMARK, COLD WAR, JACAL, and TRENCHFOOT And is published by Tedward@cs.cornell.edu/Ted Fischer ------------- Chapter Three ------------- Spring '04 of the game TANNENBURG (BNC number 1989HZ) (GM is ebrosius@lucy.wellesley.edu/Eric Brosius) Due next Sunday. Spring '02 of the gunboat game VERDUN (MNC number 1989AZrb32) (GM is sccs6069@iruccibm.bitnet/Michael O'Regan) He told me his connection is still being worked on. Fall '15 of the 1914 variant ENTENTE (MNC number 1989IJrv17) (GM is matt@oddjob.uchicago.edu/Matt Crawford) Not Received. Autumn and Winter '02 of the Blind variant MULHOUSE (MNC number not known) (GM is barry@vax1.acs.udel.edu/Barry T. Fausnaugh) Results received. Can't publish them in a blind game! Spring '03 of the Blind variant MULHOUSE (MNC number not known) (GM is barry@vax1.acs.udel.edu/Barry T. Fausnaugh) Results received. Can't publish them in a blind game! Autumn and Winter '01 of the game DAWN PATROL (BNC number 1989II) (GM is sinhaa@mcmaster.ca/Anand Sinha) One player is having e-mail root canal work done. Spring '03 of the game RATATOSK (BNC number 1989IJ) (GM is jall@diku.dk/Mogens Jallberg) Hi everybody, Here is the results, mail me when you find the errors: ([] = fail) Austria-Hungary: ---------------- [ A Gal -> Ukr ] disbanded England: -------- A StP -> Mos F Nwy -> NtS Command: F ECh -> MAO [ F Wes -> GoL ] F Lon -> ECh Germany: -------- A Ber -> Sil A Pru -> Liv (I use Lpl or Lvp for Liverpool) [ A Mun -> Tyr ] [ A Ruh -> Mun ] [ A Bel -> Ruh ] A Kie H F Swe H France: Command: ------- A Pic -> Bur A Par SA Pic -> Bur A Spa -> Mar A Gas SA Spa -> Mar F Por -> Spa (sc) Italy: ------ A Tun H [ A Ven -> Tyr ] A Bud S Turkish A Rum -> Gal A Tri -> Vie [ F TyS -> GoL ] [ F Nap -> TyS ] Command: Russia: ------- A War H A Vie -> Boh F Bal -> Den Turkey: ------- A Bul -> Rum A Con -> Bul A Rum -> Gal [ A Sev -> Ukr ] [ A Ank -> Sev ] F Bla CA Ank -> Sev Command: F Gre -> Ion Mogens Jallberg Autumn and Winter '01 of the game BUSHIDO (BNC number 1989IN) (GM is ronin@cory.berkeley.edu/Sam Parazette) Not Received. Fall '01 of the game HUGO (BNC number 1989IO) (GM is willis@trwind.ind.trw.com/Willis Marti) Results ------- England: Army Yorkshire --> London OK Fleet Norwegian Sea --> Norway OK Fleet North Sea --> Belgium Fails (French move) Germany: F DEN - SWE Fails (Russian move) A KIE - HOL OK A RUH support KIE - HOL OK Russia: A UKR - RUM OK F SEV - ARM OK F BOT - SWE Fails (German move) A STP - FIN OK Turkey: A Bul-Gre Fails (Austrian move) A Con-Bul Fails (own unit) F Ank-Black Sea OK Austria: F Alb-Gre OK (2-1) A Ser S F Alb-Gre OK A Bud S RUSSIAN A Ukr-Rum OK Italy: A Apu-Tun OK F Ion C A Apu-Tun OK A Ven H OK France: F ECH->BEL Fails (English move) A SPA->POR OK A GAS->SPA OK ---------------- Final Positions: England: F NTS F NOR A LON Germany: F DEN A HOL A RUH Russia: F GOB F ARM A RUM A FIN Turkey: F BLA A BUL A CON Austria: F GRE A SER A BUD Italy: F ION A TUN A VEN France: F ECH A POR A SPA ------- Builds: England: +1 Germany: +2 Russia: +1 Turkey: +1 Austria: +2 Italy: +1 France: +2 Winter moves due 5 Nov. Note to those who send conditional builds with Fall moves. I will try to interpret things, but I prefer to do a separate Winter turn. More diplomacy gets done. In this case, there are no retreats so it is easier, but next time... 8-) --------- The Weekly Crier "All the news that fits, we print." ----------------------------------- Paris (AP) -- The King of France released a letter from the Commander of the French armies today: "King Jordan; Enjoying Iberian vacation. Lisbon is lovely this time of year. Suppressing populace. Wish you were here. --General Richeleau" London (AP): ``The Royal Defense Force is committed to maintain the neutrality of Belgium and respect for its right to territorial sovereignty.'' from ITALY Today (TM), October 20, 1901 MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES ITALY, VATICAN MISSING London to Paris (UPI): ``Go home.'' Brussels (AP): "King to London and Paris: Go home!" from ITALY Today (TM), October 22, 1901 EMPEROR, VISITING AUSTRIA, FELT THE 'QUAKE Our Emperor did not escape the earthquakes wrath even though he was hundreds of miles away on an official visit in Austria-Hungary. ...Sources close to the Emperor report that even though the earthquake was "barely perceivable" in Vienna, it did cause our Leader to hit his drive "way left" of the 5th fairway at the Vienna Golf and Country Club... London to Rome (Reuters): ``Watch your back. Or better yet, watch France's back.'' from ITALY Today (TM), October 23, 1901 EARTHQUAKE DEATH COUNT RISES, HUNDREDS STILL MISSING Emperor declares: Forget the people in the subway, come help me find my tee shot. from the ROME ENQUIRER/STAR October 27, 1901 ELVIS SPOTTED IN TUNIS!!! ITALIAN EMPEROR: LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT INSIDE: THE HOT NEW ROSANNE BARR DIET Spring '01 of the gunboat game VERSAILLES (MNC number not known) (GM is sccs6016@iruccibm.bitnet/Gearoid Casey) His connection is down for 10 days, I can't contact him. Although he sent me a nice farewell message. GM comments: If anyone would like to be a guest publisher of a chapter or a chapter checker let me know. These very important positions need more people! A few more GMs wouldn't hurt either, particularly for my postal games. Feeling guilty about not recruiting 150 people into the Diplomacy PBM hobby like I have in the past year? Then send money to Eric Klien, 1 Sinai Circle B10, Chelmsford, MA 01824. I will use the money to run a full page ad in Paper Mayhem. Let me know if you want your donations to be anonymous. Here is the end of the lastest issue of BTDT: --------------------------------------------- THE GAMES Stand by List: Stan Johnson, John Crosby, George Mann, Ron Cameron, Mickey Preston, Robert Greier, Tim Moore, Vince Lutterbie, Jimmy Williams, George Rifle, Mike Morris, Jason Bergmann, Jack McHugh, Steve Heinowski, Paul Milewski and Stephen Dorneman. Russ Blau for Colonia. I could use some Colonia stand byes. Any volunteers? Crosby? Peters? Anyone else? ============================================= Choo Choo Coleman 1988HE Fall\Winter 1907 RUSSIA CONTINUES TO BREAK NEW GROUND IN TOADYDOM, PUSHING THE LIMIT AND GOING WHERE NO TOADY HAS GONE BEFORE! MORRIS FALLS FOR THAT OL' MCKEE MAGIC! ALL GERMANY NEEDS TO DO IS STAB RUSSIA AND HE'S THERE. BUT WOULD SMITH DO A THING LIKE THAT.... JEFF WILL FIND OUT! GM CLARIFIES TIME/SPACE CONFUSION! Fall 1907: France (Morris): <A Bre-Nwy>(boom!); <F Mid C A Bre-Nwy>(r-POR); A Gas-MAR; F SPA(sc) S A Gas-Mar. Germany (Smith): F NTH C A Lon-Nwy; A Lon- NWY; F ENG S (R) F NAt-Mid; A Pic-BRE; A PAR S A Pic-Bre; A Bur-GAS; A PIE S A Trl-Ven; <A TRL-Ven>; A Tri-BUD; A VIE S A Tri-Bud; A GAL S A Tri- Bud; <A UKR-Mos>. Italy (Welter): A ROM S A Ven; <A VEN S F Alb-Tri>; F ADR S F Alb-Tri; <A Bud S F Alb-Tri>(boom!); F Alb-TRI; A SER S A Bud. Russia (McKee): F NAt-MID; F Nwg-NAT. Turkey (Tabor) : <A SEV-Mos>; <A ARM-Sev>; F RUM S A Arm-Sev; F BLA S F Rum; A BUL S (I) A Ser; F Aeg-ION. Units By Owner, Autumn 1907: France : F Por A Mar F Spa(sc) Germany : F Nth A Nwy F Eng A Bre A Par A Gas A Pie A Trl A Bud A Vie A Gal A Ukr Italy : A Rom A Ven F Adr F Tri A Ser Russia : F Mid F NAt Turkey : A Sev A Arm F Rum F Bla A Bul F Ion Centers By Owner, Winter 1907: France : Loses Bre. Has Mar, Por, Spa. 3 (-1). Germany: Gains Bre. Has Ber, Kie, Mun, Den, Hol, Bel, Par, Lon, Swe, War, StP, Nwy, Bud, Vie, and Mos. 16 (+1) Italy : Loses Rum. Has Rom, Nap, Ven, Tun, Ser, and Tri. 6 (-1). Russia : Has Lvp, Edi. 2 (even) Turkey : Gains Rum. Has Con, Smy, Ank, Bul, Gre, and Sev. 7 (+1) Winter 1907 Adjustments: France - was one short, no removal necessary. Germany builds A Mun, A Ber, A Kie. Continues one short. Italy builds F Nap (was one short) Turkey builds A Con Units By Owner, Winter 1907: France : F Por A Mar F Spa(sc) Germany : F Nth A Nwy F Eng A Bre A Par A Gas A Pie A Trl A Bud A Vie A Gal A Ukr A Mun A Ber A Kie Italy : A Rom A Ven F Adr F Tri A Ser F Nap Russia : F Mid F NAt Turkey : A Sev A Arm F Rum F Bla A Bul F Ion A Con OK, let's get it straight! This is (was?) 190 SEVEN. So I got confused too. So sue me. The vote on the German win was 1 yes, 1 no, 3 NVR. The vote on the non-existent proposal of I/T/F/R was 1 yes, 4 NVR. Nothing passes, and no new proposals. Let's make the deadline for Spring 1908, yes that's OH EIGHT, at Oct. 7, shall we? Press: Con - GM: I see my confusion of year has spread. You list the turn as 08 and request orders for F07. Hail Chaos! Once the infection has begun it is only a matter of time before Eris triumphs! Con - Ber: Okay Smith, this is your last chance to surrender peacefully! Don't make have to get tough with you, now. Spring 1908: I/T GENERALS (AND GENERALISSIMAS) LOSE TRACK OF CRUCIAL UNITS! RUSSIAN FLEETS IN MEDITERRANEAN! GERMANY AND RUSSIAN LACKEY *DON'T* ATTACK FRANCE! MAJOR MOBILIZATION OF GERMAN UNITS EASTWARD! France (Morris): F POR S F Spa(sc); F Spa S A Mar; A MAR S F Spa(sc). Germany (Smith): F ENG S F Nat-Mid; F Nth-DEN; A Nwy-STP; A Bre- PAR; A Par-BUR; A GAS S A Par-Bur; A PIE-Ven; A TRL-Tri; A VIE S A Trl-Tri; A BUD S A Trl-Tri; A Mun-SIL; A Ber-PRU; A Kie-MUN; A GAL-Rum; A Ukr-MOS. Italy (Welter): A ROM S A Ven; A VEN S F Tri; F ADR S F Tri; A SER S F Tri. F TRI and F NAP H [unordered]. Russia (McKee): F Mid-WES; F NAt-MID. Turkey (Tabor) : A Bul-RUM; A Con-BUL; F Rum-BLA; F Bla-CON; A SEV S Bul-Rum; F Ion-TYR. A ARM H [unordered]. Summer 1908, Units by owner: France : F Por F Spa(sc) A Mar Germany: F Eng A Stp A Par A Bur A Gas A Pie A Trl A Vie A Bud A Sil A Pru A Mun A Gal A Mos Italy : A Rom A Ven F Adr A Ser F Tri F Nap Russia : F Wes F Mid Turkey : A Rum A Bul F Bla F Con A Sev F Tyr A Arm Once again I received two votes for a non-existent proposal, a G win. However, the G win has been formally proposed for next time. Please remember to vote... and guys... on the proposed game ending proposal only, eh? Press: Con-Gm: Went out looking for Trout Mask on CD and ended up getting a Safe as Milk/Mirror Man package so don't need the former. When you get TMR reply with something you like. Deadline for Fall/Winter, 1908 is October 22. See you there! Elio Chacon 1989J Winter 1903/Spring 1904 ENGLISH UNITS FREEZE AS P.M. GETS LOST IN THE WILDS OF WESTERN CANADA! NO PHONE SERVICE AVAILABLE! Autumn: Russia retreats A Bud OTB. England retreats A Bel OTB (GM). Winter: France removes F Lvp. Turkey builds F Smy. Germany builds F Kie. Italy builds F Nap, F Rom, A Ven. Austria (Nickel): A Vie-TRI. England (Hunter): NMR! F Eng-Bre (NSU); F NRG-Nwy; F NTH S F Nrg- Nwy; F BRE H [unordered]. France (Moore): A Por-Spa (destroyed); A Gas S A Por-Spa; A Par S A Gas (NSU); A BUR H [unordered]. Germany (Rifle): A SPA S (I) F Mid-Por; A MAR-Gas; A Sil-MUN; F SKA-Nth; A DEN H; A HOL S (I) A Bel; F Kie-HEL, Italy (Lutterbie): F LYO S (G) A Mar(OTM); A Ven-TYO; A Tri S A Ser (r-Ven, Alb, OTB); A Ser S F Gre(r-Alb, OTB); F GRE S F Nap-Ion; F Rom-TYN; F Mid-POR; A BEL H; F Nap-ION. Russia (Williams): A WAR S A StP-Mos; A STP-Mos; F NWY S (G) F Ska-Nth. Turkey (Hoffman): A BUD S (A) A Vie-Tri; A Bul-SER; A RUM S A Bul-Ser; F Smy-EAS; F AEG-Ion; F Bla-CON; A MOS H; A UKR S A Mos. There has been a concession to Russia proposed. Please remember to vote with Fall orders. Remember, NVR=no, but NMR=yes. Will Steve Dorneman please submit stand by orders for England. I received an electronic mail message from Bill about 2 days before the deadline on another matter, but saying he was in the process of moving (to: 125 Gypsy Place, Fort McMurray, Alberta T9J 1K8, Canada) and expected to be incommunicado for awhile (through Oct 18). I assume he'll be back. But in case, Steve's address is: 94 Eastern Ave #1, Malden MA 02148. The NMR was handled by W.A.P. Press: Par - Axis: Please, oh please, take out Jimmy Williams the crazed wacko of our times before you finish me off! I don't think I can live with myself if you don't. My blood will be on your hands! Par-GM: Let's see what they can do with as straight a line as that! Par-Allies: So, this is what I get to look forward to, stabs in the back while I'm not looking! You could drive me to drink, or at least turn me into a Williams flunkie! And we wouldn't want that on your consciences, would we? Deadline for Fall 1904 is November 15, 1989. --------------------------------------------- Marv Throneberry 1989IA Spring 1901 GALICIA, BLACK SEA, AND BURGUNDY ONLY CONTESTED PROVINCES AS POWERS BEGIN THEIR DANCE. RUSSIA FACING SOME RUDE VISITORS IN SOUTH, BUT ACCOMMODATIN/G GERMAN NEIGHBOR. PRESS WARS BEGIN, BUT CAN VOUCH FOR AUTHENTICITY? (NO!). Austria (Hoffman): A Bud-RUM; A VIE-Gal; F TRI H. England (Williams): F Lon-NTH; F Edi-NWG; A Lvp-YOR. France (Preston): A PAR-Bur; A MAR H; F Bre-MID. Germany (Brandon): F Kie-HOL; A Ber-KIE; A MUN-Bur. Italy (Heinztmann): A Ven-TYO; A Rom-VEN; F Nap-ION. Russia (Norman): F StP(sc)-BOT; A WAR-Gal; A Mos-UKR; F SEV-Bla. Turkey (Carlberg): A Con-BUL; F ANK-Bla; A Smy-CON. Stven Carlberg has a new address: 297-B Eureka Drive, Atlanta GA 30305. Press: Ger - Eng: Your incessant chatter is giving me a headache. Where did you learn to write so fast? E to A: Tremble, Austria, and despair. With Louisvillian France at my right hand, letter-writing Russia on my left, a soon-to-be-six center Germany before me, Italy the scourge of Trieste, and Turkey the Jaws of Death at your back - Behold, my wrath shall not be stayed. Behold my mighty hand. My will be done. And I, I remain aloof in my sceptered isle while my minions chastise you. And yet - if you repent in sackcloth and ashes, with weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth - yet I may relent if you humbly serve my sacred purposes. Become my willing thrall and I may raise you up above all nations, for my mercy is everlasting and the well of my forgiveness springeth forth bounteously for ever and ever. The fear of England is the beginning of wisdom. -Jimmy the Avenger. GM - Paris: Yo, Pope Mickey. Sounds like Jimmy needs a lesson in theology - specifically in the Church of the " ", of which you are my trusted Rock and Servant. He's pushing the edge of blasphemy here. Please educate him! London: The Home Office released the following statement: "We sincerely hope that both our German and French brethren understand the need for a British force upon the continent. Therefore, we request that they allow us to occupy Belgium and Holland. We will hold these lands as a buffer zone, and will not expand from there. Moscow: The Czar today was adamant when questioned about Russian involvement in the Balkans. He repeated his claim that Russia, by divine right, owned the Black Sea, Rumania, and Bulgaria. Any foreign powers attempting to occupy these areas will discover the wrath and fury of Mother Russia, and her military might would not be spared upon the trespassers. Players are reminded that all Dip games in BTDT allow black, grey, and white press. Mickey Preston is moving, to Lexington Jimmy!, but I don't have an address yet. Will send it along when I get it. The deadline for Fall 1901 is November 15, 1989. -------------------------------------------- Gunboat Frank Thomas Spring 1901 ALL ORDERS SUCCEED AS POWERS MOVE ANONYMOUSLY FORWARD! ENGLISH IN THE CHANNEL, AUSTRIANS IN VENICE, ITALIANS IN TYROLIA, AND TURKS IN THE BLACK SEA PRESAGE INTERESTING CONFLICTS TO FOLLOW! Austria: NMR! F Tri-VEN; A Bud-SER; A Vie-GAL. England: F Lon-ENG; F Edi-NTH; A Lvp-YOR. France : A Par-BUR; A MAR S A Par-Bur; F Bre-MID. Germany: F Kie-HOL; A Mun-RUH; A Ber-KIE. Italy : F Nap-ION; A Rom-APU; A Ven-TYO. Russia : F StP(sc)-BOT; A War-UKR; A Mos-SEV; F Sev-RUM Turkey : A Con-BUL; A Smy-ARM; F Ank-BLA. Austria NMRed. As per my houserules, for a 1901 NMR, I call on a third party with no involvement in the game to submit orders. Thanks to my anonymous order submitter. A standby is called, and if the original Austrian does not submit Fall 1901 orders, will get the position. And speaking of NMRs, the vote was rather clear in favoring "All Units Hold" for handling post-1901 NMRs. Press: England - Europe: I'll just sit over here in the corner. You won't even know I'm here. Just go on with what you were doing, I'll just sit over here out of the way and keep quiet, out of trouble, really I will. Italy - Board: Anyone wanna be my friend? Italy - Turkey: Don't worry, I can't even spell Lepanto, much less pull one off. Honest. Italy - England: And I'm not moving into the Channel either! F -> E: If you've opened Churchill, we're in good shape and continue negotiations. If not, I'll ally with Germany. F -> I: Pay no attention to any other French press but this - I am your FRIEND. T -> I: Look out, here I come. T -> A: Let's be friends. <?-GM>: Which country am I playing? <?-Board>: I'll write more press as soon as I find out what country I'm playing. <Tur-Aus>: Hi, neighbor! <StP-Con>: If you're in, get out, and we'll do just fine. Otherwise only England, Germany and Austria will benefit. <StP-Ber>: Here's to lots of empty meadows between us. (clink) <StP-Lon>: A in Nwy = F in StP(nc). Let's party. Players in this game are also advised to remember that press can be white, grey, or black. Deadline for Fall 1901 is November 15, 1989. Railway Rivals Chesapeake and Ohio Map Bo Belinski 725CO Round 1 Game Note: There is one crucial correction to last issue's start up info... The Burgundy Express's color is, of course, burgundy. Duh.... MDL (Hill, Red): 1a: (Petersburg)-H35-H30 1b: (H30)-I30-I29-I27 1c: (I27)-Lynchburg-I24-I23. TOM NASH (von Metzke, Orange): 1A: (Emporia)-B40. 1b: (B40)- (Suffolk)-C44. 1c: (C44)-(Norfolk). Buy ferries to (Newport News), Cape Charles. (B39)-D38. OHIO (Gardner, Blue): 1a: (Richmond)-M35-M31. 1b: (M31)-O30- Charlottesville-O28. 1c: (O28)-P27-P25. CORE (Brown, Brown): 1a: (Richmond)-M35-M31. 1b: (Richmond)-J36- J39. 1c: (J39)-I40-I41-H41. L&LC (Preston, black): 1a: (Emporia)-B40; 1b: (B40)-B41-(Suffolk)- C44; 1c: (C44)-(Norfolk); buy ferry to (Newport News). (Norfolk)- D41; (Newport News)-F42. BX (Goode, Burgundy): 1a: (Washington)-Alexandria-W35. 1b: (W35)- W32-V32. 1c: (w32)-X31-Y32-Z31. Note, underlined towns means you are first to reach it and get 6. Underlined in parentheses means you and at least one other player reached it at same time, and split the 6 among you. Revenue: OLD TOWNS PAYMENTS NEW MDL : 20 6 26 TOM NASH: 20 15 -12 22 OHIO : 20 6 26 CORE : 20 20 L & LC : 20 9 -6 23 BX : 20 6 26 Rolls for round #2 are 5-3-4. I received the last set of orders just as I was leaving town for a couple of days immediately prior to deadline, so I did not get to do an interim adjudication. But in this game (not Spain, again, due to mail from Australia), I will adjudicate anytime I get all sets of orders and there is more than just a few days before the next formal deadline. This way, we can speed the game up and sometimes get as couple of rounds in between issues. The formal deadline for Round 2 builds is November 15, 1989. -------------------------------------------- Railway Rivals Spain Map Felix Mantilla 714SP Start Up Info Doug Brown: Toro Train (TT) starts in Malaga, Brown. Paul Gardner: Muy Rapido (MR) starts in LaCorruna, Yellow. John Cain: Victorian Investment Corporation (VIC) starts in Cartagena, Green. Marlene Zetzer: Boxcar of Seville (BS), starts in Castellan, Blue. Conrad von Metzke: Prescribed Universal Trains Anonymous (PUTA), starts in Santander, Orange. Jim Goode: Night RR Company (NIGHT), starts in Valencia, Black. Ken Hill: Costa Del Sol (CDS), starts in Bilbao, Red. MIckey Preston: Lichtenstein and Luxembourg Central (L&LC), starts in Barcelona, Purple. Jim asks: Is building through Portugal legal? Well, once again I don't have the vaguest idea. I assume not, but I must defer to Conrad. Connie? Rolls for Round One are: 5-3-5. Deadline is November 15, 1989. Tom Swider has asked me to plug a Railway Rivals opening he has in his excellent zine (or as he would say..."xyn") Comrades in Arms. He'll be using the NYC - Chicago map, and only going through the town deck once. For more info or to sign up, contact Tom at 75 Maple Ave. Apt A, Collingswood, NJ, 08108. --------------------------------------------- Roger Craig Colonia VI Gamestart The Players: Netherlands: Vince Leamons (paid) 426 Ellwood Beach #10 Goleta, CA 93117 Portugal: Mike Morris (paid) 607 Del Valle Cir, El Sobrante, Ca 94803 Spain: Stan Johnson 10 Pine Street, Edison NJ, 08817 Ottoman: Bill Hunter 125 Gypsy Place, Fort McMurray Alberta, T9J 1K8, CANADA China: Tom Heffner 13 West 82nd Street, 2B New York, NY 10024 Austria: Fred Hyatt 60 Grandview Place, Montclair NJ 07043 Russia: Jim Shapiro (paid) 1546 North Marshall, Milwaukee, WI 53202 France: Doug Winship (paid) 5990 Stuart Lane Worthington, OH 43085 England: Bob Aube 108 Nichols St. Lewiston, Me. 04240 Russ Blau is our designated stand by. With any luck, he'll have nothing to do! The deadline for opening Spring orders is the December deadline (two issues from now, but if I have all nine sets of orders by the November 15 deadline for the next issue, and no explicit requests to delay the opening, I'll adjudicate the first moves then. If you haven't paid your game fee, please do so. Country selection was done randomly. I know a few of you had trouble with the western european segment of you map, and hopefully I've included a new copy here, as well as a list of abbreviations. If not, holler. Rumor has it that Vince is drawing a new version of the map, so we may see that soon. Please in your orders do the following to make it easier on me: use the approved abbreviations ONLY!! And please, divide your orders into geographic areas... i.e. "Europe," "North America," "the Pacific." ============================================= Richie Ashburn Kremlin Gamestart The Players: Jeff Mckee 3801 W. 13th Apt 903, Wichita KS 67203-4430 Ken Hill (paid) 6199 Rockland, Dublin OH 43017 Ed Wrobel (paid) 6204 Bardu Ave, Springfield VA 22152 Doug Winship 5990 Stuart Lane Worthington, OH 43085 This is simple guys. Here's the set up: KGB: Palavarian; Foreign: Bungaloff; Defense: Eatstumuch; Ideology: Talksalott; Industry: Badenuff; Economy: Zenjarplan; Sport: Nikotin; Candidates: Schukrutoff; Goferbrok; Mischif; Strychnin; and Protzky. What I need from you for next time is a faction name (doesn't need to be one of the ones in the game), color, a list of allocated IP, and any initial IP you wish to declare. We are playing the basic game, so no IP on Nestor. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO PLAY: I'll take one or two more. Just send the same info as above, and your game fee ($5), by the deadline. Anyone need HRs? THE ROPES First of all, in order to understand anything that comes after this, you have to understand that I am desperately phobic of heights. Not when thee is glass between me and the precipice. I love looking out airplane windows. I have no problem pressing my face against the window of the 100th floor glassed in observation deck of skyscrapers. Take away that thin pane of glass, however, and I'm a basket case. I hate standing on top of cliffs. I can't handle open observation decks. I'm not too great walking across tall bridges. I get dizzy, panicked, and feel like my insides are going to explode. It is my single classical phobia, and one that has not caused too much dysfunction in my life. I simply don't do much rock climbing, you know? Many of you also know my job. I am the Director of Treatment at a 58 bed alcohol and drug addiction treatment program. I supervise the counseling staffs of both adult and adolescent inpatient programs, and the outpatient program as well. I am ultimately responsible for the therapeutic program and what happens in treatment for all our patients. Part of my training as a group therapist came at a two year post-graduate training program at Saint Elizabeths Hospital in D.C. in group therapy and psychodrama, an experiential, action-oriented form of group therapy. I am a firm believer in experiential therapies, in treatment by doing rather than talking about. What all this leads up to is the experience I have been undergoing since June as a part of our new experiential adventure based inward bound program, or, in the vernacular, "the Ropes Course." It appeared rather suddenly. My boss, cautious, money conscious, go slow in all things tight wad that he is, surprised the heck out of me by deciding to do this and doing it fast. Suddenly, almost before I was fully conscious of what he was talking about with this "ropes" thing, trucks were driving up with huge telephone poles, and a couple of guys who looked like it was always gonna be 1969 for them (I know, I know... this is the pot calling the kettle black) were there, showing the workmen where the poles went, and suddenly, this... thing, this apparatus, was growing from the ground like a weird new form of life. I mean, this thing was BIG. And strange looking. Lots of small, ground level formations consisting of sawed off telephone poles, ropes, and boards; and two huge, imposing structures of 40 foot telephone poles with wires, ropes, and other poles connecting them. As the staff watched it go up, we thought in unison..."what the hell...?" I was out at the beach the following week as the not-so-ex- hippies, who also happened to be highly trained and heavily licensed therapists, a Clinical Psychologist and Social Worker, began the process of training supervisory staff in using the apparatus and becoming instructor/therapists. In a nutshell, it is an adventure based, metaphorical method of therapy. There are two basic components. The ground level exercises, and the high elements. The ground level exercises are group oriented problem solving group exercises. They are designed to engender teamwork, communication, cooperation, and trust. They are physical, and require teamwork and problem solving abilities. An example is the exercise called "Islands." The group, of up to 8-10 people, stand on a small, rectangular, 3'x 3' wooden platform about a foot high. There is an identical platform about 8' away. The group is given the metaphorical instructions to imagine they are on a small island, the other platform being a second island, and the intervening ground between the two represent shark infested water. A volcano has erupted and the island they are on is threatened. In a relatively short amount of time, they must get, somehow, from the current island to the other. They are given only 3 boards, 2x4s, about 6' long, to use as tools. Neither the boards nor the people may touch the intervening ground. It is an extremely difficult exercise to accomplish, but it not only CAN be done, but every group eventually accomplishes it. The only way is through tight physical cooperation, taking into account differences in body size and weight in determining who can safely get across the fragile bridge of boards sandwiched in the middle that connects the two islands with people acting as human anchors on either side to weight the boards down. Obviously, lots of issues come up for participants including the roles they took in the group, what the struggle for leadership was like, how, and if, they were heard by other group members, insight about their ability or inability to trust and cooperate, and feelings about the physical touch and attention to size and weight that must be a part of the group's problem solving if it to be successful. A lot of powerful material comes out which can then be talked out and discussed further in more traditional group therapy. The high elements are another story. Having completed a series of ground elements to the satisfaction of the instructor/ therapist, the group is now ready, in terms of trust, and cooperation, to tackle the higher parts of the course. Donning mountain climbing harnesses, attached to a belay rope that goes through a pulley on the top of the course, and is anchored on the other end by another group member or instructor who is in turn anchored to a solid tree trunk implanted in the ground, the person climbs a telephone pole with metal rungs implanted in it to attempt to a series of events at either 24' or 40' off the ground. Having missed the initial training by the experts, I was part of a group of supervisory staff who went through the training beginning in late June, being trained by staff who had themselves just been trained by the "experts." After two days of learning about safety, how to tie the appropriate knots for our belay ropes, and doing the ground level exercises, we were now ready to move on... and up. Yeow! My first attempt at a high element was a bit of a disaster. We tried the "Team Beam." This is a 24' high event, I was absolutely sure I was not ready to attempt anything 40' up, and may never be. But 24', yes, I was willing to give it a go. The Team Beam consists of two small logs which are tied, horizontally, between two of the telephone poles. One is on the inside of the two poles, the other outside. There is about three feet between them. This is a two person event. I.e. two of you are harnessed and climb the poles. You stand facing each other, each with both feet on your own pole. The only thing you have to hold onto and get your balance from is each other. Grasping each other's forearms, you slowly and gingerly ease away from the safety of the one pole, and walk across space, feet precariously balanced on your thin log, holding each other's forearms for dear life to maintain your balance, and across the void to the other waiting telephone pole. Sounds easy, eh? Hah! Remember my fear of heights. Then imagine this: on this, my first attempt at completing a high event, I was paired with the former Director of Nursing, who had recently received a new position. In this event where trust and mutual comfort are essential, I was paired with someone equally as phobic of heights as I was, and with whom I had a poor relationship. We had worked well together at one point in time, but our relationship had deteriorated to the point where we barely spoke now. And yet here we were, 24' feet up, depending on each other. It didn't work. We stood there, trying to gain the strength and support from each other to let go of the first pole and take the first step out in to the void. It wasn't coming. Then her legs started to shake. Wildly. They didn't stop. Finally we gave up and climbed down. I felt disappointed by not having successfully achieved the goal set, but a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment that despite my almost debilitating fear, I even got up there! Over the course of the next couple of days I completed the other two 24' events, the Postman's Walk and the Tension Traverse. The former is simply walking across a metal wire about 1/2 inch thick while holding on to another identical wire over your head for balance. After completing one traverse from pole to pole, one must "dismount" the event by going back out to the middle, leaning back, and letting go of the upper wire while the person on the other end of the belay rope slowly lets you down. THAT was rather an accomplishment to achieve! Talk about total faith and trust in another human being! There's nothing metaphorical about this part of it. Your life is literally in their hands! The next one I was able to complete was the Tension Traverse. Again, you walk from telephone pole to telephone pole, a distance of perhaps 24 - 30 feet on a 1/2" thick metal wire. However, this time, instead of a wire over your head to hold on to, you have three pieces of heavy cord, hanging down vertically from a wire way overhead. Each piece of cord is about 6' apart, and the two on the end are also about 6' from the telephone poles. So you climb the pole, step out on the wire while holding on to the pole, reach out with one hand to grab the cord, yank hard to balance yourself, then reach the other hand over to grab the cord with. Now, ease yourself gently over, let go with your lead hand while holding tight with the back hand, reach out and grab the second cord (and you must really extend yourself physically if you are short like I am). All the while, if you have this damned phobia, the ground is ready to start spinning madly in a rush of vertigo and hyperventilation if you lose your focus and suddenly pay attention to the fact that you are way the hell up in the air instead of focusing on the physical mechanics and the next step you need to take. Again, after completing the journey across once, you must dismount by going back halfway, grab the two cords on either side, lean way back and... let go! In that same week I was able to finally complete the Team Beam with other partners. In fact, as frightening as the event is for me, more so than either of the other two 24' events by virtue of having nothing stable and solid attached to the major frame of the apparatus to hold securely on to, I learned that with a partner you actually trust, it is... well I won't say easy, but certainly doable. What continued to be something I was not able to push myself to do, besides any of the 40' events (I got terrible vertigo just watching other people do them), was the proper dismount for the Team Beam. Again, the idea is to walk back halfway and drop off backwards to be belayed down safely. However, unlike the Tension Traverse or the Postman's Walk, there was nothing to hold on to, and then let go of, when dropping backwards. It's just lean back into the air, baby, and fall. In addition, to even get there was beyond my ability. You have to go back halfway alone. Straddling the two small logs, one foot on each, you walk on them to the mid point, with nothing to hold on to for balance, then make a half turn, bring one foot back so they are both on the same log, lean back, and fall... no way. Not yet. I was content to just climb back down the poles and feel great about the ability to overcome my fears and phobias to do the damned event in the first place. I knew I'd do it, eventually. As for the 40' events... well, I didn't care if I ever tackled them! Through the summer more staff kept getting trained by some of the original staff that had been trained. I wasn't too involved in that process, having other more pressing work. The impact on people's lives was rather remarkable. To see a 72 year old counselor, in his second career, get up 40 feet and walk across a single beam with nothing to hold on to, was an incredible inspiration. We integrated the course int the daily treatment schedule in August. The results with patients has been outstanding, and at times, awesome. By mid-September, it was time to train some new staff who had come on board, or who had missed the last round of training. This time I freed up my schedule to participate in the training. The group was fairly small, a counselor, two nurses, a family therapist, and a unit clerk. The Activity Therapy Coordinator was running the training, with my assistance. Basically, I functioned as if I were a member of the training group, but helped with some of the technical details. After 3 half-days of ground exercises, safety, belaying technique, etc, we were ready to tackle the high elements. This time, when one of the trainees choose me to do the Team Beam with him, I was ready for the dismount. We walked across, hanging on to each other for dear life, but careful not to pull each other off. He elected to climb down, having had enough personal challenge for that day. I knew I was going to do it. It took 20 minutes of me standing there, holding the telephone pole, cursing at the top of my lungs, repeating ad nauseam how much I HATE this, but suddenly I was walking, not holding on to anything, 24' in the air. The rest happened so fast, and I was concentrating so deeply on what I was doing, in effect in a deep trance, that I really don't remember. But I know I did it. I turned the half turn, leaned back and fell into space. By the next week when I did it again, it was actually... dare I say it, EASY! With that as a warm up, I spontaneously, without practically any forethought, decided to go for it. Push the fuggin' outer envelope! Before I knew what I was doing I was climbing 40'. Whoa! What are you doing? Panic almost set in a couple of times on the way up, but I took a few deep breaths and concentrated, and there I was. Ready to do the Burma Bridge. This is actually a relatively easy event, except that it is 40' up. Athletically, it may be the easiest of all the high elements, it's difficulty coming solely from the heights and the psychological aspect of it. Once again you walk across the ubiquitous 1/2 inch metal wire. This time, however, you have two ropes on either side of you, about hip high, to grasp on to and hold for balance. They are connected to the wire with intermittent wires going vertically from the rope to the bottom wire, creating a "V." AS you walk, you need to push out and down on the ropes to create tension, which helps with your balance. I did it. And I did the tricky dismount, where you must swing both legs up and over one of the hip-level ropes, putting your feet back on the wire, holding on to both ropes with your hands, and, as usual, leaning back, letting go, and falling. Only this time from 40'. The adrenaline rush as I reached the ground was overwhelming. I hadn't felt that good in a long, long time. What I have gotten out of it? Hard to say. I KNOW I can accomplish things I never thought I would be able to when I started out. I knew that, in an abstract theoretical fashion beforehand. Now I know it in a dramatic, palpable way. Each new challenge on the course that I was able to overcome was tangible, undeniable evidence of that. I'm still phobic of heights. Just as much as was before all this started. But I realize, that like any other limitation, I can overcome it to the extent that I find myself walking around on a goddamn wire 40 feet in the air! I find that astonishing, and I'm real proud of myself. The next challenge for me is the Balance Beam. A larger log that runs between two of the poles at the 40' level, you just walk out, with nothing to hold, and stroll across, halfway back, lean back and fall. I'm almost ready. I got on it last week. At the end of the day, I was tired and frazzled. I wasn't ready, I realized, to walk it. So I sat there and just got used to how it felt. There's time. I know I'll do it very soon. About 3 weeks ago I was still saying that it was the one event I had no intention of ever trying. Now it's only a matter of time. ************************************************************************ I need more scribes! I need more scribes! I need more scribes! I need ************************************************************************ I am enjoying moderating this zine, keep that mail coming! Eric Klien Up