Diplomacy zine -- Russia From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Date: Mon, 31 Jul 1989 23:28:09 +0000 Issue #84 of ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL: Chapter One contains: D-DAY, NAVARONE, BLITZKRIEG, OPERATION OVERLORD, GETTYSBURG, and HMS HOOD And is published by Daybell@aludra.ucs.edu/Donald Daybell Chapter Two contains: DRAGONSPLAYER, DOUGHBOY, BISMARK, COLD WAR and JACAL And is published by Goebel@emunix.emich.edu/Matthew Goebel ------------- Chapter Three ------------- Fall '07 of the game MAELSTROM (BNC number 1989AA) Game delayed one day due to player goof! Dang. Spring '01 of the game TANNENBURG (BNC number not known) (GM is Ebrosius@lucy.wellesley.edu/Eric Brosius) Due date August 6th. GM comments: We need someone to take the position of e-mail problem solver. This person would help people figure out how to contact other people, letting them know what e-mail addresses are possible. Also, if someone wants to write a little article on how to solve e-mail problems, I would be glad to publish it. I have one opening in my next postal game. Taken from Hoosier Archives #55: RUSSIA'S NORTHERN OFFENSIVE by Rod Walker Russia has two fronts, distinctly seperated, and symbolized by her two distinct naval frontages, Baltic/Barents and Black Sea. Allan Calhamer gave Russia four units because of this, and there is a Russian fleet on each front. There are times when Russia may wish to concentrate initially on one front or the other. This article deals with concentration on the north. I want to preface it with some observations of a general nature: 1. I believe that early concentration may unnecessarily antagonize its object. Concentration in the north is usually anti-English, but choosing your enemies before you know which enemies have chosen you is not too bright. 2. Concentrating in the north means ignoring the south. There is then no protection against a Turkish or Austrian stab. It also means an abandonment of the right to sway events in the south, at least immediately. The decision to concentrate in the north is a weighty one. It should not be made except for compelling reasons. If it needs to be done, however, then "'twere best 'twere done quickly", to use the words of Lady Macbeth. The most common "northern intervention" move is F Stp(sc)-both, A Mos-StP, followed in FAll by F Both-Swe, A Stp-Nwy (hopefully keeping the English out), or A Stp-Fin, making things hot for England in S02, even though he will take Norway in 1901. The other army is then used in the south, or if Russia has no immediate ambitions there, hangs around wondering what to do. But if you are going to intervene in the north, Russia, and abandon your interests in the south, then you may as well do so quickly. There is therefore another sequence which offers interesting possibilities. This sequence is: Spring 1901 Fall 1901 Winter 1901 ----------- --------- ----------- F StP(sc)-Bot F Bot C A Lvn-Swe Build F StP(nc) A Mos-StP A StP-Fin A War-Lvn A Lvn-Swe This is accompanied, of course, with suitable Diplomacy, hopefully inducing both France and Germany to attack the Wicked Witch of the North, England. At the end of 1901, Russia has 4 units poised in Scandinavia. Norway should fall in 1902. The importance of this position lies, however, not in the fall of Norway, but in its aftermath. Taking Norway from England is one thing; taking anying else is another. If Russian diplomacy has been successful, England may be glad to recognize the FAIT ACCOMPLI in return for Russian non-aggression in the future. In turn, Russia should be glad to grant this. In Spring 1902, he should have moved F Bot-Bal (on the excuse that he needs to get the fleet out for use against England, a real need if he continues his naval war to the west). He is then in position to launch an attack on Germany. A strong advance into central Europe is far more important to Russian victory than the side show against England (Russia needs to weaken, not destroy, England, at this stage in the game). By the end of 1902 (Russia will probably build A War in W02), the Russian position is good in the north. He dominates Scandinavia, holding a strong defensive position, anchoring his offensive there. He has taken, or is threatening, Denmark. He has armies poised to the east and north of Germany. Again I emphasize, however, that this is possible only when Russia's diplomatic position in the south is so secure that he can afford to devote very minimal attention to that theatre. His very weekness in that area, combined with successes in the north, may undermine his position. He must be careful, therefore, to engage in strong and aggressive diplomacy with his southern neighbours, so that while he seeks to dominate the north, he does not lose the south. Taken from MAD #277: WHY ARE WE ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY...? By Barry Liebman EXPENSIVE "DESIGNER JEANS" that are turned out in the same Hong Kong factory that makes cheap, ordinary jeans. THE LASTEST DISCOVERIES IN MEDICAL SCIENCE when the odds of finding a doctor who knows about the latest techniques are exceeded only by the odds of being able to pay for them. THE PENTAGON'S NEW, ULTRA-SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS when most of the teenage personnel who'll be handling this complicated weapons probably won't even be able to read or write. A CONTEST WITH $150,000 WORTH OF PRIZES when you can bet your life that the prizes consist of one expensive item and $149,000 worth of shoddy merchandising gimmicks. RUSH-HOUR RADIO REPORTS THAT TELL US WHAT HIGHWAYS AREN'T CLOGGED WITH BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC when everyone else is listening to the same reports, and the roads that used to be traffic-free will soon be just as crammed. PUBLIC BROADCASTING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE SOAD OPERAS, SITCOMS, OLD MOVIES AND ENDLESS ADVERTISEMENTS SEEN ON COMMERCIAL TELEVISION when all we ever see on PBS are British soap operas, British sitcoms, old British movies, and endless appeals to viewers to send in their money. COSTLY VCRS THAT CAN RECORD SIX HOURS OF PROGRAMS OVER 14 DAYS FOODS LABELED "ALL NATURAL" when the term can also be applied to appetizing items like fungus, crabgrass, and horse manure. THE LATEST "SAFETY DEVICES" IN OUR LOCAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT when we can plainly see--just by reading our own electric bill--what kind of incompetants are working there. ANY TOY ADVERTISED ON SATURDAY CARTOON SHOWS when--minus the actors, props, and special effects used in all the hard-sell commercials--the average toy is about as fascinating as the box it comes in. ANY MAN'S COLOGNE WITH A MACH NAME THAT'S PACKAGED WITH SCENES OF THE OLD WEST AND A TOUGH-LOOKING COWBOY when in reality, and guy caught wearing sweet-smelling cologne in the Old West was probably strung up on sight, or mistaken for a dance- hall girl. A MOVIE THAT WINS "THE ACADEMY AWARD" even though the Motion Picture Academy is filled with the same idiots who gave us "Ishtar", "Shanghai Surprise", "Back to the Beach", "Blind Date", and "The Care Bears in Wonderland." I am enjoying moderating this zine, keep that mail coming! Eric Klien . Up