Re: Blind Diplomacy variant

From: okamoto@hpccc.HP.COM (Jeff Okamoto)

Date: Tue, 01 Aug 1989 17:50:11 +0000

dougi@utastro.UUCP (Doug Ingram) asks:

> 	I've never heard of the "Blind Diplomacy" variant, but
> from reading the previous posting, it sounds great!  Could someone
> please post (or mail) a summary of the rules for this variant?
> Sounds like a perfect pbem game...perhaps a variant that Eric
> would care to run through his zine (Eric?).

Here are the set of rules that I will use for any future Blind Diplomacy
that I run.  It's based on the BAD (Blind Armor Dip) rules that Richard
used in 2BAD, with some minor clarifications.

(Although I am thinking about the order of spies moves: do they move
first, or does CE work first?  If CE works first, then you could
conceivably set up a "Line of Death", which Scott and Pete and I
attempted to do in order to deceive the West.)

-----Begin Rules
Rules for the "Blind Diplomacy" variant:

Regular Diplomacy rules apply except that one cannot "see" the
	entire board.

A country can always "see" within its own borders.
	However, a country can not see around its own borders
	unless it has units in its border territories.  E.g.,
	France can't see what's in Piedmont unless it has a piece
	in Marseilles (or another territory adjacent to Piedmont).

The following territories are consideed "within a country's
	borders":
		Austria: Trl, Boh, Gal, Vie, Bud, Tri
		England: Cly, Edi, Lpl, Yor, Wal, Lon
		France: Bre, Pic, Par, Bur, Gas, Mar
		Germany: Kie, Ber, Pru, Ruh, Mun, Sil
		Italy: Pie, Ven, Rus, Rom, Apu, Nap
		Russia: Fin, StP, Liv, Mos, War, Ukr, Sev
		Turkey: Con, Ank, Arm, Smy, Syr

A country's units (and Spies) can "see" *all* territories
	adjacent to their current position.

The only other way to discover the positions of foreign units is
	through diplomacy.

A ranking of countries in order of supply centers owned will be
	made public at the end of each year.  The number of supply
	centers is NOT made public.

SPIES:
	Each country will have two Spies (abbreviated by 'S'). Spies
	can start in any home territory.

1) Spies can do one of three things in a turn:
		a) move (abbreviated '-' or '->'),
		b) perform counter-espionage (abbreviated 'CE').
		c) hold (abbreviated 'H').
	   Spies cannot do both in one turn.
	   Spies may move into *any* territory.
	   A counter-espionage action kills all enemy Spies in the same
	   territory or moving into the same territory as your Spy.
	2) One can never have more Spies than home supply centers.
	3) A country will lose one spy if its capital is controlled by
	   an enemy unit.  The capitals are considered to be:
		Austria: Vienna,
		England: London,
		France: Paris,
		Germany: Berlin,
		Italy: Rome,
		Russia: St. Petersburg,
		Turkey: Constantinople.
	   The spy will be regained when the country's capital is
	   controlled.
	4) A country's original Spies may be "rebuilt" in a home supply
	   center provided that rule (2) is not violated.  Spies may be
	   rebuilt during any season.
	5) Spies may occupy the same territory as other units.
	6) A Spy can only be killed by counterespionage, not by the
	   usual dislodgement rules.  Two or more Spies may exist in
	   the same territory provided that none perform
	   counter-espionage.
	7) Spies are usually invisible.  However, if two Spies occupy
	   or move into the same territory, they can see each other.
	8) The gamesmaster will not report whose Spy has killed any of
	   your Spies through counter-espionage.  However, if your Spy
	   kills another Spy, you will be advised of the deceased Spy's
	   identity.
	9) If three or more Spies occupy or move to the same territory
	   and two of them are ordered to perform counter-espionage,
	   all Spies in that territory are killed.
	10) If three or more Spies occupy or move to the same territory
	   and one of them is ordered to perform counter-espionage, all
	   other Spies in that territory are killed.
	11) No spies are allowed in Switzerland.  Any spy that attempts
	   to enter will be interned.  In practical terms, the spy is
	   lost, but may be rebuilt as per rule (4).

Remember: a Spy can only move or perform counter-espionage in
	a turn.

MISSING MOVES, RETREATS, DISBANDS, BUILDS:
	1) If no moves are received for a country, that country's
	   forces will hold or support each other.  I make this
	   ruling to improve the integrity of the game--if moves
	   don't arrive in time, complete Civil Disorder will not
	   reign.  I will assume that a country will at least defend
	   itself.  This change will not allow a country to take
	   easy advantage of another's Civil Disorder.
	2) If conditional retreats are not received with a set of
	   orders and a unit must retreat, that unit will make a
	   random, "homeward" retreat.
	3) If conditional disbands are not received with a set
	   of orders and a country is required to disband a unit,
	   the one furthest from the homeland will be disbanded
	   in accordance with Diplomacy rule XIV.4 (Civil Disorder
	   Removals).
	4) If conditional builds are not received with a set of orders
	   and a country has builds available, a supply center will
	   be randomly chosen, and then a legal unit will be randomly
	   selected to be built there.

END GAME:
	One country may declare victory, of course, after capturing 18
	SCs or upon the surrender of all remaining powers.

An alliance of two countries may declare victory after they have
	captured 24 SCs between them.  They must each have at least 9
	SCs and must not have attacked each other, or supported an
	attack upon each other, for one full year.

An alliance of three countries may declare victory after they
	have captured 27 SCs between them.  They must each have at
	least 7 SCs and must not have attacked each other, or supported
	an attack upon each other, for one full year.

-----End rules
--
 \      oo	The New Number Who,
  \____|\mm	Jeff Okamoto
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References

Blind Diplomacy variant
dougi@utastro.UUCP (Doug Ingram)
Mon, 31 Jul 1989 19:42:01 +0000