Diplomacy zine -- Variants From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Date: Mon, 07 Aug 1989 23:28:37 +0000 Issue #86 of ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL: Chapter One contains: D-DAY, NAVARONE, BLITZKRIEG, OPERATION OVERLORD, GETTYSBURG, and HMS HOOD And is published by Daybell@aludra.usc.edu/Donald Daybell Chapter Two contains: DRAGONSPLAYER, DOUGHBOY, BISMARK, COLD WAR and JACAL And is published by Snarr@chemistry.utah.edu/Benjamin A. Snarr Note that I was finally able to contact Matthew Goebel, he has a flaky mailer so we decided to wait awhile before making him a guest publisher. (My desperation message motivated him to fight his mailer and get a message through to me.) ------------- Chapter Three ------------- Autumn '07 of the game MAELSTROM (BNC number 1989AA) France disbands A SPA Germany disbands A RUM France disbands F MAO Winter '07 of the game MAELSTROM (BNC number 1989AA) Germany builds A MUN, A BER Italy disbands F TYS France builds A MAR Turkey builds A SMY Press: The Kaiser today expressed disapointment that the gala victory celebration was posponed for another year due to several uprisings amoung provinces previously considered pacified. The Kaiser announced that due to their support for these insurrections, the ministers of Turkey and France would not be invited to the big party. Spring '08 of the game MAELSTROM (BNC number 1989AA) TURKEY BATTERS GERMANY IN THE PRESS! ENGLAND: (F LON-ECH), F MAO SF POR-SPA(sc), (F POR-SPA(sc)), (A SPA-GAS) FRANCE: (F WME-TYS), (A MAR-PIE) GERMANY: (A BUR-MAR), A WAL-PIC, F ECH CA WAL-PIC, F NAO-IRI, F NWS-NAO F NTS SF ECH-ECH, (A PAR-GAS), (A TYR-PIE), (A MUN-TYR), (A RUH-MUN) A BOH SA VIE-VIE, (A VIE SA MUN-TYR), A SIL-GAL, A BER-PRU A UKR SA SEV-SEV, A SEV-H ITALY: (F ROM-NAP) TURKEY: (A NAP-ROM), (F ION-TYS), (F AEG-ION), A RUM-H, A SER SA RUM-RUM A SMY-ARM, F BLA SA SMY-ARM, (A TRI-VIE), A BUD SA TRI-VIE (F ADR-TRI), F VEN SF ADR-TRI Press: Soon. Yes soon now. And we will hear the magic notes which we have been waiting expectantly for. The Turkish armed forces today confirmed that they did, in fact, destroy a German army of the line in the battle for Rumania. When ask for a comment General Alaxander (formerly of the Grand Russian Army) was heard to say 'Nothing like this has been seen in years! Now if only those French and English forces would take out one or two.' The Sultan of the Greater Ottoman Empire upon hearing of the victory party in Berlin said 'The German people have forgotten the one basic thing needed for that type of event, a victory.' GM Notes: No retreats needed, fall moves due next Sunday. (May be delayed because a player is on vacation, hopefully he will return in time to submit moves.) Spring '01 of the game TANNENBURG (BNC number not known) (GM is Ebrosius@lucy.wellesley.edu/Eric Brosius) Due date August 13th. GM comments: It is nearing the Fall school season. If anyone has addresses for University papers plus their classified ad rates, I would be interested. And remember that I also have flyers that can be passed out (especially at hobby stores) and am always looking for more magazines to advertise in. The following was written by Dodd@polya.stanford.edu/Chris Dodd: ******************************************************************* Due to this article I am opening a game of Blind Diplomacy. I need GMs and players. ******************************************************************* Someone asked about the rules to Blind Diplomacy, so I dug up all my weird dippy variants. Blind Diplomacy: In this variant, the locations of all pieces are secret. You discover the locations of enemy pieces when you attack them or are attacked by them. You also discover the location of enemy pieces by spying. Each country begins with 2 spies, in any home centers. You lose a spy if you lose your capital, and both spies if you lose all your home centers. You gain a spy for each enemy capital you take. Spies that are destroyed are replaced each year in a home center. Each spy may: move, hold, or counter espionage. Spies themselves are completely invisible -- they may move through any space regardless of the presence of other units. Spies are never dislogded, and can only be destroyed by counter espionage. A spy performing conter espionage kills all enemy spies in the area. If two spies both CE the same area, both die. If a spy survives, it provides complete information on the unit occupying the area and its actions in the just completed turn. Armor Diplomacy: This variant allows you to build Tank(T) armies. A Tank army functions like a normal army in all respects except that it counts as 2 armies for supply and combat purposes. That is: In any attack by a Tank army it is treated as if it had an extra support above and beyond whatever it may have. When holding, it similarly gets an extra support. When supporting it counts two supporting armies. It requires two supply centers to build/maintain a tank army. In addition, a normal army on a home center may be upgraded to a Tank army for one supply center. A Tank army may be disbanded, counting as two disbands, or if on a home center, may be downgraded to a normal army for one disband. `Complicated' Diplomacy: This doesn't have a real name, but deserves the description complicated. Purists don't like this version because it completely changes the tactics of the game -- but the tactics are only a minor point anyway. It gives everyone many more tactical options. [1] Supply: At the end of each year, each country receives a number of supply points based on the number of supply centers they control. Supply points must immediately be used to build and maintain units -- any unused points are lost. All units must be maintained or disbanded. Supply points are received each year as follows: For each supply center in the player's home country: 3 points For each other supply center: 2 points Supply point income may be modified by bombers. [2] Units: There are 5 types of units in thsi variant. [2.1] Fleets (F): Same as normal fleets. Cost: 2 supply to build, 1 to maintain. [2.2] Armies (A): Same as normal armies. Cost: 2 supply to build, 1 to maintain. [2.3] Tank armies (T): As tanks in armor variant. Cost: 4 supply to build, 2 to maintain. Armies may be upgraded to Tank armies in home centers for a cost of 3 supply points. [2.4] Aircraft or 'planes (P): 'Planes may move two spaces per season, and may move through enemy units without effect. 'Planes may support any move or hold within two spaces. 'Planes have a strength of 1/2 (one half) an army in combat. Example: A Kiel -> Holland This is an attack on Holland P Berlin S A Kiel Holland with a strength of 1 1/2. 'Planes may support Fleets at sea within range, but may not base in sea areas. Disloged 'planes may retreate up to two areas. 'Planes may not by themselves take control of enemy or neutral supply centers. Units may not be built in a supply center occupied by enemy 'planes. An unlimited number of 'planes and or bombers may stack in an area, along with one other unit. 'Planes cost 2 supply to build and 1 to maintain. [2.5] Bombers (B): Bombers may move three spaces per season and may move through enemy units without effect. Bombers may only be based in friendly controlled land areas. Bombers have no effect on normal combat and if dislogded may retreat up to 3 areas. Bombers may make bombing attacks on any supply center within 3 areas of their current location. Bombing attacks are automatically successful if the target location does not contain and is not supported by a 'plane. Each bomber negates (cuts) the support of one supporting or occupying 'plane (supporting 'planes first, then occupying -- defending player's choice of which occupying planes, or random if unspecified) If the number of bombers exceeds the number of supporting and occupying planes then the bombing attack is sucessful. A successful bombing attack reduces the supplies produced by the supply center by 1 for the current year only. Only 1 is subtracted, regardless of how many bombers participate. A supply center being successfully bombed in both the spring and the fall would reduce the supplies produced by the supply center by 2. The reduction occurs regardless of who controls the supply center at the end of the year. Bombers cost 2 supplies to build and 1 to maintain. [3] Starting: Each player starts with Fleets and Armies as per the normal set-up, plus one 'Plane in their capital (London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Rome, Vienna, Ankara) Comments: The increased availability of supplies and the reduced cost of maintaining units will tend to increase the number of units on the board. However, planes and bombers don't really take up space, and bombers will kill off a couple of supply points, so the board shouldn't be too crowded. As an optional rule, require that the number of planes in a battle not exceed the number of ground units involved (Armies, Tanks and Fleets). Thus, a Tank unit supported by 1 Army and 3 Planes would only have a strength of 4 (2 for the Tank, 1 for the Army, 1 for 2 of the Planes -- the 3rd plane doesn't count, since there are only 2 ground units involved) Each country has a starting production of 9 supplies, with only 4 needed for support (12 and 5 for Russia), so the first year or two will see a lot of building. Your home centers being worth more than those in other people's countries is a nice additional incentive to maintain control of your homeland. I have no idea how this game would turn out -- its a slight simplification(the original was pretty extreme) of a variant published in _The Avalon Hill General_ a couple af years back. Plus I added in tanks, 'cause they fit in with the concept. If it is too complex for you, throw out the bombers and make home centers only worth 2 each. So, anyone want to try a game of Complicated diplomacy or (gasp) Blind Complicated Diplomacy? Since I'm posting this I'll volunteer as vict ..er.. GM. Send me some country preferences and whether you want to try it blind or not. Send me any other comments you might have too. I tend towards a game speed of 3-5 day/turn, but we might want to go a bit slower on this... I think we should use the above optional rule (no more planes than ground units), but if you're vehemently against it, we can try it the other way. Here is the letter that I left out of BTDT last issue: Nelson Heintzman (2255 Delaware Ave #C-4, Buffalo, NY 14216): "Thank you for the sample of your zine. I've been getting several samples of late, and, for the most part, sort of putting them aside for later... (you know how that goes). But when I read the discussion about the Fugs, and then saw mention of Spooky Tooth (!), well, how can I turn a zine like that down? "Nostalgia strikes hard! Playing The Blues Project now... how about so many others? Paul Butterfield, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Blue Cheer, Pearls Before Swine, Love, Golden Earring, Hot Tuna, Country Joe, It's a Beautiful Day, Cream, H.P. Lovecraft, Iron Butterfly, Traffic, The Chambers Brothers (Time) The Seeds, Deep Purple, Rare Earth, The Strawberry Alarm Clock (!!!), and so on and so forth, not even mentioning the truly greats. ((Country Joe, Quicksilver, Cream, Traffic, how much truly greater does ANYONE get?)) "At any rate, regarding The Fugs: I don't know what the original question was, but you mentioned 3 names: Sanders, Kupferberg, Weaver. I'm looking at a slightly scratched album The Village Fugs: Sing Ballads of Contemporary Protest, Points of View, and General Dissatisfaction, (1965), on Broadside which lists in this order: John Anderson, bass, Vinny Leary, guitar, Ken Weaver, drums, Ed Sanders, tambourine, maracas, Tuli Kupferberg, tambourine, maracas, Pete Stampfel, guitar, fiddle, harmonica, and Steve Weber, guitar. "Titles were: Slum Goddess; Ah! Sunflower, Weary of Time; Supergirl; Swinburne Stomp; I Couldn't Get High; How Sweet I Roamed From Field to Field; Seize the Day; My Baby Done Left Me; Boobs A Lot; and my favorite, Nothing [Monday nothing, Tuesday nothing, Wednesday and Thursday nothing, Friday for a little change nothing, Saturday once more nothing, etc... ] talk about nihilism! Leon Trotsky lots of nothing, Stalin less than nothing! Eventually, of course, it gets to "nothing, nothing...." "In the discussion of The Mothers vs The Fugs, I have to agree with Mike Morris. The Fugs came out of the NYC beatnik movement and made their splash around '65-66. I always felt they were pretty localized in terms of impact, and certainly as we got more solidly into the mid-and-late 60s, Zappa and the Mothers completely overshadowed them. I mean Susie Creamcheese was a counter-culture classic! You may be right about pure originality, but the class act was clearly The Mothers by the mid-late 60s." ((I can't agree with The Fugs being local in their impact. I think there is a big difference between an artist in any field, who has a major impact and influence on other artists, and the one who is appreciated by the general public. I think The Fugs were the former, The Mothers the latter. Reggie Jackson was idolized by the masses, but said he'd pay money to watch Rod Carew take batting practice. Anyway, Weaver, Kupferberg, and especially Sanders were The Fugs in reality... the other names were the NYC session musicians who played on the albums. Kind of like Steely Dan. Steely Dan was those two guys who's names elude me at the moment, but there were always the names of the session musicians who played on the albums listed as band members. Your letter brought back memories in droves. I saw the bulk of the bands you mentioned live at one time or another. The first rock concert I went to was at the old Village Theatre in NYC, celebrating the one year anniversary of the first "avant guard" FM rock station. I was in 8th grade. The line up was The Blues Project, Janis Ian (a high school student at the time), Richie Haves, The Chambers Brothers, and a brand new band from LA... The Doors. The first 4 were NYC favorites. The Blues Project were the nominal headliners, but the Doors blew everyone off stage with The End. This was, I believe, 1966. Of the bands you mentioned, Quicksilver, Country Joe and the Fish, Cream, and Traffic were the best live acts. All as good as anybody on a good night. But by far and away the loudest band I ever witnessed, as well as one of the stranger ones, the band that I used to think invented Heavy Metal before fading into obscurity, was Blue Cheer. Well, what do you expect from a band named after the street name for a combination of LSD and STP, and managed by Stanley Owsley, the man who manufactured the bulk of the LSD consumed in the 60s.)) Here are the games that I left out of BTDT last issue: The Stand By List: Stephen Dorneman, Stan Johnson, John Crosby, George Mann, Ron Cameron, Mickey Preston, Robert Greier, Tim Moore, Vince Lutterbie, Jimmy Williams, George Rifle, Mike Morris, Jason Bergmann, Steve Heinowski, and Paul Milewski. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Choo Choo Coleman Spring 1906 1988HE REST OF EUROPE FOLLOWS RUSSIAN LEAD. SWEET TIMES FOR GERMANY. I/T DECIDE TO GOBBLE LAST RUSSIAN CENTERS INSTEAD OF FIGHTING GERMANY. ENGLISH FLEET GOES INTO EXILE. England (Bill Hunter): F Iri-NAT. France (Mike Morris): F Eng-MID; F Mid-SPA(sc); A BRE-Par; A Mar-GAS. Germany (Steve Smith): A Stp-MOS; A Nwy-BEL; A Edi-YOR; F NTH CA Nwy-Bel; A PAR H; A Mun-BUR; A Trl-PIE; F Kie-HOL; A Ber-MUN; A Sil-BOH; A War-GAL; A Gal-VIE. Italy (Susan Welter): A Ser-RUM; F ADR C A Apu-Alb; A VEN S A Tri; A TRI S A Ven; F Tyn-ION. Russia (Jeff McKee): F Nwg-EDI; F CLY S F Nwg-Edi; A Rum H [U](r-UKR); A SYR H[U]; A BUD H[U]. Turkey (Al Tabor): F Arm-SEV; F BLA S Arm-Sev; A Ank-ARM; F SMY H; A BUL S Ser-Rum. Hmmm... it occurs to me we had the following game ending proposals on the table: concession to G, R/G, I/G, T/I/G/F. Not one vote was received. Therefore all proposals fail. No new proposals have been put forth. Guys, you realize many, if not most GMs count NVR as yes? Under those rules, this game'd be over, a 4-way T/I/G/F draw that nobody voted for! Please vote when there are proposals! For kibitzers, this game is being played at this point on 2 week deadlines, so you missed a WILD Fall/Winter 1905. Russia walked off his centers and handed them to Germany, losing 4 center while Germany gained 4. Press: <Somewhere in the N Atlantic> The Royal Navy was reported to be carrying the Royal Family to safety in Canada. The Royals were especially happy at the prospect of getting to taste Red Rose Tea. "Only in Canada? Pity the Canadians" the King said. Con - GM: Got Throwing Muses and like it. Older but quirky and good: Live, Love, Laugh, Larf by Richard Thompson, Henry Kaiser, Firth and Frith. Have you bumped across it? GM - Con: I've read about it, but never actually heard it. I do have virtually every other thing ever recorded by Richard Thompson though, from Fairport Convention, to Richard and Linda Thompson, to the recent solo albums. He may be my favorite all-time rock guitarist. It breaks my heart to see a real professional like him, who almost single-handedly invented "folk rock" have to open for all sorts of Johnny Come Lately acts. Saw him open for Suzanne Vega in Baltimore a couple years ago. Now I think she's OK. But let's face without Richard Thompson, there wouldn't BE a Suzanne Vega. But he got a half hour to warm up for her before an audience of college dunderheads who'd never heard of him, and talked through his set about how great a song "Luka" was. Broke my heart. "Don't Renege On Our Love" is one of the best songs ever, from the intense album "Shoot Out The Lights." Richard and Linda's farewell album, written and produced in the midst of their divorce. You want pain, this album'll eat your soul. <Mar-Con> We are glad you enjoyed the wine, even tho it was some old stuff we had in storage. Our Secret Service has been contacted by some Sicilians, who suggest that your Anatolian farmers ship some Poppy juice to our chemists in Marseilles, for eventual export to the German High Command in Berlin. They assure us that this will destroy Germany once and for all. We have no idea what they are up to, but perhaps this is something to consider? Deadline for Fall/Winter 1906 is August 1. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Elio Chacon 1989J Winter 1902/Spring 1903 AUSTRIAN, ENGLISH MILITARY ON STRIKE IN SUPPORT OF AMERICAN MINERS! ITALIANS AND GERMANS REINVENT SLAPSTICK ON WAY TO BEL (AFTER YOU ALPHONSE... NO, NO I INSIST...). FRENCH GET GAS, BUT AT WHAT PRICE? AND JASON BERGMANN STICKS HIS NOSE IN WHERE IT CLEARLY DOESN'T BELONG WITH SOME STALE DENTIST JOKES. THEY'RE ONLY FUNNY WHEN I TELL THEM! GO HOME, JASON, AND WRITE A SCIENCE ARTICLE, OK? Autumn 1902 Retreats: French A Bur retreats to Par. Austrian A Ser retreats OTB (GM). Winter 1902: Germany builds A Ber. Turkey builds A Ank, A Smy. Austria (Jim Nickel): NMR! A Bud H(dis: r-OTB); A VIE H; F Gre H (dis: r-Alb, Bul(sc), OTB). England (Bill Hunter): NMR! F NRG H; F NTH H; A BEL H; F ENG H. France (Tim Moore): A Bre-GAS; A PAR S A Bre-Gas; A Spa S A Bre-Gas (dis: r-Por or OTB); F Iri-LVP. Germany (George Rifle): F Swe-SKA; A DEN H; A Ber-SIL; A Mar-SPA; A HOL S (I) Ruh-Bel(NSO); A BUR S (I) Ruh-Bel(NSO). Italy (Vince Lutterbie): A RUH S (G) A Hol-Bel(NSO); A TRI S (R) A Gal-Bud; A VEN S A Tri; F Ion-GRE; F TYN-Mar(IMP); F WES S (G) A Mar-Spa. Russia (Jimmy Williams): F NWY H; A STP S F Nwy; A Lvn-MOS; A Gal-BUD. Turkey (Karl Hoffman): F Con-AEG; A Smy-CON; A Ank-SEV; F BLA C A Ank- Sev; A Sev-UKR; A RUM-Bud; A SER S (I) F Ion-Gre. Will Steve Heinowski please stand by for Austria. Will Paul Milewski please stand by for England (I have a feeling Bill Hunter will be back for England... after all he did submit orders for Choo Choo Coleman. And I got a note saying he'd be on vacation this week, I think... sleep deprivation has my mind a bit foggy, but in any case there was no answer when I attempted to call for orders). Jim Nickel - if you are still in you may want to send me your phone number. I don't have it, and directory assistance in Falls Church denied your existence when I called for orders. Press: ----------- Jason Bergmann - Vince: You are a Bad Boy? You live in Missouri, middle America Hell. Your idea of bad is going out cow-tipping on Sat night. Maybe you're "bad" with a drill. Do you enjoy inflicting pain? I'll be watching you. If I see you give your ally some novocain it'll probably mean a "stab" is forthcoming. Italy to World: I know - I'm a schmuck. GM - Italy: Tell us something we didn't already know. R to E: See I give Nwy back. Soon you will get StP and Mos. Soon you will triumph. R to A: See, I leave War open. Soon you will Mos. Soon you will triumph. R to I: Consensual activity with the Turk, huh? Austria has been an enigma, but is consorting with that big hairy brute - wait! he's got more units than anyone! R to T: I will let you puppet for me. And if you are very very good, I will let you share in a tie. R to F: Can you talk sense to Austria? THat foreign policy is more fun than Doomsday weapons? R to G: Everyone has told me that they will attack you this turn, except T. So you must understand the compulsion I am under. Jimmy to Vince: Look, I have got trouble enough trying to take my own home centers. What need have I for others when I have not got all my own? <L. Vengeur - Deuxieme Bureau> Thanks for the 60,000 Francs! And true to my word, I provided you with detailed plans for the German invasion of your homeland. Troop concentrations! Invasion routes! Bonafides! Did you doubt "the Avenger" to be genuine? Tell the Service des Renseignments that your agent Moore has failed you. Tell your Troisieme Bureau that your "offensive a outrance" is a farce. Frenchmen are not braver than Germans! To the contrary, it is Germany that will execute "the strategy of the bull." Deadline for Summer 1903 retreats and Fall 1903 moves is pushed back to August 30 1989 for two reasons... the kid, and my vacation in mid-August. Late Note (just in, one week after doing and mailing the adjudication... Bill Hunter has contacted me. He is still in the game. He says he is sure he sent me his orders by electronic mail. I am equally sure I never got them. Which is all to say E-Mail is fraught with the same dangers as as the USP"S." Either they were sent to the wrong User ID number (and he/she's probably wondering what the hell it is), or the bit stream ate 'em. It happens (happened to me once), which proves the old adage that duplicate sets of orders are the only truly safe bet (eh, Jimmy?). Railway Rivals - Gamestart! Chesapeake and Ohio Map I have asked Conrad to send you all maps ASAP. Connie, please note the possible start points if it isn't obviously marked already! The player roster is: Ken Hill, 6199 Rockland Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43017 Conrad von Metzke, 4374 Donald Ave, San Diego CA 92117 Paul Gardner, 20 Spruce St., Brattleboro, VT, 05301 Doug Brown, P.O Box 584, Penngrove, PA 94951 Mickey Preston, 223 Breckinridge, Louisville, KY 40220 Jim Goode, APSU Box 4607, Clarksville, TN 37044 Have start up info, including a Railroad name, color preference (give me a few choices), and start town, by the next BTDT deadline, August 30, 1989. Oh yes, the game's name is "Bo Belinsky." I am enjoying moderating this zine, keep that mail coming! Eric Klien Up