Diplomacy zine -- I/T alliance From: Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1989 23:49:51 +0000 Issue #74 of ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL: Fall '09 of the game PANZER (BNC number 1989H) AUSTRIA FALLS! AUSTRIA: (A VEN-ROM) ENGLAND: (A LON-BEL), F NTS CA LON-BEL, (A HOL SA LON-BEL), A NOR SF SWE-SWE A FIN SF SWE-SWE, (F SWE SA FIN-FIN), F DEN-H, F HEL SF DEN-DEN FRANCE: (A PAR-BUR), (F MAO-SPA(nc)), (F APU-ION), F NAP SF APU-ION F TUN SF APU-ION, F TYS SF APU-ION, (A TUS-ROM) GERMANY: A STP-H, A MOS SA STP-STP, (F GOB-SWE), (F BAL-DEN), (A BER-KIE) A MUN SA BER-KIE, (A KIE-HOL), (A RUH-BEL), (A BUR SA RUH-BEL) A BRE-H TURKEY: (A MAR-SPA), A TYR SF TRI-VEN, F TRI-VEN, A BUL-GRE F ADR SF ION-ION, F AEG SF ION-ION, F EME SF ION-ION, F ION-H GM Notes on PANZER: I have a proposal for a German/Turkish draw. Vote on it! Austria can retreat to Piedmont, if I don't get orders I will simply disband the unit since he must disband it in the Winter anyway. In other words the choices are disband A VEN or A VEN-PIE, disband A PIE. ENG: BEL DEN EDI HOL LON LVP NOR SWE = 8( 8) FRA: NAP PAR POR ROM SPA TUN = 6( 7) - GER: BER BRE BUD KIE MOS MUN RUM SEV STP = 11(10) + VIE WAR TUR: ANK BUL CON GRE MAR SER SMY TRI VEN = 9( 8) + Press: Autumn and Winter '05 of the game MAELSTROM (BNC number 1989AA) Due tomorrow. Fall '04 of the game RED STORM (BNC number 1989AB) (GM is MaryFW@cup.portal.com) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fall 1904 Results for Red Storm ------------------------- Orders: Fall 1904 England: <F NWY-stp(nc)>, F nrg-EDI, <F <NTH> S *German* A hol-bel>, <A <LPL>-holds> Germany: <A MOS S *English* F nwy-stp>, <A BER-mun>, <A RUH-bel>, A HOL S A ruh-bel, F kie-DEN, <F SWE-nwy> Russia: <F CON-bul(ec)>, <F LIV-stp>, <A SER S *Italian* F alb-gre>, <A <SEV> S A war-mos>, A WAR-mos Turkey: A arm-SEV, F BLK S A arm-sev, A bul-RUM, <A <GRE>-bul>, <F AEG S A gre-bul> Italy: A MUN-hold, A TYR S A mun, A BOH S A mun, A tri-BUD, <F EAS-aeg>, F ion-GRE, F ALB S F ion-gre France: F LON S F eng-nth, F eng-NTH, A yor-LPL, F IRI S A yor-lpl, F nao-CLY, A BEL-hold, A BUR S A Bel Orders inclosed in <> have failed. The final position of each unit is given in all CAPS. If the final position is inclosed in <>, then that unit must retreat. All retreats are due by 10:00pm Eastern time this Tuesday. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Centers: England: -1 Edi, Nwy. StP Germany: 0 Ber, Kie, Den, Hol, Swe, Mos Russia: -1 War, Ser, Bul, Con Turkey: 0 Smy, Ank, Rum, Sev Austria: none Italy: +2 Rom, Nap, Ven, Tri, Vie, Mun, Tun, Gre, Bud France: +1 Par, Bre, Mar, Spa, Por, Lon, Bel, Lpl ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press: Turkey-World. The Sultan's staff will be attending a series of intense classes on strategy, tactics, and planning in various areas of conflict ranging from ancient past through present day into the future, as well as several alternate possible futures and pasts. We will therefore be unavailable from Wed. June 28 through Sunday, July 2. We will, however, leave behind orde> The Paris Tribune Premire Le'Fece announced today that French troops are near seizing all of mainland England. He said, "England will be wholly ours in one year, and the defection of the Germans is of no concern." Paris insiders agree that the attack on Germany came to soon, and that a full scale aide of England by Germany could escalate the war even further. It is accepted though, that the strong alliance with Italy will allow quick and speedy movement regardless of Germany's efforst. In other news, the demise of the Russians is looked upon as bad news for France, it means German troops will be move West much faster than was at first anticipated. France is trying to work with Turkey to keep Russia belive, but Turkey is fighting a two front war and is in no mood for any barganing, especially with former ally Italy. Meanwhile Italy and Germany are fighting an improbable standoff. Italy seems stong enough to hold Munich, and it is obvious that Germany is helpless without outside help at least for quite awhile. Germany is moving west, though whether against France, England, or both is uncertain at this point.{ It seems reasonable that France is the number one target though, especially after their attempted invasion of Holland, and Reichland Protectorate State, but it is possible that Germany plans to defend the British Isles FROM the Bristish Isles. England is embroilled in a fight for survival.{ A single mistep will spell doom. It seems though, that the tactitians are holding France at bay for the moment. ---- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Red Storm GM Notes: We have a proposal for a France/Italian draw, VOTE ON IT!!! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fall '06 of the game PEARL HARBOR (BNC number 1989AV) (GM is Adams@multiflow.com/Steve Adams) I haven't got the results yet, I assume they are in the mail. Spring '04 of D-DAY (BNC number 1989AW) (GM is Pav@cs.duke.edu/Paul Vick) I haven't got the results yet, I assume they are in the mail. Spring '03 of NAVARONE (BNC number 1989AX) (GM is Pwoodruf@orion.cf.uci.edu/Peter Woodruff) Orders for SPRING 1903 (failures in parentheses) AUSTRIA: A Bud - Gal, A Vie S A Bud - Gal, A Ser S F Gre, (F Gre S Italian F Tun - Ion)@@, F Tri - Alb ENGLAND: A Yor - Edi, F Lon - Nth, F Hol S F Lon - Nth, F Nwg S F Lon - Nth, A Bel S F Hol, F Nwy - Ska FRANCE: F Mid hold, F Mar - Spa(sc), A Bur - Ruh, A Mun S A Bur - Ruh, A Gas - Bur, A Pic S A Gas - Bur GERMANY: F Den - Bal, F Hel - Den, (A Kie - Ber)* ITALY: A Apu - Rom, (A Boh - Sil)**, (A Tyr - Boh)+, (F Tun - Ion)## RUSSIA: F Swe hold, A StP - Nwy++, (A Sil - Ber)@, A Ukr S F Rum, F Rum S Turkish A Bul, A War - Pru TURKEY: A Smy holds, (A Bul - Gre)#, F Eas - Ion, F Aeg S F Eas - Ion Notes: * bounce with Russian A Sil - Ber ** fails to dislodge Russian A + own unit does not move ++ English F vacates @ bounce with German A Kie - Ber @@ support cut by attack from Bul # fails to dislodge Austrian F ## defeated by Turkish F Eas - Ion with support from F Aeg; see @@ Units: Austria: A Vie, A Gal, A Ser, F Alb, F Gre England: A Edi, F Nth, F Hol, F Nwg, A Bel, F Ska France: F Mid, F Spa(sc), A Ruh, A Mun, A Bur, A Pic Germany: A Kie, F Den, F Bal Italy: A Rom, A Boh, A Tyr, F Tun Russia: F Swe, A Nwy, A Sil, A Pru, A Ukr, F Rum Turkey: A Smy, A Bul, F Aeg, F Ion ******************************************** PRESS: ****** RHUMBA THE RAGE? Copenhagen (Reuters) - Brazilian dance band leader Joao Todaos was being coy today about rumors that he is soon to leave for Berlin, interrupting his current engagement at the Tivoli Gardens. Stories persist that Kaiser Wilhelm has decided to polish his dance steps in preparation for a forthcoming good will visit to South America. Units of the recently arrived Helgoland- flotte are to provide transportation for Todaos and his ensemble. AUSTRIAN EMPEROR ANNOUNCES GOODWILL TRIP Athens (AP) - While vacationing at a Greek resort for the spring season, Austrian Emperor Vick announced a special goodwill trip to Galicia in the later days of March. Citing the peaceful visit by the Russia Czar a few years ago as a driving factor, the Emperor said that he did not wish any of his subjects to feel that they were being ignored by the monarchy of Austria- Hungary. "Since the Czar was kind enough to drop by and chat with my Galician subjects, I thought it would be only fair to them to do the same. Who knows - I might even return the favor and visit a few of the Czar's provinces..." Inside sources at the capital revealed, however, that there were other motives for the Emperor's visit. One high ranking diplomat claimed that the visit was to "quell the rebellious spirit of the Galician people instilled by Czarist agitators". In response to this, the Emperor told reporters, "I admit we've had a few troubles with our Galician subjects - they've begun drinking Vodka by the gallons and reading some German writer by the name of Marx. But I'm sure a friendly visit will do wonders towards restoring peace in the area." ****************************************** Pete's Points: Please remember that we have lengthened the moves to 1.5 weeks; next orders are due 10pm EST, Wednesday, July 5. Thanks again for being prompt. The following is reprinted (in part) from Diplomacy World 44 (fall 1986), pp.12-13 PRESS IN DIPLOMACY by David K. McCrumb Play-by-mail Diplomacy has a different flavor of play from face- to-face Diplomacy, for many reason. Some of the most obvious include: the different type of interaction between the players, the longer time between turn adjudications, and the possibility of small articles dealing with the game. This last item, commonly called "press", is the most misunderstood and ignored difference in the two styles of play. The problem is not a lack of press, but rather because it is assumed that anybody can sit down and write a competent piece of fiction in only five minutes. For this reason, press usually lacks the intensity and thoughtfulness that are regularly found in the moves. The greatest problem with press is that most people do not know how to write an effective article. By definition, press is criticism, news, etc., that is published in newspapers and journals. This definition has been expanded in Diplomacy to include all fiction about the game in progress. The number of press releases has not diminished over the years I have been playing Diplomacy, but the quality has dropped tremendously. During the 1970's, press articles usually involved well thought out stories about the situations as they appeared on the game board. Characters were invented and their exploits followed throughout the entire game. occasionally, spin-off characters (as in TV) were formed, adding to the fun. Parodies of story and song were frequently used. While these were fun in themselves, the literary quality was kept high. The enjoyment of the games increased to the point where you would sometimes look forward to the next turn more for the press than for the results. Press in its present-day form is much different. Most releases are only one or two lines long. They usually include a short note from one player to another aposogizing for nto writing that season, gloating over some success, or something of that nature that could be handled much better. A few paragraphs about the subject would be much more interesting, especially if well done. The decline in secondary education may have soemthing to do with this literary decline, but I am still surprised, since most Diplomacy players are above the average intelligence. (Paragraph blaming a lot of it on the publishers of 'zines omitted) Press is the major reason I join a game of Diplomacy. I enjoy the play and interaction of forming and breaking of alliances, but literary enjoyment helps bring it all together. Press is not the whole story, but it can be a major source of the fun derived from the game, even for the players who are getting trounced. -30- Pete comments: Actually, the quality of our press, largely the Austrian correspondent, has been quite high. But this may give you some idea of the possibilities. More Pete comments: Turkey A Smy holds becomes A Smy - Con. This is my fault, since I sent out the orders early. In the future I think I will ask you to explicitly inform me if you want to hold your orders until the deadline; otherwise, if I have orders from everyone on the day appointed, I will send out the results, as I know everyone is eager to get the news. Alternatively, we could stick strictly to the deadline; why don't you let me know which you prefer. I lucked out this time because the change was not significant (and was sent in before Turkey could have received the results). And of course, Turkey's units are now: A Con, A Bul, F Aeg, F Ion Fall '01 of BLITZKRIEG (BNC number not known) (GM is Dougi@astro.as.utexas.edu/Doug Ingram) Delayed, a player is late with his orders. OPERATION OVERLORD: Spring 1901 (BNC Number Unknown) (GMed by Davisje@crd.ge.com/Jon Davis) THE COGS OF WAR ARE ON THE MOVE AND ARE BEING LUBRICATED BY AN INFLUX OF YOUNG CONSCRIPTS AS THE NATIONS OF EUROPE ARE ON THE MARCH... Austria-Hungary A Vie H, A Bud -> Ser, F Tri -> Alb England F Lon -> Eng, F Edi -> Nth, A Lvp -> Yor France F Bre -> MAt, A Par -> Bur, A Mar -> Spa Germany A Mun -> Ruh, F Kie -> Hol, A Ber -> Kie Italy A Ven -> Tyr, A Rom -> Apu, F Nap -> Ion Russia A War -> Gal, A Mos -> Ukr, F Sev -> Rum, F StP(sc) -> GoB Turkey A Con -> Bul, F Ank -> Con, A Smy H All moves succeed. Retreats: none ======================== Europa Today =============================== [Berlin] The French People are preapred to kill off every single German Scum. We will prevail! Italian Troops on the Move (Rome, IP) Today, Italian troops marched off into glorious conquest. Tyrolia was occupied for defensive reasons, and the fleet has sailed into the Ionian. The admiral refused to declare his plans, as to whether this fleet would convoy an army to Tunis, Greece or Albania. A Friendship agreement has been concluded with France, in the realization of the futility of conflict between the Italians and the French. [Vienna] The Austrian government vowed to avenge the death of the Archduke Ferdinand, assassinated by a Serbian student in Sarajevo. Austrian troops crossed the border into Serbia today, and Serbian forces are being pushed back. ===================== Heard on the Street =========================== England: We are the world.... France : We are the children... Italy : Ptooi! Kill them both! 'm calling in the Tac Nukes. Germany: Come on everyone! Another round! "We are the world..." Turkey : <BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!> Justified homocide, really officer! Austria: Come along to the Station house quietly and no one will get hurt. ===================================================================== _____________________________________________ OPERATION OVERLORD Spring 1901 Unit Positions --------------------------------------------- Austria-Hungary A Vie A Ser F Alb England F Eng F Nth A Yor France F MAt A Bur A Spa Germany A Ruh F Hol A Kie Italy A Tyr A Apu F Ion Russia A Gal A Ukr F Rum F GoB Turkey A Bul F Con A Smy Fall 1901 moves are due by Sunday, July 2nd, by 10 PM EST. Jon Davis davisje@crd.ge.com Spring '01 of GETTYSBURG (BNC number not known) (GM is Adams@multiflow.com/Steve Adams) Due July 2, 1989 GM comments: We are very close to having 10 games running simultaneously, with a tenth game about to be given a name and country assignments. So that people don't have to scroll through a zine with 50 games to find the one game that they are in, I would like to publish one chapter of this zine for every 10 games running. So if we had 43 games running there would be five chapters, with the final chapter having 3 games plus articles. To do this I will need a guest publisher for chapter one. His responsiblity would be to cut and paste the ten game reports together and post them on rec.games.pbm, directly to players, and in the Diplomacy conference in Portal. Therefore the person would need a portal account. Note that it takes about 15 minutes at 1200 baud to upload a zine due to the many places you have to place it. (3 to 4 uploads depending on how outdated my zine@portal.com list is.) Let me know if you are interested! If anyone would be interested in two hours of exclusive ride time on The River King Mine Train, The Screamin' Eagle, and the Ninja at Six Flags in Missouri on July 15th, let me know. If anyone is interested in immortality, let me know. (So immortality and roller coaster riding have little in common, all paragraphs can't be coherent!) Our royal knights have continued to help out our kingdom: Raymond_W_Setzer@cup.portal.com got a BBS to advertise us and Davisje@crdgw2.crd.ge.com found a 4th magazine to advertise in! Does anyone know if Strategy & Tactics has a classified ad section? Or of any other wargame related magazines that have classified ad sections? I am currently advertising in The General and Paper Mayhem. I have also paid for ads in The Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer and Battleplan, and am looking into the magazine Flagship to see if it has a classified ad section. Note that I am looking for anything even remotely related to Diplomacy, if The Dragon has classified ads even this would interest me. And the Batman movie is great! Taken from the David Letterman June 16, 1989 show: TOP TEN CHINESE TOURIST SLOGANS 10) We're cracking down -- on dull vacations! 9) We'll throw another dissident on the barbie! 8) There's an outside chance you'll see Dan Rather clubbed senseless. 7) We'll steal your heart -- and confiscate your film. 6) Remember how you used to like our cute pandas? 5) Free interrogation & beating with valid student id. 4) Boy -- that Noriega is nuts, isn't he. 3) Democracy! Never had it. Never will. 2) When it comes to fun, we beat everybody! 1) The opposite of civilization. Taken from The Zine Register #14: PASSCHENDAELE: (#83 March) Francois Cuerrier, 2303 Eglinton Ave. E. #305 Scarborough, Ont., M1K 2N6 CANADA $7/10 issues, open page, xerox, 18 pages, 2 weeks/monthly, circ. 25, est. Sept. 1978 (restarted after several year break). Runs: Diplomacy(2) Openings: Diplomacy You describe it. FC (Francois tries so hard to be controversial, to be Canada's answer to the big, bad boys, that it's glaringly obvious. Yes, he makes controversial statements, and annoys people he barely knows. Those he does know well, however, take his posturings with a certain grain of salt, recognizing the positive impact such throw- your-dice comments have in eliciting interesting comments and participation by readers. As a result, Passchendaele runs one of the most interesting lettercols anywhere in Dipdom, particulary considering the zine's relatively small subscribership. Notice that I didn't say "readership," as the comments in the zine touch on so many different individuals (and Francois is anal-retentive regarding the sending of "courtesy copies" to anyone mentioned in any capacity) that ever since Francois kicked me out of his zine, it still seems to hit my mailbox on an occasional basis. So Tom, here's a suggestion: all you need to do to get Pass on a regular basis is to send Francois occasional cards saying outrageous things, and he will not be able to restrain himself from printing it. That ought to be enough to keep comments from readers coming for several months. Once that dies down, do it again. Three postcards ought to get you every issue for the zine for a year--Ken) (Eric's Notes: Passchendaele is by far my favorite zine. But don't get it for the games, none are open until 1990. The Zine Register currently costs 75 cents a copy, going up to $1.50 a copy this September.) Taken from Dolchstoss #27 (British zine) Two-way draws between Italy and Turkey are uncommon, here's the endgame statements from a game which finished with such a result... Mick Bullock: I'd have liked to start off as nearly all other victory statements start, 'This was my first postal game...' but I can't because it was my second. Still, it's my first game to have finished so that adds a little to the satisfaction of my first win (oh, all right then, half win). The game started with a flurry of correspondence, most of it from Austria, who was keen on a campaign against Turkey. I was willing to go along with this, but a lull in his correspondence made me suspicious and I decided to stand in Venince instead of moving to Apu as planned. This gave me the whip hand over Austria as I, humbly apologetic, laid the blame at his feet for his lack of communication. He seemed to accept that the situation was his fault, and so, having convinced him that I'd vacate Venice in Autumn 1901, I did - into Trieste. To make the stab complete I tipped off Russia that Austria would leave Vienna open -- he did too, and Russia took advantage of it. At this time I was more concerned with weakening what promised to be a very angry Austria than I was about Russian strength. Turkey and Russia were clearly not getting on too well; I had the confidence of Russia, having given him Viennaon a plate in 1901, so negotiations with Turkey were oponed, not until Winter 1901 though, and a game-long alliance was forged. Austria dropped out in 1902, though it didn't make much difference -- he had not long left anyway -- and it was left to Turkey and myself to start the long battle against Russia and the rest, Colin not quite expecting the attack, I think, following my early help. That's it basically, as far as the southern sector was concerned -- the game-long alliance with 100% trust on both sides once again proved unstopable. Oh, there were plenty of problems and incidents before the end: the swanson of Austria who invented the F-G-A-R league, complete with forged signatures (Russia got a copy from the T-E-G-A league) had me worreid for a while; the unfortunate but completely necessary stab, or breaking of a non-aggro pact at least, against France (especially as I had just got a 1901 gain fro here!) - Italy's external problems again; the short but sweet alliance with Germany to help get rid of France quickly before the long homeward slog to VICTORY! Thank you 5 eliminees and no standbys, for a spotting battle; and especially thank you to a fine ally Alan Humphrey. We'll do the same again some day, what? Statistics of a 2-way draw: letters sent 56, received 55. Approximately 2 1/2 per season (though more early on and less towards the end), almost exactly one half of which were between Italy and Turkey. Alan Humphrey: When the game started I received letters from Austria (Tim Nagley) and Russia (Colin Bennett) offering alliances against each other, and I plumped for attacking Austria. After the first moves I smelt a rat and guessed there was a three-way alliance against me. I called Italy's bluff, which worked and resulted in the annihilation of Austria in A 1902. Meanwhile in the north France and Germany were heading for England. My new three-way alliance with Italy and Russia had to give way. To ally with Russia would have meant that I would be next for the chop so it had to be the long haul with Italy. Our attack coincided with Germany's attack on northern Russia, which helped immensely. We were then at 1904. The following year was difficult with only Italy making headway, against France; whilst I gained a positional advantage over Russia. By the end of 1906 is was clearly a 3-horse race, and Germany wrote to me for the first time asking for an alliance. I played along for one season, hoping that Italy and I could gain an advantage. For the next six years it was a long battle with Italy against Germany, particularly in the north trying to break out of StP. I missed my big opportunity when John Carlye missed a deadline, and I had resigned myself to standing until help arrived in the form of Italian fleets. Anyway, the help did arrive, and we eventually shared a hard-won victory, It has been a particularly pleasing game for me as it was my first postal game. GM (R. Sharp) This was one of those games where the last half-a- dozen years needn't have been played. John Caryle as Germany resisted to the last gasp, but there is nothing one can do against a steadfast double alliance, and once Turkey and Italy had made up their minds not to attack one another the result was a formality. England never had a chance; Chris Buckley turned to defend himself against an early attack from France, allowing Russia to gobble up Norway; thus weakened, England had no answer when Germany switched his attack to the North Sea in Spring 1903. At the end of 1903 the position looked very flexible, with 5 countries on the 6-7 mark with Italy and Turkey beginning to make headway against Russia Austria and Russia proper. At this point I felt John Caryle made a decisive error of judgement by attacking Russia in the north; personally I would have used the idle southern German armies against Italy by entering Austria and try to shore up the tottering Colin Bennett. As it was Russia was crushed by the loss of 4 centres out of 7 in 1904, and Germany led the field, but the writing was on the wall. France suffered from vital indecision during this period: she trusted her pact of non-aggression with Italy, couldn't risk taking on the superior forces of Germany, and so had nowhere to go after the collapse of England. She was extremeley suspicious of Germany, and so the French armies milled around rather aimlessly, waiting to be attacked. More foresight would surely have suggested that the attack would come from Italy -- it was clear that the Italian-Turkish alliance could only be broken by a French stab on Italy, which Turkey would have been helpless to prevent, so might well have joined. In Spring 1905 the French policy against Germany reached its most aggressive, and Italy struck with perfect timing, aided by a curiously passive French defense. Even now I feel Germany might have saved a draw by rallying to the defense of France and what was left of Russia, but he elected to play for parity with the major powers by grabbing centres off France, thus acclerating the Italian success in the south. By Autumn '06, Russia was out and only a 3-way draw could prevent the inevitable, but at no stage was there even a hint of mistrust in the Grand-Alliance. That, to all intents and purposes was the end of the game. This hasn't been one of my favourite games; I make no secret of the fact that I prefer the treacherous game-long free-for-all to the massive fixed alliance. Still, there is no getting away from the fact that this was a classic of the type; Mick and Alan played it with absolute confidence and ruthlessness. I have no figures available but suspect Turkey-Italy to be an unusual combination for a joint-win -- it is so difficult for them to combine effectively except in the opening against Austria and at the end when the Italian fleets helped the Turkish armies in the north. It says much for Mick's handling of the tactical sistuation that a Turkish stab (the natural end of such an alliance?) was never really on. In summary I would say that Italy and Turky thoroughly earned their success by thier superior strategic awareness. Russia, like England, was helpless to resist alone, but France and Germany should have capitalized on their good start to set up the stalemate line that is always on in a 2-2 situation across the diagonal axis of the board. After 1903, I thought that a draw was certain, with Turkey figuring in it somewhere -- either 2-way with Germany or 3-way with Germany and France. Wrong again. Congratulations are due to the winners for their impeccable handling of the game and an extra bouquest to Mick for the best perfomance yet with Italy in an NGC game. John Caryle resisted splendidly when many would have given up; Barbi played the opening well but lacked inspiration thereafter. Colin and Chris did all they could in lost positions. The only weak link was Tim Nagley, a classic dropout case: work hard at the game in 1901, and throw in the towel when things go wrong. In fact his dropping out made no difference whatever, though it might have done if the western powers had united early on. I am enjoying moderating this zine, keep that mail coming! Eric Klien Up