Re: Diplomacy zine -- Quiz issue

From: pwoodruf@orion.cf.uci.edu (Peter Woodruff)

Date: Thu, 04 May 1989 04:24:15 +0000

In article <12661@ihlpy.ATT.COM> steveb@ihlpy.UUCP (S.R. Bodenstab) writes:
>In article <59207@yale-celray.yale.UUCP> Martin-Charles@cs.yale.edu (Charles Martin) writes:
>>In article <17824@cup.portal.com>, Eric_S_Klien@cup writes:
>>>Rule XII.5 says the following:  "A CONVOYED ATTACK DOES NOT CUT
>>>CERTAIN SUPPORTS.  If a convoyed army attacks a fleet which is
>>>supporting an action in a body of water; and that body of water
>>>contains a convoying fleet, that support is not cut."
[Martin's objections]
[Bodenstab adds his objections and says:]
>The following is Rule XII.5 as worded in the version of "Diplomacy" I own,
>published by Games Research Inc. and copyright 1971:
>
>  "5. A CONVOYED ATTACK DOES NOT PROTECT THE CONVOYING FLEETS.  If
>  a convoyed army attacks a fleet which is supporting a fleet
>  which is attacking one of the convoying fleets, that support is
>  not cut.
[More Bodenstab stuff]

The 1976 A-H rules reproduce exactly the wording of 1971.  Klien informed me
in correspondence that he uses the 1981 rules.  My guess is that somebody
figured the revision makes the game more "realistic" [it may also simply have
been a botched attempt at clarification].  The basis for the claim of realism
would be that an army could not really interfere with a fleet that was at sea
(hence the "supporting an action in a body of water" clause).  But this is
clearly misguided.  Dippy was not intended to be realistic, and any attempt to
make it so is a slippery slope.  For instance, one could with equal justifica-
tion argue that a fleet in Wes could not affect a fleet on Spa(NC), and hence
should not be able to cut the latter's support of an action in Mid.  Leave a
classic alone, says I.  I use the 1976 rules in my games.
**************************************************************************
	Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
		--John Dalbery-Acton, 1st Baron, (1834-1902)

Peter Woodruff				pwoodruf@orion.cf.uci.edu
Department of Philosophy
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92715

References

Diplomacy zine -- Quiz issue
Eric_S_Klien@cup.portal.com
Tue, 02 May 1989 00:27:07 +0000
Re: Diplomacy zine -- Quiz issue
Martin-Charles@cs.yale.edu (Charles Martin)
Tue, 02 May 1989 20:58:58 +0000
Re: Diplomacy zine -- Quiz issue
steveb@ihlpy.ATT.COM (S.R. Bodenstab)
Wed, 03 May 1989 21:05:51 +0000