Diplomacy Gamestart - 2 Player Slots Open.

[Phanerothyme 12]

I'm the GM for a game of Diplomacy I'm putting together to pass the time and provide a little entertainment during the "lockdown".

 

If you've never played diplomacy before, it is The King of board games. Played by the likes of JFK and Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy is unusual amongst board games - most of the game play takes place away from the board, there's no taking of turns to move, as all moves are executed simultaneously , and the game does not rely on random number generators (dice) to progress.

 

The game is of European domination at the outset of the 20th century, and is played between the seven great powers - Austro-Hungary, England, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Russia.

 

Players start with three units, and to win, they must expand their territory and their forces to dominate the continent. The critical fact here  is that it is impossible to win on your own. You must enlist the help of allies to defeat your enemies.

 

This is where the fun happens. The game of diplomacy is centred on making (and breaking) deals with your opponents during the "DIplomacy period" before every move, to benefit your position on the map. Moves are carried out by each player writing orders for their units and sending them to the GM before the order deadline. The GM then adjudicates, and sends out the results with an updated board/map. Then the next diplomacy period begins and so on.

 

The game has been described as 7-way chess with daggers.

 

We have 5 players so far, and we are recruiting for a 6th and 7th. Would you like to join us?

 

This game is going to feature several players who are new to Diplomacy, so don't let inexperience get in the way of your first game  - with a live GM to help you (me), you can jump in with confidence.

Things you should know before deciding to join:

• The game will be played by correspondence - email, instant messaging etc.
• There will be one game-turn per week, and the game is likely to last in excess of 12 weeks for some players (not all!)
• Great powers will allocated randomly by live draw, once we have seven players on board.
• Player drop outs ruin a game - we would love you to join, but only if you can commit. You'll need to check your messages at least once a day, and you'll be expected to communicate in a timely way with your fellow players. The game revolves around communication, so if you're the quiet type, this may not be for you.
• Players new to the game will have the resources and support they need from the GM to get up to speed, so don't let a lack of experience stand in your way.
• Respectful and gentlemanly conduct is expected, although the GM will only intervene in the event things "get out of hand". very player is different, and one person's "Free and frank exchange of views" might constitute bullying or harassment for another.
• You may lose all faith in basic human decency.

How do I join?

It's easy, just send me an email gm@netheredge.com and I will take care of everything. In the meantime you can follow the antics of the GM as I set the game up on https://thegunboat.blogspot.com - this blog includes some good material on basic gameplay, and will be where the results are posted, together with player postings and comments as the game progresses.

See you in the trenches!