It was a dreary day in Chicago, cold and gloomy–perfect weather for a long game of Diplomacy. At Peter Lokken’s home in Old Town, Game No. 173 went 11 years. Lokken topped with a massive Italy, staking claims to both Best Italy and first place in Season Seven. The game ended in the following center counts:
Austria (Aaron Bernhardt): 0; 0.000 points.
England (Mike Morrison): 0; 0.000 points.
France (Ben DiPaola): 9; 22.753 points.
Germany (John Gramila): 5; 7.022 points.
Italy (Peter Lokken): 15; 63.202 points.
Russia (Tony Prokes): 5; 7.022 points.
Turkey (Kevin Schiferle): 0; 0.000 points.
England (Mike Morrison): 0; 0.000 points.
France (Ben DiPaola): 9; 22.753 points.
Germany (John Gramila): 5; 7.022 points.
Italy (Peter Lokken): 15; 63.202 points.
Russia (Tony Prokes): 5; 7.022 points.
Turkey (Kevin Schiferle): 0; 0.000 points.
The supply center chart is here. Hopefully the players will fill in the details.
Next up is a game on Wednesday at the Red Lion. We have one full board, and we’re now working on a second. Who’s in?
This Post Has 5 Comments
I don’t know. I guess I broke a rule. The rule is written like this:
“When you are eliminated from a board, you are to have no more interaction with the players on that board regarding the game. ‘Dead men tell no tales.'”
I forget the year, but I was observing an adjudication in which one of the players had forgotten to specify a coast during a fleet move. The piece was being moved on the board anyway. I spoke up without thinking and said, “Can I ask a question?” I don’t remember, but I think someone said okay. “Was there a coast specified?”
I really had it in my head that the rule was limiting interfering with negotiations, but does it also apply to pointing out mistaken adjudications?
It seems to be written broadly enough that it would.
I’d say no, Mike. The intent of the rule is to prevent eliminated players from offering advice, tactics, etc. I think it’s always appropriate for an observer to correct an adjudication error.
Agreed. I think you can mention misadjudications with no qualms. I’m sure the person affected isn’t happy about it, but I don’t think the silence rule pertains to something like that.
That sort of thing is generally up to the House Rules, but I’d agree with those above me who say it’s alright.
[quote]I’m sure the person affected isn’t happy about it[/quote]
That misorder doozy was mine. Not only did it cost me a gain of Austria’s Bulgaria, but the move was also to double as a support cut which should have given me Greece as well. So I ended up with neither. Fortunately the following year I struck a deal with Russia that he support the convoy of my Armenia to Bulg, getting that unit out of his hair, and getting me both Bulg and Gre in the end. I suppose that the army in Arm would have allowed the taking of Sev that much sooner, but that’s the way it went. Sadly, I misordered the exact same way a couple seasons later (forgetting to specify a Bulgarian coast), though with significantly fewer repercussions.
All in all I had a blast. Well played game all around. Especially Aaron’s Austria, which was a tough nut to crack. Prokes’ Russia and I couldn’t get anything off of him until 1906 (Gre and Bulg), at which point it became just a mechanical exercise.
The West was interesting to watch from afar. Ben D’s France got into and took over England in a snap, partly due to England’s suicide, but Ben was up to 9 in ’03, and was looking like the most likely board topper. The three of them were able to actually agree to a full scale retreat from the North Sea area, where they were all jockeying for position. Watching them all pull back was kinda creepy, actually. It was like reading orders in reverse. Ben decided to only commit to that disengagement for one year, and moved his boats right back where they were, possibly after seeing Tony and John still scrapping it out over Scandinavia. He was able, a second time, to get his boats into position in time to box me out of MAO, and after Vienna and Sev fell there were no more gains left to be had.