``Life is a debt that someday must be paid.''
From ``Last Night on Earth'' by the Mekons off their newly released
Journey to the End of the Night.
LAST SECOND (a note from Phil Reynolds arrived literally just
as I was printing the final version) NOTE: It looks like John
Schultz may finally be getting out of prison!! Yay for him!!
We have a new address that might or might not be valid. As for
myself, I will be sending him this issue to both addresses and
I would advise you all to do the same.
I hope we hear more definitively from John shortly.
John Schultz: POB 1322, Valparaiso, IN 46384
In any case, this issue is very specially dedicated to John as one of the best people I have met postally via this hobby. Cheers ;-)
Special tax time delayed issue..... I pushed deadlines back an extra week to compensate (also the Tinamou deadlines, see the new deadlines below). As always when I get a bit behind (and this is still a huge issue) I've held some really good reading material for next time. Unlike the subszine dominated issues, this is mostly me.
Boy, do I wish my losses on the szine were tax deductible.... as most of you know, I lose over a thousand dollars a year on this, but choose not to document the losses precisely since I don't think I want to know. And of course, some of the losses are determined by my liberal policy toward including the hobby veterans, but I wouldn't lose them for an instant! That's what makes this fun!!
THE NEXT TINAMOU DEADLINE IS EITHER APRIL 17TH OR APRIL 24TH
The 17th applies for Who's Your Buddy, Milk and Cookies, and Tour de Farce. David also has a few corrections to last issue.....
David Partridge (Tue, 28 Mar 2000 14:13:08 -0800 (PST))
Hello, Tinamou #24 is now up on the web at:
http://devel.igo.org/DipPouch/Postal/Zines/TAP/Tinamou/Tin24/Tin24.htm
There were several corrections in the game adjudications. These corrections are all reflected in the web version. They were:
English fleet Norway in Copernicus must retreat to SKA or OTB.
In Tour de Farce, Teddy and Koala's original positions were not deleted. This led to Koala incorrectly receiving a 15 replacement card when he should have gotten a 7.
In Milk & Cookies, Sweet Sara did not belie her name and throw a nasty snowball at Zamboni. She instead occupied herself sculpting several more aesthetically pleasing spheres to add to her collection.
My apologies for the mistakes, hopefully the next issue will go more smoothly. Early orders will of course help matters immensely.
The postal sub price is a flat
$1.00 per issue in the US and Canada,
a bargain at twice the price.... but
you can double that for other foreign subbers (or $2.00 per
issue sent airmail).
Players in current games and standbys will
continue to get the issues for free, and future game starts
(except for Nuclear Yuppie Evil Empire Diplomacy, which is free) cost
$20.00 ($15.00 for a life of the
game subscription and $5 for the NMR Insurance).
After the current series of games, I probably won't
start another until the Modern game ends (then I will start
another Modern with the Wing rule).
But there are some other options.
Please consider joining Mark Kinney's regular Diplomacy
game start if you want to get going in one.
Let's help Mark get at least ONE regular Diplomacy gamestart.
We have to have it in us......
five players supposedly are signed up so far.
Check out the connections in the Diplomatic Pouch with all of the information you need to play Diplomacy on the Internet at:
http://diplom.org/DipPouch/
Through Stephen Agar's (who is still in charge here) Postal portion of the Pouch:
http://diplom.org/DipPouch/Postal/Zines/TAP/index.html
the szine resides in html format. Presently, issues from #190 to the current issue are there, and I will be updating the back issues gradually someday. Also, check out Stephen's more extensive efforts at (note the new address): http://www.diplomacy-archive.com
The most recent issue of TAP also can be accessed through Pete Sullivan's web page and occasionally David Wang's:
1) David has grabbed and reserved the HIGHLY prized name: www.szine.com!! David Wang's site also allows you to follow John Caruso's postal baseball league that I am in. My team finished Spring Training on a roll, with the best record in the league. We hope it translates over to the regular season. John and Kathy are finally coming up on E-Mail, but I don't want to give out their E-Mail addresses quite yet.
2) For the most recent issue of Pete Sullivan's subszine check out:
http://www.manorcon.demon.co.uk/octopus/index.html
Pete is looking for Railway Rivals standbys, but otherwise, he is full with games at the moment.
By electronic mail, through the Internet, subs are free and can be obtained automatically by sending the message: subscribe tap
to majordomo of diplom.org and messages can be sent to the entire electronic mailing list by mailing them to tap of diplom.org which will forward your message to all of the people currently on the list. The message:
unsubscribe tap
sent to majordomo of diplom.org gets you off the list. Please make careful note of that as well since you generally can get yourself off the list a lot easier than I can, and NOBODY likes to see unsubscribe messages sent to the entire list. A big, big thank you for David Kovar for setting this all up!!
The reward for resolving a certain mystery that currently exists in our hobby is still open. I have heard rumors that progress is being made. I won't be announcing another person to search for until Issue #235 while we allow time to search this mystery. Feel free to assist Brenton Ver Ploeg or others to solve it. I shall be saying nothing more about it.
Or spend the time looking for some of the backlog. Let's get Kevin, Al, and Jerry found too!!! Note that Brenton would love to find the woman that Jerry Lucas used as his front too. This is a regular continuing feature of the szine and I will be introducing a new ``search for'' every five issues. Moreover, you can win a $25 prize for finding some previous target who went unfound in the original $50 period. That means that if Kevin Tighe or Jerry Lucas or Al Pearson is ``found'' from now on it is worth $25. Plus, Steve Emmert has thrown in another ten spot to Marie Beyerlein for finding Garret Schenck.
Winners will receive credit for Dip hobby activities that I will pay out as requested by the winner. Subscribe to szines here or abroad, run your own contests, publish a szine, finance a web page, or whatever. Spend it all right away or use me as a bank to cover hobby activities for years. What must you do to win? Get me a letter to the editor for TAP from the person we're searching for.
This is very important, just finding them doesn't do it. They have to write me a letter. The final judge as to the winner of any contest will be the target himself and I reserve the right to investigate the winning entry. When you find someone I'm looking for, you should ask him to send me a letter for print that includes a verification of who ``found'' him.
Let's start with Garret's return....
Garret Schenck (Mon, 27 Mar 2000 14:29:08 -0500 (EST))
Okay guys, PAY UP! Marie found me. And man, did she have nice bait: a very nice Games Research Dip set still in factory shrink-wrap AND this humongous box version of Avalon Hill WATERLOO, which until I saw her ad I had no idea even EXISTED! (Yes, it's about 21 X 14 X 2 inches and supposedly AH put out WATERLOO and one or two others in this oversize format back in the early 60s.)
WHY you guys wanted me this badly, I'll never know. But apparently Jim you owe Marie $25.00. And what do I get out of this? I suspect probably not much, maybe an issue or two of TAP and the dubious pleasure of hearing certain unnamed persons deliver unnecessary Parthian shots about my ZR performance. But this does seem like a very cool way to compensate Marie for the absurdly low price she gave me for WATERLOO!
And as for you, Emmert, give it up! I am pretty sure I know why YOU are after me, and I give you a final chance to avoid the public humiliation that will surely follow should you actually achieve what I fear, for your own sake, you are seeking. But if you insist I am prepared to carry through on all terms of our wager, I only warn you that the passage of four years will not help your ``cause." Um, just what WERE the terms, anyway?
Well, I'll close for now. Thanks for ``finding me"....smile.....
((Worse than that, you have a LIFETIME subscription to TAP.... I have had some people complain after being found that it is unfair that they get a (what, worthless???) lifetime subscription to TAP and the finder gets real value. Since Marie put up real value to pay you, I plan to send her a check for $25. I will send Emmert the address. Thank you very much, Marie, for tracking this one down. We've been looking for Garret for what, about TWO years!?! This is a regular feature of TAP, Garret. There are still other people to look for if you want to earn your own bucks. Marie and Doug Beyerlein themselves were found in an earlier part of the contest. The one I ***REALLY*** want to find right now is Jerry Lucas. A shame that it is such a common name.... and no, I don't mean the ex-basketball player.))
Garret Schenck (Mon, 27 Mar 2000 18:50:40 EST)
Hmmmm......Marie didn't put up any money....the way it worked is: I bought a very nice Games Research set from her (she had it up on eBay). I was intrigued by the name Beyerlein which very definitely rang a bell, but I didn't ask her about it, at least at first (also I didn't have any timely Dip materials at hand, a random copy of PDO Census from early 90s didn't turn up any Beyerleins).
She subsequently offered for auction a weird piece of Avalon Hill history: the oversize Waterloo. She amazingly didn't get any bids (I think I was asleep along with everybody else) and when I asked her if she'd sell it to me for her (rather low) starting bid, she agreed, further undercharging herself for the shipping. That's when we discovered our mutual Hobby interests. So I was feeling guilty (well, as I said to Marie, only as guilty as any Dipper feels when he acquires somebody else's property: It's MINE now!) and your offer of a finder's fee goes sort of partway to compensate for my getting this real jewel for so cheap. ((The bucks have been sent....))
Here's my postal address, I guess I will take you up on your (worthless??) lifetime subscription offer: Garret Schenck, 392 Montague Rd #29, Sunderland, MA 01375.
Don't know Jerry Lucas, he must be from before my time (which is the same as Emmert, actually, we started in the hobby right around the same time and same zine: Retaliation).
Anyway, thanks for ``finding" me: now I know how the Indians may have felt.....smile.....
Marie Beyerlein (Tue, 28 Mar 2000 21:51:33 -0800)
Hi Jim, thanks in advance for the ``reward," and double-thanks for not paying in hobby credits, since I've been out of Diplomacy for more than 20 years! I am rapidly approaching my ``sunset years", and the money might better be applied to something like a new walker or that extra set of teeth.
((Oh, come on, you and Doug must still be riding the bicycles and exercising, but I am most grateful to you and am pleased to be awarding you the prize!))
Steve Emmert (Mon, 3 Apr 2000 12:55:59 -0400)
Obviously, I am very happy to get my friend back. Marie, you have earned your fee.
It's great to have Garret back in the community, even if he just keeps a toe in it. You will find, as I did when we met way back in the eighties, that he is a marvelous presswriter (the trait most important to we Dippers in the know) if you can sweet-talk him into joining a game. He's ugly as sin, but that's not a handicap in postal Dip.
Garret and I first corresponded in about 1986 when we both subscribed to Dick Martin's late, very lamented zine, Retaliation. ((Just in case you guys were wondering, Dick is still around here and I talk to him every once in awhile since we are in John Caruso's baseball league together.)) I wasn't even in his game, but month after month, I kept seeing this wonderfully written press with wild character names and titles, and preposterous situations. I finally decided to write something of a fan letter to him, telling him what I thought of his press. We corresponded on and off for a while, and finally met at Kathy and John Caruso's house in Queens (I think; all those Noo Yawk places look alike except Manhattan).
When Garret took the plunge into publishing, he offered me a slot as a columnist, and I took him up on it. He titled the column, ``The Lawyer Speaks," but I frequently discussed subjects other than law. History, politics, Dip of course, and whatever else struck my fancy. Garret, like Jim-Bob, was always eager to insert his input amid the writer's comments, and that made for very interesting reading. I was very sorry when he folded Upstart, but fully understood his reasons for doing so. If there is ever a revival, I'll plunk down the dough for a subscription.
Garret, welcome back. The beers at Fenway this summer are on me.
((You guys are dead if you don't invite me to join you....))
The British representative is the editor of Mission From God, John Harrington. John may be contacted at 1 Churchbury Close, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 3UW, UK.
E-Mail: fiendish of operamail.com or johnh of fiendishgames.demon.co.uk).
Please include the full name and address of the foreign publisher with your order, if possible, as well as the szine title. Make your check in US dollars out to me personally or in GBP to John if you're doing things from that end. I will conduct business for Canadians as well, if I can, but prefer to deal in US dollars with them if possible, or Canadian dollars cash. To subscribe to American szines, the system works in reverse. There has been some interest in finding a new Australian representative. Should someone Down Under have an interest, or from anywhere else in the world, please contact me.
If you've had your head under a tree, the World's Largest Diplomacy Tournament is currently underway by E-Mail, featuring over 550 players from all around the world. TAP readers who are participating are ENCOURAGED to write in commentaries on games, or teams, or whatever. You can see the commentary on the games by logging in as a guest at this website:
http://webforum.cloud-nine.com/~ worldmasters99/login
The second round has now started and the team championship has been decided. The TAP team finished ninth!! Thanks to Berry Renken, Buddy Tretick, Randy Ellis, Warren Goesle, and especially Jim O'Kelley and Steve Emmert who go on to Round 2, for joining me on the team!! Now for some comments from the peanut gallery.
Richard Weiss (Tue, 21 Mar 2000 20:19:55 PST)
Jim; Lots of college basketball in this issue. My son is now getting free trips, shoes, etc. to play basketball. Maybe I'll know something about the college teams in 4-5 years when the recruiting starts (if he keeps growing. 6' at 13). ((We look forward to it.))
In the Master's Tournament, I rescued my Freudian tactical error, voted for a 4-way one time and then had the GM interpret player-player-all players including GM press as voting yes, and I had to argue that he cannot interpret and the game must go on. He resumed it, and now a German NRR gives France a clear shot at tying me for the lead or possibly getting it himself in the next three seasons (all the time that is left). I have a 50-50 chance of getting another SC, possibly two if Germany continues to be erratic. Finally the French is playing with excellent tactics. I think it is because he asked his team for help. Like some non-Presidential candidates, I already told my Captain, that if I get into the semis that I am not playing. That helped me clear my thinking.
I miss the old zines that had notices of house cons. I congratulate Edi Birsan for creating a more global list. I would go to one or two per year somewhere if I knew where and when they are. I ask anyone involved in TAP who knows of a house con to insure it gets on Edi's list.
((Thanks to Edi for picking up this idea and please DO keep him informed.))
Nick Parish (Mon, 20 Mar 2000 20:54:24 EST)
Hi Jim, Good stuff. Just a quick comment. British tourney games don't usually go for a randomised ending any more. In fact, other than tournaments I have run (!) I have only ever been to one that did this - Manorcon in 1993. ((Yes, but that was the ONE that I attended, so apologies if I thought that the way that went was the norm.)) The one-day Oxford tournament that I or Stretchy run annually is usually randomised ending, but no other. I like randomised ending because it encourages people to play a ``normal" game of Diplomacy more than any other system. But others criticise it because they say that it builds randomness into a non-random game, and that in any case ``playing the tournament" rather than playing the game is the whole reason people enter tournaments!
((I'm squarely in YOUR camp. Thanks! Sure you don't want to get the szine postally?))
Paul Rauterberg (Sun, 26 Mar 2000 12:36:08 -0600)
Guys, this wraps up my end of the fiasco. The Germans/Austrians threw the game to France in a snit over Turkish behavior; I kept pointing out that they'd get no points out of this, but they were beyond caring.
((Hi guys, So you guys had some wacko experiences too, eh? [Paul sent this to his team members too, I wrote this next line before the end, obviously] It looks like the TAP team will finish just short of the Top 10 as we had a ``dumb" French player give up on a position for no particular reason so our last game ended up a board topping tie instead of a straight board topper. Stan's Also Rans was the winner and Armchair Diplomats was second. I don't really know anyone on either team, but the Armchair Diplomats are the top players from the E-Mail ancient CompuServe hobby, I believe. Lots of European teams did well (who also were well acquainted with the scoring system), the Judge Diplomacy teams fared poorly as did the US teams other than us. What I thought was really neat was that the other teams with TAP people on them (who turned me down) did not do as well. (grin) The only individual player that advanced from that group was Dave Partridge and Richard Weiss did very well but fell just short of advancing, he did not have to make the ``play or not'' decision.))
Warren Goesle (Fri, 07 Apr 2000 13:56:53)
Stan's Also Rans include Stan Kellett, who does the website for The Flat Earth Society, along with Warren Ball (also a TFES subber), and Don Scheifler, who was the lying Austrian son-of-a-bitch on my original board. I think that Stan actually got shut out, Warren Ball solo'd and Scheifler had 2nd (12 SC Austria to a 14 SC Germany). I don't know about their other players. With Ball, Partridge, Brady Boyd and O'Kelley, TFES has *4* subbers in the semis.
((Ah yes, and lots of MY subbers know Don Scheifler VERY well as he was quite prominent in the mid-1980's US hobby too! Thanks for the clarification, Goz!))
Rick Desper (Sat, 1 Apr 2000 10:07:52 -0800 (PST))
The game I'm GMing ended with Italy wresting his 12th center from Russia, who finished tied with France at 11. A nice exciting finish, what I'd hoped from most of the games. But I really think there were a lot of relative beginners in the first round. In my first adjudication, I missed the fact that Serbia had passed from Russia to Italy, so Russia had a short-lived feeling of glory.
The sad thing is that Tim Crosby, who played such an excellent game to end up at 12 SCs, will not make Round Two. Because he didn't win by enough points.
Rule number one for designing a tournament should be based on the premise that the players can only compete against those players who are in the same game. The unfairness of denying some table-toppers a ticket to the second round because they didn't win by enough should be quite obvious. Based on this kind of logic, Florida wouldn't have made the Final Four, since they barely beat Butler in the first round.
((Let it join the list. I think we should be happy that the tournament did not appear to be flooded with ``pseudonym'' multiple players. I am worried about both the beginners and the pseudonyms for next time. Let me print all of the players in the second round and their game assignments, just for those who are curious. Then I'll follow that with the top team listings.))
GAME: M99S1 - GM: Blue (Sean Cable) blue of huskynet.com
Lee Simpson (Austria) (lee of simpson147.freeserve.co.uk)
Benoit Clergeot (England) Clergeot-B of lcw.net
Jon Crocker (France) jonc424149 of aol.com
Matz Norrman (Germany) (zedsdip of yahoo.com)
Geoff Bache (Italy) g.bache of cairo.nl or geoff of willa.demon.co.uk
Jim Mahoney (Russia) (mahoney of marlboro.edu)
Andrew Lane (Turkey) (andrew.lane of unilever.com)
GAME: M99S2 - GM: Erlend Janbu janbu of online.no
George S. Pringle (Austria) g_s_pringle of yahoo.com
Brady Boyd (England) (VINGAMEL of aol.com, Brady.Boyd of yellowcorp.com)
Sven Vasseur (France) (sven.vasseur of swipnet.se)
JR Paley (Germany) logan5 of ankh16.freeserve.co.uk
Egbert (Italy) egbert of salavip.com.br
Warren Ball (Russia) wball of exchange.ml.com
Brian Dennehy (Turkey) (brian.dennehy of edi.ie)
GAME: M99S3 - GM: Deepak Mohoni dmohoni of altavista.net
Chuan-Tze Teo (Austria) ctt20 of hermes.cam.ac.uk
Dave Partridge (England) rebhuhn of rocketmail.com
Torsten (France) (a.henricson of virgin.net)
Lane Cross (Germany) CodaDeWest of aol.com
Tom Reinecker (Italy) (tom6179 of earthlink.net)
Frank Johansen Russia) (sendemann of hotmail.com)
Romain Jacques (Turkey) RJacques of nrcan.gc.ca
GAME: M99S4 - GM: Paul Rosenzweig kprosenz of ix.netcom.com
Toby Tyrrell (Austria) Toby.Tyrrell of soc.soton.ac.uk
Kevin Telford (England) MKTELF of aol.com
Toby Harris (France) (toby.harris of equifax.com)
Jim O'Kelley (Germany) (jimok3 of concentric.net)
Glenn Bengtsson (Italy) (bengan74 of yahoo.se)
James Mueller (Russia) (JamesMueller of compuserve.com)
Len Tennant (Turkey) (lgtennant of home.com)
GAME: M99S5 - GM: Guy CHOVET gchovet of atos-group.com
Pascal Nicolle (Austria) PNicolle of carboneccd.com
Cormac Lane (England) (clane of esat.ie)
David Malloch (France) David_Malloch of Alfalak.com
Tom Ogas (Germany) (togas of netzero.net)
Mike Mehaffey (Italy) mehaffey of ape-i.com
Christian Moura (Russia) chr of linkexpress.com.br
Jens Jacob D�hr (Turkey) duhr of post12.tele.dk
GAME: M99S6 - GM: Laurie Bentz Cable laureanor of huskynet.com
Chris Hilson (Austria) Chris.Hilson of Tesco.net
Guy Thomas (England) (Guy_Thomas of ipc.co.uk)
Tim Richardson (France) (natlfop of wizard.net)
Pierre Cazeau (Germany) pcazz_99 of yahoo.com
Barry Jacobs (Italy) (machiavelli of prince.co.jp)
Charles Steinhardt (Russia) (charless of princeton.edu)
Steve Emmert (Turkey) (semmert of mindspring.com)
GAME: M99S7 - GM: Mike French mike_french of hotmail.com
Paul Riley (Austria) pdriley23 of yahoo.co.uk
Dirk Fischbach (England) (Dirk_Fischbach of compuserve.com)
Thomas Sebeyran (France) tsebeyran of hotmail.com
Steve Bird (Germany) stephenvb of directcon.net
Niclas Perez (Italy) (perez of astrogator.se)
Thomas Franke (Russia) (thomas_franke of do.maus.ruhr.de )
Lars R. Hirsch (Turkey) (lrs of chembio.ntnu.no)
WINNING TEAM: 21. Stan's Also Rans (270) -
Captain: Stanley Kellett (kelletts of waitrose.com)
Game: M9912 GAME OVER! - 21 Warren Ball: England wball of exchange.ml.com (63)
Game: M9910 GAME OVER! - 21 Chris Hilson: France Chris.Hilson of Tesco.net (63)
Game: M9972 GAME OVER! - 21 Mike Carlson: Russia MCarl99 of aol.com (44)
Game: M9906 GAME OVER! - 21 Michael Oliveri: Germany Oliverima of aol.com (43)
Game: M9913 GAME OVER! - 21 Don Scheifler: Austria DipperDon of aol.com (27)
Game: M9926 GAME OVER! - 21 Randy Morris: Italy MiniPntr2 of aol.com (25)
Game: M9962 GAME OVER! - 21 Stan Kellett: Turkey kelletts of waitrose.com (5)
Mike Morris' Armchair Diplomats finished second despite achieving 3 solos, more than any other team.
7. Armchair Diplomats (255) - Captain: Mike Morris (mkmorris of ix.netcom.com)
Game: M9934 GAME OVER! - 7 James Mueller Austria (JamesMueller of compuserve.com) (63)
Game: M9927 GAME OVER! - 7 Lee Simpson Germany (100607.574 of compuserve.com) (63)
Game: M9904 GAME OVER! - 7 Dirk Fischbach Turkey (Dirk_Fischbach of compuserve.com) (63)
Game: M9931 GAME OVER! - 7 Bernard Finel France (finelb of bellatlantic.net) (39)
Game: M9914 GAME OVER! - 7 Mike Morris Russia (mkmorris of ix.netcom.com) (25)
Game: M9933 GAME OVER! - 7 Arnie Toporowski England (Arnie_Toporowski of ibi.com) (1)
Game: M9922 GAME OVER! - 7 Jeremy Schwartz Italy (75371.3525 of compuserve.com) (1)
1 270 Stan's Also Rans
2 255 Armchair Diplomats
3 191 Magnificent 7
4 170 Clare Bears (UK)
5 166.5 Team Epic
6 163 Old Contemptibles
7 142 San Andreas Seven
8 140 Team Ireland
9 138 Abyssinian Prince
10 136 Apolyton I
11 135 Team Norway
12 133 Les 7 batraciens
Obscure and not-so-obscure ramblings on the state of the hobby and its publications, custodians, events, and individuals with no guarantee of relevance from the fertile keyboard of Jim-Bob, the E-Mail Dip world, and the rest of the postal hobby. My comments are in italics and ((double quotation marks)) like this. Bold face is used to set off each individual speaker. I should also make a note that I do edit for syntax and spelling on occasion.
The game Diplomacy is a copyrighted product owned by Hasbro and all reproductions or other use of that material in this szine is intended to be personal use and not infringe on those rights in any way. All reproductions are done at a heavy financial loss to the editor and thus are without the remotest possibility of commercial intent, except to promote THE game, the Game of Diplomacy, which you all should purchase from Hasbro or other duly licensed distributors.
I need to begin this section with an editorial regarding a number of issues that I have been working very hard behind the scenes.
1) The fate of Diplomacy World: At the time when Doug Kent was leaving the hobby, he arranged to pass the Editorship to Pitt Crandlemire. But, after a great deal of effort on my part and others to get an answer from Pitt, it is clear that Pitt has dropped the ball. I know I waited much longer to say this than many people wanted to wait. All I can say is that I still treat this as a hobby and cut people every possible degree of slack. But this is it. We will welcome Pitt's involvement, but it is time to resurrect DW. I have most of Doug's records, but the one thing I do not have is any of the sub money. Another reason I waited and why now may be a good time to discuss this again is that Doug Kent is making some tentative moves back into the hobby. I am hereby asking Doug nicely if there is any DW sub money left and if it can be contributed to getting it restarted. Others may wish to add their voices to my nice request. Write to Doug at 10214 Black Hickory Rd., Dallas, TX 75243. I could say more and I might next issue, but let's see if there is any interest. Obviously, the first thing we need is someone to be Editor and Publisher. It won't be me, but I will assist whoever wants to take it over. I shall pass the records I have from Doug to that person.
2) PDORA: Keeping with the idea that Doug is showing his face again, if there is any DW money, then perhaps the remaining PDORA money might be available too. I also have an interest in trying to revive this service. Edi Birsan is doing many of the things that PDORA could or should be doing, but I keep worrying about Melinda trying to keep the Hobby Awards going where this funding could be very useful. Again, this is a gentle request to Doug to ask him if there is any money here either.
3) World DipCon: Come to World DipCon! This is going to be a GREAT hobby gathering, perhaps the largest in at least the last decade. There will be a minimum of a twenty Europeans coming over (based on commitments already made and Edi Birsan's efforts) and the current WorldMasters tournament has raised even more interest in Tournament Dip. Edi is still collecting money to assist Champion Europeans in getting over here. You may make your donations to Edi c/o Midnight Games, PO Box 280, Medford, OR 97501. That issue though, also has led to the need to state for the record the following:
4) International Feuding: I just want to reiterate my longstanding rule that I don't accept Not For Print feud letters. If you send it to me, you risk that I will pass it or make it public. Someone is impersonating me at the moment and making statements in my name that I would never make. If you get E-Mail that purports to be from me and is NOT from burgess of world.std.com, ignore it. Thanks. I'm not angry about this, actually a bit bemused because the impersonation attempt has been so lame, but it is important to make these statements BEFORE something gets out of hand.
Keith Sherwood (Mon, 28 Feb 2000 08:14:21 -0800)
Wow, the Zine encyclopedia looks great in PDF. What fun it was to wander through that beast all over again. Thanks for the nostalgic look at nostalgia!
((You're welcome and thanks to Jim Meinel as well. Good to see you're still paying attention, Keith. We wouldn't want to lose you... thanks to Jonadab, we have a great review of the new boardgame version of Diplomacy.))
Jonadab (Tue, 28 Mar 2000 23:08:50 GMT)
It arrived today. So here you are... Jonadab's Notes on Hasbro's Diplomacy Boardgame.
In spite of being released in 2000, all the copyright notices say 1999, so this will forever be known as the 1999 edition, I expect. I can't say I'm displeased.
The Box: 16"x10.5"x3", give or take a smidgen. You've seen scans of the top cover art, so I won't waste bandwidth on that here. The edges look similar but with less in the way of a picture, saying ``Diplomacy" and ``THE GAME OF INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE". The bottom has a ``Whom Do You Trust?" sidebar with a good terse explanation of the basic style of the game and a photo of the board with units set out beside it. (IMO the photo makes the French units look lighter than they are.) There is also a little image of a plaque explaining that the game is for ages 12 and up, 2 (!) to 7 players, a ``challenging" (as opposed to ``moderate" or ``advanced") complexity level, and a list of (most of) the game's contents.
The Board: The board looks good. At twenty inches on a side, it is smaller than I would have expected, but I don't think clarity is inhibited for that. It's a one-piece quadfold design (split from the center (in Berlin) to the eastern edge (in Moscow)). It's an attempt at a compromise between the advocates of political maps and those of geological maps. I would not have expected such a compromise to work, but I actually rather like it. If you don't look closely, it looks like a geological map - not a contour map exactly, but the mountains look mountainous and so forth. The sea looks especially good, darker the further you go from shore. The borders are nice: black borders within countries and between bodies of water, and white outlined in black between countries (including between neutrals). Coasts are nicely shaded and look good, and there is a fair amount of detail in terms of islands, fjords, and lakes. Different countries each have different amounts of brown/yellow/red/green and dark/light (although not too much variation in the dark/light department except that Switzerland is pretty dark) built into their shading so that it is easy to determine where national boundaries lie, even without the white borders, the line between Germany and France being one possible exception. There is a superfluous but not unpleasant graphic of a cannon in Sevastopol and one of a ship (albeit an anachronistic one, like the markers (more later)) in the Norwegian Sea as well as a nice gold compass (with an N for north) in the North Atlantic, just above the word ``Diplomacy". Supply centers are marked with a nice-looking round button-like graphic, shaded to look 3D, of a gold star on a black circle outlined in gold. Province labels (and coasts) are spelled out in full (but are abbreviated on the conference maps (Add ``Ty" to your list of abbreviations for the Tyrrhenian")). There is a misspelling (``Galacia"). Each country has a label around the edge of the board with its colour in the background of the name of the country and its flag on either side. (Russia's flag is white with a blue X, for example; I assume this is from the time period (unlike the ship) since I don't recognise it.) It is clear that Spain does not touch North Africa. It is not altogether clear that the Baltic Sea touches Kiel. The Dardanelles and the Bosphorus both have border lines drawn across them; we all know this is because the intervening sea is part of the Constantinople province, but could have been more clear. The SC dot for Copenhagen has been strategically relocated to bridge the gap between that Island and mainland Denmark (vicinity of Ebeltoft); I assume this was done for clarity. (The rules state that Islands cannot be occupied except for England.) The SC dot for Constantinople has also been relocated (to roughly modern Luleburgaz or a little east; the southern edge of the dot barely touches the Marmara Denizi). Why it was not placed at Istanbul is beyond me, as that would cover the Bosporus and clarify the unified nature of the province, or so I would have thought, quite aside from the impression I've always had that Constantinople and Istanbul are the same place.
Conference Maps: You get twenty. As mentioned, provinces are abbreviated; coasts, OTOH, are spelled out. They are black and white, of course; the seas appear grey, but I assume this is done via dithering.
Pieces: You get ten armies and ten fleets in each colour. They look good, although as mentioned the ship is an anachronism. The cannon seems appropriate, though. I can tell all the colours apart even in dim light, although England (relatively dark blue) and France (royal blue?) are clearly the closest. Italy is a fairly dark green; Russia's ``white" is nearly silver in colour, or light grey at the least. Germany's black is grey, too, but it's quite dark. The red units aren't too flashy but are clearly red. Turkey's yellow units are pretty dark; they could almost pass for ``gold". They come between sheets of plastic that are melded together in rows and columns between each sheet, so there are two rows of fleets and two rows of armies in each power's package. I don't think, having opened each little pouch, that you could realisitically store the units in there, however; you'll probably want Ziploc bags or the equivalent, unless you want to store everything in the plastic tray provided (if it would even fit) and keep the game upright at all times.
There is also a sheet of cardboard markers to designate SC ownership. These are 5/8 inch neosquares with rounded corners; one side bears the nation's flag and the other side bears its traditional colour (green, red, white, yellow, black, navy, and sky blue; these are bold and bright and flashy, unlike the more subdued units). There are 22 for each power, and they all come in a single sheet, prepunched so that you can pop them out easily (and, in fact, keeping them in the sheet if you don't want them out could be a problem; again, I suggest getting zipper bags if you don't want to lose parts).
The Rulebook: Standard US paper size (8.5" x 11"), 23 pages. This is where the big changes were made. Most of them are not the the rules themselves so much as the presentation. My biggest disappointment: the handy reference numbers on the rules that allow us to rever to (e.g.) IX.3 or VII.3.b are gone. The rules have also been reordered; this makes comparing versions tougher, but I don't dislike the new order. The rules seem, for the most part, quite clear. There are copious examples, with diagrams.
``Turn" has now been given a definition; there are two turns per year, Spring and Fall. (Winter adjustments are phase 5 of the Fall turn and are called ``Gaining and Losing Units Phase" (yes, ugh), although when the phase is explained in more detail the term ``adjustments" is also given.)
Bodies of water are now called provinces; there are also inland and coastal provinces.
I see here what I think is a new rule or possibly a change (although my other version is not the previously most recent, so I'm not sure): ``If a Fleet is ordered to one of these [bicoastal] provinces, and it is possible for the Fleet to move to either coast, the order must specify which coast, [so far so good] or the Fleet does not move [new, I think]".
I'm going to attempt to correlate the order in the new book with the rule numbers from my 1976 edition; these are imprecise by necessity, as some reorganisation has been done.
Page 1: I and II.
Page 2: VI.1, Types of Provinces (new?), V, VI.2, All units have the same strength (a clarification from VIII?), VI.3, Flag Markers (new?)
Page 3: IV.1 (very expanded), turns and phases (which work the same as before but have had some renaming done), IV.2 (expanded), VII.4, VII.6.
Page 4: VII.7, VII.5, part of VII.1, VII.2, more of VII.1 (expanded).
Page 5: more of VII.1 (expanded), VII.3.b, VII.3.a, VII.3.c.
Page 6: VIII (expanded (it needed it badly)) with IX.5 incorporated, and mention of the third part of XIV.5.
Page 7: Part of XIV.5 (the second part), IX.1 and IX.2 (combined and expanded), Part of IX.6.
Page 8: More of IX.1 and IX.5.
Page 9: IX.7 (expanded).
Page 10: X (expanded). A nice clarification is made about attacked units still being able to cut support elsewhere.
Page 11: More of X, XII.1, and the first part of XIV.5.
Page 12: Part of IX.6, XII.2, XII.3.
Page 13: IX.3.
Page 14: More of IX.3, IX.4, part of IX.6, the third part of XIV.5.
Page 15: Example from XIV.5, Land and Convoy Routes (from the 80's ruleset, I think), XII.4. Note that XII.4 has altered; I think this follows the spirit of the '80s ruleset more closely: ``An Army convoyed using alternate convoy orders reaches its destination as long as at least one convoy route remains open."
Page 16: XII.5, reworded: ``A convoyed Army does not cut the support of a unit supporting an attack against one of the Fleets necessary for the Army to convoy." Further explanation and clarification is given. Also, ``An Army with at least one successful convoy route will cut the support given by a unit in the destination province that is trying to support an attack on a Fleet in an alternate route of that convoy."
Page 17: XI (expanded a bit), XIII.2 and XIII.1.
Page 18: More XIII, XIV.1, XIV.3, XIV.4, replacements (new?)
Page 19: XIV.2, start of sample game (runs through page 22, with commentary).
There is a handy list of abbreviations on the back, organised by country, with neutrals and bodies of water each being a category. There is also, on page 23, a list of 22 simple rules to help resolving most situations: things like ``Units cannot trade places without the use of a convoy". (That one is #6.) A note says, ``if you are unable to resolve an issue using this listing, refer to the instructions and examples within this booklet for more detailed explanations."
IMO not enough is said about the Game Master. The Pouch is not mentioned at all. You also get a plastic storage tray (with seventeen indentations; eight each in two sizes and a long skinny one) and a flier advertising ``the new Avalon Hill" (Legends, Diplomacy, Axis & Allies, Battle Cry, and Acquire).
Simon Szykman (Fri, 31 Mar 2000 10:31:33 -0500)
You can see picture of the board at http://www.fanen.com/index.html
You can see a better version of it at: http://users.erols.com/szykman/Diplomacy/hasbro.jpg
Comments on the 1999 year in music are still welcome.
The tape thing is still going very slowly. I need some uninterrupted time to do it.... I need to figure out some timings and get together to actually make a master tape. Then I'll find a commercial service to copy them for me. Once I find the cost of that, I will let people know the cost. I am leaning toward a five dollar fee, so the people I've chosen below for five dollar awards automatically get them for free. There are a few other selected individuals who've been sending me tapes and CD's and things who also will get them for free. For now, I'm going to stop reprinting all the rest of the header stuff each issue. The way I do things, I was sticking it in my face so I noticed it and kept it on my to-do list, but obviously it was way too repetitive.
You all may recall that I ended this section last issue with the words: ``I also will be rooting for Florida.'' Well, I did, and they fell just short. You know, at the beginning, everyone (me included) knew that Michigan State was the team to beat. I hate going with the favorite, but I knew they were going to win. Here's some more comments from our peanut gallery. Again, as always, note those time stamps.....
Rick Desper (Mon, 20 Mar 2000 12:16:22 -0500 (EST))
So much for Ohio State. ((And I'm surprised they went down so easily!)) And Temple, and Stanford. I've now only got one Final Four team left. Thankfully, that's MSU, but really, picking MSU to win everything is not going to get me ahead of a lot of people with my picks. ((I only have one left too, but it is UCLA. I like the pick and obviously I like them to beat MSU. Then I'll be happy as the brackets will be broken for everyone ;-) ))
I'm so annoyed with myself for picking two Pac-10 teams to make the Final Four! I mean, I KNOW the Pac-10 teams ALWAYS fall flat in the tourney. Grrr. But still...UNC beating Stanford?? Hard to believe. ((Yeah, I let Lute Olsen adoration take me too far too (I was a big Iowa fan when he was there to show you how far back it goes), but I ***KNEW*** they wouldn't make the Final Four. And I didn't like Stanford's lack of athleticism on defense at all. We forget, but North Carolina was picked by many pundits BEFORE the season to win the National Championship behind Cota and that big man of theirs whose name I forget, but he's tall and wicked quick. I just HATE UNC and can't bring myself to pick them for anything. More recently, they have been disappointing to be sure, but obviously they are back to pre-season status.))
The only positive I take from yesterday is that I picked Tulsa to beat Cincinnati. I've picked them to win one more game, and don't really think Miami should be too much for them to handle. ((You got that one right, I will be rooting for whoever wins that game to go all the way. I sort of want a team that our lowly PC Friars beat to win the National Championship. We beat Miami IN Miami.))
I was right to say that three Big East teams would make the Sweet Sixteen, though there is no way I would have ever dreamed that the two losers would be St. John's and UConn, the finalists in the Big East tournament. ((WE totally agree on that.... although there is a LONG history of the Big East Tournament finalists failing in the Big Dance as opposed to the earlier losers doing better.))
Given a chance to repick the Final Four from the Sweet Sixteen, I would go with Tulsa from the South, Gonzaga from the West, OSU from the East and MSU still from the Midwest. I don't really like OSU that much, but the East is gutted (it was really never strong to begin with). Even Seton Hall could win that now. Half of the teams I thought could beat MSU have already lost. Sure, UCLA could beat them, but they could also lose by thirty. Iowa State could beat them. Right now, I think whoever wins the Midwest will win it all. Duke does not have a great Duke team. ((I'm rooting for the Hall....))
As a UCONN fan, I have to think that they would be in position to make a Final Four run, had El-Amin not gotten injured. The same could easily be said about Cincinnati and Kenyon Martin. ((But you WILL agree that El-Amin has been inconsistent ALL season! I stand on my opinion that El-Amin was going to have a bad game for some reason in some game - happened to be for injury - and they would lose if Robertson didn't pick it up and have a great game - and he didn't. That one I got right in general if not in particular.)) I would really love to see a Tulsa/Gonzaga final. And who wouldn't!
((I'll root for it..... but I still like UCLA too. If they could play defense, they would be a shoo-in.))
Scott Morris (Mon, 27 Mar 2000 12:09:16 EST)
Jim Bo Billy Bob!!! My lord what a week!! And it's only Monday.
((Responding to my: ``Hey, you never write ME either..... that's the way it goes in a szine editor to szine editor relationship, though....'')) I beg to differ. I am playing a game in your zine. I have written several letters, and I reccommended a CD once. < sniff > I never get nuthin from you!! I guess it's beauty before age after all! :)
I agree wholeheartedly Bush is a total coke freak. He scares the hell out of me. Gore is a putz but he's our putz. Fortunately for us we have the VERY interesting Hillary vs. Rudy in NY. That will be a fun one to watch the blood spill. The presidential race already smells of rancid meat. MY GOD HATH FORSAKEN ME! Maybe Russia will implode like Faz says and we will have something interesting to watch.
You said, ``I do agree about Kentucky" being overrated. ARE YOU ON CRACK?? Kentucky had the hardest schedule of ANYONE this year. We beat Maryland; We beat Michigan State 60-58; We beat Tennessee 81-68; We beat Florida 85-70.
Aren't two of the final four teams in there? A good Syracuse team B-A-R-E-L-Y scrapped by AFTER we got one of our best defensive players kicked off the squad. PUH-leeze. Ky basketball is better than anything this side of sliced bread. 7 NCAA championships (with 4 different coaches, TAKE THAT UCLA), more wins than anyone, more NCAA victories than anyone. I will now step aside and accept your apology off the air! :)
((Yeah, I know you play in the szine and do write occasionally. If I were playing in your szine I would do likewise. Hey, I actually LIKE Kentucky basketball now.... though as a child I hated Rupp and was it Joe E. Hall? I thought they were racist jerks. But I am one of Rick Pitino's greatest fans (as you should recall) and I was cheering their recent national championship. I also like Tubby. But, I didn't think they had a chance to go to the Final Four this year and stand by my statement. Damn those North Carolina players.... they have to go and win.... and MSU winning is just SOOO boring. Go Gators!!))
Scott Morris (Wed, 29 Mar 2000 12:09:16 EST)
Jim, I was just giving you a little grief!
Good memory! Joe B hall was a moron and Rupp was a total racist. Pitino is an exciting coach!! Great entertainment and he wins!
UofK did not have a realistic chance at the final four this year, BUT a #5 ranking in the bracket was not overrating them!! You hate Bush, Like Uof K basketball, MMMmmm, you may not be all bad afterall! :) he he.
((Now let's get to the GOOD stuff, the women's tournament.... I wrote the following to Rick: Hey Rick, You probably haven't heard the brouhaha over here..... but Rutgers was forced to take a commercial flight back across the country last night (getting in very late) because the NCAA blew the arrangements for a charter. The idea (true or not) is that they had been predicting Georgia would win and they had their charter set up and figured that the Rutgers people wouldn't care after they lost. Then they said that they tried to switch planes, but it was a Delta plane and Delta wanted it to go to Atlanta.))
Rick Desper (Wed, 29 Mar 2000 10:07:45 -0800 (PST))
That's pretty ridiculous. Why would the NCAA risk such embarrassment? I mean, Rutgers was a number TWO seed. It's irritating. Before the tournament started, espn.com rated Rutgers as the 18th best team, and predicted they would lose in the second round. Fairly disrespectful, I think. But that is a typical problem for Rutgers is most respects of its existence. It has the unfortunate problem of facing inevitable comparison with Princeton.
((Vivian and the team are supposedly mad as hell.... hope it gets them through Tennessee to face UConn in the final, even if I will be rooting for them to lose the final ;-) ))
I would love to see a UConn/Rutgers final. I would still root for UConn, though. Although you accused me of being a traitor, I was a UConn men's hoops fan since the early '80s, and started rooting for the women's team back in '93 or so. Having two teams to root for is a pleasant experience, and takes my mind away from the purely awful things the Celtics are doing these days.
((Then I will avenge my horrible picks in the Men's Tournament! Do you get ESPN etc. over there?))
Well, you can take comfort in the fact that basically everybody got only one team out of the Final Four picked correctly. Who would have picked Wisconsin or North Carolina? I could have seen picking Florida beforehand, as I knew they were a strong team, but I was suspicious of the SEC in general since Tennessee had come from nowhere to have such a strong year. Dick Vitale is crowing that he had UNC, Florida, and MSU all in his preseason Top Five, and I think most people had all of them rated highly early in the season.
You may think your picks were bad, but I just got the TAP in the mail in which I assert ``UConn (a 5 seed) is the lowest seed with any chance of reaching the Final Four". Most years this is true. Nobody on Earth would think two EIGHT seeds would reach the Final Four.
I think I have to root for Wisconsin since my brother got his Ph.D. there, and I've always been fond of Bucky the Badger. Also, I have to root against UNC based on general principles (it's just like rooting against Notre Dame football.) And if MSU faces Florida in the Final, I'd have to root for MSU just since I picked them. I have a couple German sports networks which carry, among other things, NBA games from time time. But no college hoops at all. In another strange twist, I'm going to Japan next week (a week after Sammy Sosa and Mike Piazza - too bad!) Should be online, though. I'll be at a CS conference.
Rick Desper (Sat, 1 Apr 2000 10:07:52 -0800 (PST))
Just loaded the espn.com page. Too bad - Rutgers lost to the Vols. Not a huge surprise, but I really would have liked a Huskies/Scarlet Knights final. (One thing I particularly like about UConn and Rutgers women's teams is that they don't have that insipid ``Lady" as part of the name. Just what is a ``Lady Bulldog" anyway?)
Not only did the Oscars have Robin Williams singing ``Blame Canada", complete with a chorus line of mounties who had incredible legs, we were also treated to a snippet of ``Shaft", as sung by Isaac Hayes, the voice of Chef! Too bad Trey Parker and Matt Stone couldn't win the Oscar, though they did look, um, interesting in their evening gowns. ((Indeed, and Billy Crystal's opening was actually FUN!))
(The German network RTL showed the Oscars on Monday. I imagine it was edited way down from the 4PLUS hours. That's the way to see it. No real big surprises, although I was pleased to see Matrix beat Star Wars for all the special effects awards.)
((Yeah, Rick, go Huskies! Everyone will note that I predicted THAT one right and UConn nabbed the title with our heroine, Shea Ralph, winning the Tournament MVP award!! With everyone back next year, repeating is going to be a matter of avoiding boredom. With men's basketball devolving into a mess of nastiness, the women really are a breath of fresh air. They play real team basketball and none of those head cases. I hear it may get much worse before it gets better.))
Eric Ozog (Thu, 6 Apr 2000 06:58:12 -0700)
I just read a review of the new Mekons album ``Journey to the End of the Night" in Rolling Stone-they gave it 3-1/2 stars and mention the ``melancholy electric ballads, languid reggae," and ``Langford and Greenhalgh's troll-like somber picaros through an inky world limned by Suzie Honeyman's violin and Sally Timms' lilting vibrato." Sounds like they're coming to their senses making songs I like again-the Mekons' last album I liked was Retreat From Memphis. I think I'll order it.
((Yeah, I have a whole set of new quotes to draw from! I really, really like this record and you're right, it is pleasant and listenable. For other szine favorites releasing albums, check out Melissa Ferrick's stunning Freedom. I might get around to full reviews shortly, but Melissa really writes some deep songs here and I still am absorbing them.... ``let me be your drug tonight....'' Chumbawamba also has a new record out, I think called WYSIWYG, and thus our favorite totally fucked up anarchy band continues to ride the exposure crest for at least a little while longer. This one I don't have yet, but surely will pick up shortly.))
Jody McCullough (Thu, 06 Apr 2000 22:23:46 -0700)
Sorry for the lack of correspondence lately, Things have been more than a little crazy. More news next time. Lots of stuff going on. I understand you'll be voting against Bush because he makes your skin crawl. I guess I'll be voting against Gore for about the same reason. Seems that's the state of Democracy in America... everyone voting for whoever they despise the least. Ah well...
I'd be interested in the ``Office Politics" game. D'ya think the Star Trek game will *ever* fill up? I don't think all the kinks are quite worked out as far as the rules. More on that next time.
``So I called up George and he called up Jim, I said let's make a deal.
He said he'd talk to him. Gonna start a church where you can save yourself,
You can make some noise, When you've got no choice...
You told me useful things, what people think of me, I guess I should thank you.
It's true, then I agree... I'm all alone, I've got no choice,
I'm all alone, I've got no choice."
From ``Got No Choice" by the incomparable Mark Cutler, from the CD Mark Cutler and Useful Things.
If you want to submit orders, press, or letters by E-Mail, you can find me through the Internet system at ``burgess of world.std.com''. If anyone has an interest in having an E-Mail address listed so people can negotiate with you by computer, just let me know. FAX orders to (401) 277-9904.
Standby lists:
Mike Barno, Dick Martin, Brad Wilson, Jack McHugh, Glenn Petroski, Steve Emmert, Mark Kinney, Vince Lutterbie, Eric Brosius, Paul Rauterberg, Stan Johnson, Randy Ellis, Bob Acheson, Heath Gardner, Phil Reynolds, Paul Kenny, Sean O'Donnell Dan Gorham, and John Schultz stand by for regular Diplomacy.
Phil Reynolds, Sean O'Donnell, Chris Trent, and Jim Sayers stand by for the Colonial Diplomacy game.
Brad Wilson, Jack McHugh, Phil Reynolds, Jim Sayers, and Kurt Ozog stand by for the Modern Diplomacy game.
Hank Alme and Art Schleinkofer stand by for Colonia.
Let me know if you want on or off these lists, especially OFF. Standbies get the szine for free and receive my personal thanks.
I have no regular Diplomacy game openings, but am actively recruiting players for Mark Kinney so he can get his szine restarted. To assist him, I have agreed to join his game. See the note in the Dip Hobby section above.
Also, from Eric Ozog: ``What do you say to me running Bernie Oaklyn's Air-Sea Diplomacy variant as a subzine in TAP? The Maricopa game is going to wind up pretty soon, and I'd still like to GM. I fit the profile: I'm a `not as young as I used to be somewhat old-timer burned-out dip-deadwood daddy,' so GMing a single game (preferably variant) in an orphanage zine (like TAP) of HOFs (Hobby Old Farts) seems to be the fashionable thing to do these days. It might help forestall alzheimer's, if anything. If you remember, Air-Sea is the variant Uncle Bernie designed, based on the standard map except it adds airplanes and submarines. Maybe even Bernie would play. I just need to clean up the rules a little bit and would like to run it as an email game, and you can print it in your zine. You can make the announcement in the next issue of TAP if you'd like, and shortly I'll edit the rules and send them to you for publication. What do you think?'' GO FOR IT, ERIC. You know that as one of my originals, you only have to ask. Send requests to join this game either to me or to Eric. Eric is probably not going to start this quickly, but write to him when you feel like it anyway. I'll publish the rules closer to a time when Eric wants it to start.
The only Diplomacy oriented opening left that I am GMing in this szine is an opening for a game of Star Trek Diplomacy! These will be the last Diplomacy game openings until more games end. See Stephen Agar's rules on his web page at (new location, and including that little typo on ``start trek''):
http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/resources/variants/rules/start_trek.htm
I decided how I will treat the Star systems and the ``revolving rings'' rule. I will keep the map as a ``code" and the real locations (which I will provide as names from Star Trek) will rotate through the coded spaces. This WILL make it easy to make up maps. The game start is open now, and since I want to STRONGLY encourage press, you can sign up and ``claim'' a race. Chris Trent claims the Ferengi, Stephen Agar claims the Borg, and Jody McCullough claims the Romulans. Buddy Tretick and Roland Sasseville, Jr., also are set to play. Chris Lockheardt has stepped out of the sixth spot, so we now need THREE more players. This game also has the $20 game fee ($5 of that refundable for NMR insurance).
Then, for NON-Diplomacy oriented types. John Harrington is offering to guest GM a game of Office Politics. Any interest in that?? Let me or John know! I have one person signed up, but I've forgotten just this instant who it is.
Also, I am going to design some postal rules for Devil Take the Hindmost, and Chris Lockheardt is pulling out of that opening too, so I need four players. Postal rules from me will be forthcoming.
I suppose I have to admit that no one is requesting Pontevedria, the North American game opening flyer, from Conrad von Metzke any more. You can contact Conrad by E-Mail at metzke of san.rr.com if you want to ask him about it. I'd be pleased to help anyone find other game openings on a personal basis too. The longer run solution might come out of the efforts of the Brits, on which we might be able to piggyback. If you are interested, contact Stephen Agar at stephen of spoff.demon.co.uk who still heads up The Diplomatic Pouch postal section or or join the Brit hobby mailing list at (aw, you guessed it, another new address): http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/about_this_site.htm
THE DUE DATE FOR FALL 1902 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
Summer 1902
AUSTRIA (Gorham): has a VIE, a TRI, f ADR, a WAR, a GRE.
ENGLAND (Biehl): has f ENG, f BRE, f NTH, a BEL.
FRANCE (O'Donnell): has a PAR, a BUR, f MID, a GAS.
GERMANY (Shreve): has a RUH, a MUN, f DEN, a PIC, a HOL.
ITALY (Tallman): has a VEN, f TYH, a TYO, a BOH.
RUSSIA (Tretick): has a MOS, f SWE, a SEV, a GAL.
TURKEY (Ellis): has a ARM, a CON, f BLA, a RUM, a UKR.
Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Dan Gorham, PO Box 279, Belmopan, BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA ($5)
Frdan of BTL.NET
ENGLAND: John Biehl, 8809 Delwood Drive, Delta, BRITISH COLUMBIA, V4C 4A1 CANADA,
(604) 589-9124 ($10); jeen of telus.net
FRANCE: Sean O'Donnell, 2219 Grafton Road, Grafton, OH 44044 (E-Mail)
sean_o_donnell of hotmail.com, seanside of snap.com
GERMANY: Dwayne Shreve, 739 Union Church Road, Elkton, MD 21921 ($5)
dwayneshreve of yahoo.com
ITALY: Terry Tallman, 3805 SW Lake Flora Road, Port Orchard, WA 98367, (360) 874-0384 ($3)
terryt of sinclair.net
RUSSIA: Buddy Tretick, 9607 Conaty Circle, Spotsylvania, VA 22553, (540) 582-2356 (E-Mail)
batretick of mindspring.com
TURKEY: Randy Ellis, 9501 W 89th, Apt 201, Overland Pk, KS 66212 (***NEW***) ($10)
Game Notes:
1) Note Sean O'Donnell's new address.
Press:
(LONDON, JUNE 22, 1902) First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Samuel Owen Barfer (S.O.B.), was apoplectic. ``How dare those blasted Germans sally forth into the North Sea!" ``Tut, tut, Samuel" replied Second Sea Lord Fisher, ``Apparently it was a case of bad seamanship. Their battleship `Schleicher' was not showing any running lights nor would it give way to HMS `Immovable' which was on the German's starboard bow." ``Damned German landlubbers! Those buggers shouldn't be allowed to put to sea!" bellowed Barfer.
(VIENNA): The press corp went back to the days of World War II and recalled the words of President Roosevelt, when he said of Italy when it went to war in favor of Germany: ``The hand that held the dagger has stabbed it's neighbor in the back." The reason for this failed attack has been lost, why would Italy open a war front where peace had prevailed. The Austrians have held the Italian ambassador for war crimes, since he lied about an attack even after it had been launched. For this the press corp had to reveal the days of World War Two when the Jap Ambassador assured the USA of peace even after an attack had been sent against Pearl Harbor!
(LONDON, AUG 1, 1902) Prime Minister John Beale addressed Parliament, ``Let all nations beware the perfidy of Italy. Not only does Italy blatantly attack the Austro-Hungarian empire but Italy also maligns England's dignity by spreading malicious and false propaganda. Furthermore, I would ask `Who is next on Italy's list?'.''
(DATELINE: BERLIN): I was in Guatemala several times during the civil war and had no problems connected with any hostilities. It is hard for me to imagine the friendly and enuncuative Guatemalan people causing more violence than we are accustomed to as Americans. I think I need a vacation. I suppose the Sunday trip to Greece will do very well.
THE DUE DATE FOR FALL 1753 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
Summer 1753
AUSTRIA (Prosnitz): R a burgundy-FLANDERS; has a MANAUS, a BAVARIA, a GALICIA,
f SOUTH PACIFIC, a SILESIA, a FLANDERS, f ADRIATIC SEA, a VENEZUELA,
f BISMARCK SEA, a SAVOY, a SWISSE, a COLOMBIA, f PAPAL STATES(WC), f ECUADOR.
CHINA (Acheson): has a CHINGHAI, a WUHAN, f EAST CHINA SEA, a JEHOL, f YELLOW SEA,
a GOBI DESERT, a SZECHUAN, a NEPAL, a SINKIANG, f JAPAN.
ENGLAND (Power): R a ecuador-PERU; has a KAMERON, a PERU, f ANDAMAN SEA, f NORTH
ATLANTIC OCEAN, f ENGLISH CHANNEL, f NORTH SEA, f TIMOR SEA, a AMAZON, a CONGO,
a BOLIVIA, a GABON, f EAST INDIAN OCEAN, f HELGOLAND, f EAST ATLANTIC OCEAN.
FRANCE (Alme): R a savoy-TOULON, a leon-BORDEAUX; has a PARIS, a BURGUNDY,
f HUDSON BAY, f BAY OF BISCAY, f LIGURIAN SEA, a MASSACHUSETTS, f GHANA,
a TOULON, a SAHARA, a YUKON, a BORDEAUX.
NETHERLANDS (O'Donnell): has f CORAL SEA, f SARGASSO SEA, a KATANGA,
a RHINE, f TASMAN SEA, a ANTWERP, a VIRGINIA, a UGANDA, f SAMOA.
OTTOMAN (Johnson): R f romania-BULGARIA(EC); has a IZMIR, a SUEZ, f PERSIAN GULF,
f BLACK SEA, f NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN, a PERSIA, a EGYPT, f RED SEA, f BULGARIA(EC),
f CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN, a KAZAKSTAN, a LIBYA, a OMSK, f GREECE, f SOLOMON SEA.
PORTUGAL (Stimmel): has f LISBON, f LAGOS, a MATTO GROSSO, f BAY OF BENGAL,
a KHANDESH, f BAHIA, f AZORES, a VANCOUVER, a MISSOURI, a BENGAL, a ARGENTINA,
f MID-ATLANTIC OCEAN.
RUSSIA (Rauterberg): R a chinghai-KASHMIR; has a CRIMEA, a LITHUANIA, f KALAHARI,
f SEA OF JAPAN, f WEST INDIAN OCEAN, f BALTIC SEA, f KOREA, a URAL, a CAUCASUS,
a MONGOLIA, a ROMANIA, a HANOVER, a KASHMIR, a ZAMBIA, f DENMARK, f MANCHURIA.
SPAIN (Partridge): has a KENYA, f SUBIC BAY, f CALIFORNIA, a LEON, f GIBRALTAR,
f GULF OF SIAM, a ETHIOPIA, a MEXICO, a TUNIS, a HUE, a LOUISIANA, a SUDAN,
f WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN, f PHILIPPINE SEA.
Supply Center Chart
| AUSTRIA (Prosnitz): | BUD,VIE,SUR,TRI,TAH,ven,bav, | (has 14) |
| bel,NAP,sam,vza,col,nwz,pps |
| CHINA (Acheson): | PEK,WUH,XIA,AMO,tib,nep, | (has 10) |
| tai,NAN,sin,jap |
| ENGLAND (Power): | ECU,NIG,MLA,EDI,LON,kam,peru, | (has 14) |
| sia,nwy,ire,jav,fez,gab,sum |
| FRANCE (Gamble): | PAR,DAK,TOU,QUE,BDX,sav, | (has 11) |
| tau,ohi,gha,mas,ont |
| NETHERLANDS (O'Donnell): | ANT,FLO,ANG,HAG,MEL,lou, | (has 10) |
| fij,vir,con,han |
| OTTOMAN (Johnson): | IZM,JER,BAG,IST,HAW,persia, | (has 15) |
| egy,afg,bul,gua,yem,rom,wak,gre,iwo |
| PORTUGAL (Stimmel): | LAG,ALA,GOA,BRA,LIS,manit, | (has 12) |
| mah,arg,azo,kha,bah,van |
| RUSSIA (Rauterberg): | MOS,KIE,OMS,CAP,STP,VLA,CRI, | (has 16) |
| pol,mon,moz,swe,manchuria,mal,kor,zam,den |
| SPAIN (Partridge): | MAD,MEX,SOM,VAL,MAN,cal, | (has 14) |
| sud,tun,rab,bor,eth,hon,tex,nwg |
| Neutral: | ben,bol,bur,cam,cey,cub,die,ifn, | (Total=136) |
| ken,mor,nat,niz,num,ore,ric,tar,tim,togo,uga,vol |
Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Gene Prosnitz, 2600 Netherland Ave., Apt. 1116, Riverdale, NY 10463, (718) 601-8131 ($5)
ProsnitzE of aol.com
CHINA: Bob Acheson, 807-556 Laurier Ave., Ottawa, ONTARIO K1R 7X2, CANADA ($5)
racheson of intranet.ca
ENGLAND: John Power, 5043 Lymbar Dr., Houston, TX 77096, (713) 283-8962 ($5)
nat-john of swbell.net
FRANCE: New Player is Hank Alme, 506 Paige Loop, Los Alamos, NM 87544
almehj of swcp.com
FRANCE: RESIGNED Terry Gamble, 201 Kenney Ave., Barksdale AFB, LA 71110, (318) 752-1787 ($5)
velobus of shreve.net
NETHERLANDS: Sean O'Donnell, 2219 Grafton Road, Grafton, OH 44044
sean_o_donnell of hotmail.com, seanside of snap.com
OTTOMAN: Stan Johnson, 2401 W. Southern Ave. #56, Tempe, AZ 85282, (602) 454-9356 ($5)
PORTUGAL: Robert Stimmel, Apt. #57, Casa de Sherry Apts., 2462 North Sycamore Blvd.,
Tucson, AZ 85712-2541, (520) 326-8369 ($5)
RUSSIA: Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221, (414) 281-2339 (E-Mail)
prosit of execpc.com
SPAIN: Dave Partridge, 15 Woodland Drive, Brookline, NH 03033
rebhuhn of rocketmail.com
Game Notes:
1) Note Sean O'Donnell's new address.
2) I had some questions about adjudications last time, but I double checked them and they were all correct. You have to watch all of those cut supports. Lots of units, very tricky.....
3) Note that Terry Gamble has to resign as he is being called into mail limited duty. Hank Alme replaces him. See Hank's press below.
Press:
(MOSCOW to ISTANBUL): Did you enjoy your stay in Romania? Can you count on Austrian help each year to return there? Is the Blk Sea an adequate compensation for losing Rom?
(FRANCE - ALL): I'm out of the country until 18 April. Mainly UK, but I'll be making a side trip to Paris to see my new dominion. ((Since you're just getting started, the extra week should help.))
THE DUE DATE FOR WINTER 1903 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1904 IS MAY 20TH, 2000
Fall 1903
AUSTRIA (Zarr): a BOH h, f gre-ION, a SER-alb.
ENGLAND (Sayers): f eng-BRE, f NTH S f eng-bre (imp), f MID S f eng-bre.
FRANCE (Sasseville): a bur h (d r:par,gas,mar,otb), f GOL S f wes-tyh, f wes-TYH,
a PIC-bre, a PIE-ven.
GERMANY (Johnson): f DEN S f ska-swe, a pru-SIL, a MUN S a ruh-bur, f HOL S a bel,
f SKA-swe, a ruh-BUR, a BEL S a ruh-bur.
ITALY (Schultz): a VEN-pie, f tun-WES, a VIE S a bud, f tyh-gol (d r:tun,nap,rom,tus,otb),
a TRI S a bud, a BUD S a tri.
RUSSIA (Trent): a WAR S a lvn-pru, a lvn-PRU, f SWE S a fin, a FIN S f swe,
a SEV S TURKISH a rum.
TURKEY (Munson): f aeg-GRE, a ALB-tri, f BLA-sev, a RUM-ser, a BUL S f aeg-gre.
Supply Center Chart
| AUSTRIA (Zarr): | ser | (has 3, rem 2) |
| ENGLAND (Sayers): | lon,lvp,edi,bre | (has 3, bld 1) |
| FRANCE (Sasseville): | par,mar,spa,por | (has 4 or 5, even(r:otb) or rem 1) |
| GERMANY (Johnson): | ber,kie,mun,den,hol,bel | (has 7, rem 1) |
| ITALY (Schultz): | rom,ven,nap,tun,vie,tri,bud | (has 5 or 6, bld 2(r:otb) or 1) |
| RUSSIA (Trent): | mos,stp,war,sev,nwy,swe | (has 5, bld 1) |
| TURKEY (Munson): | ank,smy,con,gre,rum,bul | (has 5, bld 1) |
| Neutral: | none | (Total=34) |
Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Harold Zarr, 215 Glen Drive, Iowa Falls, IA 50126-1957, (515) 648-2821 ($5)
hdzarr of dmacc.cc.ia.us
ENGLAND: Jim Sayers, 15 Holdsworth Street, Woollahra 2025, AUSTRALIA ($10)
100233.513 of compuserve.com
FRANCE: Roland Sasseville, Jr., 38 Bucklin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02861, (401) 722-4029 ($5)
roland6 of home.com and ICQ: 40565030
GERMANY: Stan Johnson, 2401 W. Southern Ave. #56, Tempe, AZ 85282, (602) 454-9356
ITALY: John Schultz, #19390, MCF POB900, F112, Bunker Hill, IN 46914
RUSSIA: Chris Trent, 8553 Banff Vista Dr., Elk Grove, CA 95624-1746, (916) 685-7772 ($5)
chrisimaus98 of hotmail.com
TURKEY: Scott Munson, P.O. Box 1042, Gardiner, MT 59030 ($5)
samunson71 of hotmail.com
Game Notes:
1) Wow, lots of centers change hands.
Press:
(TSAR KRISTOF - EUROPEAN HEADS OF STATE): We Russians are truly a peaceful people. Really.....
(STRAY THOUGHT): Why is it lately when I tell somebody I am not attacking them they are not believing me?
(RUSSIA - AUSTRIA, ITALY, TURKEY): Man, them Balkans is one seriously screwed up corner of the board! I'm glad I'm not all up in that mess.... ((It is going to look a whole lot simpler after these Winter adjustments, I think....))
(F-E MAO): Are you stupid or what? I ask ``or what" because Italians always give you a choice when they ask the question. At least the ones in Providence. I think you are listening to the Fascist Italian dictator.
(RUSSIA-GERMANY): **See Previous**
(TRENT-BURGESS): I broke down and bought my own copy of Colonial Diplomacy. I'm a weak man. Would you please stick me on your standby list for this game? Vielen Dank. ((Done.))
THE DUE DATE FOR SUMMER 1905 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
THE DUE DATE FOR FALL 1905 IS MAY 20TH, 2000
Spring 1905
AUSTRIA (Reichert): has a vie-GAL, a bud-SER, f tri-Ven (ann); and
nukes BRE, MAR(2), PAR(2), POR, SPA.
ENGLAND (Schultz): f lon-NTH, a lvp-YOR, f edi-NWG; and nukes
BER, KIE, MUN(2), ROM(2), VEN(3).
FRANCE (Gardner): NMR; f Bre h (ann), a Par h (ann),
a Mar h (ann); and nukes withheld.
GERMANY (Barno): f kie-HEL, a ber-SIL, a mun-RUH; and nukes
GM, INDIANA DOC OFFICES, TUN, RUM, ENG.
ITALY (S. Kenny): a rom-Tus (ann), f nap-APU, a ven-PIE; and nukes
TYH, ION, GOL, MAR(2), SEV.
RUSSIA (McCullough): f stp(sc)-FIN, a mos-UKR, a war-PRU, f sev-Rum (ann);
and nukes VEN(3), TUS, ROM(2), NAP.
TURKEY (Weiss): f ank-CON, a con-BUL, a smy-ARM; and nukes
MUN(2), VIE, VEN(3), PAR(2), WAR.
Addresses of the Participants
Sandy Kenny, 23 East Coulter Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108-1208
Jody McCullough, 1071 Brown Avenue, Lafayette, CA 94549-3153
jodymc of home.com
jodym of sprintmail.com
Richard Weiss, 2777 Northtowne Lane, Apt V 1105, Reno, NV 89512
rcw23 of hotmail.com or diplomat of higherquality.com
Sara Reichert, 20805 Margaret, Carson, CA 90745-1224
sarareichert of aol.com
John Schultz, #19390, MCF POB900, F112 Bunker Hill, IN 46914
Heath Gardner, 3017 Mayview Road, Raleigh, NC 27607, (919) 834-4832
hgardner of prodigy.net
Mike Barno, 634 Dawson Hill Road, Spencer, NY 14883
mpbarno of lightlink.com
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | TOTAL |
| SANDY KENNY | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
| JODY MCCULLOUGH | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 11 |
| RICHARD WEISS | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| SARA REICHERT | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| JOHN SCHULTZ | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| HEATH GARDNER | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| MIKE BARNO | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| Black Holed | 15 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 16 | 73 |
| Neutral | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Total | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 16 | 152 |
| Times GM Nuked | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 |
| Ind. Prison Off. | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Greenland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Iceland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kurt Ozog | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Beale St., SF | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Game Notes:
1) Note the correction to Jody's E-Mail address..... oh well, are the addresses for the rest of you correct? Every time I ask, Heath keeps assuring me that he is playing, but his ``playing dead'' strategy is working a bit too well.
2) I also came up with a new way of noting where units are annihilated from in Spring. I will capitalize ONLY the first letter of the space where the unit ends up for the ones that are annihilated.
3) Back up to 16 centers annihilated, but also 16 units moving around in the fall to take the other 18 centers.
Press:
(ENG - > GER AND ITA): This is not good. I have to split my focus and everyone knows I can't walk and chew gum!
(MB to RW): When the bombs go off, your snowballs will melt. This may reduce your effective deliverable megatonnage.
(SARA-ALL): Just taking care of Heath Gardner to make sure he doesn't get any SCs for his NMRs. ((I think you succeeded....))
THE DUE DATE FOR SUMMER 1905 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
THE DUE DATE FOR FALL 1905 IS MAY 20TH, 2000
Spring 1905
AUSTRIA (Pollard): a vie-GAL, a UKR S a war, a SER S f bul(sc), a BUD S a rum,
f BUL(SC) opens fire at first dawn and S ITALIAN f gre-aeg, a WAR S a ukr,
a RUM S f bul(sc).
ENGLAND (Tallman): f den-KIE, f SWE S f nwy, f NWY S f swe.
FRANCE (Morris): f bre-MID, a ruh-MUN, f LON S f eng-nth, a BEL-hol,
f eng-NTH, a BUR S a ruh-mun, a PIC-bel.
GERMANY (Sayers): f HEL S a hol, a kie-RUH, a mun S a kie-ruh (d r:ber,sil,otb),
a HOL S a kie-ruh.
ITALY (Munson): f ion-EAS, f GRE-aeg, f nao-NWG, f CLY S f nao-nwg,
a pie-TYO, a tyo-BOH.
RUSSIA (Reynolds): f yor-EDI, a MOS S TURKISH a sev, a STP S a mos.
TURKEY (Barno): f SMY-aeg, a CON-bul, f BLA S a sev, a SEV S RUSSIAN a mos.
Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Kent Pollard, P.O. box 5726, Fresno, CA 93755-5726 ($4)
ENGLAND: Terry Tallman, 3805 SW Lake Flora Road, Port Orchard, WA 98367, (360) 874-0384 ($4)
terryt of sinclair.net
FRANCE: Scott Morris, 12110 Shelbyville Rd., Louisville, KY 40243, (502) 893-8260 ($5)
Scottm221 of aol.com
GERMANY: Jim Sayers, 15 Holdsworth Street, Woollahra 2025, AUSTRALIA ($10)
100233.513 of compuserve.com
ITALY: Scott Munson, P.O. Box 1042, Gardiner, MT 59030 ($5)
samunson71 of hotmail.com
RUSSIA: Phil Reynolds, 2896 Oak Street, Sarasota, FL 34237, (813) 953-6952
preyno of yahoo.com
TURKEY: Mike Barno, 634 Dawson Hill Road, Spencer, NY 14883 ($5)
mpbarno of lightlink.com
Game Notes:
1) More press, more press, more press!!!
Press:
(F to WORLD): ALL TOGETHOR NOW! ``Can't tell a hero by his size, He's just a tiny little super guy! OHHHHH yeah!" ((Oh yeah, oh yeah.... and this press really blows me away with its wackiness and range. You're all just tiny little super guy heroes....))
(MIKE B to R ELLIS): The only person I've heard ``dismiss" Kent and Doc as ``raw rookies" is you. I didn't find your press either funny, or polite, or accurate in ascribing such opinions to me. MUST I SLAP YOU UPSIDE THE HEAD, BOY?! You know I have this 23-year stretch of nonviolence I don't want to end. ((Well, except for Randy, who is just an interloper anyway!))
(F to G): Mein fuhrer, I CAN WALK!!!!!! ((But can you write, that is the question!))
(I to R): Ruble for your thoughts...
(RUSSIA to ITALY): You bastard! This could have been done so easily. Now I will make your life a living hell! Doubt me? Just ask Terry!
(BOOB to ITALY): Well, there you are, did you get your money's worth? Remember that this is BEFORE the hyperinflations when a ruble was really paying top dollar! Now for something that is decidedly NOT worth top dollar....
(FLASHY to MORRIS): I called my ``Psychic Friends" last night and they said your Tarot Cards looked promising, but perhaps misguided a little. The 3 of SWORDS means you are to crush Germany and help your buddy Italy, not ``stab Italy." My cards said I would be firing blanks at an ``Old Barn Door," whatever that means...
(ENGLAND to FRANCE AND RUSSIA): It was all France's idea, why I listened I will never know. I guess it was the promise of rebates.
(BOOB to ITALY): Just be glad you weren't promised a rebate by England! What do you think he has to say to YOU?? Nothing.... just this....
(ENGLAND to ALL): France has offered to get you all off my back and to assist me back into the homeland. I stated that my only reservation was that I was not going to go through all that just so he could take a solo. The silence since then has been deafening. If there is anyone in charge of the ``Crush France Like A Deranged Bug" movement let me know. I am willing to turn the fleets about in such a worthy cause.
(PALACE OF DISBAND AND FLEE): Gee, as soon as the ``attack whoever doesn't write" players stabbed me, they stopped writing. Guess I'll reduce respect levels a point.
(BOOB to RESPECT FANS): Let's have another song, another song....
(F to T): We've got a half of tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes and two hours till Austria hits the beach! Nice job by the way with that mass mailer. Solid tactic. YOU DA MAN! Gimmie a B, gimmie an A, gimmie a R, gimmie a N, gimmie an O, WHAT'S THAT SPELL? BARNOOOOOOOOO!
(GERMANY to FRANCE): That is just about enough of that Scott. ((Great Scott! Speaking of a Scott....))
(MUNSON to BARNO): Sorry old bean, but the winds have changed. It must be toxic gases from Mammoth or Fresno or something...
(ENGLAND to FRANCE): Those greasy wax seals really play havoc with the rest of the mail.
(BOOB to ENGLAND): And then there's this next one which is sick, sic, and just plain sick! All bad puns and possible spelling errors are, well, just what he means to say.
(HUEY STRONG, AMERICAN REPORTING ABROAD): A rare pubic appearance was made today by the newly appointed pontiff, Pope Jizmo ``Speedicut" Varone, who, upon request of the Austrian Ambassador Pollard, conducted a blessing of the war-torn fields of Bulgaria. In what can only be described as a vulgar display of drunken stupidity, Pope Verone, fresh from the ``booze cruise" that landed him, commenced ``blessing" Turkish casualties by urinating on them and swatting at them with what turned out to be an olive branch. The fact that many of the Turkish casualties weren't quite dead yet did nothing to help matters. With tension and anger growing, the Pope then tried to make amends by pinching the backside of a wounded Turkish Commander while whispering something in his ear. The ensuing ruckus left his Holiness unconscious in a pile of his own feces.
A drunken Harry Flashman, Fresh from the same ``booze cruise" as the Pope, said, and I quote, ``I told the Bloody git to go to the bathroom before we landed." He was also hear to say he was thankful to be out of the Italian navy and back on land with the Austrian 15th Lancers. It's no wonder.
(SOMEWHERE IN VIENNA...): ``PSSST!" Eyes darting back and forth, the Austrian Ambassador Kent Pollard smiles devilishly as he opens the industrial strength can of `WHUP-ASS.'
``Guaranteed to rid you of those pesky European problems! Now in new `Ottoman Strength!' Kill a Turk in nothing flat!"
DIRECTIONS: Sprinkle around Black Sea basin and wait approximately 1 to 2 years for your Italian Pest control supervisor to arrive.
(BOOB to AUSTRIA): And there can ONLY be one response to THAT!
(F to A): Ve vill attempt to fuvill ze vishes of ze committee on immigration.
(AMBASSADOR POLLARD to THE POWERS ZAT BE): Ve are vatching and vaiting zou all. At present I must inspect za region of Bulgaria and greet za Holy Pope... I vill write to you Herr. Morris immediately and za High Command is quite interested in za proposed Diplomatic plans.....
(F to GM): So, going to Baltimore eh? Have you ever played junta? It's a pretty funny game. I just ordered a copy from Castle Perilous. ((No, actually I haven't!))
THE DUE DATE FOR FALL 1905 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
Summer 1905
AUSTRIA (K. Ozog): has a SER, a BUD, a UKR, a VIE, f CON, a ROM, a BUL.
ENGLAND (James): has a BRE, f ENG, f SPA(SC), f STP(NC), f GOL, f MID, f SWE, a POR.
FRANCE (Kinney): R a mar-GAS; has a GAS.
GERMANY (Goesle): has a MUN, a BER, a VEN, f PRU, f NWY, a BUR, a MAR.
ITALY (Rauterberg): has f TUS, a BOH, f ION, a NAP.
RUSSIA (Rusnak): has a ARM, a WAR, f BLA, a ANK.
TURKEY (Emmert): has f AEG, f SMY.
Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Kurt Ozog, 391 Wilmington Drive, Bartlett, IL 60103, (630) 837-2813
heyday6 of yahoo.com
ENGLAND: Drew James, 8356 Radian Path, Baldwinsville, NY 13027-9357, (315) 652-1956 ($5)
dkbn of msn.com
FRANCE: Mark Kinney, 4820 Westmar Terrace #6, Louisville, KY 40222, (502) 412-3079
alberich of iglou.com
GERMANY: Warren Goesle, 3907 Cedar Ridge, #1B, Indianapolis, IN 46235 ($5)
gozcorp of iquest.net
ITALY: Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221, (414) 281-2339 ($5)
prosit of execpc.com
RUSSIA: Russ Rusnak, 1551 Highridge Avenue, Westchester, IL 60154-3428 ($5)
RRRRRUSNAK of aol.com
TURKEY: Steve Emmert, 1752 Grey Friars Chase, Virginia Beach, VA 23456-5436, (757) 471-1842 ($4)
Lse of SykesCarnes.com or semmert of mindspring.com
Game Notes:
1) All quiet... except for some more press. And also, apologies for getting Italy's army in the wrong place on the map last time. The unit report was correct as it usually is.
Press:
(GOZ to DREW): Whaddya mean there are no worthwhile sports until next fall? You've got auto racing from now through October!!!
(OZOG - RUSNAK AND RAUTERBERG): I couldn't decide who to stab so I figured I'd get you both. What can I say? You can't always trust an Ozog (both of you know this from dealing with Eric over the years.)
(PAUL to RUSS): Have we been dumped, or just dumped upon?
(GOZ to BOOB): Tsk, tsk. Jim-Bob, you've let your loyalties blind you (again) to the obvious. Tell you what, so you have something to poke fun at, here are my fearless predictions for MLB 2k. Take your best shot, and then let's pull it all back out in October.
AL East: Everyone says that Boston is finally ready to dethrone the Yankees. Wrong. Boston will likely get the wild-card slot though, but they'll have to beat out Toronto and the Baltimore Underachievers (sorry, redundant) to do it. ((Me, I think it is too early to tell, I honestly suspect the Yankees will still win, but I'll be rootin' for my Sox!))
AL Central: To be renamed ``The Indians and the 4 dwarves". No contest. Only 1 team over .500. ((Wrong! I think that Chicago and Kansas City will make serious runs this year, for the Wild Card if nothing else. It will not be easy for Cleveland, though they'll probably win.))
AL West: Everyone says that Seattle is better *because* they sent Griffey to Cincinnati. I think everyone has inhaled too much dust from the Kingdome implosion. Texas again. Seattle and Anaheim fight for 2nd. ((And Oakland sinks back into the muck? I don't think so. This will be a very tight race throughout. My best guess is that Seattle will indeed win it. They have a bullpen for the FIRST time in history.))
NL East: Here the Mets may actually dethrone the Braves. They both make the playoffs though, one as the Wild Card. But I'm still picking Atlanta for the division, Smoltz or no.
NL Central: This might be the most interesting race in MLB, even though no one will win 90 games. Look for St. Louis to win a tight 3-way race with Cincinnati and Houston. The only interesting thing about the Cubs is whether they have more wins than Sosa has home runs. I'm betting `yes', but I'm not betting much.
NL West: Will the Dodgers finally live up to their potential and their payroll? Not quite. Arizona takes the title. ((I really like the Giants and their chances, but you have the rest of the NL sized up about right.))
World Series: Yankees beat Arizona, 4-1. Ya heard it here first. Oh yeah, all 8 playoff teams will be in the top 12 in payroll.
THE DUE DATE FOR TURN 5 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
| 37 (replenish with a 3): | Sir Isaac Newton |
| 36 (no replenishment): | None |
| 35 (no replenishment): | None |
| 34 (no replenishment): | None |
| 33 (no replenishment): | None |
| 32 (no replenishment): | None |
| 31 (replenish with a 3): | Pestilence, Buhrt, Mock Turtle |
| 30 (replenish with a 6): | Matthew, White Rabbit, Darrell A |
| 29 (replenish with a 9): | Darrell B, Mad Hatter |
| 28 (replenish with a 11): | John, March Hare |
| 27 (replenish with a 13): | Pollution, Mark |
| 26 (replenish with a 15): | Will Shakespeare, War |
| 25 (replenish with a 15): | Luke, Shane the Chain |
| 24 (replenish with a 15): | Darrell C |
| 23 (replenish with a 15): | John Logie-Baird, Alfred the Great, Broke Leg Meg, Chasin' Jason, |
| Famine, Barkin' Larkin' |
Addresses of the Participants - Their Team and Their Cards
TEAM 1 (The Wrecking Crew): Harry Andruschak, PO Box 5309, Torrance, CA 90510-5309, (310) 835-9202
(0 points) Tapmdfrance of aol.com
| Team Leader: Thanatos |
| A: War | 15 15 10 (8) |
| B: Pollution | 9 8 13 (8) |
| C: Pestilence | 7 3 14 (15) |
| D: Famine | 15 8 12 (6) |
TEAM 2 (The Evangelists): Eric Brosius, 53 Bird Street, Needham MA 02492
(0 points) 72060.1540 of CompuServe.COM
| A: Matthew | 15 3 3 6 (15) |
| B: Mark | 15 13 15 (14) |
| C: Luke | 15 4 15 (5) |
| D: John | 11 15 3 (12) |
TEAM 3 (Brit Pack): John Harrington, 1 Churchbury Close, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 3UW UK
(0 points) johnh of fiendishgames.demon.co.uk, fiendish of operamail.com
| A: Alfred the Great | 3 15 11 4 (3) |
| B: Sir Isaac Newton | 7 6 3 (8) |
| C: Will Shakespeare | 15 3 11 (5) |
| D: John Logie-Baird | 15 4 11 (3) |
TEAM 4 (Amateur League Inciting Cycle Exchange): Tom Howell, 1011 West 18th Street #1,
(0 points) Port Angeles, WA 98363-7413; off-the-shelf of olympus.net
| A: White Rabbit | 14 7 15 6 (15) |
| B: March Hare | 15 8 11 (13) |
| C: Mad Hatter | 9 14 9 (15) |
| D: Mock Turtle | 10 8 3 (15) |
TEAM 5 (The Mainiacs): David Partridge, 15 Woodland Drive, Brookline, NH 03033
(0 points) rebhuhn of rocketmail.com
| A: Darrell A | 15 6 3 3 (15) |
| B: Darrell B | 14 12 9 (12) |
| C: Darrell C | 15 15 3 (4) |
| D: Buhrt | 3 3 4 (15) |
TEAM 6 (The Flat Wheel Society): John Schultz, #19390, MCF POB900, F112, Bunker Hill, IN 46914
(0 points)
| A: Broke Leg Meg | 15 8 10 14 (4) |
| B: Shane the Chain | 15 12 9 (8) |
| C: Barkin' Larkin' | 15 15 8 (7) |
| D: Chasin' Jason | 15 10 3 (5) |
Game Notes:
1) Dave Partridge asks: ``I know we can go back and figure it out, but it'd be nice to print the card the rider used this turn (maybe in () right after the name?). It helps get a feel for what the other player is thinking.'' Sounds like a good idea, let's do it! I'll put it at the end of each player's card holding line in parentheses.
2) John did not get orders in, but I heard that he had some really exciting potential news coming up that I hope I can tell you more about next time. He did not get orders in here. Technically, all his riders should play their lowest cards by rule, but I gave Chasin' Jason a break and played a five for him. If you guys complain, tough noogies, it's a GM decision! ;-) Consider the 4 15's a present from me and next time I hope to be able to tell you why he deserves them.....
Press:
(WHITE RABBIT): I'm late, I'm late, I'm late ...
(MAD HATTER - MATTY): Oooooohhh....! Road Apples! Darrel! Catch!
(MAD HATTER - MARCH HARE): Hey! You could burn more speed than that! You holding back on us?
(CHANCES ARE): Isaac plays the 8.
(ALICE - MOCK TURTLE): You got that right! I want to see you after the race....
(AMATEURS - OTHERS): Heh! Beginners luck...
(ALICE - MANIACS): You'll get your chance... I don't wanna see you trailing the pack at the end of Snell, either!
(MARCH HARE - CHEF): I saw him sneaking into your kitchen with a satchel of the stuff, and he didn't have it when he came out. What have you been unknowingly feeding your diners, hmmmm?
(MAD HATTER - CHEF): Mercury? Isn't he the one with wings on his tail? No, ... that's not right... Wings on his ... shoulders. Wait, that's the horsey critter! Wings on the brain? Err... That's a Hatter's delusion. Wings on the feet? Maybe you're in the wrong game. Ever hear of Snell?
(DISGRUNTLED POSTAL WORKER-ERIC): The Postal waffle about Priority Mail that might get there in two days is nothing. Good ol' USPS trashed Special Delivery to boost Express Mail and eliminate jobs for the Special Delivery workers.
(FROM JOHN HARRINGTON ON THE MEKONS): I had saved a newspaper article on the Dan Dare comic strip for you with a view to posting it, as it explained the origin of the name of the eponymous band. However in this electronic age it is probably easier to point you in the direction of a couple of web sites:
http://home.t-online.de/home/Norbert.Knape/mek_name.htm
http://members.aol.com/nicholashl/homepage.htm
Probably more than you wanted to know about some obscure 1950's British comic book; they really don't make 'em like this anymore. ((Thanks, I had fun toolin' around these sites!))
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 2002 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
Winter 2001
BRITAIN (Schultz): has f NTH, f SKA, a MUR, f NWG, f STP, f ENG, f MAO.
EGYPT (J. O'Donnell): has f ARA, a SYR, a ALG, f GOL, a BOS, a IRN, f SAO,
a URA, f AEG.
GERMANY (Rauterberg): bld f ber; has f BER, f HOL, a MUN, a RUH, a BEL, f DEN, a LIT,
a CZE, a WAR, a SLO, a PAR, a PIE, f HAM, a LYO, f SWE, a KRA.
ITALY (Ozog): bld f rom, f nap; has f ROM, f NAP, a TUS, a VEN, a AUS, f LIG,
a MIL, f ADR, a MON, f AUV, a MAR, f IST.
RUSSIA (Ellis): has a GOR.
SPAIN (S. O'Donnell): has f SVE, a BAR, a POR, a BOR, f SOG, a BRI, a NAV.
UKRAINE (Partridge): rem a ode; has a ANK, a VOL, a BIE, a POD, a LAT, f EBS,
a MOS, a KIE, f WBS, a GEO, a RUM, a HUN.
Addresses of the Participants
BRITAIN: John Schultz, #19390, MCF POB900, F112, Bunker Hill, IN 46914
EGYPT: Jeff O'Donnell, 402 Middle Ave., Elyria, OH 44035-5728, (440) 322-2920 ($4)
FRANCE: Harry Andruschak, PO Box 5309, Torrance, CA 90510-5309, (310) 835-9202 ($5)
Tapmdfrance of aol.com
GERMANY: Paul Rauterberg, 3116 W. American Dr., Greenfield, WI 53221, (414) 281-2339 (E-Mail)
prosit of execpc.com
ITALY: Eric Ozog, PO Box 1138, Granite Falls, WA 98252-1138, (360) 691-4264 ($4)
ElfEric of Juno.com
POLAND: Roland Sasseville, Jr., 38 Bucklin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02861, (401) 722-4029 ($5)
roland6 of home.com and ICQ: 40565030
RUSSIA: Randy Ellis, 9501 W 89th, Apt 201, Overland Pk, KS 66212
Changing his E-Mail address to ???
SPAIN: Sean O'Donnell, 2219 Grafton Road, Grafton, OH 44044 ($5)
sean_o_donnell of hotmail.com, seanside of snap.com
TURKEY: Kent Pollard, 1541 W. San Jose, Fresno, CA 93711, (209) 225-0957 ($10)
UKRAINE: Dave Partridge, 15 Woodland Drive, Brookline, NH 03033 ($8)
rebhuhn of rocketmail.com
Game Notes:
1) Check out the Modern Dip web page at: http://www.modernhof.webprovider.com/
2) Note Sean O'Donnell's new address.
Press:
(THE MEKONS QUOTE OF THE MONTH): ``I'm not ruined, but I need repair; How much more can we bare?'' From ``Last Weeks of the War'' off Journey to the End of the Night their newly released masterpiece.
(UKR - > GERMANY): Greetings from down unter, Mensch!
(BERLIN to BRITAIN): Yeah John, nice ally you have there in Spain. He urges me to attack you, and then he makes a deal that if I ever do (invade) he'll be your friend and buddy. Um, and he kicks you out of your Por/Bor dots, too.... What a guy!
(SPAIN-GM AND BOARD): I'm back and I know that you were all hoping I wouldn't be.
(MUNICH to ROME): Your gestures of friendship leave something to be desired, too.
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1909 IS APRIL 29TH, 2000
Winter 1908
BRITAIN (York): R a ben-HYD; rem f bob; has a DEL, a HYD, f ADEN,
f ERI, f HK, f BAN(EC), f ARA(NC), a PUN.
FRANCE (Sasseville): bld a ton, PLAYS ONE SHORT; has a TON, a BEN, f COC,
f CAN, a MAY, a N.SAM, a MAD, a ASS.
HOLLAND (Desper): bld a bor; has a BOR, f SUL.S, f WIO, f ANN, f AS, f FOR,
f RS, f MP, a RAN, f GOS, f SCS.
JAPAN (K. Ozog): has f OS, a SHA, a LAN, a IRK, f ECS,
f NAN, a MAC, f UP, f P.ART, f SOJ, a VLA.
RUSSIA (Williams): bld a omsk, f ode; has a OMSK, f ODE, a KRA, a AFG,
a KAR, a MON, a KAG, a NAG, a URU, a PER, f EGY, a MEC, a SIK, a SHI,
a PEK, a TIB, a CHU.
TURKEY (Tallman): has a BAG, f SUD.
Addresses of the Participants
BRITAIN: Andy York, PO Box 201117, Austin, TX 78720-1117
wandrew of compuserve.com
CHINA: Rich Goranson, 4351 Chestnut Ridge Road, #7 Amherst, NY, 14228-3227 ($5)
ForlornH of aol.com
FRANCE: Roland Sasseville, Jr., 38 Bucklin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02861, (401) 722-4029 ($5)
roland6 of home.com and ICQ: 40565030
HOLLAND: Rick Desper, Bergheimer Strasse 114, 69115 Heidelberg, GERMANY (E-Mail)
rick_desper of yahoo.com or desper of math.rutgers.edu
JAPAN: Kurt Ozog, 391 Wilmington Drive, Bartlett, IL 60103, 630-837-2813
heyday6 of yahoo.com
RUSSIA: Don Williams, 27505 Artine Drive, Saugus, CA 91350, (661) 297-3947 ($4)
wllmsfmly of earthlink.net
TURKEY: Terry Tallman, 3805 SW Lake Flora Road, Port Orchard, WA 98367, (360) 874-0384 ($0)
terryt of sinclair.net
GM: Jim-Bob Burgess, 664 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-4327, (401) 351-0287
Game Notes:
1) The FRT draw is rejected as the Eric Cartman vote is disallowed on pantload grounds. The concession to Chef fails just on general principles since there is no press.
Press:
Personal Note to You: