THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE #342

November 24, 2013


Jim Burgess, 664 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-4327 USA, (401)351-0287, jfburgess of gmail.com


E-MAIL/WEB ONLY ISSUE! PDF will be available on the website. We also are being reproduced in Eternal Sunshine.


Web Page Address: http://www.diplom.org/DipPouch/Postal/Zines/TAP/index.html


There is interest in a NEW regular Diplomacy game and a Breaking Away game. Sign up, let's see if we can get seven for Dip! The Breaking Away game is filled and we will get it started in the next issue, I've called for cards and rider names.
This issue continues the szine/subszine inversion. As most of you know, this thing began as a ßubszine" to Terry Tallman's North Sealth, West George, then became its own szine with a host of subszines. The subszines remaining will appear as sub-subszines to our new flipflopped home in Doug Kent's Eternal Sunshine. Doug's incessant nagging is not keeping us on schedule, but will make it so we will charge forward and finish the remaining games that I have in here. After that, we'll see how it goes and what I do next. I'd like to keep writing and doing some game GMing. You all should see first what I actually do.
For production, in addition to the HTML's of each separate product on the web page, I will also have a PDF that you can print of the entire subszine (including my famous handdrawn maps!). You can just print the maps if you like, but remember maps are for pikers anyway, you don't need no steenkin' maps, keep them up in your head where they belong.
General information about the mailing list is at: http://www.diplom.org/mailman/listinfo/tap You can sign up from there, or send E-Mails to: Tap-request of diplom.org; with the word `help' in the subject or body (don't include the quotes), and you will get back a message with instructions. You must know your password to change your options (including changing the password, itself) or to unsubscribe.


THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE LETTERS SECTION
((For upcoming cons around the world: http://diplom.org/Face/cons/index.php, but note that some of the Americans have stopped posting the tournaments there. Shame, shame, shame... The Diplomacy World deadline is coming up on January 1, 2014, please think about writing some articles for us, especially if you went to Tempest or Carnage, TempleCon is coming up second weekend in February, more shortly.))


DIPLOMACY WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT IS ONGOING - YOU CAN STILL JOIN!
This is the latest incarnation of this team based tournament. I am helping to lead the Nor'Easter team for people in the Northeast part of the United States. https://www.facebook.com/groups/123795024327261/ is the Facebook page for the event.
And you can sign up for the Tournament at: http://aqmn.asciiking.com/. Other US regional teams are the ones in the Pacific, Dixie, and Chicago. Its unique aspect, that is proving to be a bit distorting but in interesting ways, is its "solo only" feature. You advance from the preliminaries to the finals only by soloing, and then need solos in the finals against the other soloists. Though this started in January, it probably will be going on for at least two years, and there is PLENTY of time to jump in. As usual, for those who know me well, I screwed up my first game and allowed a solo to someone from team US. I still don't have a solo in over three decades, but maybe I can do it in my next game. Yes, in C-Diplo, you can easily throw games, and in this format you can do it. I wonder why people like to drop the levels of the game in this way. It fascinates me. But in the finals of this tournament, it shouldn't happen, should it?
So, really, come join, it is being operated on a web-assisted Judge platform that is really pretty easy to use. Ask me if you have any questions. There is about to be a huge uptick in games starting as September approaches in a few days. My game is waiting for more players to start, won't you come join me???
THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE GAMES SECTION
I am continuing to note cut or failed support orders with a small "s" instead of a capital "S". This will make it easier on the E-Mailed version of the szine to see what happened, since the italics don't show there. The italics DO show on the web page just fine. Since I'm not postal mailing the szine any more, I've dropped back to just reporting the disguised E-Mail addresses. As someone notes, if you need some more contact information, go back to past issues or ask me.
Standby lists:
Mike Barno, Dick Martin, Brad Wilson, Jack McHugh, Glenn Petroski, Steve Emmert, Mark Kinney, Vince Lutterbie, Eric Brosius, Paul Rauterberg, Bob Osuch, Doug Kent, Sean O'Donnell, Heath Gardner, Paul Kenny, and Jeff O'Donnell stand by for regular Diplomacy. Let me know if you want on or off these lists, especially OFF given the new policies.


GAME OPENING INFORMATION
I'm going to start the game opening list over. Under the new regime, who wants to play?
DIPLOMACY: First off, another regular Diplomacy game is open. Spencer Sawyer, Doug Kent, Brad Wilson, Scott Allen, Don Williams, Heath Gardner leave us one short. I may start this game before the next issue if I can get the seventh.
BREAKING AWAY: See the game start below!!


THE PHIL REYNOLDS MEMORIAL: 2006B, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1909 IS DECEMBER 21ST, 2013
Autumn and Winter 1908
AUSTRIA (Burgess): rem a rum; has f BUL(SC), a GAL, a BUD, f ION, a SER.
ENGLAND (James): bld f edi, a lvp; has f EDI, a LVP, f BAR, a LON, a DEN,
a FIN, f NTH, f TYH, f SWE, a KIE, f NAP, f BER.
FRANCE (Williams): bld f mar, f bre, a par; has f MAR, f BRE, a PAR, a BUR, a VEN,
f TUN, a MUN, f WES, a TRI.
ITALY (Crow): has a GRE.
RUSSIA (Gardner): R a ber-PRU; rem a stp, a sev; has a UKR, a WAR,
a PRU, f SMY, a SIL, f AEG, f GOB.


E-Mail Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: David Burgess, burgesscd of roadrunner.com or dburgess of glensfallshosp.org
ENGLAND: Drew James, kjames01 of twcny.rr.com or karelanddrew of gmail.com
FRANCE: Don Williams, wllmsfmly of earthlink.net or dwilliams of fontana.org ($5)
GERMANY: Marc Ellinger, mellinger of blitzbardgett.com
ITALY: John Crow, johnny.crow of hotmail.com
RUSSIA: Heath Gardner (aka Heath Davis-Gardner), heath.gardner of gmail.com
TURKEY: Fred Wiedemeyer, wiedem of telus.net or wiedem of shaw.ca


Game Notes:
1) We seem to be back on track here now.


Press:
(OLD FRANCE to NEW RUSSIA): I appreciate your willingness to vote for any draw, Tsar Gardner. Those draws including England and France, and only England and France, shall also meet with approval here in Paris. Prime Minister James is a poltroon and a scoundrel, but he is our poltroon and scoundrel.
(BOOB COMMENTS ON POLTROONS): How dare we call anyone a coward in Diplomacy. Where DOES our Frenchman get these words...
(LE DUC to THE ARCHDUKE): I understand your frustration over my march into New Brest, er, Trieste, really. Would it help at all to remind you that the Italians felt the same way when you stole Trieste from them last war?
(BOOB to THE LAST WAR): We always fight the last war, rather than this one!!!
(PARIS to LONDON): Well played, sir, well-played. May English wartime deeds and glorious endeavors be forever on the lips of heroes and school children everywhere. Insofar as they don’t include nefarious actions against her beloved French ally, of course. Then we’d have to declare you to really suck.
(DON to JOHN): We definitely need to set aside some time to talk.
(SWEET INNOCENCE to NAUGHTY NAUGHTY CHARLOTTE): The nuns are looking for you. Something about a seriously overdue spanking. Contact me for details. Or reservations... I'm easy.
(BOOB to SWEETIE): You are ANYTHING but easy...
(SOCRATES to JIM-BOB): Did it ever occur to her that she could bob for Jim? It's all in the naming of the thing...
(BOOB to SOCRATES): I'm sure many things have occurred to her. Naming is everything, I agree.
(RECYCLED RHYMER to GM): Play it, Jim. ((I sing, I sing, I sing for thee!)) You played it for her, you can play it for me ... If she can stand to listen to it, I can. Play it. ((I sing, I sing, I sing for thee!))
Eighteen Dots*
Some Dippers say a solo is hard to attain
I say it's easy, in a zero-sum game.
Grabbing each dot as if it was mine
I make sure to cross ev'ry stalemate line.
I'll grab eighteen dots - with no regret
'Cause I’m attackin' Russia and I ain't done yet
St. Petersburg is falling and I want more
I'll gobble up MOS and finish with WAR.
I just love to play England, Wicked Witch of the West!
Sailing fleets over borders when I’m playin' my best
And through the North Sea I can convoy the rest
Taking BEL and HOL and-a DEN and Brest...
It's just eighteen dots, an' I started with three,
Ain't hard to manage - just another fifteen!
Saint Petersburg first then it's on to the Med
Until that happens, though, I'll just play dead.
Look, my lips are moving, yeah - I'm lyin' a ton
Weasel-tongued words are just part of the fun.
I was taught well by Burgess –- yeah, I learned at his knee,
"To solo" he said, "just-a listen to me."
"You snatch eighteen dots, more if you can,
A little insurance is a part of the plan.
Make sure you snatch Tunis –- without it you’re toast!
Move fast, my boy or they'll stalemate that coast."
My blue blocks are sweepin', better move aside –-
My fleets and armies are an Indigo Tide!
By land and sea England's power will surge
I gotta try to solo - it's a powerful urge...
I'll grab eighteen dots with no regret.
Will I feel shameful? Well it ain't happened yet!
No blame or hate or guilt, now I can't wait...
I'll call my solo right here... in oh-eight...
*Sung to the tune of "Sixteen Tons" by T.E. Ford


SPIRALS OF PARANOIA: 2005A, Regular Diplomacy
THAT'S IT, ANY LAST ENDGAME STATEMENTS ARE WELCOME - ONE MORE CHANCE - THIS WAS A GOOD GAME, FEEL FREE TO MAKE ANY LAST COMMENTS


FOR THE MEKONS ET AL.: Breaking Away, Designer's Rules
NEW GAME START, GET ME YOUR RIDERS AND CARDS!!
Players are: Andy York, Rick Desper, David Burgess, Brendan Whyte, Andy Bate, and Hank Alme. Rules are at:
http://diplom.org/DipPouch/Postal/Zines/TAP/Tinamou/rules/BreakingAway.htm




Game Notes:
1) The rules are on the TAP website in the Tinamou section. Ask if you have any questions. Send in your riders and their starting cards NOW!!! Your A rider can have three or four cards that need to add up to 30, your B rider three cards adding up to 25, your C rider three cards adding up to 20, and your D rider three cards adding up to 16. You also need to name your team, and can have a team captain if you want.
2) Keep in mind in choosing your initial cards the initial rules for overcrowding. First turn only - if at the end of the first turn (only), any square has 5 or more cyclists on it then the square in front is treated as if were blank for card replacement purposes.
3) The name of this new game is FOR THE MEKONS ET AL., actually a song by Will Oldham.


LAST WORD: Come to TempleCon, February 7-9, 2014 here in Providence, RI!!! This year it does NOT conflict with Super Bowl Sunday, so I hope we'll get more attendees, please consider coming!!! Check out http://www.templecon.org/14/ for more details of the venue. The TempleCon North American Grand Prix Diplomacy Tournament will again be the first of the four Nor'Easter events on the North American Diplomacy tournament circuit. Rounds will begin 6PM Friday, 9AM and 6PM Saturday, and 11AM Sunday. The ever-popular Detour scoring system will continue to be used, as well as central clock timing. Only the Sunday round will be played with time limits. Come play one round or all four!


File translated from TEX by TTH, version 3.85.
On 25 Nov 2013, 06:23.