Author Topic: Diplomacy Reference Files  (Read 4866 times)

Lieutenant Kije

  • Level 33
  • *
  • Posts: 1945
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Diplomacy Reference Files
« on: October 18, 2004, 12:36:19 PM »
This thread is for the online Diplomacy game played by some timewasters.  I'm just going to put some of the reference files here in post form for those who can't access the yahoo group site.

Edit by SE: A complete set of the rules can be found at http://www.saintehlers.com/misc/Diplomacy/diplomacyrules.pdf
All the contents of this thread  and more information can be found at http://www.saintehlers.com/misc/Diplomacy
« Last Edit: October 18, 2004, 01:08:59 PM by SaintEhlers »

Lieutenant Kije

  • Level 33
  • *
  • Posts: 1945
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Diplomacy Reference Files
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2004, 12:41:05 PM »
BASICS ON MOVING AND SUPPORTING
This document goes over the basic elements of using your units to get what you want.


In Diplomacy it's best to think of units pushing others rather than attacking them.  If you push hard enough, the opposing army gets pushed out.  You push by moving into an occupied space, and if you have other units supporting your move you push that much harder.  Whoever pushes hardest wins.

MOVING

1.  A unit may move from one space into another.  If the unit is an army, it may only move to other adjacent land territories.  If the unit is a fleet, it may move from sea zone to adjacent sea zone, from sea zone to adjacent coastal territory (or vice versa), or from coastal territory to adjacent coastal territory.  

2.  A unit may move into an adjacent space if that space is unoccupied, or becomes unoccupied during the turn.  

3.  To resolve contested movement (units move into same territory or a unit moves into an occupied territory) the greater force conquers, the equal force repels.  Units that move can be supported by other units that are adjacent to the territory into which the moving unit is moving.  A unit moving into an occupied territory and supported by another unit would displace the occupying unit (2 is greater than 1) unless that occupying unit is supported by another unit (2 equals 2).  Two opposing units moving into an unoccupied territory would repel each other, leaving the territory unoccupied.  


SUPPORTING

1.  Units may support another stationary unit, even if that other unit is supporting a third unit.  

2.  Units may support another unit that is moving.  In this case they offer their support to the territory into which the other unit is moving, not the territory from which it is moving.

3.  Fleets may support armies, and vice versa.  This can only happen in coastal situations, though.  A fleet that is in a sea zone can support a land unit that is occupying or moving into a coastal territory adjacent to the sea zone it is in.  An army can support a fleet that is occupying or moving into a coastal territory, but it cannot support a fleet in a sea zone.

4.  If a unit is attacked on a turn, the support that it offers (if it is offering any) is automatically cancelled.

Remember, it's critical that you be specific when you write down where you're offering the support.  If you're supporting a unit for defensive purposes, you write the order for the support to go to where you want the unit you're supporting to stay.  If you're supporting an offensive move, you write the order for the support to go to where the piece you're supporting is moving to.

Lieutenant Kije

  • Level 33
  • *
  • Posts: 1945
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Diplomacy Reference Files
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2004, 12:49:25 PM »
RULES FOR RESOLVING ORDERS
This goes over how to resolve situations where players write conflicting orders (i.e. to players order a unit to the same location.)  Each of these rules is explained in detail in the rulebook, with examples and graphic illustrations.  Unfortunately, I can't post the rulebook in it's entirety here on the forum.

Rules to Help Resolve Orders

1. all units have the same strength.

2. there can only be one unit in a province or sea zone at a time

3. equal strength units trying to occupy the same province cause all those units to remain in their original provinces.

4. a standoff does not dislodge a unit already in the province where the standoff took place.

5. one unit not moving can stop a series of other units from moving.

6. units cannot trade places without the use of a convoy.

7. three or more units can rotate provinces during a turn provided none directly trade places.

8. a unit not ordered to move can be supported by a support order that only mentions its province.

9. a unit ordered to move can only be supported by a support order that matches the move the unit is trying to make.

10. a dislodged unit can still cause a standoff in a province different from the one that dislodged it.

11. a dislodged unit, even with support, has no effect on the province that dislodged it.

12. a country cannot dislodge or support the dislodgement of one of its own units, even if that dislodgement is unexpected.

13. support is cut if the unit giving support is attacked from any province except the one where support is being given.

14. support is cut if the supporting unit is dislodged.

15. a unit being dislodged by one province can still cut support in another.

16. an attack by a country on one of its own units does not cut support.

17. a dislodgement of a fleet necessary to a convoy causes that convoy to fail.

18. a convoy that causes the convoyed army to standoff at its destination results in that army remaining in its original province.

19. two units can exchange places if either or both are convoyed.

20. an army convoyed using alternate convoy orders reaches its destination as long as at least one convoy route remains open.

21. 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.

22. an army with at least one successful convoy route will cut the support given by a unit in the destination province that is supporting an attack on a fleet in an alternate route in that convoy (this supersedes rule 21.)

Lieutenant Kije

  • Level 33
  • *
  • Posts: 1945
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Diplomacy Reference Files
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2004, 12:56:36 PM »
WRITING ORDERS
This document goes over the form for writing orders.  This is important because if your orders are unclear the moderator is obliged to disregard them, and that could really mess up your plans.  when you submit orders, use the format explained here, and you won;t have any trouble.


Writing Orders

A stands for "army"
F stands for "fleet"
S stands for "supports"
C stands for "convoys"

Instead of writing out the entire name of the province or sea, you can abbreviate.  
Your abbreviations must be specific enough so that it is perfectly clear to which province or sea you are making reference.

WRITING A HOLD ORDER  
The player wants the fleet in London to hold.

F London holds (or) F Lon holds

(Note that a unit not ordered to do anything automatically holds.)

WRITING A MOVE ORDER
The player wants the army in Paris to move to Burgundy.

A Paris-Burgundy (or) A Par-Bur

Remember:
1.  specify when a move involves one of two coasts in the same province
2.  Kiel and Constantinople have one coast, and armies can pass into or out of these provinces (freely bridging the waterways)
3.  an army or fleet can move from Sweden to Denmark in one turn, Sweden has only one coastline, and Denmark does not border Berlin

WRITING A SUPPORT ORDER
The player wants the army in Paris to support an army in Marseilles that is moving into Burgundy.

A Par S A Mar-Bur
(or the a[/u]rmy in Par[/u]is s[/u]upports the a[/u]rmy moving from Mar[/u]seilles to Bur[/u]gundy)

Remember:
1.  the province to which a unit is providing support must be one to which the supporting unit could have legally moved during that turn (in the order above, the army in Paris must legally be able to move into Burgundy)

WRITING A CONVOY ORDER

The player wants a fleet in the Black Sea to convoy an army from Ankara to Sevastopol.

First, write the order for the army to move:  
A Ank-Sev

Then, write the order for the fleet to convoy the army:
F Bla C A Ank-Sev
(or the f[/u]leet in the Bla[/u]ck Sea c[/u]onvoys the a[/u]rmy from Ank[/u]ara to Sev[/u]astopol)

Lieutenant Kije

  • Level 33
  • *
  • Posts: 1945
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Diplomacy Reference Files
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2004, 01:02:17 PM »
NOTES ON GEOGRAPHY
This document goes over some of the tricky parts on the board, and explains how armies and fleets can move through them.  Nice stuff to know, especially if one of the spots is in your neck of the woods.

Notes on Geography

In all matters, the "basic map" is the authority on provinces and sea zones.  Although it is blocky and distorted, it accurately and clearly shows borders and the relationship between the provinces and sea zones.

"Amphibious Provinces" (DENMARK, CONSTANTINOPLE)

These provinces are "amphibious" in that armies or fleets can pass through them.  To illustrate:

DENMARK

1.  An army can move into Denmark from Kiel on one turn, and then on the next move from Denmark to Sweden.

2.  A fleet may move into Denmark from the Baltic Sea on one turn, and then on the next move from Denmark into the North Sea.

NOTE: the common border with Denmark does not create two coastlines for Sweden, nor for Kiel (due to the Kiel canal.)

CONSTANTINOPLE

1.  An army may move into Constantinople from Smyrna on one turn, and then on the next from Constantinople to Bulgaria.

2.  A fleet may move into Constantinople from the Black Sea on one turn, and on the next move from Constantinople into the Aegean Sea.

NOTE: the common border with Constantinople does create two coastlines for Bulgaria.


Bi-Coastal Provinces (SPAIN, ST. PETERSBURG. BULGARIA)

These provinces each have two coasts.  A fleet entering one coastline of these provinces may not, on then next turn, leave by the other.  To illustrate:

1.  A fleet entering Spain on the north coast on one turn cannot leave Spain by the south coast on the next turn.  To get to the south coast, that fleet must either enter Portugal's coastline and then Spain's south coast, or enter the Mid-Atlantic Ocean and then re-enter Spain by the south coast.

NOTE: a fleet that is occupying one or the other of these bi-coastal provinces occupies the entire province.  For example, St. Petersburg cannot hold one fleet on its south coast and one fleet on its north coast.  Also, when placing a fleet in St. Petersburg as a result of a new unit being created, the owner must specify which coast the unit is being placed in.


KIEL

Although already mentioned earlier in the discussion on Denmark, I'll state it again here as a separate subject.  Kiel has a canal that runs through it; consequently it has only one coastline (as fleets may freely pass through the canal.)  Kiel's single coastline then borders on Holland, the Helgoland Bight, Denmark, the Baltic Sea, and Berlin.  


Lieutenant Kije

  • Level 33
  • *
  • Posts: 1945
  • Fell Points: 1
    • View Profile
Re: Diplomacy Reference Files
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2004, 01:21:59 PM »
If you haven't seen post #1 on this thread, check it out.  Saint was very kind in posting the files to his site.  He's got the maps, rules, and contact list posted there in addition to the documents above.  He has links to those documents in that post.  Thanks again, Saint.

And let's keep forum banter/questions/requests to the other thread, so this one can be used more as an easy-access reference.