http://www.dipwiki.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Dknemeyer 2026-04-28T19:55:40Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.35.0 http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1878 2011-11-01T14:53:43Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer with Pete Dale and Tim Crosby&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.3, November 1, 2011&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> <br /> PROCEDURE&lt;br&gt;<br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every power in your game and no more than 80 on any one specific power<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Your bids will be evaluated from the highest points allocated to the lowest, regardless of the order you put them in. However, in cases where you bid the same amount on more than one power, whichever is listed first is considered your &quot;highest&quot; bid, all the way down to the bottom-most being considered your &quot;lowest&quot; bid, and this ranking will affect the order in which your bids are evaluated (see para. 8)<br /> <br /> 6. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power, with their order from &quot;highest&quot; to &quot;lowest&quot; randomly generated (See para. 8)<br /> <br /> 7. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 8. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any power or powers. Where a player has more than one bid of that value for powers not already allocated to any player, only his highest ranking bid of that value will be considered<br /> <br /> 9. If only one player has the high bid on any of the highest bid powers, that player is assigned that power for the game and both the player and power are removed from the bidding. This process is then repeated for the next highest number of points bid on any power<br /> <br /> 10. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 11. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 12. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 80<br /> Austria - 4<br /> England - 4<br /> France - 3<br /> Germany - 3<br /> Italy - 3<br /> Turkey - 3<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number, is 14. The GM randomly determines the order of those powers, making Harvey's bids:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> He is thus most likely to get Austria, least likely to get Turkey.<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1875 2011-10-28T22:02:15Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.2, October 28, 2011&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> <br /> PROCEDURE&lt;br&gt;<br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every power in your game and no more than 80 on any one specific power<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Your bids will be evaluated from the highest points allocated to the lowest, regardless of the order you put them in. However, in cases where you bid the same amount on more than one power, whichever is listed first is considered your &quot;highest&quot; bid, all the way down to the bottom-most being considered your &quot;lowest&quot;. Thus, assuming you are the high bidder, you will get powers you list ahead of powers you list lower.<br /> <br /> 6. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 7. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 8. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power, that player is assigned that power for the game and both the player and power are removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 9. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 10. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 11. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power, with their order randomly generated (highest listed at some number of points is considered a higher &quot;bid&quot;)<br /> <br /> 12. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 80<br /> Austria - 4<br /> England - 4<br /> France - 3<br /> Germany - 3<br /> Italy - 3<br /> Turkey - 3<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number, is 14. The GM randomly determines the order of those powers, making Harvey's bids:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> He is thus most likely to get Austria, least likely to get Turkey.<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1874 2011-10-28T16:44:11Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.2, October 28, 2011&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> <br /> PROCEDURE&lt;br&gt;<br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every power in your game and no more than 80 on any one specific power<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Your bids will be evaluated from the highest points allocated to the lowest, regardless of the order you put them in. However, in cases where you bid the same amount on more than one power, whichever is listed first is considered your &quot;highest&quot; bid, all the way down to the bottom-most being considered your &quot;lowest&quot;. Thus, assuming you are the high bidder, you will get powers you list ahead of powers you list lower.<br /> <br /> 6. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 7. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 8. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power, that player is assigned that power for the game and both the player and power are removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 9. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 10. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 11. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power, listed in alphabetical order<br /> <br /> 12. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 80<br /> Austria - 4<br /> England - 4<br /> France - 3<br /> Germany - 3<br /> Italy - 3<br /> Turkey - 3<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number, is 14. &quot;No preference&quot; bids are listed in alphabetical order, so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> He is thus most likely to get Austria, least likely to get Turkey.<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Ambition_and_Empire&diff=1661 2011-04-09T15:47:59Z

<p>Dknemeyer: /* SPECIAL RULES */ updated Additional Home Supply Center section for latest version of this variant.</p> <hr /> <div>A Diplomacy variant by Jeff S. Kase and B. M. Powell<br /> <br /> August 2006<br /> <br /> Questions or comments on this variant should be sent to jeffreykase@yahoo.com and VonPowell@aol.com.<br /> <br /> Except where indicated, standard [[Diplomacy]] rules apply.<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae50xl.gif|800px|thumb]]<br /> <br /> ==INTRODUCTION==<br /> <br /> Ambition &amp; Empire is a Diplomacy variant for ten players that is set in Europe at the conclusion of the Seven Years War (1756-63). The title pays tribute to the empire-building, war-and-conquest philosophy held by the great leaders of the day; a remarkable cast of historical figures that included Frederick the Great of Prussia, Maria Theresa of Austria, and Catherine the Great of Russia. This period would culminate with Napoleon, one of the greatest empire builders in history.<br /> <br /> ==GREAT POWERS==<br /> <br /> Compared to later times, wars of the 18th century were usually not destructive and rarely conclusive. Battles were not fought to destroy enemy forces but to outmaneuver them and gain a position of strength from which to negotiate. One year’s foe might be next year’s ally. The Seven Years War was different however. Pitting France, Austria, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and Spain against Prussia, Great Britain, and Hanover, it was, in short, a world war that was much bloodier and more destructive than other wars had been. In 1763 the last of the war-weary powers laid down their arms and signed another treaty establishing yet another balance of power.<br /> <br /> The following is a list of Europe's Great Powers in 1763, the players in Ambition &amp; Empire. <br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''1) Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth / Electorate of Saxony (2 Supply Centers)''' <br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-pol.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> In 1763, Poland could not be counted as an independent participant in international relations; the king’s diplomacy was conducted from Dresden,<br /> Saxony. Although it was the third largest country in Europe, Poland was weak because the king was chosen and controlled by the nobles (and increasingly, the other Great Powers of Europe). In 1697, Prince-Elector Frederick Augustus I of<br /> Saxony became King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, initiating an economically draining bond between Saxony and the declining Polish kingdom.<br /> Succeeding in 1733, Frederick Augustus II was an idler whose long, disinterested reign left the real governance of Poland &amp; Saxony to the Prime Minister, Count Heinrich von Brühl. Brühl tried to acquire a land corridor in Silesia to link Poland with Saxony. When Prussia annexed Silesia during the War<br /> of the Austrian Succession, Brühl made successful efforts to reconcile Austria and France – two traditional enemies – initiating a reversal of alliances called “the Diplomatic Revolution.” This series of events ultimately set the stage for the Seven Years War. <br /> <br /> Starts with armies in Dresden and Warsaw. Unit color is orange.<br /> <br /> See also V. Special Rules regarding Konigsberg becoming a home SC for Poland &amp; Saxony.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''2) Kingdom of Sweden (2 Supply Centers)''' <br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-swe.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> In Sweden, the 18th Century was the “Age of Freedom;” a period that saw the transition from absolutism to a democratic form of government. During the Age of Freedom, Sweden attained a level of scholarly and cultural achievement equal to that of any nation in Europe. This was also the golden age<br /> of Swedish trade and commerce as companies like the Swedish East India company flourished. In 1751, King Adolf Frederick succeeded to the throne, although most of the power during his reign now rested in the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag. Frederick had been elected heir to the throne by “the Hats,” a faction of parliament that favored an aggressive foreign policy that would regain Swedish hegemony in the Baltic. Sweden was still smarting from defeat in a recent war with Russia that resulted in the loss of more of its Finnish territory. The Hats hoped to obtain better conditions of peace from Russia<br /> through Frederick, who brought about the overthrow of the generally pro-Russian &quot;Cap&quot; Party in the Riksdag.<br /> <br /> Starts with a fleet in Stockholm and an army in Abo. Unit color is pink.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''3) Kingdom of Spain (2 Supply Centers)''' <br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-spa.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> Spain was under the rule of Charles III (reigned 1759-88), one of the “enlightened despots” of the 18th century who helped lead Spain to a brief<br /> cultural and economic revival. A capable leader, Charles had conquered the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily in 1734 while Prince of Spain, adding them to<br /> Spain's empire. Thereafter, the Spanish Bourbons ruled the “Two Sicilies” as independent kingdoms. Charles was convinced of his mission to make Spain a first-rate power once more, but his foreign policy was unsuccessful. Fearing that British victory in the Seven Years War would upset the balance of colonial power in North America, he signed a mutual defense treaty, the Bourbon Family Compact, with France. Unfortunately, Spain’s entry into the war was too late to save France and Charles had overrated his own strength and that of his ally. Sharing in defeat, he lost Florida to Britain and revealed Spanish naval and military weakness. Nevertheless, while Spain was no longer a significant military power, Charles efficiently administered Spain’s colonial empire and renovated the economy and general welfare of Spain.<br /> <br /> Starts with an army in Madrid and a fleet in Barcelona. Unit color is maroon. <br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''4) Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (2 Supply Centers)'''<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-den.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> Dating back to 1441, when the Danish King Christian I was proclaimed the King of Norway, &quot;union&quot; between the two countries existed, with Denmark ruling over the less-populous and more agrarian Norway. Neutrality and a consequent<br /> improvement in the nation’s foreign trade marked Frederick V’s reign (1746-66). In the Great Northern War (1709-20), Denmark had failed to recapture territories lost to her rival, Sweden, in the preceding century. From thereon, Denmark-Norway had eschewed the wars of Europe. By the 18th Century, Denmark-Norway had acquired an important merchant marine and navy. To enjoy freedom of the seas, preserving the state’s neutrality became a great concern of its leaders. In 1762, this neutrality was threatened when Denmark-Norway became embroiled in a territorial dispute with Russia over the Duchy of Holstein. Thanks to the efforts of an outstanding statesman, Count von Bernstorff (who had earlier preserved Denmark-Norway’s neutrality in the Seven Years War), a carefully drafted treaty was negotiated and Russia renounced its claims to the duchy. War was again averted by the Danes.<br /> <br /> Starts with fleets in Copenhagen and Christiania. Unit color is purple.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''5) The Hapsburg Empire (Austria) (4 Supply Centers)'''<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-aus.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> Maria Theresa (reigned 1740-80), Holy Roman Empress, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, was a key figure in the power politics of 18th century Europe. To the Hapsburg Empire – a dynastic agglomeration of disparate lands – she gave a measure of unity and was one of the most capable rulers of her House. Indeed, her dynamic and resourceful leadership saved the Hapsburg Monarchy from total dissolution in the War of the Austrian Succession. For the remainder of her reign, Maria Theresa strove to ensure that Austria would never again be so humbled. Guided by the minister, Count von Kaunitz, Maria Theresa streamlined the Imperial structure and drew together to the extent possible, the multiethnic and polyglot regions of the far-flung Hapsburg Empire. “This woman’s achievements,” stated her lifelong enemy, Frederick the Great, “were those of a great man.” By 1763, a great rivalry for the leadership of Germany arose as two great Houses – the upstart Hohenzollern monarchy of Prussia and the caretakers of the ancient Holy Roman Empire, the Hapsburgs of Austria – vied for hegemony, in a condition of tension known as “the German Dualism.”<br /> <br /> Starts with armies in Vienna, Budapest, Milan, and Austrian Netherlands. Unit color is red.<br /> <br /> See also V. Special Rules regarding building in the Austrian Netherlands.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''6) Kingdom of Great Britain/ Electorate of Hanover (4 Supply Centers)'''<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-gbh.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> dominion over colonies. Britain was a formidable economic power and had served as the “war chest of Europe” by hiring mercenary armies, bankrolling allies, and providing subsidies to foreign garrisons all across Europe. Hanover, a small German state, was the British ruling dynasty’s continental possession. Hanoverian armies fought several battles against the French during the Seven Years War. Britain arose from the war as the leading colonial and naval power, but this success aroused resentment throughout Europe that Britain was developing a monopoly on overseas trade. Britain found itself increasingly politically isolated. This was also a period of internal turmoil. In 1760, the “mad” King George III (of Great Britain and Prince-Elector of Hanover) succeeded to the throne and would become one of the most controversial monarchs in British history. The 1760’s were also a period of bad harvests, rising<br /> food prices, high taxes, and sporadic unemployment. Such instability undoubtedly hampered efforts to resolve the problem of its own American colonies. <br /> <br /> Starts with fleets in London, Edinburgh, and Gibraltar, and an army in Hanover. Unit color is dark blue. (NOTE: Gibraltar is not a SC, although a fleet starts there. Liverpool is a SC for Great Britain, though no unit begins the game there.)<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''7) Kingdom of France (3 Supply Centers)''' <br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-fra.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> Though sorely defeated in the Seven Years War, pre-Revolutionary France – the Ancien Régime – was wealthy, populous, and still a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately for France, it was under the long rule of Louis XV (reigned 1715-74). One of Louis’ faults was to take more counsel from his mistress, Madame de Pompadour (or &quot;the Prime Minister in petticoats,&quot; as she was derisively called by those who deplored her influence), than the ambassadors and advisors of his court. Although France had the richest resources of any country in Europe, the central government was chronically poor because it could not effectively tap the sources of wealth within its kingdom. Louis' ineptitude in affairs of state would cost France defeat in the Seven Years War and almost all her possessions in India and North America. His ineffectual reign earned him the contempt of his subjects and a tremendous loss in France’s prestige. While France was still clearly one of the Great Powers of Europe, its influence was at a very low ebb in 1763.<br /> <br /> Starts with armies in Paris and Marseilles, and a fleet in Brest. Unit color is light blue.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''8) The Russian Empire (3 Supply Centers)'''<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-rus.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> In the Seven Years War, Russian armies were successful in conquering East Prussia and occupying Berlin briefly (the empress Elizabeth’s death during<br /> the Seven Years War saved the King of Prussia from disaster). Her replacement, Peter III, ruled for a mere six months. The first of his monumental mistakes was to make peace with Russia's &quot;bitterest enemy,&quot; but Peter's own hero, Frederick the Great. In 1762, he was deposed in a bloodless revolt and Catherine was placed in his stead. Expansion of Imperial Russia’s might<br /> continued under Catherine the Great (reigned 1762-96), who led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe, carrying on the work begun by Peter the Great. With her ministers, she reorganized the administration and law of the Russian Empire and with her armies, began to expand Russian territory. Under Catherine’s rule Russia was becoming strong enough to threaten the other great powers, and because she was in fact a harsh and unscrupulous ruler, she figured in the Western imagination as the incarnation of the immense, backward, and forbidding country she ruled.<br /> <br /> Starts with armies in Moscow and Kiev, and a fleet in St. Petersburg. Unit color is white.<br /> <br /> See V. SPECIAL RULES regarding Crimea becoming a home SC for Russia.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''9) Kingdom of Prussia (3 Supply Centers)'''<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-pru.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> The autocrat Frederick I left his son and successor, Frederick II, a wealthy financial reserve, productive domains, a hardworking bureaucracy, and arguably,<br /> the best-trained army in Europe. Frederick II, known now as the Great (reigned 1740- 86), put the newly realized strength of the Prussian state at the service of an ambitious but risky foreign policy. Frederick astonished Europe within months of his accession to the throne by invading Silesia, a prosperous and flourishing province of the Habsburg Empire, thus precipitating the War of the Austrian Succession. The Austro-Prussian struggle for Silesia continued, with uneasy intermissions, until the end of the Seven Years War. Facing seemingly insurmountable odds in the Seven Years War, Frederick brilliantly outmaneuvered and outfought the coalition bent on Prussia's destruction that had been assembled by the Habsburg Empire as revenge for the War of Austrian Succession. The final acquisition of Silesia increased the territory and population of tiny Prussia by a third. The wars of Frederick the Great not only established his personal reputation as a military genius, but also won recognition for Prussia as one of the Great Powers of Europe.<br /> <br /> Starts with armies in Berlin, Breslau, and Koenigsberg. Unit color is black.<br /> <br /> &lt;BR CLEAR=ALL&gt; '''10) Ottoman Empire (Turkey) (2 Supply Centers)'''<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae-tur.gif|150px|left]]<br /> <br /> Not involved in the Seven Years War, but impossible to ignore as a power in Europe, the Ottoman Empire was under the rule of Sultan Mustafa III (reigned 1757-74). Mustafa instituted governmental and military reforms (including the<br /> adoption of western-style tactics, uniforms, an arms) to halt the empire’s slow but steady decline. A century and a half earlier the Ottoman Turks had ruled over the largest empire in the world, but that day of glory was now fast fading. Dominated by military and religious factions, the Empire remained a medieval state politically, economically, and socially. In spite of urgings by France and Prussia, the Ottoman Empire was reluctant to participate in the European scheme of alliances and counter-alliances. As a consequence, it fought constant, intermittent wars with its European neighbors in the 18th century. Although no longer at the peak of its power (the last siege of Vienna occurred in 1683), it still took a coalition of European nations to humble the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century.<br /> <br /> Starts with army in Ankara and a fleet in Constantinople. Unit color is yellow.<br /> <br /> ==MINOR POWERS==<br /> <br /> In addition to the ten Great Powers, there is also a host of “minor powers,” which are non-player neutral Supply Centers (SCs) representing the smaller states of Europe and North Africa. These include (space names in bold) the following:<br /> <br /> * The Regency of '''Algiers''' (an autonomous province of the Ottoman Empire)<br /> * '''Baden-Wuerttemberg''' (representing the various small states of southwestern Germany, including the Margravates of Baden and the Duchy of Wurttemberg )<br /> * The Electorate of '''Bavaria'''<br /> * The Duchy of '''Courland''' (an autonomous fiefdom of Poland-Lithuania)<br /> * '''Hesse-Westphalia''' (representing the various small states of northwestern and central Germany, including the Earldoms of Hesse and the Duchy of Westphalia)<br /> * The Khanate of '''Crimea''' (a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire that includes the lands of the Crimean and Nagay Tatars)<br /> * '''Mecklenburg''' (representing the Duchies of Mecklenburg)<br /> * The Sultanate of '''Morocco'''<br /> * The '''Papal States'''<br /> * The Kingdom of '''Portugal'''<br /> * The Kingdom of '''Sardinia''' (see VIII. NOTES ON MAP)<br /> * The Swiss Confederation ('''Switzerland''')<br /> * The Regency of '''Tunis''' (an autonomous province of the Ottoman Empire)<br /> * '''Tuscany''' (representing the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Duchies of Modena, Reggio, and Parma)<br /> * '''Two Sicilies''' (representing the Kingdom of Naples and Kingdom of Sicily)<br /> * The '''United Provinces'''<br /> * The '''Republic of Venice'''<br /> <br /> Each minor power, although a “non-player,” starts with a unit (unit color is dark green). All minor powers start with an army except for the following minors that start with a fleet: Courland, Portugal, the Republic of Venice, Two Sicilies, the United Provinces, Morocco, Tunis, and Algiers (the fleets in Morocco, Tunis, and Algiers representing the Barbary Corsairs).<br /> <br /> Minor power units prevent a Great Power from simply moving into an empty space and gaining control of the SC. To occupy a minor power SC, a Great Power will need to move in with support. A minor power unit that is forced to retreat is disbanded. If a Great Power does not occupy the minor power SC at the end of a Fall turn, the minor power’s unit is automatically rebuilt in the Winter.<br /> <br /> As in standard Diplomacy, a Great Power controls a minor power SC when one of its units occupies the space after a Fall turn has been played and completed. Once a Great Power gains control of a minor power SC, it can leave the SC vacant and still keep control of it as long as that SC is not occupied by another Great Power at the close of a Fall turn.<br /> <br /> Minor power units do nothing but hold in place, unless the unit has been ordered by a Great Power using its Diplomacy Points.<br /> <br /> ==DIPLOMACY POINTS==<br /> <br /> At the start of the Spring and Fall turns, each Great Power receives one Diplomacy Point (DP) for each SC it controls, up to a maximum of three DPs per turn. During each Spring and Fall turn, each Great Power may allocate none, some, or all of its DPs to minor powers that still have units on the map. For each DP allocated, the allocating Great Power submits an order for that particular minor power’s unit. A Great Power may also consolidate all of its DPs (if it has more than one) into a single order. A Great Power may only order a minor power to hold or support. A minor power may not be ordered to move or attack.<br /> <br /> Unused DPs may not be carried over into the next turn. They are simply lost.<br /> <br /> Players are not required to tell each other how they allocated their DPs. Just as with negotiations, players may honor their agreements with other players or not, as they see fit. Only the GM will know how Great Powers have allocated their DPs. DP allocation is not published in the adjudication; only the end results are published.<br /> <br /> The GM determines how DPs have been allocated. In the event of a conflict, an order for a particular minor power’s unit is followed if it is supported by more DPs than any conflicting order. See the following examples:<br /> <br /> Example 1. In Spring ‘63, France allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Savoy. No other major Power allocates a DP to Switzerland so the Swiss unit supports the French attack on Savoy.<br /> <br /> Example 2. In Spring ‘63, France allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Savoy. Austria also allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support an Austrian attack on the Republic of Venice. Since France and Austria each allocated one DP to Switzerland, neither controls Switzerland and the Swiss army simply holds in place.<br /> <br /> Example 3. In Spring ‘63, France allocates two DPs to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Savoy. Austria allocates only one DP to Switzerland to get it to support an Austrian attack on the Republic of Venice. Since France allocated one more DP to Switzerland than Austria did, the Swiss support the French attack on Savoy.<br /> <br /> Example 4. In Spring ‘63, France allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Savoy. Austria allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support an Austrian attack on the Republic of Venice. In support of France, the Ottoman Empire allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support the French attack on Savoy. Although France, Austria, and the Ottoman Empire each allocated one DP to Switzerland, the French get the Swiss support because the Turks supported the French diplomatic efforts with the Swiss.<br /> <br /> If, during a Spring or Fall turn, a Great Power allocates more DPs to minor powers than it is entitled to, all of that Great Power’s DPs are forfeited for that particular turn.<br /> <br /> ==SPECIAL RULES==<br /> <br /> # Miscellaneous<br /> #* The first turn of the game begins in the Spring of 1763.<br /> #* While the Austrian Netherlands starts out as a home SC for Austria, Austria may not build in the Austrian Netherlands. This is the only home SC on the map in which the initial controlling Great Power may not build.<br /> #* Crimea serves as a home SC for Russia if it is controlled by Russia.<br /> # Additional Home Supply Center (SC)<br /> #* The 2 SC Great Powers (Poland &amp; Saxony, Spain, Sweden, Denmark-Norway, and Turkey) may acquire a third home SC during the game. This center is the first SC that the Great Power captures (which is not one of its own home centers being recaptured) on which he elects to place a newly built unit. The Great Power may not acquire additional or subsequent home SCs during the game. The third home SC may be either a minor power SC or the SC of another Great Power. However, if the SC was originally another Great Power's home SC, its status does not change. In other words, the SC functions as the home SC for whichever Great Power controls it during the game. <br /> # Restrictions on the Use of Diplomacy Points (The “Religious Rule”)&lt;BR&gt;In recognition of the religious divisions in Europe and the Mediterranean world in 1763, the Religious Rule restricts how players may allocate their DPs to minor powers.&lt;BR&gt;In short, players may allocate DPs to any minor power in the game. However:<br /> #* the Papal States may only be ordered to hold or support a unit belonging to a Catholic state (i.e., Austria, France, Poland &amp; Saxony, Spain, Tuscany, Two Sicilies, and the Republic of Venice).<br /> #* a Muslim minor power (i.e., Algiers, Crimea, Morocco, and Tunis) may not be ordered to support an attack by a Christian Great Power into a space that is occupied by a Muslim unit (i.e., a unit of the Ottoman Empire or one of the Muslim minor powers) at the start of a turn.<br /> #* a Christian minor power may not be ordered to support an attack by the Ottoman Empire into a space that is occupied by a Christian unit (a unit of any Great Power or minor power not listed as a “Muslim unit” above) at the start of a turn.<br /> <br /> ==VICTORY CONDITIONS==<br /> <br /> As soon as one Great Power controls 15 SCs, the game ends immediately and the player representing that Great Power is the winner.<br /> <br /> If two Great Powers each gain control of 15 or more SCs at the same time, the player representing the Great Power with the most SCs is considered the winner. If the two Great Powers each control the same number of SCs, the game continues until one player has 15 or more SCs and that player has more SCs than any other player. <br /> <br /> Players may terminate the game by mutual agreement before a winner is determined. If this occurs, any decision reached by the players (e.g., concede game to one player, concede game to an alliance) must be accepted unanimously. If the players cannot agree, all players who still have pieces on the board when the game ends share equally in a draw.<br /> <br /> ==CIVIL DISORDER==<br /> <br /> If a player is lost during the game, the GM is encouraged to find a replacement player for the affected Great Power rather than have it lapse into civil disorder. In the event no replacement player is found and the GM declares the Great Power to be in permanent civil disorder, the following rules apply:<br /> <br /> *All units of the Great Power in civil disorder (GPCD) are immediately disbanded.<br /> * All SCs controlled by the GPCD that are unoccupied are immediately considered newly independent minor powers. Minor power army units are built in those minor power spaces.<br /> * All SCs controlled by the GPCD that are occupied by a unit belonging to another Great Power are unaffected. If the occupying Great Power moves its unit out of the GPCD’s SC so that the SC is unoccupied at the conclusion of a Fall turn, a minor power army unit is built there and that SC is considered a newly independent minor power.<br /> * For the remainder of the game, all newly independent minor powers are subject to the provisions of III. MINOR POWERS. In particular, this means the new minor power can be influenced using Diplomacy Points (see IV. DIPLOMACY POINTS).<br /> * Once a Great Power is declared to be in permanent civil disorder, it may not be played again.<br /> <br /> ==MAP NOTES==<br /> <br /> * There is no canal where Kiel is located in standard Diplomacy.<br /> * Lake Ladoga, the Russian body of water adjoining the spaces of St. Petersburg, Novgorod Territory, Karelia, and Moscow, is impassable. A unit may not move from St. Petersburg to Novgorod Territory or vice versa. Similarly, a unit may not move from Karelia to Moscow or vice versa.<br /> * Gibraltar is a sea space that does not contain land. Gibraltar does not break the coast of Andalusia or Morocco in two.<br /> * Army movement across water is permitted without a convoy at crossing points indicated by arrows on the map: Edinburgh-Ireland; Ankara-Constantinople; and Copenhagen-Scania.<br /> * The Island of Sicily is considered to be an integral part of the “Two Sicilies” space and is not a separate space of its own.<br /> * The Islands of Iceland and Sardinia are passable and may be occupied.<br /> * The Kingdom of Sardinia, a minor power, is represented by two spaces on the map: Savoy, a SC, and the Island of Sardinia.<br /> * The Courland and Koenigsberg spaces border each other. This means that Lithuania is cut off from the Baltic Sea and is impassable for fleet movement purposes.<br /> * The boundaries of several minor powers, instead of being light green, match the color of one of the Great Powers. These colored boundaries signify the historical relationship between that minor power and the corresponding Great Power (e.g., Crimea was a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire). In terms of game play, the colored boundaries do not denote any special rule, benefit, or advantage.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==ABBREVIATIONS==<br /> <br /> Being based on a map of Europe in 1763, Ambition &amp; Empire has a number of spaces that do not appear on the conventional Diplomacy map. As in Diplomacy, there are twenty sea spaces. However, with few exceptions, the land spaces are radically changed, particularly in the east. <br /> <br /> There are seventy-five land spaces, of which forty-four are SCs. All spaces on the Ambition &amp; Empire map, along with their abbreviations, are listed below. SCs are annotated with an asterisk (*).<br /> <br /> [[image:Ae50.gif|right|766px|thumb]]<br /> Abo* Abo <br /> Adriatic Sea Adr<br /> Aegean Sea Aeg <br /> Algiers* Alg<br /> Andalusia And <br /> Ankara* Ank<br /> Armenia Arm <br /> Austrian Netherlands* ANe<br /> Baden-Wuerttemberg* BaW<br /> Baltic Sea Bal<br /> Barcelona* Brc<br /> Barents Sea BaS<br /> Bavaria* Bav<br /> Black Sea Bla<br /> Berlin* Ber<br /> Bohemia Boh<br /> Bosnia Bos<br /> Breslau* Brl<br /> Brest* Bre<br /> Budapest* Bud<br /> Burgundy Bur<br /> Christiania* Chr<br /> Constantinople* Con<br /> Copenhagen* Cop<br /> Courland* Cou<br /> Crimea* Cri<br /> Croatia Cro<br /> Dalmatia Dal<br /> Dresden* Dre<br /> Eastern Mediterranean Eas<br /> Edinburgh* Edi<br /> English Channel Eng<br /> Galicia Gal<br /> Gascony Gas<br /> Gibraltar Gib<br /> Gulf of Bothnia GBo<br /> Gulf of Lyon GLy<br /> Hanover* Han<br /> Helgoland Bight Hel<br /> Hesse-Westphalia* HeW<br /> Holstein Hol<br /> Iceland Ice<br /> Ionian Sea Ion<br /> Ireland Ire<br /> Irish Sea Iri<br /> Karelia Kar<br /> Kazan Kaz<br /> Kiev* Kev<br /> Koenigsberg* Kon<br /> Languedoc Lan<br /> Lapland Lap<br /> Leon Leo<br /> Lithuania Lit<br /> Liverpool* Lvp<br /> Livonia Liv<br /> London* Lon<br /> Lusatia Lus<br /> Madrid* Mad<br /> Marseilles* Mar<br /> Mecklenburg* Mec<br /> Mid-Atlantic Ocean Mid<br /> Milan* Mil<br /> Morocco* Mor<br /> Moscow* Mos<br /> North Atlantic Ocean NAt<br /> North Sea Nth<br /> Norwegian Sea NwS<br /> Novgorod Territory Nov<br /> Papal States* Pap<br /> Paris* Par<br /> Picardy Pic Portugal* Por<br /> Posen Pos<br /> St. Petersburg* StP<br /> Sardinia Sar<br /> Savoy* Sav<br /> Scania Sca<br /> Skaggerak Ska<br /> Stockholm* Sto<br /> Switzerland* Swi<br /> Syria Syr<br /> Tunis* Tun<br /> Tuscany* Tus<br /> Two Sicilies* TwS<br /> Tyrol Tyr<br /> Tyrrhenian Sea TyS United<br /> Provinces* Upr<br /> Republic of Venice* Ven<br /> Vienna* Vie Wales Wal<br /> Wallachia Wla<br /> Warsaw* War<br /> Western Mediterranean Wes<br /> Yorkshire Yor<br /> Zaporozh’ye Zap<br /> <br /> ==BACKGROUND==<br /> <br /> A recurring question we’ve received about Ambition and Empire is how we settled on the date of 1763. Why create a variant that starts at the end of the Seven Years War instead of right before it? Part of the reasoning was that we didn’t want to create a variant that simply allowed players to reshape the events of the Seven Years War. We were looking at doing a period of history that had not been fleshed out. We would be surprised if this didn’t figure on some level into Calhammer’s decision to select 1901 as the starting point for Diplomacy rather than 1914.<br /> <br /> However, we also believed that the states-system and balance created by the Seven Years War was far more conducive to a multi-player variant than what existed at the outset of the war. For starters, while a number of events and political forces factored into the struggle, at its heart, the Seven Years War was a fight between superpowers of the day, France and England, for global dominance. At the conclusion of the Seven Years War however, this power structure was simply no longer in place.<br /> <br /> Until the conclusion of the First World War, international relations in Europe would be dominated by five great powers: England, France, Austria, Russia, and Prussia. In his book, The Emergence of the Eastern Powers, 1756-1775, author H. M. Scott traces the origins of the Great Power system to the events of the third quarter of the 18th Century; most notably, the military emergence of Russia and Prussia in the Seven Years War and, with Austria, a shift in the center of power in Europe, eastwards.<br /> <br /> For play-balance, we added five other states to the mix. The first of these had to be the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). While not yet the “sick man of Europe,” it was certainly ailing. We also added four other countries who reached their zenith in the 16th and 17th centuries and who were now gracefully (or not so gracefully, in the case of Poland), settling into second-tier status in 1763: Sweden, Spain, Denmark-Norway, and Poland &amp; Saxony. The inclusion of Saxony with Poland reflects the fact that the Prince-Elector of Saxony was also King of Poland. Politically, Saxony was the leading German state after Prussia and Austria (although certainly not in their league).<br /> <br /> Of these players, the most ado has been made about our inclusion of Denmark-Norway and Poland &amp; Saxony. Denmark-Norway was, admittedly, little more than a commercial and shipping power by 1763, although it did have a sizeable merchant navy; one of the largest in Europe in fact. Similarly, but for its political ties with Saxony and sheer size, Poland – which was on the brink of anarchy in 1763 and would soon be partitioned out of existence by Prussia, Austria, and Russia – is another “stretch.” Still, we like the inclusion of these states for play-balance and because we wanted a larger multi-player variant.<br /> <br /> Ambition and Empire has undergone significant change since it was first introduced in 2000. Much of this change represents valued, thoughtful comments and suggestions we have received from a number of dedicated players over the course of the years. We are genuinely grateful for their input and enthusiasm for the game.</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=1936_v1.3&diff=1572 2010-05-29T04:05:17Z

<p>Dknemeyer: The DP examples were all from 1926, presumably a copy.paste from that variant. I've updated them to 1936.</p> <hr /> <div>=Introduction=<br /> 1936(v1.3) is a seven-player Diplomacy variant set in the mid-thirties – at a time when the precarious order established after the Great War was increasingly undermined and finally destroyed.<br /> <br /> Next to the seven great powers vying for influence, the two main factions in the Spanish Civil War – the Nationalists and Republicans are playable. Nationalist Spain is controlled by its main sponsor – Italy, whereas the Soviet Union champions the cause of Republican Spain. <br /> <br /> 1936's rules are based upon those of Ambition &amp; Empire, a variant designed by Jeff Kase and Baron Powell. As its most striking departure from Standard Diplomacy, the latter first featured armed neutrals whose actions players may secretly influence by bidding Diplomacy Points (DPs).<br /> <br /> Should you be interested in joining or observing a future game, contact [mailto:charlesf@web.de me.]<br /> <br /> =Maps=<br /> <br /> [[Image:1936_13_Winter_1935.gif|frame|1936 v1.3 initial setup]]<br /> <br /> [[Image:1936_13.jpg|frame|1936 v1.3]]<br /> <br /> =Rules=<br /> All the rules of standard Diplomacy apply save those noted below:<br /> <br /> ==Minor Powers==<br /> <br /> In addition to the seven Great Powers (and the Spanish factions), there also are a host of &quot;minor powers&quot; that represent the smaller states of Europe.<br /> <br /> Each minor power controls one unit (two in the case of Yugoslavia) and the SCs they occupy. All minor powers start with an army except for the following minors that start with a fleet: Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. <br /> <br /> Minor power units prevent a Great Power from simply moving into an empty space and gaining control of the SC. To occupy a minor power SC, a Great Power will need to move in with support. A minor power unit that is forced to retreat is disbanded. If a Great Power does not occupy the minor power SC at the end of a Fall turn, the minor power’s unit is automatically rebuilt in the Winter. <br /> <br /> As in standard Diplomacy, a Great Power controls a minor power SC when one of its units occupies the space after a Fall turn has been played and completed. Once a Great Power gains control of a minor power SC, it can leave the SC vacant and still keep control of it as long as that SC is not occupied by another Great Power at the close of a Fall turn.<br /> <br /> Minor power units do nothing but hold in place, unless the unit has been ordered by a Great Power using its Diplomacy Points.<br /> <br /> ==Diplomacy Points==<br /> <br /> At the start of the Spring and Fall turns, each Great Power receives one Diplomacy Point (DP) for each SC it controls, up to a maximum of three DPs per turn. During each Spring and Fall turn, each Great Power may allocate none, some, or all of its DPs to minor powers that still have units on the map, though '''''no more than two of its DPs may be allocated to a particular minor power.''''' (Design Note: ''This is a departure from the Ambition &amp; Empire rules.'') <br /> <br /> For each DP allocated, the allocating Great Power submits an order for that particular minor power’s unit. A Great Power may also consolidate all of its DPs (if it has more than one) into a single order. A Great Power may only order a minor power to hold or support. A minor power can not be ordered to move/attack.<br /> <br /> Unused DPs may not be carried over into the next turn. They are simply lost.<br /> <br /> Players are not required to tell each other how they allocated their DPs. Just as with negotia-tions, players may honour their agreements with other players or not, as they see fit. Only the GM will know how Great Powers have allocated their DPs. DP allocation is not published in the adjudication; only the end results are published.<br /> <br /> The GM determines how DPs have been allocated. In the event of a conflict, an order for a particular minor power’s unit is followed if it is supported by more DPs than any conflicting order. See the following examples:<br /> <br /> Example 1. ''In Spring ‘36, Germany allocates one DP to Austria to get it to support a German attack on Czechia. No other major Power allocates a DP to Austria so the Austrian unit supports the German attack on Czechia.''<br /> <br /> Example 2. ''In Spring ‘36, Germany allocates one DP to Austria to get it to support a German attack on Czechia. Italy also allocates one DP to Austria to get it to support an Italian attack on Switzerland. Since Germany and Italy each allocated one DP to Austria, neither controls Austria and the Austrian army simply holds in place.''<br /> <br /> Example 3. ''In Spring ‘36, Germany allocates two DPs to Austria to get it to support a German attack on Czechia. Italy allocates only one DP to Austria to get it to support an Italian attack on Switzerland. Since Germany allocated one more DP to Austria than Italy did, the Austrian support the German attack on Czechia.''<br /> <br /> Example 4. ''In Spring ‘36, Germany allocates one DP to Austria to get it to support a German attack on Czechia. Italy allocates one DP to Austria to get it to support an Italian attack on Switzerland. In support of Germany, Turkey allocates one DP to Austria to get it to support the German attack on Czechia. Although Germany, Italy and Turkey each allocated one DP to Austria, the Germans get the Austrian support because the Turks supported the German diplomatic efforts with the Austrians.''<br /> <br /> If, during a Spring or Fall turn, a Great Power allocates more DPs to minor powers than it is entitled to, all of that Great Power’s DPs are forfeited for that particular turn.<br /> <br /> ==Yugoslavia==<br /> <br /> Yugoslavia is a minor power initially consisting of two units/SCs (i.e. A Croatia and A Serbia). As such, A Croatia may not help dislodge A Serbia (and vice-versa). DPs are allocated to A Croatia or A Serbia rather than to Yugoslavia as a whole.<br /> <br /> ==Spain==<br /> <br /> The Italian player submits orders for Nationalist Spain, while the Soviet player does the same for Republican Spain. However, the two powers under the control of the same player are treated for all purposes as separate powers. Special rules apply to determining victory (see further below).<br /> <br /> Burgos, Madrid and Valencia are home supply centres for both the Nationalists and Republicans. Initially the Nationalists control Burgos, the Republicans Valencia (their respective provisional capitals), whereas Madrid is neutral and controlled by neither. There is no neutral garrison in vacant Madrid – unlike all other neutral SCs at game-start.<br /> <br /> Each Spanish civil war faction initially receives merely one DP per turn as they both control merely one SC each. This may increase up to the normal maximum of three DPs per turn according to the number of SCs controlled.<br /> <br /> Until a faction controls either all three Spanish Home SCs or it is the sole surviving Spanish power, DPs may only be allocated to Portugal or to another minor power provided the submitted order either supports the Spanish faction under one’s control or supports an attack against the opposing civil war faction.<br /> <br /> ==Victory Conditions==<br /> <br /> As soon as one player controls '''15''' Victory Points (VPs), the game ends immediately him being the winner. For these purposes the number of SCs controlled by either Nationalist or Republican Spain are halved (thereupon rounded up) and added to the VP total of their respective controlling player (i.e. the Italian player in the case of Nationalist Spain and the Soviet player in the case of Republican Spain). One controlled SC corresponds to one VP in the case of the Great Powers.<br /> <br /> If two players each gain 15 or more VPs at the same time, the player with the most VPs is considered the winner. If the two players each control the same number of VPs, the game con-tinues until one player has 15 or more VPs and that player has more VPs than any other player.<br /> <br /> Players may terminate the game by mutual agreement before a winner is determined. If this occurs, any decision reached by the players (e.g., concede game to one player, concede game to an alliance) must be accepted unanimously. If the players cannot agree, all players who still have pieces on the board when the game ends share equally in a draw.<br /> <br /> ==Civil Disorder==<br /> If a player is lost during the game, the GM is strongly encouraged to find a replacement player for the affected Great Power rather than have it lapse into civil disorder. In the event no replacement player is found and the GM declares the Great Power to be in permanent civil disorder, the following rules apply:<br /> <br /> • All units of the Great Power in civil disorder (GPCD) are immediately disbanded.<br /> <br /> • All SCs controlled by the GPCD that are unoccupied are immediately considered newly independent minor powers. Minor power army units are built in those minor power spaces.<br /> <br /> • All SCs controlled by the GPCD that are occupied by a unit belonging to another Great Power are unaffected. If the occupying Great Power moves its unit out of the GPCD’s SC so that the SC is unoccupied at the conclusion of a Fall turn, a minor power army unit is built there and that SC is considered a newly independent minor power.<br /> <br /> • For the remainder of the game, all newly independent minor powers are subject to the provisions of the Minor Powers rules. In particular, this means the new minor power can be influenced using Diplomacy Points. <br /> <br /> • Once a Great Power is declared to be in permanent civil disorder, it may not be played by an active player again.<br /> <br /> ==Special Rules==<br /> <br /> • The first turn of the game begins in Spring 1936.<br /> <br /> • France, Britain and Italy may not build units in their respective colonial SCs, i.e Algiers and Beirut for France, Tripoli for Italy and Suez for Britain.<br /> <br /> • Austria serves as an additional German build-site, while Latvia, Lithuania and Rumania are additional Polish build-sites.<br /> <br /> • Britain starts the game with a fleet located in Gibraltar, whereas there’s no unit in Liverpool.<br /> <br /> ==Map Clarifications==<br /> <br /> • Gibraltar and the Dodecanese are sea spaces that contains land. This means that a fleet stationed in Gibraltar or in the Dodecanese can convoy an army. Equally, army movement from Gibraltar to Spain much as from the Dodecanese to Izmir (and vice versa) is allowed. Gibraltar's land portion divides Spain's southern coastline in two, while Morocco has merely one coast.<br /> <br /> • Hamburg, Suez, Denmark, Istanbul and the Dodecanese are canal provinces. Hence, they have merely one coast. <br /> <br /> • The Arabian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean are adjacent and are divided by a line in the Red Sea. Blue bands along the map edges indicate that these portions of the Red Sea respectively belong to the Arabian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.<br /> <br /> '''Four-way Intersections:'''<br /> <br /> • Sicily and Naples are adjacent as shown by the landbridge arrow. Both fleet and army movement across the Straits of Messina is possible.<br /> <br /> • Northern Ireland is an integral part of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, Ireland, the North-Western Approaches and the Irish Sea all border each other. <br /> <br /> • Gibraltar, Morocco, the Atlantic Ocean and the South-Western Approaches all border each other.<br /> <br /> • Greece, the Aegean Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Ionian Sea all border each other.<br /> <br /> • Sweden, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Danzig and Baltic Sea all border each other.<br /> <br /> • Stalingrad, Georgia, the Eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea all border each other.<br /> <br /> =Space Names and Abbreviations=<br /> <br /> All spaces on the 1936 map, along with their abbreviations, are listed below. SCs are annotated with an asterisk (*).<br /> <br /> Abruzzo Abr<br /> Albania Alb<br /> Alexandretta Ale<br /> Algiers* Alg<br /> Ankara* Ank<br /> Archangel Arc<br /> Austria* Aus<br /> Beirut* Bei<br /> Belgium* Bel<br /> Berlin* Ber<br /> Bosnia Bos<br /> Brest* Bre<br /> Bulgaria* Bul<br /> Burgos* Brg <br /> Burgundy Bur<br /> Byelorussia Bye<br /> Catalonia Cat<br /> Cracow* Cra<br /> Croatia* Cro<br /> Czechia* Cze<br /> Denmark* Den<br /> Dobruja Dob<br /> Dodecanese Dod<br /> Eastern Anatolia EAn<br /> East Prussia EPr<br /> Eastern Ukraine EUk<br /> Edinburgh* Edi<br /> Egypt* Egy<br /> Estonia Est<br /> Finland* Fin<br /> Galicia Gal<br /> Gascony Gas<br /> Gdynia* Gdy<br /> Georgia Geo<br /> Gibraltar Gib<br /> Granada Gra<br /> Greater Poland GPo<br /> Greece* Gre<br /> Hamburg* Ham<br /> Hungary* Hun<br /> Iceland Ice<br /> Iraq* Ira<br /> Ireland Ire<br /> Istanbul* Ist <br /> Izmir* Izm<br /> Kazakhstan Kaz<br /> Konya Kon<br /> Kurdistan Kur<br /> Kuweit Kuw <br /> Latvia* Lat <br /> Leningrad* Len<br /> Lithuania* Lit<br /> Liverpool* Liv<br /> London* Lon<br /> Lorraine Lor<br /> Madrid* Mad<br /> Marseille* Mar<br /> Milan* Mil<br /> Morocco* Mor<br /> Moscow* Mos<br /> Munich* Mun<br /> Naples* Nap<br /> Navarra Nav<br /> Netherlands* Net<br /> Norway* Nwy<br /> Palestine Pal<br /> Paris* Par<br /> Persia* Per<br /> Picardy Pic<br /> Piedmont Pie<br /> Pomerania Pom<br /> Portugal* Por<br /> Rhineland Rhi<br /> Rome* Rom<br /> Rumania* Rum <br /> Sardinia Srd<br /> Saudi Arabia SAr<br /> Saxony Thu<br /> Serbia* Ser<br /> Siberia Sib<br /> Sicily Sic<br /> Silesia Sil<br /> Slovakia Svk<br /> Slovenia Slo<br /> Southern Algeria SAl<br /> South Tyrol STy<br /> Stalingrad* Sta<br /> Suez Sue<br /> Sweden* Swe<br /> Switzerland* Swi<br /> Syria Syr<br /> Thrace Thr<br /> Transylvania Tra<br /> Tripoli* Tri<br /> Tunisia Tun<br /> Valencia* Val<br /> Volhynia Vol<br /> Wales Wal<br /> Warsaw* War<br /> Western Ukraine WUk<br /> Yorkshire Yor<br /> <br /> Adriatic Sea ADR<br /> Aegean Sea AEG<br /> Arabian Sea ARA<br /> Arctic Ocean, ARO<br /> Atlantic Ocean ATL<br /> Baltic Sea BAL<br /> Bay of Biscay BOB<br /> Black Sea BLA<br /> Caspian Sea CAS<br /> Eastern Mediterranean EAS<br /> English Channel ENG<br /> Gulf of Bothnia GOB<br /> Gulf of Danzig GOD<br /> Gulf of Lion GOL<br /> Gulf of Sidra GOS<br /> Helgoland Bight HEL<br /> Ionian Sea ION<br /> Irish Sea IRI<br /> Libyan Sea LIB<br /> Ligurian Sea LIG<br /> North Sea NTH<br /> North-Western Approaches NWA<br /> Norwegian Sea NRG<br /> Skaggerak SKA<br /> South-Western Approaches SWA<br /> Tyrrhenian Sea TYS<br /> Western Mediterranean WES</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1562 2010-05-27T17:22:36Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.1, May 27, 2010&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> <br /> PROCEDURE&lt;br&gt;<br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every power in your game and no more than 80 on any one specific power<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 80<br /> Austria - 4<br /> England - 4<br /> France - 3<br /> Germany - 3<br /> Italy - 3<br /> Turkey - 3<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1561 2010-05-27T03:23:06Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.0, May 26, 2010&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> <br /> PROCEDURE&lt;br&gt;<br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every single power in your game<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 94<br /> Austria - 1<br /> England - 1<br /> France - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Turkey - 1<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1558 2010-05-27T00:54:54Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.0, May 26, 2010&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every single power in your game<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 94<br /> Austria - 1<br /> England - 1<br /> France - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Turkey - 1<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1557 2010-05-27T00:54:08Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.0&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> May 26, 2010&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every single power in your game<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 94<br /> Austria - 1<br /> England - 1<br /> France - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Turkey - 1<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE&lt;br&gt;<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1556 2010-05-27T00:52:56Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.0&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> May 26, 2010&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every single power in your game<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 94<br /> Austria - 1<br /> England - 1<br /> France - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Turkey - 1<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1555 2010-05-27T00:52:03Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding&lt;br&gt;<br /> v. 1.0&lt;br&gt;<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer&lt;br&gt;<br /> May 26, 2010&lt;br&gt;<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every single power in your game<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 94<br /> Austria - 1<br /> England - 1<br /> France - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Turkey - 1<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Blind_Auction_Bidding&diff=1554 2010-05-27T00:51:09Z

<p>Dknemeyer: New page: Blind Auction Bidding v. 1.0 By Dirk Knemeyer May 26, 2010 This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting ...</p> <hr /> <div>Blind Auction Bidding<br /> v. 1.0<br /> By Dirk Knemeyer<br /> May 26, 2010<br /> <br /> This bidding variant reflects my personal enjoyment of and desire for determinism in attempting to secure a particular starting power. While Blind Auction Bidding technically gives every player an equal chance at each and every power, the system is designed to accommodate very different strategies: go all-or-nothing for the power you most want to play? Go for a few powers in a balanced way, to make it likely you can play one of a select few? Or avoid that one power you simply do NOT want to play by bidding for all of the others in a conservative way that should help you avoid the one you despise? The choice is up to you.<br /> <br /> 1. Each player has 100 points to spend on bids for all of the powers in your game<br /> <br /> 2. You must spend at least one point on every single power in your game<br /> <br /> 3. You must only bid in whole numbers, no fractions or decimals are allowed<br /> <br /> 4. You must spend all 100 of your points and will be asked by the GM to re-submit if your total is less or more than 100<br /> <br /> 5. Players may change their bids up until the moment the GM has received the bid from the last player, after which bids may not be changed<br /> <br /> 6. The GM will then review the bids of all players and identify the most points spent on any particular power<br /> <br /> 7. If only one player has the high bid on the highest bid power that player is assigned that power for the game and removed from the bidding<br /> <br /> 8. In the event of a tie bid, where two or more players have bid the same high amount on the same power, the GM will randomly determine which player receives the disputed power<br /> <br /> 9. The process continues until every player in the game has won a power<br /> <br /> 10. Players not interested in bidding may express &quot;no preference&quot;. In this case they will receive 100/x rounded down to the nearest whole number, where x = number of powers in the game, on each power<br /> <br /> 11. Players are forbidden to discuss their bidding, strategy, or even if they are simply choosing &quot;no preference&quot;, with any of the other players in the game. By design this process is intended to be completely blind and force the player to deeply consider risk and reward<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> In a game of Standard Diplomacy, Joe very badly wants to play Russia. To have the maximum chance at securing Russia, Joe assigns his 100 points as follows:<br /> <br /> Russia - 94<br /> Austria - 1<br /> England - 1<br /> France - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Turkey - 1<br /> <br /> As long as no other player submits this precise bid, Joe will get Russia. If one or more other players submit this precise bid, Joe will have a chance to get Russia, but he also has a chance to get stuck with a leftover power at the very end.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Jane has played Austria, Germany and Italy each three times in Standard Diplomacy but has only played each of the other four powers either never or once. If Jane knows one thing, it's that she doesn't want to get stuck with one of her three old standbys. So, Jane decides to bid her 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> England - 25<br /> France - 24<br /> Russia - 24<br /> Turkey - 24<br /> Austria - 1<br /> Germany - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> <br /> Jane is a little worried because she figures that a lot of other players will only bid one on the rarely popular Austria or Italy, but she is optimistic that with 24 or 25 points on four different powers one of them will slip through the cracks to her.<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Jerry doesn't want to play Italy in his upcoming game of Standard Diplomacy. Bottom line. No way, no how. He can bid one on Italy but a lot of other people will probably do that, too. He thinks he needs to get creative. England and Russia are the two most popular powers so he is going to just give them one point, too. That gives him 97 points to spend on four powers. Thinking about which of them he likes best he decides to bid his 100 points like this:<br /> <br /> Turkey - 51<br /> France - 16<br /> Austria - 15<br /> Germany - 15<br /> England - 1<br /> Italy - 1<br /> Russia - 1<br /> <br /> <br /> EXAMPLE<br /> Harvey doesn't care who he plays in the new game of Standard Diplomacy. What's up with this crazy bidding anyway? &quot;No preference,&quot; he writes to the GM. So the GM assigns his points based on the prescribed formula:<br /> <br /> 100 points, divided by 7 powers in Standard Diplomacy and rounded down to the nearest whole number is 14. so Harvey's bids are:<br /> <br /> Austria - 14<br /> England - 14<br /> France - 14<br /> Germany - 14<br /> Italy - 14<br /> Russia - 14<br /> Turkey - 14<br /> <br /> If you have questions or comments on Blind Auction Bidding please email me, dirk (at) knemeyer.com</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Bidding_Variations&diff=1553 2010-05-27T00:50:31Z

<p>Dknemeyer: New page: * Blind Auction Bidding</p> <hr /> <div>* [[Blind Auction Bidding]]</div>

Dknemeyer http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Variants&diff=1552 2010-05-27T00:49:58Z

<p>Dknemeyer: </p> <hr /> <div>'''[http://www.diplomaticcorp.com/variants.php Variant Library]''': Complete list of variants in the DipWiki -- Sort by Name, Players, Centers, Type, and download [[Realpolitik]] (RP) or [[RealWorld]] (RW) files<br /> <br /> '''[http://www.diplomaticcorp.com/country_stats.php Statistics by Variant]'''<br /> <br /> * [[Build Variations]]<br /> * [[Bidding Variations]]<br /> * [[0 to D Variant Names]]<br /> * [[E to L Variant Names]]<br /> * [[M to S Variant Names]]<br /> * [[T to Z Variant Names]]</div>

Dknemeyer