Europe 1615: Prelude to War

EUROPE 1615: VERSION 3

A DIPLOMACY VARIANT

by Matthew Medeiros

<<<UNDER CONSTRUCTION>>>

EUROPE 1615 DIPLOMACY VARIANT RULES by Matthew Medeiros

INTRODUCTION

Europe 1615 is a Diplomacy variant that adopts the mechanics from Jim Dunnigan’s and Thomas N. Shaw’s diplomatic game Origins of World War 2 first published in 1971. Various aspects of Europe 1615 are also inspired by other Diplomacy variants such as Ambition and Empire, Classic Payola, Machiavelli, and Formal Diplomacy. In Europe 1615, a player represents one of seven European powers of the early 17th century: Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, France, Dutch Republic, or England. (Poland and the Ottomans are excluded as playable powers in this particular version of the game.) Europe 1615 attempts to simulate the political and religious struggles of the Protestant and Catholic powers, focusing on the years leading up to and beyond the opening of the Thirty Years War, in 1618. Players compete over political and religious control of minor German and Italian states, and other states peripheral to the German theatre of conflict. Player with the most points assessed at the end of the game takes victory. Europe 1615 utilizes the standard rules from 5th Edition Diplomacy with noted differences explained below.

PHASES OF THE GAME

A game year in Europe 1615 is divided into the following phases: 1- Spring Movement and Retreat Phase 2- Summer Movement and Retreat Phase 3- Fall Movement and Retreat Phase 4- Winter Adjustment Phase 5- Winter Income and Build Phase   INFLUENCE AND PLACEMENT

Each year Influence Points (INFs) are allocated to the powers as shown in the Influence Progression Table. Players distribute their INFs to the independent pliant minor states (see List of Minor States). Players should use all INFs available for the year and may not save unused INFs for the following year. Players may not distribute more INFs than available for the year. Players may not lend out INFs or remove INFs from a state once placed. INFs can be purchased, and this is done during the Winter Income and Build Phase.

To place INFs in a particular minor state, the player must submit an order in the following syntax:

1. of INFs: [minor state]

SANCTIONS

Enforced sanctions: Protestant restrictions: Protestant powers cannot place INFs in the Papal States and Bavaria. Catholic restrictions: Catholics powers cannot place INFs to the Rhineland. Kejserkrigen: Beginning in 1625, only Denmark can submit INFs to Lower Saxony. Bethlen's intervention: Beginning in 1619, deployment of INFs to Transylvania (TRA) is solely permitted to the Protestant powers. Polish-Swedish rivalry: Only in the first year, Sweden is restricted from deploying INFs to Poland. Maghreb states: These states cannot be influenced at the start of the game. These states come into play after the Ottomans make first successful move. Then each state follows in sequence. Tunisia first can be influenced and moved, and once Tunisia moves successfully, Algeria then can be influenced, and then followed by Morocco.

Optional sanctions: Huguenot revolt: Beginning in 1621, Guyenne (GUY) secedes from France. Only Protestant powers are allowed to deploy INFs to the newly formed pliant state. Bohemian revolt: Beginning in 1618, Bohemia (BOH) secedes from Austria. Only Protestant powers are allowed to deploy INFs to the newly formed state.

THE DIPLOMATIC ATTACK

A diplomatic attack is when a player selects one state where he/she has deployed or will be deploying INFs and then directs a "political" attack against another player/power that also has INFs invested there. The diplomatic attack is ordered along with the placement of INFs. Each player is allowed to submit only one diplomatic attack order per Movement and Retreat Phase. The order should indicate the minor state of interest and the target (opponent) of the attack. Typical syntax for the order of the diplomatic attack:

[minor state] > [power]

Placement of INFs is determined first before diplomatic attacks are resolved. Diplomatic attacks are resolved by a MUTUAL REDUCTION. In the attack, the power with the lesser number of INFs placed removes all INFs and the power with larger number of INFs placed loses equal amount. If multiple attacks are ordered within a minor state, then the sequence of attacks is resolved based on the following: 1st- Sweden, 2nd- Denmark, 3rd- England, 4th- Dutch Republic, 5th- Austria, 6th- France, and 7th- Spain.

ALIGNMENTS

After diplomatic attacks are resolved, the referee will report to the players the statuses of the minor states, presented in a table, as well as in color-coding on the map. A minor state without INFs is considered unaligned (grey-colored). Unaligned states are passable during a Movement and Retreat Phase. If a power holds minimally 50% of all INFs placed in the minor state, then the minor state is considered aligned to the power, and passable or impassable depending on the declarations that have been made. The minor state will then follow any order submitted to the state’s unit by the power it is aligned to.

NEUTRALITY

For two or more powers equally invested in a minor state, the minor state will be marked as neutral (white-colored). Or if 3 or more powers are invested in a minor state, and no power holds the required 50% for an alignment, then the state is also considered neutral. Neutral states are impassable during any Movement and Retreat Phase.

CONFESSIONAL MARKERS

If Protestant powers solely hold the INFs in a minor state then a Protestant confessional marker (orange-colored cross) can be placed in the state. If Catholic powers solely hold the INFs in a minor state then a Catholic confessional marker (blue-colored cross) can be placed on the state. If both Protestant and Catholic powers hold INFs in a minor state, then a confessional marker is placed only when one confession holds twice the INFs over the other. Papal States will begin the game with a Catholic confessional marker. A state carrying a confessional marker that is captured by a unit matching the confession is replaced with a white-colored marker. If the state has an opposing confessional marker to the occupational unit then a religious rebellion will be in effect, and a red-colored cross is placed.

SPECIFIC RULES REGARDING MINOR STATES

(1) Units of minor states are automatically disbanded if dislodged.

(2) A power cannot dislodge or support the dislodgment of an aligned minor state's unit, even if that dislodgment is unexpected. An attack by a power on an aligned minor unit does not cut support.

(3) The capture of a minor state's home center leads to the disbanding of all its units, and the relinquishing of control of any foreign centers/states during the Winter Adjustment Phase.

DECLARATIONS AND MOVEMENT

Declarations allow players to declare war, announce alliances, or end war. During any Movement or Retreat Phase no power or aligned minor states of that power can move into the territorial domains of an opponent power and its aligned states unless a declaration of war is made or an alliance is established. All declarations must be made openly during a phase and recorded in the adjudication for that phase. The declaration then becomes effective during the subsequent Movement and Retreat Phase. Declarations made during the Fall Movement and Retreat Phase do not come into effect during the coming Winter Adjustment Phase or Winter Income and Build Phase; they come into effect during coming Spring Movement and Retreat Phase in the following year.

Declaration of war: Declaration of war with another player may be announced during a phase, and becomes effective in the following Movement and Retreat Phase. Declaration of war is made against an opposing power AND its aligned states. Therefore, if a power wishes to attack an aligned minor state, whether directly or with an aligned minor unit, it must declare war on the power that the minor state is aligned to. If no declaration of war has been made, this is what is allowed: (1) Declaration of war is not required for a power or minor state to move against an unaligned minor state. (2) Just like in standard Diplomacy where a dislodged unit will still cause a standoff, in Europe 1615, a unit ordered into a foreign province without a declaration of war cannot move into the province, but may cause a standoff in the province. If no standoff occurs in the province, then a unit may retreat to the province. (3) Continuing with rule (2), a unit may support holds, convoy, or support movement into a province without a declaration of war.

Alliances: Declaration of an alliance with another player may be announced during a phase, and becomes effective in the following Movement and Retreat Phase. All potential members involved in the alliance must make the declaration for it to be official. Alliances allow the following: (1) A member of an alliance can move freely through the territories and centers of another ally; this includes aligned minor states of the member. A member of an alliance cannot dislodge or support the dislodgment of an ally’s unit, even if that dislodgment is unexpected. An attack by a power on an ally does not cut support. This also applies to minor states aligned with the ally. Allies cannot capture each other's centers or the centers of their aligned states, but may occupy those centers (see Occupation by Proxy). Breaking from an alliance can be initiated by any member of the alliance and declared during one Movement and Retreat Phase and made effective in a subsequent Movement and Retreat Phase.

Declaration of surrender: A player may surrender to an opposing power to save his position in the game. Surrender comes at a price. The victorious power can levy an indemnity against the surrendering power. This would be an agreed upon sum between the two parties, but the indemnity cannot plunge the surrendering power below 25 units of wealth. The indemnity should be divided equally between members of a victorious alliance.

Armistice: Players at war may use any phase to announce an armistice to officially end hostilities.

SECURING CONTROL OF A CAPTURED FOREIGN CENTER

For a power or a minor state to maintain control of a foreign province, it must maintain occupation of the province. If the province is no longer occupied at the end of the Winter Adjustment Phase, it immediately reverts back to its independent status. A controlled minor state cannot be influence by any power; however, all INFs invested in the state are held in suspension, not removed or altered. A power may relinquish control of a state/province to reestablish its independent pliant status by simply removing its occupational unit. When a state is released, the INFs that were held in suspension are put back into effect, and status reestablished.

Since a power or minor needs to maintain occupation of a foreign province to maintain control, how can a power/minor maintain control if the occupational unit needs to move? Two acceptable methods allowed:

Occupation by proxy: If you can substitute an aligned minor unit or an ally’s unit for your occupational unit in a foreign province, then you may still maintain control of the province.

Transferring control: During the Fall Movement and Retreat Phase, if there is occupation by proxy, you may transfer control of the province to the minor or another power that occupies it. This is done by making a public announcement, and takes effect in the Winter.

  RELIGIOUS REBELLION

If a controlled center carries an opposing confessional marker to the occupational force then the state will be considered in revolt (confessional marker replaced with red-colored marker). A revolting state does not allow an occupying power to collect income on the center. The revolt quells after a given number of Movement and Retreat Phases. This determined from the value of the center or province. For example, if the Dutch secure control of the Southern Netherlands (NET) in the Winter of 1620, the state is in revolt (Protestant power capturing a Catholic state). NET has a value of 4; therefore, the revolt will be in effect during the Spring, Summer, and Fall of 1621 and Spring of 1622. The revolt ends in the Summer of 1622, at which time the red-colored marker is replaced with a black-colored marker. The Dutch will be unable to collect income on NET in Winter of 1620 and 1621.

Note: Religious rebellion does not apply should a Protestant power capture Bohemia or Guyenne. Immediately place a black-colored marker when the capture occurs.

COMBAT ATTRITION RULE (ARMY UNITS ONLY)

When a power’s army unit is forced to retreat, it gains an attrition mark. Attrition prevents the unit from retreating a second time. If forced to retreat a second time, it is automatically disbanded. Attrition is relieved on all units at the Winter Adjustment Phase.

CREATING A NEW PLIANT MINOR STATE

When a home center is captured by a foreign power or minor state, and later that control is relinquished, then the province becomes a newly formed pliant minor state.

ADDING A UNIT FOR A POWER

During the Winter Income and Build Phase players may “purchase” units base on the Military Cost Table. The cost to add one additional unit is equal to a percentage of the treasury based on the current size of the military. The power must have an unoccupied home center for a build to be allowed. The number of units that may be added is limited by the treasury and unoccupied home centers. To calculate the cost to add more than 1 unit during this phase, the player must assess the cost of one additional unit after one unit has been purchased. No power can have more than 15 units on the board. Example: France wishes to add two units during the Winter Income and Build Phase. At a military size of 5 units, it will cost 45% of the treasury to add one more unit. To add the second unit, France considers the new size of the military at 6 units. From 6 to 7 units, it would cost 66% of the remaining treasury after the first unit was purchased, provided that the purchase does not plunge France below the minimum of 25 units of wealth in the treasury. (If that is the case, then France cannot build the second unit.)

ADDING A UNIT FOR A MINOR STATE

A minor state will automatically add a unit if it controls a foreign center. With minor states, number of units that it may have is directly equal to number of controlled centers. During the Winter Adjustment Phase if a minor state has more units than controlled centers it must disband units until the number of unit equals number of centers. If the minor state is aligned, the aligned power must dictate which units to disband. If not aligned, then units are disbanded beginning with the unit furthest from the state.

INCOME PHASE

Each player begins with a treasury with 50 units of wealth (players may settle on a particular unit name for the period such as millions of ducats, millions of florins, or millions of talers). A treasury can never fall below 25 units. When the Winter Income and Build Phase occurs, all players receive income (or tribute) from home centers and controlled centers (or provinces such as Switzerland that does not have a center). A home center under foreign occupation is in revolt if the occupier’s confession is opposing, and thus, does not provide income unit the revolt is quelled. For a home center or any controlled centers, the power receives funds equal to the value of the center as shown on the Income Map. Islamic states do not provide income. For other restrictions see section on Religious Rebellion.

OBJECTIVES

At the final scoring phase, players receive points for meeting specific objectives. Each power has a set of objectives listed in the Political and Military Objectives Table. Before the start of the game, players should select three objectives for their power, and submit this to the referee. The referee will compile a list of submitted objectives for each power and will reveal this list to all players.

ELIMINATION

Power that is no longer in control of all its home centers is considered eliminated, irrespective of controlled foreign centers. When a power is eliminated, all units are disbanded at the Winter Adjustment Phase, and the foreign centers that are held are liberated restoring them as pliant minor states and to their previously-suspended status. INFs from the eliminated power are removed from all minor states where the power has invested, and the statuses of these minor states reevaluated.

MID-GAME AND FINAL SCORING

Game ends at the opening of 1630. Referee may score players mid-game, say, 1625, so that they can gauge their progress. On the year that the game ends, the referee tallies the final score based on the guidelines shown in the Scoring Guide. Player with the highest score wins the game. In case of ties, players may agree to extend the game to break the tie, or call a draw.

NOTES ABOUT THE BOARD

Large states. Several minor states are composed of smaller provinces as shown below. When a political status is established for these states, all provinces of the state are identified as aligned or neutral. Lower Saxony (LOWR) = Bremen & Brunswick-Lunenburg Poland (POLN) = Danzig, Posen, Warsaw, Galicia, Samogitia, and Lithuania Papal State (PAPL) = Marches and Rome Brandenburg (BRA) = Berlin and Pomerania Ottoman Empire (OTT) = Rumelia, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Muntenia, and Moldavia

Costal province. Schleswig-Holstein (SLG) has two coasts. Moving from Copenhagen to SLG requires that the coast be specified. SLG (EC) – SLG (WC) or visa versa is not a legal move.

Starting positions. Both the Dutch and the Swedes have units that do not start on centers. Spain starts with an extra unit in Luxemburg.

PLAY-TESTERS My gratitude to the following individuals for their time in play-testing of this variant:

Christian Schanner Shane Cagney Poul Hurup Lund-Andersen Matthew Kelly Michael Walters Ewoud Wiering Chris Lee Chun Wang Lau Andrew Port Mark Utterback Max Victory Steven Caponigri Aaron Havas Greg Bim-Merle

  CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 4-5-2015)

Minors cannot garner income from revolting centers.

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 3-14-2015)

(1) If you join a defensive alliance (or an offensive alliance for that matter), and later the Declaration phase is invoked again, and a member of the alliance then declares war against another power, you may break from the alliance if you not agree with the declaration. This is allowed since it is happening during the Declaration phase. If you do not break from the alliance then you will be forced to declare war as well. (2) The breaking of an alliance does not require a mutual agreement. (3) You cannot break from an alliance and declare war against former ally in the same pass. Need to invoke the declaration phase again. (4) The ending of war is a mutual agreement. If one of two warring parties wishes to end war, and the other does not, then war continues. The only way to end war between two warring groups, when only one party wishes to end it, is through a surrender. Surrendering takes precedence and ends war, and then follows with the indemnity paid to the victor.

I guess you can consider the offensive and defensive alliances as loose terms to describe which group has declared war, basically.

If the A and B form an offensive alliance against C, both powers take a 10 point hit, right? Yes.

If the A and B form an offensive alliance against C and obliterate C, is the alliance over? No. The alliance remains. To break the alliance, a new Declaration phase must be invoked and the announcement made.

If the A and B form an offensive alliance against C, and then D declares war on the A, is B at war with D? Yes. If D declares war on the A, B is at war with D. B will not need to reciprocate. It's an unintentional consequence of being in an alliance with the A. (This is where an originally offensive alliance is now considered a defensive; a bit of overlap.)

If the A and B form an offensive alliance against C, and then the B subsequently and independently declares war on E, is A also at war with E? Yes. If B declares war on E, then A is unintentionally involved in war with the E (and is obligated to declare war on E as well). If A is not content with this situation then A will need to wait on the next Declaration phase to break the alliance. The declaration of war is the method that allows powers the ability move against enemy territories. Power A would likely not want to be at war with E (and is forced to declare), but it does not obligate A to take any action. Power A could sit by and do nothing. The declaration of war by B against E, essentially, allows B and A units to move on E and vise verse.

These are unintentional consequences of being in an alliance with another player, and might enhance or sour the relationship.

MOBILIZATION PHASE

Important note: Since no declarations have been made yet, all the aligned minor states are essentially impassable. You may, however, move your unit into a minor that is aligned to you, if it is possible (for example, NAP-MAR is valid, since the Papal States are aligned with Spain, & assuming no bounce). Without any declarations of war, an aligned minor cannot attack another aligned minor; a power cannot attack another power, a power cannot attack an aligned minor, and an aligned minor cannot be ordered to attack a power.

So, what can you do in next two seasonal phases?

(1) Position your units as you see fit to your developing strategy.

(2) Unaligned states are vulnerable, passable, and may be captured.

(3) Ocean/sea regions are open to contestation.

If you look at the Declaration section of the rulebook, there's a description of the statuses of the powers once declarations are made. One status is neutrality. However, as a neutral power you can still support holds on any unit, support the movement of any unit, cause a standoff (which I forgot to insert), and cut support. Performing any of the previously stated actions is valid as long as you do not end up moving into territory you're not suppose to be moving into. So, since no declarations have been made, all of you behave like neutrals.

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 3-8-2015)

On the Declaration phase…

Options: You have several things that you may do during Declaration phase: (1) declare war against an opponent, that is, only one declaration can be made against one opponent (and his aligned states and his allies) each time the Declaration phase is invoked; (2) form or break alliances; (3) take a neutral stance; (4) end war; or (5) announce a surrender. Declaration of war comes with a penalty that is levied at the end of the game (during scoring). So, it’s a matter of who initiates war first. If you feel initiating war will improve your position and weaken your opponent’s, then, by all means, declare war. If you are on the receiving end of a declaration of war you do not need to reciprocate.

Initiation: Power A and power B are eager to go to war. However, power B is not as eager as power A. So, as the referee, I’ll wait for the first to initiate the declaration, and this will be the power to take the penalty. For the sake of the example, let’s say power A initiates the declaration of war. Power C and power D decide to support power A in its campaign against power B. They must then each declare war against power B (and its aligned states and allies) and take a penalty as well. When that declaration of war is directed at power B, it is automatically directed against all allies and aligned states. Power B and its allies are not penalized, nor can they take a neutral position, and must now defend.

Offensive alliance: Although power C and power D share a mutual interest in power A’s campaign against power B, this doesn’t constitute an automatic alliance between A, C, and D. An alliance must be announced as well. The Objectives Table encourages certain alliances, but it is up to you to decide the benefits of any alliance. So, let’s say power C forms an alliance with power A. This’ll allow units of power C (and units of aligned states) to pass through the provinces and the aligned states of power A, and visa versa. Power D is excluded, but power D may be part of the alliance if it is announced and agreed upon by power A and C as well. As long as the alliance is in effect, one member of the alliance cannot control the provinces/centers and/or dependent states of another member. Also, you cannot intentionally or unintentionally dislodge the unit of an ally or cut its support (same applies to its aligned units). Between allied powers and minors, occupation by proxy is allowed. That means a member of an alliance can maintain occupation of a province on behalf of another member.

Defensive alliance: Power B may gain the support of others (say, power E and F) and form a defensive alliance as well. (Movement rules as mentioned above also apply in the defensive alliance.) Power E and F are then also subject to the declaration of war by power A and its allies. Now, one might ask, can power B declare war? Yes. It is not necessary for power B to reciprocate the declaration of war against power A; the declaration has already been established by power A. Power B may declare war against power G, for example. This would mandate that power E and F must declare war against power G. This may not be an agreeable situation for power E and F, however, and they may not wish to declare war on power G. So, it would be at the discretion of power E and F to join in an alliance with power B considering power B’s venture. Therefore, two deadlines will be set for the Declaration phase: (1) one for declarations of war and the announcement of neutrality; and (2) one for the formation of alliances. This is done in that order to avoid last-minute surprises.

(In forming an alliance you are encouraged to assign a title, such as, for example, the Western Alliance, or Confederates of the Rhine, or the Scandinavian Pact, or the Hamburg Defensive Alliance, etc. I can then reference the titles of the alliances during the narratives.)

Neutrality: A power may declare neutrality, not forming an alliance, if they don’t wish to have foreign units marching on their territories and dependent states. If a power takes a neutral position, this doesn’t necessarily mean the player sits idly by. Neutral powers can still support the hold of belligerent units, support moves, cut support, cause standoffs, and convoy belligerent units.

Movement: Once the belligerent states are established, opposing units may pass/move into enemy territories and the enemy’s aligned states and the territories of its allies. Allied powers may move into allied territories and dependent states.

Other things to consider:

[1] A player’s surrender always takes priority over continued war, but to surrender, the Declaration phase must be invoked again.

[2] Multiple alliances can be formed, but a player can only be involved in one alliance at a time. Breaking an alliance may only be done when the Declaration phase is invoked again. Breaking an alliance and declaring war on the former ally is not allowed in the same pass. If a neutral power decides to join an alliance the Declaration phase must be invoked again. If you wish to break from an alliance the Declaration phase must be invoked again.

[3] What happens when you break an alliance and your former ally happens to occupy one of your provinces/centers or one of your aligned states? The unit of the former ally may remain in the province/center. The control changes hand at the end of a Mobilization phase.

[4] What happens when a unit of yours is in an aligned state and the status of that state changes to neutral during a Diplomatic phase? Always remember that neutral minor states cannot be controlled/captured. However, if a foreign unit is occupying it, the neutral minor state is passable (that is, the foreign unit may be attacked/dislodged or supported while in the neutral minor state). If the foreign unit exits, the neutral minor state is no longer passable.

[5] During the diplomatic phase there are no restrictions on deployment of INFs and where diplomatic attacks are directed once declarations are made, i.e., a player may perform a diplomatic attack against an ally, an enemy, or a neutral player.

Moving on:

The discussion of alliances and declaration of war and neutrality should be a public affair. Once declarations are made, players must confirm and finalize their decisions by the deadlines. I’ll then announce the declarations, establish movement rules based on those declarations (who can move against whom), and use those rules to guide my adjudications. There might be some situations during the Declaration phase that I haven’t foreseen, but will address it when it does happen.

Deadline for declarations of war: Saturday, March 14 by 10 PM GMT (This stage is only for declarations of war. If you do not want to declare war, and wish to take a neutral stance, just let me know, and the others, and finalize it before the deadline. But, remember, if someone declares war against you, you cannot take a neutral stance. You then should use the next stage to find allies.)

Deadline for the formation of alliances: Saturday, March 21 by 10 PM GMT (Here’s were you need to decide on joining an alliance. If you join an offensive alliance you must declare war against the target of the alliance. If you join a defensive alliance, no need to declare war.)

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 3-5-2015)

Just wanted to make a quick change to the rules. We have yet to invoke the Build phase. For the Build phase, the rules state that if you have the funds, you can build up to 3 units. I'd like to change that so that you are limited to just one build (even if you have funds for more). In the rules, when trying to build more than one unit, there's a series of calculations to do. If it is limited to just one build, it's a simple one-time calculation. If you wish to build more, then just repeat the phase. At the current size of the treasuries (50 each), all powers are able to build with exception to Spain. Remember, you cannot make a purchase that reduces the treasury below 25 units of wealth.

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 3-2-2015)

Although it is not specifically stated, but implied in the rules (under alliances), you are allowed to move into a minor state that is aligned to you and visa versa, and movement is allowed between those states that are aligned to the same power (we have already seen examples of this in game #5 with Denmark entering Bremen, and the Ottomans entering Venice).

Since a power or minor needs to maintain occupation of a foreign province to maintain control, how can a power/minor maintain control if the occupational unit needs to move? I was trying to consider what can be done in this situation, and still keep it within the current rules of the game.

Here's is what I'll accept:

Occupation by proxy: If you can substitute an aligned minor unit for your occupational unit in a foreign province, then you may still maintain control of the province. Only downside of this is if the aligned minor changes allegiance.

Transferring control: At the end of a Mobilization phase, if there is occupation by proxy, you may transfer control of the province to the minor.

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 3-1-2015)

[A] I had a question concerning the adjudication (see Game 5, Fall 1616 adjudication). France played GEN-MIL, so, how could the Spanish army retreat to MIL? Standard Diplomacy rules state that a piece cannot retreat to a province where a standoff has occurred, and must retreat to adjacent province that it could ordinarily move to if unopposed by other units. Therefore, CHA-FRE and SWI-FRE, leaves FRE unavailable as a retreat site for the Spanish army. Spanish army cannot retreat to TYRL since there is no DofW or alliance with Austria (specific rule to this variant). Spanish army cannot retreat to VEN as this is where the attack is coming from. This leaves MIL. France's GEN-MIL is technically a failed attempt IF it is not causing a standoff. GEN-MIL also fails since there is no DoW with Spain. A situation that I would accept as a standoff, for example, if the Tuscan army was in PIA, and France had played GEN-MIL and PIA-MIL, the "self-standoff" would have left the Spanish army no retreat options.

Another situation that could have knocked the Spanish army OTB: Spain: SWI-MIL France: CHA-FRE, GEN-MIL, VEN-SWI, SAV S VEN-MIL Dutch: LOR-FRE (France stands-off Spain with GEN-MIL; CHA-FRE & LOR-FRE is an acceptable standoff removing FRE as a retreat option for Spain.)

[B] Diplomatic attacks are not allowed in a controlled state.

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 2-17-2015)

1. If declaration have not been made a power cannot enter the territories of another power or its dependent (a.k.a, aligned states). However, standoffs are still allowed in any province, even if that province is part of the domain of another power or minor state.

2. If you look at the Declaration section of the rulebook, there's a description of the statuses of the powers once declarations are made. One status is neutrality. However, as a neutral power you can still support holds on any unit, support the movement of any unit, cause a standoff (which I forgot to insert), and cut support. Performing any of the previously stated actions is valid as long as you do not end up moving into territory you're not suppose to be moving into. So, since no declarations have been made, all of you behave like neutrals.

CLARIFICATION AND ERRATA (added 2-11-2015)

1. First and foremost, you must maintain occupation of a foreign center (or foreign province) to maintain control of it. Control is assessed at the end of the Mobilization Phase. To manage the occupation of foreign centers you will need to build more units. This occupational rule doesn't apply to your home centers. You can move away from your home centers and it'll still be part of your domain. The occupational rule only applies to the capture of a foreign center.

2. There's a rule regarding the granting of a province or center to a minor state. Ignore it. Here is how it should actually be done. Relinquish control of a center/province by moving away from it, and follow-up with an aligned minor unit entering the center/province, then at the end of the Mobilization phase, the control of the center goes to the aligned minor state. There will be no need to declare a transfer during the Declaration phase. The minor occupies it now and maintains control.

3. If one of your home centers is captured by a foreign unit, and later that unit relinquishes control of the center by moving away and no other occupational force replaces it, then that center does not revert back to your domain/control. It becomes a new pliant minor state, open to influence to other powers.

THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR REVISED RULEBOOK

- change sequence for Dutch or randomize the turn order at the beginning - include sanctions to dissolve the Protestant Union or the Catholic League - fog of war rules: hiding the deployment list - three stages for influence progression: escalation (beginning), climax (midgame), resolution (endgame) - plague and famine rules - each phase advances the year by 1 - limit phases to mobilize, build, diplomacy, sanctions, declarations; eliminate income phase, intermission (?) - use influence points to vote on sanctions (?) - no limitation on growth of military for powers and minors; adding a unit is matter of having an open home center; size capped at 10-12 units? - eliminate the treasury or have a yearly maintenance cost for units (1 units or wealth per army) - arrears (debt) - use influence points to vote on sanctions or have an accounting system that enacts a sanction - include some basics about standard Diplomacy rules - income from home centers - defender of the faith: allow the move against a revolting state without DofW - remove alliances as objectives - Ottomans? Polish? as new players