Diplomacy A-Z, Version 6.0

TACTICAL MISTAKE (1) [MN:Jan95]

A mistake is said to be tactical if it falls into one of the following categories:
a) leaving an important unit/SC undefended/too weakly defended in favour of "activities of lesser importance" (which in turn needs a definition)
b) attacking from the wrong country, e.g. F WMS, A Spa, F Mao want to attack Por against defense of F Por, F Nao: A Spa S F Mao-Por together with F WMS-Mao will work while F Mao S A Spa-Por may fail
c) failing to get the supports and cutting moves right (sort of includes mistake of type 2b), e.g. A Hol, A Ruh, A Bur against A Kie, A Mun. You will only get Mun for sure with Hol-Kie, Ruh-Mun, Bur S Ruh-Mun. Any other combination can fail. See also dumb mistake long term strategical mistake, short term strategical mistake. This classification of mistakes is due to Robert Rehbold.

TACTICS II [PB:1980]

The first commercial board wargame. See Avalon Hill.

TADPOLE (1) [MN:Aug95]

'Affectionate' nickname for Canadian diplomat Francois Cuerrier.

TADPOLE (2) [CW:Aug95]

My street sister and I used to be real big drinkers ("used to" haha) and we would call anyone who couldn't keep up with us either "Puppy" or "Tadpole". Since I was the guy that Francois joined the hobby through, I used to tease him and call him "tadpole" (to deflate his huge ego if for no other reason... :) ). Unfortunately, I didn't realize that "tadpoles" grow up into "frogs"... Francois is French Canadian... he never believed it was anything but a racist slur and even when I finally caught on to what he was thinking and explained it to him, he wouldn't believe it. He still REALLY dislikes me to this day...

TADEK DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]

Tadek Jarski's 3-handed version of Intimate Diplomacy. See Variant (KW).

TDA

See The Diplomacy Association.

TEAM GAME (1) [MB:Jun80/Mar82]

A game in which three countries, each played by one person, battle against another similar 3-person team. Popular in the hobby's early days, many of these were run by Don Miller. Italy or Turkey were omitted, though in the 1970's, versions with Germany in CD or madman have been played, for example in _Runestone_. The _Runestone_ games had 3 people from one area (e.g. Toronto, Montreal, Ontario, Alberta) vs a team from a different area. See Variant Jargon (KW).

TEAM TOURNAMENT (1) [MN:Sep93]

Usually a round of a diplomacy tournament where players group themselves in teams of 7, one player per country. Players from the same team play on seperate boards (so you need a minimum of 7 teams) and the team's score is the aggregate of the players score. Usually the player's individual scores also count towards the individual tournament. Teams usually represent zines, at ManorCon there are also university teams. There is a team tournament every year at ManorCon and there were team tournaments at WDC I-III. See Rating System (KW).

TELEPHONE GAMES (1) [MB:Jun80]

A format which combines many features of both Face to Face and postal Diplomacy. Sometimes written records are kept, with ordinary postal deadlines (e.g. local games in _Graustark_). Other times they are run on weekly or twice weekly deadlines, with adjudications given over the phone. The ease of negotiations is such that they often become extremely time consuming. The back and forth nature, the ability to judge your opponent's voice, and the fact that opponents are usually known personally all resemble FTF. The inability to organize triple conferences, the fact that you cannot see your opponents, and the presence of plenty of time to analyze things all resemble postal play, as does the privacy of conversation. Some telephone games start or end as Face to Face games. NMRs, apparently, are not rare. See _DW_ #20.

TEMPORARY SUBSTITUTE PLAYER OR ORDERS (1) [MB:Jun80]

Many GMs will allow a player to appoint a temporary substitute if they are going to be out of touch for a short period of time. If that substitute is a player (usually not allowed), see Proxy Orders.

TEN BEST DIPLOMACY VARIANTS

See Variant Package 2.

TEN WEEK RULE (1) [MN:Jul95]

Guideline used in the early 1980s by U.S. Orphan Service to determine if a zine had folded: "a zine with monthly deadlines is considered folded if it fails to appear within ten weeks of its last deadline." (John Daly, _Everything_ 53 --- August 1982).

TENURE (1) [MB:Mar82]

If a player NMRed out of any game, he would be placed on "tenure" status, meaning he would not be permitted to enter new games for 1 year, or assume standby positions for 6 months. This would apply to all cooperating GMs. Plan was by Bob Lipton, taken up by John Leeder, but never fully operational.

TERMINAL TUNISITIS (1) [MB:Mar82]

The result of a country being permanently reduced to a sole unit, usually an army in Tunis or Portugal. It may survive there a long time. [HR:Oct02] This gives the player the chance to deluge the others with silly press, since s/he doesn't have to worry about strategy... See Humour.

TERMINUS (1) [MB:Jun80]

A compilation of all but ten of the regular Diplomacy games through 1970, presented in the _Everything_ style. The collected work of Walt Buchanan, Tony Pandin and Rod Walker. See Zine Names (KW).

THE DIPLOMACY ASSOCIATION (1) [MB/JM:Jun80/1992]

Possibly the first try at a hobbywide organization was set up by John Beshara. Feuding over basic organization issues (should the hobby remain fannish or have an organised structure?, should an organization be voluntary or mandatory?, would leadership be democratic or custodial?) quickly rent the organization, and after 1972 it become more or less his own private club, and in the late 1970's became defunct. Projects included computer printed Youngstown maps, a series of stalemate lines and ratings.

THE GAME OF DIPLOMACY

See Game of Diplomacy, The.

THE PUBLISHER (1) [MB:Jun80]

Bob Lipton's epic parody of various Diplomacy personalities, especially of the NYC area, in the format of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Serialized in _The Mixumaxu Gazette_ and also published as a separate entity.

THE STRATEGY AND TACTICS OF POSTAL DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]

Larry Peery's monster publication in 7 chapters. It got mixed reviews, and was too elementary in many respects. Insufficient marketing meant that the publication had little impact on the hobby. ((A few copies are still available from Larry at $35.00 + US %4.00 postage and handling. MN April 1994.))

THE TWISTER (1) [MN:Mar94]

In recent years Richard Sharp has run a Christmas Quiz in _Dolchstoss_. One question is always a logical problem based on diplomacy. See also The 1993 Twister. Can you solve THE TWISTER?

THE 1993 TWISTER (1) [MN:Mar94]

Devised by Paul Street and printed in _Dolchstoss_ 181, December 1993.
"We decided to have one of those short Diplomacy games before Christmas dinner last year. We started normally and played three seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn) rather than two in the single year (we don't drink apertifs as quickly as Norton House). As the wine was poured we had an adjustment season, in which everyone had something to do. The winner got Champagne, 2nd Sancerre, 3rd Chardonnary. Warm Beaujolais was served to the players coming 5th and 6th, who had swapped capitals despite not having a common border."

"Everyone moved an army to a friendly supply centre in the spring and yet all armies except both the French were abroad by the end of the summer. All armies moved in the Autumn, except for one that was stopped by an unwanted convoy. There were no disbands (or annihilations)."

"The English army was convoyed by only one fleet.
Three countries lost all their home centres.
The one drinking Loire wine took one centre from the player who was last.
Which countries took how many centres from which other countries?
Capitals are Lon, Ber, StP, Ank, Vie, Rom and Par as usual."

"An unwanted convoy is a foreign fleet ordering an unnecessary convoy for an army. If the fleet is displaced then the army does not move, even though it would were the fleet to have a different order."
"Please include a sample set of orders." See The Twister. For the solution, see Appendix 2.

THOMAS RATING SYSTEM, THE (1) [MN:Sep92]

Devised by Paul Thomas and published in _The Mixumaxu Gazette_ (March 1976). Players score 2% per supply center owned at the end of the game with a bonus of 32% for winning and 32/n% for a n-way draw. See Rating System (KW).

THIRD AGE [PB:1980]

Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are various stages of the most popular Tolkien-based variant (see Tolkien). Not played much nowadays because of the bias towards Mordor. See Variant (KW).

THREE FLEETS OPENING (1) [MB:Jun80]

Birsan's opening in which Italy takes Tri in S01 and allows it to be annihilated in F01. Italy then builds two fleets. This avoids the superfluous army that occurs when Italy selects France and Turkey as his first two victims. Details in DD 17. See Austrian Openings (KW) and Italian Openings (KW).

THREE SEASON YEAR (1) [MN:Nov92]

An alternative way of running postal games to the North American System and the International System. In this system Spring, Autumn and Winter seasons are always played separately, hence the only conditional orders a player has to submit are for possible retreats. Its main advantage is that players don't have to write complex conditional orders. Its disadvantages are that it allows diplomacy about builds after the Autumn adjudication (against the Rule-book) and that unless the zine using this system is very quick (ideally 3-weekly or better) it prolongs the game by a long time. British zines to use the Three Season Year were _1901aat_ and _Courier_. See also Five Season Year.

TIN SOLDIER CONVENTION (1) [AoS:88]

Convention including Diplomacy held in Sydney on the Queen's Birthday Weekend in June and organized by the Tin Soldier, a game and miniatures shop.

TOAD (1) [JB:Sep93]

One who has toadies. A person whose sheer force of personality gains a crowd of fawning admirers who will do as they say in Diplomacy games and regarding the hobby in general. Toads tend to have a poor record in Diplomacy games because people who are not their toadies tend to become annoyed by the toad-toady relationships and attack them. In addition, toads tend to be defenceless (sic) without their toadies. Toad following became a popular topic of discusion in North American zines in the early--mid 1980's.

TOADY (1) [JB:Sep93]

One who obsequiously fawns over another person, commonly called a toad, to a particularly sickening extent. Toadies can be maddeningly difficult to diplomacize with unless you are the object of their bootlicking affections. In the early 1980's, the North American hobby became obsessed with chronicling the various toadying relationships that existed, accentuated by the Great Feud, going so far as to have elections for Toady of the Year with campaigns that bounced around the letter columns of numerous szines.

J.R.R. TOLKIEN [PB:1980]

Has strong following in British Diplomacy, partly because of SF traditions, but significantly (I think) because two of the most influential characters, Hartley Patterson and Richard Sharp, were Tolkien fanatics. Variants based on "The Lord of the Rings" are many, Third Age being the most popular, Patterson's Downfall the most realistic.

TOLKIEN VARIANTS (1) [MB:Jun80]

These are based, more or less, on J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. They include: Downfall, Third Age, The Great Years, Middle Earth Diplomacy, Mordor vs The World and War of the Ring, These generally feature multiple units, special units (notably the ring), a relatively unbalanced gameboard and plenty of press. See Variant Jargon (KW).

TOOTS (1) [MB:Mar82]

Nickname for John Michalski, courtesy of Cathy Caruso.

TOURNAMENT DIPLOMACY (1) [MB/AoS:Jun80/88]

Although in many ways resembling face to face, it differs in providing a more competitive game, with greater willingness to eliminate players, less sociability, and the fact that the play is significantly impacted by the nature of the rating system. Tournament Diplomacy is practically a variant in its own right and is a very exciting experience.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS (1) [BB:Dec97]

Stats on the type of results in Australian Tourneys 1988-1997 broken down in year by year: TOURNAMENT RESULTS (1) [BB:Dec97] Stats on the type of results in Australian Tourneys 1988-1997 broken down in year by year:

                      Type of Result
      WIN     7       6       5       4       3       2
1997  4.4     -       28.9    42.2    22.2    2.2     -
1996  6.3     4.2     25.0    29.2    27.1    8.3     -
1995  8.2     3.3     19.7    41.0    23.0    4.9     -
1994  4.7     9.4     31.8    31.8    15.3    7.1     -
1993  1.2     7.3     23.2    39.0    17.1    11.0    1.2
1992  2.4     7.1     20.0    48.2    12.9    9.4     -
1991  3.7     -       13.0    29.6    40.7    13.0    -
1990  6.6     5.3     25.0    34.2    26.3    2.6     -
1989  3.0     4.5     31.8    42.4    16.7    1.5     -
1988  1.9     16.7    37.0    33.3    11.1    -       -

TOURNAMENT STATS (1) [BB:Dec97]

These statistics show the size of powers in draws at Australian tournaments between 1988 and 1997.

Centres               Percentage   Centres         Percentage
17            0.38         8               10.16
16            0.86         7               9.43
15            1.98         6               8.37
14            2.08         5               7.29
13            2.94         4               6.42
12            3.36         3               7.32
11            5.72         2               7.06
10            7.22         1               10.87
9             8.53

Centres               1988-1991       1992-1993       1994-1997       Total
17            0.33            0.49            0.36            0.38
16            0.67            0.98            1.34            0.86
15            1.42            1.60            2.86            1.98
14            1.67            2.46            2.23            2.08
13            2.26            2.95            3.66            2.94
12            3.35            4.30            2.68            3.36
11            5.94            5.65            5.54            5.72
10            7.62            6.63            7.23            7.22
9             9.87            8.48            7.14            8.53
8             10.29           10.07           10.09           10.16
7             9.37            8.72            10.00           9.43
6             8.45            9.09            7.77            8.37
5             7.62            7.99            6.43            7.29
4             7.20            7.00            5.18            6.42
3             7.62            7.00            7.23            7.32
2             7.62            6.02            7.23            7.06
1             9.04            10.57           13.04           10.87

I have split these into various "eras". NOTE: 1988-1991 was predominantly scored using STAB type systems.

TRADE (1) [MB:Mar82]

An arrangement whereby two publishers send each other their zines and no money changes hands. Can be done on a zine for zine basis, or an everything for everything basis in cases where more than one zine is involved.

TRANS-GAMING (1) [MN:Aug95]

Dan Shoham's name for playing one game with an eye to consequence in future games. Whilst not as bad as crossgaming, some people consider it undesirable.

TREATY DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]

A variant by Rod Walker. In order to support or convoy another's unit, players must be allied via treaty, which may be secret or open. Any order contrary to the express words of the treaty is illegal. Any aspect of the game can be covered, and they can have time limits, or expire only when denounced, etc. Rules in DW Vol 2, 4. See Variant.

TRETICK STANDBY SYSTEM (1) [MB:Jun80]

Named after Buddy Tretick, a method of avoiding NMRs by assigning to each country a game standby, who submits substitute orders. Used in _DW_ demo games past.

TRIPLE-CHECKED (1) [MB:Jun80]

What your orders in postal Diplomacy should always be.

TRIPLE-ESS-ed (1) [MB:Jun80]

Standby Service for Small Zines. John Leeder's plan for providing standbys to those zines which often have no standbys available. Never implemented.

TRIPLE PARENTHESIS (1) [MB:Jun80]

When an article is reprinted, material inserted by the original editor is placed in triple parenthesis, to distinguish it from the reprinting editor's double parenthesis.

TRIVIA (1) [MN:Nov92]

According to Richard Sharp (Dolchstoss 168, November 1992) nine British Diplomacy zines have started at least forty games of regular Diplomacy. These are: Dolchstoss (107), Mad Policy (56), Springboard (52), Vienna (50), Ode (49), Jigsaw (45), Greatest Hits (44), 1901 And All That (44) and Fall of Eagles (41). Jigsaw started an amazing 35 games in its two big years (1976-77). [Note: _zine_ format not used here.]

TRIVIA (2) [MN:Dec92]

According to Richard Sharp (_Dolchstoss_ 166) there have been 3105 recorded eliminations in British Diplomacy games. 49 of these occurred in 1902 and of these 43 were Austria and one was Russian!

TRIVIA (3) [MN:Jul93]

Reprinted from _Impassable_ 33, March 1974. Data supplied by Walt Buchanan.
Quickest Win: 1972O -- Ian Livingstone as Russia won in Fall 1904 in _Courier_.
Longest Win: 1967U: Frank Clark as Italy winning in Winter 1928 in _Graustark_.
Shortest Win (real time): 1971BC -- Edi Birsan as France in 7 months in _Hoosier Archives_.
Longest Game (real time): 1967AV: _International Enquirer_; _Lonely Mountain_; _Sweetwater Canyon Daily Bugle_. Oct 1967 to 'present' (6 years, 4 months, so far!).

TRO (1) [MB:Mar82]

(1) Nickname for Kieth Sherwood.
(2) A deliberately vague adjective or noun such as "Tro free issues".

TRO AFFAIR (1) [MB:Mar82]

In 1980KB, Kieth Sherwood's "A Vie-Tro" was ruled ambiguous, touching off an extended debate in VOD over the correctness of Bruce Linsey's ruling, and on the general question of abbreviations. See Feud.

TSR (1) [MN:Apr92]

American company that started out as a small war-games operation and became big business when it released D&D on an unsuspecting world. Detractors often claim that the initials stand for "tres silly rules" although they really stand for "Tactical Studies Rules".

TURKISH ATTACK (1) [MB/MN:Jun80/Aug95]

Russia's third most popular opening, A(War)-Ukr, A(Mos)-Sev, F(Sev)-BLA. This will turn out badly if Turkey orders F(Ank)-BLA (thus stalling two units) or if Austria enters Gal. Russia retains his options to either press an attack on Turkey, or content himself with Rum, and use F(BLA) to try to keep the upper hand in any subsequent R-T alliance. Variations are named after the order for F(StPsc): F(StPsc)-Fin (Turkish Attack, Finnish Variation), F(StPsc)-GoB (Turkish Attack), F(StPsc) H (Turkish Attack, Houseboat Variation), F(StPsc)-Lvn (Turkish Attack, Livonian variation). See Russian Openings (KW).

TURKISH OPENINGS (KW) (1) [MN:Dec93]

If you're playing Turkey then there isn't very much to read: Astonishingly Arrogant Ankaran Assault, Bosphorus Opening, Boston Strangler, Crimean Crusher, Desert Rat Variation, Houseboat Opening. Juggernaut, Pastiche Opening, Reverse Lepanto, Roadhog, Russian Attack, Russian Defence, Russian Frolic, Ship of the Desert and Syrian Opening.

TURNAROUND [MB:Mar82]

The length of time between the deadline of a postal game and the mailing of the zine carrying its results. An average of 72 hours is considered excellent. More than one week may bring grumbling. In England, it appears to include the delivery time as well, i.e. "deadline to doormat".

TURNBULL, Don (1) [MN:Jan92]

Ran the first British Diplomacy zine _Albion_ which started in 1969 and ran for fifty issues. Also ran the second, _Courier_, which was started to run the games from _Albion_, leaving _Albion_ as a genzine. Edited 'BDC Journal', which ran six of the first seven BDC Diplomacy games. Is responsible for much of the carnage which is the hobby today, and should be canonized.

Wrote a number of Diplomacy articles for the prozine Games & Puzzles which did much to publicize the early Diplomacy hobby in the UK. Achieved greater fame (?) as the man who brought Dungeons Dragons to the UK, for many years he was head of TSR (UK).

Thought of himself as a pretty mean pinball player. See Personalities (KW).

TWIN EARTHS (1) [MB:Jun80]

There are two boards in this variant, I II and units may move from one to the other through a connection which links each province with its double. Each players has two homelands, and units can move between boards. See Variant (KW).

TWO SEASON DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]

An adaptation for postal play in which there are only two seasons, Spring and Fall, with all retreat and build seasons combined with the previous season (in Britain) or the following season (US). Rules for separation vary with GMing styles, and often there is no fixed policy. Separations are much rarer in the UK. See also International System and Three Season Year.

TUSCANY LEPANTO (1) [MN: Aug95]

The opening A(Rom)-Tus, A(Ven)H and F(Nap)-ION. See Italian Openings (KW) and Lepanto.

TYROLESE GAMBIT (1) [MN:May93]

Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Alb, A(Bud)-Tri, A(Vie)-Tyr. See Austrian Openings (KW).

TYROLIA (1) [MN:Mar94]

In _Dolchstoss_ 182 (Febuary 1994) Richard Sharp reported that there had been 68 spring 1901 standoffs in Tyrolia in British postal games, 35 G-I ones and only 4 A-G collisions, two of which also involved Italy!

TYROLIAN ATTACK (1) [RE:89-90]

Richard Sharp's name for the classic Italian opening: A(Ven)-Tyr, A(Rom)-Ven, F(Nap)-ION. One of the most enduring and popular combination of moves for Italy in Spring 1901, it is traditionally regarded as an attack on Austria, although it can also be turned against Germany if, perhaps with French support or encouragement, A(Tyr) attacks Munich in the Autumn. Indeed, this is very often an option, since most Austrian players have better things to do with A(Vie) than order to Tyrolia and A(Mun)-Tyr is hardly a common opening for Germany. But if the A(Ven) move can usually be expected to work, the popularity of F(Tri)-Ven with Austria has risen so dramatically with the Hedgehog Opening that A(Rom) will usually be stood off in the Tyrolia Attack. No matter: it protects Venice, and if by chance the move succeeds, Trieste or Vienna could be there for the taking. Providing as it does an option on up to three centres, this opening is clearly Italy's best chance of securing five centres in the first year. Also known as the Obrieni Attack. See Italian Openings (KW).

TYROLIAN LEPANTO (1) [MN:Aug95]

The opening A(Rom)-Apu, F(Nap)-ION and A(Ven)-Tyr. See Italian Openings (KW) and Lepanto.

---

UK GAME STARTS (1) [MN:Dec92]

The number of "postal" games of Diplomacy started each year, often used as a rough estimate of the size of the British Hobby. The figures are: 1969 (2), 1970 (5), 1971 (7), 1972 (32), 1973 (85), 1974 (93), 1975 (91), 1976 (121), 1977 (125), 1978 (126), 1979 (95), 1980 (88), 1981 (111), 1982 (99), 1983 (102), 1984 (118), 1985 (123), 1986 (111), 1987 (112), 1988 (82), 1989 (73), 1990 (47), 1991 (60), 1992 (54), 1993 (70) and 1994 (56).

UKVB (1) [MB/MN:Jun80/Jan92]

Common abbreviation for "The United Kingdom Variant Bank", a collection of Diplomacy variants which are available to hobby members for the price of copying and postage.

In 1979 Andy Tringham took this over from Hartley Patterson, and in 1980 Steve Agar replaced him. After several thousand custodians... Richard Jackson circa March 1987 to July 1992 James Nelson July 1992 to 10th July 1994 Mark Nelson 1th July 1994 to present. See UKVB Archivist, Variant Bank and Variant Jargon.

UKVB ARCHIVIST (1) [MN:Aug94]

Obscure position in the UKVB Hierarchy. Exact duties unknown to this writer. Recent custodians: Andrew Poole to circa 1989, James Nelson circa 1989 to July 1992, Mark Nelson July 1992 to 11th July 1994, Neil Duncan July 11th 1994 to present. See UKVB and Variant Jargon (KW).

UKRAINE SYSTEM (1) [MN:May93]

Richard Sharp's name for any Russian opening involving the moves F(StPsc)-Fin/GoB, A(Mos)-Ukr. There are five named variations: the Austrian Attack (A(War)-Gal, F(Sev)-Rum), the Livonia Variation (A(War)-Liv), the Silesian Variation (A(War)-Sil), the Southern Defence (A(War)-Gal, F(Sev)-BLA) and the Southern Houseboat Variation (A(War)-Gal, F(Sev)H). See Russian Openings (KW).

ULTIMATE DIPLOMACY COMPLIMENT, THE (1) [MN:Apr92]

Canadian e-mailer Harold Reynolds used "I'm glad I'm not your neighbour!"

UNCUTTABLE SUPPORT (1) [MB:Mar82]

A support which apparently cannot be cut, even if the piece is dislodged. See Chicken and Egg Convoy.

UNEXPRESSED MOVE (1) [MB:Jun80]

A move which is unambiguously implied but is not separately written. Thus F(BLA) CA(Ank)-Sev, A(Ank) unordered, has A(Ank)-Sev unexpressed. GMs vary on whether the move A(Ank)-Sev would be permitted. Allan Calhamer has stated that he feels that the move should proceed under the "badly written order" rule.

UNEXPRESSED MOVE (2) [MB:Mar82]

See also Combined Order, Incomplete Order, and Mutual Support.

UNITED (1) [TNP:87]

Football management game invented by Alan Parr.

UNITED KINGDOM VARIANT BANK (1) [MN:Apr92]

See UKVB and Variant Jargon (KW).

UNITED STATES DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]

Invented by Charles Reinsel, each state was one SC; players chose their own initial setup. In USD III, Fred C. Davis cut the SCs to 44, with restrictions on the initial setup. USD III added more naval action, reduced the SCs to 38 and formed distinct countries. See Variant (KW).

UNWANTED CONVOY CONTRADICTION (1) [MB/MN:Jun80/Nov92]

Obscure tactical ploy, outlawed in rulebooks produced in North America since the mid 1980's. If, e.g. France orders an unopposed A(Bel)-Hol, enemy England chips in with F(NTH) CA(Bel)-Hol, and coconspirator Russia dislodges F(NTH). Rule XII.3 (1971 rules) indicates that the army move must fail, but VII.1 indicates that the unopposed move succeeds. This is the only known Rulebook contradiction. [But see Pandin's Paradox!]

In the early 1980's few HRs covered this point, with no pattern to the rulings. Note that this tactic really does have a tactical value --- if the GM rules against France, England can retreat to Holland! [But why would England actually allow a Russian fleet to enter the North Sea to begin with? HR]

UNWANTED SUPPORT (1) [RE:89-90]

The entry really covers two points, since the "Unwanted Support" happens to be a deft response to the "Self-Standoff". The latter allows a player to, say, cover three provinces with two units - without moving either. Austria, for example, facing a Russian A(Gal) and an Italian A(Ven) in an Autumn turn with only A(Bud) and A(Vie) could order A(Bud)-Tri; A(Vie)-Tri and be reasonably confident that, if no other units interfered, he would survive without the loss of any home centre regardless of his opponents' moves. This is also useful in protecting an unoccupied centre or vital province when a player wants to keep his units unmoved. However, it can be thwarted by an "unwanted support", in which the opponent anticipates a self-standoff and, to suit his purposes, orders a unit to support one or other of the "self-standoff" units. In the example above, Italy might order A(Ven) SAA(Vie)-Tri: because A(Vie) was supported, it would succeed in its move, and Russia could capture a centre with the order A(Gal)-Vie. Named by Richard Sharp the Reinhardt Gambit.

U.S. ORPHAN SERVICE (1) [MB/PG/MN+JB:Jun80+Mar82/Nov93/Jan94]

A project started in 1980 to identify orphaned zines, and rehouse their games. Throughout the early 1980s Kathy Caruso took an active role in rehousing games, although she was never an Orphan Custodian.

Custodian(s) (Orphanzine).
Jack Brawner, John Daly and Dick Martin 1980 to ??? ( _The Flying Dogs of Retaliation_)
Kathy Byrne, John Daly and Dick Martin ??? through circa March 1982 to circa 1982 ( _The Doghouse_, appeared in _Everything_.)
Kathy Byrne and John Daly circa 1981 through April 1982 to August 1982 (_The Doghouse_ appeared in _Everything_ 52 /54).
John Daly August 1982 to July 1983 (Everything 56).
Scott Hanson and Dick Martin July 1983 through Winter 1983 (_Kinder, Kurche, und Kirrhe_ appeared in Everything 57).
Scott Hanson and Keith Sherwood ??? through January 1985 to Feb 1985.
Jim Burgess and Keither Sherwood February 1985 to January 1986, ( _Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus_)
Jim Burgess January 1986 to September 1986: ( _Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus_)
Rod Walker September 1986.
Vince Lutterbie
Eric Ozog ??? to November 1993
Paul Kenny November 1993 to present.

(2) [DM:Jan95]

Let me see now... as i remember it (and that's all you'll get from me here, the dirty facts are all hermetically sealed in deluxe cardboard boxes to pass on to future generations in case of nuclear attack), John Daly and I independently came up with the idea of reviving an orphan service in 1980 or so. In a then-radical departure from the prevailing spirit of dipdom, we decided to work together on the project as there seemed to be plenty of work to do. Must have been our relative novice-hood that forced us into that approach. Jack Brawner had also been toying with the idea and was added to the overstuffed masthead only to drop from dipdom soon thereafter.

John and I poked along like that for a few years, and I think we were fairly successful at tracking down the orphans then outstanding and placing them in new homes. I left the team in 82 or 83, a couple big zines went under (I had nothing to do with this, honest!), Kathy joined up, and the rest you know better than I.

Certainly you wouldn't be interested in the legal wrangling it took for us to be officially recognized by Robt Sacks and the NYGB as the successor to Ray Heuer's defunct Orphan Games Project. So I won't mention that. Somehow we managed to make all sides fairly happy, which I can only attribute to our charming personalities and a conscious effort to avoid using the orphan service in the usual self-serving political way (but now that i'm outta dipdom, all bets are off!). I guess we must have done a good job, the thing seems to be alive to this day....

John Daly was the designated publisher for the zine. (retal was already plenty enough for me to do at the time. With his three day on, three day off work schedule at the can factory John had plenty of time for stuff like this.) It was done on light green paper using his mimeo machine.

USOS

Abbreviation for United States Orphan Service. See U.S. Orphan Service.

The whole A-Z, in pdf format, is HERE