- EARLIEST DIPZINES (1)
- Jim Meinel in _Diplomacy World_ 65
(Winter 1992) gives the following list:
ZINE NAME EDITOR DATE OF FIRST ISSUE
1: Graustark (John Boardman) May 12th, 1963
2: Ruritania (Dave McDaniel) September 13th, 1963
3: WorlDip (Bruce Pelz) November 14th, 1963
4: WitDip (Bruce Pelz) January 9th, 1964
5: Freedonia (John Boardman) May 2nd, 1964
6: Brobdingnag (Richard Schultz) May 9th, 1964
7: Trantor (John Smythe) August 26th, 1964
8: Wild 'n' Wooly (Dan Brannan) October 16th, 1964
9: The Gamesletter (Don Miller) February 1965
10: Nostrilla Notes (Dan Alderson) March 8th, 1965
11: Costaguana (Conrad von Metzke) April 1st, 1965
12: Massif (John Koning) April 1965
13: Barad-dur (Jack Chalker) July 1965
14: Lusitania (Bernie Kling) July 1965
15: Orthanc (Ron Bounds) Mid 1965
16: Marsovia (Bob Ward) September 1, 1965
17: Lonely Mountain (Charles Wells) September 1965
18: STAB (John Koning) October 9th, 1965
- EARLY ELIMINATIONS (1) [MN:Aug95]
- In UK postal games the 'most popular' early eliminatees are:
1902 Austria (44), Germany (3), France (2), Russia (1).
1903 Austria (112), Russia (32).
1904 Austria (104), England and Turkey (69).
England, Italy and Turkey have never been eliminated in 1902.
(_Dolchstoss_ 198, June 1995).
- EARLY ELIMINATIONS (2) [DTM:Dec95]
- Amongst standard HoF-recognised games (standard means any-type press,
regular or gunboat) the most popular early eliminatees are:
1902 Austria (15), Russia (1), Turkey (1).
1903 Austria (61), England (7), France (10), Germany (18), Italy (1),
Russia (20) and Turkey (19).
Source: RGD post (4th December 1995).
- EARLY ELIMINATIONS (3) [JB:Aug95]
- I was eliminated in 1902 as Turkey in a US postal game in 1983. I had great
fun, but I caused an alliance between Italy, Austria, and Russia to form
against me; How could they do that, I'm such a nice guy... The question is: can
someone have too much fun? The answer is yes, if your opponents lose patience
with your idea of fun. I tortured them with press as Ghost of Turkey for the
rest of the game, which I think finally ended in a three way draw in 1915 or
so. They NEVER completely got rid of me.
The game began with a planned Sev-Con Shuffle between Turkey and Russia, who
was being played by Nancy Irwin in her first postal Diplomacy game. Her
soon-to-be hubby, Puppy Frueh was the man behind the scenes though he swears
that the entire plan was her idea. Russia took Con but bounced me out of the
Shuffle into Sev. Russ Rusnak was playing Italy and Nelson Heintzman Austria.
Russ and I did our usual fun snarling at each other while Nelson and I never
connected (Nelson was a Brux
toady and I very definitely was not). The key to
the game was the clash of personalities! The tactics were secondary. I was at
my press/toady/zoftig peak!! Nancy couldn't handle
it and was sure I was certifiably insane. We met in person at Madcons years
later and laughed about it, but one thing about playing a personality game...
novices are going to slice your balls off for it!!
It was a lot of fun, even as they wiped me out.
- EARLY LEADER (1) [MN:Jan1997]
- It's best to avoid being the early leader, as you become a target for the
other players. What is an early leader? Brad Stuart defines an early leader to
be a player who has 10, or more, centres by 1904. Jeff Vitous suggests a 3
supply centre lead over second place.
- EAST PATERSON NJ DIPLOMACY CLUB (1) [MB:Mar82]
- Earliest Dip club, it promoted the game in its infancy and supplied most of
the members of _Graustark's_ first game.
President was Fred Lerner.
- EASTERN POWERS (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Austria, Russia, Turkey and, depending on his alliance structure, Italy.
The most quintessentially eastern power is Turkey.
- ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]
- A family of variants, including some by that name and
_"Hypereconomic Diplomacy"_. The theory is
that every province has some economic value, not just SCs.
Each province on a regular or
variant board is given its value, and raising
various types of units, bribes etc all have their individual costs. Credits not
used can usually be saved for later seasons, used as loans or indemnities, etc.
These games tend to involve an inordinate amount of GMing work and
overcomplexity. First created by Don Miller and once quite popular, they are
now rarely seen. See Variant (KW).
- EDC
- See European Diplomacy Championship.
- EDI BIRSAN STAB CONTEST (1) [MB:Jun80]
- An award for the essay on the best stab in a
postal game. Begun in 1979, to be awarded annually, under the aegis of DW. The
award is given by a committee chaired by Mark Berch.
See Hobby Awards (KW).
- EFF JUDGE (1) [MN:Dec92]
- See JUDGE, EFF
- EFGIART (1) [MN:Aug94]
- Doug Beyerlein's zine devoted to picking up and finishing orphaned games,
the first such zine in the hobby. Started November 1967 and folded on 186 (May
4th 1985) when Beyerlein was driven out of the hobby by the
Great Feud.
- EGAN, Richard (1) [MN:Dec92]
- Active in the British hobby from the mid 1980's
to the early 1990's. Particularly interested in Diplomacy variants, Richard
used his zine, _Vienna_,
to promote the play of variants.
One of the most active variant fans in this period. Started one of
the most complex postal American football games which is on a par with any of
the commercial games. After a period of burnout when he had a low hobby profile
Richard resumed his career as a publisher by launching a new zine _Lies, Damned
Lies, and Diplomacy_ in 1992. See Personalities (KW).
- EGOBOO (1) [MB:Mar82]
- Short for "ego boost", the psychic reward that a publisher, or anyone, gets
from seeing his name in print, or a project of his succeeding, etc. See also
Nelson, Mark and
Reynolds, Harold.
- ELDRED PIOMBINO QUASI-PARADOX [HR:Apr03]
- Discussed in detail in Andy Schwartz's excellent article
Diplomacy
Paradoxes. In a nutshell, it explains in terms of simple logic (yes, logic
can be applied to this game!) how a paradox, such as Pandin's
Paradox, can occur in adjudication. I quote:
For example, consider the following statement: T: This sentence, T, is
true. On the surface, it seems simple enough. If it is true, then it is true.
Voila. Except, what if we say it is false? Then it is also false.
In the end, the article explains, that this quasi-paradox, as well as the
others in the article, wind up being the result of "a non-simultaneous contingency".
- ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL (1) [EK/MN:Apr92/Nov92]
- This zine began in October 1988 on the small BBS
called Portal. By the Spring of 1990 I discovered that Portal had a free
connection to Usenet and the zine rapidly grew. One key selling point of the
zine was that NMRs were not allowed; if a player failed to
submit orders either the GM had to get orders from the
player or replace the player. Simply holding all the player's units was no
longer an option. Eventually nearly all the GMs on Usenet joined my zine and
followed my houserules with the exception of the computer program
Judge which continued to allow NMRs. Over time,
even Judge adopted my houserules after many of its games collapsed due to NMRs.
This was very important because my zine has too many games to be handled in a
non-automated way. Judge has now started the majority of my 183 electronic
Diplomacy gamestarts although some of my games
are still started by humans.
There have been a number of subzines to
Electronic Protocol. They have been called Chapter One,
Chapter Two, Chapter Three... Electronic Protocol
has had several different Chapter Numbers, currently it is Chapter Eight. With
the exception of Chapter Two these subzines have only been distributed to the
players (and interested parties) in the games being run and have been strictly
warehouse. See
KLIEN, Eric and
Zine Names (KW).
- ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL COORDINATING COUNCIL (1)
- One to write, sometime.
The line of succession of the EPCC Secretary.
February 18th 1993 to 24th September 1993: Josh Smith
24th September to 17th November 1993 : Danny Loeb.
17th November to ?: Mark Nelson.
- ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL NUMBER (1) [MN:Feb93]
- All regular and variant games being run under the
Electronic Protocol Houserules are
assigned a unique designator. At the core are the following rules:
1) Games must be moderated
2) Games must be noNMR (which is the default)
3) Games must be different site. (Exceptions granted for foreign language
games.)
Most moderated games, on all judges which follow
these rules, are part of EP. Why be part of EP? This facilitates archiving, as
well as allowing for a procedure to formally appeal GM
decisions (a process that, while in existence, has never been necessary). It
also makes getting replacement players easier, as some of us, only, or normally
play, in EP games.
- ELECTRONIC PROTOCOL NUMBER CUSTODIAN (1) [MN:Feb93]
- The person who issues EP Numbers to diplomacy/variant games ran over
Internet that satisfy the _EP_ Houserules.
The Custodians have been:
Eric Klien (October 1988 to August 28th 1992) *
Nick Fitzpatrick (??? to 19th February 1993)
Sean Starkey (19th February 1993 to ???)
* On August 28th 1992 the Custodianship was split into two jobs.
One Custodian gave numbers to games run on the Judge and one Custodian
(Eric) gave number to human moderated games.
- ELEPHANT AND WHALE ALLIANCE (1) [MB:Jun80]
- An alliance which features one country
building armies and the other, fleets. Most common example is England-Germany,
but can be done with Russia-Turkey and others. Also referred to as Tiger and Shark.
- ELIMINATION (1) [MN:Dec93]
- The first ever eliminatee was in _Graustark_
8 when Austria was eliminated from 1963-A.
- E-MAIL (1) [AoS:88]
- Electronic Mail: communication between computers.
Diplomacy by E-mail is becoming increasingly common. See
Judge, EFF Judge.
- EMAIL DIPLOMACY (1) [EB:Dec07]
- Email Diplomacy originally revolved around the use of automatic
adjudicators called the Judges as well as some hand moderated GM games.
However in the 21st century the email games shifted dramatically to web based
graphical interface systems that got away from the awkward syntac of the judges
and allowed for a greater number of players to participate. See also Judge, DIPLOMACY
ADJUDICATOR
- EMBARKATION (1) [MB:Mar82]
- In variants that permit combined A/F units ("piggyback convoy") this is the
process of joining the two. It usually requires a season. See
Variant Jargon (KW).
- EMPIRES OF THE MIDDLE AGES (1) [MN:Apr92]
- A large (in scope) board game produced by SPI in
the 1970's which attracted a cult following amongst several UK dip fans in the
1980's. Several of the shorter scenarios were run and several zines started the
campaign game, which has 100 or so turns and takes about 8-10 years to run to
completion at typical zine frequency. (Due to the structure of the game it is
easy to replace drop-outs and add new players when needed.)
- ENDGAME STATEMENT (1) [MB:Mar82]
- A player's essay, running from one line to pages, about the game or his
play in it. Normally this is printed once the game has ended. Players may give
motivations for particular actions, descriptions of special tricks, their
impressions of other players, or just a history of their performance.
GMs occasionally comment. Such a statement may be cathartic;
permitting the player to get the game "behind" him.
- EN GARDE [PB:1980]
- Role-playing game which has been successful in transfer to
postal play. Each player is an individual in the days of chivalry, duels and
two types of women, harlots and ladies. Several campaigns currently running.
- ENGLISH ATTACK (1) [MB/RE/MN:Jun80/89-90/Aug95]
- Richard Sharp's name for the series of French
openings involving the move F(Bre)-ENC, accounting for 1/4 of all French
opening in UK games up to 1980. It is commonly acknowledged that England is the
trickiest power to eliminate, courtesy of its island position and inevitable
emphasis on building fleets. Consequently, some players believe that France
must contain its northern neighbour early in the game, and at all costs prevent
England putting a fleet into the Channel. F(Bre)-ENC may therefore be intended
to stand off F(Lon)-ENC rather than actually threaten the English home centres.
Sometimes the armies move to Spa and Gas, to "assure" 2 builds, a very pro-G
and -I opening, and may indicate that France expects F(Lon)-ENC. Alternatively,
this can be a bid by France to take Belgium, perhaps coupled with the move
A(Par)-Bur or A(Par)-Pic, in which case the name may be a misnomer. This is not
the most popular opening for F(Bre): it is unlikely to result in a centre gain
for France, unlike F(Bre)-MAO, and compromises an assault on England by most
likely pinning down the Fleet in Brest, where the French player would rather be
building a second fleet. The moves F(Bre)-ENC, A(Mar)-Spa and A(Par)-Pic is
most often called the English Attack.
See also English Maginot,
French Openings (KW), and
Northern Dash.
- ENGLISH DEFENCE (1) [MN:Aug95]
- Richard Sharp's name for the opening F(Bre)-ENC,
A(Mar)-Spa and A(Par)-Gas. However it makes more sense to have the English
defence as the moves F(Bre)-ENC and A(Mar)-Spa, with variation depending upon
if A(Par) moves to Brest, Burgundy or Gascony. Note that the move A(Par)-Pic
results in the English Attack. See French Openings (KW).
- ENGLISH MAGINOT (1) [MB:Jun80]
- F(Bre)-ENG, A(Mar) SA(Par)-Bur. This is an alternative approach to taking
Belgium (See Belgium Gambit and Northern Dash), or can be used when a
Anglo-German attack is believed to be imminent. See
French Openings (KW).
- ENGLISH OPENINGS (KW) (1) [MN:Dec93]
- The following English openings have been named:
Atlantic Bind,
Bohas,
Churchill Opening,
Gambole Stunt,
Hey Bresto,
McKejo Opening,
Munich Gambit,
Northern Opening,
Northern Tier Alliance Opening,
North Sea Opening,
Southern Opening,
The Splits,
Steamroller,
Wales Opening,
Yorkshire Opening and
Yorkshire Pudding.
- EPCC
- See Electronic Protocol Coordinating Council.
- EP JUDGE MASTER (1) [MN:Feb93]
- See EP Number Custodian MASTER.
- ERRATIC DIPLOMACY (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Janta-Polczynski's variant in which each game
year the GM reassigns the countries of a standard board. Players get points
according to their SC changes for what country they get that year. See
variant (KW).
- ESCALATION DIPLOMACY (1) [EB:Dec07]
- A same board variant by Edi Birsan designed to solve the problem of less
than 7 players in a game. The game starts with an empty board and players place
one unit at a time anywhere on any space on the board. Players own the centers
that they start on. Then they do a Spring and a Fall 01 move and declare any
three centers on the board as their home centers. If they have a build. own it
and it is open they can build there. Game proceeds till someone has won or a
stalemate. The number of pieces placed depends on the number of players: 2 =
12, 3 = 8, 4 = 6, 5 = 5, 6 = 4. Playing with 2 and 3 or 4 players it is
recommended that you do Gunboat style. Doing 4 or 5 you can do Wilson Style
(talking at the table only), with 5 or 6 play normal negotiation rules. See
Variant (KW).
- ESCHER (1) [WF:Aug96]
- An email diplomacy game in which Austria was on the verge of running away
with the game, having reached 10 centres. Germany and Russia had been fighting
most of the game and were unable to put aside their differences. In addition
France did not trust Russia. Unable to trust each other the solution was for
F/G/R to proxy all of their units to Italy, who had been eliminated from the
game by a brutal stab from Austria and could be relied upon to use the units
properly. Amazingly France, Germany and I proxied all 21 units to Italy who
launched a crushing attack on Austria. Needless to say Austria screamed foul.
My gamble paid off in a three-way draw and the honor of having a footnote in
the diplomacy saga. See Proxy Orders.
- ETHICS (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Questions of right and wrong not directly addressed by the Rulebook or by
consensus of HRs. These include
cross game alliances, the necessity of
reporting a Cloaked Error, forged letters,
impersonation of the GM or his product, spring removals, etc. These questions
can generate intense debates by those involved if they occur.
- ETHIL THE FROG EGOBOO POLL (1) [MN:Apr93]
- The name of the first Poll in the British Hobby, an attempt to find the
best player in the Hobby. Run by John Piggott in 1973 and 1974 through his zine
_Ethil The Frog_. The first poll was won by Piggott and the
second by Richard Sharp. See also
Diplomacy Player Poll and
Hobby Awards (KW).
- EUROCON (1) [PB/MB/TNP:1980/Jun80/1987]
- A regular games playing holiday held by members of the
hobby, ex-members of the hobby and wives/girlfriends
of members of the hobby (usually the hardcore) in
the south of France in 1977-1980. By 1980 had become virtually invitation only.
Generally limited to about 3 dozen people, mostly Britishers, running 2 weeks.
- EUROPEAN DIPLOMACY CHAMPIONSHIP (1) [MN:Sep93]
- An annual event started by the F.F.J.D.S to promote FTF diplomacy in Europe
and to unite the various European diplomacy hobbys. In theory no country
hosting WDC will host EDC in the same year and the sam country can not host EDC
in consecutive years.
Con Location Players Winner Second Third
EDC I Paris (10/93) 194 Sammy Malki Patrice Blandin Philipee Gomes
EDC II Linkoping (5/94) 120 Xavier Blanchot Kalle Stengard Nils Lindeberg
EDC III Cirencester (2.95) ??? Inge Kjol Simon Boulton Johannes Nesser
Con Team Tournament (nationality, teams)
EDC I CRS (France, 24)
EDC II
EDC II There were 25 non-Swedes in the tournament (21%) of which the
largest contingent came from France (10).
- EUROPEAN DIPLOMACY CLUB (1) [MB:Mar82]
- Founded in Nov 1974 by Michel Feron (France), Walter Luc Haas
(Switzerland), Ake Jonsson (Sweden), Michel Liesnard (Belgium), and Enrico
Manfredi (Italy), its goal was to hasten the spread of intra and extra
continental contact, help new players and pubbers, etc. Never had a house zine.
Most activity was in Bumm. One year later it became "IDA --
Central European Division".
- EUROPE 1721 (1) [MB:Jun80]
- John Boyer's 1973 variant with Poland and Spain, but no Germany or Italy,
which did not exist at the time. See Variant (KW).
- EVENT OF THE YEAR (1) [MN:Jan94]
- One of Larry Peery's less successful ideas. An attempt at forming a set of
awards that recognised positive achievement within the International Hobby.
Nominees, nomators and voters were to have been anyone, anywhere except in the
first year when Larry picked the winner. See also
Game of the Year,
Hobby Awards (KW),
Player of the Year and
Publication of the Year.
Year Winner
1991 Osterreichische Diplomacy-Meisterschaft 1991 (Austrian Diplomacy
Championship).
- EXCALIBUR (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Kenneth Clark's seven player variant set in
5th century Britain. Features off-board home centers and special placement
rules. Details in DW #23. See Variant (KW).
- EXPERT (1) [AW:March96]
- An expert player instigates and benefits from stupid stabs. See also
intermediate and novice.
- EYRIE (1) [MB:Mar82]
- Hucknall's press byline in his _Fall of Eagles_.
- FACE TO FACE (FTF) (1) [MB:Jun80]
- The original format for Diplomacy. It differs from some other formats in
the ease of arranging triple alliances, the fact that there is usually no
written record of promises (or of the game itself), the generally social and
informal nature of the game (e.g. in permitting very badly written orders, or
allowing eliminated players to take over another position when its player must
leave), the fact that the players usually have played with each other before,
the importance of tone of voice and body language, and the fact that the games
are usually called on account of time.
- FACE TO FACE (FTF) (2) [TNP/MN:1987/Apr92]
- Often used as an expression for any game. Nowdays somewhat old-fashioned
way of playing games. Led to many divorces.
- FAIRY GAMES [PB:1980]
- A perjorative term applied to fantasy games by people who dislike them.
- FAKE [PB/TNP/MN:1980/87/Sep94]
- Fake letters, fake zines, fake adjudications. All have been tried. No space
for famous examples with the exception of: a fake issue of the Belgian zine
_Moeshoeshoe_ (the first and funniest), produced in 1972 by
Conrad von Metzke, John Leeder and Michel Liesnard;
a fake _Jigsaw_ which was undetectable, and a fake human being, when Duncan
Morris impersonated another player in the game for a whole evening. The 1981
Zine Poll results were faked, but the practice
is more widespread in the States.
- FALL (1) [TNP:87]
- American word, meaning "Autumn". [HR:Aug02] We should rename Summer "Pride"
since Pride cometh before the Fall...
- FALL REMOVAL (1) [MB:Jun80]
- See Spring removal.
- 'FAMOUS' DIPLOMATS (1) [MN/CW:Jun93/Jul95]
- A list of 'well-known' or 'interesting' (our definitions!) of people
associated with diplomacy:
Henry Kissinger: Known to have played the game, although if he
ever played postally, it was under an assumed name.
Dave McDaniels: A professional writer who used the pen-name of 'Ted
Johnstone'. He wrote the 'Man from UNCLE' scripts and a couple of paperbacks.
More famous for running the second-ever postal diplomacy fanzine, _Ruritania_,
and for running the first postal game of diplomacy (John Boardman's first game
had only 5 players).
Michael Portillo: (British Conservative Politician: Secretary of
State for Employment, Minister of Defence). "As teenagers, Portillo and
[schoolboy friend Matthew] Francis used to listen to Judy Collins records, get
cheapo tickets in the gods to see the opera, wander around the embassies
pestering the diplomats for free brochures on life in the People's Republic of
China and the Soviet Union and play the Bismarckian board game Diplomacy:
'God, he was good at it!' " The Observer, 27th November 1994.
Jerry Pournelle: SF writer and computer columnist. He played many
games in _Costaguana_ in the late 60s and 70s.
If you check out his opus "Mote In God's Eye" written in conjunction with Larry
Niven, you will see that he used Dip hobbyists names in the text of the novel.
Namely one "Cal White"...
- FANS (1) [MN:Apr92]
- Anyone who really enjoys a particular activity (in our case playing
Diplomacy) is a fan of that activity. However the word is only used to denote
people that are interested enough to read fanzines and get involved in Fandom.
There are many different types of fan, role-playing fans, games-fans,
diplomacy-fans, sf-fans etc. Within each type of fan it's possible to denote
their activity in fandom: Neofan, BNF, Wizard etc. Anyone reading this document
is at least a proto-fan. See fanzines.
- FANTASY [PB:1980]
- In games, those which involve role-playing and flagrant breaches of the
laws of physics. D&D and Sorceror's Cave are
examples. In literature, distinguished from SF in that
it deals with 'plausible impossibilities'. Most famous is
'Lord of the Rings'.
- FANTASY VARIANTS (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Variant games based, usually, on fantasy books. Thus Norton's "Witch World"
series spawned Witch World I ((By John Robertson -MN)) and II ((By Lew
Pulsipher, not related to I-MN)) ; Dalarna I and II (Leeder) are based on
events after Fletcher's "Well of the Unicorn", and Moorcock's "Eric of
Melniborne" inspired Young Kingdoms I and II and Age of Young Kingdoms. Also
included are various Hyborian variants based on the "Conan" series and the
Tolkien variants. See Variant Jargon (KW).
- FANZINES (1) [MN:Apr92]
- There are many different types of fanzines and deciding just what is and
what is not a fanzine is a difficult (and many would say pointless) exercise.
The best known fanzines are SF fanzines but there are also games fanzines,
interested (you may/may not have to pay for them). Commonly you will be
expected to contribute in some form to remain on the mailing list. Circulations
are normally small (50-several hundred) and production/reproduction methods
Diplomacy fanzines, role-playing fanzines, music fanzines, football fanzines,
poetry fanzines, political fanzines... Almost any area which people can write
about will have a fanzine!
But to attempt the impossible. What is a fanzine? Roughly speaking fanzines
are labours of love, produced by a fan and available to anyone who is
basic (although this is changing with the widespread use of DTP and easy access
to laser printers). SF fans normally like to boast that SF fandom produced the
first fanzines (in the late 1920's). Most fanzines are produced in Western
Europe/the States and fanzine publication has been, at various times, strictly
controlled in Eastern Europe and China.
Fanzine is a contraction of fan magazine. Some have been produced by people
who were professional editors, others by people who couldn't edit a drain.
- FEUD (1) [MB/TNP:Mar82/1987]
- A vague, and usually perjorative, term for a controversy, usually between
two editors, which has escalated in some way. Characteristics include
personality conflicts overshadowing the issues, use of multiple forums (e.g.
arguing in several zines at once), recourse to over generalization, and ad
hominem arguments. There are also attempts to bring in as many other issues as
possible, elevated levels of bitchiness and invective, and attempts to polarize
the hobby by each side lining up allies. Moreover, exaggeration of the
importance of the issues involved, and generally an avoidance of procedures for
actually resolving the issues are common. The first well known one was
Boardman/Reinsel (1966). The longest running is Walker/Boardman. Other well
known ones have been Von Metzke/Reinsel, Walker/Sacks, Boardman/IDA,
Caruso/Linsey, Linsey/Masters, and Tretick/Everybody.
Can becoming very boring if prolonged by insistence on having the last
word. See also Black Hole Affair,
Great Feud and Tro
Affair.
- FINAL STATEMENT [PB:1980]
- See Endgame Statement.
- FINCHLEY CENTRAL (1) [TNP:87]
- Not actually a game, more of a cheap jibe against games players.
Participants take turns to name London Underground stations. "Winner" is the
first to name Finchley Central. A waste of time.
- FINESSED CUT (1) [MB/MN:Mar82/Nov92]
- Rulebook contradiction. England: F Nth C F A Bel-Hol; France: A Bel-Hol;
Germany: F Hol S F Den-Nth. The unanswered question is whether A Bel-Hol is a
convoyed move or not. If it is, then by Rule XII,5 the support of F Hol is not
cut and so F NTH is dislodged. If it is not a convoyed move, F Hol is cut and F
NTH is not dislodged. An example of the
Unwanted Convoy. See _DW_ #29, page 15 and Rules.
- FINK RULE (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Howard Mahler's variant rule in which a
designated fink picks an enemy and a province. If the enemy unit is in that
province after the move, it is dislodged and retreated by the fink. The fink
cannot build or receive support. Details in DW 4. See
Variant (KW).
- FIRST GOLDEN AGE
- See Golden Age.
- FISHER'S FOLLY (1) [MN:May93]
- See Austrian Openings (KW) and
BALKAN GAMBIT, Bohemia aberration.
- FITZPATRICK, Nicholas (1) [NF/MN:Nov92/Aug95]
- Discovered diplomacy as a kid in 1978 but didn't do much with it. Active in
E-mail Diplomacy since Summer 1991. Editor of
_Electronic Protocol_ Chapter 2, from Summer 1992 (succeeding
Daniel Loeb to December 1992. Moderator of
DIPL-L
since early 1992 (succeeding Daniel Loeb). Keeper (and modern creator of) the
Hall Of Fame (Email) since January 1992. Keeper of
The Internet Guide To Diplomacy until the formation of
rec.games.diplomacy when it provided the basis for
Sean Starkey's rec.games.diplomacy.FAQ file.
Sponsor, and creator of USENET group REC.GAMES.DIPLOMACY in
Fall 1992. Current Judge EP# Master Custodian. Appointed Internet Miller Number
Custodian November 1993. Coined the word Carebear. See
Personalities (KW). (Devised the Judge Code
Classification Scheme. All round good guy, hero and email BNF- MN)
- FIVE SEASON YEAR (1) [MN:Nov92]
- In email games run by a Judge each season is
played separately. This means that players never have to make conditional
orders which is a *Good Thing*. Unfortunately it gives players the opportunity
to diplome about things that they shouldn't do (retreats and builds). It also
lengthens the time to play the game to completion, but the advantages far
outweigh the disadvantages. See International System, North American System and
Three Season Year for ways of running Diplomacy by post.
- FLEET (1) [TNP:87]
- Sea-going unit in Diplomacy. Beginners tend to build too many.
- FLEET ROME (1) [AoS:88]
- Technically a Diplomacy variant that many
would like to see replace standard or regular Diplomacy. The only difference is
that Italy starts the game with a Fleet in Rome as well as Naples. Supporters
argue that this would perfect the balance of the game. Opposition say it is
perfectly balanced already. Some rating systems include Fleet Rome results,
some don't. See Variant (KW).
- FLEET ROME (2) [EB:Dec07]
- In the pirated Diplomacy version in Brazil (done in Portugese) amongst
other changes such as making North Africa a supply center, it started Italy
with Fleet Rome rather than an army. The results were that Austria became much
stronger though it did little to affect a change of Italy's fortunes. In fact
with the combination of adding North Africa as a center it allowed both Germany
and France to get three builds in 1901 without conflict. The results were a
disaster for Italy and England in games played under these conditions.
- FLINTLOCK II (1) [MB:Jun80]
- John Leeder's variant set in the 1600's in North America. Players are
English and French colonials, and Indian tribes. See
Variant (KW).
- FLUID SUPPLY CENTRES (1) [AP:1986]
- In regular diplomacy, centres are either neutral or home supply centres,
and a player may only make new unit builds in their home supply centres. Fluid
rules allow builds to be made in any vacant supply centre which a player owns.
In some other variants, the rules allow the ownership of non-home supply
centres to be exchanged or loaned. See also Build Centres and
Variant Jargon (KW).
- FLYER (1) [MB:Jun80]
- A separate sheet usually having one game and sent only to those players.
Can be done to provide simultaneous commentary, because of lack of room in the
main zine, because the deadlines for that game have slipped from the others, to
correct an error, etc.
- FLYING BUFFALO (1) [MN:Dec92]
- One of the first companies to run pro-PBM games and one of the first to use
computer moderation. It also had the rights to distribute Tunnels and Trolls
(an early RPG game designed by former hobby member/variant designer Ken St
Andre).
- FLYING DUTCHMAN (1) [MB/RE:Jun80/89-90]
- Essentially a face-to-face phenomenon, this is an
extra unit slipped onto the board, or exchanged for a piece of a different type
(say, an Army for a Fleet) or colour. If it goes undetected, the player
controlling it will often endeavour to embroil it in the development of the
game so thoroughly that, even if spotted, it becomes difficult to rectify the
mistake. House rules may vary in such circumstances:
under some house rules, it is possible to swap F(Tus) for A(Tus), order it to
Venice, then "spot" the mistake and have it changed back to a fleet. In others,
the unit will be moved back to Tuscany and made a fleet once more, or have to
remain an army for the rest of the game. Where there is not a
GM, this sort of duplicity is thoroughly within the
spirit of the game, for all that the more "sober" games-player may disapprove.
However, in postal play, this sort of thing is only possible if the GM makes
a mistake or is misled by a player (perish the thought!), and since it is
generally acknowledged that deception of the GM is unacceptable, the latter is
likely to result in the player being ejected from the game, the
zine, and perhaps worse.
- FOG OF WAR (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Cecil Nurse's variant, basically a hidden
movement game with scouting, phony units, and screening. See
Variant (KW).
- FOLD (1) [MB:Mar82]
- The discontinuation of a zine. The
GGMs (if any) and players must find a new publisher. The games
may continue via flyer, but are usually transferred to a new
GM. See Clean Fold
and Messy Fold.
- FOOLSCAP [PB:1980]
- Possible paper size of zine. Most are now A4 or A5 [in Europe, anyways -- HR].
- FOOLS MATE (1) [MB:Jun80]
- The shortest possible game of Diplomacy resulting in a win for a particular
country or alliance. This silliness often requires people convoy armies into
their home centres, etc.
- FOREKNOWLEDGE VARIANT (1) [MB:Jun80]
- A class of variants in which one player first submits orders for 4
countries. His opponent (often the GM), having seen these moves submits orders
for the other three. Has been played in several Canadian zines. See
Variant (KW).
- FORGERY (1) [MB:Jun80]
- Creating a letter purporting to come from another is
rather difficult, and the ethics of this are quite controversial.
- FORMAT (1) [MB:Jun80]
- There are four principal formats for Diplomacy: Postal, Face
to Face, telephone and tournament. Each has its own distinctive
characteristics, which very much affect the style of play. See also
school games.
- FORMULA ONE [PB:1980]
- Waddington's game which is being played postally quite successfully.
- FORTRESSES (1) [AP:1986]
- These are special supply centres which mean that any friendly unit which is
caused to defend in the space does so with the extra strength equivalent to one
unit. A fortress does not strengthen a unit which is attacked when attempting
to move out. Garrisons are effectively fortresses with an intrinsic defence
strength of one against attack by certain powers, even if they are not occupied
by regular units. In some variants, Garrisons are a type of supply centre.
However, in others they are presented as type of unit. See
Standing Armies and
VariantJargon (KW).
- FREDERICH OPENING (1) [MB/MN:Mar82/Aug95]
- John Mark's name for A Mun-Ruh, A Ber-Sil. France should be pleased and
more inclined to move against E, and A Sil can guard Mun against A Bur-Mun just
as well as A Kie can. It also gives protection against A War-Sil. We have the
following variations: Baltic, Dannish, Dutch and Heligoland. See German Opening
(KW).
- FREEBIE (1) [MB/TNP:Jun80/1987]
- An issue that is not charged against people's subs.
Sometimes this is because it is so short (Conrad von
Metzke once did this because an issue was 'only' 14 pages), or precipitated
by the GM's errors, or the previous issue was poorly printed, or
because it goes to so few people, or the publisher wishes to appear generous.
Often handed out at cons and
hobbymeets.
- FRENCH ATTACK (1) [MN:Aug95]
- Richard Sharp's name for the opening A(Ven)-Pie,
A(Rom)-Tus and F(Nap)-TYS. It seems better to use A(Ven)-Pie and F(Nap)-TYS as
the stem for the French Attack. Then we have the following variations:
A(Rom)-Apu (French attack, Apulian Variation), A(Rom) H (French attack, Rome
Variation), A(Rom)-Nap (French attack, Naples Variation), A(Rom)-Tus (French
attack), A(Rom)-Ven (French attack, Venice Variation). The Venice Variation is
sometimes called the Alpine Chicken (Tyrrhenian Variation). See
Italian Openings (KW).
- FRENCH OPENINGS (KW) (1) [MN:Dec93]
- Named French Openings include:
Belgian Gambit,
Burgundy Opening,
English Attack,
English Defence,
English Maginot,
Gambole Stunt,
Gascony Opening,
Gaspic Opening,
Hey Bresto,
Iberian Indecision,
Inverted Vineyard,
Maginot Opening,
McKejo Opening,
Northern Dash,
Northern Limp,
Northern Tier Alliance Opening,
Picardy Opening,
Piedmont System,
Steamroller and
Vineyard Opening.
- FRESHMAN POLL, THE (1) [MN/PG:Sep92/Nov93]
- Originally run by Glen Overby in _Jihad_ in 1981, revived by Pete Gaughan
in 1993 as part of the Marco Poll. The Poll is
restricted to zines (and
subzines) that have started in the previous 12
months.
ZINE SECTION
Year #Votes 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1981 44 Europa Express Sleepless Knights The Schemer Irksome and Tacky
(tie)
1983 ?? Magus
1984 ?? House of Lords
1985 ?? Flick of the Wrist.
1993 25 Zero-Sum
SUBZINE SECTION
Year
1981 For Women Only (Jihad) and Phyllis's Pyramid (tie), 3. Diplomatic Immunity
(Coat of Arms), 4. Magnificent (Whitestonia), 5. The Snake Pit
(Why Me?).
note Phyllis's Pyramid was a roving subzine.
- FRIENDLY ATTACK (1) [MB:Jun80]
- A tactical maneuver whereby an ally's unit is dislodged, permitting him to
take a strategic retreat, often forward, or to a supply center. The dislodged
unit is often ordered to move to a province that he cannot enter, so that the
enemy cannot foil this by supporting the to-be-dislodged unit. The possibility
of using this tactic is a good reason to retain a puppet rather than wiping him
out. See Konigratz Freakout.
- FRINGE ZINE (1) [MN:Dec92]
- A zine which runs postal Diplomacy but which has
little contact with mainstream/hobby zines. Often sent only to friends of the
editor and running only one or two games with little, if any, hobby news.
- FRP [TNP:87]
- (1) Fantasy role playing. Gary Gygax started the ball rolling with his
dice-loaded Dungeons and Dragons. Others saw the
potential for development if you can avoid the pitfalls (especially systems
dependence) and use your imagination. Avoid proprietary versions.
- FTF (1) [MN:Apr92]
- See Face-To-Face.
- FUNCTIONAL STALEMATE LINE [MB:Mar82]
- This is a line that is not technically a
stalemate line, but functions as one because the
opposers do not have, nor can they generate, the right mix of units to crack
it. See pseudo stalemate line.