Gentlemen

Welcome to a new game of standard diplomacy on the diplomaticcorp website! I'm Michael, your friendly neighbourhood GM, and I'll be your guide during this game. I've been playing Diplomacy on the site for a few years now (with varying degrees of success), and this is my third game as GM.

It's been a while getting started, but the game is now ready to launch. Please take the time to read this introductory email!

HOUSE RULES

Important: My house rules are here. Read them!

http://www.diplomaticcorp.com/houserules/psychosis1973.doc

These are also available on the game's webpage.

Key points are:
- my say is final. I'm the GM. I am the law!
- I live in the UK. Bear this in mind when expecting replies to emails from me!
- I'll acknowledge receipt of orders - without acknowledgement, your orders haven't reached me
- I'll send out reminders for moves as deadlines approach, but it's ultimately the responsibility of players to get moves in on time
- can you label your moves with the game number (which we'll get shortly), the power you control, and the year and season they relate to
- the bit about me not receiving your moves - two strikes and you're out

DIPLOMATICCORP WEBSITE

I'll email out adjudications shortly after the deadline and update the game page on the diplomaticcorp website at the same time. We're game DC301 on the site - you should all have the game now linked on your profile page. The game will shortly have a dedicated forum on the diplomaticcorp site. Feel free to use it!

MESSAGES

Players can send anonymous messages (grey press) through the GM - these can be sent out with adjudications, or immediately - your choice! Useful for stirring things up amongst other powers!

DEADLINES

The Spring 1901 moves are due to me 9PM GMT on Thursday 25 February. I strongly encourage players to every season send in preliminary moves as soon as possible. This will allow me to review your moves and point out any problems (e.g., invalid orders, missing or misplaced units, etc.) that may present themselves in sufficient time for you to correct them!

To ensure everyone's still committed to the game, I'm making preliminaries compulsory for the first turn - could everyone therefore send me preliminary moves by Monday 22 February. I can then be reassured that the game's going smoothly.

I've given a bit more time for those all important first turn negotations. As a rough indication, future deadlines beyond the first turn are planned to be as follows:

Fall 1901: Tuesday 2 March
Fall 1901 retreats (if needed): Thursday 4 March

I'll generally try to have four days for major turns and one or two days for retreat and adjustment turns thereafter

DEADLINE EXTENSIONS

Happy to extend deadlines on request, but please give me plenty of warning!

POWER ALLOCATIONS

And the bit you've all been waiting for....who's got what country!

So, we have...in charge of the dual monarchy, playing as Austria...Steve Andrew (stevenseph1-at-aim.com)

Say hello to the island ruler, playing as England...Matt Barnes(mlb767-at-aim.com)

Munching smelly cheese, garlic and other stereotypical Gallic food, and playing as France...Simon Langley-Evans (Simon.Langley-evans-at-nottingham.ac.uk)

Guten Tag to our German player...Ajay Bhan (ajkbhan-at-gmail.com)

Say "Ciao bella!" to the Italian Stallion...Brian Miller(chessman121212-at-gmail.com)

Coming out of the east, the Russian Bear...Sean O'Donnell (sean_o_donnell-at-hotmail.com)

And finally, our Turkish Delight...Mike Read (porkbelly00-at-gmail.com)

Any questions, or comments please shout and I'll do my best to respond. You may want to introduce yourself to the other players...otherwise...game on!

Michael