Dont forget spring 01 prelims today! Moves aren't due today, I just need to make sure the game gets off to a good start. With this many players it's hard to track everyone down, but it's a lot easier if everyone sends in prelims.
From: Michael Sims
Sent: Mon 8/22/2011 1:47 PM
Cc: dc394
Subject: dc394 - some info
Hey everyone,
Now that we're off and running, I've gotten a few queries on the map. I have to remember that only about half of you have played before, so there's lots to learn. For those of you who know this already, well, you can just sit back and relax w the knowledge that you're one step ahead of the group... give yourself a pat on the back. (put down your dagger first or it could be an embarrassing way to go out)
The Haven is played predominantly in what's referred to as the Overworld. This is the big circular map you see. It's a pretty normal map, all things considered. While I toiled with the idea of building a Diplomacy world on a Mobius Strip or even a Kline Bottle, this is, alas, just a Sphere. Like any modern-day sphere, this one is *round*, not *flat*... and so, it wraps around the edge. I tried to draw somewhat intuitive indications of what wraps around on the other side. Like you see Sable's Swamp in the northwest corner? Well you also see a sliver of it in the northeast. Thus, a fleet there could move to any of the spaces that it connects to, on either side of the map.
Some other features you might notice in the Haven are...
Rivers. Lots of them. Rivers work like canals (Con, Kiel) in Diplomacy - they connect spaces as if they're coastal. Thus a fleet can move from one space to another, as long as the river connects there. Take that starting Barbarian fleet for example. It looks landlocked, but it's actually right on a fork in the river, and thus has a lot of first turn movement choices. It can move to any space adjacent that is along the river - that is any direction but east/northeast.
Arrows. Snappy red ones. Where you see these, the spaces are connected. Arrows that point to two land spaces mean those land spaces are considered adjacent, even tho it doesn't look like they are. Armies and/or fleets can both follow these arrows or give support to the neighboring space as if they were actually touching. And arrows that connect sea zones... see them all around the High Seas... make movement out there a little more fluid (heh). This idea was cannibalized from Ancient Med that first invented Arrows back around 220BC to designate a 4-way crossover in the central sea zones of that variant.
Important: The other thing of interest we see are the two different types of supply centers... normal round dots, and then larger circles with a crosshairs in them. These larger ones are called Eternal Build Centers, or "EBC's". Anyone who owns one of these centers (and per typical build rules, has it vacant and a build available on a winter turn) can build a unit in their Home Centers *or* an EBC. This makes them extremely valueable forward build points - that are in most cases right in the back yard of several players. On this redraw of the Haven map, the number of EBCs was raised from 9 to 12.
The other place action will take place is the Underworld. A much smaller map in the lower right. The Dwarves start here, and many other powers have historically visited here - since you can span vast distances in the Overworld via only a couple hops underground. Want to move from Cave of Ordeals to Icereach? Well that's about 7 spaces across the Overworld, but only *2 hops* via the Underworld. Consider these warp points, stalemate breakers, or just headaches in a box cuz they will will certainly give you a lot to think about. The Overworld is connected to the Underworld via 8 spaces (they are colored a lighter gray on the Underworld map) that exist on *both* maps. A unit in one of these crossover spaces is actually in both spots, even tho it will only be shown in the Overworld. Only armies can go underground... tho fleets can enter a few of the crossover spaces that adjoin rivers or lakes.
Also note the Underworld wraps around too. There are 5 little arrows that point off to the sides, with some labels in a box that they point to indicating a space on the other side.
Altogether, these features are intended to create a fluid large-scale map that is *not* prone to eventual end in continental stalemates.
Enjoy,
-mike
From: Michael Sims
Subject: dc394 Game Start!
Here we go!
Had a little breather there while I confirmed everyone's interest and swapped out a couple critters but now our lineup is set. These will be your enemies going forward!
For those logistically minded wizardly types who are interested in statistical sorts of things, the folks who turned in prefs outnumbered those who had none by 11 to 8. A little over half.
First deadline: Monday 8/29, 3pm Central. That's a week, which is about half a Troll's hair longer than a normal turn which will usually be 5 days followed by 2 days for retreats and/or builds.
But before that, everyone *must* send me a prelim set of Spring 01 orders immediately! These are prelims. They're not final. You can change them any time, but you should always turn them in early. On the first turn they're required. So pls take a moment to send in your best guess as to what your Spring 01 orders may be. This is due by Wed 8/24, 3pm Central. This ensures we will have a full turn and I can put out the results right on time, which everyone loves..
So what are we waiting for? Go! Fight! Win! Let me know how things go. I'm always interested in hearing about how to make maps better and how the map affects early negotiations. In particular for those who have played before, how the changes affect things...
PRESS: Press is certainly welcome. Anonymous type stuff you can submit with your orders to have published with the results. Go crazy.
If you can't read the chart below (HTML) then you can find the player lineup online... www.diplomaticcorp.com/game_page.php?game_id=dc394.
If you don't show a "Location" below, pls take a moment to update your profile. It's always fun to know where our players are from. A worldly game here, with the majority of players from the US, but representation also from the UK, Canada, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany.
Enjoy!
-mike
ID
Country
Name
Email
Location
balthazar
Samurai
balthazar logan
baz.dip(at)gmail.com
Philadelphia, PA, US
bielf11
Magicians
Frank Bielschowsky
dipcorp.player(at)gmail.com
Soest, UT, NL
briandiffell
Knights
Brian Diffell
diplomacy(at)diffell.net
Arlington, VA, US
chaosonejoe
Hobbits
Joe Babinsack
chaosonejoe(at)yahoo.com
Butler, PA, US
ConradW
Gnomes
Charles Welsh
welsh_stroud(at)msn.com
Ellicott City, MD, US
garry.bledsoe
Wizards
Garry Bledsoe
kielmarch(at)hotmail.com
Little Rock , AR, US
initdoby5
Nomads
Dan Sinensky
dan.i.sinensky(at)gmail.com
US
jerome777
Centaurs
Jerome Payne
jerome777(at)ymail.com
Peterborough, CAMBS, UK
Jim-Bob
Dwarves
Jim Burgess
jfburgess(at)gmail.com
Providence, RI, US
mgsmuhammad
Archers
Stuart Coutts
wealllovekatamari(at)yahoo.com
London, GLONDON, UK
mjn82
Ogres
Mike Norton
mjn82(at)yahoo.com
offdisc
Rogues
Mike Hoffman
mrh(at)panix.com
Denver, CO, US
sandiegosmith
Leprechauns
Mark Smith
sandiegosmith(at)hotmail.com
San Diego, CA, US
Spinoza
Undead
Matthias Matzinger
Spinozas(at)gmx.net
Zurich, CH
Telcontar
Trolls
Greg Kovas
kingkovas(at)gmail.com
Ann Arbor, MI, US
The_Blurbist
Elves
Chris Lockheardt
clockheardt(at)yahoo.com
Andover, MA, US
tiga124
Barbarians
Markus Paeuser
tiga124(at)aol.com
Walldorf, DE
Tomahaha
Pirates
Tom Reinecker
tomahaha(at)frontiernet.net
Viper
Faeries
Michael Penner
mvpenner(at)yahoo.com
Winnipeg, MB, CA
