I'm good to go, when everyone else is, Mike.
About me, for everyone else, my name is Thomas I am 25, make a living selling stuff to people and spend a lot of time replying via my phone. That being said, sometimes my spell check sneaks weird words past me that proof reading doesn't catch. I am playing two other games on DC, DC442 and DC455 which I am substituting for since someone couldn't play and missed a turn.  
- Thomas  Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone. From: Michael SimsSent: Friday, May 3, 2013 9:09 AMTo: tom.s.holmes(at)gmail.com; cartesian.i(at)gmail.com; wt.joseph(at)gmail.com; dandip2011(at)gmail.com; fhizzo(at)fibertel.com.ar; dmenear(at)frontier.com; joral(at)darkenedpath.com; Maxatrest(at)yahoo.co.uk; pokerthief(at)gmail.comCc: dc458Subject: dc458 Pre-Game Start!


Greetings!
Welcome everyone, to what is about to become the four hundred and fifty-eighth game of Diplomaticcorp Diplomacy!
 
This will be a normal pace game.  For anyone playing in the blitz, that should warrant a deep sigh of relief... we'll run at about a week per major season.  So 5 days for a Spring/Fall and 2 days for a Summer/Winter will be pretty standard.  I've come to like that pace for keeping the game moving yet giving everyone enough time to negotiate.
 
There are quite a few new players in this game -- please write back and let me and the group know that you've actually played the game before, understand the rules, how email Diplomacy works, etc.  Everyone should send out a little intro really... like... "I'm 39, lie often in these games, and will most likely stab you when you least expect it."  Or... maybe a little less honest, or perhaps touch on a bit of non-Dip stuff and let ppl figure that part of you out as you go.  Like me!  Besides running games, we're renovating our basement this year and last year finished a mega tree fort project... (www.sims-family.net/treehouse)
 
What else... Oh yes, the rules.  You should take a look over my house rules:  www.sims-family.net/dip/houserules.htm.  At least click the link, see how long they are, then decide not to read them.  Or read the first and sixth word of each line and presume the rest.  Or just figure rules are rules and wait till one bites you in the butt to protest.  They basically cover things related to the email adaptation of Diplomacy -- like delays and deadlines.  I can't emphasize enough that I like to run the turns when I say I will -- so if you are late, chances are you will just get an NMR and all your units will hold.
 
And speaking of NMRs... At least for those of you who are new, I do need to know that you are here to play this game to the end, even if you get slammed right off!  Gotta figure by the probabilities alone, around half of you are going to have things go ways you'd rather they not.  Be sure you are committed to a game that could go 6 months to a year of real life time!  If you're moving to Saturn next month, please don't join the game now, then tell me in a month "sorry I gotta go I'm moving to Saturn".
 
So at this point, we have 9 ppl listed here for a 7 player game.  You all need to reply to me, the group, etc, let me know you're ready to go.  The first 7 to do so will get in!  The other two can join the next open game, which is already open.
Enjoy!
-mike