Welcome to DC 236, your first round of the annual DC Winter Blitz. I am Rachael, I will be your GM for this lovely game. Below is a list of rules that every player needs to read and make sure they follow! I also wanted to let everyone know that I will be incommunicado on Monday the 12th and Monday the 19th as I will be on the road driving to and from MI ( I live in GA ). You still need to send me your orders along with the other 3 addresses ( see below ) during my absence. Mike Sim or Former Trout will run the adjudications on those days for me. Please read the following

*** Send me your country preferences by Thursday afternoon, 7pm EST ( 12am GMT ). I am planning for this to be the hour of the daily deadline, but I can be flexible if enough of you prefer an earlier or later hour.

Timelines:
I will want Spring 1901 prelims from everybody by Friday Evening 7pm EST ( 12pm GMT ). Spring 1901 will follow on Monday the 12th, and Fall 1901 on Thursday Evening on the 15th at the same time. Retreats/Builds will always be due the day after the results are out...ie Tuesday and Friday. Please note the important dates below:

Important dates Entries due by:Thursday Jan 1, 2009 Round 1 lineups announced:Monday Jan 5, 2009 Round 1 Spring 01 deadline:Monday Jan 12, 2009 Round 1 Fall 01 deadline:Thursday Jan 15, 2009 Round 1 Spring 10 deadline:Monday Mar 16, 2009 Round 1 Fall 10 deadline:Thursday Mar 19, 2009 (May continue past 10 years and overlap round 2) Round 2 lineups announced:Monday Mar 23, 2009 Round 2 Spring 01 deadline:Monday Mar 30, 2009 Round 2 Fall 01 deadline:Thursday Apr 2, 2009 Round 2 Spring 10 deadline:Monday Jun 1, 2009 Round 2 Fall 10 deadline:Thursday Jun 4, 2009 (May continue past 10 years - no hard cutoff)

Now for the rules:

Please include "DC 236" somewhere in your subject line on all emails. I use filters on my email account, and this ensures that all "DC 236" goes to the right folders. Also, in case I cannot adjudicate, a tournament director will adjudicate from the backup orders email address -- your use of "DC 236" will make it clear to them which game you are in.

Please copy all orders to: orders(at)diplomaticcorp.com ([email]orders(at)diplomaticcorp.com[/email]) address.

The tournament's web page is: www.diplomaticcorp.com/winterblitz -- please read the rules.

Our game's status will always be available at: http://www.diplomaticcorp.com/?game_id=dc236

Due to the daily deadlines, you will only have 24 hours to protest any errors found in the results. Please check adjudications as soon as you receive them.

Due to daily deadlines, I will not be sending out reminders (though I think the tournament directors may).