# Doper Diplomacy - Fall and Winter 2002 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2002, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858 "2002-08-28T01:21:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/601 "2002-11-01T01:01:00Z")
Ah. I see there’s no thought to the concept of ‘stalemate lines’ in your head, Omni. In the standard game there are some patterns that recur. With those combinations of provinces and units occur then there’s no possibility of dislodgement. Example: Suppose Turkey has Moscow and Livonia while Russia has St Petersburg and Finland. Regardless of positions elsewhere on the board Turkey can only bring a 2 unit attack on St Pete while Russia can defend with 2 units. It’s a loop and therefore unbreakable. There are similar spots all over the map. That’s why draws are so common. And with the rules stating that there’s no advantage to having more or fewer players in a DIAS why continue when a stalemate line is set. For more info on stalemate lines you can go here: [http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/resources/strategy/stalemate.htm](http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/resources/strategy/stalemate.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/602 "2002-11-01T03:26:34Z")
Dip 1046 “Better late than never” has been Adjudicated. Everyone will hold with the number of SCs they have or get 1 or 2 builds—with the exception of one very unhappy player who has all the disbands. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/603 "2002-11-01T04:31:38Z")
OK, we’re signed up as the “Fighting Ignorance” in the tourney. I need country preferences from each of you, the ones now are completely arbitrary, I had to assign everyone a country to register. I also please, please need one or two people to volunteer as alternates, we can’t be sure everyone can stick the entire game. Bluesman wants to play and can play now, but if Uncle Sam needs him, he’ll have to be replaced. Please go [here](http://www.cat23.com/wm02/viewtms.aspx) and check out your information, I used emails and info that I had on hand, make sure those are the ones you want to use, edit them if not. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/604 "2002-11-01T06:00:57Z")
You can edit your info by clicking on your name. I wouldn’t point this out except that the idea of it eluded me for some time and I wanted to save anyone else the trouble. Also, if anyone wants to see 1046 on the web for whatever reason, the latest turn is [here](http://www.geocities.com/inthetank2001/1046F05.html)… and the main page is [here](http://www.geocities.com/inthetank2001/1046MAIN.html). ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/605 "2002-11-01T06:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weirddave \* > \*\*OK, we’re signed up as the “Fighting Ignorance” in the tourney. > > I also please, please need one or two people to volunteer as alternates, we can’t be sure everyone can stick the entire game.\*\* The name was suppose to be the ‘Fighting Ignorants’, and you already had two people volunteering as alternates. 13 pages, a little bit louder and a little bit worse. Hopefully a little less controversial this time. \*\*New Page Links, c&p’d: [Cat23 Diplomacy Game Free State 10(W-)40](http://www.wooleysark.com/dip/rtfirefly/) page. [Cat23](http://www.cat23.com/cat23/) and [diplom.org](http://www.diplom.org/) pages. And [the official Dip rules](http://www.hasbro.com/instruct/Diplomacy.PDF), in PDF format. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Go\_alien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Go\_alien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_alien)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/606 "2002-11-01T10:21:20Z")
Stalemate seems imminent. Austria will get Turkey, eventually, France and Russia will get England, eventually, and that’s about it. Unless… **England (Weirddave)**: Your prospects look bleak. Very bleak. In fact so bleak that now is the time to be checking property prices in Switzerland. **France (Omniscient)**: With Russian help, you get England. I assume the deal is one supply centre each. Then it gets very tricky. France and Russia will have more supply centres than Austria but not much opportunity to use them. I’ hold in Germany and pack the Med with fleets to try and turn Austria’s flank. Not easy but it can be done. Keep the Russians on side and who knows. **Germany (White Lightning)**: Scene – Switzerland, a remote hunting lodge in the Alps. Wilhelm von Hohenzollern and his major domo, von Schlieffen, are dining. Wilhelm: “Vell von Schlieffen, how goes ze var?” Von Schlieffen: “It goes on, much fighting, death, destruction, you know, ze usual stuff. Oh, and it appears that some Italian tourists are in the next valley.” Wilhelm, reaching for the gun-rack: “Und how many zis time, half a million, a million?” Von Schlieffen: “Nein, nein, zey really are tourists. Or rather, exiles. It’s ze Italian government, or rather, vas.” Wilhelm: “Ve must haf zem over for dinner.” Von Schlieffen: “Ja, a fondue party, I zink. I expect ze English and ze Turks vill be joining us later, as vell.” **Italy (Jonathan Chance)**: The barbarians are at the gates, again. Yet another Roman empire bites the dust, I make it four now – Roman, Byzantine, Holy Roman and you. Poor old Romans, always declining and falling about. **Austria (Abe Babe)**: It’s all over for Turkey. You’ll get there in the end but then what? The Russians have got the measure of you and are closely allied to the French. Their united front will block any expansion in the north and west and I think you’re vulnerable in the Med. But I do have a cunning plan – persuade the Russians to stab the French, offering second place as bait. The French could win with you second, forcing the Russians into third place, whereas you could help them into second behind Austria. You never know. **Russia (Steve)**: Do you want to come second or third? Negotiate now. The Austrians can block you for ever, the French are vulnerable to a stab. Just a thought. **Turkey (ShibbOleth)**: Not a lot to going on for you right now. You can delay the inevitable, though. Go for Constantinople in Spring and with luck you’ll block the Austrians. Then, in Fall, persuade the Russians to support you into Sevastopol. With luck you get Sevastopol and build in Ankara. It might work, it might not, but at least it keeps the Austrians guessing. * * * Go Alien – Whose day job, fortunately, doesn’t require any strategic ability. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/607 "2002-11-01T12:10:37Z")
Dave, I’ll be happy to use my spreadsheet to assign countries on the basis of country preferences. If we want to do respectably, we ought to have everybody playing a country they have a basic comfort level with. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/608 "2002-11-01T12:13:47Z")
Well, that outlook appears rather bleak. It’s too bad the Swiss won’t let Turks in. Maybe I can find some nice retirement property down in the Lebanon. It’s very peaceful there, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/609 "2002-11-01T12:37:32Z")
You will pay, Shibb. Pay, I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/610 "2002-11-01T13:38:36Z")
Man, I just have a small yacht in the Black Sea. I ain’t botherin’ no one. Oh, you mean that _other_ game. Well, you weren’t using it. What’s the rent on Sweden with no houses? Besides, you didn’t even leave yourself any space for builds and you could have grabbed Belgium quite easily yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/611 "2002-11-01T13:41:58Z")
Hardly an excuse. I wouldn’t have minded banking that build for later. Reparations or death, Muscovite. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/612 "2002-11-01T23:45:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Jonathan Chance \*\*\* > Reparations or death, Muscovite. Now that’s the kind of talk I like to hear. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/613 "2002-11-02T11:50:54Z")
Spring 1907 results are up. French fleets break through in the Med! The Austrian army fights its way into Munich! Russia regains Warsaw! Yes, folks, the carnage in Europe continues. We need a brace of retreats from **Abe Babe**. Fall 1907 moves are due Monday morning, but under our new hurry-up policy, I’ll adjudicate earlier if I get a full complement of moves marked **FINAL** before then, and subsequent deadlines would be moved up accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/614 "2002-11-02T14:31:39Z")
The Dip 1040 map has been updated with Austria’s Spring 1907 retreats. The Fall 1907 Diplomacy season is underway. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/615 "2002-11-03T00:10:32Z")
I still need one set of builds/disbands in 1046. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/616 "2002-11-03T00:13:05Z")
An email has been dispached to the missing party. If you diodn’t get one, I got yours. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/617 "2002-11-04T10:59:13Z")
Along those lines, I’m still waiting on one set of orders in 1040. The party in question has been notified. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/618 "2002-11-04T12:02:19Z")
Dip 1040 Fall 1907 results are up. We need a retreat from Austria. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/619 "2002-11-04T13:21:58Z")
So long, and thanks for all the fish. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858/620 "2002-11-04T13:32:19Z")
**Shibb** , I just want to say, nice job. It isn’t easy to persevere when your prospects are as poor as yours were from the get-go, but you continued to play seriously, despite your situation. Better luck next time - you deserve it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-diplomacy-fall-and-winter-2002/125858.md?page=32)