# SDMB Diplomacy World Championship **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 11, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571 "2005-11-11T14:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/221 "2006-02-10T00:30:50Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > And I have never, EVER won an online game. You’re just too damn warm and fuzzy. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/222 "2006-02-10T01:38:04Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > _sigh_. I’ve got better things to do with my time than play the patsy in a game of spank-the-n00b. :rolleyes: As this is probably at least partly directed at me, let me just say that I think you’re actually playing really well. You have a really bad diplomatic position (which I admit I’m not helping) but in the face of that you’ve been not just holding your own but actually putting a fair bit of pressure on. And I’m really not trying to play “spank-the-n00b”, honest…heck, this is only my second online Dip game. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/223 "2006-02-10T09:23:25Z")
> [@Orbifold](#): > > As this is probably at least partly directed at me, let me just say that I think you’re actually playing really well. You have a really bad diplomatic position (which I admit I’m not helping) but in the face of that you’ve been not just holding your own but actually putting a fair bit of pressure on. And I’m really not trying to play “spank-the-n00b”, honest…heck, this is only my second online Dip game. You’re a gent, **Orb** , but this doesn’t change the fact that I’m getting reamed from approximately three directions at once. Oh well, better build a frogs’ legs stall in Liverpool, it looks like I’m due for some visitors. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/224 "2006-02-10T09:27:26Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Don’t let whatever’s happening in this game sour you on the game. First, someone is going to get the dirty end of the stick – the nature of the beast is someone is going to be the focus of the attack. Some days you’re the windshield, somedays you’re the bug. Sucks, but it’s life. > > Second, if you’re new at this then there is a learning curve. Ask for feedback afterwards or at least review what happened and try to see where things went askew. Otherwise you might find yourself in the same position again and again. IIRC I was toasted to a crisp in my first game but have done okay in most subsequent outings. I’d like to think that the people adjoining me were just selfish bastards who didn’t see the real opportunities that sticking with me would have afforded them, but in reality I have to take at least some of the credit for my eventual demise. > > I’ve found I’ve enjoyed the game best, and usually played better, when I was able to establish a good rapport with the folks I was playing with and against. Even getting stabbed is a lot more palatable if the person who stabs you does it with grace and aplomb. > > I’d be happy to share tips and pointers with you after the games are over, although since there is still a chance we’ll both meet in the next round I am a bit reluctant to be _too_ helpful at this point, but drop me an email if you like. > > - Shibb Well, I’ve actually been playing the game on and off for 'prox thirty years, so I’m not a n00b in absolute terms, only in this playing circle. It could be worse, there was a group I played in where I regularly got ganged up on regardless of the actual state of the game because, apparently, my knowing what I was doing miraculously made my three pieces worth five or six of someone else’s. But the way I see it, some well-aired grousing is a valid part of _Diplomacy_. It may or not be effective, but there’s no harm in trying. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/225 "2006-02-10T09:40:05Z")
Well, I’ve been playing SDMB Dip with this big group of folks for probably 3 or more years now and never once have I seen any one player be singled out. Rarely do I even see residual emotion or carry-over diplomatic relationships from game to game. So grouse away, but don’t too get bent out of shape cause I’d say it’s a pretty solid, straight group we got here. Everyone will be happy to take you out behind the woodshed next time around of course, but by no means is there any motivation besides plain ole Dippity goodness. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/226 "2006-02-10T10:54:15Z")
Yeah, yeah. That’s just what you _would_ say. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/227 "2006-02-10T11:20:02Z")
_looks around innocently_ ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/228 "2006-02-10T15:42:53Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Well, I’ve actually been playing the game on and off for 'prox thirty years, so I’m not a n00b in absolute terms, only in this playing circle. At least in terms of Diplomacy, there’s no one in your game that I could refer to as a cabal, and with the current players I wouldn’t be surprised if none of them or at best a couple had ever been in the same game before. **RTFirefly** or **John Corrado** might have been exceptions to that, but it’s not as if JC was lighting up the place before. Yeah, there’s going to be a tendency for those that know each others tendency to use that to their purposes, but I don’t believe it’s much of a factor in your game. If you can use that to your advantage, however, feel free to whinge away. 🙂 ---
**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:** [February 10, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/229 "2006-02-10T17:28:07Z")
Map is at: [http://www.wooleysark.com/dip](http://www.wooleysark.com/dip) Schedule: Spring 1904 Orders due: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 9AM Eastern US Time Fall 1904 Orders due: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 9AM Eastern US Time Winter 1904 Orders due: Thursday, February 23, 3006 9AM Eastern US Time And the orders: Austria: Remove A Greece England: None France: Build F Marseilles Germany: Build F Berlin Italy: Build F Naples Russia: None Turkey: None ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/230 "2006-02-16T23:56:56Z")
Sorry, guys! I’m the delinquent one in Game Two. I just haven’t been on point lately. I apologize. ---
**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:** [February 17, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/231 "2006-02-17T14:23:13Z")
Map is at: [http://www.wooleysark.com/dip](http://www.wooleysark.com/dip) Retreats/Disbands: English F Norway can retreat to Skagerrak or Barents Sea or OTB. Austrian A Serbia can retreat to Bulgaria or OTB. Let’s get those in ASAP so we can keep the game moving. Schedule: Fall 1904 Orders due: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 9AM Eastern US Time Winter 1904 Orders due: Thursday, February 23, 2006 9AM Eastern US Time Spring 1905 Orders due: Wednesday, March 1, 2006 9AM Eastern US Time And the orders: Austria: A Bohemia - Vienna A Serbia Supports A Vienna - Budapest (_Dislodged_) A Vienna - Budapest England: F Norway Supports F Skagerrak - Sweden (_Dislodged_) F Norwegian Sea Supports F Norway F Skagerrak - Sweden France: F Belgium Hold A Burgundy - Marseilles A Gascony - Spain F Irish Sea - Liverpool F Marseilles - Gulf of Lyon A Picardy, no move received Germany: F Berlin - Baltic Sea F Denmark - North Sea A Kiel - Denmark F London Supports F Denmark - North Sea A Munich - Tyrolia (_Fails_) A Ruhr - Munich (_Fails_) Italy: F Adriatic Sea - Ionian Sea A Albania - Serbia F Naples - Tyrrhenian Sea A Trieste Supports A Albania - Serbia A Tyrolia Hold Russia: A Budapest - Rumania A Finland Supports F Sweden - Norway A Moscow - Warsaw A St Petersburg Supports F Sweden - Norway F Sweden - Norway Turkey: F Aegean Sea Supports F Bulgaria(sc) (_Ordered to Move_) F Bulgaria(sc) - Greece A Galicia Supports A Vienna (_Ordered to Move_) F Ionian Sea - Tunis A Sevastopol - Moscow A Ukraine Supports A Sevastopol - Moscow ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/232 "2006-02-17T14:32:38Z")
That map is so totally whacked. Also, has the Turk’s imagination finally gotten the better of him? It’s only spring and he has potentially two hostile armies behind his line of defense. Curioser and curioser… ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/233 "2006-02-17T15:04:37Z")
> [@Alan Smithee](#): > > Sorry, guys! I’m the delinquent one in Game Two. I just haven’t been on point lately. I apologize. And you’re messing up your support orders - get with it man!!! :mad: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/234 "2006-02-17T16:24:23Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > F Belgium Hold > A Burgundy - Marseilles > A Gascony - Spain > F Irish Sea - Liverpool > F Marseilles - Gulf of Lyon > A Picardy, no move received That’s not what I submitted. **Jonathan** , I just sent you e-mail about this, but I gave different orders for Belgium and Picardy. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/235 "2006-02-17T23:44:26Z")
Come on guys, get the lead out. Being comprehensively shat on is one thing, but having to wait so long is exceedingly wearing. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/236 "2006-02-18T02:54:19Z")
Hey, I’m coming to conquer you as fast as I can! Gimme time…I’ll get there. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/237 "2006-02-18T03:51:03Z")
Hey! All my friends are idiots (ie won’t play Dip) How do I join up? ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/238 "2006-02-18T04:56:35Z")
The way things have been going, wait for someone to quit Game two and sign up! (I can joke about this, since I almost got myself kicked out this last turn for being so late.) ---
**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:** [February 18, 2006, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/239 "2006-02-18T13:41:17Z")
> [@Orbifold](#): > > That’s not what I submitted. **Jonathan** , I just sent you e-mail about this, but I gave different orders for Belgium and Picardy. Hrm. Let me check. It wouldn’t be the first time I botched something. Just ask Shibb. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571/240 "2006-02-20T04:05:46Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > Hrm. Let me check. It wouldn’t be the first time I botched something. > > Just ask Shibb. Please give us a game update and timeline when this is resolved. Gracias! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy-world-championship/330571.md?page=13)