Gentlemen, here's a little explanation of the rules I've chosen for the game. Feel free to make alternate suggestions if you find something objectionable.
Press: WHITE_GREY: This means that you can choose to send any and all press anonymously. This can come in handy when you want to suggest something to another power, yet you don't want them to know who suggested it. NO_LATE_RECEIVE: This means that if you miss a deadline and are late with your orders, you cannot receive any private press from another country. This rule is in place to encourage you to get your orders in in a timely manner.
Secrecy: LIST_WAITERS: This rule means that if you check the box labeled "wait for deadline before processing", everyone will know you are doing this. The reason I put this rule into effect is to encourage you all to not check that box unless absolutely necessary, in order to keep the game moving. If I see someone that continues to keep that box checkmarked, I will be contacting that person for an explanation on why they are doing so.
Timing: At the top of the game screen, you'll notice this: AT 13:00 DAYS −MTWTF− GRACE 1D This means that every deadline will happen at 13:00 Eastern time, and deadlines will only occur during the traditional work week. No deadlines will happen on a Saturday or Sunday. GRACE 1D means that if you miss a deadline, you will have 24hrs to get your orders in before CIVIL_DISORDER ensues in your country. As game master, I have a duty to keep the flow of the game moving. Consequently, I reserve the right to remove the 1 day grace period if I feel that someone is abusing it. There's nothing more frustrating as a player than having to wait on someone who misses a deadline. Please do your utmost to get your orders in
before the deadline, so that the game moves along at a steady pace.
Late Power Handling: CIVIL_DISORDER: Your country will enter into civil disorder if you miss a deadline, and the 1 day grace period expires. If this happens during a movement phase, all of your units will issue a HOLD order. If it's during a retreat phase then CD_RETREATS goes into effect. This means that the dpjudge will retreat any dislodged units randomly, preferably into supply centers. If your country enters civil disorder during a winter build phase, you waive any opportunity to build units. This could be disastrous for you, so please note that missing a deadline is not a good idea.
With all that being said, I am a reasonable game master, so if you are going to be gone on vacation for a week, just send me press and ask for a deadline extension. I will then change the current deadline to a time that allows you at least one day to give your orders once you return. I'm perfectly willing to be accommodating for you on this, as long as you don't abuse it. This game is going to take months anyway, so we want to keep it moving along as fast as possible.
If you need to drop out of the game due to unforseen circumstances, then it's
your responsibilty to find a replacement who will take over for you. By joining the game, everyone here is expecting you to fulfill your obligation as a ruler, and see the thing through either to your glorious victory, or to your humiliating exile to Easter Island. This game involves back stabbing your friends and getting back stabbed by your friends, so just assume now that you will get stabbed....and you will like it!
Speaking of strategy, since we are playing the Imperial map, I'm not going to be of much help. But from my limited experience playing Diplomacy so far, there is one difference between players who are alive at the end, and players who are eliminated early: The players who survive are the ones who are the communicators, the ones who make and influence friends from turn one, and continue to converse with their friends, AND their enemies. Remember, today's ally could be tomorrow's enemy, and vice versa.
If you need anything, you know where to find me.
Good luck to all, it's going to get pretty ugly in a hurry.
Master banana
