threadID=60371

hase length: 2 days
Bet: 40 old-points
Variant: FoW
Country assignment: Random
Pot type: WTA
Anon game: semi-anon actually
Messaging rule: Exploration special rule
Rating requirements: Reliability 90+ , Min Phases 100+
NMR policy: NMR:∞/1

I’d say kick off November 1st .

Any takers on this?

Why yes, I do believe I will.

I'm in!

sounds fun (and yes I read the rules ;) can't believe I missed the first series of this. Count me in.

This was fun last time, I'm in.

Decima - what exactly is "semi anon"?

Count me in for the rematch.

I also ran one game in the Cloak & Dagger series:

La Grande Illusion
http://vdiplomacy.com/board.php?gameID=24093#gamePanel

Semi-anon is where you might know who's in the game, but not who exactly they are.

Here's Decima Legio's description of the special rule:

Exploration Variant Twist

In order to simulate "exploration" dynamics, you will not be able to communicate with players that you're not in close contact with. "Contact" will be assured by Units and by SCs. Two powers having 1) neighboring units, 2) neighboring SCs, or 3) neighboring units and SCs will be considered "in contact." Unit bounces are NOT considered "contacts."

For example, France and Germany are not allowed to talk to each other in Fall 1901 if the armies in Paris and Munich have just had a standoff in Burgundy. On the contrary, they will be allowed to talk to each other in Fall 1901 if France forces the move with one support, since due to the position gained in
Burgundy, the French army will be visible from Germany and at least the Munich SC will be visible from France.

In simpler terms, you can't communicate with players beyond the Fog... and for obvious reasons, using global chat is forbidden. During the retreat phase, the unit about to retreat will be considered to be temporarily in the former territory.

Last but not least, there's no option to disable communication between countries. It is formally forbidden by the Exploration rules twist to communicate with countries you're not "in contact" with, so... it will be a gentlemen's agreement not to do so. If someone makes a mistake and contacts you who isn't supposed to, post up a warning on global chat, "Careful Austria, we are out of contact." That should help eliminate illegal communication.

Hi G-Man, welcome on board.
I didn’t know about La Grande Illusion. Glad to hear that.
So, for what it’s worth, this will be the episode IV.


“If someone makes a mistake and contacts you who isn’t supposed to, post up a warning on global chat…Careful Austria…”
Sorry, G-Man, I think that this warning message that you propose is a spreading of the mistake itself. If you post that warning on the Global chat you’re going to give everyone informations that some of the powers were not even supposed to know.

Unfortunately, there’s no technical way to prevent communication errors in this kind of special rule game.
I’m in contact with the Mods, and I’m making sure that I, as a non-playing GM, can see the whole map disclosed by the fog. If so, I may be able to actually help in preventing the players from breaking the communication rule.
I’ll take care to recap the communication rule in a more understandable manner before the game starts.
Make sure that the rule is understood by the 7 players, and messaging errors will hardly arise.

Then… we’re all humans. If Austria sends a message to Italy when he wasn’t allowed to…
I’ll expect Austria or Italy to acknowledge the error and send a second brief message/reply “communication error”. Not more… and not in the Global.
Please limit the use of the Global tab for pauses/extends only.


*******************

If you had the pleasure to play a FoW variant, you know that each turn only a portion of the map is visible. This portion depends on where your units and SCs are displaced.

So let’s say you’re England, can you communicate with Germany?
Can you see any German Unit? ----- > Yes, you can
Can you see any German SC? ----- > Yes, you can
Else? ----- > No, you cannot

… EACH TURN, whenever you want to send a message to an opponent, follow the steps above. It’s pretty simple.

*Retreat phase: during the retreat phases, do consider that the conquered territory temporarily contains both the units (the one previously there and the new one arrived).

Do not take care about the neutral territories color. It has nothing to do with the “Contact” logic. Do focus only on units and SCs.

I thought I had invited you to La Grande Lusion Decima Legio, but that you were not able to take on another game at that time? I could be thinking of another game though. Sorry about adding in that last part about the illegal communication warning, which I had included in my game. Although it didn't come up, you're right that it does in fact give out too much information and I will not include that next time I run a FOW Exploration Variant game.

You don't have to be sorry, G-Man.
When I set up the first experiment, the communication rule appeared so clear and simple to me that I didn't think to add a way to handle illegal comunications.
Unfortunately communication errors happened (honest players who did confess them) so It's good to state a rule about how to handle them.

Amby, as G-Man said, semi-anon is an anon game where the list of participants is made public. So far we have:


1 – Dr. Recommended
2 – Les Matadors
3 – kaner406
4 – TheAmbassador
5 – G-Man
6 –
7 –

Oh wow this sounds awesome. I have read the rules to FoW but have not yet played one. If you need an extra player I'd be happy to, but it sounds like I don't meet the requirements.

I'll give her a try...

1 – Dr. Recommended
2 – Les Matadors
3 – kaner406
4 – TheAmbassador
5 – G-Man
6 – Samj
7 –

Can I weasel my way in?

If someone drops out, I'll fill the spot.
(bows to ScubaSteve who posted first)

And I've done FoW and even a contact press game before.

I may have overstepped by adding myself to the list without Decima's approval... I want in, but it is at his discretion.

1 – Dr. Recommended
2 – Les Matadors
3 – kaner406
4 – TheAmbassador
5 – G-Man
6 – Ezio
7 – Samj

I did fill the list in order of appearance.

Samj, what makes you think that you're not allowed to play? You show a Sun Tzu quote on your profile: you deserve the spot.

Ezio: you will be the wildcard.
I usually do not trust newcomers and they happen to be unreliable 90% of the times. You seem to be in the other 10% though... And the best way to have new players becoming attached to Vdip is actually offer them interesting gaming experiences.
You are in. I hope that you won't disappoint us.


Any questions/doubts before the game starts?

Ezio: if you can spare 1 hour of time, do listen to this podcast from 2 of your future opponents.

http://diplomacygames.com/diplomacy-games-podcast-episode-2-shownotes/

Please have a look at the movie that shows in practice how you "see" the board as Turkey.

Just praying I didn't bite off more than.I can chew considering the all-stars listed as my opponents! Ready for some diplomacy at its finest...

Just relax and have fun. The first one was a blast!

I get it... Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride... As I board the biggest roller coaster at VDip Park... ;-) Weeeeeeee!!!!!

No, the biggest is the annual Chaoctopi. It's freaking insane. THIS is the comfortable classic that produces tons of thrills but doesn't make you fear for your life for the entire ride. I'm envious. I wish I had noticed the thread earlier.

Oh wow thank you so much! I hope I don't disappoint.

No questions here Decima. Plenty of doubts, but not about this game ;)
I'll watch for the link posted here or PMed.

The Exploration Game IV , gameID=28600

Game created.
Invites&password sent.