Diplomacy: Game Over

[Zemalac]

All right, here we go.

First of all, MeatSpace chose to disband the retreating unit. Assume the little red outline in the above map means the boats are on fire or something.

I decided to get everyone's orders without posting a retreat map, because I deemed that would be faster.

Thus, here are the events of Fall 1913.

Spoiler: Orders, Exactly As Received

FALL 1913

Germany

nwy-nth
ber-kie
den s ber-kie
hol s ber-kie
ruh-bel
bur-mun
swe hold
mos hold

Turkey

A Ven-Tus
A Tyr-Ven
All others hold

France

All hold, bring out the finest French prostitutes and fly the Turkish flag. Execute German ambassador. Convert to Islam.
A kie dislodged by move from ber (3 against 1)

Game ends. Turkey wins by controlling 18 supply centers.

And here is the map that resulted:

[HEADING=1]GAME IS OVER. VICTORY CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET.[/HEADING]

[HEADING=1]TURKEY WINS[/HEADING]

Congratulations Saskwach! The world is yours.

Other Items of Note (in bullet point format)

• 
  Saskwach has offered to host the next game of Diplomacy. I thought that was rather kind of him, and claimed dibs on a spot. If you want to play in the next game, look for the 'Wach sometime soon.
  
  As some of you may know, I've been working on another game, an RP, for some time now. I mentioned in a few PM conversations that I would be starting it this weekend, seeing as the Diplomacy game is over. It turns out I was a bit optimistic in that assumption: apparently I won't be able to start it for about three weeks. My apologies to those of you who were looking forward to it (you know who you are).

And...I think that's it.

This thread was started on September 30, 2008. The game began on October 2nd, and now it ends on May 15, 2009. We've been playing this game for seven months and thirteen days now, over the course of twenty-six turns. Seven players started the game: three remain, and one of those isn't the original player for that power. To those of you who reached this point: well done. To those of you who fell behind and fell out: better luck next time.

Actually, no, have worse luck next time, because I'm hoping to play in the next game. Lucky opponents are the last thing I need.

Here, it would seem, my GM duties come to an end. It's been an excellent game, gentlemen. Let's do it again real soon.

 

[Saskwach]

GG and thanks to all who played. Since I tangoed with Meatspace and BoVinE the most I'll say that you two were really impressive and frequently terrified me. Meatspace, you took a France with a death warrant on its forehead and made it a power. BoVinE, you expanded yourself with German efficiency until you were the threat on the board. I'd also like to thank chromesuke for being a top ally and Armitage Shanks for being a tenacious and f***ing annoying enemy. If there was one player who I was worried had lost me the game with his stubborn resistance it was Armitage, and if there was one who gave it back to me it was chromesuke.
And to all those I betrayed: sorry, won't happen again.

Re: the Diplomacy match, I have some bad news. I'm applying for Army Reserves, and I expect the process will take a month or two before I'm shipped off for 28 days of boot camp. While there I'll barely have time to call family and friends (and even then, only in the later weeks) so I don't hold out any hope that I can continue a Diplomacy match. So I can't run a Dip match for two/three months. I will run one after that, but if two months is too long for some people, feel free to start up your own game (I'll still run mine though, so that we drum up some more activity and interest).

 

[Zemalac]

Re: the Diplomacy match, I have some bad news. I'm applying for Army Reserves, and I expect the process will take a month or two before I'm shipped off for 28 days of boot camp. While there I'll barely have time to call family and friends (and even then, only in the later weeks) so I don't hold out any hope that I can continue a Diplomacy match. So I can't run a Dip match for two/three months. I will run one after that, but if two months is too long for some people, feel free to start up your own game (I'll still run mine though, so that we drum up some more activity and interest).

...You know, out of all the things I thought might affect the next game, the Australian army was pretty far down on the list.

 

[Saskwach]

...You know, out of all the things I thought might affect the next game, the Australian army was pretty far down on the list.

Blame military efficiency and Saskwach laziness. Perhaps I could have begun the process a tad earlier (though how earlier was hard to gauge since I didn't want to jet off before this game finished) but these guys are more booked out than a doctor; I'll have to wait 3 weeks before I can even see someone.
But that could work for us. Since it'll take about two months before I'm gone, I could start the game, get it off to a good start, then delegate the order taking and such to you, Zem, until I'm back. I know you'll be playing but I think this isn't a serious enough game that players can't trust you not to open the PM titled "Spring 1903 Orders DO NOT READ". Furthermore, we could use a simple safeguard: you don't solicit orders until you've sent a PM containing your orders to my inbox (at which point you'll post or PM everyone saying "Now taking orders"). When I return I can check the time stamps to see that you did indeed send your (final and not-to-be-changed) orders to me before you asked for anyone else's. It'd slow each turn down - but then that happened quite often anyway.
Yep, that seems like a good enough system to keep the game going for a month. What's more, it means that any delays in my application don't push the next game back indefinitely. What do you think?

 

[Zemalac]

...You know, out of all the things I thought might affect the next game, the Australian army was pretty far down on the list.

Blame military efficiency and Saskwach laziness. Perhaps I could have begun the process a tad earlier (though how earlier was hard to gauge since I didn't want to jet off before this game finished) but these guys are more booked out than a doctor; I'll have to wait 3 weeks before I can even see someone.
But that could work for us. Since it'll take about two months before I'm gone, I could start the game, get it off to a good start, then delegate the order taking and such to you, Zem, until I'm back. I know you'll be playing but I think this isn't a serious enough game that players can't trust you not to open the PM titled "Spring 1903 Orders DO NOT READ". Furthermore, we could use a simple safeguard: you don't solicit orders until you've sent a PM containing your orders to my inbox (at which point you'll post or PM everyone saying "Now taking orders"). When I return I can check the time stamps to see that you did indeed send your (final and not-to-be-changed) orders to me before you asked for anyone else's. It'd slow each turn down - but then that happened quite often anyway.
Yep, that seems like a good enough system to keep the game going for a month. What's more, it means that any delays in my application don't push the next game back indefinitely. What do you think?

Well...hmmm.

My initial reaction was to say that when you're running a game of Diplomacy you have to assume that your players are trying to cheat frequently and creatively, and thus having me play and do the orders for a month would be a bad idea, but the solution you came up with is actually quite elegant. I think that could work.

Even if it doesn't, I imagine that you could easily get someone not playing to fill in for you. I say let's go ahead and try it.

If it doesn't work out for some reason, well, we'll have one turn with a month to negotiate in.