by John Armstrong
Detailed Maps: Africa; North America; South America; Asia; Europe
Version 6.0, Revised July 1999
“Shall I join with other nations in alliance? If allies are weak am I not best alone?
If allies are strong with power to protect me, might they not protect me out of all I own?
Is a danger to be trusting one another. One will seldom want to do what other wishes.
But unless someday somebody trusts somebody, there’ll be nothing left on earth excepting fishes.”
– King of Siam, “The King and I”
I. General Rules
Except where otherwise noted herein, the standard Diplomacy rules apply.
II. Players and Countries
The game is best played with twelve players, each controlling one of the great powers of the world prior to World War I: Austria-Hungary (or simply Austria), Brazil, England (known then as Great Britain), Ethiopia, France, Germany, India (independent from England in this game), Italy, Japan, Russia, Turkey, and the United States of America (USA).
III. Object of the Game
There are 82 supply centers that function according to the standard rules. A power that controls more than 50% (42 centers or more) is said to have taken control of the world and won the game.
IV. Separations of Continents
A. Affected Powers: Only England, France, Germany, and Russia are affected by the Separation of Continents rule. Hereafter, England, France, Germany and Russia will be referred to as the “Colonial Powers.”
B. Terms Defined:
1. Continents: There are four “continents”: Africa, America (includes both North and South), Asia (also includes Australia), and Europe. A list of which centers belong to which continents is given in this rulebook (see List of Playable Provinces). The continents are color-coded on the game board.
2. Continental Units: A unit built in or starting in a continent is a unit of that continent (e.g. “Asian units” are units built in or starting in Asia) regardless of where in the world the unit is moved (e.g. A unit built in Asia is still an Asian unit even if moved into Europe).
Recommended To Keep The Units Straight: For the Colonial Powers, use both the plastic “stars and anchors” for European units and the “classic” wooden block pieces for African units. For Russia, use these wooden pieces for Asian units. Since England starts with units in three continents, you may need to use a third set of counters for their Asian units.
C. The Rule: For Colonial Powers, the units of a continent must be supported by supply centers of the same continent (i.e. their “Asian units” are supported by the “Asian centers” they own).
Example 1: At the end of a game year in a face-to-face game, the GM counts up the number of centers Russia owns in Asia (the brown spaces on the game board) and the number of white wooden pieces (signifying Asian units that Russia owns). The GM counts six centers and seven units. Russia must disband an Asian unit.
Example 2: Continuing with example #1, Russia also gains a build in Europe in the same year. However, Russia can’t use the gain in Europe to compensate for the loss in Asia. Russia must build a European unit and disband an Asian unit.
Example 3: Continuing with example #2, all of Russia’s European home centers are occupied. Russia can’t build a European unit. They must play one unit short in Europe and still disband one Asian unit.
Example 4: Italy gains Tunis in the fall of 1901. Italy is not one of the power affected by the Separation of Continents Rule. Italy may freely build in either Africa or Europe.
Example 5: France captures Tunis with a European fleet (built in Marseilles). Although captured by a European unit, Tunis is still, by definition, an African center and counts towards France’s African status. Also, that unit is still, by definition, European, and still supported by France’s European status.
D. Elimination from a Continent: If a Colonial Power’s supply center status in a continent is ever reduced to zero at the end of a game year, that power is “eliminated” from that continent and may not build or have status in that continent for the rest of the game. If the Colonial Power, after being eliminated from a continent, later captures supply centers in that continent, the Exception Clause (IV. E. below) is used to determine where to construct the new units from the gains in that continent.
E. Exception Clause: The exception to Rule IV.C. occurs when any one of the following requirements are met: (1) a Colonial Power captures a supply center in a continent where it was given no home centers at the start of the game, (2) a Colonial Power captures a supply center in a continent where it has been “eliminated” from that continent at the end of any prior game year, or (3) England captures a Turkish home supply center. If any one of these three requirements are met, the capturing unit transfers the supplies (and added status) to the unit’s home continent. If none of these three requirements are met, this exception clause does not apply.
Example 6: Russia takes San Francisco with an Asian army. However, Russia was given no American home supply centers. Russia’s Asian status is increased by one with this American center taken by an Asian unit.
Example 7: Germany is eliminated from Africa in one game year. Later on in the game, Germany lands European units in Africa, capturing the supply center, Algeria, in the fall. Algeria adds to Germany’s “European Status” because the second requirement in rule IV.E. is met.
Example 8: England captures Jerusalem (JER) with an African unit (the fleet that starts in Egypt). Although technically an Asian supply center, Jerusalem is a Turkish home center so the third requirement is met. England transfers the added status from Jerusalem to its African status.
Example 9: Russia gains a center in Europe but loses one in Asia. Russia tries to argue that his status doesn’t change since one of his European centers is Smyrna, which is occupied by an Asian unit. However, Russia has not been eliminated in Europe. Here, the exception clause does not apply because none of the three requirements are met. Because of this, Russia does NOT transfer this status from Smyrna to Asia. Smyrna still adds to Russia’s European status despite being occupied by an Asian army.
V. Movement in Certain Unusual Positions on the Board
A. Canals: There are four “canals” in the world that function according to the 3rd Edition Diplomacy Rulebook (VIII. 3a. “Kiel and Constantinople”):
1. Central America
2. Constantinople
3. Egypt
4. Kiel
B. Separate Coasts: There are “separate coasts” for the following provinces that function according to the 3rd Edition Diplomacy Rulebook (VIII. 3b. “Provinces Having Two Coasts”):
1. Bulgaria
2. Colombia
3. Mexico
4. St. Petersburg
5. Spain
C. Land Bridges: There are “land bridges” that function according to the 3rd Edition Diplomacy Rulebook between the following provinces (VIII. 3c. “Sweden and Denmark”):
1. Denmark and Sweden
2. Indonesia and Siam
3. All islands that belong to the same space (see clause E and F below).
4. Hokkaido and Tokyo
5. Kyushu, Shikoku, and Osaka (connects all three to one another)
D. Unplayable Coasts: A fleet may not move to a province that does not border a playable body of water. Therefore, Ural, Yakutsk, and Yukon, which only border on the unplayable Arctic Sea, are unplayable to fleets.
E. Indonesia: Although made up of many islands, the province Indonesia (IDO) is considered to be one space interconnected with land bridges. A land bridge also connects this province to Siam. There is no separate coast for Indonesia nor does it cause Siam to have more than one coast. However, units may NOT pass through Indonesia or Siam without first moving directly into these provinces (i.e. moving from the Philippine Sea to the Coral Sea in one move is not legal).
Example 10: The following are examples of legal and illegal moves around Indonesia to illustrate. These examples assume that these moves are not opposed.
Legal: Spring: A Sia-IDO, Fall: A Ido-NEW (land bridges connect Indonesia to these provinces).
Legal: Spring: F Scs-IDO, Fall: F Ido-EIO (Indonesia has only one coast).
Legal: Spring: F Scs-SIA, Fall: F Sia-EIO (Indonesia does not cause Siam to have more than one coast).
Not Legal: Spring F SCS-eio (attempt to “jump over” Indonesia (or Siam) is not legal).
F. The Philippines: Although composed of many islands, the Philippines is considered one space interconnected with land bridges.
G. Polar Regions: The north and south ends of the map are impassable and the Polar Regions are unplayable.
VI. Siberia
The Russian fleet that begins in Siberia must hold its position for the spring and fall turns of 1901 (reflecting the need for repairs following Russia’s recent disastrous conflict in the Pacific). It may move normally afterwards and all other units constructed in Siberia are unaffected by this rule. The “real reason” for this rule is to balance Russia’s size and give the other powers in Asia “breathing room” at the beginning of the game.
VII. Order of Seasons
In Global Diplomacy, the year begins with the (mid to late) Winter adjustments (builds and disbands) followed by Spring moves, Summer retreats, Fall moves, and December retreats. After the December retreats are resolved, the game year has ended. The centers are counted, status is computed, and adjustments are required from the players for the next game year. Consequently, this is the order of seasons:
Feburary 1901 Adjustments (This is already done at the game start. Players have no control over this.)
Spring 1901 moves
Summer 1901 retreats
Fall 1901 moves
December 1901 retreats
January 1902. Occupied centers change ownership. Status is computed.
Feburary 1902 adjustments
Spring 1902 moves
etc.