by Colin Walsh

A variant based on a number of others including Balkan War, Black Hole and Schizo Diplomacy. My thanks to the inventions of the above games.

1. The normal rules of Diplomacy will apply except where modified below.

2. All the normal countries play (Hereafter known as major powers) plus each neutral country, which received a supply center (if not got one) and a piece of the player’s choice. For the purpose of this game, Iceland and Switzerland become passable minor countries. For Ireland, see Rule 10.

3. At the start of the game, should any country not be occupied by a player, the country remains neutral and cannot be entered.

4. At the end of S 1974. when the game begins, and after every subsequent movement turn, the GM shall draw out of a hat one province (land or sea) to be “Black holed”. If there is a piece in that province, it is annihilated. If it was a supply center, the person controlling it will lose it. Thereafter, a black holed province can’t be entered at any time by any piece! The idea of a black hole province can be seen if you think of Switzerland as one at the beginning of the Regular (not Irish) Diplomacy game.

5. At the same time as a black holing, the GM will also draw one province to be split in two. If there is a piece in the province, a second piece is added of the same type in the other half. If the province is a supply center, then the other half gets a supply center, and the person who originally the province gets credit for the new supply center.

6. The line of separation between the two new provinces created, will be decided by the GM, by drawing a card for each adjacent province. The line drawn between the provinces with the highest cards.

7. Black holes cannot be split, so it one is drawn out, the GM replaces it and tries again until an unblacked hole is drawn out.

8. Unoccupied countries at the start of the game can be split or black holes. After S 1977 and thereafter, the GM shall draw from the 6 existing one for un-black holing. This is now considered an ordinary province liable for black holing etc. If it was originally a supply center, it becomes a neutral supply center.

9. Split provinces may be resplit should they be drawn out for it. If a province is split, one half will be known as 1, and the other half as 2.

e.g. North SEA 1 (NTH 1) North SEA 2 (NTH 2).

Should one be resplit, half will be known as 2 and half 3 and so on.

e.g. North SEA (NTH 2) North SEA (NTH 3).

10. Also included in this game are 2 IRISH units and 3 PSYCHIATRIST units. These can move anywhere on the board. If an IRISH unit enters the same province as an ordinary piece, then the latter goes into anarchy permanently, unless it comes into contact with a PSYCHIATRIST unit, in which case it becomes normal. A unit in anarchy must sill be supported by a supply center. Should the unit be forced to retreat, it is annihilated. The unit may be supported by anyone.

11. IRISH & PSYCHIATRIST units move at the same time as ordinary units and their effect is instantaneous. At the start of the game, the IRISH pieces may be placed on the board in Ireland, and the PSYCHIATRIST pieces in Vienna. However, for the first move, the GM draws at random from a list of every passable space on the board for the S 1974 locations of these pieces. (Buttons, Risk pieces, etc. may be used to designate these pieces.)

12. If an IRISH & PSYCHIATRIST unit meet, they are both annihilated.

13. The movement of the IRISH & PSYCHIATRIST units is done by the GM by drawing a card for each adjacent province, the one with the highest card is where the unit moves.

14. IRISH & PSYCHIATRIST units do not effect the power of any other unit in the province.

15. The game is played for points. Each minor country gets 5 points/supply he holds each build season. A major power 2 points can be given in return for the help of another player. e.g. Italy doesn’t want France to move into (PIE). He offers him 2 points in return for not doing so. The orders are written thus: “If France doesn’t enter (PIE), give him 2 points.” If France obeys this, he gets the points. If not, no points.

16. The victory criterion is provisionally 200 points. Pending play testing.