Multiplomacy (cb13)

by Colin Hemming (1973)

1.  1971 Diplomacy Rules apply unless contradicted below.

2.  Playing-board.  The regular board is used with the following modifications:

            (i) Switzerland is not impassable.
            (ii) Albania becomes part of Austria Hungary
            (iii) Bulgaria becomes part of Turkey
            (iv) Bohemia becomes neutral
            (v) All land provinces are supply centers

3.  The original deployment of units is as follows:

            E: F Cly; F Edi; A Lpl; F Yor; A Wal; F Lon
            G: A Mun; F Kie; F Ber; F Pru; A Sil; A Ruh
            R: A War; F Stp(sc); A Mos; F Sev; A Ukr; A Lvn; F Fin
            T: A Con; F Ank; A Arm; F Smy; F Syr; A Bul
            A: F Tri; A Bud; A Vie; A Tyo; A Gal; F Alb
            I: A Pie; A Ven; F Tus; F Rom; A Apu; F Nap
            F: A Pic; F Bre; A Par; A Bur; F Gas; F Mar

4.  There is no limit to the number of units of the same nationality that may occupy a province.  At no time, however, are units of more than one nationally allowed to occupy the same province.  Units occupying the same province are not grouped together as “multiple units”, but retain their individuality and are at liberty to make completely different moves.

5.  Notation:  Standard notation is used with the following exceptions: 

(i) A number preceding the unit-type indicates the number of units of that type from a multiply-held province that are to make a particular move.  Absence of a number indicates that the province is singly-held.

(ii) If support is partially out (see below) then in publication the moves, they will be written to indicate exactly which part has been cut.

            Example:  Suppose England has 4 Fleets in Nth, 1 Fleet in Nwy, and 1 Fleet in London, and that France has 4 Fleets in Eng.  The moves might be:

            F: 3 F Eng-Bre; 1 F Eng-Nth
            E: F Lon stands; 2 F Nth sup F Lon; 1 F Nth sups F Lon; 1 F Nth-Nwy; F Nwy-Nwy

            Note that both moves to Nwy succeed, a self-standoff is impossible in this game.

            England’s original orders, of course, would have ordered the support for Lon as “3 F Nth sup F Lon”, which is re-written for clarity.

6.  Attacks:  Quite simply, by analogy with regular Diplomacy, the numerically greater attack succeeds.

            Examples:

            (i)         R: 2 F Sev-Bla
                        T: F Ank-Bla

            (ii)        R: 2 F Sev-Bla, F Rum-Bla
                        T: F Ank-Bla sup by F Con

            (Russia would end up with 3 F’s in Bla – his attacks are taken to be in unison.)

            (iii)       G: 2 A Mun stands
                        I: 2 A Swi-Mun sup by 1 A Swi  (Swi=Switzerland)

            (iv)       G: 2 A Mun stands
                        I: 2 A Swi-Mun sup by 1 A Swi
                        F: A Bur-Mun
                        A: 3 A Boh sup FA Bur-Mun

            (Although 2 Armies are displaced, their place is taken by only one)

            Note that it is the total of attacks and support that is relevant.  Note also that the Italian attack is completely ineffective; an analogy in regular Diplomacy is:

                        G: A Mun stands
                        F: A Bur-Mun
                        A: A Tyo-Mun sup by A Boh

            (v)        F: 2 A Spa stand; 1 F Spa(sc) stands; 1 F Spa(nc)-Mid
                        E: F Nat-Mid
                        I: 4 F Wes-Spa(sc)

            But:      F: 2 A Spa stand; 1 F Spa (sc) stands; 1 F Spa(nc)-Mid
                        I: 4 F Wes-Spa(sc)

            Note that units of the same nationality are permitted to change positions:

            (vi)       F: A Mar-Spa; 1 F Spa(sc)-Mar; 1 A Spa stands

            But:      F: A Mar-Spa; 1 F Spa(sc)-Mar; 1 A Spa stands
                        I: A Pie-Mar

            And:     F: 2 A Mar-Pie
                        I: 2 A Pie-Mar

7.  Support:  Support is given as in Regular Diplomacy – see examples above.  If units from a province are supporting in different directions and the support is only partially cut by an attack, which one is cut is decided by the order in which the supports have been written, the last-written being the first to be cut.

Example:          E: 1 F Nth sups F Nwy; 1 F Nth sups 3 F Lon
                        F: F Eng-Nth

            But:      E: 1 F Nth sups 3 F Lon; 1 F Nth sups F Nwy
                        F: F Eng-Nth

Note that uncoordinated single (or n-triple) attacks cut the support of only one (or n) unit(s)

Example:          E: 2 F Wes sups 3 A Tur; 2 F Wes sup 1 A & 1 F Naf
                        F: 2 F Gol-Wes
                        A: 2 F Tys-Wes

            But:      I: 2 F Wes sup A Tun; 2 F Wes sup 1 A & 1 F Naf
                        F: 2 F Gol-Wes
                        A: 2 F Tys sup 2 FF Gol-Wes

            And:     I: 2 F Wes sup A Tun; 2 F Wes sup 1 A & 1 F Naf
                        F: 2 F Gol-Wes; 2 F Tys-Wes

8.  Convoy:  A Convoy is disrupted only if a convoying fleet is displaced.

Example:          I: 1 A Tun-Smy; 1 A Tun-Smy; 2 F Ion convoy 2 F Tun-Smy; 1 F Eas convoys 1
                        A Tun-Smy
                        A: F Aeg convoys 1 I A Tun-Smy
                        T: F Con-Aeg sup by 1 F Con

9.  Retreats:  Units retreating from the same province are not obliged to retreat in the same direction.  Units of the same nationality may retreat to the same province, whereas if units of two or more nationalities retreat units to the same province then only the numerically greater survives, and then only by the amount of his superiority.

            Example:  G retreats 2 A Ber-Pru and Russia retreats F Bal-Pru, then only one GA survives

Units may retreat into provinces already occupied by (a) unit(s) of the same nationality.

10.  Builds:  A Player may build on any home province (ie, those that he holds at the beginning of the game), but no more that one unit per province.  The number of units originally occupying the province is irrelevant.

11.  Victory:  The victory condition is possession of at least 29 supply centers at the end of two consecutive winter moves.

12.  Whilst these rules are free for publication, the author requests that he be sent moves of any postal games played.