by Robert McMillan
A throwback to the days of the Vikings, this variant assumes that trained militaries can carry their seagoing vessels overland. This makes it possible for fleets to move more quickly around the Iberian Peninsula and eliminates some of the traditional stalemate lines. It basically works like a convoy, with a few exceptions.
The February 1982 rules of Diplomacy apply except where amended below:
The Portage Order
1. PORTAGING A FLEET ACROSS A PIECE OF LAND. An army may portage a fleet from any body of water off the coast of that province to any other body of water off the coast of that province. To do this, the fleet must be ordered to the intended body of water and the army must be ordered to portage it. The letter “P” may be used to mean “portages.” The order to the army must give both the location and destination of the fleet being portaged. The orders must specify the same destination or the fleet may not move. Therefore: F NTH-Den-BAL, A Den P F NTH-BAL. Foreign armies may also be portaged: the player may wish to indicate the foreign nationality. An army may not portage more than one fleet per move.
2. PORTAGING A FLEET ACROSS SEVERAL PROVINCES. If two or more armies control adjacent provinces, a fleet may move through all of these provinces on one move. However, the exact route must be specified in the order for the fleet. Thus, for Russia: F Bla-Sev-Mos-Stp-Bar, A Sev P F Bla-Bar, A Mos P F Bla-Bar, A Stp P F Bla-Bar.
3. DISRUPTING A PORTAGE. If an army ordered to portage is dislodged during the move, the fleet to be portaged remains in its original body of water and has no effect on the body of water to which it was ordered. An attack on a portaging army which does not dislodge it does not affect the portage.
4. A PORTAGED ATTACK DOES NOT CUT CERTAIN SUPPORTS. If a portaged fleet attacks a fleet which is supporting an attack on the coastal province that the fleet portaged through, that support is not cut. For instance: Italy: F Adr-Apu-Nap-TyS, A Apu P F Adr-TyS, A Nap P F Adr-TyS. Turkey: F Ion-Nap, F TyS S F Ion-Nap. The army in Naples would be dislodged, the portage would not go through. However, if Italy had a fleet in Rome, given the order: F Rom S F Adr-TyS, then the fleet in TyS would be dislodged and the portage would be successful.
5. BOTH A PORTAGE ROUTE AND A SEA ROUTE. If a fleet could arrive at its destination either overland or by portage, the intent of the player should be obvious because the path of the portaged fleet must be included in its order. Ex: F Wes-NAf-Mid, A NAf P F Wes-Mid. This would have the fleet portage through NAf instead of taking a direct route. This would allow Mid to simultaneously move: F Mid-Wes, were such a fleet in existence.