by Paul Willey

Scenario

Suppose, in the 1901 continuum represented in a Diplomacy game, aliens replaced a large number of ordinary people.  Totally indistinguishable from humans, they could carefully select the people they replaced so that they were an army – or a fleet.  It would be a unit, however, not under the control of the government of its host country, but under the command of the rulers of its home star….

1 (a) All rules as 1971 rulebook with the exception of 1(b) and the additions listed below.

1(b) Diplomacy rule IX 3 does not apply.  This is the rule that prohibits self-dislodgement.  The reason for its deletion is that the dislodging unit, or the dislodged one, might not be a human unit at all.  In the rulebook examples, Example 1 would stand; but Example 2 would be:

FRANCE  A(Bur)Std.; GERMANY  A(Mun)-Bur (retreats); A(Kie) S AUS A(Boh)-Mun;

AUSTRIA  A(Boh)-Mun;

Another Example:

GERMANY  A(Kie)-Ruh; A(Mun) S A(Kie)-Ruh;

FRANCE  A(Bur)-Ruh (disbands); A(Par) S A(Mar)-Bur; A(Pic)Std.; A(Bel)Std.

2.(a) The ALIEN is the eighth player whose identity is not revealed to the other seven players.

2(b) At the beginning of the game he controls one unit and the supply center which it occupies.  He specifies his choice of unit to the GM prior to the S01 moves, but the player of the country concerned is not told.

2(c) The Alien may reveal his identity and/or which unit he controls if he so wishes.

2(d) On the deadline night, or some other prearranged time, the GM will contact the alien by phone and inform the Alien the orders given by the host player to his units (not the complete orders for all of that country’s units) and the build orders for the host country (in Autumn).  The Alien may then allow these units to stand, or he may alter them to suit himself.

2(e) All units should be ordered, even if a player believes that the unit/s concerned are controlled by the Alien.  Unordered units stand.

2(f) If a player is eliminated by the Alien, the GM informs him what has happened, and it is then up to him if he wishes to tell the other players.  The GM will continue to publish the moves of the host country under the original player’s name.

An example:  The Alien elected to control A(Smy).

TURKEY (S01) A(Con)-Bul; A(Smy)-Con; F(Ank)-BLA;

TURKEY (A01) A(Bul)-Gre; A(Con)-Bul; F(BLA)Std.; Build A(Con), F(Ank).

AUSTRIA (A01) A(Ser)-Gre

The Alien allows the S01 and A01 movement orders to stand, but alters the build orders.  The published build is A(Smy).  The Alien now controls Smy and Con, and two armies in those provinces.  Turkey controls Ank, Bul, the A(Bul) and the F(BLA).  The published conditions are, however:

T:  4 Centers:  Con, Ank, Smy, +Bul.  Builds A(Smy).

3(a) Builds by the Alien may be in any unoccupied s.c. he controls.  This need not be in his country or origin, or indeed, in any of the seven Great Powers.

3(b) An Alien’s build will be represented by a unit of the country in which the build is being made.  It will also be published or belonging to that country.

3(c) A build made in a neutral province is not designated to any country, and is represented by a “non-colored” unit.  It is listed under “Neutrals” in the game report.

3(d) Every Autumn (but not A01) the GM discloses how may centers are owned by the Alien.

4(a) If a player fails to submit orders, the GM will list all possible moves for each unit and determine that country’s moves by a random method.  Contradictions in orders (eg A(Bul)-Rum; A(Ser) S A(Bul)-Gre) will be rationalized.  The GM will also decide builds by a random method if necessary.  Removals will be as regular zine house rules.

4(b) The Alien, if he controls any of the orders ordered in this fashion may alter these orders in the usual way.

5(a) It is impossible to eliminated the Alien.  If he loses all his supply centers, he may begin again with one unit in one s.c. of his choice – provided there is a unit in that s.c. to adopt.  He may not choose the same host country for a second time.  Players will be informed when the Alien is starting again.

6(a) Victory criteria for the regular countries is 18 centers held.

6(b) Victory for the Alien comes when he has 18 units on the board, 12 of which must be on the nationality (not neutral), with no units of that nationality does not have to be that of the original host country.