Sparks and Bonfires

[Moody the Wise]

Oh, and ... if any of you are interested in playing in another Diplomacy game ... a crazy, crazy variant that is crazy enough that it just might work, check out the Imperial Variant that I'm trying to start up.

[Neftren]

(OOC: Yes, sorry Neftren. Since your orders were done late by me, I saw an army already in Budapest.)

I'm going to have to slow this down; too few orders are reaching me on time.
Next orders will resolve Friday, 12:00 EST. I'm going to go for about three moves every two weeks or thereabouts.)

Please also provide clarification as to AM or PM. It'd be immensely helpful in meeting a deadline and thus accidentally avoiding any mishaps along the way.

Anyway... I'll try to get them in before noon, but that may be a long shot. I'm still debating as to what to do with the lack of diplomacy occurring.

[Moody the Wise]

Please also provide clarification as to AM or PM. It'd be immensely helpful in meeting a deadline and thus accidentally avoiding any mishaps along the way.

Anyway... I'll try to get them in before noon, but that may be a long shot. I'm still debating as to what to do with the lack of diplomacy occurring.

My suggestion (and a policy I follow in games I GM) - use military time.

[Qualia]

I'm still debating as to what to do with the lack of diplomacy occurring.

Well with Italy camping out in your country, and Germany running wild in central Europe, we're just in one of those phases where there isn't a lot to talk about at the moment.

[Exeson]

My suggestion (and a policy I follow in games I GM) - use military time.

Sorry to be really rude but: Who are you and what are you doing in the thread?

[Moody the Wise]

Sorry to be really rude but: Who are you and what are you doing in the thread?

Nobody, really. A Diplomacy enthusiast, and veteran of playing it on these forums. A nosy man who likes to follow Diplomacy threads whether or not he plays in them, because it's nice to watch the Diplomacy community here develop. I'm trying to start up an Imperial Variant game, and a few of the players in this game have responded. I just figured I'd contribute my wisdom, as an elder member of this community; if it be unwanted, I shall retract it.

[Neftren]

Nobody, really. A Diplomacy enthusiast, and veteran of playing it on these forums. A nosy man who likes to follow Diplomacy threads whether or not he plays in them, because it's nice to watch the Diplomacy community here develop. I'm trying to start up an Imperial Variant game, and a few of the players in this game have responded. I just figured I'd contribute my wisdom, as an elder member of this community; if it be unwanted, I shall retract it.

Moody... are you stalking me? Okay okay. Just kidding. What happened to your other avatar?

[Exeson]

Nobody, really. A Diplomacy enthusiast, and veteran of playing it on these forums. A nosy man who likes to follow Diplomacy threads whether or not he plays in them, because it's nice to watch the Diplomacy community here develop. I'm trying to start up an Imperial Variant game, and a few of the players in this game have responded. I just figured I'd contribute my wisdom, as an elder member of this community; if it be unwanted, I shall retract it.

Again I hate to be an ass but surely this is game thread and you are not part of this game, have you had Zaf's permission to post?

Not that I'm against what you are saying, Diplomacy is a great game and needs more players but I'm not sure a game thread is the best place.

No offense or anything.

[Zafuel]

(OOC: Look, I know you mean well, Moody, but this is an IC thread for a game you're not playing in.)

(Sorry about the late update.)

Spoiler

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From The Daily Mail, 12th September, 1902
Early this morning, members of the Parti Ouvrier Français stormed the government buildings, dragging the old leaders out onto the street to be shot. Even as English troops landed on French soil and English ships bombarded French ports, the POF promised to solve France's crisis and protect its sovereignty. A spokesman for the POF called the war with England: "The Capitalist's War; stage managed from Paris for the benefit of the industrialists, now making huge profits from this war by exploiting their workers." He then expressed his certainly that a similar revolution would soon break out in England, and that he intended to make peace with the new socialist government as soon as possible...

From Inside the Kaiserreich, published by Ernst Kessler, 1976
When I joined the Foreign Office in 1899, von Krugerspielen was already starting his ascent towards Foreign Minister. He had plenty of enemies in the Foreign Office; but after the successes of the Polish Campaign of 1901, he became almost untouchable.
...
However, he was always an eccentric character. I remember one instance when I found him asleep in his office, curled around a crumpled and yellowing map. On it, I found a series of orders to our armies, and a hastily scribbled note: "Kessler - kindly deliver this to the good General". I duly did so, and, the next week, our armies pressed forward into Sweden.

A message sent by General Ryan Goodmanovich to Russian troops on the Polish Front during the First Great War, published posthumously in 1962 in Goodmanovich by Edward Thomas.
"All divisions should dig in and weather the German advance. Disturbances in the capital require the recalling of numbers of loyal troops to quell rioters. You are ordered to prevent the spread of knowledge of the loss of Sweden. Such knowledge can only lead to a loss of morale."

A message from Karl Jaeger to Xavier March, occupation commander in Holland.
"Minister von Krugerspielen will not tolerate continued disturbances in the newly annexed territory of the Hollmark. You are ordered to pursue any methods necessary to secure this region."

From Freedom!, propaganda leaflet published by the Greek government-in-exile in 1902, then sheltering in North Africa.
"The Caliph's actions in Greece show his desperation; he sees his empire slipping through his fingers and has seized our honourable country in petty revenge. All Greek patriots will fight the Turkish occupiers with all their strength. There can be no peace in this area until the blood-stained hand of the Ottaman Caliphate is removed from Greece."

(Okay, retreats are due for: Sunday, 5:00 PM GMT. Builds are due for Monday, 5:00 PM GMT. Is that clearer for everyone?)

[Neftren]

I'm just gonna drop, since this time scheduling is really wierd, I've missed two turns apparently and the map is less than easy to understand (can't we all just use jDip?).

Austro-Hungarian Armies take a full stand-down order, summarily surrendering to any forces who enter those territories.

[Zafuel]

(I see. I'm sorry about that; I have never heard of jDip, though I assume it's some kind of Java Applet that maps diplomacy. As for time scheduling, that's difficult with American players when you're 7 hours of time away. I'm sorry to have been awkward, and sorry to lose you. I can't persuade you otherwise?)

[Zafuel]

Spoiler

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(Unfortunately, Austria-Hungary has had to pull out due to problems with timing (probably my fault) and the mapping. Orders for Spring 1903 are due for Friday, 1700 GMT.)

[Zafuel]

Spoiler

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From A History of the Modern World By G. Schofield and D. Woolcott
The Austria-Hungarian Revolution of 1902 suddenly threw the world into disarray. For a moment, it looked like Minister von Krugerspielen's power was in trouble, and junior Foreign Ministry officials tried to salvage the remains of the Austro-German alliance behind "Arminius"' back. But for every leader that they courted with promises of a seat at their blood-stained table, another would soon rise to take his place. In the end, Krugerspielen's control was maintained, and his victories in Scandinavia soon made him virtually untouchable.
...
However, the fiery breakdown of the old Hapsburg monarchy lit the torch for another empire; that of Italy. Italian forces clashed in the Ionian Sea, and a standoff across the Albanian border occured. Where Italy stood with Germany was not clear; but that it was clearly a major player in the Balkan conflict was something nobody disputed.
...
Despite the promises of the POF, France was quickly dissintegrating. In his last days before his tragic assasination, President Leclerc took to pacing through the governmental buildings, screaming at anyone who would listen, and promising that the English protleriat would soon rise and end the war. But as shells fell on Paris itself and English troops stormed Brest, the promises fell on deaf ears.
...
[/I]

Retreats due for Monday, 5:00 GMT.

(Finally, my apologies to Qualia, since I goofed up Turkish builds. Since you provided orders for my botched situation, I have followed those. If there is a problem, please PM me.)

[Maldiem]

Um. Tunisia supported F Napoli-Ionian, meaning it wasn't a bounce. Could you check my orders PM again?

Also, I'm sure one of the people who expressed interest in becoming a sub would be willing to step in for France.

[thevorpalbunny]

Also, F North Sea supported the Germans into Norway. Just noticed.

[Zafuel]

(Sorry about the delay, I've been sick for the last couple of days. Will try and make corrections ASAP.)