Notes from the Editor Welcome to the latest issue of Diplomacy World, the send one to me. Remember, as I mentioned, we are Spring 2013 issue. This is one of the more melancholy actively looking for the right candidate to fill the vacancy! columns I’ve had to write, but it seems that we’re In this case, active includes being proactive. encountering this issue more frequently as the first generation of Diplomacy players reach advanced age. So what else do we have for you in this issue? Well, let’s see. Jim Burgess has a fun time reviewing the Many of you have probably heard, but just to make it great Lewis Pulsipher’s book Game Design: How to official, Allan Calhamer – the inventor of Diplomacy – Create Video and Tabletop Games, Start to Finish. passed away on February 25th at the age of 81. The timing of the review seems quite appropriate given the passing of Mr. Calhamer. I never met Mr. Calhamer personally. But his creation, simple on the surface but so special in its design, has We also have an article by W.H. Seward, which was touched tens of thousands of lives and continues to do written as a response to a previous article by our S&T so. Through “The Game” and the hobby which grew Editor Joshua Danker-Dake. This sort of back and forth around it, lifelong friendships have been born, marriages is one thing I love, and something I’d love to see more of developed, and hundreds of thousands of pages have in Diplomacy World. If you read an article and disagree been written. Local clubs, postal and email play, with the points it makes - agree but think you have more classroom education; they all owe their formation and to add – sometimes instead of a short Letter to the continued existence to the legacy Mr. Calhamer left Editor, you should consider an article of your own. behind. Elsewhere in this issue you will find articles and quotes about the man and the game he invented. I’ll let I should also point out that Heath Gardner, our new those speak for themselves. Suffice to say that the man Interview Editor, introduces himself by interviewing Andy will be missed, but The Game will live on. Hull. Be sure you all write in and mention how great it was, so he will be encouraged to keep it up. There’s And, as the game lives on, so will Diplomacy World, so also the first game year of our new Demo Game, and onward we go. plenty of other material just as awesome but too numerous to list here. That’s what the Table of Contents Our Staff position of Club and Tournament Editor is is for! once again vacant, and we are actively looking for a new one. This is a very important position in Diplomacy Really, writing for Diplomacy World is not difficult. You World, because we think it is critical to maintain a write what you want to say (in Word format preferably sufficient level of face-to-face and tournament coverage. but not exclusively) and email it to me. If you’re really So as the Club and Tournament Editor, not only would nervous about the topic of the piece, email me first so we ask that you write at least one article yourself every we can talk about it. Then on our end we edit it, and on issue (which means every three months), but you should occasion we send it back to ask that you write more in a also encourage (and recruit) other face-to-face particular section or to expand the article to cover an Diplomacy players to submit material. The ideal angle you’ve missed. That’s really all there is to it. If candidate would be someone who travels to the larger you look though this issue you’ll see some articles are Diplomacy events. Someone who attends the biggest quite long, but other are less than a page long before we European events would be a major bonus (and add artwork. So don’t be intimidated. Come join the remember you don’t have to be an American to hold the decades or hobby bigwigs who have seen their name – post; a European who travels to some of the U.S. and their word – in print in Diplomacy World. tournaments would be just as well-suited, or even better suited). You would also have access to the Diplomacy I’ll close by reminding you the next deadline for World Blog in order to post results, reminders, and any Diplomacy World submissions is July 1st, 2013. other short reports you think are timely and newsworthy. Remember, besides articles (which are always prized and appreciated), we LOVE to get letters, feedback, Interested in giving it a try? Email me at input, ideas, and suggestions too. So email me at [email protected] and let’s discuss it! In the [email protected]! See you in the summer, meantime, if you fit the description, don’t be surprised if I and happy stabbing! send you an email about the post directly before you Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page2 Diplomacy World Staff: Managing Lead Editor: Douglas Kent, Email: diplomacyworld of yahoo.com Co-Editor: Jim Burgess, Email: burgess of world.std.com Strategy & Tactics Editor: Joshua Danker-Dake, Email: jadddiplomacy of gmail.com Variant Editor: Jack McHugh, Email: jwmchughjr of gmail.com Interview Editor: Heath Gardner, Email: heath.gardner of gmail.com  New! Club and Tournament Editor: Vacant Point/Counterpoint Editor: Alex Maslow, Email: blueraider0 of gmail.com Demo Game Editor: Rick Desper, Email: rick_desper of yahoo.com Technology Editor: Chris Babcock, Email cbabcock of asciiking.com Original Artwork Nemanja Simic, Email: nemanja.painter of gmail.com Contributors in 2013: Stephen Agar, Edi Birsan, Jim Burgess, Joshua Danker-Dake, Rick Desper, Heath Gardner, Alex Maslow, Jack McHugh, Larry Peery, W.H. Seward, Nemanja Simic, The GM. Add your name to the 2013 list by submitting something for the next issue! Contributions are welcomed and will earn you accolades and infinite thanks. Persons interested in the vacant staff positions may contact the managing editor for details or to submit their candidacy or both. The same goes for anyone interested in becoming a columnist or senior writer. Diplomacy is a game invented by Allan Calhamer. It is currently manufactured by Hasbro and the name is their trademark with all rights reserved. In This Issue: Editorial: Notes from the Editor by Douglas Kent Page 2 Feedback: Knives and Daggers – the Diplomacy World Letter Column Page 4 Feature: Allan Calhamer: A Retrospective by Edi Birsan and Larry Peery Page 10 Interview: An Interview with Andy Hull by Heath Gardner Page 13 Feature: Xenogogic by Larry Peery Page 16 Face-to-Face: The War Room: FtF Diplomacy for Trendy Young Persons by Joshua Danker-Dake Page 19 Technology: Everybody Poops, but Droidippy’s Stinks the Worst by Alex Maslow Page 20 Response: In Which I Praise the State of Web-Based Diplomacy by W.H. Seward Page 20 Feature: Diplomacy (1st Edition 1959) by Stephen Agar Page 23 Review: Book Review of Lewis Pulsipher’s “Game Design: How to Create Video and Tabletop Games, Start to Finish” by Jim Burgess Page 25 Face-To-Face: Anatomy of a House Game by Alex Maslow Page 29 Feature: Ask the GM by The GM Page 31 Convention News: Selected Upcoming Conventions Page 31 Demo Game: Thanks for the Roses – Diplomacy World Demo Game – Through Winter 1901 Page 32 Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page3 Knives and Daggers - The Diplomacy World Letter Column Thoughts from Diplomacy Hobby Members Upon the Passing of Allan B. Calhamer, the Founder of “The Game” Commentary by Jim Burgess ((We are sending this issue of Diplomacy World to Allan B. Calhamer’s wife Hilda and daughters Selenne and Tatiana, we thank everyone for their contributions)) Ulrich Degwitz - The NYT obituary notice for Allan B. we can all understand. Imagine how much easier it is for Calhamer, was released today Italy to say to Austria, "Do you want to do a Lepanto" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/us/allan-calhamer- than to outline three or four turns of moves? inventor-diplomacy-board-game-dies-at- 81.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) Not too much honour for This is why things like the Hoosier Archives (at Bowling a great game inventor. ((From 2006-2010, Ulrich Green University) and Doug's own Postal Diplomacy attended 14 FTF tournaments in Europe, almost all of Zine Archive are so valuable. Even if few players want to the major events held in Europe over that period and read through it all, making the history available renders a helped to build up the German Diplomacy hobby.)) wonderful service by allowing us contemporary players to find out where the ideas we use in our games today Steve Emmert - As you learned here last week, came from. ((After I first met Will Abbott in February Diplomacy inventor Allan Calhamer died last week at 81. 2013 as he came to TempleCon in Providence, RI, he I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Calhamer once, when mentioned the idea of doing a column of these he appeared as a World DipCon several years ago. I comments in this issue of Diplomacy World, so is one of was very pleased to have the opportunity to thank him the people to thank for this effort. Will has been a for giving me so much pleasure over the years, and for subscriber to my postal Diplomacy szine since the creating a priceless reservoir of solid friendships for me. 1990’s)) As I've mused before, one of the wonderful ironies of this game is the fact that a game that legitimizes deceit and Paul Rauterberg - I had the honor of meeting, and treachery can nevertheless create lasting friendships of playing a FTF Dip game, with Alan back at Andy profound depth. Lischett's place in 1973. I was a newcomer in the hobby, and did not fully appreciate that I was playing a He received my expression of thanks warmly and with a game with its inventor, and with Walt Buchanan, an early smile of what I took to be genuine gratitude. I'll treasure postal zine giant. Why I was invited to the confluence of that memory for a long time, even as I continue to enjoy titans escapes me, but I won't forget it. ((Back in the the fruits of his labor. ((Known as the Benevolent early 1980’s, Paul ran what is considered to be the first Dictator, Steve is the current elected leader of the Anonymous Postal Diplomacy game, an incredibly time Academy of Creative Destruction, an invitation only consuming effort at the time that required that Paul Diplomacy playing club of players committed to play in retype and remail via post all the communications the style of the Creator, Steve also is one of those between players. This evolved on the Internet to the highly successful attorneys who loves Diplomacy.)) highly popular, if somewhat lamented by some of us (see Lew Pulsipher’s comments on this immediately Will J. Abbott - I had mentioned the possibility of following), Gunboat Anonymous games. As noted publishing comments on the passing of Allan Calhamer Paul’s been “at” this game for more than 40 years.)) on the way to the train station, as I recall. Another of the early figures of the hobby-- in this case literally the Lewis Pulsipher - I remember being at DipCons with founder-- has passed. I wonder how many of the young Allan Calhamer though I'm not sure I ever spoke with players online will hear of his passing? I myself him. He was certainly an unusual man. His mind ran in regrettably joined the hobby at a time when several lines of what I can only call originality that you just didn't figures are passing from the stage. see from other people. The postal part of the hobby (and it is a part, not a What's really interesting in his legacy is that there are no separate hobby. There are people who cross over games much like Diplomacy other than diplomacy (between face to face, postal, and internet Diplomacy) variants. who may be the hobby's past, rather than the its cutting edge. Nonetheless, the hobby's past is and remains There are three categories of game players fall into: important. We stand on the work done by those who "all games are math" diplomed before us. The work done on openings, "games are all about people" strategy, tactics, stalemate lines, variants, alliance play, "games are about stories" and stabs remains with us, and becomes a shorthand Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page4 Diplomacy falls very much in the people category, but actually cooperating or enabling the forces of two that's a category in boardgames that seems to be players to act in concert. disappearing. Eurostyle games tend to be interactive puzzles, games where you aren't at a disadvantage if I've devised a token passing method that lets players you talk with no one. Diplomacy is the epitome of a communicate with tokens so that other players don't game where you must talk with everyone or be at a know what they are discussing, but of course that disadvantage. Another game that's very much about wouldn't be used in Diplomacy because there are secret people, which I confess I've never cared to play oddly negotiations; but it might help a lot in game of thrones enough, is poker. Perhaps because, though you need to the boardgame or risk. I'll write a separate article about read people, you don't need to say *have to* say much this after I test it out with some of my games that are of anything in order to keep up with the others. being playtested at the NC State tabletop gamers club. Most video games require no talking with other players - I am "morally certain" that there are other games that if there are other players. Perhaps with the move to rely on secret negotiation, but I can't think of any at the squash competition in schools, and a general lack of moment. The big problem with secret negotiation is that confidence amongst young people (who are told they're it takes a long time. So games with secret negotiation special but don't ever have to earn it), people are afraid are more suitable to online play asynchronously, as with to play multi-sided, highly interactive, competitive postal Diplomacy or Diplomacy with judges. What has games. always puzzled me immensely, is that so many Diplomacy players seem to like to play "Gunboat" At PrezCon in Charlottesville a few weeks ago I watched Diplomacy where there are no negotiations. That's the some of the multi-sided tournament games, including opposite of what the game is about, because it turns into finals, such as A Game of Thrones the Boardgame, a game that's more math than a game that's about History of the World, and Risk. In none of those games people. ((Lew Pulsipher has published a number of was there really much negotiation at all. I think the key of books on game design, including the new book I review Allan Calhamer's game is that he encouraged elsewhere in this issue, he also is the inventor of negotiation and set aside time for secret negotiation Britannia and numerous Diplomacy variants. He also amongst the players. This made it a very long game face teaches video and game design and has a Ph.D. in to face but made it very different from other multi-sided Military and Diplomatic History from Duke University)) conflict games. First of all, it's almost impossible to have long-term alliances and close cooperation between Dan Mathias - I only met Allan twice. I found him to be players when all the communication can be heard by all extremely personable and gracious. the players over the table. Second, many games don't actually have a way for one player to help another: they His invention, Diplomacy, has had an influence in my life can both say they're going to attack a third player or both for over 40 years. I cannot imagine what my life would defend against a third player but there's nothing like the have been like without its impact, direction, and the support mechanism that enables them to actively help numerous friends and adventures that were the result of one another. Part of that is because we use it. simultaneous movement, although game of thrones the boardgame, which some people call it Diplomacy Thank you, Allan, for the impact you have had on so variants although I don't, does have the support many, and the enrichment you brought to us all. ((Dan mechanism amongst its options. Without a method of Mathias is a well-known Diplomacy FTF Tournament communicating when the other players cannot listen, Director over many decades at Origins, the World Game of Thrones Boardgame becomes a bump and Boardgaming Council, and elsewhere, he also has grind game that is pretty dull for everyone. attended more than 60 Diplomacy tournaments while playing Diplomacy for more than 40 years.)) I was surprised at the Risk final that there was hardly any discussion of alliances or cooperation, being almost Toby Harris - Allan Calhamer died today, aged 81. Very entirely limited to "I won't attack you here if you don't sad news. He came to WDC1 in Birmingham 1988, attack me there". There's an entire book about Risk, spoke a few words about the history of the game and called Total Diplomacy oddly enough, which discusses covered some early strategies. Then he walked around negotiations at great length. But when I watch people looking at all the boards in the tournament as they took play risk in tournaments there's almost no negotiation. shape. It was at this point Dennis Jones piped up "who's the guy with the beard?" History of the World is a highly chaotic game, and one that also lends itself very little to long-term alliances So I would rather look back at the only time I ever saw because you have no idea which nations you're going to Allan Calhamer with a smile, than with sadness. His be playing, and because there is no mechanism for creation, Diplomacy, has affected all our lives in some way, helped us meet new friends and given us some Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page5 great moments to look back on. ((Toby Harris is one of at this time what a world-wide hobby Diplomacy has the hobby’s greatest all-time players (he falls on my top become.)) all-time seven player board) and is from the UK, he also has attended more than 60 Diplomacy tournaments over Bill Coffin - I have been a fan of Diplomacy for many the years.)) years, and a few years ago, Allan Calhamer was kind enough to grant me an interview over the phone, in Bernard Andrioli - I spoke to Mr. Calhamer's daughter which he talked about inventing the game, his early Selenne at last WDC and she did mention that she used thoughts on it and much more. Allan was very generous to play the game and liked it, although I don't remember with his time, and I always have thought fondly of that if she said anything about participating in any conversation with him. tournaments. Her name doesn't come up in the World Diplomacy Database anyway. Told her that I have often I was deeply saddened to hear of Allan Calhamer's wondered why a game that involves sweet-talking, lying, recent passing. I had the pleasure of interviewing Alan manipulating, gossiping and backstabbing doesn't for the 100th issue of Diplomacy World, and he was a appeal to women more. She agreed. ((Bernard is a delightful man to talk to. Even then, he seemed a little relative newcomer to the world-globe trotting FTF surprised that his game would mean so much to so Diplomacy tournament crowd, but came all the way to many. For him, I think, Diplomacy was a labor of love Chicago from Europe for the 2012 World DipCon, where that bordered on near-obsession with game balance and I met him. Bernard is one of the new up-and-coming play - Should Russia start with three centers or four? generation of players.)) Should Italy start with a fleet in Rome? He just wanted folks to have as much fun with it as he did, and I don't Grant Steel - I was fortunate enough to meet Allan in think he ever expected the game to become such a Chicago last year. The standing ovation that he phenomenon. I was interested to see in his obituary in received when he entered the room is a lasting memory the Telegraph that he was considered too nice to excel for me. Thanks to Allan and his game of Diplomacy I at a game that celebrates (and necessitates) treachery. have been lucky enough to meet some amazing people Hogwash! Alan cheerfully told me stories of how, in the and travel around the world. game's early days, he would steal and dispose of other players' orders right before a turn processed so they RIP Allan Calhamer ((Grant Steel is from New Zealand would get stuck with DNRs. That takes a special kind of and has played in over 40 tournaments over the last brilliance/bastardy, and one that only a guy like Alan fifteen years or so, recently traveling to the US for the could have employed to make a game that so many of 2012 World DipCon.)) us love so well. ((Right you are, one of the things about the The Game that is very cool is its openness, and Richard Weiss - I had the great joy of meeting Allan containment within the game, of such “ethics”. Bill Coffin twice and playing with him once. I will treasure those has built a beautiful Tabletop board of Diplomacy that we memories, including discussions as to his views in have written about in Diplomacy World before (see Issue general and more so, relative to the game he created. #106) as well as conducting the in-depth interview with ((Richard has been active in the Diplomacy hobby for Allan Calhamer he notes that appeared in Issue #100.)) more than 20 years, and like many Diplomacy players is also professionally successful as a physician and health Bruce Linsey - What a shame. Allan will be greatly system manager.)) missed by so many people. ((Bruce Linsey runs a gaming company and published the Diplomacy szine Conrad von Metzke - I hardly ever knew the guy, but Voice of Doom for many years.)) still; sad. He created one hell of a large part of my personal pleasure for over 50 years now. He will be David Grabar - I am so sorry to hear that. I have found much remembered. ((Conrad von Metzke has been part memories of playing Diplomacy by mail with Allan. of the Diplomacy hobby since “the beginning”. He’s ((Dave Grabar has been a hobby personality for at least published innumerable issues of his postal szine thirty years and appears at a FTF tournament like Costaguana and has a renown impish sense of humor. clockwork about once a decade.)) Like many Diplomacy hobby stalwarts, including Allan himself, Conrad spent a career in the US Postal Service Edi Birsan - The inventor of Diplomacy Allan B. and has been a classical music singer, you have to hear Calhamer passed away today. His creation was a major him doing Schubert lieder…)) impact on my life and he was a friend. I celebrate his life and design with the fondness and longing that there was Julian Ziesing - Really sad to hear. He will not be not more time together. ((Currently Edi Birsan is forgotten. ((Julian has been one of the leaders of the experiencing a new career as a successful local German hobby and has played in dozens of tournaments politician – I know I wouldn’t want to be negotiating with over the last decade, mostly in Germany, he reminds us him at a City Council meeting – and is one of the greatest players in the history of the hobby. In recent Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page6 years, he also has been the primary contact between the wanted to know if he played with the armies standing up Diplomacy hobby and Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast.)) or laying down flat (for background on this earth shattering question, see the articles "Do Yours Stand David Cohen - I never met him, just corresponded a few Erect?" and "Do Yours Hang Limp?" which originally times. Still, my life would certainly not have been the appeared in my zine Janus and were reprinted in same without Allan Calhamer. It was a nice coincidence Diplomacy World years later). that the Dipcon was so close to where he lived. I heard that he received a long ovation when he was introduced. Again, Allan confirmed that he did indeed play with his I know that I sure as hell would have stood and clapped erect (as it were) and I have won a few beer over the a good long time. years with these two answers... There is a tradition in the Jewish religion that when Never got to know him very well on a personal level as someone visits a grave, a pebble is placed on the that was the only time I met him, but he will be missed. gravestone, to signify that someone who cared about the My heart goes out to his family and friends. ((Cal White deceased had visited. A year from now, if I visited is one of our many, many decades Canadian Diplomacy Calhamer's grave, it would not surprise me at all to see a players, we haven’t seen so much of him lately, but I whole bunch of Diplomacy pieces sitting there. ((David is also proudly own an original Games Research Inc. set another of the hobby’s successful professional attorneys, that I learned on in the late 1960’s)) and also is one of the organizers of the Academy of Creative Destruction and a diplomacy map variant Heath Gardner - I never met or corresponded with Mr. designer.)) Calhamer, and others that knew him can eulogize him far better than I can. Harvey Morris - What do I say about the passing of someone I never met, and whose name I barely All I can say is sometimes something -- a film, a show, a recognize? Only that his creative genius has provided game -- is so wonderfully produced that it creates a me with decades of pleasure - intellectual stimulation, cadre of what they call "cult fans". I don't like that emotional highs and lows, mind-stretching concentration, terminology too much, because what it really means is grandiose plans, disappointing defeats, nail-biting we're close. We are all fanatics about the same thing, anticipations, cathartic furies, and a magnificent venue and that forges great friendships that last decades. for meeting and interacting with hundreds of fascinating fellow-players from around the globe. Mr. Calhamer attained that rare achievement of producing something truly new when he invented Had he passed me on the street, I would have not have Diplomacy. I am grateful that I discovered the game in recognized him. my young teens, when I needed it most. I'm sure others will know what I mean by that. Had he not added so much to my life, I would be very much the poorer. And I am grateful for the example of creativity and innovation set by the creator of this game. The sort of What do I say? Simply and sincerely - "Thank You." thing I can only hope to achieve in my life -- it's an ((Harvey is one of the experts in the psychological side inspiration. of the game of Diplomacy, may you never (or maybe always?) have the experience of being sliced and diced Rest in peace. ((Heath Gardner is the new Interview by his deep mental and psychological grasp of this great Editor for Diplomacy World and is a free-lance writer and game.)) copyeditor. As he notes, he discovered Diplomacy and postal hobby in his teens, backed away from it for a Cal White - I met Allan at a DipCon many years ago and while, but now seems to be everywhere and we are glad I was dying to ask him two questions that I thought to be he is.)) of great importance at the time. He answered both of them and it has enabled me to win a few bar-type bets at Walt Buchanan - My best recollection of Allan was future conventions. visiting him at his home sometime in the mid-70s. I remember him as a kindly person and of course I was in The first question concerned whether or not it was awe of him as the inventor of our beloved game. ((Walt possible to build a fleet in Moscow (south coast). He was the originating editor of Diplomacy World and looked surprised at the question, but admitted that it was another of the doctorally trained professors who loves indeed possible. It could then move to Sev and then this game. Walt is highly renown in his field of Arm, but that was it. engineering technology.)) The second question concerned the wooden blocks that Patrick Lafontaine - I didn't know Allan but for his came with the original Games Research Inc set. I game, and I owe him so much for that map of Europe Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page7 and those colored wooden shapes... I started playing Dip bond. Allan was not interested in Variants, which was in my High School years, and it was first in French (in my strong point, but he was very polite about it. zines "Mach die Spuhl" and "Plié en Deux"), then in English. I became quite fond of this game, although I His Christmas cards were always home made, each never managed to get a clear solo win in postal Dip. I year a different intricate design of a huge snowflake. I'll had the chance to be a part of the editing team for miss those. His passing is a great loss to the gaming Dipsomania, maybe the only Diplomacy zine published hobby and all of us who had the privilege of knowing in two separate editions (although identical in content), him. ((Fred Davis himself has been a stalwart part of the one in French, the other in English, where lots of Diplomacy hobby for many decades, was the leader for variants were played. many years of a MENSA Diplomacy group, and I too treasure my home made Christmas cards from Allan with I thank Allan for the opportunity his wonderful game the beautiful snowflake designs.)) gave me to play with players from around the world, from my little Belgium to UK, USA, France, Switzerland, New- Dirk Knemeyer - Diplomacy is a keystone in modern Zealand and many others! To play with the frontiers (and tabletop gaming, designed in parallel with Charles S. the blunt and aggressive crossing of these borders ;-) ) Roberts' more celebrated - at least from a historical of Europe (and many others in variants) help me perspective - Tactics. However, Tactics' enduring discover the World from a fresh and always enlightening reputation is thanks to its designer creating the point of view. ((Patrick has been at this game for 30 legendary Avalon Hill Game Company, a beloved icon years, and we all have appreciated, no matter how large and important force in 20th century gaming. Yet, while or small the country we come from, the opportunities to Tactics as a game has been irrelevant and essentially meet people from around the world at this game.)) unplayed for decades, Diplomacy has endured. With active international communities, played by famous real- Rob Stephenson - have to thank Allan and his family for life diplomatic leaders, and sharing a space in the the game he created. The first time I played it I was gaming landscape with timeless classics like Chess and hooked. The more I played it the more I learnt not just Go, Diplomacy is one of the most important games ever about the game but life and people. It is thanks to Allan designed. that I met so many wonderful people throughout the world. Without his game I would probably never have left In the wake of Allan Calhamer's death my co-host, Jon the Southern Hemisphere and yet I travelled all the way Shafer, and I wanted to have a show focused on Allan's to Canada to meet friends I had never seen. I was masterpiece. Our show, The Game Design Round welcomed with open arms and friendly smiling faces. It is Table, caters to game designers of both tabletop and a great testament to the man that a whole group of digital. We invited my friend and veteran Diplomacy people come together all over the world to share in a player and community organizer Jim Burgess to talk with collective experience that will bring you the highest of us about Allan and the game. To listen, please visit: highs and lowest of lows. RIP my friend. ((As noted, Rob Stephenson is from Down Under, more specifically http://thegamedesignroundtable.com/2013/03/22/episod Melbourne, Australia. He has played in over 60 e-19-diplomacy-allan-calhamer-with-jim-burgess/ tournaments over two decades and has won at least 14 tournament trophies, including the 2002 World DipCon, ((Thanks, Dirk, I enjoyed doing the interview, and more and has won the Bismark Cup for play Down Under of my comments than I could include here can be found three times.)) there. Dirk himself is one of the top Diplomacy players at the diplomaticcorp web site Fred Davis - Allan Calhamer's invention of "Diplomacy" (www.diplomaticcorp.com).)) has been the Love of my Life, after my wife, of course, since about 50 years now. ((Inge Davis obtained Fred’s Harley Jordan - I guess I played my first Diplomacy comments for us, for which we thank her dearly.)) I took game around 1960, when I was in college at MIT. That to it like a duck o water, and considered Allan a genius would make about 53 years that I have enjoyed the for developing this great game of "Diplomacy". hobby, and besides the pleasure, Allan and his game have taught me a lot about negotiating and the I've had the pleasure of meeting him at Diplomacy philosophy of relationships in general. Tournaments at least 3 times, where he acted as Umpire in charge on occasions. One of these tournaments we I have played by snail mail with John Boardman since both attended was in London, England, which is a the 60's, and at small gatherings, and at large favorite memory of mine. tournaments with the MOW (Michigan Organized Wargamers), and by Email. I was Gamesmaster at a I was impressed by his keen intelligence and couple of MOW tournaments with over 70 Diplomacy congeniality. The love of the game forged an instant players each (In Ann Arbor and in Detroit) and Allan attended one of them Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page8 me that Diplomacy could be played through the mail, as Through his game he taught me that the quick it would be difficult to assemble in one place, for some doublecross for short term gain is the fastest way to five or six hours, seven people who knew the rules. alienate both players, and colleagues in real life. Players could send their moves on a deadline to a Success more often follows from the buildup of trust gamesmaster, who would adjudicate the orders, print up through honesty and sharing benefits for all partners in and mail out the results, and set a deadline for the next the enterprise. moves. I publicized the postal rulers through science- fiction fanzines, and easily obtained enough players to I have a treasured game board permanently set up in my play several games. (The Los Angeles Science-Fiction basement with this autograph: Society was particularly a rich source of such players.) I ----------------------------- continued refereeing and publishing postal Diplomacy 6/7/80 games for the next 45 years, and several other To Harley Jordan with Best Regards gamesmasters also got started. About five or six years Allan B. Calhamer ago, illness forced me to suspend the publication of Inventor of Diplomacy Graustark briefly. Moreover, with the rise of the Internet, ----------------------------- players began playing Diplomacy by e-mail, making ((As Harley notes, he is one of the original players of the communication faster and more efficient. game, and we’re glad to have him back as a more active player in recent years.)) In playing Diplomacy, whether over the board, postally, or my e-mail, the crucial move seems to be the Stephen Agar - Allan and I corresponded for a few appropriately timed double-cross of an ally. If you do it years and we certainly stayed on each other’s Christmas too soon, you leave him with enough material to strike card list for quite a while. He was good enough to send back. If you wait too long, he may do it to you first. The me some early newspaper clippings about the very early two World Wars provide interesting examples of this days of Diplomacy. He struck me as quite a reserved strategy. ((John Boardman is way, way too modest in person in writing, always friendly and very respectful. I documenting his role in this process. Quite simply, think one of my most precious possessions is an early without him as well, all of us pretty much wouldn’t be “plain cardboard box” set of Diplomacy, sold by Allan in here. He tried to get a new game of Diplomacy going in the days before he had a distribution deal – from the Graustark in 2010, but there were only four of us days when the rules suggested each unit should have its (including Doug and me) who were interested. I think own name (German 1st Army Division etc.) and way John would like to keep this going, the 792nd issue of before the rules were clarified. It even has Graustark featured these comments, if I could assemble correspondence between Allan and the boy who had seven of you (knowing I can count on me and Doug, so purchased it explaining some of the intricacies of the five more of you) who were willing to pay John’s game rules. For me it is a connection with the game as it fees and play, I know it would mean a lot to him. If began. It’s a shame that Diplomacy didn’t make Allan’s you’re interested in that, contact me so we can deliver to fortune in the way he could have benefitted had he him seven players at the same time.)) invented Scrabble or Monopoly – but what a legacy to leave behind. A simple concept, brilliantly executed. Jim Burgess – Reading and thinking about all this has ((Stephen Agar is another of the hobby’s attorneys or been quite emotional to me. I am firmly convinced that really a barrister since he is in England, he also Diplomacy is THE Game, the game that surpasses all connects two of the hobby’s core professions as he is other games for me. In that way, in the way it has both a barrister and senior manager for the Royal Mail affected my life, for the deep and lasting friendships with Group. Stephen also has published numerous postal those quoted above and a hundred more, there is szines and has been responsible for archives of variants absolutely no way I can repay the debt that Allan B. and archives of the British postal hobby. We reprint his Calhamer built up for me and my life. I also am a article on possessing one of those early self-produced professor and represent yet another profession common copies of The Game in this issue, and follow this with among Diplomacy players, that of economists, who are another owner of one of those editions of The Game.)) trained in game theory and develop a love for the elegance of the Diplomacy game design. We are asking John Boardman - Calhamer had a great deal of that if someone wants to do something in Allan B. difficulty in getting any game firms to publish Diplomacy, Calhamer’s memory, that they consider a donation to and in 1959 he finally had 500 copies produced, and The Nature Conservancy, (www.nature.org) which was sold them by mail or through department stores, Allan Calhamer’s favorite charity. I believe “odd” including Macy’s. I first discovered the game in 1962, donations of $7 or $18 or $34 in his memory (with when I briefly lived above a block from a Macy’s branch obvious meaning) would be very appropriate. in Queens which has long since closed. It occurred to Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page9 Allan Calhamer: A Retrospective By Edi Birsan and Larry Peery It is good to see Allan finally get the recognition he so when I actually saw Allan agitated. More on that later. richly deserves for his creation Diplomacy. In the past few weeks scores of tributes to Allan have appeared all Edi: He saw the game in more of a social context with over North America and even beyond. A Google search the expectations that most games would be called on reveals a long and growing list of Calhamer obits, time and the “what if” situations discussed. He believed remarkable not only for its length but also the diversity of in the concept that as long as you were alive you could sources. Many of those were republications from the come back and “win” and that all participants were Associated Press’s stock obituary file. Others were equal. With the development of the postal hobby and the based on the excellent “All in the Game” story Edward advance of a multi-game scoring concept demand, he McClelland wrote some years ago for The Chicago admitted that he tried one system sort of as a challenge Magazine. Closer to Allan’s home tributes appeared with the idea of what to do with a tournament and time from both the great (The Chicago Tribune, 4 March limited games that were forced to “unnatural” endings. 2013, by Joan Giangrasse Kates) and the small (The The resultant system he designed (his only attempt at it) LaGrangePatch (by Darren McRoy). Among others was so complicated and unsatisfactory to himself that he worth a look are: “Allan Calhamer Dies at 81; Invented just left it and never went back to try to make a “perfect” Diplomacy Game” by Margalit Fox, New York Times, 6 scoring system. March 2013; “Diplomacy: The Map That Ruined a Thousand Friendships,” by Henry Grabar, The Atlantic Edi: When he worked on the game there was a lot of Cities, 7 March 2013; Even POLITCO, the Washington work done on the design of the map more than any other Insiders’ news and gossip source picked up the AP aspect of the game. That the map has remained story, as did The Huffington Post. Word of Allan’s unchanged in 54 years (Larry notes: That original map passing spread quickly in the internet community as well. has inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of variants over The first word overseas came from The Telegraph in the the years covering just about every historical period and UK (16 March 2013). Truly, Allan may be gone but he’s geographical locale.) and no one has come up with a not been forgotten. better alteration is a testament to his process and focus. The fundamental rules have been only changed in the Edi and I knew Allan for nearly a hundred years between most minor of points with the exception of the alternate the two of us, and we thought we’d share some of our convoy rule and the shutting down of the unintended memories of the man we both called mentor and friend, abuse of the convoy rules called the Unwanted Convoy. Edi focusing on Allan skills (or lack thereof) as a game designer and player; and I focusing on the man many in Edi: We had many discussions on the finer wording of the hobby never got to know. the rules and several aspects we worked on for the last major rewrite of the rules together: the 1999 Hasbro set There were two questions we wanted to answer in with the metal pieces. By the way, the original set in writing this. First, how could a man who was so 1959 was supposed to have metal pieces as well with extraordinarily ordinary in so many ways create this one battleships like the Monopoly piece and cannons for the artistic masterpiece? Second, how could a man who was armies. The cannons were to be two wheeled versions so quiet stir up such a frenzy among his fans? of the French 75 but the company that was to make them went out of business and he had to scramble for a Edi notes that he probably played with him more times substitute and came up with the wood block pieces. than most. I, on the other hand, can’t recall ever actually playing Diplomacy with Allan. Edi got to know Allan Larry: Allan produced the first 500 copies of Diplomacy across the Dip board. I got to know him in spite of it. himself and sold them primarily through an ad in The Atlantic magazine for all of $7.00. Allan quickly realized Edi writes: he was always very soft spoken and low he wasn’t cut out to be a businessman and John R. keyed and never spoke ill of anyone regardless of the Moot, who passed away in 2009, took over publishing insanity on the game board or around him. Diplomacy with his GRI Company in Boston. But it was when Diplomacy became part of The Avalon Hill Larry comments: It’s true. He was so soft spoken it was Company’s family of games that Diplomacy really took sometimes hard to hear him even if you were sitting next off. Here again Allan found a fan in Rex Martin who to him. You really had to listen to hear what he had to promoted the game early on. Early buyers were say, difficult at times but always worthwhile. Nor can I enthusiastic but soon ran into the challenge of finding six recall ever hearing him say anything bad about anyone, other players with the time and space to play a game. although he wasn’t above sticking a pin in an over- John Boardman’s GRAUSTARK published the first stuffed balloon once in a while. I can only recall one time postal Diplomacy game in 1964 and the postal hobby Diplomacy World #121 – Spring 2013 - Page10