Notes from the Editor Welcome to the latest issue of Diplomacy World, which A glance at the meager list of Upcoming Conventions for winds up the seventh year of my second tenure as Lead the second issue in a row means it is time for my annual Editor. My first attempt only made it eleven issues – just rant: under three years – before real world crises took away my free time and all of my enthusiasm. But those were If you are organizing or running different days; you had to collect subscription fees, pay to photocopy every issue, stuff envelopes, address a Diplomacy event, publicize it in them, apply postage…and often retype articles from Diplomacy World! Write an postal mail. These days there may be a lot of cutting and pasting that goes on, and of course a good deal of article about it, before or after editing and proofreading (which still fails to catch every (or both). Produce a simple one- error) but the expense and manual labor involved in publishing an issue of Diplomacy World is a fraction of page flyer, which is FREE what it once was. advertising to thousands of Some things, on the other hand, remain the same. I am readers. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF still a terrible pest, bugging people incessantly about writing an article for DW. I see more of the flaws in THIS RESOURCE! AND PUT every issue than the positives. My favorite types of YOUR EVENT DETAILS ON THE articles are still the hardest to come by. And I always wonder how much longer I’ll be doing this before I give in DIPLOM.ORG WEBSITE TOO! and pass it on to someone else. For the time being you’re stuck with me. But while I I just never understand WHY that remain the same, other things change and evolve. This issue we welcome our new Clubs and Tournament advice is ignored so often. Don’t Editor, the lovely and talented Will J. Abbott. Curiously, you WANT people to know about as I’ve been complaining lately about the lack of articles on this topic, we see Will take the helm AND a number the event, to be informed that it of convention reports in this issue. Coincidence? That’s for me to know and you to…well, to not know. exists, and to consider attending this year or perhaps the next? This issue also includes another interview from our recently-added Interview Editor, Heath Gardner. Heath won a bet or kidnapped a relative or something, forcing IF THEY DON’T KNOW YOUR Chris Davis to cooperate and agree to an interview a while back. Maybe he used a photo on the first page of EVENT EXISTS, HOW CAN THEY the interview as blackmail material. Judge for yourself. ATTEND? As always, there are some familiar names in this issue. One of them - our Strategy and Tactics Editor Joshua Phew…sorry….that just really gets to me. Danker-Dake – has a new book out which you can purchase from any major bookseller or online. If you’d I’ll close by reminding you the next deadline for like to read about Joshua’s new book “The Spare Room Diplomacy World submissions is April 1st, 2014. and Other Stories” you can see it on Amazon here or Remember, besides articles (which are always prized just do a search at your favorite retailer. No, it isn’t and appreciated), we LOVE to get letters, feedback, about Diplomacy…that’s what Diplomacy World if for! input, ideas, and suggestions too. So email me at [email protected]! See you in the spring, and happy stabbing! Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page2 Diplomacy World Staff: Managing Lead Editor: Douglas Kent, Email: diplomacyworld of yahoo.com Co-Editor: Jim Burgess, Email: jfburgess of gmail.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 Club and Tournament Editor: Will J. Abbott, Email: wabbott9 of gmail.com  NEW!! 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: Will J. Abbott, Stephen Agar, Nathan Barnes, Edi Birsan, Jim Burgess, Bill Coffin, Joshua Danker-Dake, Rick Desper, Heath Gardner, Tim Haffey, Timothy Hayward, David Hood, Zachary Jarvie, Ned Leffingwell, Alex Maslow, Jack McHugh, Graeme Murphy, Afred Nicol, Jim O’Kelley, Austin Paolello, Larry Peery, Baron Powell, David St. John, Marc Seguin, Cyrille Sevin, W.H. Seward, Nemanja Simic, The GM. The Shadow, Richard Young. Add your name to the 2014 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 Face-to-Face: Clubs and Tournament Report: Welcome the New Editor! by Will J. Abbott Page 6 Strategy & Tactics: Lessons to Learn in Playing Diplomacy by Tim Haffey Page 6 Feature: Growing the Hobby: The Secret is Catch ‘em While They’re Young by Larry Peery Page 8 Book Review: Playing at the World by Jon Peterson by Ned Leffingwell Page 10 DWC Tournament: Revisiting “Third Time’s the Charm” by Jim Burgess Page 11 Interview: An Interview with Chris Martin by Heath Gardner Page 13 Convention Report: Beefy is the New Beefcake by Jim O’Kelley Page 18 Convention News: Selected Upcoming Conventions Page 21 Feature: A Tale of Two Cities: Paris and Seattle by Larry Peery Page 22 Face-to-Face: Team Rounds in Tournaments by Will J. Abbott Page 24 Strategy & Tactics: The Anschluss Opening by Tim Haffey Page 25 Convention Flyer: TempleCon 2014 Page 26 Convention Report: Tempest/North American DipCon 2013 by Larry Peery Page 27 Variants: College of Cardinals: The Evolution of a Variant, Part 1 by Timothy Hayward and Baron Powell Page 36 DWC Tournament: Diplomacy World Cup III: Takin’ a Lickin’, Keepin’ on Tickin’ by Jim Burgess Page 40 Strategy & Tactics: The Game is Diplomacy by Tim Haffey Page 41 Feature: A Turkey’s Take on Thanksgiving by Larry Peery Page 42 Technology: (Re)Visiting Diplomacy for the PC by Joshua Danker-Dake Page 47 Variants: Fog of War “Radio Tower” Variant by David St. John Page 49 Demo Game: Thanks for the Roses – Diplomacy World Demo Game – 1905 through 1908 Results Page 50 Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page3 Knives and Daggers - The Diplomacy World Letter Column Per Westling - Larry's piece on Team Diplomacy We lost too many good friends in the past year or reminded me which is probably my favorite part of two. John is without question among the most Diplomacy, namely the team play. I did enjoy it greatly missed. when I played, and did consider joining one of the team tournaments on the net some year ago but stayed away Larry Peery – Re "Why I Like Team Events” from it. Over the years I have occasionally been criticized for Larry wrote something about remembering the team being too quick to criticize, but I have also been quick to tournament at WDC in 1994. How could I forget.... praise where praise was due. Rarely have I been able to do both at the same time. However, if some interpreted the above mentioned article as criticism, so be it. However, let all know that I’m also praising the quick response of the DipCon administrators who took action and restored the team event to its traditional and rightful place in the DipCon pantheon where, hopefully, it will remain. Lauds to Joe, Jeff and Lori for doing the right thing in this case. Meanwhile, I know I speak for myself. Conrad von Metzke and Rod Walker, and I am sure Allan Calhamer and Walt Buchanan would agree. Although we (Conrad, Rod, Walt and myself) might all think we were DW's greatest editor, I am sure you would be our second Pat Piggott - I was talking to someone yesterday about choice. On your 6.5 years as DW's senior editor and Ethil the Frog and my late husband John Piggott. I publisher praise is due. Summa cum laude. thought it might be worth a mention to Diplomacy World as it’s coming up to a year since John died suddenly last I was saddened by Graeme's article but not surprised. I 19th November aged 60. I still have copies of Ethil in the think we as a FTF hobby need to do some soul- loft although I was never involved in the game myself. searching about our current state. For starters why don't you send out one of those email The photo was taken at our youngest son’s graduation announcements/pronouncements you're fond of and ask about 7 years ago. everybody to submit to submit five suggestions for improving the hobby. You, JB, and I can judge which is the best. I'll donate a ABC tee shirt as a prize. Other than that, I thought it was a very good issue. I was impressed with Cyrille's article. How does he remember all that stuff? Even with the Databank I can barely remember what cons I've been to. I'm glad I didn't make the top board. I'd stll be trying to figure out what country to play. Lew Pulsipher - I don't know how you do it, Doug. What a great service you provide to Dip fans. The DW Staff and all the other contributors are way more deserving of thanks than I am. John Wilman - By way of a change, I checked out Diplomacy World, and found some great stuff by Cyrille Sevin about how he won the latest WDC ahead of Toby Harris (whose reports I had already read). I may have spelt his name wrong - the chain-smoking Frenchie, not the dope-smoking Brit, but I will never forget the only game I played in his august presence. Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page4 My last ever appearance in a ftf dip game was a creditable performance as England, in alliance with Germany, but it was spoilt by the petulant attitude of the player of the French pieces, who played a weak game and was eliiminated, that caused me to give up the game. I had played a blinder - he had played like a klutz -= but I felt like the guilty party! You need a lot of money and a lot of holiday time, even to play in these events. On the Continent, they play C- Diplo, which is an abomination to me. Nobody wins, nobody loses - you just have to top the board after 5/6 years. Okay folks, John hates the C-Diplo scoring system. Anybody want to debate that, or suggest something new? Plenty of room for more articles next issue! Steven Douglas - Hello, and thank-you for these decades of Diplomacy. Does there exist a method for keeping track of the ownership of supply centres beyond memory, notes, or the round SC markers specific to the Great Powers? As a hobby game designer, I find this last adds a lot of tokens, many of which won't come into play, and also messes up the minimalism of the board. After much searching online to no avail, could it be that no one has produced a set of 34 tokens each showing the name of one supply centre, to be acquired and retained by players once they occupy a SC? How easy then to see who holds what SCs, and to check that a player's number of units is equal to the supply centres they have acquired. As Germany, he allowed Toby (Russia) to convoy an army from StP to Sweden in A01, leaving the Russian This would be quick enough to mock up on one's own. fleet in GOB free to move to BAL whenever it felt like it. While at it, a few dozen arrows would make it easy to Not content with that, he let the French into Bel for 3 show the destination of all units that have been ordered builds! When the moves were read out, he turned a to move before they actually move, so that any conflicts whiter shade of pale .... France quickly raced to 15 would be obvious and support could be read out to centres. resolve the issue... but someone must have thought of that already. Anyone, even a world champion, can have a bad day. But my luck was even worse - I was England! Diplomacy has been a high ideal which I've tried to attain all these long designing decades. I fared even worse in the only US event I played in (David Hood won that one). There’s always the various adjudication programs, such as Realpolitik. But what about it, readers? But with all that spare time, I played a lot of railway Anybody ever create tokens like those Steven games instead - no wins, but less stressful on the blood describes? pressure. Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page5 Clubs and Tournament Report: Welcome the New Editor! By Will J. Abbott Hello, Diplomacy World readers! My name is Will J. person or by e-mail, postal mail, telegraph, semaphore, Abbott, and I am the new Clubs and Tournaments editor. or smoke signals. This issue I am just introducing myself and making a plea for articles. If it's just a note or a score sheet, send it to me (wjja9 at yahoo dot com) and I'll write it up. I can take your I have been playing Diplomacy since my days as an information in English, German, or French (or if you undergraduate in the 1990's but only in the last several need to, Latin or Koine Greek!). I will also gladly take full years have I begun to participate in tournaments. I have articles, which I will pass along to our intrepid editor, also occasionally played on the judges in the past – both Doug Kent. We'll accept any and all articles on issues the DPJudge (USDP) and the Ken Lowe njudges. Before related to clubs and tournaments. Articles on how to run I moved from the area, I participated in the Potomac Tea a tournament, start a local hobby, or host a house game and Knife Society. would be excellent submissions. Last issue boasted an article by Larry Peery on team tournaments; my own I currently live in the Tampa Bay area with my fiancée take on the same subject is in this issue. I would love to and our girls (her daughters and my stepdaughters). I hear your responses to either article! Or come up with am a PhD student in the Catholic University of America, your own idea for a tournament and tell the world about though finished with classes. it. Have a great idea for a club activity? Write it up. Got tips for how to start a local hobby, like how to find So, what am I looking for? I am looking for any players, where to hold the early games, or how to get information about Diplomacy, as played in clubs and publicity? Sounds like a great article idea to me. Finally, tournaments. Some things to note: nowhere in that if you are starting a hobby in your area, let me know! I'll phrase is “face-to-face” mentioned. So if you have a announce it here in these very pages. The first twenty club, I'm happy to get info on your goings-on, even if it is players to submit something to me relating to clubs or an online club. If you are running a tournament (or just tournaments (or even both!) get a free support to played in one) let me know. I don't care if you play in Iceland. Lessons to Learn in Playing Diplomacy By Tim Haffey When playing Diplomacy there are several things to response. In discussions with Austria, Germany and learn. Things like strategies, tactics, playing styles, and England, I found that they were not getting any different personalities, etc. But, I am going to discuss responses to their emails either. This guy simply did not two other very important concepts. communicate with anyone at any time during the game for the short time he existed. 1. Communications with the other players 2. Giving up. When a player refuses to talk to you or answer your mail/email, you have to assume he is hostile and will The first one, Communications with the other players attack you. So, I made the anti-Russian move of F Ank- should seem obvious. It applies to all types of gaming: Blk, A Smy-Arm. A Con-Bul. I also worked with Austria ftf, tournaments, phone, postal, and email games. This and Italy to assure them I was not going to attack them is a very important concept and should not be forgotten or come after them. Austria moved A Vie-Gal. When the or ignored. Most people do communicate to some spring moves came out, I was more than a little degree, but every now and then you run into a player surprised to see F Sev-Rum. I got into the Black Sea who simply does not respond to your emails or letters. much to my surprise. A War-Gal bounced with Austria This pertains to Diplomacy being played via mail or and remained in War. Russia moved A Mos-StP much email. It also applies to ftf and Tournaments but to England's unhappiness as you might imagine. perhaps is not so easily avoided when someone corners Germany moved to Denmark and would bounce Russia you to talk. in Sweden in the fall. To serve as an example I will use a game I played in as In the fall, I captured Rum (A Arm-Rum by a Convoy on Turkey, and won a solo in game year 1919. This was F Blk and supported by A Bul). Russia retreated F Rum DW400 on Dip World. I was Turkey and I sent an email to Sev. He again moved A War-Gal and was again to Russia trying to feel him out about an alliance. I got bounced. Germany bounced him in Sweden and he did no response. I send several more emails and still got no not get a build. The whole time I was sending him Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page6 emails and he simply would not respond. He was anything can happen. Players realign their alliances, sending his orders in to the GM so his computer must players quit and you get a new player, players die for have been working. But, now, because he refused to real, GMs quit or just disappear and you have to find a talk to anyone, he had four nations working against him. new GM which delays the game and players drift away To make a long story short, in fall 1903 I took Mos (I had as well. In DW400 we eliminated Russia in 03, by 06 taken Sev in 02), Germany took War with a supported Italy and I (Turkey) had eliminated Austria. I then gained move, and England took StP and the non- control of the Ionian Sea and pushed Italy out of Tri and communicative Russia went down in flames. Still Vie. But, Germany and France were solidly allied and I without a word to anyone. He never submitted an EOG could not get either one to attack the other one. France statement either. was almost all fleets built in order to take out England and stalemate the Med. Germany only had two fleets and had all of his armies on my borders attacking me every turn. France was wide open and all Germany had to do was ally with me and attack France and France would have folded up like a cardboard box. But he would not do it. A newbie's loyalty to his mentor I suppose. We had all agreed to a DIAS and sent in our votes, but, then it happened. Germany resigned due to family problems and the GM brought in a new player who voted against the DIAS. I raised hell with the GM and later I found out that France did too. Did I mention that Felix was playing France? Well, when he saw Germany start to move toward France, he resigned too. And then Italy resigned. He probably realized that a new French player would take him out anyway. Then, the GM resigned. Now there is no one in the game except me and Germany. So, we became sort of buddies while we searched around for a new GM. We found one and he got a player for France and Italy. The Italian player turned out to be a sweetheart too. He supported me even while I was taking his centers. Germany moved out of War and StP so I took them and tried to take Mun for the win…but I messed up . By this time I had captured all of Italy but, France had Tun and I could not take it. I only had 17 centers. So, I told Germany I was very sorry about trying to attack Mun and he should go ahead and take the rest of France’s centers. He took four of his remaining six centers and France had to remove four units. He removed all his fleets in the Med leaving Tun wide open allowing me to take the win. Germany had an army in Spain and had So, the lesson learn here is communicate with all the moved his F Mid into Por, so there was nothing he could other players all the time or you may go down in flames do about it. I proposed a Turkey solo and they voted for in F-03, or sooner. I think this would also apply to ftf and it. Tournament games as well. The lesson here, NEVER GIVE UP, anything can The second lesson learned really does not apply to ftf or happen and turn the game right around. Tournament games because they have time limits and a solo win is not usually the goal. More like a draw somehow. But, in mail or email games where there is no Tim Haffey is one of the former Lead Editors of time limit and the game can go on for a long time (19 Diplomacy World years in this game), you need to understand that Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page7 Growing the Hobby: The Secret is Catch ‘em While They’re Young By Larry Peery As I think everyone active in the Diplomacy hobby has entrance and started playing. We got a few stares from noticed we’re a declining breed. Except for the online those arriving and a visit from the security people but hobby and the number of visits to Diplomacy related they decided we were harmless and left. What was websites most indicators of the hobby’s “health” show a surprising to me was how many people stopped by to decline: 1) Number of FTF games played; 2) Number see what we were doing and many, many of them said and size of DipCon events held; 3) Number of things like, “Oh yeah, I used to play that in college. You publications devoted to the game and hobby. I can’t help mean it’s still around?” The only mistake I made was is but think the passing of Allan Calhamer last year marked not having any flyers to pass out. Lesson learned: if a watershed for the hobby. you’re playing in a public space have a greeter to answer questions and flyers to pass out. I fielded several However, as I pointed out at DipCon in Silver Spring last queries at Silver Spring from some of the Vietnam vets year this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the hobby: who were sharing the hotel; and I suspect we could have it just means we have to work harder to maintain it and recruited a few newbies if we’d put our mind to it. to grow it. When I pointed that out to those in Silver Spring the idea got a good reception. It always does. 2) Number and size of DipCon events held: Again, a no- The problem is NOW do we do it? I said in my brainer. Just double the number of boards to two, come comments that it was easy to point out the problem but up with a scoring system, add a few prizes; and post the challenge was to come up with ways to solve it. This some announcements in DIPLOMACY WORLD and article is the first of several intended to suggest some THE DIPLOMATIC POUCH. After all, where else can ways to do just that. I encourage others to send their you get free publicity? And don’t forget to use some of ideas for growing the hobby to DIPLOMACY WORLD, the online Dip.org sites and discussion groups. Finally, THE DIPLOMATIC POUCH, and the various online come up with a catchy name for your event; just make it Diplomacy websites; and, if nothing else dust off your Dipcentric and friendly sounding. CARNAGE is not a Dip email list and send out a cyber “kick in the butt” to good name for an event promoting a family-friendly, fun some of your Dip friends ---especially those who have loving event! Hmm, almost makes me want to revive become inactive. PEERICON. I wonder if I did if anybody would come? I can definitely come up with a unique venue: there’s a I mentioned three specific areas where we need work. Hooters down the hill and a Roman Catholic Mission just Here’s some ideas directly aimed at those areas: over the hill. ϑ 1) Increasing the number of FTF games played: This is a 3) Number of publications devoted to the hobby and no-brainer and really easy. Just get off your butt and game: This one is a bit of a reach but here’s an idea that host a FTF game for family, friends, and what I called will drive Jim Burgess nuts (I sure hope he’s not reading “newbie ought-to-bes! It’s good to mix up the people at a this or I’m going to be in deep doo-doo.). This year house Dip party. If you just have family, or friends, or marks the 30th anniversary of Jim’s outstanding whomevers you run the risk of not having a “good mix,” zine/sub-zine THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE. Let’s help e.g. a variety of ages, interests, and personality types. him celebrate by sending him a sub-sub-zine! Right. After all, who wants to play Dip with six other Type A Peery’s OD’d on fruitcake (Not to digress but I should personalities? Also, there’s no reason why you have to mention that this year I had fruitcakes from: England, have your FTF game at home. Move it out of the box! France, Germany, Italy, and the USA. Hmmm, pity I Now you don’t have to do some of the weird things I’ve didn’t have any stolen, baklava or vzvar> Now that done to promote the game and hobby. Playing on a bus, would have been a tasty Dip variant.) and eggnog. I urge train or cruise ship may not be possible for everybody, you to create a one or two page mini-Dip ‘zine and send but there are ways to make a Dip game an event. One it to [email protected] It doesn’t have to be long or possibility is to piggy-back your Dip game onto another complicated (e.g. No Peeriblah allowed!). Why include event. Again, you don’t have to go to the extreme that an idea for promoting the game and hobby, perhaps a Mike and I did in 1984 when we played Diplomacy at personal favorite Dip encounter with another hobbyist, or one of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics event. I a retelling of your most memorable moment at a DipCon figured there had to be some “newbie-ought-to-bes” event? And if you’re really brave put in a sign-up sheet among the 45,000 baseball fans attending the medals for a FTF, PBM or PBEM Dip game and see who games in baseball at Dodger Stadium so we dragged a responds? Who knows, you might have so much fun card table, a Dip game, a flag and a sign up to the with your one-timer that you get bit by the publishing Stadium parking lot, set it all up in a prime spot near the bug! Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page8 including his only two in the Italian Milan tournament Actually, all of the above just occurred to me when I some nine years ago. Edi Sr. won and Edi Jr. came in started typing this. My original subject was going to be last place. Hmmm, maybe they can do a redux at WDC promoting the game and hobby among young people. 2015 when it’s held in Milan. However, Edi Jr. didn’t do That was something I’d been thinking about since Silver too badly. His consolation prize was getting to go Alpine Spring when I saw Kevin O’Kelley playing Dip. He was, skiing with David Norman, the British Dipper. Edi reports, by far, the youngest Dipper there. It was actually his with just a bit of a tear in his eye, that Edi Jr. is not a second Dip event his dad, Jim, told me. Kevin didn’t do gamer, and views Dip as “Pop’s game.” Cody, Edi’s so well in the scoring but he seemed to have a good grandson, has played a few games including at some of time and collected some prizes. Hopefully he’ll be back the local tournaments, but he’s basically not a Dipper. for more. Who knows, he’s about the same age as Edi Birsan was when Edi started playing, so perhaps we Here’s a pic of Edi giving his best sales pitch to some have the next Edi Birsan germinating among us? newbie-want-to-bes. Here are some pix of Jim O’Kelley and his son Kevin. “So you see kids, you ALWAYS want to support me into Belgium.” So here’s an example of two hobby dads trying to recruit their sons and grandsons into the hobby. Why not a daughter or even a mother-in-law? Who knows, your mother-in-law might develop a taste for stabbing you? ϑ Young people in high school, college and even junior school are prime targets for recruitment so it’s worth making the effort. Get ‘em while they’re young as Fred Davis would say. And speaking of Fred next time I’ll be discussing some ideas about how to go to the other extreme and recruit some of The Geritol Set into the hobby. In the meantime, Happy Recruiting! Remember kids, don’t encourage Larry Peery. It just Speaking of Edi, he’s got a different response from his keeps him around. son and grandson toward the game and hobby, but he isn’t giving up on recruiting youngsters into the hobby. Edi says that Edi Jr. has only played in a few games, Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page9 Books for Diplomacy Players: Playing at the World by Jon Peterson (Unreason Press. 720 pages) A Review by Ned Leffingwell Playing at the World by Jon Peterson is a thorough history of the development of Dungeons and Dragons and the creation of fantasy role playing games. Peterson traces the game from its roots in miniature wargaming up until the release of the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Peterson shows how a variety of games and genres blended together to create the fantasy role playing game. The majority of his book focuses on miniature and board wargaming, but Diplomacy fans will find that Calhamer’s game also played a crucial role in the development of D&D. Playing at the World shows how the peculiarities of Diplomacy’s play and the communities that sprung up around it added to the pot of soup that would eventually simmer into the genre of role playing games. Peterson does a notable job of tracing the histories of miniature wargame rules, sci fi fanzine communities, as well as early D&D communities. His research is exhaustive and the reader should be warned that the majority of this Peterson explores the simulation aspect of Diplomacy, book is not about Diplomacy. However Diplomacy is arguing that the free-form nature of negotiation presented as a crucial component in his narrative. He encouraged immersion and role playing among its presents clear linear histories as to how these hobbies players. Peterson compares this to other shared-world developed and influenced each other. Peterson shows communities, such as group science fiction settings as how Diplomacy, with its "anything goes" negotiation well as homebrewed wargame campaigns. The ease of mechanic along with its tendency to encourage players which Diplomacy play was adapted to the play-by-mail to immerse themselves in character influenced the format allowed it to expand beyond boundaries of development of fantasy role playing games. geography and imagination, and Peterson traces this path as wargamers and sci-fi fans began to experiment The high points for Diplomacy fans are the histories of with different ways to “play pretend”. the play-by-mail communities and the descriptions of home-brewed variants. For example, D&D’s other co- The size and density of this book makes it a commitment creator Dave Arneson developed a Napoleonic variant to read, as Peterson covers an enormous amount of that included an economic component and battles fought topics and material. This book will be most enjoyed by with miniatures rules. Peterson's strength is his Diplomacy gamers whose interests also include role research of these fan communities; he has read through playing games and wargaming. Peterson shows how the hundreds of fanzines in order to show the early creation of D&D worked like a chain of dominoes that Diplomacy community in action. Playing at the World toppled over in just the right configuration. Diplomacy shows how gamers adapted Diplomacy to a play-by-mail was not the most important domino in the chain, but format and then merged this style of playing with without its influence role playing would be very different fanzines, creating amateur newsletters full of colorful or might not have been invented at all. This book is a press. Peterson also explores the immersive element of treat for anyone who wants to see the development of a Diplomacy. He shows how many players preferred to truly unique genre of game and also to see the role that write letters and press in character . The reader is Diplomacy played in its creation. treated to letters that Gary Gygax, co-creator of D&D, wrote in his postal games. The best kind of article for DW: the one that arrived in my inbox completely unexpected! Diplomacy World #124 – Winter 2013 - Page10