HYPERSPACE DIPLOMACY II (Don Miller)
(1) STEVE AGAR in V&U 4 (September 1990)
One of the many variants that use the regular board, invented
in 1972. The rationale behind this one is that each season a player
may order a Link and/or a Separate order, this will either link
the two provinces through hyperspace (thus allowing A(Lon)-Mun))
or separate them (preventing movement between, say, Lon and NTH).
The rules seem to be fairly comprehensive, covering every possible
situation that such messing about with the board could entail.
Similar to Geophysical II in many ways.
ICE AGE DIPLOMACY (Jim Penman)
(1) ANDREW ENGLAND in Affairs of State (1988)
This is set after a nuclear holocaust which has precipitated a
new ice age. The game map covers the whole world.
IDEOLOGY (Jeremy Maiden)
Rules originally published in He's Dead, Jim! Volume 3:
XVII.
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 10, July 1976.
A political variant allegedly based on Parliament. Part of the
rules is confused, but basically each player buys popular support
in various spaces in an attempt to gain one half of the population,
at which point he can attempt a successful coup. The owner of
a space can arrest opposition, and can defeat a coup if he has
sufficient men. Ownership of a space yields revenue, allowing
training of additional men and sending them out to subvert a neighbouring
territory or to defend your own. Support is an option; popular
support is secret. Movement of leaders is public; of Agents and
Spies secret. Since Spies cost less, can do anything an Agent
can, and can in addition determine the number of men in a faction
in a space, I suspect more Spies will be trained than Agents --
especially since the only advantage an Agent has (of not immediately
disappearing after a revolution) is lost if the Agent is captured
or arrested.
IMPERATOR: See Diadochi V.
INDONESIAN (Russell Fox)
Rules originally published in Urf Durfal 5.
(1) REVIEW: Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 8, December 1975.
Confused, perhaps unplayable.
INTERPLANETARY WARFARE (Glenn Reed)
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 3, February 1975.
An imaginary solar system with an almost impassable asteroid belt,
five planets, colonizable moons, and meteor showers which run
around destroying units and supply centers on moons. Depending
on where the comma is supposed to go in the previous sentence,
the meteor showers either harass moons or disrupt the entire game;
of course disrupting the game is mild compared to the missiles
which can destroy everything except planets. There are three unit-types,
one of which can carry missiles, one which can colonize, and one
which is double strength on defense (but not against missiles,
sigh). The game year has twelve months; every fourth one is for
adjustments, perhaps the only feature of interest in the game.
Victory is obtained by eliminating all the other players while
retaining a supply center; I doubt that there is very much that
can be said in favor of this design.
INTIMATE (Adrian Baird and Steve Doubleday)
Rules originally published in Dolchstoss XIV.
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 4, March 1975.
A two player game. After choosing countries, each player gets
a certain initial credit: 22- Germany, 24-Italy or Austria, 20-the
others. Before each game year both players bid for the services
of the non-player countries; the highest bid for each non-player
country wins and the credit is deducted from the player's Treasury,
and that player controls that country for that year (he must submit
builds when possible). When the bids are equal for a given country,
that country is CD that year. A player may bid more than his credit,
but if his successful bids exceed his credit, he loses. At the
end of a year, each player has an income equal to the supply centers
his own country has. A player wins when one of his own units enters
one of his opponent's own home supply centers; ties are decided
by summing credit with the supply center count.
INTIMATE 1A (Adrian Baird & Steve Doubleday)
???/02
(1) STEVE AGAR & JON LOVIBOND in ??? (circa 1979)
This variant has proved popular because of its simplicity and
because `ID' games provide a means whereby two players who have
a certain degree of animosity towards each other can fight it
out. The basic idea is that the players are allocated one of the
seven countries on the regular board, while the remaining five
countries become mercenaries. The two players receive a certain
number of `credits' depending on the country they are playing,
and every Autumn season they use these credits to bid for the
services of the mercenary countries. The winner is the first player
to put one of his units (not a mercenary) into one of the home
centres of his opponent.
CRAZY MARKIE SAYS: Could easily be moulded into other variants...
eg Abstraction and Stab.
INTERSTELLAR DIPLOMACY III (Lew Pulsipher) sg03/05
(1) Steve Agar and James Nelson in Spring Offensive 19,
January 1994.
This space variant uses a symmetrical three-dimensional board,
permitting horizontal, vertical and diagonal movement to both
the vertical and horizontal. Players start with 400 credits, receive
20 credits from captured centres and credits can be spent on building
fleets on the home centre or building Industrial Centres which
then permit fleets to be built there. Fleets cost 8 credits per
move to maintain plus additional credits for specific types of
movement, which means that economics is a very important aspect
of the game. General combat rules are as per Diplomacy save that
multiple fleets are permitted.
(1) STEVE AGAR in V&U 4 (September 1980)
A European variant, although the board extends as far as India,
set in 635AD. The powers are: (Type A) Arabs, Germans; (TYPE B)
Byzantines, Persians, Franks; (TYPE C) Lombardy, Exarchate of
Spain and North Africa. The powers are split into three types
in order of size and given different victory criteria accordingly.
A fairly complicated game with hidden movement, as well as a sense
of humour. If the Arabs lose Mecca, then all Arab units must retreat
towards it until it is recaptured, even if they have no hope of
ever reaching it. This game has been played postally.
LEBENSRAUM III (McGregor) ??/07
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SOL 2 (October 1990)
Based on a world map, World War II with added rules for supply
lines and aircraft.
LEGION (Fl Montauban) ??/07
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SoL 2 (October 1990)
The Mediterranean in the era of the Roman Emperors --- six Governors
and the Emperor battle it out.
LIMA 2B (Colin Hemming, Michael Jean-Paul Macedoni)
(1) STEVE AGAR in V&U 4 (September 1980)
A variant dating back to 1972. This game uses a slightly expanded
version of the regular map and incorporates a new type of unit
--- the Air Squadron. Essentially squadrons act as regular units
but they have a range of two provinces, instead of the usual one.
In addition to stand and support, squadrons can `bomb' and `invade'.
The original game was written in French --- I believe that the
first English version was printed by Colin Hemming in the UK zine
XL (1972).
LEMURIAN (S Gunnell)
Rules originally published in Tau Ceti 9.
(1) REVIEW: Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 10, July 1976.
An economic variant with armies, heroes and magicians; this is
*not* a magic variant -- magicians seem to be heroes of a type
who don't allow other magicians in the same space. Two of the
players cannot communicate with each prior to initial builds,
one of whom may not hire magicians, and the other may not hire
heroes, while the remaining two players are limited to four magicians
at a time. There are three different types of supply centers with
different incomes and properties -- one, the native centers, are
hostile to magicians and if left alone can build double armies
to resist the players. Perhaps playable.
LOEB-9 (Daniel Loeb)
(1) MARK NELSON (15/1/93).
A nine-player variant based on an expanded regular board adding
Norway and Spain as the new powers. Five new supply centres are
added and the victory criteria is 20. Has been played by email.
If you have access to email you can get the rules by sending the
command GET INFO.LOEB9 to a judge.
LONDON NIGHTS (Andy Mansfield) pe17/07
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SoL 2 (October 1990)
Seven gangs from North London want to take over South London.
Will the police be able to stop them?
LUNATIC DIPLOMACY (Thomas Galloway) ug07/02-08
(1) Steve Agar and James Nelson in Spring Offensive 19,
January 1994.
A central planet with eight provinces is ringed by six orbits
of satellites, the nearest orbit to the planet containing the
smallest number of satellites with the outmost orbit to the planet
containing the most satellites. Players may move between orbits.
After every Autumn move all of the satellites move in their orbit,
which results in a gradual shift in which provinces are adjacent
to which. Whilst this is well handled, the concept may be a bit
perplexing for most players.
(1) MARK NELSON (28/1/93)
A complex diplomacy variant set in Italy which adds rule for money,
bribes, famines, assassinations and the such like. The rules,
and map, can be downloaded from a Judge. Distributed commercially
by Hasbro.
MAGIC II (unknown)
Rules originally published in Valinor 1.
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 8, December 1975.
D&D strikes! Could use a little simplification, but good.
In addition to a standard set-up, one unit is knighted (double
strength -- must be doubly attacked to totally cut support), and
there is a hero and wizard for each player; heroes may accompany
their own forces adding one to their strength, and travel alone
(over land or water) without strength -- if they are unable to
retreat they're annihilated. Wizards may move invisibly (if an
enemy unit is in the same space it has 50% chance of detecting
and capturing the wizard) or cast one of the fifteen spells in
the game. Spells take effect before movement (a spell if broken
if the wizard is discovered, hit by lighting or fireball, or attacked).
The wizard starts with only a Learning Spell; certain spells must
be maintained; one spell is Counterspell against several of the
other spells; one spell (Light) may be cast while moving to counter
Darkness.
MANICHEION (Claude Bouries) ??/09
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SOL 2 (October 1990)
This game adds two new player, God and the Devil who can bless
(or curse) provinces. A blessing will neutralize a curse (= impassable).
God and the Devil choose a power which they consider will be the
winner. If they have guessed correctly they will win the game.
MARCHERVAP (Jon Lovibond) ??/??
(1) GORDON McDONALD in AC-MONG 40 (August 1991)
This game is based on the political situation in Wales as it existed
at the time of the treaty of Aberconway, 1277.
There are a number of additions to the regular game. Castles,
surprise, garrison armies and two named units: Llewlyn ap Gruffyd
and Edward I. There are three Welsh players: Gwynedd, Deheubarth
and Powys and three English: Crown, Mortimer and Clare.
There isn't anything to stop the Welsh and or English powers helping
each other, however, Llewlyn and Edward, leader units, in control
of Gwynedd and the Crown respectively, can only be used against
opposing nationalities. Llewlyn when `stacked' with as Welsh unit
adds 1 to its strength in attack and 2 in defence whereas Edwards
counts as 1 for both --- this variant has similarities to many
a wargame. Leader units and garrison armies don't count towards
the stacking limit, which is two, so it is possible to have e.g.
an Army, a Fleet, a Garrison Army and Llewlyn stacked in one province.
However, mixing of units from different players is not allowed.
Leader units cannot move into a province controlled by units from
another nationality or alter the control of a supply centre on
their own It is possible for the two leader units to co-exist
in the same province providing no other units are present. Leader
units can only be eliminated if surrounded and on their own their
defensive (or attack) value counts for nothing.
Castles, as would be expected, have a defence value (1) although
this only applies if there is a garrison in residence. (They count
as double supply centres.) If they are kept in a state of siege
for four consecutive movement turns i.e. surrounded, all units
occupying them are annihilated due to starvation, but the opposing
forces have to wait to the following turn before moving in. Retreats
into own castle only!
There is also a limit to the number of fleets a power may build
and garrison armies cannot be built even if some are lost. Turns
go July, August, September, etc with two movement turns followed
by a build turn. There are varying victory conditions, depending
on the power and may include a certain number of castles or a
dead opposing leader.
Certainly an interesting game combining wargaming methods with
Dip. Initially looks complicated, but if you're a wargamer it's
easy to grasp and in reality probably no more complicated than
any other variant with additional unit types. Indeed easier than
Ark Royal Dip (qv).
THE MAYA (John Boyer)
Rules Originally published as a supplement to Impassable.
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 9, March 1976.
Units serve as both armies and fleets; any number of fleets can
be in a sea space; movement is between cities adjacent by road,
each of the eight players has a single home city. The home city
is the only land space which may have more than one ordinary unit
in it, & only one player's; moves and builds alternate --
each land space is a city is a supply center. There is a special,
temple, unit which can not be moved, but may be built in any owned
center upon a net gain in centers owned -- they are built in lieu
of ordinary units, but do not count against subsequent supply
-- temples add defensive strength. The victory criteria is 15
temples in one or more centers. Recommended.
MEDIEVAL DIPLOMACY (Andrew England)
(1) ANDREW ENGLAND in Affairs of State (1988)
This variant is loosely based around Feudal Diplomacy (qv) but
has several added features to improve its historicity. Islam is
included as a separate power with which none of the other players
is allowed to negotiate. To this end it is run by the GM. Byzantium
is also presented as a separate power to be run by a player and
both the Vikings and Nomads are included as non-aligned powers
which move in a random fashion. Additionally, the Vikings make
raids into various coastal provinces. The importance of land in
the medieval world is presented by making provinces as well as
supply centres worth production points. The map has been extended
to take in all of North Africa and the middle East hence making
the possibility of Crusades a reality. Otherwise the variant the
same as Feudal. Time will tell what the strengths and weaknesses
of this game are.
MEDITERRANEAN (Max Feron) ??/10
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SoL 2 (October 1990)
The Mediterranean world in 1250BC: in spite of certain events
(plague, famine) and other problems (corruption, rebellion...)
the players must conquer provinces which provide them with money
and final victory.
MERCATOR (Doug Wakefield et al)
(1) STEVE AGAR & JON LOVIBOND in ??? (Circa 1979)
This variant is played on a world map with 13 players and a total
of 108 supply centres and has been subjected to eleven different
revisions, but the rules for `Definitive Mercator' are now available.
The basic units in Mercator are armies and fleets, but players
my also form Army/Fleet (A/F) units which enable the combined
units to travel together for several moves.
There are four different `time scales' (TS) in use (i.e. certain
types of movement are adjudicated before other types, e.g. armies
land from fleets before normal army movement). Due to its size
Mercator has had troubles with balance, but the recent revision
is claimed to be as near perfect as possible. You'll have to concentrate
to do well. Several optional rules are provided that must be decided
on before the start of the game.
(2) BRYAN BETTS in MOPSY 18 (December ?? circa 1984/85)
Mercator originated as a variant played on a world map --- a Mercatorial
projection, i.e. one which wraps around into a cylinder. Several
marks now exist, and all have certain differences from the regular
game; largely in movement.
In Mercator there are no convoys --- armies cross seas by forming
a combined unit with a fleet. This A/F can move as a fleet, and
can land the army, rather like an amphibious assault. Movement
is in three phases: PHASE ONE: Armies may board or land from fleets.
If a fleet gives up its own move then it may support its army
to land. Since no defensive support is possible this is a very
powerful attack. PHASE TWO: Normal diplomacy moves and supports.
A/F's can move as a normal fleet. PHASE THREE: Armies may embark
onto or disembark from fleets (without support). A fleet which
embarks/disembarks an army may then move to a sea space.
An example. Suppose England has F(ENC) and A(Lon). He may order:
TS1: A(Lon) BF(ENC), TS2: A/F (ENC)-MAO, TS3 A(MAO) D(NAf), F(MAO)-WMS!
As you can imagine, Mercator is a fast moving game, with the emphasis
very much on attack. In addition, the cylindrical map means you
can (with careful planning) attack your enemy simultaneously from
both sides! No sooner does he think he's stopped your attack in
the west then you slam into him from the east!
The final important difference is the use of the `Key Rule', which
says that a unit which fails to move may be dislodged by an UNSUPPORTED
ATTACK from any provinces other than the one it failed to move
to. Example: ENGLISH F(NTH)-ENC, F(MAO)-Bre, FRENCH: F(Bre)-ENC.
The French fleet is dislodged from MAO since its move failed.
In short, a great game, with opportunities for all sorts of blitzkriegs
and dirty deeds --- and the chance to play countries like Australia,
Brazil and Japan!
(3) JAMES NELSON in SPRINGY 45 (February 1991)
This is a global variant of which there are a number of different
versions.
All powers have foreign build centres, and the game mechanics
ensure that the game doesn't get bogged down. This fluidity makes
the game a great tactical and diplomatic game, and it has attracted
its own subculture of hard-core Mercator players within the UK
hobby.
The game is quite complicated, and the rules quite lengthy but
once the basic concepts have been understood everything falls
into place. There are a large number of articles on the game,
both on the play and the design.
METEOROLOGICAL DIPLOMACY (unknown) ??/07
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SoL 2 (October 1990)
Weather conditions enable provinces to appear and disappear.
MIDDLE EARTH II (Don Miller) ??? 1965 ??/05
(1) STEVE AGAR in V&U 2 (July 1980)
This is basically a map variant in which the players represent
Arnor, Gondor, Mordor, Rhovanion and Rohan. The designer overcame
the fleet limitation which is built into Middle-Earth variants
by allowing armies to turn into fleets and vice versa, and outlawing
convoys. There was no attempt to recreate the book --- Middle
Earth was used as a scenario and nothing more.
MIDDLE EARTH V (Lew Pulsipher) ??? circa 1975 ???/07
(1) STEVE AGAR in V&U 2 (July 1980)
In many ways this is just a seven player version of Middle Earth
II, in which the players are now Angmar, Dwarves, Elves, Gondor-Rohan,
Harad-Ruhn, Men of the North and Mordor. The fleet rules were
altered to accommodate the convoy, allowing the fleet to army
conversion to happen in any province but specifying that the army
to fleet change could only take place in costal SCs. In order
to improve player-balance Lew introduced Mountain ranges (e.g.
to surround Mordor) which are impassable apart from specifically
marked mountain passes --- the effect of these mountains on the
play balance are considerable (and make it easy to form a North-South
stalemate line).
MIDDLE EARTH VIII (Lew Pulsipher) ??? circa 1976
???/08
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 7, September 1975.
Eight players, one move per year, one fortress per home country,
army/fleet conversion, standard Pulsipher victory condition: a
majority of units possible + one (to guarantee against `false'
wins). The Elves (located in the center of the board) have a fourth
home center and Mordor has one home center in the center of the
board. The location of the boundaries and fortresses do not make
particular sense, given the Middle Earth setting, and the game
lacks magic, alignment, and mountains; as a Middle Earth variant
it is unappealing, although the design features and concepts would
make a good abstract variant.
(2) STEVE AGAR in Variants & Uncles 2 (July 1980)
Really original title, huh? This is an eight player Middle Earth
scenario (Agnor, Angmar, Elves, Rohan, Gondor, Rhun, Rhovanion
and Mordor), designed primarily as a fast FtF game. The principal
change is the introduction of a one movement season per game year,
to speed up the flow of the game and to encourage adventurous
tactics. Also, each player is given a home fortress centre (which
adds one to a defensive unit). The fleet rules are those of ME
II.
MINIMALIST DIPLOMACY (Phil Reynolds) vb07/07
(1) MIGUEL LAMBOTTE in SoL 2 (October 1990)
The seven classic powers have one province each. Each one is adjacent
to at least three others.
MOOSE (Paul Girsdansky)
Rules originally printed in Magna Avis 2.
(1) Robert Sacks in Lord of Hosts 8, December 1975.
A Scandinavian player and a Pacific theatre are added. Very confused.
MULTIPLICITY (Richard J.Walkerdine)
(1) STEVE AGAR and JON LOVIBOND in ??? (circa 1979)
Basically exactly as Regular, except that the formation of multiple
units is allowed. Multiplicity is played to a 3-season year. This
variant doesn't seem too popular at the moment --- perhaps it
is TOO simple for most variant players.
MULTIPLICITY PLUS (Richard Walkerdine and Stephen Agar)
(1) Steve Agar in Spring Offensive 11 (April 1993).
This is a new version of Multiplicity II which I have put together
to take the Multiplicity concept to its natural conclusion. Unlike
original Multiplicity where the ability to merge was seen as an
extra type of move, these rules see merging as the usual state
of affairs, reflecting the fact that in real combat military units
of the same nation do not stand each off! However, as you would
imagine, the death of the self-standoff does make a significant
difference to the tactics of the game.
Another departure from Multiplicity II is that these rules permit
the formation of multinational multiple units, with rules covering
the possibility that a player may wish to stab the player with
whom he has joined forces. This was always outlawed in Multiplicity
presumably because it made everything too complicated.
Despite having been around since what seems like the beginning
of time, Multiplicity has never proved that popular and few postal
games have been played, which I think is a great shame.
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