Clue to Person with Closest Guess:
Similar professions,
and exactly the right location.
Deadline for Round 3 is August 30th at 7am My Time
IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION
BY THE NOTES OR BY THE DOTS
By Larry Peery
INTRODUCTION
Ponders the question:
Music or Diplomacy; if you had to pick one which would it be?
This essay is about two of my favorite subjects: music and
Diplomacy. In some ways it is quite simple but in others it requires some
serious thinking and more than a few trips to the internet. I urge you to take the time to check out the
links to various articles and videos. I think you’ll find them both educational
and enjoyable. At least I hope so.
THE PROCESS
Ponders the question:
How does one achieve perfection in music or Diplomacy?
Perfection in music will be discussed below. Here’s my
process for achieving peerifection in Diplomacy in
very simple terms:
The Quest: Finding the right path for you, taking it and
sticking to it is impeeritive (OK, no more, I
promise.)Too many Dippers can’t make up their minds about where they want to go
in the game or hobby; which explains why they never get there.
The Victory/ The Championship: Battles (losses and wins)
gradually give way to defeats and victories and then to championships: Early
losses lead to later wins. It took me 30 years to achieve my only championship.
It took Edi 25 years, give or take, to win his first championship. It took Toby
14 years to win his first championship.
And so it gets.
The Revolutionary: The Road Less Chosen: Most Dippers follow
the tried and true path in their search for perfection from their local group
to regional events and then on to national events and the world championships
if they can. Others, on the other hand, find their way to perfection in other
ways by following “the road less chosen” and “marching to their own drum”: as
writers, editors, publishers, custodians, etc.
The Icon/Fame: That transitory moment of glory. The fame of
winning a championship brings with it a certain iconic status that may prove
fleeting or lasting, depending on what path the Dipper then follows in his
search for perfection.
The Legend that endures: As time passes and successes pile
up a Dipper can move up the perfection ladder to legendary status in the hobby.
At that point he is often referred to as an “Old Fart” regardless of his
physical age.
It is important, I think, to clearly understand the
difference between a “legend” and an “icon.” It’s not a difficult concept but
it is a subtle one. Most experts agree on these points: “Legend and icon are two key terms that are
used for a person who is famous for his extraordinary characteristics or
talent. Legend is generally associated with people who have sustained their
fame or charm for a very long time. However, icon is generally used for a
person who has gained a lot of fame especially in a particular field, and the
person itself becomes a representation of the field, style, etc. in which he has
proved his worth. Legend is generally associated with people who are no longer
alive, whereas icon is used for living glorified persons. However, both can be used
interchangeably.”
The Perfectionist: The “Pinnacle of Perfection” is achieved
when it all comes together and there is nothing further for the Dipper to do
except continue down the path of perfection.
I summarize this as being “completely natural, technically precise and
poetically perfect.”
THE PEOPLE
Ponders the question:
What made each group, musicians or Dippers, perfect?
Musicians and Dippers are both people on a quest for
perfection in their art. Beyond that they don’t have much in common. All of these people are written up in Wiki,
Amazon.com or The Diplomacy Archives or, rarely, both.
Cole Porter: wrote the lyrics and music for “Kiss Me Kate”
based on Shakespeare’s “The Taming of The Shrew” in 1953. He was an icon in his
time and is a musical legend today. I mention him because his musical “Kiss Me
Kate” is one of my favorites and it came to mind when I was thinking about
Kathy Byrne-Caruso and Katharine Passenheim, two rare
early Diplomacy female greats. Kathy is definitely a legend, at least among
those who knew her. Katherine wasn’t as well known but in the early San Diego
Diplomacy days she was known for her killer femme fatale skills.
Kiss Me Kate by Cole
Porter in 1953 based on The Taming of a Shrew by Shakespeare. http://search.tb.ask.com/search/video.jhtml?n=781c24a6&p2=%5EUX%5Exdm423%5EYYA%5Eus&pg=video&pn=1&ptb=AEAB7641-A8F3-4985-9E74-16AF625B4E4A&qs=&searchfor=Kiss+Me+Kate&si=245051_working-main-newtest&ss=sub&st=sb&tpr=sbt
(BBC Proms Broadcast complete)
Petula Clark: At 80 and still
active is not only a musical icon but also a living legend with a career that
goes back to early WWII. After a long string of successes starting in the 1960s
today her songs, many written with collaborator Tony Hatch, are being featured in her own
new musical . “Sign of the Times.”
Robert Viagas wrote a story on the
project in the 28 June, 2016, issue of Playbill.
For more about the show: http://www.goodspeed.org/about/all-about-goodspeed (theater opened in 1963) it’s a musical about a young girl’s
rise from innocence to experience featuring the songs of Pet Clark and her
times. Opening night is 29 July, 2013. Opening night ticket and drink for $44. At Terris Theater in Chester, CT. trying
out for a shot at Broadway? Cindy will be played by Ephie
Aardema
Petula Clark
Here are some of the songs used in the show, along with the artist who
recorded them and who wrote them:
“Color My World,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by
Yvonne J. Harvey and Tony Hatch
“I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love,” Sung by Petula
Clark, Written by Yvonne J. Harvey and Tony Hatch
“I Only Want To Be With You,” Sung by Dusty Springfield, Written by Michael
Edwin Hawker and Ivor Raymonde
“The Other Man’s Grass Is Always Greener,” Sung by Petula
Clark, Written by Yvonne J. Harvey and Tony Hatch
“I Know A Place,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by
Tony Hatch
“Round Every Corner,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written
by Tony Hatch
“Baby The Rain Must Fall,” Sung by Glenn Yarbrough, Written by Elmer Bernstein
and Ernie Sheldon
“Call Me,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by Tony
Hatch
“These Boots Are Made For Walkin',” Sung by Nancy
Sinatra, Written by Lee Hazlewood
“If I Can Dream,” Sung by Elvis Presley, Written by Earl Brown
“Who Am I,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by Yvonne
J. Harvey and Tony Hatch
“The In Crowd,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by
Billy Page
“A Sign Of The Times,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written
by Tony Hatch
“Don't Sleep In The Subway,” Sung by Petula Clark,
Written by Yvonne J. Harvey and Tony Hatch
“You'd Better Come Home,” Sung by Petula Clark,
Written by Tony Hatch
“You Don't Own Me,” Sung by Lesley Gore, Written by John Madara
and David White
“Kiss Me Goodbye,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by
John Barry Mason and Leslie David Reed
“Downtown,” Sung by Petula Clark, Written by Tony
Hatch
Rewrite those titles and lyrics to give them a Dip note and
lyrics.
Nadia Comaneci: From Innocence to Experience. At age 54 she
still looks great. She and her coach Bella Karolyi are in Montreal, Canada
right now helping celebrate her iconic and legendary performance in gymnastics,
including that famous perfect 10 score in the uneven bars, at
the Olympics there 40 years ago.
Ponders the question:
Is “grace under pressure” attainable in music and Diplomacy?
You can read more of her inspirational story at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/07/20/10-gymnast-nadia-comaneci-olympics-montreal/87357146/
(Photo: PAUL VATHIS, Associated
Press) 1976
Nadia Comaneci and Bella Karolyi at the U.S. Olympic
gymnastics trials. (Photo: Kyle Terada, USA
TODAY Sports) 2016
After you read the story you may or may not agree with my
assessment that she is the only true perfectionist among the icons and legends
discussed here, but she’s definitely a contender.
For the record the music used in her perfect performance was a heavy,
rhythmic bass of no known origin.
Richard Kiley: The 43 year old discovery with a Tony already
on his shelf for Kismet (“This is My Beloved”), starred in the 1965 original
musical “The Man of La Mancha”, its 1972 revival, its third 1977 revival, and
countless tour performances in The Americas and Europe; had a room full of
awards, the lights were turned out on Broadway in his memory when he died, and
a Star on Sunset Blvd. has his name on it. Kiley is a legend now deceased. Dale Wasserman wrote the book after Cervantes) , Mitch Leigh composed the(music, and JoeDarion
penned the lyrics.
Ponders the question: Is there anyone who doesn’t know at least
some of the lyrics and tunes to this classic?
There’s not a lot I can say about “The Quest: Impossible
Dream”. The words speak eloquently to the Dipper in any language in any country
at any time.
The Quest: Impossible Dream, from Man of La Mancha
http://www.songlyrics.com/man-of-la-mancha/the-impossible-dream-the-quest-lyrics/
Man of La Mancha - The Impossible Dream (The Quest) Redacted Lyrics (used with permission)
To
dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell for a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
http://search.tb.ask.com/search/video.jhtml?searchfor=impossible+dream+Richard+Kiley&n=781c24a6&p2=%5EUX%5Exdm423%5EYYA%5Eus&ptb=AEAB7641-A8F3-4985-9E74-16AF625B4E4A&qs=fn&si=245051_working-main-newtest&ss=sub&st=hp&tpr=sbt&ts=1469129207248
Queen (Freddie Mercury and Brian May): for “We Are the
Champions. Band formed in 1970. Both are champions and icons. Deceased and not.
Ponders the question:
Is a tragic end or survival more important to becoming an icon or a legend? Or,
is there anyone reading this who hasn’t sung this anthem?
Again, this is an iconic work that has become an anthem to
an entire generation of Dippers, as
well as anyone in any field in search of perfection.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/queen/wearethechampions.html
"We Are The Champions" Redacted lyrics (used with permission)
I've paid my dues
Time after time.
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes ‒
I've made a few.
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through.
(And I need just go on and on, and on, and on)
We are the champions, my friends,
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end.
We are the champions.
We are the champions.
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world.
I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it
I thank you all
But it's been no bed of roses,
No pleasure cruise.
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose.
(And I need just go on and on, and on, and on)
http://search.tb.ask.com/search/video.jhtml?n=781c24a6&p2=%5EUX%5Exdm423%5EYYA%5Eus&pg=video&pn=1&ptb=AEAB7641-A8F3-4985-9E74-16AF625B4E4A&qs=&searchfor=We+Are+The+Champions&si=245051_working-main-newtest&ss=sub&st=bar&tpr=sbt
Nirvana (Kurt Cobain): ) Fame made Kurt Cobain an icon. Death
made him a legend. “ Smells Like a Teen Spirit” in
1991 was one of his biggest hits. It reminds me of both Toby and me in our
younger days.
Ponders the question:
Is Nirvana a state of the mind or a place on the Diplomacy board, perhaps
in Belgium?
Larry Peery: After 50+ years still going. WDC
Team title in 1997, Goteborg, Sweden.
Chose “The Road Not Chosen to become a revolutionary Old Fart: went from
a visionary of the future to a defender of the fates (anti-clocks and
anti-arbitrary game endings).
Toby Harris: After 40+ years still going strong: One of the
few Diplomacy trifecta winners: first played in 1976, national title (Manorcon, 1990), Euro DipCon
title (Bedford, UK, 1998), World DipCon title (Milan,
Italy, 2015). Finally, a real champion, but not yet an icon.
http://www.eonline.com/news/699740/here-are-the-most-iconic-songs-of-all-time-according-to-science (done by a London researcher for Toby)
Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" took the
number one spot as the most iconic song of all time in one study, at least in
the UK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg
(video of Smells Like Teen Spirit)
Some comments on the lyrics and interpretation:
The lyrics to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" were often difficult for listeners to
decipher, both due to their nonsensicality and because of Cobain's slurred,
guttural singing. The 'Teen Spirit' reveals its secrets reluctantly and then
often incoherently.
"Teen Spirit" is
widely interpreted to be a teen revolution anthem. It also has kind of a teen
revolutionary theme." "a typically murky
Cobain exploration of meaning and meaninglessness.
Cobain has said, "The
entire song is made up of contradictory ideas. It's just making fun of the
thought of having a revolution. But it's a nice thought." song has a lot
to say about something. You need syllables to fill up this space or you need
something that rhymes."
Sounds like a peerfect example of Peeriblah to me.
Time: Legend of a Mind (Moody Blues) 1968
Ponders the question: Is “spaced out”
in music the same thing as “in a space” in Diplomacy?
“Legend of a Mind” is a
song by the British progressive rock band The Moody Blues.and
was written by the band's flautist Ray Thomas, who provides the lead vocals.
"Legend of a Mind" was recorded in January 1968 and was first
released on the Moody Blues' album “In Search of the Lost Chord.”
The song's lyrics are about
1960s LSD icon Timothy Leary who was an advocate for the use of LSD, enjoying
its spiritual benefits, with one of his catchphrases being “Turn on, tune in,
drop out.”
“Legend of a Mind” is
perhaps best known for its opening lines: "Timothy Leary's dead / No,
n-n-no he's outside looking in", which allude to Leary's use of
eastern mysticism (most notably the “Tibetan Book of the Dead”) to frame the
psychedelic experience.
The song's lyrics describe both Leary and the effects of LSD, such as:
“He'll fly his astral plane, Takes you trips around the bay, Brings you back
the same day.
“He'll take you up, He'll bring you down. He'll plant your feet back firmly
on the ground.
“He flies so high, He swoops so low. He knows exactly which way he's gonna go.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_TbovyVOzs
Sounds just like Edi, don’t you think?
Nadia (Reprise): Nadia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpqlwRvGeDA Nadia by Jeff Beck)
(Nithin Sawhney
originally composed this song , Nadia in Grand Indian
Raga 'Des' Perfection From the Quest to Perfection describes its
Diplomacy relationship perfectly.
Ponders the question:
Has perfection been attained in music or Diplomacy?
Her 3 minute + performance on the uneven bars and Beck’s
version of Nadia (3:11 vs. 3:51) equals 7 minutes of visual and aural perfection,
although I doubt if Beck was thinking of the gymnast when he wrote his version.
In Diplomacy the answer isn’t quite so obvious. Given the
difference in championship tournament rules in the United States and Europe it
is quite likely that there have been some “perfect” championships (e.g.
18-center wins) in the USA and it is just as unlikely that there have been any
in Europe. Neither Edi nor I could think of any WDC championships won with an
18-center win on the Top Board, although there have been 18-center wins in
various rounds.
CONCLUSION
The Unanswered Question
was composed by American composer Charles Ives in 1906 and The
Unanswered Questions Answered
was composed by American composer Peter Schickle)
in 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXD4tIp59L0
(video performance)
6:07 minutes
Leonard Bernstein at Harvard in 1973: 1:43:00 lectures on The
Unanswered Question
http://search.tb.ask.com/search/video.jhtml?n=781c24a6&p2=%5EUX%5Exdm423%5EYYA%5Eus&pg=video&pn=1&ptb=AEAB7641-A8F3-4985-9E74-16AF625B4E4A&qs=&searchfor=The+Unanswered+Questions&si=245051_working-main-newtest&ss=sub&st=sb&tpr=sbt
For Diplomates it’s up to you to find your own path to
perfection and answer these questions for yourself. Good luck.
ZERO SUM3 Subzine to
Eternal Sunshine Issue 15 24 July 2016
Published by Richard Weiss. richardweiss@higherquality.com.
GM Musings:
Well, Hillary was not indicted. Donald chose Pence. Hillary chose Kaine,
which fit with my longstanding prediction that the candidate had to have been
elected to both State and Federal office and not be a Senator from a state with
a Republican Governor. Debbie
Wasserman-Schultz, never one of my favorites, is gone.
I was in Vermont for a week. Had a family reunion to honor my Father’s
death and also to scatter his ashes. A
few went in Lake Champlain and most went under a maple tree in the side yard of
the house I grew up in but is now owned by another. Never having seen nor handled ashes before, I was surprised by the solemnness I felt. There is a little irony that his ashes are
between where my Mother’s ashes were placed and where his Mother-in-Law’s ashes
were placed.
I built a rough structure,
approximately cord size, to house my cut and dried wood for the winter. I’ve already split almost enough pine and cut
enough oak to fill it. I was a whiz at
splitting maple and other wood as an early teenager. Somehow, hitting the mall on the wedge is
not something that comes back as easily as riding a bicycle. Great exercise.
ZeroSumCubed deadline for Issue 16 is THE SUNDAY BEFORE
Doug’s deadline.
That is, before 8 AM,
CA time, Sunday 28
August 2016. (I am presuming)
GAME OPENINGS:
1)
Brexit Dip
a.
Essentially regular Diplomacy but only six players, no
England, the only Supply Center in England will be Edinburgh (they voted to
stay in), all map spaces are in play, and start country is by bidding.
b.
This game will be Gunboat Brexit with Press
c.
The other oddity will be that each player will have
sixty (60) Euros at the start of the game.
Each player can distribute the Euros any way they want in bidding for
start country. After the start countries
are determined, the Euros have no further purpose or role in the game.
i. I,
being the European Central Bank, want the most Euros possible from the
bidding. So, if each person has a unique
start country, then each gets their first choice. If there is a tie for Euros bid for a Start
Country, then whatever combination results in the greatest yield for me, is how
countries will be decided. If there is a
tie for greatest sum, then one of the ties will be randomly selected. (This is similar to the Least Sum method when
players rank their choices for start country with 1 being the most preferred
start, but rather than least sum this is Greatest Sum since the highest number
is the most preferred and was discussed by Andy Lischett
in the last issue of Eternal Sunshine)
d.
The first six interested in Brexit Dip, please send me
your name and how you want to distribute your 60 Euros in bidding for start
country.
e.
Number signed up =
2)
Intimate Dip with one
week deadlines (Rules at the bottom of this Issue)
a.
Sunday morning deadlines are when NMRs count, can be
adjudicated faster
b.
Need two
c.
Any number of games can start this turn
d.
Signed up:
3)
Intimate Dip with two
week deadlines (Rules are at the bottom of this Issue)
a.
Sunday morning deadlines are when NMRs count, can be
adjudicated faster
b.
Need two
c.
Any number of games can start this turn
d.
Signed up:
ONGOING GAMES SECTION
Eddie Chapman Intimate Diplomacy Germany (Harold Zarr Jr)
vs. France (Doug Kent)
Eddie Chapman ("ZigZag")
infiltrated the German Abwehr
during World War II whilst feeding intelligence
to MI5. He was so trusted by the Germans that he is reportedly the only British citizen
to have ever been awarded the Iron Cross.
Fall 1903 Orders
Doug/France
A Gascony Supports A Marseilles
[[F London - North Sea]]
[[A Marseilles Supports A Paris
– Burgundy]] Cut
A Paris - Burgundy
Harold/Germany
German Army Warsaw holds
German Army Burgundy
to Belgium
German Army Munich to Ruhr
[[German Fleet
Denmark to Edinburgh]] (no such unit)
German Fleet North
Sea – not ordered
English Fleet
Norwegian Sea to North Atlantic Ocean
English Army
Edinburg to Clyde
Italian Army Apulia
to Naples
[[Italian Army
Piedmont to Marseilles]]
Italian Fleet
Tyrrhenian Sea to Gulf of Lyon
Russian Army Livonia
to Saint Petersburg
Russian Army Moscow
holds
[[Russian Fleet
Baltic Sea to Finland]] (No such unit)
Russian Fleet Gulf
of Bothnia (Not ordered)
Turkish Army Rumania
holds
Turkish Fleet Black
Sea to Constantinople
Turkish Army
Sevastopol holds
Turkish Fleet Aegean
Sea to Ionian Sea
Turkish Fleet
Eastern Mediterranean supports Turkish Fleet Aegean Sea to Ionian Sea
Mercenaries in Chaos
Austria:
Army Vienna
Army Budapest
Fleet Trieste
PRESS:
France – Germany: Maybe someday, but not this season
Next Orders are for Winter
1903 (builds/removals)
Supply Center
Control
Austria:
Budapest, Trieste, Vienna = 3
England:
Edinburgh, Liverpool = 2
France: Brest,
Marseilles, Paris, London = 4
Germany:
Berlin, Kiel, Munich, Den, + Warsaw, + Belgium = 6, may add two
Italy: Naples,
Rome, Venice = 3
Russia: Moscow,
St. Petersburg, - Warsaw, - Rumania = 2, must destroy one
Turkey: Ankara,
Constantinople, Smyrna, Bulgaria, Sevastopol, + Rumania = 6, must add one
New Year Eve 1904 Bids (not due yet, only a reminder)
Doug carries 4
forward and has 4 SC so = 8. Harold
carries 1 forward, has 6 SC, so = 7.
|
Country
|
Doug’s
Bid (has 8 )
|
Harold’s
Bid (has 7 )
|
Controller
of Country
|
|
Austria
|
|
|
|
|
England
|
|
|
|
|
Italy
|
|
|
|
|
Russia
|
|
|
|
|
Turkey
|
|
|
|
INTIMATE DIPLOMACY
1b: Rules
The original Intimate Dip was created by Adrian Baird and
Steve Doubleday
Via Geoff Kemp and his subzine
“Tween,” with some minor edits
Intimate Diplomacy
(ID) is a two-player variant. Each
player controls one country (his or her “Home” country) for the entire
game. The remaining five countries are known
as “mercenaries.”
1. The official rules of Diplomacy apply except
where amended below.
2. To
determine home countries, each player submits a preference list of seven
countries. If their first choices are different, both players get their first
choice. If their first choices are the
same, but their second choices are different, then both players get their
second choice. If the second choices are
identical then each gets their third choice etc. If both preference lists are
identical then the GM draws lots and the first player gets first choice and the
second player chooses his or her choice from the remaining countries.
3. At
the start of the game, the two home countries each receive a credit
balance. The credit balance for each
home country is determined from the chart below:
a.
E,F,R, &/or T = 20 credits;
b.
G = 22 credits; and,
c.
A &/or I = 24
credits.
The difference in the starting credits is
to even out the relative strength of the countries.
4. The
five countries not “home” countries are called “mercenary” countries. Control of the mercenaries is determined each
game year by “bids.” The first bidding
season occurs New Year’s Eve 1901; and, thereafter, bids to control the
mercenaries happen on the New Year’s Eve turn, which is between each Winter and Spring season.
Bids are sent to the GM, who reveals the bids. The highest bidder for each country has the
size of the bid deducted from their credit balance and gains control of the country
for the following year – including winter adjustments.
5. Credits
are awarded following each Fall season. Each player is given one credit for each SC
owned by his home country. (E.g. if your home country controls 10 SCs, 10
credits are added to your credit balance.)
These credits are added to the credit balance.
6. Players
are permitted to bid more than their credit will cover. However, if a player successfully bids more
credits than they hold, they lose their entire credit balance. Also their opponent gains control of all
countries the opponent bid for. Note, this is
different than my previous rules. No one
has yet overbid because the previous penalty was too severe.
7. When
bids for a country are equal, neither player controls it and it is treated as
if in Anarchy for the year. The units do not move, cannot support, and
cannot be ordered. Neither player
loses credits when the bids are equal.
8. Play
is carried out as in regular Diplomacy, with each player submitting orders and
retreats for the countries that they control.
In the Winter season, all builds due to
mercenary countries must be taken if possible.
9. If
the player controlling a Mercenary country fails to order the builds that
country is due, the GM will build armies, alphabetically by home center
spelling (Fleets for England). If a
Mercenary country fails to order removals off the board (disbandments)
the GM will remove units by distance from a home center and fleets before
armies if tied (for all but England, which removes armies before fleets). In case of ties, the GM will disband randomly
from those equidistant.
10. The
sequence of play during one game-year is
a.
New Year’s Eve Bids
b.
Spring Orders
c.
Summer retreats or removals AND Fall Orders
d.
Autumn moves and retreats AND Winter builds and disbandments.
(Separation of Summer
AND Fall or Autumn AND Winter is on one player’s (non-frivolous) request.)
11. Victory Criterion: The game ends when one
player occupies one of the opponent’s home SCs with a unit from his or her home country, no matter the season. Eg, if Germany is
playing France and takes Marseille with an Italian army it controls that year, that does not end the game. A German unit would have to take a French
Home Supply Center to win.
12. If
both players occupy an opponent’s home SC(s) simultaneously, then the player
occupying the most home SCs of the opponent wins (with the exception that
occupying 4 Russian SCs is no better than owning 3 of another country’s home
SCs). If a tie remains, the game is won
by the player with the largest credit balance (counting credits awarded during
the season in which the home centers were invaded, whether Spring or Fall). If a tie still
remains, the game goes one more game year, and so on,
when all of the above criteria are again considered.
13. A
game may develop into a stalemate situation once all neutral and mercenary
countries have been eliminated. In this
case, the winner is the player with the most supply centers. Note, a game does
not end just because one country reaches 18 SCs.
14. Concessions may be proposed and accepted, at
any time.
15. True to the premises of Zero Sum as a game theory
and as a subzine, no draws are allowed.
Diplomacy (Black Press): Signed up: Harold
Zarr, Kevin Wilson, Zachary Jarvie, Ken Peel, need three more.
Balkan Wars VI (Black Press): Rules
and map in ES #113. Fast-paced
Balkan variant, great fun and no season separations allowed. Signed
up: Brad Wilson, Jack McHugh, Larry Peery, needs 3 more.
Where in the World is Kendo Nagasaki: Rules
in ES #113. Send in your
guesses. Prize for the
winner? Probably!
By Almost Popular Demand: Started in #112. Join in!
Same as BPD but the #1 answer in each category gets zero points. Send in
your guesses. Prize
for the winner? Probably!
Hypothetical Questions: Just send in
answers. Anybody can play at any time,
just takes participation.
Dune: To be GM’d by Roger Cox. Signed up: Kevin Wilson, Doug Kent, Martin
Burgdorf, Jack McHugh, John David Galt, one more would be optimal. Sign up NOW!!
You can sign up with me.
Diplomacy,
“Milk and Trash”, 2015A, F 07
Austria (Jack McHugh
– jwmchughjr “of” gmail.com): F Ankara – Constantinople, A Armenia – Ankara,
A
Bohemia - Munich (*Fails*), A Rumania – Galicia, A Serbia Hold, A Silesia
Supports A Bohemia – Munich,
A
Trieste Supports A Tyrolia, A Tyrolia
Supports A Bohemia - Munich (*Cut*).
England (Mark Firth
– mogcate “of” me.com): F English Channel Supports F Irish Sea - Mid-Atlantic Ocean,
F
Gulf of Lyon Supports F Western Mediterranean - Tyrrhenian Sea, F Holland
Supports F North Sea,
F
Irish Sea - Mid-Atlantic Ocean, A London – Norway, F North Africa - Tunis
(*Fails*),
F
North Sea Convoys A London – Norway, A Smyrna Supports
F Ankara – Constantinople,
F Western Mediterranean - Tyrrhenian Sea.
Germany (Jim Burgess – jfburgess “of”
gmail.com): F Baltic Sea Supports A
Prussia,
A
Berlin Supports A Munich, A Burgundy Supports A Munich, F Livonia - St Petersburg(sc),
A
Munich Supports A Piedmont - Tyrolia (*Cut*), A
Piedmont - Tyrolia (*Fails*), A Portugal Hold, A
Prussia Hold.
Italy (John Biehl – jerbil “of” shaw.ca): NMR! F
Aegean Sea Hold, F Ionian Sea Hold, F Tunis Hold,
A
Tuscany Hold, F Tyrrhenian Sea Hold (*Dislodged*, retreat to Naples or
Rome or OTB), F Venice Hold.
Russia (Kevin Wilson
– ckevinw “of” comcast.net): Retreat A Prussia - Warsaw.. A
Warsaw – Prussia
(*Fails*).
Turkey (John David
Galt – jdg “of” diogenes.sacramento.ca.us): F Eastern Mediterranean Supports
A Smyrna.
I am
asking Andy York (wandrew88 “of” gmail.com) to stand by for Italy
Deadline
for W 07/S 08 is August 30th at 7am my time
Supply Center Chart
Austria:
Ankara, Budapest,
Constantinople, Rumania, Serbia, Sevastopol, Trieste, Vienna=8, Even
England:
Brest, Denmark, Edinburgh,
Holland, Liverpool, London, Norway, Smyrna, Spain=9, Even
Germany:
Belgium, Berlin, Kiel,
Marseilles, Munich, Paris, Portugal, St Petersburg, Sweden=9, Build 1
Italy:
Bulgaria, Greece,
Naples, Rome, Tunis, Venice=6, Even or Build 1
Russia:
Moscow, Warsaw=2, Build 1
Turkey: None=0,
OUT!
PRESS
(BOOB to DOUG): More illness, still
behind on music lists, but at least I got orders in!!!
GM – Boob: More than some can
say!
Black
Press Gunboat, “Noah’s Titanic”, 2015Arb32, W 07/S 08
Austria:
A Galicia - Ukraine
(*Fails*), A Moscow – Sevastopol, A Prussia – Warsaw,
A
Rumania Supports A Galicia - Ukraine (*Cut*), A Trieste - Vienna
(*Fails*), A Tyrolia - Bohemia (*Fails*),
A
Vienna - Galicia (*Bounce*).
England:
F London Supports F English Channel - North Sea (*Void*), F
Wales - Liverpool (*Bounce*).
France: A Burgundy Supports A Spain – Marseilles, F English Channel -
Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Dislodged*,
retreat to Picardy or Irish Sea or OTB), F Mid-Atlantic
Ocean - Spain(sc), A Picardy – Brest, A Spain -
Marseilles.
Germany:
F Baltic Sea Supports A
Berlin, F Belgium - English Channel, A Berlin Supports A Munich,
F
Clyde - Liverpool (*Bounce*), A Holland – Belgium, A Munich Supports A
Silesia – Bohemia,
F
North Sea Supports F Belgium - English Channel, A Ruhr
Supports A Holland – Belgium, A Silesia – Bohemia,
F St
Petersburg(nc) Hold.
Italy: F Aegean Sea Hold, F Apulia Supports A Venice, A Armenia Supports A Rumania - Sevastopol (*Void*),
A
Bulgaria - Rumania (*Fails*), F Gulf of Lyon Supports A Spain – Marseilles,
A
Piedmont Supports A Spain – Marseilles, F Tunis - North Africa, A Venice Supports
A Trieste - Tyrolia (*Void*),
F
Western Mediterranean - Mid-Atlantic Ocean (*Bounce*).
Turkey: A Ukraine - Galicia
(*Bounce*).
Deadline
for F 08 will be August 30th at 7am My Time
PRESS
Germany to GM: Interesting. Everyone is “even-Steven” this turn! Lots of positioning for the next year is
going on.
Germany to France: I have been
telling you that Italy is going to attack.
Good luck holding on, one wrong move and Italy will be all over you like
a wet blanket.
Germany to Turkey: Still alive, I
see! Congratulations!
France to Germany: Well, if you are
my friend, you didn’t cut Bur, right? Right???
French Embassy to
Vatican:
Hey, ah, I think you might be the heathen tyrant! Lo siento!
Aus - Italy: I'll get him this year! Then I can move
away from Rum and you can move away from Bul (Con or
convoy).
World to Broadcast
from Paris:
That’s a bit dramatic, ain’t it? I mean get a grip!
Paris to Radio
Critic:
Ya know what? It’s not as easy to be a brilliant
orator as it appears. Try it before you turn critic.
Vatican - French
Embassy:
Blessings on your valiant rally against the heathen. You will see that we are
here with you to lend aid in all its forms. Expect full support for your forces
defending your homeland and please allow us passage through the ocean to offer
further succour in the North. There shall be no
Germans in your cities
Pope Pluvius - Europe: For those who doubt the supportive nature
of the Church, look to our orders this time
Pope Pluvius - Cardinal Byrd: Who was that man you were talking
to in the shadows?
Insider - Germany: Pssst, not really s'posed to, y'know, talk wich you but word
has it that the Big P is planning a six fleet convoy if he can get the French
to play ball. Now, you like that sorta thing, maybe
you could see your way to, y'know, quit Brussels?
Italy - Austria: Let's see how this
plays out. If you are in Sev and Rum is bare, I'll
stand you out in the Fall but cover Sev. If I'm in Rum, support me to Ukr
or Gal if the Turkish army is there. If it's in Mos/War
I'll leave that to you and shift back to Bul. The bottom line is getting rid of
the rogue army this time: if I end up getting the extra SC, it's annoying but
we'll readjust easily next year. I don't need more redundant units - I need
Austrian allies on the front line.
Italy - Germany: Good analysis!
Glad you agreed about a fleet in Mid-Atlantic.
Papal Envoy -
Tripping Turk:
Kyiv - that's a nice place! Why not set up home here?
Pierre - Jean: So, let's try this
one last time to see if I have it right. The enemy of my enemy is my friend?
Jean - Pierre: [finishing wine] Oui.
Pierre - Jean: And the former
enemy of my friend is now a watched neutral?
Jean - Pierre: [Gallic shrug] ...Oui.
Pierre - Jean: But then... I am
still not quite sure about the enemy of the enemy of my friend who was once my
strong ally but then stabbed me before circumstances made us uneasy partners
whilst continuing to squander forces on our borders.
Pierre: [distant stare]
Jean - Pierre: Ca suffit! Let's go fight somebody.
Pierre - Jean: [leaping] Si!
By Almost
Popular Demand
The goal is to pick something that fits the
category and will be the "second most popular" answer. You score
points based on the number of entries that match yours. For example, if the
category is "Cats" and the responses were 7 for Persian, 3 for Calico
and 1 for Siamese, everyone who said Persian would get 7 points, Calico 3 and
the lone Siamese would score 1 point. However, the most popular answer in each
category scores zero points! The
cumulative total over 10 rounds will determine the overall winner. Anyone may
enter at any point, starting with an equivalent point total of the lowest
cumulative score from the previous round. If a person misses a round, they'll
receive the minimum score from the round added to their cumulative total. In
each round you may specify one of your answers as your Joker answer. Your
score for this answer will be doubled.
In other words, if you apply your Joker to category 3 on a given turn,
and 4 other people give the same answer as you, you get 10 points instead of
5. Players who fail to submit a Joker for any
specific turn will have their Joker automatically applied to the first category.
And, if you want to submit some commentary with your answers, feel free
to. The game will consist of 10 rounds,
with the 10th round being worth double points. A prize will be awarded to the winner. Research is permitted, but
cooperation or collusion between players is not!
Round 3 Categories
1. A red fruit.
2. A religion.
3. A sport played with
a ball.
4. Something you find
in a sewing kit.
5. A sci-fi television
show, past or present.
Congrats to Andy York who pulled the high score of 20
(out of a possible 27). Steve Cooley brought up the rear with a mere
4 points, hitting two of the zero point answers.
Comments By Category
Red Fruit – Rick Desper “Watermelon. The part you eat is red, after all.” Brendan Whyte “Pomegranate. The king of fruit.”
Dane Maslen “Will anyone choose to answer 'tomato'?” Jim Burgess “Probably Apple will be OK since
everyone will avoid it.”
Religion – Brendan Whyte “Jedi. Popular
on British census forms.” Jim
Burgess “This one will be a weird one with lots of second guessing. If Jewish wins I'll kick myself.”
Sport – Dane Maslen “FIELD
HOCKEY (as I Brit I would normally refer to this as 'hockey', but as an
American you would understand that to mean 'ice hockey' and would think I'd
taken leave of my senses as it uses a puck rather than a ball).”
Sci-Fi – Brendan Whyte “Sapphire and Steel (Joanna
Lumley?
Wooah!)”
Round 4 Categories
1. A deli meat.
2. A brand of
automobile tire.
3. Something you wear
two of at once.
4. A
character on the TV show The Simpsons.
5. A Western/Cowboy
television show, past or present.
Deadline for Round 4 of By
Almost Popular Demand is August 30th, 2016 at 7am my time.
General Deadline for
the Next Issue of Eternal Sunshine: August
30th, 2016 at 7:00am my time. Hope to See You Then!
