Favorite Variant?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
them are not very good (IMO).

So, I wanted to ask the group:

What is your favorite variant(s)?

I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
else, fun!

Thanks,

FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Depending on the number of players you have, there are a bunch that you
might want to look at:

Modern (10 players)
Crystal Ball (7 players, some may call it silly, but others really like it)
Chaos (34 players!)
Escalation (2-8 players)


"The Great Dalmuti" <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com...
> I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
> in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
> them are not very good (IMO).
>
> So, I wanted to ask the group:
>
> What is your favorite variant(s)?
>
> I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
> else, fun!
>
> Thanks,
>
> FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

I will toot my own horn and suggest Maharajah's Diplomacy. Fully historical
scenario, rules fairly close to Standard, number of players and scale the
same, but more balanced, and stalemates less likely to be a factor. The
variant home page is: http://diplomiscellany.tripod.com/id4.html

"The Great Dalmuti" <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com...
> I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
> in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
> them are not very good (IMO).
>
> So, I wanted to ask the group:
>
> What is your favorite variant(s)?
>
> I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
> else, fun!
>
> Thanks,
>
> FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

In article <9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com>, The Great
Dalmuti <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> writes
>I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
>in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
>them are not very good (IMO).
>
>So, I wanted to ask the group:
>
>What is your favorite variant(s)?
>
>I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
>else, fun!

I liked 5 player Ancient Med a lot, and generally don't do variants.

ChienFou
>
>Thanks,
>
>FM

--
John (MadDog) Probst| . ! -^- |AIM GLChienFou
451 Mile End Road | /|__. \:/ |BCLive ChienFou
London E3 4PA | / @ __) -|- |john@asimere.com
+44-(0)20 8983 5818 | /\ --^ | |www.asimere.com/~john

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

To me, 1900 looked very interesting (start at
http://www.diplom.org/Zine/S2002M/VonPowell/1900_Intro.html ), but I
haven't played it yet. What do other players think of it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

> I liked 5 player Ancient Med a lot, and generally don't do variants.

Which is better, Ancient Med or Classical, and why?

I've played Classical once, but never Ancient Med. Classical was
OK, but I felt constrained by the fact that each of the 5 powers were
almost in a circle (pentagon?) where each had two neighbours. You can
have an effect on the other two powers, but how things went with your
2 neighbours was the important thing.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Geez, how could I forgetten 1900! 1900 is by far the best 7-player map
variant I've seen. Its well balanced, interesting, and eliminates most of
the big stalemate lines, which often leads to really intriguing endgame
positions. I highly recommend checking it out.

-Adam


"cmgoogle" <craigmccoll@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:a14e80c9.0407292330.1c5e6f1f@posting.google.com...
> To me, 1900 looked very interesting (start at
> http://www.diplom.org/Zine/S2002M/VonPowell/1900_Intro.html ), but I
> haven't played it yet. What do other players think of it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

"Adam P. Silverman" <agman1010@yahoo.com> writes:

All good, for a small number of players (5), Ancient Mediterranean is
very good too. Are you just looking for a map variant, or something
more substantial?

Jim-Bob

>Depending on the number of players you have, there are a bunch that you
>might want to look at:

>Modern (10 players)
>Crystal Ball (7 players, some may call it silly, but others really like it)
>Chaos (34 players!)
>Escalation (2-8 players)


>"The Great Dalmuti" <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com...
>> I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
>> in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
>> them are not very good (IMO).
>>
>> So, I wanted to ask the group:
>>
>> What is your favorite variant(s)?
>>
>> I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
>> else, fun!
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

craigmccoll@hotmail.com (cmgoogle) writes:

>To me, 1900 looked very interesting (start at
>http://www.diplom.org/Zine/S2002M/VonPowell/1900_Intro.html ), but I
>haven't played it yet. What do other players think of it?

Just ask Baron von Powell himself, he'll tell you it's great...... ;-)

There are a number of articles in both Diplomacy World
(www.diplomacyworld.org) and at the Pouch zine that he wrote
about the variant (PS if you look at Ancient Med, Don Hessong
wrote two good Pouch articles in 2002, I think, on it).

I think it's good if you don't like the idea of restricted choices
in openings.

Jim-Bob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

If David Hertzman was in regular circulation right now, I'm sure he'd be
posting extolling the virtues of Payola - a more involved variant than
Standard, if I understand it correctly.

Never played it myself, but I'm sure David wouldn't want it to be omitted.
No doubt others will comment on whether it's any good.

Alastair


"The Great Dalmuti" <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com...
> I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
> in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
> them are not very good (IMO).
>
> So, I wanted to ask the group:
>
> What is your favorite variant(s)?
>
> I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
> else, fun!
>
> Thanks,
>
> FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

The Great Dalmuti wrote:
>
> What is your favorite variant(s)?

I like 1898. It uses the same map as Standard, so it's very easy to
try. The opening seems slow and trivial at first, but the first move
has long-term ramifications....

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

I am going to promote a couple of variants of mine.

First, Federation is an 8 player game with the map revolves around
Australia and New Zealand at the time of Federation circa 1901. It is
well supported with rules, maps, and strategy tips.

Have a look at: http://members.austarmetro.com.au/~theok/dip/federation/home.html

Secondly, Babylon 5 is a 7 player spaced base game using the popular
Babylon 5 TV series as a plot backdrop. Like Federation also well
supported.

Have a look at: http://members.austarmetro.com.au/~theok/dip/babylon5/home.html

Cheers
Theo

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

> I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
> else, fun!

Personally, I'm a much bigger fan of press variants than map variants.
There is nothing more fun than grey broadcast only press games.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Let's divide this into two categories:

1) Favorite Rule Variants
2) Favorite Map Variants

In general, I'm looking for variants in the 5-9 player range.

The variants that I seem to see over and over again are:

1898
1900
Fleet_Rome
Milan
Modern
Ancient Mediterranean
Payola

Do people have anything to say about these particular variants, or
have anything to say about their favorite rule/map variants? Also
does anyone have anything to say about "Flexible Setup"? Perhaps, how
it differs from 1898?

-FM

"Adam P. Silverman" <agman1010@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<cebm6d$oij$1@news.Stanford.EDU>...
> Depending on the number of players you have, there are a bunch that you
> might want to look at:
>
> Modern (10 players)
> Crystal Ball (7 players, some may call it silly, but others really like it)
> Chaos (34 players!)
> Escalation (2-8 players)
>
>
> "The Great Dalmuti" <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com...
> > I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
> > in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
> > them are not very good (IMO).
> >
> > So, I wanted to ask the group:
> >
> > What is your favorite variant(s)?
> >
> > I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
> > else, fun!
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

What long term ramfications do you see?

-FM

Rod Spade <rodspade@acm.org> wrote in message news:<2n2ashFsebpvU1@uni-berlin.de>...
> The Great Dalmuti wrote:
> >
> > What is your favorite variant(s)?
>
> I like 1898. It uses the same map as Standard, so it's very easy to
> try. The opening seems slow and trivial at first, but the first move
> has long-term ramifications....

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

The Great Dalmuti wrote:
>
> The variants that I seem to see over and over again are:
>
> 1898
> 1900
> Fleet_Rome
> Milan
> Modern
> Ancient Mediterranean
> Payola
>
> Do people have anything to say about these particular variants, or
> have anything to say about their favorite rule/map variants?

I've been playing Fleet Rome in my PBEM group for a while. It seems to
work out pretty well. In the first two games there was some serious
Juggernaut action that pretty much dominated the board. Italy's naval
power held the line longer but it was inevitable in both games. Austria
was eliminated first or tied for first in both games.

After that I was in a Fleet Rome FTF game, in which Austria (me) and
Italy collaborated to massacre Turkey by moving an Italian fleet to East
Med in F1901, while still giving Italy a build from Tunis. That and
some wishy-washy behavior by Russia eliminated Turkey in 1904.

The PBEM I'm in presently is also Fleet Rome, though in this game we
have an early leader Austria (with 9!) with Italy having only Tunis left
after this year (1903).

--
Will Berry
Director of Operations, Techwood Con gaming convention
http://www.techwoodcon.com/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

I've played several Milan games, and think it a nice variant. In
particular, it succeeds at what I believe Fleet Rome attempts* to do.
It's a subtle variant that opens up more possibilities for Italy. In
doing so, it sends subtle ripples throughout the board. In particular,
France now as to pay more attention to Italy, so the whole Western
Triangle plays a bit different.

*I don't think Fleet Rome succeeds, as it tends to limit (rather than
increase) Italy's early choices, and then just plays out like the
standard game after a couple of years.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Because you have to capture your home centers before you can build in
them, your moves the first year have a big influence on what units you
will have the third year. You need to plan what 4 units you intend to
have that year from the very beginning.


The Great Dalmuti wrote:

> What long term ramfications do you see?
>
> -FM
>
> Rod Spade <rodspade@acm.org> wrote in message news:<2n2ashFsebpvU1@uni-berlin.de>...
>> The Great Dalmuti wrote:
>> >
>> > What is your favorite variant(s)?
>>
>> I like 1898. It uses the same map as Standard, so it's very easy to
>> try. The opening seems slow and trivial at first, but the first move
>> has long-term ramifications....

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Fleet Rome makes Italy a substantially weaker and less flexible power.


"Will Berry" <wberry@wberry.org.x> wrote in message
news:mZCPc.2707$UW4.1947@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
> The Great Dalmuti wrote:
> >
> > The variants that I seem to see over and over again are:
> >
> > 1898
> > 1900
> > Fleet_Rome
> > Milan
> > Modern
> > Ancient Mediterranean
> > Payola
> >
> > Do people have anything to say about these particular variants, or
> > have anything to say about their favorite rule/map variants?
>
> I've been playing Fleet Rome in my PBEM group for a while. It seems to
> work out pretty well. In the first two games there was some serious
> Juggernaut action that pretty much dominated the board. Italy's naval
> power held the line longer but it was inevitable in both games. Austria
> was eliminated first or tied for first in both games.
>
> After that I was in a Fleet Rome FTF game, in which Austria (me) and
> Italy collaborated to massacre Turkey by moving an Italian fleet to East
> Med in F1901, while still giving Italy a build from Tunis. That and
> some wishy-washy behavior by Russia eliminated Turkey in 1904.
>
> The PBEM I'm in presently is also Fleet Rome, though in this game we
> have an early leader Austria (with 9!) with Italy having only Tunis left
> after this year (1903).
>
> --
> Will Berry
> Director of Operations, Techwood Con gaming convention
> http://www.techwoodcon.com/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

poutineq@yahoo.com (David Kenney) writes:

>> I liked 5 player Ancient Med a lot, and generally don't do variants.

>Which is better, Ancient Med or Classical, and why?

>I've played Classical once, but never Ancient Med. Classical was
>OK, but I felt constrained by the fact that each of the 5 powers were
>almost in a circle (pentagon?) where each had two neighbours. You can
>have an effect on the other two powers, but how things went with your
>2 neighbours was the important thing.

Well, I've never played Classical, I will say that Ancient Med
has some of the same characteristics, but it does have that
four way intersecting sea space in the middle of the Med
that all five powers CAN get into.

Jim-Bob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com (The Great Dalmuti) writes:

Well, I really dislike Fleet Rome, you've all read my article
http://www.diplom.org/Zine/S2003M/Burgess/Rome.html
in the Pouch partly on that subject I presume?

The others all are worthwhile,
Jim-Bob

>Let's divide this into two categories:

>1) Favorite Rule Variants
>2) Favorite Map Variants

>In general, I'm looking for variants in the 5-9 player range.

>The variants that I seem to see over and over again are:

>1898
>1900
>Fleet_Rome
>Milan
>Modern
>Ancient Mediterranean
>Payola

>Do people have anything to say about these particular variants, or
>have anything to say about their favorite rule/map variants? Also
>does anyone have anything to say about "Flexible Setup"? Perhaps, how
>it differs from 1898?

>-FM

>"Adam P. Silverman" <agman1010@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<cebm6d$oij$1@news.Stanford.EDU>...
>> Depending on the number of players you have, there are a bunch that you
>> might want to look at:
>>
>> Modern (10 players)
>> Crystal Ball (7 players, some may call it silly, but others really like it)
>> Chaos (34 players!)
>> Escalation (2-8 players)
>>
>>
>> "The Great Dalmuti" <frauleinmaria1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:9ca32c.0407290932.344da3d6@posting.google.com...
>> > I'm starting a PBEM game with a group of friends, and we're interested
>> > in trying a variant. However, there are so many variants, and many of
>> > them are not very good (IMO).
>> >
>> > So, I wanted to ask the group:
>> >
>> > What is your favorite variant(s)?
>> >
>> > I think I'm looking for something balanced, not silly, and above all
>> > else, fun!
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> >
>> > FM

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Will Berry <wberry@wberry.org.x> writes:

>The Great Dalmuti wrote:
>>
>> The variants that I seem to see over and over again are:
>>
>> 1898
>> 1900
>> Fleet_Rome
>> Milan
>> Modern
>> Ancient Mediterranean
>> Payola
>>
>> Do people have anything to say about these particular variants, or
>> have anything to say about their favorite rule/map variants?

>I've been playing Fleet Rome in my PBEM group for a while. It seems to
>work out pretty well. In the first two games there was some serious
>Juggernaut action that pretty much dominated the board. Italy's naval
>power held the line longer but it was inevitable in both games. Austria
>was eliminated first or tied for first in both games.

Really, I'm somewhat surprised! Did YOU read my article on
Fleet Rome.... ;-)
http://www.diplom.org/Zine/S2003M/Burgess/Rome.html

>After that I was in a Fleet Rome FTF game, in which Austria (me) and
>Italy collaborated to massacre Turkey by moving an Italian fleet to East
>Med in F1901, while still giving Italy a build from Tunis. That and
>some wishy-washy behavior by Russia eliminated Turkey in 1904.

I'm not sure why that was an improvement... it was different though.

>The PBEM I'm in presently is also Fleet Rome, though in this game we
>have an early leader Austria (with 9!) with Italy having only Tunis left
>after this year (1903).

Is there really another upswing of Fleet Rome variants being played
or is it just your little group, Will? I thought we'd finally
wiped out that nasty little variant.... ;-)

I am completely convinced that Fleet Rome doesn't help Italy,
and I'm almost equally convinced that it helps Austria in a
way that does NOT make the game more interesting. I would
think that's what you've discovered.....

Jim-Bob

>--
>Will Berry
>Director of Operations, Techwood Con gaming convention
>http://www.techwoodcon.com/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

salmoneous@aol.com (salmoneous) writes:

>I've played several Milan games, and think it a nice variant. In
>particular, it succeeds at what I believe Fleet Rome attempts* to do.
>It's a subtle variant that opens up more possibilities for Italy. In
>doing so, it sends subtle ripples throughout the board. In particular,
>France now as to pay more attention to Italy, so the whole Western
>Triangle plays a bit different.

>*I don't think Fleet Rome succeeds, as it tends to limit (rather than
>increase) Italy's early choices, and then just plays out like the
>standard game after a couple of years.

Way to go, Salmoneous, at least someone is right-thinking....

I really am just trolling, so don't mind me, much.
Jim-Bob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 23:50:08 +0000 (UTC), Jim Burgess
<burgess@TheWorld.com> wrote:

>salmoneous@aol.com (salmoneous) writes:
>
>>I've played several Milan games, and think it a nice variant. In
>>particular, it succeeds at what I believe Fleet Rome attempts* to do.
>>It's a subtle variant that opens up more possibilities for Italy. In
>>doing so, it sends subtle ripples throughout the board. In particular,
>>France now as to pay more attention to Italy, so the whole Western
>>Triangle plays a bit different.
>
>>*I don't think Fleet Rome succeeds, as it tends to limit (rather than
>>increase) Italy's early choices, and then just plays out like the
>>standard game after a couple of years.
>
>Way to go, Salmoneous, at least someone is right-thinking....
>
>I really am just trolling, so don't mind me, much.
>Jim-Bob

Did the "free build" variant (i.e. everyone can build an army or a
fleet in each SC during a special pre-game build phase) ever work
out well?

I've been out of the loop for awhile, so forgive me...

John DiFool the 2nd