Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)
Anyone interested in cryptology/cryptic messages? (Many apologies if this
repicates the rules of CryptoDiplomacy I & II but I couldn't find any rules
other than a mention of the name in variant bank)
Although diplomacy mirrors the situation circa 1901 re diplomacy, it doesn't
mimic the true format in which messages would have been sent. The worry of
interception would have meant meassage would have to coded to stop enemies
intercepting the transmission and altering their plans.
How best to replicate this in PBEM Diplomacy? Here are a bried set of rules
I have put together:
1. All rules as Standard Diplomacy except where altered below
2. The game will be gunboat to stop any OOG contact.
3. All press is broadcast, and is white or grey.
4. Press can be coded (before sending) with any cryptology system available
to the sender.
The key to doing well at this variant is to design ways to encode press so
that only a few key powers (who are clever enough) can decode it. One would
also have to decide when to reveal that you have cracked a cipher and when
not, deciphering press from other powers when they are unaware it is being
intercepted may well be a great advantage, more so than actually conversing
and revealing you can intercept the messages being transmitted.
My main concern here is that it would simply detiorate into a broadcast only
game because codes were either a) So easy anyone could decode them, or b)
no-one could be bothered decoding the codes.
Another thought - whats to stop me using this tactic in a standard broadcast
only game? It would really throw things into the mix if the others could see
two powers speaking in code (Would this be within the rules? I expect so,
assuming the key wasn't transmitted OOG. It might be best to clear with the
GM first though).
If anyone is interested in a game they should decode the message below using
a Vignere cipher (plenty of websites offer simple decoding forms) and a
simple key (i couldn't make it too difficult!) to find my real email
address:
Picj Htapiv ndc rqcqblvv evus ocvaprs, utu erws ec eeg kb bxxs iaul'w
epdhqd. K jrwz qcdwcpg bd ssmrklj ngza kow qrwc, tt kow yum xyhqrgqwms
pbauif ww spqadg rkqh xsesceh Q pdggmg wrc pcs unvcumhesp epmxow ec fra y
jibp cr scgg dpcwmnv. Nompds qmcgo ut lbp wg'jo ote cze ucw ce -
nvdiu.jrdthoftu@lwtlzfxd.emp
Anyone interested in cryptology/cryptic messages? (Many apologies if this
repicates the rules of CryptoDiplomacy I & II but I couldn't find any rules
other than a mention of the name in variant bank)
Although diplomacy mirrors the situation circa 1901 re diplomacy, it doesn't
mimic the true format in which messages would have been sent. The worry of
interception would have meant meassage would have to coded to stop enemies
intercepting the transmission and altering their plans.
How best to replicate this in PBEM Diplomacy? Here are a bried set of rules
I have put together:
1. All rules as Standard Diplomacy except where altered below
2. The game will be gunboat to stop any OOG contact.
3. All press is broadcast, and is white or grey.
4. Press can be coded (before sending) with any cryptology system available
to the sender.
The key to doing well at this variant is to design ways to encode press so
that only a few key powers (who are clever enough) can decode it. One would
also have to decide when to reveal that you have cracked a cipher and when
not, deciphering press from other powers when they are unaware it is being
intercepted may well be a great advantage, more so than actually conversing
and revealing you can intercept the messages being transmitted.
My main concern here is that it would simply detiorate into a broadcast only
game because codes were either a) So easy anyone could decode them, or b)
no-one could be bothered decoding the codes.
Another thought - whats to stop me using this tactic in a standard broadcast
only game? It would really throw things into the mix if the others could see
two powers speaking in code (Would this be within the rules? I expect so,
assuming the key wasn't transmitted OOG. It might be best to clear with the
GM first though).
If anyone is interested in a game they should decode the message below using
a Vignere cipher (plenty of websites offer simple decoding forms) and a
simple key (i couldn't make it too difficult!) to find my real email
address:
Picj Htapiv ndc rqcqblvv evus ocvaprs, utu erws ec eeg kb bxxs iaul'w
epdhqd. K jrwz qcdwcpg bd ssmrklj ngza kow qrwc, tt kow yum xyhqrgqwms
pbauif ww spqadg rkqh xsesceh Q pdggmg wrc pcs unvcumhesp epmxow ec fra y
jibp cr scgg dpcwmnv. Nompds qmcgo ut lbp wg'jo ote cze ucw ce -
nvdiu.jrdthoftu@lwtlzfxd.emp
)
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