Interpreting orders

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Lord of Broken Plains
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Interpreting orders

#1 Post by Lord of Broken Plains » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:46 am

Hi all,

As the most experienced player among many teenagers with next to no knowledge of the game (yet - we're working on it), it falls to me to read and perform the orders at the end of every turn during F2F games. I notice that this process is slow and confusing, but I'm not sure how to make it more efficient, other than practice.

WebDip is fun, but since I don't see a person execute the orders, I'm not really getting any insight into how more skilled players organise this. Are there any decent online resources to teach/develop interpretation of orders? Just to reiterate, I have a fairly comprehensive understanding of the rules, but I'm laboriously slow at applying them.

Thanks.
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Claesar
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Re: Interpreting orders

#2 Post by Claesar » Wed Sep 25, 2019 5:41 am

I would recommend going to a FtF event and see how the experts do it.

One tip I can give is to have someone read the orders and another person (probably you), execute them.

Oh, another: For a move order, you place the unit on the border facing the destination province (this works best with the miniatures). For a support order, you place the unit on its side facing the unit it's supporting. When you're done reading all the orders you resolve them (i.e. determine whether they make it in).

I don't have the miniatures myself, but perhaps I can make a picture anyway (with my lame cardboard tanks) in 12 hours to demonstrate this. Remind me..
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Re: Interpreting orders

#3 Post by Claesar » Thu Sep 26, 2019 2:53 pm

Thank you for the PM reminder. Here is an image of what my board would look like after reading out the western Spring 1901 orders of:

England
Edi-Nwg
Lon-Nth
Lvp-Yor
France
Par-Bur
Mar S Par-Bur
Bre-MAO
Germany
Mun-Bur
Kie-Den
Ber-Kie

Board:
https://imgur.com/a/gc4AIPx

As you can see, I've flipped the Marseille army to indicate it's supporting. This is easier to do with the miniatures.

But my point is that you read out all relevant orders first. You can now resolve the conflicts (i.e. Burgundy) because no other unit can influence it. 2v1 so Paris makes it in and Munich stays put.

Does that make sense? Not sure I can make it more clear with my crappy board and pictures, but I can try if you need it. I suppose I could at least try to improve the lighting :eyeroll:
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Re: Interpreting orders

#4 Post by pyxxy » Thu Sep 26, 2019 3:39 pm

If you want to watch some pros resolve moves (and also some high-level F2F with commentary/analysis), these youtube videos are part of a whole playlist following the top board at WorldDipCon 2016. Specifically I've set the links below to when they start resolving orders.

They're not the most helpful things to watch, but they basically back up what Claesar said. Have someone else read the orders while you move pieces and have a vague method for differentiating attacks, supports, and potential bounces.

When part of the board can no longer be influenced, you can see the pros resolve moves and bounces.

https://youtu.be/Mm1et-Kvsw8?t=875
https://youtu.be/2QZQoWjy77Q?t=646
https://youtu.be/4IccxxA68aA?t=786
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Re: Interpreting orders

#5 Post by Lord of Broken Plains » Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:02 am

Thank you both
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Re: Interpreting orders

#6 Post by gimix » Sat Sep 28, 2019 9:29 am

Or, you may use some software, e.g. a desktop app like jDip.
While orders are read you input them into the program, then submit and you get both the visual representation of what happened and a clear report. I put in some (random) orders for a Classic game, Spring 01, and this is the result (it's a copy&paste, the original page looks better)

Results for Spring, 1901 (Movement)
General Notices:
No retreating units; retreat phase skipped.
Order resolution completed on 28-set-2019 at 11:19:35 CEST
Order Results:
Austria:
Austria: A bud -> rum
Bounced with sev (1 against 1).
Austria: F tri -> alb
Austria: A vie -> tri
Bounced with ven (1 against 1).
England:
England: F edi -> nth
England: A lvp -> yor
England: F lon -> eng
France:
France: F bre -> mao
France: A mar -> spa
France: A par -> bur
Bounced with mun (1 against 1).
Germany:
Germany: A ber -> kie
Germany: F kie -> hol
Germany: A mun -> bur
Bounced with par (1 against 1).
Italy:
Italy: F nap -> ion
Italy: A rom -> apu
Italy: A ven -> tri
Bounced with vie (1 against 1).
Russia:
Russia: A mos -> stp
Russia: F sev -> rum
Bounced with bud (1 against 1).
Russia: F stp/sc -> bot
Russia: A war -> gal
Turkey:
Turkey: F ank -> bla
Turkey: A con -> bul
Turkey: A smy -> con
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