I played by snail-mail in the '80's. Two weeks per turn. The guy DMing used to stamp every envelope with the outline image of a man seen from behind, with someone (you could only see an arm) about to plunge a large knife into his back.

You had to include retreat and build orders, these had to be optional of course and the options had to be clear and logical (If I have one build then an army in Trieste. If 2 builds then a fleet in Trieste and an army in Budapest).

You could also include global press - these took the form of Reuters-a-like news articles. The publication of these could also be optional (If I take Moscow then News:England:"The Russia royal family were captured and executed in Moscow today. Jubilant crowds filled the streets to welcome the British armies that freed them from their oppressors."). Sometimes there were 5 pages of "News" delivered with only a single page of results.

wow

i played today some speed diplomacy, (face to face) only managed to get to Spring 1904, but in under an hour and a half. Great fun when the negotiations degrade into: (me as france across the table to germany):
"NO! I'm not talking to you any more, you're already DEAD!"

finished with aus(8), eng(8), fra(5), ita(4), rus(3), ger(3), tur(3) - too much fun.

Thanks to all who played... that was the only tournament game i actually managed to run :(

I played postal from mid 70's through the 80's in a number of zines with great press(I miss the press, especially black press where no one knew who actually wrote the press regardless of dateline) and people who had an active sense of humor(many stories of sheep marriages etc) where games lasted 3 or 4 years. I played in an international tournament with 7 players from 7 countries which was fun. I even played one or two Youngstown Variant games with a world map, but never really got into it. 3 week deadlines and interesting players and gamemasters who adjudicated by hand. Big issue back then when a player named Pat Effron was discovered to be female(which never bother me, but really made some people crazy). Much fun

By the way, builds, retreats and removals were conditional in some games to speed things up.

FTF over beers is still the only way to play true Dip. Seven players(or teams) and one adjudicator. 20 minute spring/autumn phases and 5 minute retreat/build phases.

All over in one long night.