The Motte Plays: Diplomacy

frogger, TracingWoodgrains, Ash Lael, JayNine, ManyNothings, MacaqueOfTheNorth, McJunker

Thu 13 Feb UTC	Autumn, 1902: For there to be peace, Russia must negotiate a new agreement, rather than insisting the old one was never broken.
Thu 13 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Germany. An open letter to you. As mentioned, as far as I am concerned, the DMZ remains the law of the land. The 3rd clause negating it doesn’t kick in because the 2nd clause didn’t kick in, because hostility began with Austria and not with me. Moreover, when you signed the apocryphal dotted line sanctifying our shared border, you made no (0) provision for future negation of the treaty based on conduct with other nations. I deny that you have the right to impose “unless and if” scenarios after the pact was made; to do so is the equivalent to not making it in good faith at all. The pact may well have proved impossible to survive into end game where the balances of power have shifted unpredictably, but it was certainly intended to last for the foreseeable future; tossing it aside in Spring 1903 for convenience’ sake violates both the spirit and the letter of the treaty. I’ve already told you that as far as I am concerned, I cannot enter Prussia and Silesia for any reason. So I ask you, in a public forum: are you explicitly declaring that the DMZ is currently null and void, regardless of whatever other hostile actions you may choose to take against me?
Thu 13 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Never mind, I looked at the map. War it is then
Thu 13 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I'm sorry Russia. I wish I was not bound as I am. I would have liked to have been your friend.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Requesting a pause.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: (There's still 20h on the clock, how long do you need the pause for?)
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: We might need to find a new player. Possibly a few days.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Oof, who is leaving?
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Me
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I'm personally fine with waiting a few days if you're planning on coming back. Not sure this game is really able to have a new player slip in this deep
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Well gee
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I’m personally ok with allowing a new player to take over, but I won’t be surprised if others aren’t.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I'm not coming back. I can't play this game anymore.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I hope nothing serious has happened IRL.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Any particular reason why? If you're not coming back - I'm fine with a replacement player, but not sure how replacements are handled. Would Germany have to hand their account over to somebody else?
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: If a player leaves, there's a mechanism to replace them. Unfortunately, I don't know the details beyond that. I'm not sure whether they need to just wait out the missed turn period and then get booted, whether they can actively dip out, or what, but last time I played I saw replacements happen. Also not sure whether we can specifically choose the replacement or whether it's a random. AshLael, you may have more info here since you started the game. (If it came to it, we could probably pretty easily just send hold orders for a year or so and then keep going, or even start up on a new board and move our pieces into place. We're early enough in the game yet)
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: The game makes me feel sick with myself. I can't keep playing.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: You shouldn’t feel sick with yourself. It’s absolutely obvious to everybody you’re a very good hearted person.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: All the accusations of duplicity and stuff is just game talk.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Quit if you need to, but please don’t feel bad about yourself.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Agreed! You're clearly one of the most honest and well-intentioned players here. That said, if this game really makes you that uncomfortable, I totally understand why you're stopping. No hard feelings either way.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: And no, I don’t have any more information on the mechanics of replacing a player, unfortunately.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Well I think probably we ought to just start a new game. It’s a bit rough for people who have committed to particular strategies based on a particular relationship to have a person swapped out partway. And a few people who are in tough spots right now (i.e. Turkey) might appreciate the opportunity to try again and get into a better situation.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Plus I have no idea how to actually replace a player
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: :p
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Unless people object, I’ll set up a new game and update the reddit thread.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I have no objection personally.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Works for me.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: yeah, i definetely feel like if germany gets replaced, the new player will feel no commitment to being my ally and that scares me
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: alrite im fine with new game
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: but i wanna vote to also use backstabbr
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I would totally prod new-Germany to invade Edinburgh :p
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Hopefully Russia doesn't hold grudges...
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I personally prefer the webdiplomacy interface but I'm content with either one
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: well i kinda wanna test moves in sandbox without having to switch out of the game
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: but its not a huge hurdle so whatever
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Oh, they have sandbox in-game? Sold
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Is it in-game? I know they have a sandbox, I was using it liberally.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: No worries, people with experience of both seem to prefer backstabbr so I’ll use that.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Grudges are bad for business. I'd sooner hold a rattelsnake. I'm up for a fresh start, either here or backstabbr.
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Jeez. *rattlesnake
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: https://www.backstabbr.com/game/The-Motte-Plays-Diplomacy/6027095820468224/invite/YNJ6OJ
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Shall I let everyone here join before posting publicly, so no one gets squeezed out?
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: yeah, good plan
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: I just joined
Fri 14 Feb UTC	Spring, 1903: Great, I’ll make a post and we’ll get a new player
Sat 09 PM UTC	Spring, 1903: GameMaster: Game was extended due to at least 1 member failing to enter orders and having an excused missed turn available. This has un-readied all orders.
Sun 09 PM UTC	Spring, 1903: GameMaster: Game was extended due to at least 1 member failing to enter orders and having an excused missed turn available. This has un-readied all orders.
Mon 11 PM UTC	GameMaster: Game was extended due to at least 1 member failing to enter orders and having an excused missed turn available. This has un-readied all orders.
11:40 PM UTC	GameMaster: Game was extended due to at least 1 member failing to enter orders and having an excused missed turn available. This has un-readied all orders.