FAQ:
What can students do to be effective?
Students need to let their TA know what their strengths and weaknesses are. (Example: I get stabbed a lot and I don't see it coming.) Read the professor's commentary. Try to talk with your TA as often as possible. You should read the professor's commentary and talk it over with your TA until you understand it.

As a student, you are the player, and get final say in what orders and press to submit. If you do wish to go against your TA’s recommendation however, make sure you clearly explain why to your TA, and make special note of it in your EOG.

What can TA's do to be effective?
TA's can reach out to their students to establish a good means of communication. Email or Google chat or Skype might be a good way to keep in touch. Try to talk with your as often as possible. Your job is to help the students out with any part of the game they don't understand. Figure out what they are good at, look at their previous games and point out areas they need work in. Show your student how to interpret the press and moves from other players, but don't actually play the game for them. Point them in the right direction, but they should still make the choices. If a Professor provides commentary you do not understand, clarify it with them via PM.

Players:
1. NunaEtsuko (England)
2. beniliusbob (France)
3. Gonnor (Italy)
4. Domwnec (Russia)
5. pangloss (Turkey)
6. backscratcher (Austria)
7. IshmaelGuantanamoIV (Germany)

TAs:
1. Abgemacht (England)
2. Ogion (France)
3. basvanopheusden (Italy)
4. dr octagonapus (Russia)
5. rojimy1123 (Turkey)
6. dyager_nh (Austria)
7. Vecna (Germany)

Professors:
1. Hellenic Riot
2. The Hanged Man

Emergency Backup TA:
1. rdrivera2005

Possible Occasional Heckler:
1. uclabb
2. A_Tin_Can

Where can I read the previous School of War classes?
threadID=1234169
threadID=1234165
threadID=1193202
threadID=1141098
threadID=1054331
threadID=1010911
threadID=672851
threadID=738795
threadID=739795
threadID=884531
threadID=940795
threadID=501033
threadID=474841

Where can I read the previous Gunboat School of War classes?
threadID=1274605
threadID=1167227
threadID=1093281

If you have any questions or concerns during the game, please feel free to contact me.

Good luck!

Valis2501
SOW Chancellor

We're waiting on the last two students to join and then we'll be off to the races =)

Hey valis- if you have time, it would be useful to say who the profs were for each of those SoW threads

sigh the game hasn't even started yet, and already uclabb is heckling again

I'd recommend not letting abgemacht TA England.

Source: Commentary games.

Also I am now a heckler.

Countries have been shuffled. Sorry to whoever was mad about me not being quick enough in global, guess we'll never know who it was ;)

Looks like we're underway...

SOME CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE THE FIRST MOVE PHASE:

1. COMMUNICATIONS. No matter which power you are, no matter how you plan to play this game, communications are essential. This is especially true in S01 when first impressions are formed. You should have exchanged messages with every power before the first deadline runs, hopefully multiple exchanges. With your direct neighbors, you should have even more extensive discussions. Be the first to send press, be the one who sent the most press, and be the last to send press.

2. WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE TODAY? Everyone has his own diplomacy style. Sometimes we might try to deviate from it for a while, or for a game. Sometimes we might try to mask who we are for a while. Think about whether you want to be an initiator of joint strategy, or a follower. Do you want to come across as knowledgeable about the game, or less so? There are benefits and downsides to all approaches. Some players like to ally with a strong player; some immediately try to kill off those perceived as strong players. The same is true with those perceived to be weaker players. You may even want to vary your style with different powers within a single game, although consistency can be problematic if you lose track.

3. FLASHPOINTS. There are certain areas of early controversy, such as English Channel, Burgundy, Piedmont, Galicia, and Black Sea. You should think about how you want to handle these areas directly relevant to your power: bounce by agreement? Demilitarized zone (DMZ) by agreement? Regardless of whether you intend to renege, you probably want to have an agreement for each of your border flashpoints. If everyone sticks to the agreement, it builds trust. If someone reneges, at least you know that much about them.

4. ANY CHUMP CAN RENEGE. A skilled player saves outright lies for key moments when they will be most effective. You generally do not want to enter into S01 agreements that you do not intend to keep (at least in the short term). The exception is an early joint attack on a power where multiple of his neighbors agree to work together by lying to the target. For example, England and Germany collaborate by both telling France they will DMZ English Channel and Burgundy, then both renege simultaneously by sending units into those areas. That early coordinated renege is high-risk, high-reward. If it works, you can gain a strong early advantage. If your erstwhile partner screws you, you can be left with some ‘splaining to do.

5. THINK ABOUT THE OTHER GUY. Every agreement you make or don’t make, every move you make or don’t make, every message you send, try to think about how the player on the other side is going to perceive it. For example, as Austria, you might not have breached an explicit agreement if you send Budapest to Rumania in S01, but it likely will have a significant impact on relations with Russia. Or as Italy, if you tell France you are unwilling to commit to a DMZ in Piedmont, how do you think France will take it? Keep these things in mind while planning your early communications and strategy.

As per uclabb request, a list of Professors/Commentators

FP
threadID=1234169 A_Tin_Can and goldfinger0303
threadID=1234165 Abgemacht and Sh@dow
threadID=1193202 Peterwiggin, TruNinja and Uclabb.
threadID=1141098 TruNinja, Abgemacht, and Uclabb
threadID=1054331 Thehamster, 2ndWhiteLine, and Jmo1121109
threadID=1010911 TruNinja, Jmo1121109, 2ndWhiteLine, and Ghug
threadID=672851 Peterwiggin and Baskineli
threadID=738795 Rdrivera2005 and President Eden
threadID=739795 TruNinja and Ivo_ivanov
threadID=884531 TruNinja and KingRishard
threadID=940795 Uclabb, Yonni, Slyster, and Goldfinger0303
threadID=501033 Ivo_Ivanov, Spell of Wheels, and Akroma
threadID=474841 Centurian, Dunecat, and Jacob

GB
threadID=1274605 Yaleunc and Valis2501
threadID=1167227 Yaleunc, 2ndWhiteLine, and Bo_sox48
threadID=1093281 Barn3tt, Lando, Skittles, and The Czech

That is a GREAT list, Valis! Well requested, uclabb.

There was *ahem* a Winter 2014 SoW too. Game is here, but I'm not finding the thread

http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=133722

Cool to see just how very many TAs were players in SoWs in years past.

Thanks Ogion, Study Groups are only recently integrated and there's some stragglers out there. Always looking out for ones that slip between the cracks. The commentary thread for that one was threadID=1193195. I have it on my EOG database (tinyurl.com/webDipEOG) so I'm pretty sure it's just a matter of me not integrating all the Study Groups yet.

I'm not an official heckler, but posting for ★, and, well, uh, I will probably slip and accidentally ask some questions now and again. :-)

Questions from the audience are explicitly encouraged.

Does 0.999=1?

Depends if we're using the 1975 or 1987 version of the Avalon Hill rulebook. For the former, no. For the latter, yes, but only during Retreats.

*throws popcorn*

I swear, first mention of an African or European swallow and I'll gnaw my own foot off.

A recap of last semester: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re_oHsbd0QE

Whoa, abge spends a lot of time on the youtube installments. Never checked it out before until that last link.

yeah neither had I

10 minutes until the first deadline~!

Bump for A01

AW YEAH BABY
Game on

I cannot comment on the game here, correct?

Correct, discussing the game is with your TA or by PM to a Professor or Chancellor for Students

Are TA's and students allowed to send a professor a PM regarding a topic they would want discussed or if we had a question regarding something which occured?

SPRING 1901

My first general impression is that the board looks like fairly normal S01. No very unusual openings, and thankfully no NMRs. Therefore, I will comment on some selected areas.

NORWAY. Absent Mos-StP in S01 (uncommon because Russia usually feels like the Mos unit is needed in the south), Nwy is usually viewed as an English gimme in 1901. A key issue for ER relations is whether England takes Nwy with a fleet versus an army. Taking Nwy with an army usually signals anti-Russian intent, and prompts a strong reaction from Russia. The fact that England moved Lvp-Yor rather than Lvp-Edi suggests he will take Nwy with NWG. Nwy should be the subject of ER discussions, if not already resolved.

SWEDEN. This is a key point for RG relations, which otherwise look pretty good. Presumably they agreed to a DMZ in Pru/Sil, and they both felt comfortable enough to send the units in Ber and War away from each other. By moving Kie-Den rather than Kie-Hol, Germany preserves the ability to bounce Russia out of Swe. Swe should be the subject of RG discussions, if not already resolved.

BELGIUM. By bouncing in Bur (presumably by arrangement with France) and sending Kie-Den, Germany relinquished his ability to influence Bel in A01. Bel could end up in French or English hands, or neither if the units bounce. Another possibility is an EF plan to let France have Bel while England uses Yor to bounce Germany out of Hol. It will be interesting to see what happens next turn in Bel as an early indicator of relations in the West.

ENGLISH CHANNEL. Obvious, but significant by omission. EF likely agreed to DMZ EC, and they both respected it. That does not necessarily mean an EF alliance, but it at least suggests no early alliance with Germany against the other.

VENICE/TRIESTE. This is interesting because Italy stayed home in Ven while Austria vacated to Alb. There is no immediate firefight, but now there is an imbalance. Was Ven supposed to also vacate? Or was there no agreement? Does Austria cover Tri to prevent an opportunistic Ven?

GREECE. Lots of possibility here with four units bordering on the open center. A successful convoy by Italy would be strong, but if things go poorly Italy could end up with no builds for the year.

RUMANIA/BLACK SEA. Russia took Rum by fleet while Turkey made it into Bla. That generally favors Turkey because he gained control of Bla, a critical spot. The question is whether Turkey breached an agreement to accomplish that. Taking Rum by fleet generally is a pro-Austrian move, since Russia is limited in his ability to penetrate into the Austria home centers.

The conservative (and therefore expected) A01 turns in the southeast might be an Italian convoy to Tun, an Austrian supported attack on Gre, and a Russian defensive double support hold in Russia, all successful, with Turkey's moves giving an indication of some of what's going on behind the scenes. But of course, anything can happen.

Absolutely

Absolutely ninja'd