E-mail Diplomacy isn't the same thing as the game we play by the board. Standard rules are not enough sometimes, so some extra rules are needed. These rules will be in use in all of my (this first persona refering to Mikko Saari, msaari@iki.fi) games unless otherwise noted.
Standard Diplomacy rules apply, except as indicated below. I reserve the right to alter these rules whenever necessary and whenever I feel like so.
Orders should be sent to diplomacy@nic.fi. Put the game name or number, your country and the season in the subject line. I will confirm all orders (except when I check my e-mail for the last time before processing the turn) when I receive them.
From Ray Setzer:
A seperate, neutral mailbox is provided by CAT23 to enable players a place to CC their orders and serve as a failsafe depository to prove timely submission in case of technical or GM error. The address of this mailbox is Confirm@cat23.com
This mailbox will automatically acknowledge receipt of your orders by returning to you a letter containing the SUBJECT: line of your mail. Therefore, a player would find it helpful put the game and year/season in the subject line. The confirm mailbox will hold all mail for 30 days before deleting.
In order to be a valid receipt, those orders must be mailed to both the GM and the Confirm address. (IE: The letter in the Confirm box must have the GM address in its header, AND the GM address in this header must be the correct GM address without typos) OR, to state it in the simplist terms. Mail the orders to the GM and put the Confirm address on the CC line.
In no-press game the orders are only possible way to communicate. I will only publish proper orders. They don't have to be legal or possible, however. You can support or convoy imaginary units:
F NTH says: "Germany, support me to Sweden next
turn" would be published as F NTH H. This is
definitely not allowed.F NTH S Germany-Russia would be published as
F NTH H. This is press too.F NTH S/C German A Ber-Mos would be published
that way, even though it's not possible in any way. I would publish
it, even if there was no A Ber. However, I would not publish it if
there were no F NTH. You have to sacrifice one of your units to
send your message.I will edit all the orders to look the same. This is both to prevent the recognization of player identity and to make the results look better (I do it in all games, not just no-press). Other things may come up as well and those situations will be handled to maintain the spirit of no-press. Limited communication is limited communication.
I'm not too eager to allow NMR's to happen. In the early game maybe, but in the end game, I will usually give players some extra time to get their orders in. I think the game should be won because of superior skill, not superior luck with opponents missing turns. Of course, the behaviour of being constantly late is not tolerated and if I notice that I have to wait for a certain player often, I just might replace him or her with someone more dedicated.
If player misses two turns in a row, he or she is considered to have left the game. After first turn is missed and it seems possible that second turn will be missed too, I will ask for a replacement player to send in orders for that player and if the player misses second turn, the replacement player will take his or her place.
Player who has to leave game should get a replacement player to take over his or her place. If player leaves game without any notice and with no good reason, he or she will get on my blacklist and will not be eligible for my games anymore.
Misordered units stay in place and can receive support to hold.
If the game is declared as a NoNMR game, then no NMR's will happen, ever. Unless something else is said, there is a grace period of three or two days (depends of the game) to get the orders in. If orders or an extension request have not been received by the end of the grace period, player has gone missing and will be replaced. Also, being always late is a valid reason for replacement.
If army can make the same move either by land or by sea, it will take the land route unless it is mentioned that the army will be convoyed. F Hol-Bel, A Bel-Hol(c), F Nth C A Bel-Hol will succeed, but if there would be no notice of convoy (the (c) or (convoyed) or something similar), no movement would occur.
If multiple phases (movement + retreats + possibly adjustments) are played at once, there might occur situations where units don't have retreats ordered or adjustments might go missing. In those cases, following rules shall be used.
If this system gives multiple possibilities for retreat, I will choose a logical one (usually towards own supply centers). If builds are not ordered, nothing will be built.
Units further from own country shall be removed according this system. If this gives multiple choices, units will be removed according to alphabetical order of provinces.
Game ends when one of the following conditions are met:
When a vote is proposed, I will announce it and players have until the next deadline to send their votes in. All decisions must be unanimous amongst the surviving players.
In stalemate situations, this rule will be used to prevent the game from dragging on endlessly. When the situation seems to be quiet and a player requests it, I will announce that this rule will take effect. From then on, if no supply center changes owner in three consecutive game years, the game will end in a draw including all survivors. If even one supply center changes owner, the year count will reset. Three-year rule is only for the most extreme situations, like stalemated games where one player stubbornly refuses to agree to a draw.