From a GM point of view, getting players to take over dropped positions
is always very hard - even with the incentive of a free turn. There is a
perception that a dropped position can't be very good otherwise why
would it have been dropped.
This just isn't the case! People drop positions all the time for a
variety of reasons. I've actually won with two stand-by positions, once
years ago with a Dwarf position that had been played for four turns, and
then with a Hard position that was in excellent nick when I took it
over.
OK, some positions are a bit dire, but even they can be fun. At present
I'm involved rebuilding a Long Rider position in a 2950 game. It had one
major town and no other pop centres when I took it up (at the behest of
two other team members). It's been a struggle but with no help from the
rest of the team, I now have several villages and camps, and a town
going up this turn. There's nothing like a challenge, a stand-by
positions often offer something rather different that can be a lot of
fun.
Clint wrote ...
Not that there are a massive number of players
subscribed (out of 160 players who have email turns less than
1/5th - there are more players that have access to email btw).
Anyone any ideas why? What could entice people to join the list? I'm
still not sure about broadcasting dropped positions widely though -
unless of course the team has been asked to first, in which case it's
their look-out!
I still think it should be a team's responsibility first and foremost.
Neutrals (as Clint says) are a *lot* trickier!
Colin