24 players signed up, 1! to go. Here’s the full rules for the game for reference (Dave and I have cleared these for the game).
Rules for Alliance Game Setup
One nation per player, normal format of 10xDS, 10xFP, 5xN. 5 nation choices must be sent in (more is helpful).
The game is anonymous as to who is playing what nation, but 25 players are known. You may encourage others to join, but not discuss your nations choices with them.
Diplos and information sharing
No .pdf or .xml sharing allowed.
Each nation may send no more than one diplo to each other nation in the game, every turn, 50 words or less, these diplos will be sent with the turn. 3423 is one word, as is Dark Lieutenants for these purposes.
Diplos can include subterfuge, lies, etc. (e.g. a diplo can pretend to be from the IK, when it’s in fact from NG), they cannot reveal phone numbers, identity, email, or any contact information. They are restricted to in-game information & strategy, but could request help on attaining a VC.
You can send diplos with your first turn, but not before the game starts.
Winning
First, Second and Third place finishers are determined by nation score plus Individual Nation VCs plus 200pt bonus for One Ring victory if you are nation who delivers One Ring to Mt Doom (3423). First place finisher must be on the winning side. 2nd and 3rd place do not have to be on the winning side.
Game ends when one One Ring victory occurs or when one allegiance (DS,FP) outnumbers the other 2:1 in active nations or when 2/3 of players on one allegiance (DS,FP) concede (dead nations counting as a vote to concede). Request for voting can be sent in at any time, with a maximum of once per 5 turns (so turns 1-5, 6-10, 11-15 etc, and we’ll email the players with the next turn.
After the game has finished, the total points that each nation received is revealed, both with and without individual nation VCs. Each individual player’s nation is not identified unless the player decides to do so of their own volition.
Other miscellaneous rules
Dropped nations are not replaced and are allowed to SS as normal until the end of the game. They are not picked up by another player.
There is no internet posting of information about the game by the GMs (i.e. no dead nations list like in some of the GB games). No player, or proxy, may post details of their positions, or diplome on the forum, yahoo list or similar locations. The ONLY contact between players allowed is via the 50 word diplo sent via ME Games and forwarded by them.
Normal House rules and 1650 rules apply, you can’t send in Shadow orders for another players, nor are pick ups allowed.
Set-up charges: an additional £7/$12.90 per set-up will be charged and on turn 11/21/31/41 we will charge this again. We expect between anything from 400-600 emails per turn… :o This could be upto 5 hours extra work per turn for us…. I’ll keep you posted on how this goes.
Okay, take that rule out then. And if no games ever reach 50 turns, bill Drew’s account the difference, don’t forget the extra $$$ every 10 turns either. :rolleyes:
Here is an excerpt from an old article written by William B Feild Jr. & Peter Stassun that I ran across on the GSI website that perfectly sums up the idea driving the Alliance Game scenario.
The tales of Tolkien dealt with more than just Good vs. Evil and so too, ME-PBM explores these other areas as well. Besides the primary issue of Good vs. Evil, the nations must deal with the treachery and conflict all too common even on their own side. The constant conflict between the Dwarves and Elves, the Civil War of Gondor, and the bickering between the various armies and leaders of darkness to name just a few. These aspects of Middle-earth were included by allowing for one side to end the game, but only the most powerful nation(s) on the winning side to claim victory. Furthermore, each nation has individual goals that help them toward becoming the most powerful nation on their respective side, and many of these individual goals must only be achieved at the expense of nations on their own side.
[my emphasis added]
‘The Company’ assumed that the “Brit Clique” understood the game and it was unwilling to consider the possibility there was more there than those gentlemen understood.
Don’t think this has been advertized on the various Front Sheets yet.
