Once upon a time Diplomacy was the biggest event at WBC - and even when it wasn't it still ranked as one of the larger Diplomacy events worldwde. Those days are long gone but due to the considerable efforts of Thomas Haver, an experienced GM at Origins, the event is attempting its second WBC comeback after being voted back into the Trials by the membership vote.

At the turn of the 20th century, the seven Great European Powers engage in an intricate struggle for supremacy. Military forces invade and withdraw, shifting borders and altering empires with subtle maneuvers and daring gambits. Form alliances and unhatch your traitorous plots as you negotiate and outwit - in a delicate balance of cooperation and competition -to gain dominance of the continent! In Diplomacy, your success hinges not on the luck of the dice, but your cunning and cleverness." -- Avalon Hill

Diplomacy returns for its 19th appearance at WBC. The tournament will feature three rounds over two days. Best two rounds of three will count towards the tournament score. Best Country awards and tournament prizes will be provided by the GM. Firm time limits for negotiation and order writing will be followed to ensure expedient play for competitors with other events on their schedule. No experience required; rules taught. Attend the Friday afternoon demo.

Tournament Rules:

(1) Player Conduct

All players are expected to play in their own best interest and to behave in a sportsmanlike manner.

Players that demonstrate abusive or disruptive behavior contrary to the safety and comfort of themselves or the other players may be forced by the Tournament Director to leave the round or the tournament.

In the event that a player must or chooses to abandon his position prior to the end of the game, the Tournament Director reserves the right to name a replacement player or declare the power in permanent civil disorder. If the previous player returns, it is up to the Tournament Director if he is allowed to take the position over. Any replacement player will receive credit for the round.

(2) Rules

2008 Hasbro rules (except where noted in this document)

(3) Rounds

Three rounds of play are scheduled. Players are under no obligation to play in any particular number of rounds, and should feel free to play in as few or as many as they please. The best two of three rounds will be used for scoring purposes.

Round 1 ­ Friday, 7pm
Round 2 ­ Saturday, 9am
Round 3 ­ Saturday, 7pm

(4) Awards

1. WBC Diplomacy Champion
a. Determined by total point score for best two rounds.
b. In event of a tie, the following tie-breakers are considered:
i. The player whose highest single game score is greater.
ii. The player with the highest score obtained in any game in which the tied players opposed each other.
iii. The player whose average supply center count is higher.
iv. The player whose overall supply center differential was higher.
v. Discretion of the Tournament Director

2. Outstanding play of each power (Best Country Awards) -- determined by single-game score, with ties broken at the discretion of the TD.

(5) Board Assignments / Power Assignments

a. To be eligible to play during a round, players must check in with the Tournament Director prior to the published round start times

b. Board assignments will be determined by random draw or at discretion of the TD dependent on extenuating circumstances (family, health, etc.).

c. Power assignment will be determined by random draw.

d. A player should not be assigned the same power twice in the tournament.

e. In the event that the number of players checked in for a round is not a multiple of seven, the TD may ask designated players to sit out or play on two boards, or alternatively may play on one or two boards himself.

f. Players are not permitted to swap powers at a board. They must play the power they are assigned, unless they draw the same power from a previous round, in which case they must redraw.

(6) Game Timing

a. Each board will keep its own time. The amount of time for negotiations is 10 minutes for Spring 1901 and 10 minutes thereafter. Each round will last a length of time four hours long, as determined by the GM.

b. After Spring and Fall negotiation periods, there will be two minutes of silent order writing time.

c. Once adjudication has been completed, all retreating units have been identified, and questions have been answered about invalid retreat options, there will be up to 30 seconds of silent writing time for retreats.

d. After Fall adjudication, there will be up to two minutes of silent writing time for adjustments.

e. The clock must start immediately after adjudication is read or adjustments are completed.

f. If all players' orders are in early, adjudication may begin as long as all players on the board agree.

g. Boards may take one 15-minute break at the discretion of the players on the board. The TD is to be informed of the break period.

(7) Orders

All orders, including retreat, builds, and disbands, must be written. Implicit orders are not allowed.

a. Unordered units are treated as a hold order regardless of other implied actions. Unordered units or units in civil disorder may receive support in holding. Units given an impossible order are treated as holding. A unit ordered to a distant location shall be considered as an impossible order and held. It is not necessary to designate Army or Fleet except in build orders on coastal provinces. Orders for wrongly designated units are still followed.

b. Poorly written orders that allow for only one reasonable reading (ignoring intentionally miswritten orders as a possibility) are to be followed. However, no direct change in the implied individual order is to be made. Standard abbreviations are acceptable. Liv and Nor are NOT valid abbreviations for any province. Leeway may be given if the order is unambiguous.

c. A convoy will always move by its own position's fleets if ordered and possibly ignoring alternate routes offered by other powers, unless otherwise specified in the order for the army. "Unwanted convoys" are not permitted. In the event that an army can move to an adjacent costal province via land or sea, it shall be assumed that the army is moving by land unless otherwise specified in the order (e.g. A Bel --> Hol via Nth convoy). In the case of a valid convoy attack from one coastal province to an adjacent coastal province, the attack will be considered as coming from the fleet for the purposes of retreat, thus allowing the dislodged unit to retreat to the province of the attacker.

d. Failure to indicate a coast on a Fleet St. Petersburg build order will result in a waived build. Any fleet move or retreat order from Portugal to Spain, from the Mid-Atlantic Ocean to Spain, or from Constantinople to Bulgaria, must include a coast designation. In all other cases, failure to specify a coast will not invalidate the order.

e. If more than one power has a retreat order, they must be written down. If only one player has retreats, he may move the piece on the board. Retreat orders are due within 30 seconds. Disbanding is always an option on a retreat and needs not be stated.

f. In the event a dispute arises, the Tournament Director or his designee has final discretion to determine the validity and intent of written orders.

(8) Ending the Game

a. The game will end in a solo victory if a single power controls 18 or more supply centers at the end of a Fall move. Solos may not be conceded.

b. The game will end in a non-solo resolution if (i) all powers remaining in the game agree to end the game, (ii) the TD calls the tournament at the predetermined call time, or (iii) by vote.

c. The vote shall be conducted in secret in a manner determined by the TD or designated assistant. All votes must be unanimous. Only ONE vote may be held per spring or fall phase, at the discretion of the TD. The clock DOES NOT STOP for draw votes. All players with at least one supply center are eligible to vote. If a player has abandoned the game or chooses not to vote, he is considered to vote for all proposals.

(9) Scoring

Carnage

The game is scored based on placement. Each player gets placement points added to his or her center count. Placement is determined by center count, or year of elimination:
a. First place receives 7000 points + center count
b. Second place receives 6000 points + center count
c. Third place receives 5000 points + center count
d. Fourth place receives 4000 points + center count
e. Fifth place receives 3000 points + center count
f. Sixth place receives 2000 points + center count
g. Seventh place receives 1000 points + center count
h. In the event of a tie, The placement points for all tied positions are added and then divided evenly amongst those involved (ex: if three players share the first place with 10 centers they all get (7000 + 6000 + 5000) / 3 = 6000 points + 10 centers = 6010 points each)
i. A solo victory: If someone achieves solo victory, they get all the points available in the game, 28034, while everyone else in that game scores zero.
j. Placement will be used to determine best country awards. In the event of a tie, center count will be used as a tie breaker.
k. Any other ties/disputes will be settled by the tournament director at his discretion.

The final tournament score will be determined by the sum of each player's score in their best two rounds. Players need only participate in one round to be eligible for awards and receive their free game. The Tournament Director is ineligible for awards and for ranking purposes shall be listed in last place as "nc".

(10) Tournament Director / GM

If necessary, the Tournament Director / GM will play a round to fill out a board, but only to complete a board for play. In this event, the Tournament Director must appoint an assistant GM from another board. The GM must inform every member of that board the game deadline for that round.

If the GM needs to be away from the boards for any length of time, an assistant GM will take over any and all duties assigned to the GM, in his absence.

The Tournament Director is ineligible for awards and for ranking purposes shall be listed in last place as "nc".

The Tournament Director cannot take over the position of an abandoned power on a board for which he has conducted a draw vote.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to police deadlines, issue warnings to offending players, and end a game at any time, if necessary.

I will be providing best country awards for each of the competitors that demonstrate outstanding play for the seven powers. The best country awards are: Best Austria, Best England, Best France, Best Germany, Best Italy, Best Russia, and Best Turkey. Pictures shown at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26210189@N06/2660220322/in/set-72157607805038912

I will also be providing board game prizes for select competitors new to Diplomacy or for outstanding tournament play (top three). Example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26210189@N06/5875475902/in/set-72157627055852720