DipCon XXXIV Schedule and Rules

Welcome to the Regatta!

Thank you for coming to the 2001 ARMADA Regatta, host of this year's North American Diplomacy Championships (DipCon XXXIV)! This tournament was organized by the Association of Rocky Mountain Area Diplomacy Adversaries (ARMADA) and this is the second year of the Regatta. Last year's Regatta was such a success that we were asked to host the North American Championships, which I bid to do at Worlds in Baltimore and we were awarded this year's Championship event. It is my hope that the North American hobby will prove to have made a good choice.

We are proud to have in attendance quite a few of the most recognizable names in the North American hobby!

This booklet covers the event schedule and our unique playing system, one that results in many exciting games.

The organizing committee has worked hard to make the Regatta a success, and they deserve a heap of thanks for their efforts. So if you run into Dave Scully, Robert Steinke, or Daniel Stamey, smile while you stab them. I also want to thank all of our volunteers -- from those that are bringing boards to those that made runs to the airport for our esteemed out-of-town guests. Enjoy! --Manus

Merchandise!

ARMADA Regatta T-shirts and mousepads and videotapes of last year's and this year's lectures can be ordered from the tournament director to help defray the cost of the Regatta. Your purchases will be greatly appreciated, and the prices are very reasonable. There is an order form in this booklet.

Schedule

Friday 16 February

6:00 P.M. Welcome and registration for all rounds.
6:30 P.M. Orientation for new players.
6:45 P.M. Registration for round 1 ends.
7:00 P.M. Round 1.

Saturday 17 February

8:45 A.M. Registration for round 2 ends.
9:00 A.M. Round 2.
3:00 P.M. Lectures:

"Getting Beyond the Basics" by Chris Martin (1998 World Champion)
"Misconceptions in Diplomacy" by David Hood (former DipCon Champion)

4:30 P.M. State Dinner/DipCon Society Meeting
6:45 P.M. Registration for round 3 ends.
7:00 P.M. Round 3.

Sunday 18 February

8:45 A.M. Registration for round 4 ends.
9:00 A.M. Round 4.
3:00 P.M. Awards Ceremony.

Regatta Rules

Player Seeding
The tournament director will assign players to specific tables in each round, and will assign each to a specific power.
- Games will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If a player does not register for a round in time to be in a group of seven, he will not be able to play that round unless he drafts enough players to fill another table before the round's registration deadline.
- Placement in the first round will be random.
- In subsequent rounds, an attempt will be made to minimize the number of players who play against opponents they had faced in earlier rounds.
- Each player will play a different power in each round.
- The tournament director will publicly announce the table and country assignments of all players before each round. Players are asked to keep noise to a minimum during this announcement.
- A scoring sheet for the game will be provided to each table.
Scoring Sheets and Order Booklets
- Each game will be scored individually.
- It shall be the duty of the players at each table to fill out a scoring sheet for the table and submit it to the tournament director at the conclusion of the game.
- Before the scoring sheet is submitted, each player must sign the scoring sheet on the line of the power he played.
- Each player in a game will be given order sheets that are to be used to issue all his orders in that game. These forms are to be turned in with the game scoring sheet, so that a complete record of the game can be archived.
Game Format
Each game will terminate:
- In a solo victory if any single player:
  1. controls at least two more centers than each other individual player, and
  2. controls at least a specific number of supply centers (the number required is based on the game-year and is shown in the table below and on the game scoring sheet):
    
    Game-Year: 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910
    
    Centers to Win: 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 DIAS
  NOTE: Players should be aware that this system does accelerate the arrival of the end-game and take away some of the strategy of stalemate lines. For example, in a normal game, England could set up the Gibraltar stalemate line and guarantee himself a place in the draw as long as no one reached 18 centers. Here at the Regatta, however, an opponent could win with a smaller number of centers, which would make the English stalemate line useless.
- In a solo victory if all players controlling at least one supply center vote (unanimously) to concede the game to a specific single power. Such a vote shall be supervised by the tournament director (who shall be summoned to the table by any player), and shall be conducted in secret.
- In a draw shared equally among all players controlling at least one supply center if all such players vote for such a result. This vote shall be supervised by the tournament director (who shall be summoned to the table by any player), and shall be conducted in secret.
- In a draw shared equally among all players controlling at least one supply center if the game-year 1910 is played to its conclusion without the game having terminated otherwise.

Game-Year:	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909	1910
Centers to Win:	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	DIAS

Negotiation and Timing
Each table is free to determine its own negotiation time and deadlines with expectation to complete ten years of play in six hours or less. The Tournament Director and Assistant Tournament Director will monitor game progress, announce the time of day, and enforce any deadline rules agreed to by any table.

Cross Board Negotiations
Players are expected to limit game conversation to those players involved in their own games.

About the Retreat and Adjustment Phases
As per the rules of the game, negotiation is prohibited during the retreat and adustment phases. During these phases, if a player has orders to submit, he must write his orders down and reveal them simultaneously with any other players, as during movement phases.

Despite the above rule, during the retreat phase, a player may ask to be told his options for where to retreat. If a player asks, other players may answer by listing the options for retreat, but may NOT make any suggestions about which option to take. However, it is still considered the individual player's responsibility to know and understand his options. Once a player has submitted his retreat, it may not be changed, even if he was given incorrect information about his options.

Version of the Rules
The 1976 edition of the rules of Diplomacy are the ones in use for this event. The Tournament Director will have a copy of these rules which a player may borrow at their request.

Convoy Paradox
Paradoxes will be resolved using the rule that in an otherwise paradoxical situation, fleets issuing support for or against a convoying fleet cannot have their support cut under any circumstance. This resolves the paradox.

Scoring System

The following points will be awarded to each player after each game.
- 121 points to a solo victor
- 88 points to a participant in a two-way draw
- 66 points to a participant in a three-way draw
- 44 points to a participant in a four-way draw
- 33 points to a participant in a five-way draw
- 22 points to a participant in a six-way draw
- 11 points to a participant in a seven-way draw
- -11 points to a player achieving any other result
- For each solo victory or draw result achieved by the player:
  - 1 point is subtracted for each year of game-play in that game.
- For each elimination, loss, or concession to another player:
  - 1 point is added for each year of game-play by the player before the elimination, loss, or concession.
Players shall be ranked by total score at the conclusion of the tournament, with the player's single lowest score from among the four rounds of play (including the score of -11 given for rounds not played by the player) not being considered in the total. Ties will be broken in favor of the player with the highest score obtained in any game in which the tied players opposed each other. If a tie remains, the players will be declatred tied.

Prizes
- El Capitán -- 2001 Regatta and North American Champion. Awarded to the player with the greatest point total for his or her highest-scoring three rounds played.
- Second through Seventh Places.
- Best Country Awards.
- Team Championship -- The North American Team Championship will be awarded to the three-man team (announce your team to the tournament director at registration) that scores the most points in the two rounds of individual play wherein no team member was an opponent.
- Mr. Christian Award -- Awarded to the player who performed the best stab (as selected by the tournament director).
- Other Awards. Yes, there are other awards. No, you won't find out what they are until Sunday.
Rules of Common Courtesy
Players are asked to bring the expression or commission of any profane, obscene, offensive, or violent language, gestures, or acts to the the attention of the tournament director. Tournament expulsion (after a single warning) is the only penalty for such behavior. This rule applies at all times, not just during game play.