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Post 27 Mar 2014, 6:24 pm

As several of you may know, I posted a copy of the Redscape House Rules on FB a while ago. I would like to post them here (or some place else) as a sticky topic, so that it does not drift into oblivion. Maybe Neal or Brad can advise me on how to get that done?

I believe this particular version of the rules dates from around 2009.

--addendum 3/30/14

For now, I have posted the Redscape House Rules below. I think it is important to note that these rules were and continue to be an optional element of any DIP game. That is, GMs are encouraged---but not required---to adopt them.

So I post them here in this spirit: These rules represent an attempt by Redscape members to standardize the mechanics for order writing, adjudication, and other procedural tasks so that a) we can have predictable actions, outcomes, and processes; and b) GMs do not have to keep re-inventing the same rules.

George
Last edited by georgeatkins on 30 Mar 2014, 12:41 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Post 30 Mar 2014, 12:14 pm

Redscape House Rules, circa 2009


ORDERS

Submitting orders

Orders are to be emailed to the GM for that game. Orders sent to an unrelated GM or the Redscape Staff are not customarily forwarded to the appropriate GM and such orders are virtually guaranteed to get lost.

Labeling orders

Players are required to include their Power and Game Name in the Subject heading of all emails which contain orders addressed to the GM. Any orders which aren’t clearly labeled in this manner and are discarded or overlooked by the GM during adjudication are considered the fault of the submitting player and do not have to be accepted.

Validating orders

It is not the responsibility of the GM to check the validity of a player's moves before adjudication. The burden of drafting orders in the correct format is the responsibility of the player.

Final Orders

Only the last orders received by the GM will be used for adjudication. It is irrelevant if “final” or similar designation are tendered with any given orders; the last orders received will always be the orders used for adjudication.

However, if all players with orders pending send in orders marked “final” for any given turn, then the GM has the authority to adjudicate early.

Preliminary Orders

Players are encouraged to submit preliminary orders immediately after viewing the results of any adjudication. Players may submit as many or as few sets of orders as they choose, with the knowledge that only the last orders received will be used for adjudication.

Incomplete orders

It is the player’s responsibility to submit a complete set of orders every time orders are tendered to the GM. Any partial order set submitted will be considered complete, and any units unaccounted for will be forced to “hold”, if that is the last order set received by the GM prior to adjudication.

Late Orders

Orders received after the deadline do not have to be accepted under any circumstances; this includes emails which are dated before the deadline but are not received by the GM until after the deadline has expired. In all cases, it is the player’s responsibility to pre-empt the ambiguities of the internet and submit preliminary orders at the earliest opportunity.

The GM may accept orders received after the deadline if the adjudication results have not been posted (or publicized), but this decision resides solely with the GM.

Orders received after results have been posted (or publicized) may NEVER be accepted.

Proxy Orders

Players who are unable to personally submit orders for any given turn(s) may opt to have their orders submitted for them in their absence by a friend or family member NOT otherwise involved in the game.

A player in the game may NOT submit proxy orders for any other player without express permission from the GM and unanimous approval by the players.

Extension Requests

The GM does NOT have to grant any deadline extension requests unless a legitimate error has been discovered in the latest adjudication results. Player complications such as business trips, vacations, or internet access difficulties do NOT constitute grounds for an obligatory extension. However, it is customary for the GM to grant a one week extension - per person, per game – for such contingencies; but granting an extension for personal obligations is NOT required.

In the event of a legitimate adjudication error, the GM must provide an interval of at least 24 hours from the moment of the correction announcement until the next deadline to afford players the opportunity to make any necessary order changes.

ADJUDICATION

Adjudication Accuracy

For purposes of validating any adjudication result, the orders themselves always hold the highest authority and supercede all other posted results. Mistakes in a list of unit of unit positions, centers, or map errors by the GM will not supercede the factuality of the posted results nor constitute a compulsory deadline extension.

Adjudication Errors

All adjudication errors must be brought to the GM’s attention before the adjudication of the next deadline. Errors in one phase not reported until after the adjudication of the following phase are to remain unchanged.

It is always the player’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of adjudicated results and report any errors to the GM before the next adjudication phase.

Unit Designation

An error in designating the unit type (Army, Fleet, Wing, Nuke, etc.) will not cause the order to become invalid, provided there is only one unit in the province.

If there is ambiguity as to which unit is implied (for example, a variant where multiple units of the same Power may occupy the same province), then the order reverts to “Hold”.

Misspelled Orders

Any orders which are misspelled - but identify another legal province abbreviation or full province name - are forced to “hold”.

Any abbreviated or province name orders which are misspelled – but do not identify another legal province abbreviation or full province name - and are otherwise unambiguous as to their intent and meaning will be considered valid and corrected by the GM at the moment of adjudication.

Any ambiguity whatsoever will always result in the order being reverted to “Hold”.

Multiple Coasts

Coasts do not need to be specified UNLESS a unit could legally move to more than one coastline. If a unit can legally move to multiple coasts, then the intended coast MUST be specified or the unit is forced to “Hold”.

Multiple Convoys

A unit MAY attempt to convoy via multiple (alternate) convoy routes: if one convoy route fails (because of a Fleet dislodgement), the Army in question may succeed along another convoy route.

This rule allows for an “unwanted convoy”, where one Power writes an Army (convoy) move order it doesn’t suspect to succeed but is nonetheless made successful by another Power’s (unexpected) Fleet convoy order.


NMRs (No Moves Received)

Failure to submit Movement orders

If a player fails to submit Movement orders for any given turn, all respective units for that player are forced to "Hold".

Failure to submit Retreat orders

If a player fails to submit Retreat orders for any given Retreat phase, the unit(s) in question will be automatically moved, and the retreat province determined by the GM, in the following order:

A. Retreat into supply center towards Power’s home country
B. Retreat into any adjacent supply center
C. Retreat towards Power’s home country, non-supply center
D. Retreat to any valid space

If while using the method above, two or more equal provinces exist, the province will be determined alphabetically-first.

Failure to submit Build orders

If a player is entitled to a Build and fails to submit Build orders for any given adjustment phase, new units will automatically be constructed on each valid supply center, alphabetically first, as permitted, as follows:

If a Power begins the game with three or more units and ALL home supply centers are coastal, then the Power builds Fleets (or equivalent, if variant) by default. Otherwise, the Power automatically builds Armies (or equivalent, if variant) by default.

Failure to submit Disbandment orders

If a player fails to submit Disbandment orders and must disband a unit(s), the unit(s) in question will be disbanded by the GM in the following order:

A. Unit furthest from the Power’s home country, non-supply center
B. Unit in the Power’s home country, non-supply center
C. Unit in a supply center furthest from the Power’s home country
D. Unit in the Power’s home supply center

If while using the method above, two or more equal provinces exist, the province will be determined alphabetically-first.

POWER ABANDONMENT

Player Abandonment

The GM may eject a player from a game for failure to submit orders in two consecutive Movement phases. However, removing a player in this case is completely at the GM's discretion.

A player may NOT be removed from the game for repeatedly failing to submit Retreat or Adjustment orders without express rules to the contrary from the GM before the game begins.

Replacement Players

If a player abandons the game or is dropped by the GM for any reason, the GM may opt to seek a replacement.

Replacement players are NOT entitled to an automatic deadline extension to submit orders or conduct opening negotiations.

Civil Disorder

At any time the GM may declare an abandoned Power to be in Civil Disorder.

Once a Power is declared by the GM to be in Civil Disorder, it must remain in Civil Disorder for the remainder of the game. No replacement player may ever assume command of a Power once decreed to be in Civil Disorder.

A Power in Civil Disorder has all its remaining units "hold" for the remainder of the game. A Power in Civil Disorder can never build/rebuild new units, regardless if it has sufficient supply centers to do so. If a unit of a Power in Civil Disorder is ever dislodged from its space, it is automatically destroyed.

GAMEPLAY

Player restrictions

Family members, persons using the same computer, and people playing from the same location (such as a school) may NOT play in the same game without express permission from the GM and unanimous approval by the players.

A player may NEVER play more than one Power in the game without express permission from the GM and unanimous approval by the players.

A GM may NEVER play in the hosted game without unanimous approval by the players.

GM Sanctity

No player may ever pose as being the GM for a game, on or off the Redscape site, at any time. No player may ever attempt to deceive the GM in any matter related to the game.

Unethical Conduct

Any intentional cheating will result in the offending player immediately removed from the game. Cheating in this sense refers to any malicious or willful act to overstep or favorably unbalance the game mechanics. Player deceptions involving false or fabricated emails do NOT constitute cheating, provided a player never feigns to be the GM.

Cruel or insensitive posts or emails directed at the GM or another play, and/or spiteful acts to disrupt the friendly nature of the game are also grounds for expulsion from the game.


ENDING A GAME

Victory Conditions

Each game has its own victory conditions, determined at the start of the game by the GM. Play continues until the victory conditions are met, a Turn Limit is reached, or a Draw is declared.

Standings

All Powers finish a game in one of six possible standings:

Solo Victory
A Power which meets or exceeds a game’s Victory Conditions, and with the best result of all Powers simultaneously meeting those conditions, will have achieved a Solo Victory.

Win (variant)
A Power which meets or exceeds a game’s Victory Conditions, but due to the variant rules is required to share the victory with at least one other Power, will have achieved a Win.

Draw
Powers which agree to end a game without a declared winner share equally in a Draw.

Survival
Powers which finish the game with at least one supply center where another Power achieved a Win, are said to have Survived the conflict.

Elimination
If a Power has no supply centers, it has been Eliminated.

Civil Disorder
If a Power has units remaining but no player, it is in Civil Disorder.

Breaking a Tie

In the event that two or more Powers simultaneously meet or exceed the victory conditions, the following tie breaker formulas are applied:

Supply Center Victory

If the victory condition was based on owning a requisite number of Supply Centers, then play continues until one Power emerges with 1 or more centers over any other Power (while still meeting the minimum Supply Center victory conditions).

Turn Limit Reached

If the victory condition was based on a certain date or turn limit, then play continues for one additional year, with the Power holding the most supply centers at that time declared the winner. In the event of a tie again, then all Powers share equally in a Draw.

Draw Proposals

Players may wish to call for a draw when the conflict has become tedious or exhaustive and there is no prospective victor in sight. To propose a draw, one player must call upon the GM for a draw. The GM will then review the situation and decide if a draw proposal is reasonable; players cannot call for a draw just to prevent the leading Power from winning.

If the GM agrees that a draw proposal is reasonable, then the GM broadcasts the draw proposal to all players, keeping the identity of the proposing player(s) secret. Players reply to the GM with a “yes” vote to end the game or a “no” vote to continue the conflict. The GM must keep the vote tallies secret. If players agree unanimously to the draw proposal, the game ends immediately with all remaining Powers sharing equally in the Draw (known as DIAS – Draw Includes All Survivors).

Any Power which objects to the draw will force the game to continue. There can only be one draw proposal made per game year.

Victory Proposal

Victory by one Power may be imminent and the remaining Powers may decide to not prolong the inevitable and call for a Victory Proposal for the leading player. The Victory Proposal operates similar to a Draw proposal, with one player to make the proposal to the GM, the GM sending out a Victory Proposal vote announcement (while keeping the identity of the proposing player secret), and a unanimous vote required to declare one Power as the game winner.

The Power specified in the Victory Proposal does not get to vote. Any objection to the Victory Proposal results in the game continuing. There can be only one Victory Proposal made per game year.