31 Jan 2014, 7:49 pm
Just so we can reduce the confusion from multiple rule sets and streamline a few things, I have gone over my condensed rule set with a closer eye to make sure it was accurate. This set will be the official set for this game.
Edited: Further minor tweaks to the rules:
1) Fleets can enter the North Pole and South Pole during the fall season but must immediately retreat out, as it cannot remain in the territory during the winter season.
2) Neutral garrisons may be located in multiple places on the map.
3) Pirates have slightly changed restrictions on where they can build.
4) For those of you who have played before, you will notice a significant change in the classification system once you see the starting map. Several powers are at different classification levels now.
Changes to the Rules:
1) Welcome to global warming. Fleets can now pass through the poles. If the fleet has not exited the pole by the end of the fall turn, it will be forced to retreat out of the space. Yes, intelligent tacticians will think of 'retreating forward'. This is a valid technique.
a) Wings and nukes may continue to stay in the pole zone through the autumn/winter.
2) Coalition nominations will occur during the winter season and votes will be held immediately prior to the spring season. Nominations and voting will begin in year 9 (after 8 full game years).
3) Nuclear restrictions on attacking SCs owned by smaller powers have been lifted.
4) Wing range and airlift restrictions have been lifted. Wings can fly wherever and can link up with other airlifting and convoying units.
5) Pirates! (See bottom section of these rules)
THE RULES:
Standard Diplomacy rules apply unless contradicted below.
The Map
Wrap-around world map
Arrows indicate those areas that are split and straddle both the east and west sides of the map. Units can be placed on either side of the map, so pay attention!
Multiple-coast territories, land bridges and canals work the same way as in the standard map.
Island territories are sea zones with pieces of land within them (ex. Diego Garcia, New Caledonia). These territories can be occupied by any unit. Fleets can occupy the zone and convoy through it. Note that these territories differ from actual islands (ex. Jamaica, Madagascar, Taiwan), which you cannot convoy through.
The North Pole and South Pole territories can be occupied. Fleets cannot remain in the territory during the autumn/winter season. If the fleet has not exited the pole by the end of the fall turn, it will be forced to retreat out of the space. Wings may remain in the territory through the winter season.
Some neutral supply centres may start with a "garrison" unit. This unit behaves as would an army in civil disorder in a standard game. It requires support to dislodge, it may receive support and if dislodged, it retreats off the board.
If you are unsure, ask the GM!
Adjustments/Retreats:
NWO uses chaos build procedures. Builds may be made on any owned and unoccupied center.
Default builds will be used in the event of a missed build. The default units are assumed to be armies except for the following powers who will default to fleets: Cuba, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand.
Players may change their default build to army, fleet or banked build at any time by notifying the GM.
Default builds will be made in the first available city by alphabetical order. In the case of fleet defaults, all available ports alphabetically, then armies in non-port centers should no ports be available.
Default retreats will be made in order to:
1) Owned SC
2) Neutral supply center
3) Foreign supply center
4) Closest space to any owned supply center
Any ties above will be decided alphabetically
Default disbands will be made in this order:
Unit furthest from any owned center.
If two or more units are equidistant from an owned center:
1) The unit closer to fewer votes, regardless of ownership
2) The unit closer to fewer centers, regardless of ownership
If still tied after #2, the units will be removed in alphabetical order.
End Game Procedures:
The game ends with three-power coalitions winning a UN vote.
How to earn votes:
Each star on the map designates one vote. Stars also count as a supply center.
Gold stars: Capital cities are designated by a gold star.
This vote is passed only upon the elimination of that capital's original player. For example, if Mexico has lost all of its centers except for one in Galapagos, the Mexican player still retains their vote. The power that controls Mexico City does not get an extra vote in the UN until after Mexico is eliminated from the game.
Red stars: Unowned/neutral at the beginning of the game. The power that controls the star during the winter phase controls the vote.
White stars: These stars have been nuked. They count as votes but do not count as a supply centre.
White stars will be partially coloured with either gold or red to indicate whether their vote transfers upon capturing. White-gold indicated a capital city whose vote does not yet transfer; white-red indicated a vote that transfers.
Coalition nominations:
From Winter 2021 and onwards (8 full game years into the game), each power can nominate a coalition of three powers for victory.
Nominations are secret. The GM will post all coalitions nominated along with winter results.
Each power is assigned a "power classification" from "A" to "E". This classification is based on initial size of the power, relative power in the region, nuclear capabilities and historical performance of the power.
Powers with a higher classification will need more votes to win.
Proposed coalitions will require a number of votes based on the combination of classifications in the coalition.
When a coalition receives the number of votes required, the game is over and that trio splits the win evenly.
Should more than one trio have enough votes to end the game the following tie breaker will be used:
a) The Coalition that has won by the largest margin more than required.
b) The Coalition owning the most supply centers combined.
c) The Coalition holding the most UN votes between themselves,
d) The Coalition with the FEWEST nukes on the map plus nukes in production plus banked credits,
e) The Coalition nominated first,
Voting:
Each player votes on all coalitions. Abstentions are not permitted, they are simply counted and posted as “no” votes.
Players can vote yes or no to any number of proposals.
Votes are public and will be posted along with the spring results.
Failure to vote in Winter 2021 and 2022 will be considered a no vote to all coalitions. From Winter 2023 and onwards, failure to vote will be considered a yes vote to all coalitions.
Nuclear Units:
Nukes are powerful, single-use units that destroy any supply center or unit in the target province or sea zone. A nuked star retains its vote value but loses its supply center status.
From the start of the game, only selected powers can build nukes. The powers are listed below, along with the starting range:
Starting ranges:
USA = Unlimited range
Russia = Unlimited range
United Kingdom = 5 Spaces
France = 5 Spaces
China = 7 Spaces
North Korea = 3 Spaces
Israel = 3 Spaces
Pakistan = 3 Spaces
India = 3 spaces
Nuclear technology can be traded. A power that acquires nuclear technology through a trade starts with a range of 3.
Recipient nations can offer anything and sending nations can demand anything for the technology, provided it meets the rules of the game. While a power could offer a supply center uncontested, which is a legal move, they cannot ask the GM to switch control of the supply center, as this would not be a legal move. Other options include trading banked credits, offering military or diplomatic support or agreeing to vote for various coalitions.
When these secrets are traded to another, news that a nation received nuclear technology and the name of the donor will become public.
Trading nuclear technology occurs with the spring season.
Both the sending and receiving nations must order the trade to occur (you can't trade nuclear secrets unless both people show up to the meeting!).
Each donor nation can only make one trade year.
Banked Credits, Building Nukes and Nuke Range:
Banked credits are earned by passing on a build.
Banked credits can be traded, spent to increase nuclear range, or later spent to fast-track a nuke build.
Trades of banked credits can only occur in the spring season.
Only the sending nation needs to indicate the trade in their orders.
Building a nuke can be done in two ways:
1 -Issuing a build nuke order for two consecutive winter seasons
2 - Spending a banked credit to fast-track a nuke build
Powers increase nuclear range by spending a banked credit, either one that they created or one that they received in a trade. Powers can pass a build and immediately spend that credit on increasing range. Note: this is the only action which can be immediately done upon passing on a build.
Nuclear Unit Movement:
Nukes may be moved from the place where they are built.
Nukes may move or be convoyed just as an army would move.
Nukes have zero offensive power when moving and may not be supported (either moving or holding).
Nukes also have a defensive power of 0, and as they may not be supported, can be dislodged by any attacking force. Nukes may be convoyed. Movement orders are done the same as any other units.
Firing nukes at a target can be ordered any way a player wants, just make it explicitly clear. Typically, players use “!!!” to designate firing a nuke.
Damage:
Nuke strikes occur before all other orders are adjudicated.
Any units struck by nuke attack are immediately removed before other orders are followed. Any orders made by such units are void.
A nuclear strike renders the target territory impassable for the duration of the season.
Wing Units:
Wings, or airplane units, are built, moved and destroyed in the same manner as armies and fleets, with the following exceptions:
Wings may fly over land, water, the north and south poles, and over impassable areas such as the Himalayas and the Caspian Sea.
Wings may attack and support attacks but they may not take "control" of a supply center.
Should a wing unit occupy an enemy supply centre during a fall season, that SC is under "bombardment". While ownership does not pass, the controlling power loses unit support a center provides until the wing unit leaves. UN voting rights are not affected by the bombardment, only support to other units is temporarily lost.
Wings may airlift armies or nukes. This is similar to a fleet's convoy order.
Wings and fleets may combine airlifts and convoys, as you could combine multiple fleets into a single convoy.
NEW TO NWO!!!
Pirates
In this version, three new powers will be introduced: Atlantic Ocean pirates, Indian Ocean pirates and Pacific Ocean pirates. These powers will simulate the pirate factions that capture vessels and interrupt shipping lanes in modern society.
Each player assigned to these powers will get to come up with their own name, which will help differentiate the powers as the game is played.
Pirate nations have several unique characteristics:
1. Pirates do not begin with any unit or city on the board.
2. Each year, pirates are able to insert one temporary fleet on the board. This action is done immediately prior to the movement phase and no other player on the board will [officially] know where the unit will be placed. Pirates can never insert more than one fleet in any given year.
3. This fleet may only be placed in (1) an unoccupied sea zone territory, or (2) an unoccupied coastal or island territory that also does not have a city in it. The placement of the fleet on the board cannot be supported by a unit already on the board.
4. During the winter phase, the temporary pirate fleet is destroyed unless it is occupying a neutral or foreign city. If this occurs, the unit occupying the city is now supported by that city and now functions as a regular fleet. Any pirate units supported by cities remain on the board and function just like all other fleets on the board: they can move, support and hold; they can capture cities; and they can be destroyed.
i. Example: If Pirate Power Atlantic captures TRD in Fall '01, that fleet gains permanent status on the board. It functions as any other fleet does. Pirate Power Atlantic can now place a new temporary fleet in Spring '02. It will have 2 fleets operating with 1 SC controlled.
5. Pirates can take over neutral or foreign cities using the same method as everyone else: occupying the city during the winter phase.
6. Pirates can build cities (fortresses) in unoccupied territories within two spaces from their designated sea zone. To do this, a pirate unit must order “Build city” for two consecutive, uninterrupted turns.
i. if a newly-placed pirate unit successfully begins building a city in a fall season, the unit will not be destroyed in the winter. In the subsequent spring: (1) if the build order is interrupted in any way, the unit is disbanded and a new unit can be placed in the fall; (2) if the build order is successful and the new city is built, a new unit cannot be placed but the existing unit remains on the board and can be moved as per regular rules.
1. Example: Pirate Power Atlantic places unit in ESA. In Spring ’01, ESA moves to GUI. In Fall ’01, GUI is ordered to build a city.
2. If GUI successfully builds the city through to Spring ’02, the unit will remain on the board and Pirate Power Atlantic cannot place another unit for ’02. If GUI is interrupted in Spring ’02, the fleet is disbanded and Pirate Power Atlantic can place a new unit in the fall.
Pirate powers are treated like all other powers when it comes to nukes and winning the game. Pirates are assigned a D designation for voting purposes.
Placement of the fleet
A pirate fleet is placed immediately before the movement phase, however, it can be considered to be done simultaneously. In this respect, it is similar to the method in which nukes are launched, which are technically launched just prior to the unit movements but have after-effects which last into the rest of the movement phase.
The unit is placed on the board is placed with a power of 0. As a result, the fleet cannot be placed in a territory already occupied. As an example, the Indian Ocean pirates are unable to place a unit directly into Diego Garcia in S01, as it is occupied by the American wing. The placement of the pirate fleet cannot be supported, although its subsequent movement can be supported.
As with other units, a pirate fleet cannot enter a territory that has just been nuked. If the pirate fleet is blocked in the spring in this manner, the player may attempt to insert it in the fall. However, the unit will still be destroyed in the winter, unless it occupies a city by that time.
Edited: Further minor tweaks to the rules:
1) Fleets can enter the North Pole and South Pole during the fall season but must immediately retreat out, as it cannot remain in the territory during the winter season.
2) Neutral garrisons may be located in multiple places on the map.
3) Pirates have slightly changed restrictions on where they can build.
4) For those of you who have played before, you will notice a significant change in the classification system once you see the starting map. Several powers are at different classification levels now.
Changes to the Rules:
1) Welcome to global warming. Fleets can now pass through the poles. If the fleet has not exited the pole by the end of the fall turn, it will be forced to retreat out of the space. Yes, intelligent tacticians will think of 'retreating forward'. This is a valid technique.
a) Wings and nukes may continue to stay in the pole zone through the autumn/winter.
2) Coalition nominations will occur during the winter season and votes will be held immediately prior to the spring season. Nominations and voting will begin in year 9 (after 8 full game years).
3) Nuclear restrictions on attacking SCs owned by smaller powers have been lifted.
4) Wing range and airlift restrictions have been lifted. Wings can fly wherever and can link up with other airlifting and convoying units.
5) Pirates! (See bottom section of these rules)
THE RULES:
Standard Diplomacy rules apply unless contradicted below.
The Map
Wrap-around world map
Arrows indicate those areas that are split and straddle both the east and west sides of the map. Units can be placed on either side of the map, so pay attention!
Multiple-coast territories, land bridges and canals work the same way as in the standard map.
Island territories are sea zones with pieces of land within them (ex. Diego Garcia, New Caledonia). These territories can be occupied by any unit. Fleets can occupy the zone and convoy through it. Note that these territories differ from actual islands (ex. Jamaica, Madagascar, Taiwan), which you cannot convoy through.
The North Pole and South Pole territories can be occupied. Fleets cannot remain in the territory during the autumn/winter season. If the fleet has not exited the pole by the end of the fall turn, it will be forced to retreat out of the space. Wings may remain in the territory through the winter season.
Some neutral supply centres may start with a "garrison" unit. This unit behaves as would an army in civil disorder in a standard game. It requires support to dislodge, it may receive support and if dislodged, it retreats off the board.
If you are unsure, ask the GM!
Adjustments/Retreats:
NWO uses chaos build procedures. Builds may be made on any owned and unoccupied center.
Default builds will be used in the event of a missed build. The default units are assumed to be armies except for the following powers who will default to fleets: Cuba, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand.
Players may change their default build to army, fleet or banked build at any time by notifying the GM.
Default builds will be made in the first available city by alphabetical order. In the case of fleet defaults, all available ports alphabetically, then armies in non-port centers should no ports be available.
Default retreats will be made in order to:
1) Owned SC
2) Neutral supply center
3) Foreign supply center
4) Closest space to any owned supply center
Any ties above will be decided alphabetically
Default disbands will be made in this order:
Unit furthest from any owned center.
If two or more units are equidistant from an owned center:
1) The unit closer to fewer votes, regardless of ownership
2) The unit closer to fewer centers, regardless of ownership
If still tied after #2, the units will be removed in alphabetical order.
End Game Procedures:
The game ends with three-power coalitions winning a UN vote.
How to earn votes:
Each star on the map designates one vote. Stars also count as a supply center.
Gold stars: Capital cities are designated by a gold star.
This vote is passed only upon the elimination of that capital's original player. For example, if Mexico has lost all of its centers except for one in Galapagos, the Mexican player still retains their vote. The power that controls Mexico City does not get an extra vote in the UN until after Mexico is eliminated from the game.
Red stars: Unowned/neutral at the beginning of the game. The power that controls the star during the winter phase controls the vote.
White stars: These stars have been nuked. They count as votes but do not count as a supply centre.
White stars will be partially coloured with either gold or red to indicate whether their vote transfers upon capturing. White-gold indicated a capital city whose vote does not yet transfer; white-red indicated a vote that transfers.
Coalition nominations:
From Winter 2021 and onwards (8 full game years into the game), each power can nominate a coalition of three powers for victory.
Nominations are secret. The GM will post all coalitions nominated along with winter results.
Each power is assigned a "power classification" from "A" to "E". This classification is based on initial size of the power, relative power in the region, nuclear capabilities and historical performance of the power.
Powers with a higher classification will need more votes to win.
Proposed coalitions will require a number of votes based on the combination of classifications in the coalition.
When a coalition receives the number of votes required, the game is over and that trio splits the win evenly.
Should more than one trio have enough votes to end the game the following tie breaker will be used:
a) The Coalition that has won by the largest margin more than required.
b) The Coalition owning the most supply centers combined.
c) The Coalition holding the most UN votes between themselves,
d) The Coalition with the FEWEST nukes on the map plus nukes in production plus banked credits,
e) The Coalition nominated first,
Voting:
Each player votes on all coalitions. Abstentions are not permitted, they are simply counted and posted as “no” votes.
Players can vote yes or no to any number of proposals.
Votes are public and will be posted along with the spring results.
Failure to vote in Winter 2021 and 2022 will be considered a no vote to all coalitions. From Winter 2023 and onwards, failure to vote will be considered a yes vote to all coalitions.
Nuclear Units:
Nukes are powerful, single-use units that destroy any supply center or unit in the target province or sea zone. A nuked star retains its vote value but loses its supply center status.
From the start of the game, only selected powers can build nukes. The powers are listed below, along with the starting range:
Starting ranges:
USA = Unlimited range
Russia = Unlimited range
United Kingdom = 5 Spaces
France = 5 Spaces
China = 7 Spaces
North Korea = 3 Spaces
Israel = 3 Spaces
Pakistan = 3 Spaces
India = 3 spaces
Nuclear technology can be traded. A power that acquires nuclear technology through a trade starts with a range of 3.
Recipient nations can offer anything and sending nations can demand anything for the technology, provided it meets the rules of the game. While a power could offer a supply center uncontested, which is a legal move, they cannot ask the GM to switch control of the supply center, as this would not be a legal move. Other options include trading banked credits, offering military or diplomatic support or agreeing to vote for various coalitions.
When these secrets are traded to another, news that a nation received nuclear technology and the name of the donor will become public.
Trading nuclear technology occurs with the spring season.
Both the sending and receiving nations must order the trade to occur (you can't trade nuclear secrets unless both people show up to the meeting!).
Each donor nation can only make one trade year.
Banked Credits, Building Nukes and Nuke Range:
Banked credits are earned by passing on a build.
Banked credits can be traded, spent to increase nuclear range, or later spent to fast-track a nuke build.
Trades of banked credits can only occur in the spring season.
Only the sending nation needs to indicate the trade in their orders.
Building a nuke can be done in two ways:
1 -Issuing a build nuke order for two consecutive winter seasons
2 - Spending a banked credit to fast-track a nuke build
Powers increase nuclear range by spending a banked credit, either one that they created or one that they received in a trade. Powers can pass a build and immediately spend that credit on increasing range. Note: this is the only action which can be immediately done upon passing on a build.
Nuclear Unit Movement:
Nukes may be moved from the place where they are built.
Nukes may move or be convoyed just as an army would move.
Nukes have zero offensive power when moving and may not be supported (either moving or holding).
Nukes also have a defensive power of 0, and as they may not be supported, can be dislodged by any attacking force. Nukes may be convoyed. Movement orders are done the same as any other units.
Firing nukes at a target can be ordered any way a player wants, just make it explicitly clear. Typically, players use “!!!” to designate firing a nuke.
Damage:
Nuke strikes occur before all other orders are adjudicated.
Any units struck by nuke attack are immediately removed before other orders are followed. Any orders made by such units are void.
A nuclear strike renders the target territory impassable for the duration of the season.
Wing Units:
Wings, or airplane units, are built, moved and destroyed in the same manner as armies and fleets, with the following exceptions:
Wings may fly over land, water, the north and south poles, and over impassable areas such as the Himalayas and the Caspian Sea.
Wings may attack and support attacks but they may not take "control" of a supply center.
Should a wing unit occupy an enemy supply centre during a fall season, that SC is under "bombardment". While ownership does not pass, the controlling power loses unit support a center provides until the wing unit leaves. UN voting rights are not affected by the bombardment, only support to other units is temporarily lost.
Wings may airlift armies or nukes. This is similar to a fleet's convoy order.
Wings and fleets may combine airlifts and convoys, as you could combine multiple fleets into a single convoy.
NEW TO NWO!!!
Pirates
In this version, three new powers will be introduced: Atlantic Ocean pirates, Indian Ocean pirates and Pacific Ocean pirates. These powers will simulate the pirate factions that capture vessels and interrupt shipping lanes in modern society.
Each player assigned to these powers will get to come up with their own name, which will help differentiate the powers as the game is played.
Pirate nations have several unique characteristics:
1. Pirates do not begin with any unit or city on the board.
2. Each year, pirates are able to insert one temporary fleet on the board. This action is done immediately prior to the movement phase and no other player on the board will [officially] know where the unit will be placed. Pirates can never insert more than one fleet in any given year.
3. This fleet may only be placed in (1) an unoccupied sea zone territory, or (2) an unoccupied coastal or island territory that also does not have a city in it. The placement of the fleet on the board cannot be supported by a unit already on the board.
4. During the winter phase, the temporary pirate fleet is destroyed unless it is occupying a neutral or foreign city. If this occurs, the unit occupying the city is now supported by that city and now functions as a regular fleet. Any pirate units supported by cities remain on the board and function just like all other fleets on the board: they can move, support and hold; they can capture cities; and they can be destroyed.
i. Example: If Pirate Power Atlantic captures TRD in Fall '01, that fleet gains permanent status on the board. It functions as any other fleet does. Pirate Power Atlantic can now place a new temporary fleet in Spring '02. It will have 2 fleets operating with 1 SC controlled.
5. Pirates can take over neutral or foreign cities using the same method as everyone else: occupying the city during the winter phase.
6. Pirates can build cities (fortresses) in unoccupied territories within two spaces from their designated sea zone. To do this, a pirate unit must order “Build city” for two consecutive, uninterrupted turns.
i. if a newly-placed pirate unit successfully begins building a city in a fall season, the unit will not be destroyed in the winter. In the subsequent spring: (1) if the build order is interrupted in any way, the unit is disbanded and a new unit can be placed in the fall; (2) if the build order is successful and the new city is built, a new unit cannot be placed but the existing unit remains on the board and can be moved as per regular rules.
1. Example: Pirate Power Atlantic places unit in ESA. In Spring ’01, ESA moves to GUI. In Fall ’01, GUI is ordered to build a city.
2. If GUI successfully builds the city through to Spring ’02, the unit will remain on the board and Pirate Power Atlantic cannot place another unit for ’02. If GUI is interrupted in Spring ’02, the fleet is disbanded and Pirate Power Atlantic can place a new unit in the fall.
Pirate powers are treated like all other powers when it comes to nukes and winning the game. Pirates are assigned a D designation for voting purposes.
Placement of the fleet
A pirate fleet is placed immediately before the movement phase, however, it can be considered to be done simultaneously. In this respect, it is similar to the method in which nukes are launched, which are technically launched just prior to the unit movements but have after-effects which last into the rest of the movement phase.
The unit is placed on the board is placed with a power of 0. As a result, the fleet cannot be placed in a territory already occupied. As an example, the Indian Ocean pirates are unable to place a unit directly into Diego Garcia in S01, as it is occupied by the American wing. The placement of the pirate fleet cannot be supported, although its subsequent movement can be supported.
As with other units, a pirate fleet cannot enter a territory that has just been nuked. If the pirate fleet is blocked in the spring in this manner, the player may attempt to insert it in the fall. However, the unit will still be destroyed in the winter, unless it occupies a city by that time.
