PBEM RULES FOR AFTER THE HOLOCAUST (SPI) Version 2.1, March 1997 Alan Poulter Based on an original set of PBEM rules by Dennis Disney **PBEM PROCEDURES FOR PLAYER-GM **General The game will be played in PBEM rounds, each consisting of one or more parts of a game turn. Each PBEM round will require orders from all players. For the purpose of playing the game PBEM, one player will be known as the 'Player-GM' and will responsible for working out the results of player orders as well as playing in the game. Orders from the Player-GM (only) will be encrypted, and sent to all other players prior to receiving their orders. This stops the Player-GM from knowing other player's orders before writing orders. The encryption stops other players knowing the player-GM's orders before they write orders. The Player-GM will circulate the decrypt pass phrase for these encrypted orders when all the other player's orders have been received. All orders for a PBEM round will be published for all players to see, including the plain text of the Player-GM's orders. It is up to the other players whether they decrypt and check the Player-GM's encrypted orders against the plain text version. The encryption method used will be PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) available from the International PGP Home page at:- http://www.ifi.uio.no/%7Estaalesc/PGP/ It is up to each player whether they decrypt and check the Player-GM's orders. It is not obligatory to do so. As well as the orders for all players, the Player-GM will also publish a detailed resolution of all orders, so that players can check the Player-GM's resolution for mistakes. Mistakes must be noted and corrected before the next PBEM round commences. Finally the Player-GM will also publish a summary of player positions at the end of a turn. Therefore each PBEM round will see publication of three reports, player orders, resolution of player orders and a position summary. It is the Player-GM's prerogative to set deadlines for orders and for order resolution. It is recommended that, unless interrupted by public holidays, player orders for a PBEM round will normally be due Fridays, at 18:00 GMT. Orders will be resolved by the next Monday, 12:00 GMT. The Player-GM will publish orders on Thursday, in advance of the deadline for other players. Players unable to meet a deadline may use another player or an observer as a proxy to submit orders for them. The Player-GM *must* be informed at least a turn in advance of any proxy arrangements. If a player submits no orders then no activities (other than default ones) will be carried out for that player that turn. If a player submits no orders for two consecutive turns then an observer or some other replacement player will be asked to take over the abandoned position. If no replacement can be found then the abandoned position will be left unplayed and will carry out default orders only. Orders should be unambiguous and cover all the actions required in a PBEM turn. If a player is unsure of the clarity of part of an order they should check with the Player-GM first. Ambiguous orders will be ignored by the Player-GM. Unless an action is specified it will not be carried out (unless it is the default). Orders will be resolved following the game turn outline, as modified for PBEM rounds. Within the game turn orders will be resolved as in the sequence of actions ordered by players. The Player-GM will use an email die roller (e.g dice@danpost4.uni-c.dk) to generate die rolls to resolve orders. This removes the possibility of the player-GM unduly influencing die rolls. Orders can always be made conditional on results or other player actions occuring in a previous part of a game turn. Orders may be made conditional on results or other player actions occuring earlier in the same part of a game turn if that part of the game turn has the players moving in sequence and not simultaneously. **Rules All rules from the game will be used, unless modified as specified below. Modifications will be kept to a minimum and be purely for purposes of ensuring that the game is playable PBEM using the Player-GM system, outlined above. Players should familiarise themselves with any PBEM rules modifications before play starts. Should any rules problems arise, they should be solved by consensus. Rules problems should be solved within the framework of the game system and not by use of historical analogies (or redesigning the game system). If no consensus can be found, the problem will be posted to online forums (e.g Consim-l and rec.games.board) and determined according to the nature of any non-player replies. **Player Introductions Before play commences, all players should introduce themselves by means of a short biography. This *must* include mention of any previous contact with any other player. This is simply to reveal outside factors that may affect alliances. **Ethics Players are free to behave as they wish within the normal limits of email etiquette. Personal abuse or technological trickery (e.g. forgery) are not allowed. Players indulging in either will be replaced. **Treaties/Agreements/Alliances Public treaties will be sent to the Player-GM with orders for publication. Identical copies of the treaty must be sent by each party for the treaty to have validity. Players are free to make secret treaties. Note that these *cannot* be publicly verified unless 'digital signatures' (see the PGP home page above) are used. **BASIC GAME No optional rules will be used, except that the FW player gets 15 bonus points (Rule 25.3). **Interpretation of Rule 11.61.1 For this rule deprivation has been interpreted differently as meaning:- 1. subtracting labour receiving CPs from total labour to find deprived labour and dividing the result into the number of stockpiled CPs or 2. totalling the labour employed in deprived (ie lower rated) Sectors and dividing the result into the number of stockpiled CPs This game uses Interpretation 1. 1xd100 will be rolled for each player. If any two (or more) players roll the same number all re-roll. The highest roller is NE, the next highest MW, the next highest SW and the last FW. Players may swap regions if they wish before play commences. The first order deadline will be for players to submit allocations by sector for labour and mech points. The default order is all to Agriculture. For the first turn only, the Player-GM will carry out A1 Basic Production and update the game summary accordingly. Subsequent game turns are split into PBEM rounds 1, 2/2A and 3 below. In game turn 10, A1 will be omitted from PBEM round 3. *PBEM ROUND 1 (Game turn A2 through to B) Player orders must cover:- A2 Secondary Production The default is to produce as many Consumer Points as possible. If Mech points are produced the default is to deploy them in Industry. A3 Mobilisation The default is no mobilisation. B Trade Round The default is no agreement on trade deals and allocation of enough fuel and labour to meet domestic transport needs. After resolving orders for the above the Player-GM will determine player order for D1 through to D2. *PBEM ROUND 2 (Game turn C1 through to D2) Player orders must cover:- C1 Expend Food points The default is to expend enough Food points to cover all labour. If enough Food points are not available then labour will be starved in Industry, then Metal, then Fuel, then Transport and finally Agriculture. C2 Expend Consumer points The default is to expend enough Consumer points to keep Sectors at Social State 1. If enough Consumer points are not available then labour will be denied them in Industry, then Metal, then Fuel, then Transport and finally Agriculture. The Player-GM resolves C3 without player orders. Player orders must cover:- D1 Political Contest Placement The default is not to place political contest markers. If any markers are placed then their placement may be made conditional on the placement (or not) of markers by regions moving earlier. Cash for plebiscites may be ordered and different amounts may be conditional on contested/uncontested plebiscites. All cash spent in plebiscites is lost. If a contest marker in placed in a controlled area, then the player controlling that area has 36 hours, from the time the orders for this round are circulated, to respond. The default response is to spend enough cash (up to the limit on hand) to neutralise the cash spent on the control attempt. This is to represent rule 12.23. D2 Initial Military Movement The default is no movement. Any player with Military unit(s) may order an 'intent to move' in D3 however (NB departure from game rules). The default is not to issue such an order. Player orders are not required for D3 and D4. Player orders must cover:- D5 Elections The default is to expend the required Transport/Consumer points for new areas. Any new labour goes into Agriculture while any labour lost comes from Industry, then Metal, then Fuel, then Transport and finally Agriculture. If there are no adjacent combat units after D2 and no player has ordered an 'intent to move' in D3 then PBEM round 2A (below) is skipped and the Player-GM resolves PBEM round 2. If there are adjacent combat units after D2 or a player has ordered an 'intent to move' in D3 then the Player-GM resolves PBEM round 2 up to D2 above, and determines player order for PBEM round 2A. *PBEM ROUND 2A Players orders must cover:- D3 Second Military Movement The default is no movement. D4 Military Combat The default is no combat. If combat is ordered then no advance is the default and retreats are made towards the regional capital, by the cheapest path for movement costs (lowest hex number deciding multiple paths). The default for any losses is from Militia, then Infantry units, then Armoured units, then Infantry cadres and finally Armoured cadres. D5 Elections The default is to expend the required Transport/Consumer points for new areas. Any new labour goes into Agriculture while any labour lost comes from Industry, then Metal, then Fuel, then Transport and finally Agriculture. *PBEM ROUND 3 (game turn E1 through A1) Player orders most cover:- E1 Political Disassociation The default is to lose areas with lowest hex numbered Control centres before those with higher. Any labour lost comes from Industry, then Metal, then Fuel, then Transport and finally Agriculture. E2 Stockpile/Labour Reallocation The default is no stockpiling and no labour re-allocation. E3 Industrial Investment The default is no cash committed. E4 Taxation The default is a tax rate of 30%, no purchase of Corruption chits and all Corruption chits held to be used for neutralisation. The Player-GM resolves E5 without orders. Player orders must cover:- E6 Industrial Labour Reallocation The default is to make any reallocations. E7 Depreciation and Shrinkage The default for Mechs is to lose from Industry, then Food. If the next game turn comes under Rule 4.3 then players must order where new labour is allocated. The default is Agriculture. The Player-GM resolves A1 without orders.