PBEM RULES FOR RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR (SPI) Version 1.0, April 1997 Alan Poulter These rules supplement the official PBM rules (17.0) **PBEM PROCEDURES FOR PLAYER-GM **General The game will be played in PBEM phases, each consisting of one or more parts of a game turn. Each PBEM phase 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 phase 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. It is not obligatory to do so. 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/ 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 phase commences. Finally the Player-GM will also publish a summary of player positions at the end of a turn. Therefore each PBEM phase 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 phase 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). The Player-GM will use an email die roller (e.g dice@pbm.com) 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 **Changes The Victory Conditions given in the PBM errata:- http://grognard.com/errata/rcw.err.txt will be used. 1xd100 will be rolled for each player. If any two (or more) players roll the same number all re-roll. The highest roller is A, the next highest B and so on. Before the Initial Set-up is done a vote of all players will be taken. Players can vote either for the set-up given in 17.0/15.0 or for the 'smoothed' set-up given in the PBM errata (see above URL). In the event of a tie in votes, a 1xd2 will be rolled to decide which set-up is used. The Player-GM will then carry out the chosen set-up and inform players of the result. Players will then have until a set deadline to trade any units (15.33) before play commences. **FIRST PHASE Player orders must cover:- 1. Trades The default is no trades. 2. Movement The default is no movement and no assassinations. All movement orders must list each province moved through for off-rail movement, and just starting and ending provinces for rail movement. If orders specify a move into an incorrect province, a stack will move no further. 3. Purges The default is no purges or counterpurges. 4. Random events The Player-GM will carry out this part of the phase. **SECOND PHASE 2 Player orders must cover:- 1. Trades The default is no trades. 2. Combat The default is no combat. Comabt losses will be decided bottom up in a stack if more than one conbination of Leader and units will satify an EX result. 3. Purges The default is no purges or counterpurges. 4. Randomizer The Player-GM will carry out this part of the phase. 5. Replacements The Player-GM will carry out this part of the phase. 6. Random events The Player-GM will carry out this part of the phase.