The main goal of this tournament is to create a fun experience for everybody. While striving to win is commendable, it does not define the success of the event. We encourage you not to let it define your personal experience either. Your enjoyment is partly influenced by the attitude you bring to the event, but it's also the responsibility of the organizers to foster a positive atmosphere. This overview outlines how we aim to achieve that.
The following hierarchy of priorities guides our approach to the tournament:
Highest Priority: Ensuring the safety of all attendees (and anyone else sharing the space).
Second Priority: Nurturing the Diplomacy player community.
Third Priority: Maintaining fairness and competitiveness in the event.
Please familiarize yourself with the Code of Conduct as well as the tournament rules beforehand! The Tournament Director reserves the right to override any rule if it is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees.
The reference rule book is the 2023 edition of Diplomacy by Renegade games.
All tournament games end in one of the following cases:
- one player controlling at least 18 centers at the end of a year
- after Winter 1907
- after a unanomous draw, held secretely via a GM. In the case of a failed draw vote, the number of vetoes will be revealed by the GM
Negotiation is only allowed during spring and fall phases. Whilst adjudicating moves, winter, and retreat phases, no negotations are allowed. Each spring and fall phase lasts 15 minutes. A central clock will be used for all games. At the end of each spring and fall turn, there will be a two minute order writing period during which no negotiation is allowed anymore. If all players have submitted their orders already, the order writing period shall be used to start the adjudication of the orders. Otherwise, adjudication will be done on the clock of the next turn. After the end of the order writing period, no orders are allowed to be changed or added anymore. Every player is required to help ensuring that adjudication is taking place in a timely fashion as well as the submission of retreat and build orders.
Three tournament rounds will be held. The final score of a player is determined by adding the two best individual scores. If the Tournament Director asks for volunteers to sit out, each of those will be treated as if they scored 10 points in their game of that round. In round 1, there will be a rookie board made up by the seven players with the least experience in (face to face) Diplomacy (determined by the Tournament Director). If two players are tied for score, the first tie breaker will be a comparison of their respective third best scores. If those are equal as well, the average scores throughout the tournament of the countries the tied players have played will be added and compared. The one who played the countries with a lower average score will be ranked higher.
In order to fill boards, the Tournament Director may play boards himself. His results will count neither for Best Country Awards nor for the general standings of the tournament. The Tournament Director may ask for volunteers to play two boards at once to fill a board. In this case, the scores from both games will count towards the Best Country Awards as well as the general standings.
Players are encouraged to amicably resolve disputes without the intervention of the tournament director. Players may decide to give leniency to newer players or rectify mistakes in a manner they feel fair. The Tournament Director will only adjudicate disputes if called on to do so. Any ruling made by the Tournament Director will be binding and not subject to appeal. Missadjudications may only be called out during the current adjudication phase. Adjudiations will not be changed retrospectively even if errors are spotted in hindsight.
A player may be judged guilty of misconduct if, in the Tournament Director’s opinion, they have:
- contravened the Rules of Diplomacy or of the tournament and Code of Conduct
- behaved in an unsporting manner
- deceived or misled the Tournament Director (outside a game of Diplomacy)
- disrupted the tournament
- physically assaulted or restrained another person at the tournament
- threatened or heavily insulted another person at the tournament
- damaged property belonging to another
The Tournament Director has complete discretion to impose any penalty for any type of misconduct. Whether the misconduct was intentional or unintentional will be taken into account by the Tournament Director when deciding the appropriate penalty. Possible penalties include:
- warning for first offences
- invalidate the last valid non-hold order
- invalidate all orders for that season
- deduct points from the player’s tournament score
- disqualify player from that round
- disqualify player from the tournament
Players will usually receive a warning from the Tournament Director for a first offence, but more serious penalties may be applied immediately for more serious instances of misconduct. Misconduct involving physical assault, damage to property, deception of the Tournament Director or deliberate disruption of the tournament may result in immediate disqualification from the tournament. Players disqualified from the tournament must leave the premises immediately and will not be refunded their entry fee.