Intercontinental: Diplomacy Variant Rules

What is Intercontinental?

Intercontinental (IC) is a Diplomacy variant for eight players set circa 1865. It takes place on a global scale across multiple continents, with each player controlling four distinct powers.

Variant Features

8 players
- Each player is assigned a color group and four distinct powers
- Each color group spans four continental theaters: Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas
- Variable color/power assignments per game (55,296 possible permutations)
180 Supply Centers (72 to win)
Neutral Minor Powers: stationary units occupying neutral SCs whose orders are set via secret Diplomacy Points (DP) allocations
Affiliate Powers: variation of Neutral Minor Powers that give preferential treatment to their sponsoring color group
Additional Home Supply Center: each player can name one extra SC per power beyond their starting centers to build from

Rules & Reference PDFs

Intercontinental Rules 1.1.2 – rulebook for the variant
Intercontinental Location Index 1.1.0 – reference for every named region on the Intercontinental map, with adjacency details, abbreviations, etc.
Intercontinental Node Map 1.1 – searchable adjacency diagram for the Intercontinental map.
- Also available in PNG (see below).
- Node colors reflect one possible permutation of power assignments.
- Reflects starting status of the map (pre-1870), prior to the opening of the Suez Canal.