Introduction

This year (2024), I am running an online Diplomacy variant tournament. This is the 2024 Tournament Through Time (TTT), a follow-up to the 2018 TTT hosted on the PlayDiplomacy Forums. This tournament will feature four variants that I designed or co-designed, and each will use a version of the Diplomacy Points (DP) system for bidding on the actions of neutral and other units.

If you are unfamiliar with the Diplomacy Points system, I highly recommend having a look at this article, originally printed in Diplomacy World, that introduces the framework and what it brings to the game of Diplomacy.

All Games

• Round 1: Sub-Saharan
  • Table 24a
  • Table 24b
  • Table 24c
• Round 2: Succession & Legacy (in progress)
  • Table 24d
  • Table 24e
  • Table 24f

Quick Links

• Registration Form
• NoPun Diplomacy Variants Discord Server
• Tournament Calendar
• An Introduction to DP Variants (Diplomacy World article)
• Common Ruleset for DP Variants
• NoPunIn10Did House Rules

Games for the 2024 TTT will be played via Discord with results published periodically to this website. Orders will be submitted via Discord to your GM, and we will provide all adjudication and maps.

Rounds & Variants

There will be a total of four rounds, with players moving back in time each round. The top players from the first three rounds will be invited to the final round, which will be a 9-player “top table” game to determine the overall tournament winner.

Round 1: Sub-Saharan (complete)

• January 2nd to Mid-March
• Set in Africa circa 1881, just before the “Scramble for Africa.”
• 10 players
• 47 Supply Centers, 18 to solo
• Sub-Saharan Rules
• Very few modifications to the Common DP Rules

Round 2: Succession & Legacy

• April 2nd to Mid-June
• Set in Europe circa 1703 at the intersection of three wars: the War of Spanish Succession, the Great Northern War, and Rákóczi’s War of Independence.
• 10 players
• 50 Supply Centers, 18 to solo
• Succession & Legacy Rules
• Few modifications to the Common DP Rules

Round 3: Order of the Dragon

• July 1st to Mid-September
• Set in 15th century Europe (and nearby) during the Late Middle Ages.
• 10 players
• 49 Supply Centers, 18 to solo
• Order of the Dragon Rules
• More advanced DP-based ruleset with new mechanics for:
  • Heirs
  • Marriages
  • Early elimination
  • Creating new Vassal powers

Round 4: Saga of the Nine

• September 28th to Mid-December
• Set in the Arctic Circle in an alternate history of the Iron Age (400 BCE).
• Geography based on speculative map drawn by Mercator in 1595.
• 9 players
• 33 Supply Centers, 16 to solo
• Saga of the Nine Rules
• Rules nearly identical to those of Order of the Dragon (Round 3)
• Top table
  • Top-ranked players from prior rounds, as based on their best two scores
  • Paris Method used for power selection and final tiebreakers
  • Winner or board-topper of S9 wins the tournament!

Game Length & Scoring

Games will be capped at 7 game-years each.  Unless a game ends in a solo prior, games will end after the Autumn phases are fully resolved for the 7th game-year. Because these games are so short, voluntary votes for draws will not be allowed.

Games will be scored according to the rank-based Fibonacci system, which is a mathematical extension of the Carnage system for classic Diplomacy.

Scoring: Solo Victory

In the event that a game is won via solo victory, the winner will receive 144,000 points (1,000,000 in R4), and all other players at the table will receive 0 points.

Remember that to achieve a solo, a player must both achieve a minimum of 18 SCs (16 for R4) and have more SCs than any other player on the map, with no ties.

Scoring: Ranked Draw

In the event that a game reaches the end of its seventh game-year with no solo victory achieved, it will end in a ranked draw. Players will be ranked first according to their SC counts (higher is better) or their years of elimination (later is better).

Base Score

Players will receive points according to their rank as their base score.

Rank	Points
1	55,000 (400,000 in R4)
2	34,000
3	21,000
4	13,000
5	8,000
6	5,000
7	3,000
8	2,000
9	1,000
10	1,000 (n/a for R4)

If players are tied for rank, they will split all points allocated to the applicable ranks evenly (rounded down). For instance, if three players are tied for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place, they will each receive 22,666 points [(34000+21000+13000)/3, rounded down].

Note that for the final round (R4) only, there will be no ties, and players will not split rank points. Instead, all ties will be broken using the Paris method as based on their order of power selection (later is better).

Points for SCs in a Draw

In addition to their base score, players will receive points based on the number of SCs they hold as compared to the total number of SCs held by players and neutrals at the end of the game.

Round	Formula
R1, Sub-Saharan	100 * [Player SC Count] / 47, rounded down
R2, Succession & Legacy	100 * [Player SC Count] / 50, rounded down
R3, Order of the Dragon	100 * [Player SC Count] / [49 or more*], rounded down
R4, Saga of the Nine	100 * [Player SC Count] / [33 or more*], rounded down

*Because of the Vassal mechanics present in OOD and S9, it is possible that the total amount of neutral and player SCs may be higher than the original total for the map.

For example, a player with 12 SCs in a draw for Sub-Saharan will receive 25 extra points in addition to the base points for their rank, as 100 * 12 / 47 ≈ 25.532.

Remember that these points for SCs are not handed out if the game ends in a solo. No matter how many centers you hold, if someone else achieves a solo at your table, you will receive a score of zero.

Unlikely Scenario: Total Annihilation

In both Order of the Dragon and Saga of the Nine, it is possible, though extremely unlikely, that all remaining players can simultaneously be eliminated in the same year. Under normal circumstances, this would be a game in which everyone loses. If this occurs, the game will be treated like a ranked draw, with each player ranked by their elimination year.

Rank Calculation

Overall tournament ranking will be calculated according to the sum of the following:

1. The player’s best score from rounds 1-3.
2. The player’s second-best score from rounds 1-3.
   • If a player only finishes one round, this component will be zero.
   • However, that player may be eligible to play at the top table, provided their single score is high enough compared to others’ combined scores.
3. The player’s score from round 4 (the top table).
   • Accordingly, only the players who are already in the top rankings will receive these points.

Every player that receives a score for at least one game in the tournament will receive a ranking unless they are ejected or disqualified from the tournament due to behavior, extended unexplained absence, et cetera.

Tournament Winner

A solo winner or board-topper from Round 4 will be named the overall Tournament Winner.

• However, the tournament runner-up, third place, et cetera will be ranked according to the sum of scores as listed in points 1-3 above.
• i.e. Coming second at the top table will not automatically guarantee that player will receive 2nd place in the overall tournament rankings.

Tiebreakers

• The top table will have a built-in tiebreaker for determining ranks and scores within the single game (the Paris Method).
• Final tournament rankings, as based on the calculation above, will not break ties.
• If a tiebreaker is necessary to set the composition of the top table, it will be as follows:
  • First, a comparison of each player’s single highest score so far (higher is better).
  • Second, a comparison of each player’s NMR turn count so far (lower is better).
  • Third, random number generation (higher is better).

Rules for Table Composition & Power Selection

For rounds 1-3, I will assign players to tables according to the following principles:

1. For players that may need to take a “bye” round, I will attempt to prioritize their inclusion in the other two rounds.
2. Because space may be limited, players that have already received high scores in prior rounds may be asked to sit out for round 2 or 3.
   • However, all attempts will be made to place every competitor to as many tables as possible in the first three rounds, at least two per player.
3. A player currently GM-ing a table will not be a competitor during that same round, though they may act as a proxy for another player’s temporary absence (though clearly not at the same table they are GM-ing).
4. For the first round, I will attempt to spread out players according to the communities they appear to be active in.
   • For instance, I will try to spread out the “veteran” players who regularly play on my Discord server so that there are not too many at a single table.
5. For later rounds, I will additionally attempt to spread out players so as to reduce the number of repeat opponents they have.
   • For instance, if 8 players from Table A in round 1 are participating in round 2, and there are three tables in round 2, I will try to put 2-3 players from Table A at each of round 2’s tables.
6. For later rounds, I will also try to spread out players according to their performance so far.
   • In round 2, there should be a mix of players with high and low scores from round 1, in addition to a mix of players that did not play in round 1.
   • Likewise, for round 3, players will be spread around roughly corresponding to their scores so far from rounds 1 and 2.
7. For the top table only, I will seat players according to their rank and any necessary tiebreakers (as described in a prior section).

Power Selection: Rounds 1-3

While the table composition for rounds 1-3 will be done via my judgment about the criteria listed above, players will be assigned powers purely via random chance (with some exceptions, see amendment below). This does mean that a player could hypothetically end up playing England in both rounds 2 and 3, albeit in different variants. It also means that two players could end up as neighbors in multiple rounds.

Amended 12 March 2024: Power Selection for Rounds 1-3

Players that participated in the 2023 playtest of Succession & Legacy will not be assigned to the same position in Round 2 that they played previously. Players that participated in either of the two 2023 games of Order of the Dragon will not be assigned to the same position in Round 3 that they played in either of those matches.

Power Selection for Round 4: The Paris Method

The Paris Method is a common approach to both selecting powers and breaking ties for a top table in a Diplomacy tournament. It works as follows.

Paris Method Phase 1: Drafting the Selection Order

1. Phase 1 of the Paris Method will create an ordered list of the top nine players.
   • If one of these top players is unavailable, then the next-highest ranked player will be offered the seat at the table.
2. First, the lowest-ranked player’s name (probably the 9th ranked) is added to an empty list.
3. Next, the second-lowest-ranked player (probably the 8th ranked), adds their own name to the same list, either above or below the lowest-ranked player’s name.
4. The third-lowest ranked player adds their own name to the same list.
   • They can put it after the names currently on the list, before those names, or in-between those names.
   • However, they cannot change the overall order of the names already on the list.
5. Step 4 is repeated with each remaining player, from lowest to highest rank.
   • Accordingly, the highest ranked player at the top table, who will go last, will get to select any position on the list: before or after all other eight players, or anywhere in-between.
   • Again, no player may change the overall order of the names already on the list.
6. Because this draft will occur via Discord, it is imperative that players respond in a timely manner.
   • The GM will give each player a time limit to respond.
   • This may be anywhere from 4-12 hours, depending on time-of-day, disparate timezones, et cetera.
   • However, if at all possible, players should plan to be online at the time of the draft so that they can respond ASAP after being notified of their turn.
   • Enforcement of this time limit will be at the GM’s discretion; any player who misses the window may be assigned a random position on the list.
7. If a player knows in advance that they may be unavailable or absent during the draft, they are permitted to appoint another person to act as their proxy.
   • The proxy will make all draft decisions on the absent player’s behalf.
   • The proxy cannot be a player at the top table.
   • A person cannot act as proxy for multiple absent players.

Paris Method Phase 2: Selection of Powers

1. Starting with the top of the list as created in Phase 1, each player will select a power from the list of those remaining.
2. The player at the top of the list will choose from any of the nine powers for Saga of the Nine.
3. The player at the bottom of the list will be assigned whatever is left.
4. Following the same guidelines as Phase 1, if a player does not reply in a timely fashion, they may receive a random power assignment.
5. Likewise a player may rely on a proxy to handle power selection on their behalf.

Communication During the Draft

Players are prohibited from using private or public communication to influence the decisions of other players at the top table during the Paris Method draft. General public chatter is allowed, to a degree, but players should save all negotiations for when the game actually begins.

End-of-Game: Paris Method Tiebreaking

1. Assuming the round 4 top table game does not end in a solo, players will be ranked and scored within the game according to their final SC counts and years of elimination.
2. If two or more players tie with the same final total SC count, or because they were eliminated during the same game-year, that tie will be broken for this round only using the order established in Phase 1 of the Paris Method draft:
   • A player who appears lower on that list will win the tiebreaker against a player who appears higher on that list.
   • In other words, the list order is a tradeoff; a player who has greater selection of powers initially will be more likely to lose any tiebreaker at the end of the game.
3. If a player has to be replaced in the course of the game, the replacement player retains the draft order of the original player for tiebreaker purposes.

Rules for Replacement & Proxy Players

There will come times when a player is absent and unable to play. These absences may be planned for, or they may be unexpected. If at all possible, if a player knows that they will be unable to participate for one or more turns, that player should contact their GM to make alternative arrangements. Per my and other GMs’ House Rules, a player that just disappears, NMRs repeatedly, et cetera is likely to be booted from the game and possibly the entire tournament.

In both instances, a GM should strive to ensure that play continues with as little disruption as possible. The person who takes over the position will be either a proxy or a replacement.

Proxy Players

Proxy players play on behalf of the original player. They are to be arranged as part of a planned absence from the game, and should normally not need to play more than a few turns total. The original player should approve the proxy choice, as they are putting their trust in that player to act according to their wishes during the absence. However, if the original player cannot find a suitable proxy, the GM may select one on their behalf. The original player still receives the final score for that round, even if it is the proxy player that must play the last few turns.

Replacement Players

If a player needs to leave the game for more than a few turns, if they disappear unexpectedly, or if they need to be ejected from the game due to some violation of the Rules of Conduct or the House Rules, then that player may be replaced at the table.

Replacement players will be drawn from those who are not currently playing at a table that round. These may be competitors who were assigned to take a “bye” for the round as well as players marked as “reserves.” The replacement, not the original player, will receive the final score when they finish the game.

In the case that an eligible person has previously acted as a proxy for that position, they will be given higher priority to take over as the replacement. This can happen at any time during the course of the game.

However, a new replacement may only take over a position prior to the end of the 5th game-year. This way, they will ostensibly be present at least for the 6th and 7th years of play prior to receiving a score.

If a position is abandoned in the 6th or 7th game-year, and a prior proxy cannot act as replacement, the GM will attempt to appoint a proxy instead. If the original player is ejected from the tournament, however, no one will receive the points for that position at game-end.

Choosing Replacements for the Top Table

For the initial three rounds, replacement selection will be largely at the GM’s discretion per the above description.

However, for the top table, replacement players will be drawn from the list of top-ranked eligible players not already seated. Response time still matters, and the GM will give them a window (between 4-12 hours, depending on time zones and time of day) to respond before moving on to the next ranked player on the list.

Further Limitations

1. If a player has been seated at a particular table before, in any position other than the one needing a proxy or replacement, they may not take over that position.
2. A player that is actively playing at one table in the same round may act as a proxy for another table, but not as a replacement.
3. A player that has already been eliminated from one table in the same round may be eligible to act as a proxy or replacement for a different table, though they will receive lower priority.
4. In the instance that a player receives a score from more than one table in the same round, due to acting as a replacement, then only their highest score from that round will count.
5. An active assisting GM (i.e. someone other than NoPunIn10Did) who is currently managing one table during a round is only eligible to act as proxy for another table, not as a replacement. An assisting GM will always receive a bye for the round in which they GM.

Rules of Conduct

The rules of conduct are adapted from the North American Diplomacy Federation (NADF) code of conduct.

We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all players, volunteers, and friends associated with every event. We may be competitive, manipulative, and even dastardly, but we are all here to have fun.

We recognize that Diplomacy is an emotional game. Tensions may run high and betrayal is all but inevitable. Nevertheless, there exist some norms of civilized behavior that should be respected at all events, in or out of the game.

1. Treat everyone with respect, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, or any other category of personal identity.
2. Refrain from behavior that disturbs the ability of other participants to enjoy themselves or that disrupts activities unrelated to the competition, including but not limited to verbal abuse, threats of violence, and unwelcome sexual attention.
3. Safeguard the integrity of the competition by making good faith efforts to follow the rules.
4. These are general rules of conduct for behavior on the server. House rules and variant rules for the individual games are posted separately and may somewhat vary by GM.
5. Rules for the off-topic channel may shift over time based on the current political climate. Please check the channel topic & pins there for specifics.
6. Occasional explicit language is permitted, but no explicit content. Likewise, do not use the server for sex chat.

Players are encouraged to report any believed violations of the above provisions to the server owner or another GM. All communications will be handled confidentially. The server owner or GM will mediate in good faith and take whatever action he or she deems appropriate to resolve the situation.

House Rules

As these are lengthy, I have posted them to a separate page.

• NoPunIn10Did’s House Rules
  • This includes information on scheduling, NMRs, screenshots, et cetera.
  • Please especially take notice of the section entitled “The GM is a Benevolent Tyrant,” as it is the primary principle by which I run Diplomacy games.
  • See also “Addendum 3: Please Actually Talk to People,” which for some reason is a widespread problem.
• Other GM House Rules
  • TBD, other GMs may need to make adjustments to my house rules, and they’ll be listed here.