September 1998

Volume VII, #1

Whole # 137

Chairperson: Kate R Slaminko, 14708 56th Ave S, Tukwila WA, 98168 206-242-7633
Editor: Eric C Young, 4784 Stepney Rd, RR#2 C#2, Armstrong BC, V0E 1B0 250-546-6943
Committeeman: Fred C Davis, 3210-K Wheaton Way, Ellicott City MD, 21043 410-461-1885
Ombudsman: Mike McCabe, 520 Sugarland Run, Sterling VA, 20164-1176 703-444-6190

SPECIAL REQUEST
Those of you that have E-mail address, please send them to me. I am now set up to include them in future mailing lists. Thanks, Kate. (KRS@hsdc.org)

Game Openings:
Mensa #53 Confirmed: None. This game will be played in The Tactful Assassin, which is also published by this editor. Please contact Kate if you are interested. Karl Muller has volunteered to host another game in Fintlewoodlewix, too.

Mensa #E1 Confirmed: J Wilke, C Hanson, S Shacter, P Palumbo, S Hutton, S Pfitzinger; needed: one; possibles; none. This game is still to be GM'ed by Berry Renken. (The "E" is for E-mail.)

Mensa #2 Slated to be GM'ed by Jason Wilke

Game Reports
Mensa #46 and Mensa #48: #46 is in the process of printing end-game statements. We will seek permission to re-print those here, but not this issue. #48 will be re-starting shortly after Andy finishes settling in to his new life.

Mensa #47
A rulebook win for Frank Burns as France. He finished with 21 centres in Winter 1917. In his Game End statement Frank said that he really had no intention of stabbing his ally, Charles Byrne, Germany, until other players turned Charles' thoughts. Survivors were: Ray Grib, Russia (5), Bob Acheson, stand-in Turkey (5), Roger Belfay, Italy (2), Charles (1).

Mensa #50
The Batyville Gazette has not arrived since our issue #136. Ralph has been having some changes in his life of late. We trust that he will find enough time to continue with his zine; perhaps on a reduced but still regular schedule.

Mensa #51
It is already Fall 1905! Turkey, Dominick Schirripa(8) has overrun Austria, Tim Cummings(1) and appears to be backstopping Italy, Stefan Mudryj(5) towards the west. France, Ray Grib(7) and England, Wayne Ball(5) are allied and seem to have decided that it is time to work on Germany, Jim Grose(5). Jim seems to have been free up 'til now to damage Russia, Sig Street(2). From the Press it seems that Germany is intent on removing Russia even though he faces great pressure in the west. Italy has not yet decided whom he should fight. People seem to be alternately angry with Turkey for a) picking up stray dots at small powers' expense or b) not being bloodthirsty enough and really going for the win.

Mensa #52
The opening moves were fairly timid in this one. Germany's (James Baillie) units did not move due to a series of bounces. Austria (David Ditter) held Trieste and bounced Vie-Gal. Turkey (Ginny Moore) moved to Con and allowed Russia (Judith Stevenson) to have Bla. England (Kate Slaminko) and France (Tim Cummings) were standard with moves North-east and supported movement to Burgundy. Italy (Mike McCabe) has thrown down the gauntlet with Ven-Pie. It could be a good one.

SIG Business and Related Items

MEMBERSHIP
It was good to see that we have some new and at least one returning member. My apologies to the three new members who have started M#52. I did not intend to offend you with my description of your first moves as "timid". Perhaps it comes from being in the hobby a long time, but "timidity" in postal Dip usually just gets you stomped on. Please don't take offense, just hunker down and go for it. We need new blood, with fire in their teeth. (A complete list of members is at the end of this newsletter. KRS)

Kate's Section
HEY! Finally got new E-mail address. Three cheers for the S.A. (Guess who that is!) ELECTIONS
There was only one nomination for the Jr. Committeeman position. Eric Young. So the ballot stands as: Chairman: Kate Slaminko, Sr. Committeeman: Fred Davis, Editor/Jr. Committeeman Eric Young. Please vote. I need at least one to make it official.

FINANCIAL REPORT
Since I took over SIG management, I have received $64.00 in dues and contributions. I have spent $44.00 for Stamps, and am personally paying for stationary supplies and photocopying. Therefore we are in the "black".

SUBSCRIPTIONS/DUES
Because of the long period of inactivity, we have decided on a change to the way your dues will be used. Instead of using the calendar, we will use the number of issues you have received. With this change, none of you "missed" anything due to the long pause between issues. If you look on your mailing address label, you will find a number that corresponds to the issue number you have paid through. That means if the number 137 appears on your address label, this is your last issue. Chances are, you also got a personal note from me on the subject. To convert your thought processes, the $5.00 sub fee buys you 4 issues or 1 year, $9.00 gets you 8 issues or 2 years. We hope this is fair to all, but contact me if you have questions or concerns.

HOBBY AWARD WINNERS:
Just in case you hadn’t heard: Miller – Michael Lowrey; Walker – Conrad von Metzke; Hyatt – Doug Kent; Koning Best Player – Sara Reichert.

PERSONAL NOTE:
I hate braces. They are cruel and unusual punishment. I can’t believe we let people do this to small children without prosecuting for child abuse. (Insert additional whineing and swear words here.) I make an effort to remember the pain in my jaw before the nasty wires were connected, but now all I can think about is the pain from the wires, and from the new instrument of torture that the dentist has added – rubber bands! Who invented that silly, stretchy circle? Where can I send the hate mail?

EDITORIAL
As most of you can figure out a SIG runs on the dues of its members. The principle involved is that people who desire to partake in some fun activity should fund that activity. No individual should be out-of-pocket for expenses that clearly benefit the collective whole. In that same vein, people who perform some function for the whole are not then expected to also contribute funds; e.g. zine publishers don't normally pay dues. This arrangement seems just, but leaves us with the age-old conundrum that the dues need to be high enough to support the activities but not so high as to reduce membership. We can assure you that we will not spend any more money than is necessary to keep in touch with everybody, which is what the by-laws say is our purpose.

FRED DAVIS
Fred continues to be as active as ever. He sends out a newsletter, Davis Doings, every so often. It lists all the things he has been up to; attending the Mensa [Convention, going to weddings, looking for our lost 'brother' Bill Young, etc. It is good to see that members of an older generation (or two) will continue to be so active. I firmly believe that one must stay as active as possible, all the time. It's what keeps us alive.

It is official that the games division of Avalon Hill has been sold to Hasbro. All of the employees of the games division have been laid off. Clearly this was an economic move, as approximately 40% of Avalon Hill's sales were in the games division but 90% of the losses were there. Hasbro is a giant. We can expect them to behave in a very corporate manner. What this will mean for those of us in the hobby is very unclear. If the corporation decides to play heavy with its trademarks, it could mean that we would not be able to publish any sort of zine at all that referred to Diplomacy without paying a royalty. There are all sorts of other scenarios that could come to pass as well. This is not intended to be a paranoia alert. We simply need to be aware that there is a new player in there. We should not expect that what has happened in the past will necessarily continue. (The various Cons were supported by Avalon Hill, it is unlikely that Hasbro will continue to do so.) We should be willing to work with the new company to achieve our ends. I hope that things will not be too disrupted and that the corporation will see us as allies rather than as infringers.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT
The SIG currently has 37 members. Also included in this list are the addresses of some people who are sent a copy of this newsletter. If the information I have about you is incorrect, please send me a note. I only had one undeliverable newsletter from the last mailing ( but do keep me informed if you are moving, etc.

Anyone have a new address for Tim Cummings? No, the current one is not a typo!

Note: Membership not published on the web

Diplomag is the quarterly newsletter of the Diplomacy SIG, a Special Interest Group of American Mensa, bringing hobby and SIG news to Mensans interested in the game of Diplomacy. The SIG arranges games for its members, including Play By Mail and e-mail games. For SIG game openings, contact the Chairperson. Each player game will be hosted by a Mensa GM in their zine/flyer. Membership dues are $5/yr or $9/2yr. Diplomacy is a board game copyrighted by The Avalon Hill Game Company of Baltimore MD. Any opinions expressed herein are those of the author. The Mensa Diplomacy SIG and American Mensa, Ltd have no opinions.

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