From: charbonn@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (gary charbonneau)
Subject: EiA House Rules: The casus belli
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 21:20:14 GMT

It strikes me that EiA is a bit too free-wheeling diplomatically, as
it does not take into account the predominant ideological conflict of
the day: that between revolutionary and Napoleonic France on one side,
and the "legitimate" monarchs of Europe on the other.  Consider: France
was involved in nearly every major battle of the period.  Battles be-
tween the other major powers were quite rare.

To remedy this, I have been toying with the notion of borrowing a con-
cept from Pax Britannica: the casus belli.  The following are some
suggested rules:

(1) One major power may declare war on another only if it is called as
an ally, or if it possesses a casus belli against that major power.
Exception: France may declare war on any other major power, and any other 
major power may declare war on France, in the absence of a casus belli.

(2) A major power receives a casus belli against another major power
only if the other power declares war on a neutral minor.  The first
major power may then claim a casus belli against the second, over
the minor country attacked.  For example: Spain declares war on
Portugal.  Britain claims a casus belli against Spain over Portugal.
The claim may be made only during the turn in which the declaration
of war is made.  Keep records of casae bellorum on a sheet of paper.

(3) A major power may not claim a casus belli against an ally without
first breaking the alliance (it may do so immediately to make the
claim).

(4) A major power may claim a casus belli against a power with which
it is already at war.

(5) A major power may claim and possess more than one casus belli
against another, over different minor powers.

(6) No major power is ever obligated to claim a casus belli against another.

(7) A casus belli remains in force as long as the major power which 
attacked the minor power over which the claim is made remains at war
with or in control of that minor, unless any of the following occur:

  (a) The minor reverts to neutrality.  In this case, the casus belli
simply disappears.

  (b) Another major power acquires control of the minor through ceding
or conquest.  In this case, the player possessing the casus belli may
either give it up without penalty, or transfer it to the new major
power in control of the minor.

  (c) The major power possessing the casus belli exercises it by
declaring war on the major power against which it is directed.

  (d) The major power possessing the casus belli chooses to re-
linquish it.  This may be done at the cost of one political point.

  (e) The major power possessing the casus belli surrenders to the
power against which the casus belli is directed.  In this case, the
victorious power may demand, as a peace condition from list "A",
that the vanquished give up all casae bellorum against the victor;
this condition may be chosen by more than one victor in a simul-
taneous surrender.

----------------------------------------------------------------

These rules might add a lot of diplomatic subtlety to the game.
First, players will have to think more carefully before declaring
war on minors lest they give a casus belli to someone they'd
rather not.  This might help prevent the opening from degenerating
into a mad, unhistorical scramble to carve up all the minors.

Second, players will have to think carefully about whether to
claim a casus belli.  If they do, they might tick off the power
against which the claim is made, and also forestall certain
diplomatic options (forgot to mention above that you could
not ally with someone against whom you had a casus belli without
first relinquishing it at the one PP cost).

Third, it would tend to make France the diplomatic as well as
military center of the game, as France is exempt from the casus
belli requirement.

Any comments?




-- 
Gary Charbonneau
charbonn@silver.indiana.edu
"En avant!"