Graustark 1

Box 22, New York 33, N.Y.

In Knowable #3 a proposal was made to begin playing by mail the board game Diplomacy. The response to this proposal has led to the inauguration of GRAUSTARK, a magazine of postal Diplomacy.

The most enthusiastic response came from the East Paterson Diplomacy Club which, according to Allan Calhamer, inventor of the game, is the first formally organized Diplomacy club. Others interested in trying a few games of Diplomacy by mail include Derek Nelson and Dave McDaniel. Addresses of all respondents are listed on page 2.

I have tentatively undertaken to provide a set of rules for the play of postal Diplomacy, and to serve as Umpire for the first game. I will also supply rule books and maps at cost. It is recommended that anyone undertaking postal Diplomacy should get the game board and pieces, which are $7.50 from any large department store or from Cornwall Corp., 48 Wareham Street, Boston 18, Mass. However, if this is financially impossible, I can provide rule books at $1 each and maps at 4¢ each.

Postal Diplomacy will be played under the following rules:

1. The rules of across-the-board Diplomacy will be followed as far as is practicable.
2. The entry fee for a game will be $1, playable to the Umpire. The Umpire is obligated to report to the players after every move on the outcome of that move.
3. All correspondence relating to the game, among players or between players and the Umpire, shall be by first-class mail.
4. The Umpire shall announce a deadline date for entries. Upon this date, or upon such earlier date as he receives seven entries for the game, he shall assign by lot one country to each player. He shall then inform the players which country each of them will play, and give the name, address, and country of each of the other players.
5. Three weeks will be allotted to the players for their first move, and two weeks for each subsequent move. All players must send their moves to the Umpire by these deadlines. For example, suppose that the Umpire sends out the playing assignments on January 1. The first moves of each player must reach him by first-class mail no later than January 22. The Umpire will then compare the moves, determine which are possible, and report the orders and troop movements to the players. The players' next moves must be sent to the Umpire no later than February 5.
6. Players may make alliance among themselves by private correspondence or other forms of contact.
7. The Umpire's report to the players shall include an account of all orders and the movements which he judges to be consonant with those orders according to the rules of the game.
8. If a player does not make a move during the required period, civil government will be assumed to have collapsed in his country for that move, as described on p. 6 of the rules. This does not affect his right to take part in subsequent moves.

[...] moves will be tried out in a game for which this issue of GRAUSTARK is an invitation. Anyone who wishes to take part in this game should send his entry fee so that it arrives by May 25, 1963. If seven entries are received before that time, the game will be begun when the seventh arrives.

The following persons have expressed an interest in postal diplomacy. Unless another address is given, the player lives in East Paterson, New Jersey, and is a member of the East Paterson Diplomacy Club.

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John Boardman, Box 22, New York 33, N.Y.
Tom Bulmer, 138 Lincoln Ave.
Ray Eggermont, 113 Mill Street
Richard Frobose, 153A Boulevard
James Goldman, 45 Hamilton Ave.
Stuart Keshner, 102A Elmwood Terr.
Fred Lerner, 152-B Donor Ave.
Keith Marchese, 10 East Washington Ave.
Dave McDaniel, 6295 [...] Drive, San Diego 15, Calif.
Derek Nelson, 18 Granard Blvd., Scarboro, Ontario, Canada
Edward Rocklin, 166A Donor Ave.
Dan Vandermast, 104 Lee Street

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FRED LERNER: "It might be interesting to publish a "newspaper" which would contain players, propaganda, and serve as a vehicle for negotiation, intimidation, ultimatums, etc. This could be a job of the umpire, one of the players, or a neutral party."

DAVE McDANIEL: "I'm sure I could get a couple of the L. A. fen into it...Suggest you start as Umpire, then the winner of each game serve as Umpire for the next game or pass the duty on to another willing player...Count me in."