THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE #380

January 30, 2017


Jim Burgess, 664 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908-4327 USA, (401)351-0287, jfburgess of gmail.com


2017 remains a wild ride so far, doesn't it???


E-MAIL/WEB ONLY ISSUE! PDF will be available on the website when diplom.org is back up. Yes, you are NOT dreaming, the whole site unfortunately presently is unavailable, but we WILL get it back up. We also are being reproduced in Eternal Sunshine which is running down to a fold.


Web Page Address: /Postal/Zines/TAP/index.html (still disabled)


YOU can still join Kendo Nagasaki, hop in!!! But it's ALMOST over...
This issue continues the szine/subszine inversion. As most of you know, this thing began as a "subszine" to Terry Tallman's North Sealth, West George in NSWG #16, then became its own szine with a host of subszines. Since Terry's passing, we lose our thirty year fervent hope that someday NSWG would have been resurrected and I could go back and swear my fealty to the Toadfather. The subszines remaining will appear as sub-subszines to our flipflopped home in Doug Kent's Eternal Sunshine. I'm set on continuing my GMing, and I'm starting to write a bit, hope there might be more, especially when I feel better. Feel free to communicate with me about how you want to help or what you want to play, or if anyone else wants TAP subszine status.
For production, in addition to the HTML's of each separate product on the web page, I also have a PDF that you can print of the entire subszine (including my famous handdrawn maps!). You can just print the maps if you like, but remember maps are for pikers anyway, you don't need no steenkin' maps, keep them up in your head where they belong. I'm having trouble with the upload interfaces, part of the diplom.org site move consequences. I'll get it fixed as soon as I can. I need to stay within the security of the site (which is very important!!!!) while getting access to change the web site's index and files for the szine. It shouldn't be that hard, but my first, second, and third attempts didn't work.
The website address is still: /. I had a glitch in the webpage update process, but I hope that will be fixed when the site as a whole comes back. I was hoping to provide an update today, but as I write, I STILL don't really have one.
There are currently 77 members of the official TAP subscriber list, which is starting to come back up, I hope. http://lists.asciiking.com/mailman/listinfo/tap is the current list website. YOU need to make sure you're on this list. I'm trying to add some of the newer subscribers who aren't there. It's really easy, just click on that link or copy and paste it into your browser. If you have questions or problems, PLEASE ask. There you can check your subscribing options and whether you're registered. Register if you want to get TAP E-Mailed regularly. Some people have had trouble with the attachments, so I have switched to sending the link in the announcements, I see that does help. Please let me know about other issues, but it puts priority on getting the link up again. Apologies for the recent confusions.


THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE FEATURES SECTION (CONS/LETTERS/MUSIC)
((For upcoming cons around the world: /Face/cons/index.php, success, we have badgered all the Con directors to post their Cons, so it is reasonably up to date now. And there remains lots of interest in the FTF community, and linking E-Mail/Web players to FTF. Also, the Facebook page for European Tournament Diplomacy, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1500292310187264/, Diplomacy in Europe, has been really active and the place to be in the hobby these days. If you're on Facebook, hook up there! The Nor'Easter sequence of four tournaments will be continuing next year, culminating in North American DipCon this next year at Carnage in Vermont!
Remember that I'm leading TotalCon again, which has MOVED! TotalCon will be February 24-26, 2017 at Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA. For those following closely, this is basically where the Boston tournament was last year, before Randy and Alan Levin moved it to Cambridge.
TotalCon is New England's largest general gaming convention and is one of the places that we as a hobby reach out and make the Diplomacy tournament circuit known to other gamers. We picked up quite a host of brand new players last year, and expect to do more of that this year. Thanks to the entire TotalCon staff for their hospitality and helpfulness. The Rounds will be: Round 1 on Friday night at 7PM, Round 2 at 10AM on Saturday morning, Round 3 at 7PM on Saturday, and Round 4 at 1PM on Sunday, with an ending by 5PM. The first three rounds are unlimited in length. Please think about making plans to come. Pre-registration for the whole weekend is 65 dollars or 75 dollars at the door. But we do have a special 50 dollar deal for this convention! Check with me if you're coming to make sure you get this great deal, which includes a 15 dollar voucher!!! I will be having two crash rooms with pay what you can, feel free to start reserving your spot now! Brad Blitstein was first to claim a spot. Commitments are slow, any of you interested in coming???))


FEATURE: ROCK AND ROLL BANDS AND MOMENTS THAT MATTER
((If anyone from TAP or ES has ideas for more things to talk about here let me know. I do have four or five ideas lined up here already that I just have to write. I have been nudged... comments from any of you also are welcome.))


THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE LETTERS SECTION
Brendan Whyte (Sun, Jan 8, 2017 at 10:16 PM)
Su and I attended a nice mass on Christmas Eve at a Catholic church near where we were staying in NZ. Had a tourist French family standing next to us, and a few Asians and Pacific Islanders in the congregation too.
BWHYTE of nla.gov.au
((Thanks, Brendan, and congratulations on coming from behind to win the Breaking Away game!!! I'm sure you're in for the next one. Brendan has an "everybody plays" idea for this with a 15 replenishment limit. What do people think of that??? It seems crazed for the GM, i.e. me....))


THE ABYSSINIAN PRINCE GAMES SECTION
Standby lists: Brad Wilson, Jack McHugh, Drew James, Paul Rauterberg, Doug Kent, Paul Kenny, and Hugh Polley stand by for regular Diplomacy. Just let me know if you want on or off these lists. I would like a few more interested parties, once we get back on the web.


GAME OPENING INFORMATION
I'd love to do another game of Spy Diplomacy, but it requires commitment that seems in short supply. Especially with Doug Kent bowing out, is there some other Variant in which there is interest? Please ask!!!
REGULAR DIPLOMACY: Two games continue. Is there something else we want to start? I have some ideas on how to do "By Popular Demand" differently... Let's see if there is interest in a new regular game. Signups please?
BREAKING AWAY: I will start a new game after next issue, Andy Bate was first to sign up. There also is interest from others, can we get that nailed down for next issue? I was warned about a game with seven players, but I liked the way this one came off, so we will be looking for six or seven, and I'm inclined to do another game with seven if we can find enough of you interested.
KENDO NAGASAKI: Send in your guesses!!!


THE TERRY TALLMAN MEMORIAL: 2016A, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1904 IS FEBRUARY 18TH, 2017
Winter 1903
AUSTRIA (Black): Misprint last time, a BUD S a boh-gal was written; has a VIE, a BUD, f TRI,
f GRE, a GAL, a BUL.
ENGLAND (Cohen): has f WAL, f NTH, f NWG.
FRANCE (Rauterberg): RAUTERBERG TAKES OVER; rem f eng; has f POR, f BRE, a MAR, a GAS.
GERMANY (Polley): has a BER, f BAL, a MUN, f HOL, a DEN, a BEL.
ITALY (Ellinger): bld f nap; has f NAP, f WES, f SPA(SC), a PIE, a VEN.
RUSSIA (Zarr): has a WAR, f NWY, a FIN, f SWE, a SEV, a UKR, f RUM.
TURKEY (Wiedemeyer): has f CON, f BLA, a SMY.


E-Mail Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Thaddeus Black, thaddeus.h.black of gmail.com
ENGLAND: David Cohen, zendip18 of optonline.net
FRANCE: Paul Rauterberg, paul.rauterberg of att.net
GERMANY: Hugh Polley, hapolley of yahoo.ca
ITALY: Marc Ellinger, mellinger of blitzbardgett.com
RUSSIA: Harold Zarr, skip1955 of hotmail.com
TURKEY: Fred Wiedemeyer, wiedem of telus.net


Game Notes:
1) Gavin resigned, so Paul takes over.
2) Note that I mistyped one of the Austrian orders last time, so there were two supports for the successful move to Galicia.


Press:
None to be spotted...


THE DON WILLIAMS 57 MEMORIAL: 2014A, Regular Diplomacy
THE DUE DATE FOR SPRING 1908 IS FEBRUARY 18TH, 2017
Autumn and Winter 1907
AUSTRIA (Ozog): bld a bud, a tri; has a BUD, a TRI, a TYO, f NAP, a ROM, f WES, a PIC,
a VEN, a RUM, a MUN, f NAF.
FRANCE (Ellinger): R a mar otb; rem a bur, a par; has f SPA(SC), f ENG, f MID.
GERMANY (Abbott): has a LVP, a BRE.
ITALY (Wilson): rem f tyh; has f GOL, a MAR.
RUSSIA (Rauterberg): bld a war, f stp(nc); has a WAR, f STP(NC), a YOR, f BLA, a BOH, a NWY, f IRI,
f EDI, f LON, f WAL, a BEL, f CLY, f NTH, f ION, a RUH, a CON.


E-Mail Addresses of the Participants
AUSTRIA: Eric Ozog, elferic of juno.com
ENGLAND: Fred Wiedemeyer, wiedem of telus.net
FRANCE: Marc Ellinger, mellinger of blitzbardgett.com
GERMANY: Will Abbott, wjja9 of yahoo.com
ITALY: Brad Wilson, fullfathomfive675 of gmail.com
RUSSIA: Paul Rauterberg, paul.rauterberg of att.net
TURKEY: David Burgess, burgesscd of roadrunner.com


Game Notes:
1) All the proposals are rejected.


Press:
(HERR ORCZOG-El CAPITANO): Her ladyship told me she does not wish for your survival but I will offer you a hand up if you will continue to assist versus the derelict French!




THE DIPLOMACY GAME: Breaking Away, Designer's Rules
BRENDAN WHYTE EDGES OUT RICK DESPER AND JIM READER - "A" RIDER TAKES IT!! END GAME COMMENTS DUE FEBRUARY 18TH, 2017
Turn 12
Already Finished: Heart of Oak (1st), Angst (2nd)
132 (no replenishment) Constipated (12 points)
131 (no replenishment) Empty
130 (no replenishment) Empty
129 (no replenishment) Empty
128 (no replenishment) Leonardo
127 (no replenishment) Lafayette, Jefferson
126 (no replenishment) White Cliffs (10 points)
125 (no replenishment) Anastasia (8 points), Alexis de Tocqueville,
124 (no replenishment) Empty
123 (no replenishment) Smirky (6 points), Charlie (4 points), Alpha (2 points), Donatello,
Michelangelo, Terrorised
122 (no replenishment) Empty
121 (no replenishment) Empty
-F-I-N-A-L- -F-I-N-I-S-H- -L-I-N-E-
120 (no replenishment) Empty
119 (no replenishment) Empty
118 (no replenishment) Empty
117 (no replenishment) Empty
116 (no replenishment) Christian Doppler
115 (no replenishment) Empty
114 (no replenishment) Empty
113 (no replenishment) Alexandra
112 (no replenishment) Empty
111 (no replenishment) Jerusalem, Hope and Glory
110 (no replenishment) Empty
109 (no replenishment) Raphael
108 (no replenishment) Empty
107 (no replenishment) Rousseau
106 (no replenishment) Baker, Nicholas II
105 (no replenishment) Empty
104 (no replenishment) Empty
103 (no replenishment) Empty
102 (no replenishment) Empty
101 (no replenishment) Empty
100 (no replenishment) Empty
99 (no replenishment) Empty
98 (no replenishment) Empty
97 (no replenishment) Empty
96 (no replenishment) Empty
95 (no replenishment) Empty
94 (no replenishment) Arnold Schwarzenegger
93 (no replenishment) Empty
92 (no replenishment) Empty
91 (no replenishment) Daniel Swarovski
90 (no replenishment) Empty
89 (no replenishment) Empty
88 (no replenishment) Empty
87 (no replenishment) Empty
86 (no replenishment) Empty
85 (no replenishment) Empty
84 (no replenishment) Empty
83 (no replenishment) Empty
82 (no replenishment) Empty
81 (no replenishment) Empty
-S-P-R-I-N-T- -F-I-N-I-S-H- -L-I-N-E-
80 (no replenishment) Empty
79 (no replenishment) Empty
78 (no replenishment) Empty
77 (no replenishment) Empty
76 (no replenishment) Empty
75 (no replenishment) Empty
74 (no replenishment) Empty
73 (no replenishment) Empty
72 (no replenishment) Empty
71 (no replenishment) Empty
70 (no replenishment) Empty
69 (no replenishment) Empty
68 (no replenishment) Empty
67 (no replenishment) Empty
66 (no replenishment) Empty
65 (no replenishment) Empty
64 (no replenishment) Empty
63 (no replenishment) Empty
62 (no replenishment) Empty
61 (no replenishment) Empty
60 (no replenishment) Billy Wilder
59 (no replenishment) Empty
58 (no replenishment) Empty
57 (no replenishment) Empty
56 (no replenishment) Empty
55 (no replenishment) Delta
54 (no replenishment) Empty
53 (no replenishment) Alexei


Addresses of the Participants - Their Teams and Their Cards
AUSTRIAN TEAM (Andy Bate): andydbate of gmail.com (0 points)
A: Arnold Schwarzenegger 4, 4, 3 (3)
B: Billy Wilder 3, 3 (3)
C: Christian Doppler 3, 14 (3)
D: Daniel Swarovski 3, 3 (3)
Total Replenishments: 21 + 28 + 55 + 23 + 36 + 53 + 27 + 14 + 14 + 16 + 23 = 310
ENGLISH TEAM (Jim Reader): jim_reader of hotmail.com (42 points)
A: Jerusalem 3, 3, 4 (3)
B: Hope and Glory 3, 3 (3)
C: White Cliffs 3, 4 (8)
D: Heart of Oak WON!
Total Replenishments: 16 + 91 + 29 + 30 + 27 + 16 + 79 + 35 + 52 + 18 + 10 = 403
FRENCH TEAM (Hank Alme): almehj of alumni.rice.edu (5 points)
A: Marquis de Lafayette (Captain): 4, 10, 10 (13)
B: Alexis de Tocqueville: 5, 8 (10)
C: Jean-Jacques Rousseau: 3, 3 (4)
D: Thomas Jefferson: 9, 14 (14)
Total Replenishments: 22 + 62 = 29 + 38 + 26 + 49 + 86 + 32 + 46 + 33 + 38 = 461
GERMAN TEAM (Marc Ellinger): mellinger of blitzbardgett.com (14 points)
A: Player Alpha 6, 6, 3 (8)
B: Player Baker 3, 3 (4)
C: Player Charlie 3, 3 (7)
D: Player Delta 3, 3 (3)
Total Replenishments: 17 + 50 + 26 + 32 + 31 + 45 + 30 + 40 + 23 + 33 + 22 = 349
ITALIAN TEAM (Rick Desper): rick_desper of yahoo.com (43 points)
Team Name: Artists in a Half-Shell?
Coach: Master Splinter
Team Leader A: Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci 3, 4, 3 (16)
Team Mechanic B: Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi 7, 3 (8)
Team Navigator C: Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino 3, 3 (3)
Team Sprint Specialist D: Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni 3, 3 (8)
Referred to by common appellations in the report: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo.
Total Replenishments: 17 + 96 + 12 + 22 + 67 + 61 + 25 + 15 + 51 + 23 + 35 = 424
RUSSIAN TEAM (Andy York): wandrew88 of gmail.com (8 points)
Team Royal
A: Anastasia 3, 5 (8)
B: Nicholas II 3, 3 (4)
C: Alexandra 3, 3 (3)
D: Alexei 3, 3 (3)
Total Replenishments: 14 + 30 + 32 + 40 + 43 + 29 + 22 + 26 + 34 + 18 + 15 = 303
TURKISH TEAM (Brendan Whyte): BWHYTE of nla.gov.au (44 points)
The Turkeys
A: Angst of Ankara FINISHED SECOND
B: Constipated of Constantinople 8,3 (13)
C: Smirky of Smyrna 4,5 (6)
D: Terrorised of Syria 4,7 (8)
Total Replenishments: 16 + 49 + 38 + 57 + 53 + 53 + 45 + 51 + 29 + 16 = 407


Press:
None this time...


Game Notes:
1) The rules are on the TAP website in the Tinamou section. Ask if you have any questions. Rules at:
/Postal/Zines/TAP/Tinamou/rules/BreakingAway.htm
Up above in parentheses is the card you played to get to where you are in the field. The replenishment card is the last card in your list. Be careful to note that the card you played (the one in parentheses) is not available for you, for next turn. Just for fun, I keep track of total replenishment, by turn, which is a rough measure of how the teams are doing. Of course, it is lining up to get across the sprint and final lines in the right places that really counts. We can calculate an "efficiency score" later, which will be the ratio of scoring points per replenishment.
2) I moved everyone, but we're done, so I didn't do any replenishment. Brendan Whyte kicked butt in placement so he was most efficient in his replenishments. Note that Rick also was pretty efficient with his replenishments leading to points. Hank Alme was least efficient. And some of you (not naming you) really had some pretty shocking numbers of your riders getting dropped.
3) Lots of you signed up for the next game, I'll do some checking for next time and see if we can get started again quickly. Other TAP players who want to play also should let me know by February's deadline!!!
4) Official order of finish is: Brendan Whyte, Rick Desper, Jim Reader (each of these three JUST a POINT apart!!!), Marc Ellinger, Andy York, Hank Alme, and Andy Bate.


WHERE IN THE WORLD IS KENDO NAGASAKI
DEADLINE FOR TURN 8 OF THIS GAME IS FEBRUARY 18TH, 2017
Kendo Nagasaki for me comes from the series in Eternal Sunshine... The full rules for Where in the World is Kendo Nagasaki are in: http://www.whiningkentpigs.com/DW/es58.pdf. Send a guess!!!


TURN 1
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
Bernie Sanders, on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean No Guess Received

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
Hank Alme in Ellicott City, MD Christian De Castries in Caracas, Venezuela

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
Wavy Gravy in West Hartford, CT Robert E. Lee in Lhasa, Tibet

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
Jim Burgess in Portland, ME Joan Collins in Dallas, TX

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: You have my gender correct, but I did most of the things I'm famed for a decade or two before your active period.


TURN 2
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
Eleanor Roosevelt in Baton Rouge, LA No Guess Received

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
Boris Johnson in Moscow, Russia F.D.R. in Lagos, Nigeria

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
Eleanor Roosevelt in Belize City, Belize Eisenhower in Gettysburg, PA

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
Al Capone in Rio, Brazil Dwight D. Eisenhower in Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland

Jim Reader:
Nelson Mandela in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: I had a somewhat more formal leadership position than you.


TURN 3
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
Huey Long in Baton Rouge, LA No Guess This Time

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
Eleanor Roosevelt in Los Angeles, CA Herbert Hoover in Santiago, Chile

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
Simon Bolivar in La Paz, Bolivia Rommel in La Paz, Bolivia

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
Kenesaw Mountain Landis in Sao Paulo, Brazil Dwight D. Eisenhower in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jim Reader: Mark Firth:
Donald Trump in the White House Lyndon B. Johnson in Salonika, Greece

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: We knew each other and interacted with each other in our professional lives, but there was a famous meeting I once helped to orchestrate that you were not invited to.






TURN 4
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
No Guess This Time No Guess This Time

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
FDR in Valparaiso, Chile Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov in Ascuncion, Paraguay

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
Teddy Roosevelt in Brasilia, Brazil. No Guess This Time

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
George Marshall at Asuncion, Paraguay No Guess This Time

Jim Reader: Mark Firth:
Che Guevara Nazca Desert of Peru looking at lines Winston Churchill in Beverly Hills

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: You were dead before the famous meeting I alluded to last time, but of course I did work with you closely across our careers.


TURN 5
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
Fidel Castro in Santiago, Cuba No Guess This Time

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
Harry Truman in Concepcion, Chile Harry Truman in Cordoba, Argentina

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
No Guess This Time Winston Churchill in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
Harry Hopkins in Concepcion, Chile FDR in Santiago, Chile

Jim Reader: Mark Firth:
Harry S Truman in Mendoza, Argentina FDR in New York City, US

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: Well, you were at that famous meeting... or maybe you weren't. How could it be both? That is a VERY interesting story, certainly you were instrumental in the örchestration" in multiple ways!


TURN 6
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
Rudolf Hess in Caracas, Venezuela No Guess This Time

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
George Marshall in Los Ángeles, Chile Alger Hiss in Punto Arenas, Chile

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
No Guess This Time No Guess This Time

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
Joseph Stalin in Port Darwin Harry S Truman in Brasilia, Brazil

Jim Reader: Mark Firth:
Winston Churchill in Belo Horizonte, Brazil Robert Oppenheimer in Iquique, Chile

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: Your guess of my identity is moving in the wrong direction, but someone else has identified me.


TURN 7
Brendan Whyte: Tom Howell:
Alger Hiss at Goose Green, Falkland Islands No Guess This Time

Hank Alme: Marc Ellinger:
George Marshall in Puerto Williams, Chile Clement Attlee in Port Stanley Falkland Islands

Rick Desper: Doug Kent:
No Guess This Time Joseph Stalin on Easter Island

Andy York: Peter Sullivan:
Joseph Stalin in Tierra del Fuego Harry S Truman in Asunción, Paraguay

Jim Reader: Mark Firth:
Alger Hiss in Antofagasta, Chile Erwin Rommel, in the Galapagos

HINT to the Person with the Closest Geographic Guess: You need to cross the water to find me, and you are not correct in identifying who I am.


LAST WORD: So, cancer treatment remains just as much fun as you think it would be. My back pain remains bad only just before I take medication, which works. I'm also completely off the opioid medication - like everyone who does this, I sort of just figured out taking myself off it on my own. This is a problem in our field - I study this stuff partly for my work, and I still was not feeling comfortable with the procsss. What happens to people less knowledgeable?
My treatment also is causing lots of skin problems, I'm not good with fixing that, but with great help from Charlotte, I'm really staying ahead of that. The worst remains the digestive problems which cause me difficulty in gaining weight. I try and try, but you only can eat so much, and I don't think my body processes it all. Well anyway, you keep fighting forward and this is probably too stark in black and white. My attitude remains good and my oncologist thinks I'm a dream patient. I'd like to be a dream patient who survives.... ;-)
I'm trying to push this out the door to get into Doug Kent's szine.... so I didn't draw maps this time. Go back to last issue and I'll try to be better about maps for next time. I'm just going to leave half a page blank and get this out so Doug has it...


File translated from TEX by TTH, version 3.85.
On 14 Jun 2017, 16:15.