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AMBITION & EMPIRE

A Diplomacy variant by Jeff S. Kase and B.M. Powell (Questions or comments on this variant should be sent to jeffreykase@yahoo.com and VonPowell@aol.com.)

Except where indicated, standard Diplomacy rules apply.

I. INTRODUCTION

Ambition & Empire is a Diplomacy variant for ten players that is set in
Europe at the conclusion of the Seven Years War (1756-63). The title pays tribute to the empire-building, war-and-conquest philosophy held by the great leaders of the day; a remarkable cast of historical figures that included Frederick the Great of Prussia, Maria Theresa of Austria, and Catherine the Great of Russia. This period would culminate with Napoleon, one of the greatest empire builders in history.

II. GREAT POWERS

Compared to later times, wars of the 18th century were usually not
destructive and rarely conclusive. Battles were not fought to destroy enemy forces but to outmaneuver them and gain a position of strength from which to negotiate. One year's foe might be next year's ally. The Seven Years War was different however. Pitting France, Austria, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and Spain against Prussia, Great Britain, and Hanover, it was, in short, a world war that was much bloodier and more destructive than other wars had been. In
1763 the last of the war-weary powers laid down their arms and signed another treaty establishing yet another balance of power. The following is a list of Europe's Great Powers in 1763, the players in Ambition & Empire.

1) Kingdom of Poland/Saxony (2 Supply Centers)
In 1763, Poland could not be counted as an independent participant in international relations; the king's diplomacy was conducted from Dresden, Saxony. Although it was the third largest country in Europe, Poland was weak because the king was chosen and controlled by the nobles. In 1697, Elector Frederick Augustus I of Saxony became king of Poland, initiating an economically draining bond between Saxony and the declining Polish kingdom that lasted until 1768. His son, Frederick Augustus II, was an idler and
gadabout who left governance of Poland & Saxony to the Prime Minister, Count
Heinrich von Br�hl. Br�hl attempted to strengthen the state by acquiring a
land corridor in Silesia, linking Poland with Saxony. When Frederick the
Great annexed Silesia himself, Br�hl made efforts to reconcile Austria and
France - two traditional enemies - thereby initiating a reversal of
alliances called "the Diplomatic Revolution" and setting the stage for the
Seven Years War. Succeeding in 1763, the newest Elector of Saxony and King
of Poland, Frederick Augustus III, was an able leader. In foreign affairs he
was a neutralist but, alarmed at Russia's increasing intervention in Polish
affairs, he began to drift towards Prussia. Starts with armies in Dresden
and Warsaw. Unit color is orange. See also V. Special Rules regarding
Koenigsberg becoming a home SC for Poland & Saxony.

2) Kingdom of Sweden (2 Supply Centers)
The 18th century in Sweden was the Age of Freedom, a period that saw the
transition from absolutism to a democratic form of government. During the
Age of Freedom, Sweden attained a level of scholarly and cultural
achievement equal to that of any nation in Europe. This was also the golden
age of Swedish trade and commerce. The Swedish East India Company was
extremely successful until it was forced out of business during the
Napoleonic Wars. In 1751, King Adolf Frederick succeeded to the throne,
although most of the power during his reign rested in the Swedish
parliament, the Riksdag. Frederick had been elected heir to the throne by
"the Hats," a faction of parliament that favored an aggressive foreign
policy that would regain Swedish hegemony in the Baltic. Sweden was still
smarting from defeat in a recent war with Russia that resulted in the loss
of more of its Finnish territory. The Hats hoped to obtain better conditions
of peace from Russia through Frederick, who brought about the overthrow of
the generally pro-Russian "Cap" Party in the Riksdag. Starts with a fleet in
Stockholm and an army in Abo. Unit color is pink.

3) Kingdom of Spain (2 Supply Centers)
Spain was under the rule of Charles III (reigned 1759-88), one of the
"enlightened despots" of the 18th century who helped lead Spain to a brief
cultural and economic revival. Charles was a man of considerable qualities.
In 1734, as the Prince of Spain, he had conquered Naples and Sicily, making
it part of Spain's empire. Thereafter, the Spanish Bourbons ruled the
"Kingdom of Two Sicilies" as an "independent" kingdom. Charles was convinced
of his mission to reform Spain and make it once more a first-rate power, but
his foreign policy was unsuccessful. Fearing that British victory in the
Seven Years War would upset the balance of colonial power in North America,
he signed a mutual defense treaty - the Bourbon Family Compact - with
France. Unfortunately for Spain, its entry into the war was too late to
save France. Charles had overrated his own strength and that of his ally.
Sharing in defeat, he lost Florida to Britain and revealed Spanish naval
and military weakness. Nevertheless, while Spain was no longer a significant
military power, Charles efficiently administered Spain's colonial empire and
renovated the economy and general welfare of Spain to an amazing degree.
Starts with a fleet in Madrid and an army in Seville. Unit color is maroon.

4. Kingdom of Denmark and Norway (2 Supply Centers)
Dating back to 1441, when the Danish King Christian I was proclaimed the
King of Norway, "union" between the two countries existed, with Denmark
ruling over the less-populous and more agrarian Norway. Neutrality and a
consequent improvement in the nation's foreign trade marked Frederick V's
reign (1746-66). Since the Great Northern War (1709-20) - in which the
kingdom failed to recapture territories lost to rival Sweden during the
preceding century - Denmark & Norway had eschewed the wars of Europe.
During the 18th century, Denmark & Norway acquired an important merchant
marine and navy. Thus, preserving the state's neutrality to enjoy freedom
of the seas became a great concern of its leaders. In 1762, this neutrality
was threatened when Denmark & Norway became embroiled in a territorial
dispute with Russia over the Duchy of Holstein. Thanks to the efforts of an
outstanding statesman, Count von Bernstorff, who had earlier preserved
Denmark & Norway's neutrality in the Seven Years War, a carefully drafted
treaty was negotiated and Russia renounced its claims to the duchy. Starts
with fleets in Copenhagen and Christiania. Unit color is purple.

5) Austria/ The Habsburg Empire (4 Supply Centers)
Maria Theresa (reigned 1740-80), the Archduchess of Austria and Queen of
Hungary, was a key figure in the power politics of 18th century Europe. To
the Habsburg Empire - a dynastic agglomeration of disparate lands - she
gave a measure of unity and was one of the most capable rulers of her house.
Indeed, her dynamic and resourceful leadership saved the Habsburg monarchy
from total dissolution in the War of the Austrian Succession. For the
remainder of her reign, Maria Theresa implemented reforms to ensure that
Austria would never again be so humbled. Guided by her minister, Count von
Kaunitz, Maria Theresa streamlined the Austrian administrative structure
and drew together to the extent possible, the multiethnic and polyglot
regions of the far-flung Habsburg Empire. "This woman's achievements,"
stated her lifelong enemy, Frederick the Great, "were those of a great
man." In 1763, two great Houses - the upstart Hohenzollern monarchy of
Prussia and the caretakers of the ancient Holy Roman Empire, the Hapsburgs
of Austria - vied for hegemony over Germany in a condition of tension
called "the German dualism." This meant that each had become so powerful
that only the other could keep it in some sort of check. Starts with armies
in Vienna, Budapest, Milan, and Austrian Netherlands. Unit color is red.
See also V. Special Rules regarding building in the Austrian Netherlands.

6) Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland/ Hanover (4 Supply Centers)
Britain and France fought the Seven Years War for control of the seas and
dominion over the colonies. Britain was already a formidable economic and
naval power and, due to her robust economy, was able to act as the "war
chest of Europe" by hiring mercenary armies, bankrolling needy allies, and
providing subsidies to foreign garrisons all across Europe. Hanover, a
small German state, was the British ruling dynasty's continental possession.
It raised armies to fight the French in Europe during the Seven Years War.
Britain & Hanover would arise from the war as the undisputed leader in
colonization, but the success aroused fear throughout Europe that British
sea power was leading to a monopoly on overseas trade. In the face of
widespread resentment, Britain & Hanover found itself politically isolated
and without allies. Victory in the Seven Years War was also achieved during
a period of internal turmoil. In 1760, the "mad" King George III succeeded
to the throne and would become one of the most controversial monarchs in
British history. In the first 10 years of his reign, administrations
changed no fewer than seven times. Division and instability were not just
confined to the court and parliament; the 1760's were also a period of bad
harvests, rising food prices, high taxes, and sporadic unemployment. Such
instability undoubtedly hampered efforts to resolve the problem of its own
American colonies. Starts with fleets in London, Edinburgh, and Gibraltar,
and an army in Hanover. Unit color is dark blue. Note: Gibraltar is not a
SC, although a fleet starts there. Liverpool is a SC for Britain & Hanover,
though no unit begins the game there.

7) Kingdom of France (3 Supply Centers).
Though nothing like the empire it would soon be under Napoleon,
pre-Revolutionary France - wealthy and populous - was still a power to be
reckoned with. Unfortunately for France, it was under the long rule of
Louis XV (reigned 1715-74), who took more counsel from his mistress, Madame
de Pompadour (or "the Prime Minister in petticoats," as she was derisively
called by those who deplored her influence), than the ambassadors and
advisors of his court. Although France had the richest resources of any
country in Europe, its government was chronically poor because it could not
effectively tap the sources of wealth within its kingdom. Louis XV's
ineptitude in affairs of state would cost France defeat in the Seven Years
War and almost all her possessions in India and North America. His
ineffectual reign earned him the contempt of his subjects and a tremendous
loss in France's prestige. More ominously, it contributed to the decline of
royal authority that led to the outbreak of the Revolution in 1789. As one
source commented, "French influence was at a very low ebb in 1763." Starts
with armies in Paris and Marseilles, and a fleet in Brest. Unit color is
light blue.

8) The Russian Empire (3 Supply Centers)
During Elizabeth's reign, victories over Turkey consolidated the empire's
control in the Ukraine. Moreover, Russia was participating increasingly in
the political game of Europe and interfering in the affairs of Poland. In
the Seven Years War, Russia was enlisted to fight against Prussia and
Britain & Hanover. Russian armies were successful in conquering East Prussia
and occupying Berlin briefly (the empress's death during the Seven Years War
saved the King of Prussia from total disaster). Her replacement, Peter III,
ruled for a mere six months. The first of his monumental mistakes was to
make peace with Russia's "bitterest enemy," but Peter's own hero, Frederick
the Great. In 1762, he was deposed in a bloodless revolt and Catherine was
placed in his stead. Imperial expansion continued under Catherine the Great
(reigned 1762-96), who led her country into full participation in the
political and cultural life of Europe, carrying on the work begun by Peter
the Great. With her ministers, she reorganized the administration and law of
the Russian Empire and with her armies, greatly extended Russian territory.
Under Catherine's rule Russia grew strong enough to threaten the other
great powers, and because she was in fact a harsh and unscrupulous ruler,
she figured in the Western imagination as the incarnation of the immense,
backward, and forbidding country she ruled. Starts with armies in Moscow
and Kiev, and a fleet in St. Petersburg. Unit color is white. See also V.
Special Rules regarding Bakhchisaray becoming a home SC for Russia.

9) Kingdom of Prussia (3 Supply Centers)
The autocrat Frederick I left his son and successor, Frederick II, a wealthy
financial reserve, productive domains, a hardworking bureaucracy, and
arguably, the best-trained army in Europe. Frederick II, known now as the
Great (reigned 1740-86), put the newly realized strength of the Prussian
state at the service of an ambitious but risky foreign policy. Frederick
astonished Europe within months of his accession to the throne by invading
Silesia, a prosperous and flourishing province of the Habsburg Empire, thus
precipitating the War of the Austrian Succession. The Austro-Prussian
struggle for Silesia continued, with uneasy intermissions, until the end of
the Seven Years War. Facing seemingly insurmountable odds in the Seven Years
War, Frederick brilliantly outmaneuvered and outfought the coalition bent on
Prussia's destruction that had been assembled by Austria as payback for the
War of Austrian Succession. The final acquisition of Silesia increased the
territory and population of tiny Prussia by a third. Frederick's wars not
only established his personal reputation as a military genius, but also won
recognition for Prussia as one of the Great Powers of Europe. Starts with
armies in Berlin, Breslau, and Koenigsberg. Unit color is black. See also V.
Special Rules regarding Koenigsberg becoming a home SC for Poland & Saxony.

10) The Ottoman Empire (3 Supply Centers)
Not involved in the Seven Years War, but impossible to ignore as a power in
Europe, the Ottoman Empire was under the rule of Sultan Mustafa III (reigned
1757-74). Mustafa instituted governmental and military reforms (including
the adoption of western-style tactics, uniforms, and arms) to halt the
empire's slow but steady decline. A century and a half earlier the Ottoman
Turks had ruled over the largest empire in the world, but that day of glory
was now fast fading. Dominated by military and religious factions, the
empire remained a medieval state politically, economically, and socially.
In spite of urgings by France and Prussia, the Ottoman Empire was reluctant
to participate in the European scheme of alliances and counter-alliances.
Nevertheless, it fought constant, intermittent wars with its European
neighbors in the 18th century, including three separate wars against a
Russo-Austrian alliance between 1736 and 1792. Although no longer at the
peak of its power (the last siege of Vienna took place in 1683), it still
took a coalition of European nations to bring down the Ottoman Empire in
the 18th century. Starts with armies in Sofia and Bakhchisaray, and a
fleet in Constantinople. Unit color is yellow. See also V. Special Rules
regarding Bakhchisaray becoming a home SC for Russia.

III. MINOR POWERS

In addition to the ten Great Powers, there is also a host of "minor powers",
which are non-player neutral SCs representing the smaller states of Europe.
These include the following:
-Algeria
-Baden-Wurttemberg (repr. the small independent states of southern Germany)
-Bavaria
-Hesse-Westphalia (repr. the small independent states of central Germany)
-Mecklenburg
-Morocco
-The Kingdom of Two Sicilies
-The Papal States (see Section V, Special Rules)
-The Kingdom of Portugal
-The Kingdom of Sardinia
-Switzerland
-Tunisia
-The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (repr. the small states of Tuscany and Modena)
-The United Provinces
-The Venetian Republic
Each minor power, although a "non-player," starts with a unit (unit color is
dark green). All minor powers start with an army except for the following
minors that start with a fleet: Portugal, the Venetian Republic, the Kingdom
of Two Sicilies, the United Provinces, Tunisia, and Algeria (the fleets in
Tunisia and Algeria representing the Barbary pirates). Minor power units
prevent a Great Power from simply moving into an empty space and gaining
control of the SC. To occupy a minor power SC, a Great Power will need to
move in with support. A minor power unit that is forced to retreat is
disbanded. If a Great Power does not occupy the minor power SC at the end of
a Fall turn, the minor power's unit is automatically rebuilt in the Winter.
As in standard Diplomacy, a Great Power controls a minor power SC when one
of its units occupies the space after a Fall turn has been played and
completed. Once a Great Power gains control of a minor power SC, it can
leave the SC vacant and still keep control of it as long as that SC is not
occupied by another Great Power at the close of a Fall turn. Minor power
units do nothing but hold in place, unless the unit has been ordered by a
Great Power using its Diplomacy Points.

IV. DIPLOMACY POINTS

At the start of the Spring and Fall turns, each Great Power receives one Diplomacy Point (DP) for each SC it controls, up to a maximum of three DPs per turn. During each Spring and Fall turn, each Great Power may allocate none, some, or all of its DPs to minor powers that still have units on the map. For each DP allocated, the allocating Great Power submits an order for that particular minor power's unit. A Great Power may also consolidate all of its DPs (if it has more than one) into a single order. A Great Power may only order a minor power to hold or support. A minor power can not be ordered to move/attack. Unused DPs may not be carried over into the next turn. They are simply lost. Players are not required to tell each other how they allocated their DPs. Just as with negotiations, players may honor their agreements with other players or not, as they see fit. Only the GM will know how Great Powers have allocated their DPs. DP allocation is not published in the adjudication; only the end results are published. The GM determines how DPs have been allocated. In the event of a conflict, an order for a particular minor power's unit is followed if it is supported by more DPs than any conflicting order. See the following examples:
Example 1.
In Spring '63, France allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Sardinia. No other major Power allocates a DP to Switzerland so the Swiss unit supports the French attack on Sardinia.
Example 2.
In Spring '63, France allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to
support a French attack on Sardinia. Austria also allocates one DP to
Switzerland to get it to support an Austrian attack on Venetia. Since
France and Austria each allocated one DP to Switzerland, neither controls Switzerland and the Swiss army simply holds in place.
Example 3.
In Spring '63, France allocates two DPs to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Sardinia. Austria allocates only one DP to Switzerland to get it to support an Austrian attack on Venetia. Since France allocated one more DP to Switzerland than Austria did, the Swiss support the French attack on Sardinia.
Example 4.
In Spring '63, France allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support a French attack on Sardinia. Austria allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support an Austrian attack on Venetia. In support of France, Turkey allocates one DP to Switzerland to get it to support the French attack on Sardinia. Although France, Austria, and Turkey each allocated one DP to Switzerland, the French get the Swiss support because the Turks supported the French diplomatic efforts with the Swiss. If, during a Spring or Fall turn, a Great Power allocates more DPs to minor powers than it is entitled to, all of that Great Power's DPs are forfeited for that particular turn.

V. SPECIAL RULES

-The first turn of the game begins in the Spring of 1763.
-While the Austrian Netherlands acts as a home SC for Austria, Austria cannot build in the Austrian Netherlands. However, Austria may build in Milan.
-Britain & Hanover may build in Hanover.
-Koenigsberg is a home SC for Prussia while it is controlled by Prussia.
 Koenigsberg is a home SC for Poland & Saxony while it is controlled by Poland & Saxony. Thus, Poland & Saxony must control Koenigsberg to build a fleet.
-Bakhchisaray is a home SC for Turkey while it is controlled by Turkey.  Bakhchisaray is a home SC for Russia while it is controlled by Russia. Thus, Russia must control Bakhchisaray to build a fleet in the Black Sea.
-Any power may allocate DP's to the Papal States, but the Papal States army may only be ordered to hold or to support a unit belonging to a Catholic  state (i.e., France, Austria, Spain, Poland & Saxony, Tuscany, Two Sicilies and Venetia).

VI. VICTORY CONDITIONS

As soon as one Great Power controls 15 SCs, the game ends immediately and the player representing that Great Power is the winner. If two Great Powers each gain control of 15 or more SCs at the same time, the player representing the Great Power with the most SCs is considered the winner.
If the two Great Powers each control the same number of SCs, the game continues until one player has 15 or more SCs and that player has more SCs than any other player. Players may terminate the game by mutual agreement before a winner is determined. If this occurs, any decision reached by the players (e.g., concede game to one player, concede game to an alliance) must be accepted unanimously. If the players cannot agree, all players who still have pieces on the board when the game ends share equally in a draw.

VII. CIVIL DISORDER

If a player is lost during the game, the GM is strongly encouraged to find a replacement player for the affected Great Power rather than have it lapse into civil disorder. In the event no replacement player is found and the GM declares the Great Power to be in permanent civil disorder, the following rules apply:
-All units of the Great Power in civil disorder (GPCD) are immediately
 disbanded.
-All SCs controlled by the GPCD that are unoccupied are immediately
 considered newly independent minor powers. Minor power army units are built in those minor power spaces.
-All SCs controlled by the GPCD that are occupied by a unit belonging to another Great Power are unaffected. If the occupying Great Power moves its unit out of the GPCD's SC so that the SC is unoccupied at the conclusion of a Fall turn, a minor power army unit is built there and that SC is  considered a newly independent minor power.
-For the remainder of the game, all newly independent minor powers are subject to the provisions of Section III. Minor Powers. In particular, this means the new minor power can be influenced using Diplomacy Points (see IV. Diplomacy Points).
-Once a Great Power is declared to be in permanent civil disorder, it may not be played by an active player again.

VIII. NOTES ON MAP

-There is no canal where Kiel used to be located.
-Lake Ladoga, the Russian body of water adjoining the spaces of St.
 Petersburg, Novgorod, Karelia, and Moscow, is impassable. A unit may not move from St. Petersburg to Novgorod or vice versa. Similarly, a unit may not move from Karelia to Moscow or vice versa.
-The Sea of Azov, an integral part of the Bakhchisaray space, is
 considered impassable for fleet movement purposes. Only one unit, a fleet or an army may occupy Bakhchisaray at any one time. Further, this means that Kazan has only one coast. This is the coast along the Black Sea. The tiny coast off of the Sea of Azov is ignored for fleet movement purposes.
-Gibraltar is a sea space that contains land. This means that a fleet in
 Gibraltar can convoy an army and that an army can occupy Gibraltar.
 Gibraltar breaks the coast of Seville in two. It does not break the coast of Morocco in two.
-Army movement across water is permitted without a convoy at crossing arrows: Morocco-Gibraltar, and Ireland-Edinburgh.

IX. SPACE NAMES AND ABBREVIATIONS.

Being based on a map of Europe in 1763, Ambition & Empire has a number of spaces that do not appear on the conventional Diplomacy map. As in Diplomacy, there are twenty sea spaces. However, with few exceptions, the land spaces are radically changed, particularly in the east. There are sixty-seven land spaces, of which forty-three are SCs.

Download file at http://realpolitik.ludomaniac.de/ambition&empire/Ambitio n&Empire_sw.zip

Players (need eight more):

Rider
Kapikulu

And we need GM, the most important person.

Maju is definitely right, everybody is going to build cavalry and the game will be stuck at some time...

Rider, it seems better if we change it to something that Maju-who is a professional- offers.

Maju,

Just curious..How many games have you played so far,and the number of your victories and defeats?

That's not a satisfactory answer.

Yeah finding players for the board game is a tough task.

And which is funnier to play you think:board game or playing by e-mail?