Diplomacy A-Z, Version 6.0

H Entries

HACK [PB:1980]
Phrase from journalism. Editor who churns out work without any feeling. Can be a verb. "To hack out an issue" is to churn it out.
HALF-ANNIHILATION (1) [MB:Jun80]
A tactical ploy in which two units are dislodged, but each of them has only one retreat square, which is the same for each, meaning that (at most) only one unit will survive.
HALL OF FAME (1) [MB:Jun80]
Larry Peery's proposal, never implemented, with an elected committee to supervise, and entrance is via appointment.
HALL OF FAME (2) [MB:Mar82]
See International Diplomacy Hall of Fame.
HALL OF FAME (EMAIL) (1) [NF/MN:Feb93]
The Hall of Fame contains details of games finished on a Judge, provided that they meet certain minimum standards, and all finished games not played on a Judge but given EP numbers. Game results and a complete list of players, and how well they did, are given. Points are based on the formula Points = (N-W)/W where N = # of players (7 in standard, 10 in Youngstown) and W is # of winners (1) or people who shared in the draw. I.e., in a standard game, 6.0 points for a win, 2.5 for a two-way draw, 1.33 for three-way draw. The top 100 players are ranked at the bottom of the list.

With Version 7.0 of the Hall of Fame (February 23rd, 1993) the distribution system was changed: the full version of the file with details for all players was put as a ftpable file at nda.com and the EFF JUDGE. An abridged version of the file containing only those entries which have points (e.g. a game in which you do not feature in the final result is not included) and a summary table of the Top 100 players was distributed to rec.games.diplomacy: a minimum of 2.16 points was required to enter the Top 100.

Danny Loeb produced the first HoF, and designed the HoF rating system as a one-shot in January 1990. Nick Fitzpatrick restarted the HoF, using the same rating system as Danny, in January 1992 and Version 1.0 appeared in April 1992. Now run by Nick Fitzpatrick. See Alternative Hall of Fame and Rating System (KW).

HOF #           1st               2nd                3rd
01-03 HOF didn't contain rating points.
04 (09/92) Jamie Dreier (16.16)  Matt Ender (10.58) Andrew Verweij (10.36)
05 (10/92) Dave Cebula  (26.11)  Jamie Dreier (14.99) Andre Verweij (11.47)
06 (01/93) Mauri Krouse (30.91)  Dave Cebula (26.11) Jamie Dreier (20.99) (*)
07 (02/93) Kendrick Lo  (29.94)  Dave Cebula (26.11) Jamie Dreier (24.24)
08 (03/93) Kendrick Lo  (35.97)  Jamie Dreier (30.24) Dave Cebula (26.11)
09 (05/93) Kendrick Lo  (35.97)  Dave Cebula (33.02) Jamie Dreier (31.57)
10 (07/93) Kendrick Lo  (40.79)  Dave Cebula (33.02) Jamie Dreier (32.17)
11 (09/93) Kendrick Lo  (41.45)  Dave Cebula (33.02) Jamie Dreier (26.17)
12 (12/93) Kendrick Lo  (40.98)  Dave Cebula (33.02) Jamie Dreier (32.57)
13 (03/94) Kendrick Lo  (40.98)  Dan Shoham  (36.96) Dave Cebula  (33.02)
14 (06/94) Dan Shoham   (52.96)  Kendrick Lo (41.46) Josh Smith   (37.31)
15 (09/94) Dan Shoham   (53.00)  Josh Smith  (45.34) Kevin Narizny (41.83)
16 (11/94) Dan Shoham   (92.40)  Kevin Narizny (46.50) Josh Smith  (45.34)
17 (02/95) Dan Shoham   (92.88)  Kevin Narizny (58.77) Michael L. Frigge (47.87)
18 (10/95) Dan Shoham   (92.88)  Kevin Narizny (61.60) Conrad Minshall (56.04)
19 (01/96) Dan Shoham   (93.02)  Conrad Minshall (63.04) Kevin Narizny (61.60)

HOF # is the appropriate Version of the HOF file. (*) Between HoF 6 and HoF 7 Chaos II was downgraded from a 34-player vt to a 20-player vt for rating purposes.

  HoF#       Points
04 (09/92)  1.75 * Only Top Sixty Players listed.
05 (10/92)  2.50 * Only Top Sixty Players listed.
06 (01/93)  1.50
07 (02/93)  2.16
08 (03/93)  2.66
09 (05/93)  3.37
10 (07/93)  4.89
11 (09/93)  6.00
12 (12/93)  6.00
13 (03/94)  6.39
14 (06/94)  7.24
15 (09/94)  7.70
16 (11/94)  7.91
17 (02/95)  8.25
18 (10/95)  9.78
19 (01/96) 10.55

Starting with HoF 14 Nick also listed the Top 100 players based on games to finish in the current year. The top seven players at the end of 1994 would be inivited to play in the game top94.

TOP 100 Player List from Hall of Fame Games Completed in...
     First               Second                 Third
1994 Dan Shoham (66.45)  Kevin Narinzy (43.02)  Conrad Minshall (35.62)  HoF18
1995 Conrad Minshall (27.42) Jake Orion (26.60) Simon Szykman  (25.33)   HoF19
HALLXX (1) [MN/NF:Feb93]
Once a year the top 7 players on the Hall of Fame listing are asked to play in an 'expert's game'. (If the previous year's game finished in a win then the winner of that game and the top six players are asked to play). If a player declines the invitation then the next highest rated player is asked to play. There is also a restriction that no more than one player from any given site can play in the game.
HALL92 (1) [MN/NF:Feb93/Dec93]
The first Hall of Fame game, hall92, was started on the Washington Judge in October 1992: The players ranked 1-5, and 8-9 played. The game was characterized by highly conservative play, and very fluid alliances, in Winter 1907, no power had been eliminated, and the strengths ranged from 3 to 7 centres.

The game concluded in an EFGIR draw, in 1922 when a 15 centre Italy conceded that he could not defeat the alliance of 4, relatively weak, powers. This set a record for least number of Hall of Fame points given per game year of play. (5 way draw=0.4 points. Each year was worth a meagre 0.018 points! Another highlight of the game was Italy's "Offensive Retreat", where he retreated most of his units into the Balkans and Turkey, trying to tempt one of his enemies into grabbing some of his supply centres and break the alliance. France, Germany and Russia, however, held their lines; when England was tempted, and started to move into Italy, Russia quickly prepared to grab English territory in Scandinavia, ending England's advance. See Hall of Fame and HallXX.

HALL93 (1) [NF:Dec93]
Hall93 was started on the Morrolan Judge in September 1993: The top 7 players all joined the game. In the early stages, the game has been much more unpredictable than hall92. An early EFG alliance was slowly winning the game against AIRT's inability to form a cohesive defence, however the attack fell apart after England (who was Italy in hall92) attacked Germany. An attack that is continuing despite the fact that England's home centres are now all but lost to France. One wonders how much revenge is taking place for the events in hall92! See Hall of Fame and HallXX.
HALL94 (1) [MN/NF:Sep94]
The top 8 players on the 16th Hall of Fame list were invited to play (Kendrick Lo having retired from email play). Dan Shoham refused to play, and Rob Rehbold was facing the loss of his connection. The player list was: Josh Smith (2nd, 45.34), Kevin Narizny (3rd, 41.83), Alan Bick (6th, 36.88), Greg Tanner (7th, 35.02), Dave Cebula (8th, 34.37), Jamie Dreier (9th, 34.08) and Larry Hardouin (10th, 30.61). See Hall of Fame and HallXX.
HANDBOOK (1) [MB:Jun80]
A large (50+ page) collection of articles both original and reprinted sponsored by the IDA. Handbooks were issued in 1973, 1974 (both edited by John Boyer), 1975 (Edi Birsan), 1976 (Len Lakofka, special theme: publishing a zine) and 1977 (Greg Costikyan).
THE HARDCORE [PB/MB:1980/Jun80]
A phrase originally defined as the group of lunatics who would go to every con, particularly those who went to ScotDipCon but it stuck to this group even after they ceased to be so involved and other people became more involved. Occasionally used perjoratively when this group came to be perceived as 'the establishment'. Poll held to decide who the hardcore was. Of those, Piggott, Glyn Palmer and myself (Pete Birks) are still 'active', while Ron Fisher and Greg Hawes are still around in a reduced form. Richard Sharp isn't. Ten more were voted 'full members' of whom only one still edits, one (Paul Simpkins) produced this (A Glossary of Terms), and two are still around. Opposite is softcore.
HARE and TORTOISE (1) [TNP:87]
An unusual race game in which one has to go backwards in order to go forwards. Original, six player version generally regarded as superior to the one currently available.
HARRIS RATING SYSTEM (1) [MN:Jan93]
Toby Harris' refinement of the Wilman Rating System, printed in Smodnoc 25 (November 1990).

OUTRIGHT WIN: 100 points (all other players receive 0 pts as their final
     score).
2-WAY DRAW  : 50 pts each, for the two players concerned.
3-WAY DRAW  : 30 pts each, for the three players concerned.
4-WAY DRAW  : 25 pts each.
5-WAY DRAW  : 20 pts each.
6-WAY DRAW  : 15 pts each.
7-WAY DRAW  : 10 pts each.
   On top of these points, you *also* get:
(1) 0.01 pt for each supply centre held at the end of the game.
(2) 0.1pt for every supply centre owned in excess of every player with less
    centres than you at the end of the game.
    e.g. if the final results are: A(17), E(11), F(0), G(0), I(3), R(1), T(2).
       then the points are awarded as follows:
       France and Germany receive zero for being eliminated.
       Austria gets: 20 pts for a 5-way draw                = 20
              0.01 x 17 pts for his centres                 =  0.17
              0.1 x (17-11) for beating England             =  0.60
              0.1 x (17-0)  for beating France.             =  1.70
              0.1 x (17-0)  for beating Germany.            =  1.70
              0.1 x (17-3)  for beating Italy.              =  1.40
              0.1 x (17-1)  for beating Russia.             =  1.60
              0.1 x (17-2)  for beating Turkey.             =  1.50
                                TOTAL                         28.67

Similarly Russia only gets 20 pts for the draw, 0.01 for his centre and (1-0)x0.1 (twice) for beating France and Germany. TOTAL 20.21 pts. See Rating System (KW).

HARRY GRAPH (1) [AoS:88]
Pie chart invented by Neil Ashworth to display the tactical holdings of countries and described in his award winning article "Strategic Value of Provinces". Every province is awarded a number of points according to certain criteria such as whether it is accessible by sea, how many other provinces does it border, does it have a supply centre, etc. Each country's slice of the "pie" is determined by how many points it gets each season for the provinces it controls.
HARTLAND TREFOIL (1) [TNP:87]
Company set up by games inventor Francis Tresham to market his complex multi-player games, Civilization, 1829 and 1830, which are often played at cons.
HEAD-ON GALICIAN (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Alb, A(Vie)-Gal and A(Bud)-Gal. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEADLINE (1) [MB:Jun80]
A brief commentary by the GM placed directly before the moves, generally designed to entertain, inform, and grab the attention of the non-player. The opinions are occasionally inaccurate, sometimes deliberately so. A small touch that adds to the liveliness of the zine. One master of this form is Rod Walker.
HEDGEHOG (1) [MB/RE:Jun80/89-90]
Named coined in 1975 by Richard Sharp for the Austrian opening A(Vie)-Gal, F(Tri)-Ven, A (Bud)-Rum, nowadays used to also describe the A(Bud)-Ser option which is more properly termed the Southern Hedgehog. The aim is to afford Austria, so often the first player eliminated from the game, complete protection against early attacks by Italy and Russia, whilst the Southern version also ensures a fourth supply centre, in Serbia, with the possibility of supporting A(Gal)-Rum in Autumn. The moves to Gal and Ven, through superficially speculative, are of largely defensive intent, standing off the likes of A(War)-Gal and A(Ven)-Tri (or, still worse, A(Rom)-Ven, following up A(Ven)-Tyr) - like the Hedgehog, says Sharp, this opening is "ferocious in appearance but cowardly at heart, hence the name". As such it is the reverse of the all-or-nothing approach of the Balkan Gambit. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, ALPINE VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Ven, A(Vie)-Tyr and A(Bud)-Gal. Was originally called Great Northern Hedgehog. In _Dolchstoss 47_ (November 1976) Richard wrote "never tried ((in UK postal games)) and quite right to". See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, DEAD PORCUPINE VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Ven, A(Vie) SA(Bud)-Gal. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, FISHER'S FOLLY VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Ven, A(Bud)-Rum, A(Vie)-Boh. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, GREAT NORTHERN VARIATION
See Austrian Openings (KW) and Hedgehog, Alpine Variation.
HEDGEHOG, HUNGARIAN VARIATION (1) [MN:Sep95]
The opening F(Tri)-Ven, A(Bud)-Ser, A(Vie)-Bud. Named based on Richard Sharp's nomenclature for Austrian Openings. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGHOG, PORCUPINE VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Ven, A(Bud) SA(Vie)-Gal. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, SOUTHERN VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Better known as the Southern Hedgehog. The opening: F(Tri)-Ven, A(Bud)-Ser and A(Vie)-Gal. Named and popularized by Richard Sharp. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, TRUE VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Better known as the Hedgehog. Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)-Ven, A(Vie)-Gal and A(Bud)-Rum. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HEDGEHOG, TYROLESE VARIATION (1) [MN:Aug95]
The opening F(Tri)-Ven, A(Bud)-Ser, A(Vie)-Tyr. Named based on Richard Sharp's nomenclature for Austrian Openings. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HELL (1) [HR:Apr92]
There is a special place in Hell reserved for Diplomacy players. It's called Carebearland. Everyone is forced to play cooperative games, with no lying, cheating, double-dealing or backstabbing allowed! See Humour.
HEY BRESTO (1) [MB:Jun80]
Richard Sharp's peculiar plan for an E-F attack on Germany which begins with England taking Brest, to keep France from building fleets against her. See English Openings (KW) and French Openings (KW).
HIDDEN MOVEMENT (1) [AP:1986]
Usually the orders given to all units and their results are shown in the game-report for each turn. However in some variants, the movement of specific units may be kept hidden, and only the owning player is informed of the results. Only when a hidden unit is involved in conflict will its whereabouts be publicaly known. Pieces usually have hidden movements and are only seen when they exercise their powers. See also Hidden Movement Variants and Variant Jargon (KW).
HIDDEN MOVEMENT VARIANTS (1) [MB/MN:Jun80/Jul94]
Those which obscure from a given (or all other) some or all of the other players' moves. The games vary according to when you are given some particular information, what type of information you get, and how you get extra information. Examples include: Diplomyopia (Hemming), Fog of War (Nurse), Kriegspiel (Tretick), STAB! (Evans) and a wide variety of "blind" games. Analogous to the chess variant Kriegspiel.

Variants where only pieces have hidden moves, such as Downfall, are not classed as Hidden Movement Variants. See Hidden Movement and Variant Jargon (KW).

HIGH COMMAND (1) [MB:Jun80]
Francois Cuerrier's press byline in _Passchendaele_ used for answering letters.
HIGH OCEAN (1) [MN:Jul94]
An Off-board box found in several Diplomacy variants designed by Fred C. Davis Jnr; eg Dual-space Diplomacy and 1885 IIIR. See also Variant Jargon (KW).
HOAX [PB:1980]
See Fake, Coup, and various other places. Diplomacy being Diplomacy, hoaxes are neither infrequent nor unsurprising when they work. No space for examples, but watch out for them. You may get caught, and it's no good mourning about it afterwards. Diplomacy isn't a "fair" game.
HOAX ZINE (1) [MB:Jun80/Mar82, BL:Feb07]
A fake issue of a zine, done to confuse and entertain (for when it's done to influence a game, see phony readjudication). The best known and possibly the cleverest was of Moeshoeshoe, done by Conrad von Metzke, but other have existed for Brutus Bulletin, Diplomacy Digest, Eggnog, Europa Express, Fifth Column, Fol Si Fie, Janus, Jigsaw, Passchendaele, Retaliation, Runestone, SNAFU!, Shogun's Sword, The Diplomat (the first hoax of another's zine, done by Rod Walker), Whitestonia, Voice of Doom, and several of Volkerwanderung. Even nonexistent zines have been hoaxed ("Barker").

The trend since the early 1980's has been to label the hoaxes specifically as such, and to omit the games. [Note: zine names not labeled with _name_.]

HOAX ZINE (2) [BL:Feb07]
I realize the list isn't meant to be exhaustive, but you might want to include Diplomacy World, which was faked twice: Issue 31A, which was published by Al Pearson, and issue 40, which was published by me. Also you mention a fake of a zine which didn't exist called "Barker." If you're referring to Jack Masters' fake purporting to have come from Dave Barker, I believe its name was actually "Screwbarker." I'm not aware of any fake zine named "Barker."
HOAX ZINE (3) [BL:Aug07]
Well, I've been looking through some of my old dipzines the past few days, and I did indeed find more than one reference to "Barker." So I stand corrected.
HOBBY, The (1) [MN:Apr92]
A term used mainly in the UK to denote the people that play postal Diplomacy and the zines that they play it in. In fact many Hobby members play games other than Diplomacy and there are zines in the Hobby which do not run Diplomacy, and a couple that don't run any games at all! There are zines and players which are not members of the Hobby. Confused? Deciding if a zine/person is in the Hobby or not is a tricky business. Broadly speaking if a zine trades with other Hobby zines and carries Hobby news then the zine is in the Hobby (if it isn't then it is either a fringe zine or nothing to do with the Hobby). And if a player plays/reads Hobby zines then he/she is a Hobby member.

Some people (myself included) like to draw a distinction between "the hobby" and "The Hobby" (note the capitals!). Here the hobby refers to the zines and people, whilst The Hobby refers to a smaller subsection of the hobby: those zines that carry a heavy concentration of Hobby news, reviews of other fanzines and are more aware of their fannish heritage. You might well wonder why people like to draw up these distinctions and whether it really matters. Well, that's The Hobby for you.

HOBBY AWARDS (KW) (1) [MN:Dec93]
Everything you ever wanted to know about Hobby Awards: Ambassador Awards, Calhamer Awards, Caruso (Kathy Byrne) Award for Lifetime Achievement, Diploccocus, Diplomacy Player Poll, Doomie of the Year Award, Edi Birsan Stab Contest, Ethil The Frog Egoboo Poll, Event of the Year, Game of the Year, Gemignani Awards, Gladys Awards, Golden Frog Awards, Hobby Favorites Awards, Holley Award, Hyatt (Fred) Award for GM Performance, Koning Award for Outstanding Service, Marco Poll, McCallum Meritorious Service Award, Don Miller Hobby Service Award, Nixon Award, North American Hobby Awards, North Amerian Variant Hobby Poll, North American Zine and GM Poll, North American Zine Poll, Personality of the Year, Pimley Memorial Award, Publication of the Year, Runestone Poll, Rusty Bolts, Swedish PBM Zine Poll, Subzine Poll, Walker Award, Walkerdine Zine Poll, Xyn's People Read Poll, and Zine Poll.
HOBBY AWARDS (2) [MN:Sep94]
Considered by some to be a good way to recognize people who "help" the hobby beyond the call of duty, By others a complete waste of time and effort. Larry Peery organised the first set of hobby awards in 1972 and they've been popular ever since! Currently running Hobby Awards in the UK are: The Gladys Awards, The Pimley Award, The Subzine Poll and The Zine Poll. See North American Hobby Awards for some North American Awards. See Hobby Awards (KW). Defunct Hobby Awards almost form an uncountable set.
HOBBY CENSUS (1) [MN:Sep94]
An attempt to produce a listing of hobby members. In the UK traditionally based on analysis of whose playing in which games, hence excluding anyone either not playing or GMing, whilst in the US traditionally based on the mailing lists of zines supplied by the editors, hence excluding people who only sub to zines not included in the survey. First Hobby Census was conducted by John Boardman in 1965. See also Black Blue Book, Hobby Census - North America and PDO Census.
HOBBY CENSUS, NORTH AMERICA (1) [MN:Sep94]
Attempts to measure the size of the American Hobby have been made at vaguely perdiodic intervals. These have traditionally been based on the mailing lists of zines taking part in the survey. The first survey, published in the May 1965 issue of _Graustark_, is the last Census to be based on *all* zines active in the hobby.

Based on mailing lists the survey can be distorted if certain 'key' editors don't contribute their mailing lists. The 1988 survey had a low number of Canadians because none of the bid four Canadian zines (_Praxis_, _Excelsior_, _Northern Flame_ and _The Canadian Diplomat_) contributed their mailing lists. Also missing were mailing lists from a number of the more prominent American zines (_Boast_, _Cathy's Ramblings_, _Costaguana_, _Diplomacy World_, _Graustark_, and _KK/W_).

Year Organizer Nu Zines America Canada Total  Top 3 US States
1965 {J.Boardman}  8                    83
1988  D.Martin    33     666      40   706   Calif  (74), Md (60), Va (53).
1990  J.Martin *  ??     611     120   731   Calif (97), Md and NY (41).
1992  D.Kent   *  35     691      86   777   Calif (111), Pa (43), Ill (42).
1993  D.Kent   *  47     614      54   668   Calif (110), Pa (41), Ill (36).

* Indicates that this was a PDO Census. The 1993 Census contained an interesting matrix showing who gets which zines. Fascinating!

HOBBY FAVORITES AWARDS (1) [MN:May93]
Another North American Hobby Poll, this time run by Phil Reynolds. Voters vote for their favourite choice in 14 different categories such as "Favourite Diplomacy variant", "Favourite Player", "Most Feared Player", "Favourite Playing Zine", "Favourite Reading Zine" etc. They also answer questions such as "Years Playing Diplomacy", "Favourite Country to Play" etc. Ran in 1990, 1991 (30 voters) and 1992. Similar to the UK Gladys Awards.
HOBBYMASTERS (1) [MN:May93]
According to Andrew Poole those members of the hobby who lead and shape the hobby. That is those who are 'influential', whose zines are looked up to (at least a little) or who don't publish at all, but whose names are widely known.
HOBBYMEET (1) [TNP:87]
A gathering of hobby members on a regular basis in a pub for convivial conversation.
HoF (1) [MN:Dec93]
Commonly used abbreviation for the email Hall of Fame.
HOLCOMB LINE (1) [MB:Jun80]
A practical stalemate line of A(Bur), A(Ruh) and A(Kie) to hold the west, normally French in coordination with the English. 5 or 6 fleets needed in the south. See Stalemate Lines.
HOLLAND OPENING (1) [MN:Aug95]
Richard Sharp's name for any German opening using F(Kie)-Hol and A(Ber)-Kie. There are six named variations: the the Berlin, the Bohemian, the Burgundy, the Munich and the Silesian and the Tyrolian. There are no prizes for guessing what the differences are. The Burgundy variation was named by Mark Berch the Holland variation of the Burgundy Attack. The Ruhr variation is known as the Dutch variation of the Blitzkrieg Opening. See German Openings (KW).
HOLLEY AWARD, THE MELINDA ANN (1) [FCD:Spring93]
Ron Cameron presented this idea at the 1989 DipCon. It was originally to be presented to the lady member of the hobby who had done the most for Diplomacy in the preceding year. However, before the first voting was held in 1990, the standards were revised to make it an award for "Quantity Participation" in the hobby. It was named for Melinda Ann Holley, who was the leading lady publisher and player in the hobby at that time. Cameron originally received a very large trophy donated by Jack Stewart of Spokane, Washington, which was to be presented to each year's winner. However, this trophy was too large to ship by mail, and had not room on it upon which to engrave the winner's names. Accordingly, in 1991 a Perpetual Plaque, similar in design to the Walker and Koning Award Perpetual Plaques, was brought for presentation to the winners. A list of winners:
1990 Melinda Ann Holley: For the publication of the zine _Rebel_, which carried more games than any other current North American zine; and for her personal participation in so many Diplomacy games.
1991 Melinda Ann Holley: Same as cited above for 1990.
1992 Kathy Caruso.
1993 Doug Kent.
1994 David Hood: For hosting DixieCon 1993 and editing _Diplomacy World_ through Fall 1993.
See Hobby Awards.
HOLOCAUST (1) [MB:Jun80]
Steve McLendon's 9-player global variant. It uses the abstraction convoy, players may build in any open center they own, and victory is set at less than a majority of centers. The game is unusually well balanced. (See DW 22). See Variant (KW).
HOOSIER ARCHIVES (1) [MB/PG:Jun80/Nov93]
The hobby's most complete archives, founded by Walt Buchanan. It is based primarily on trades for the zines _Hoosier Archives_, and later _DW_, and on Walt's ability to talk people leaving the hobby into giving him their zine collections. Walt holds the 1963-May 1978 material; later stuff is in the _Orchives_. (As of late 1993 Walt was attempting to 'adopt out' the Archives due to his move to Florida, with Conrad von Metzke likely taking up the task of temporary storage.)
HOOSIER ARCHIVES (2) [MN:Nov92]
A spirit-duplicated zine run by Walt Buchanan in the early 1970's which was the launching pad for _Diplomacy World_. This zine was the focal-point of the North American Hobby in the early 1970's and had a wide circulation (around 200). Walt only ran one game at a time, a demo game featuring many of the top players in North America. Many of these games are regarded as classics and they are worth studying. A typical issue would contain the demo game, some reprinted Diplomacy articles and a few pages of hobby news --- Walt traded with every Diplomacy zine in the world, or tried to. One of Walt's aims was to create a Diplomacy archive containing complete runs of every Diplomacy zine ever published, see _Hoosier Archives_ (1). The zine was published fortnightly. When Walt started _DW_ to replace _Hoosier Archives_, Hoosier continued to run to carry the adjudications for the DW Demo Games. When Walt finally folded he had pubbed over 200 issues of _Hoosier Archives_. See Zine Names (KW).
HOP, STEP AND JUMP OPENING (1) [MB/MN:Mar82/Nov92]
Named by Iain Forsyth, this has A Bud-Rum followed in the fall by a Russian convoy of A Rum-Ank. He suggests A War-Gal as camouflage in the spring. In a famous British game played in the 1980's Richard Sharp (R) and Paul McGivern (A) used this opening to stuff Steve Jones (T). Steve is widely regarded as being the best ever postal player in the UK and so pulling this coup off was an outstanding achievement.

Some time later Paul was marrying and Richard was invited to the wedding. Richard made sure that he wasn't going to be the best man. On the day of the wedding (after a night's hard drinking) Paul said "Oh Richard, I hope you haven't forgotten that you are the best man..."

Some time later... After the wedding Paul went on his honeymoon but was persuaded that one of the best man's jobs was to order his units for him in his dip games. The next season Russia went from 11 to 17 and after a few exciting seasons when the remaining players tried to deny him the win Richard finally won the game! See Russian Openings (KW).

HOSTAGE CENTRE (1) [MB:Mar82]
A centre held by one player, usually a puppet, but in reality controlled by another. It's the best way for a master to keep his puppet in line.
HOUSEBOAT OPENING (1) [MN:Apr93]
Richard Sharp's name for any Austria opening which features the move F(Tri)H. Not one of Austria's best choices for that unit. Sometimes known as the Roadhog Opening. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HOUSEBOAT OPENING (2) [MN:Aug:94]
Richard Sharp also uses this name for any Turkish opening which uses the order F(Ank) Holds. The Constantinople variation, A(Smy)-Con, is the most popular.
HOUSEBOAT OPENING, CRICHTON'S VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening used by David Crichton in a game in Dolchstoss (DS19): F(Tri)H, A(Bud)-Ser, A(Vie)H. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HOUSEBOAT OPENING, HUNGARIAN VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)H, A(Bud)-Ser, A(Vie)-Bud. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HOUSEBOAT OPENING, PARANOIA DEFENCE: (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: A(Vie) SF(Tri)H, A(Bud)-Ser. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HOUSEBOAT OPENING, SOUTHERN HEDGEHOG VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening F(Tri)H, A(Vie)-Gal, A(Bud)-Ser. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HOUSEBOAT OPENING, TRUE HEDGEHOG VARIATION (1) [MN:May93]
Richard Sharp's name for the opening: F(Tri)H, A(Vie)-Gal, A(Bud)-Rum. See Austrian Openings (KW).
HOUSECON (1) [AoS:88]
Mini-tournament involving the members of a particular zine, club or group and held literally in someone's house.
HOUSE OF GAMES (1) [MB:Jun80]
Publisher of Diplomacy in Canada, under license from Avalon Hill.
HOUSERULES (1) [MB/PB:Jun80/1980]
The GM's description of how his games will be run. Typical items: Format for orders, unordered units, conducting votes, dealing with errors, NMRs, disputes, Rulebook ambiguities and overrides, special play (codewords, joint orders, etc), press, and deadline strictness in general. The clarity and completeness of the HRs plus the GM's faithfulness to them are a good measure of his commitment, as they give a prospective player a good idea of how the game will be conducted. Some GMs don't use them, and seem to get by in many cases.

What every GM should send you with the gamestart announcement.

HRs (1) [MN:Feb92]
Common abbreviation for Houserules.
HUMOUR (KW) (1) [HR:Nov02]
No hobby or profession can exist without its humour. Diplomacy is no exception. Links to the following humourous entries in the A-Z are listed here. Anagrams Chapess DiplomacyAZ Diplomacy Definitions Diplomacy Emotions Diplomacy Quotations Diplomat Quotes Hell Hyork Lie Life Lightbulbs Limericks Playing Too Much Diplomacy Quotations Retreat From Portugal Rusty Bolts Smallest Issue Ever Terminal Tunisitis
HURST TOURNAMENT SCORING SYSTEM (1) [MB:Jun80]
Tom Hurst's system has a player's score for a round as A - B where A is his final SC total, and B is the average of all players with that country. For the tournament, the players' scores on each round are averaged. There are no wins or draws, and players are free to exceed the 18 center total (_Eggnog_ 43). See Rating Systems (KW).
HYATT (FRED) AWARD FOR GM PERFORMANCE [JB:Aug07]
The winners:
1996 - Andy Lischett
1997 - Andy Lischett
1998 - Doug Kent
1999 - Andy Lischett
2000 - Michael Lowrey
2001 - Doug Burgoyne
2002 - Tom Reinecker
2003 – Christine Stoy
2004 – Cal White
HYORK [PG:Nov93]
'Tag' used by Dick Martin, Bob Olsen and other early-80s Dipsters to denote sardonic laughter. Example: "Your mother was a simple-minded antelope, hyork hyork." See Humour.
HYPERECONOMIC DIPLOMACY (1) [PB/TNP:1980/87]
The biggest and most terrifying variant ever invented, with many types of units (including FF --- fishing fleets!), many currencies and more than 50 players. Geoff Challinger ran a game over 10 years ago and Martin Hammon has run one more recently, but neither reached a conclusion. See Variant (KW).
HYPERSPACE VARIANTS (1) [MB:Jun80]
These allow certain provinces which are not physically adjacent to be treated as if they were. Usually the pattern of links changes with the seasons of the year. This would be a fine game for the proponents of Scatter Theory. See Twin Earths for a related idea. See Variant Jargon (KW).

The whole A-Z, in pdf format, is HERE


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