A Diplomacy variant invented by Pierre Lavaurs and first published in French by Jean-Phillippe Hubsch in Vortigern 68. Translated by John Marsden and first published in English in Ode 21.
1. The Diplomacy Rulebook applies with the following exceptions.
2. After Spring retreats, and after Winter adjustments, an additional phase takes place: Seismic Events.
3. Each player may order one Seismic Event each season.
4. There are two kinds of Seismic Event, as follows:
This involves four provinces (land or sea) forming a configuration as in figure 1(a). The order is: A and B separate, C and D connect. If the order is applicable, the configuration becomes as in figure 1(b).
Note that C and D may be the same. For example, "Por and Spa separate, MAO & MAO connect" leaves Portugal and island in MAO.
It can occur that an order if this kind is ambiguous; such orders will be disallowed unless the player makes his intentions clear.
If three provinces form the configuration in figure 2(a), a release order would be "A and C connect". If the order is applicable, the configuration becomes as in figure 2(b).
5. Switzerland and the Outside of the Board, considered as an impassable province, can be included in Seismic Events.
Example: England, Spring 1901: StP & BAR separate, Nwy & Out connect.
Russia, Spring 1901: NWG & BAR separate, Nwy & Out connect.
The result of that is shown in figure 3.
England, Autumn 1901: Nwy & Out separate, Out & Out connect
The Barents Sea becomes trapped in the Outside, and is inaccessible.
Italy, Spring 1902: BAR & Tun connect.
Barents thus becomes a lake attached to the south of Tunis!
6. If two or more players make the same Seismic order, this has the effect of support - a conflicting order succeeds if thus supported.
7. Seismic orders are inadmissible in the following cases:
a)If there is another Seismic order, equal or greater, which, if applied at the same time as the offending order, would have the effect of dividing a province into parts.
b) If there is an equal or greater Seismic order which, if applied after the offending one, would not make sense.
Examples, Spring 1901:
1. Austria: Bul & Gre separate, Ser & AEG connect.
Turkey: Bul & AEG separate, Gre & Con connect.
2. Austria & Russia: Bul & Gre separate, Ser & AEG connect
Turkey: Bul & AEG separate, Gre & Con connect.
In the first case, the effect would be to split AEG into two; in the second case Austria's order succeeds because it is duplicated by Russia, and Turkey's then fails because separating Bul and AEG would not then permit Gre and Con to connect.
3. England, Spring 1901: Por & Spa separate, MAO & MAO connect.
Autumn 1901 England: Por & Ire connect
France: Por & Bre connect
The successive application of these orders would divide MAO in two.
8. The application of a Seismic order can cause a coastal province to be divided into two or more coasts when it previously had one or none, or to divide a previous coast into more than one. In this case, players should give provisional orders as to where a fleet in such a province should be placed. In the absence of such orders the GM will determine this randomly, or according to a convention agreed at the start of the game.
9. If, following Seismic orders, the coast on which a fleet is located disappears, and that province possesses other coast(s), the fleet is automatically relocated - conditional orders accepted if there were three or more coasts. Should a fleet be left in a province without coasts, it is trapped and may only stand until a coast is opened for it. It may be supported in standing.
10. Certain provinces are regarded as 'straights provinces'. If they possess coasts on both of the following sea areas, those coasts are regarded as one:
Con with BLA & AEG, Kie with HEL & BAL, Den with SKA & BAL, Swe with SKA & BAL, Nap with ION & TYS.