Press in PBeM games

[simply4est]

I've had a lot of fun using press (basically broadcasts to other players) in Diplomacy Play by email Games, but have only used White Press where the identity of the one issuing press is known and cant be faked. There is also Yellow Press where you can pretend to be another player issuing broadcasts, info, etc. (Note - press is usually regulated through an email go-between, so the players agree before hand which type of game will be played). I may have the color Yellow wrong, but I think that was it. So, has anyone tried a variety of different Presses in PBeM games?

[rochs77]

The three different types of press most often encountered are Black, White, and Grey. Not many novice games allow Black press, which allows you to pose as another player when you send messages. This can be a very useful tool if you are good at copying other player's writing styles and hiding your own. I really don't like it, since it does not really fit into the game (i.e. in face to face play I can't play Austria, pose as Germany, and tell Russia that I am going to rip him to pieces).

White press is the basic press where you are sending messages to other players with your own identity.

Grey press is a useful one that I like to utilize. Although it is also an "unnatural" type of press like black, I think that it fits into the game a little better. Grey press allows you to send messages annonymously to players. This is great for making other players paranoid. They do not know who the press is coming from and whether or not the info is correct. It's a great way to tip off someone about an ally's plans without it being able to definitively get back to your ally that you leaked the info (I absolutely HATE copy/paste in press). Of course, there are people who will "doctor" emails and make it look like you said things that you really did not. If there are ethics in Diplomacy smile.gif , some may consider this cheating. I don't personally do it, and don't like it when others do it, but what can you do?


Also, Grey press is a great way to disseminate false info in another way. I like to send a player grey press, then write him white press alluding to the fact that I have been recieving grey press that says the same thing that I sent him. I have gained quite a few allies in this way.

You have to be careful with the amount of grey press that you send, however. People catch on really quickly as to who is sending it if it is coming out every turn. Try to use a different style when you write it, like if you write in all lowercase normally, use correct grammar/capitalization when you send grey press or vice versa. Or write with the caps lock on. Try to keep things short, too. This gives the recieving player less clues as to who the press is coming from. Or better yet, try to immitate another player's writing style.

In conclusion, I do agree that pbem is a great way to play this great game. The different forms of press add a new dimension to Diplomacy, and using them effectively is the key victory.

[simply4est]

Thanks for straightening out my info! I wonder if the Grey and Black press is ever used in conjuction - now we're talking confusing...

Even the innocent-seeming White press can be tricky... I was in a game where three of us were negotiating how to take out a fourth player. One of our partners in responding to us included the target of our conversations as an addressee! To this day I dont know if was an honest mistake or a leak with an ulterior motive, but needless to say, we had some 'splainin' to do to the target.

[jadedaemon]

Are there ever any "honest mistakes" in Diplomacy? ;)

[simply4est]

Good point Jadedaemon! This target had just stabbed the info-leaking player just a few turns previously, and me and my original partner had come to his rescue (gobbling up a few of the targets holdings along the way of course) so it just seemed odd, but who knows... as Judge Judy says, "No good deed goes unpunished".