In response to
CAPT Brad: Correct, I have not played any games here. I am not a big fan of rating systems (as some of you may be aware), and also, most of the games here are too fast paced for my taste. I like something on the order of two weeks per game year.
As far as thinking I am a bad Dipper because of my remark, well, its an interesting change of pace from the huge target I am usually wearing.
I'd be interested in hearing what you do not like about Known World 901. I am always interested in criticism, since it can help me improve my variants.
stupidfighter: I don't know if "legend" is appropriate, but I have been around the Hobby for a while (I first played in 1980) and have done a bunch of things, including designing several variants (I am working on a couple more right now), running or helping to run tournaments (the biggest being the '97 Worldmasters on Cat23, which had 79 hand-adjudicated boards (553 players) in the first round alone), heading up online Dip groups (most notably the ACD and the Variant Workshop), writing numerous pieces for the Diplomatic Pouch and Diplomacy World (the Way of the Warrior articles, the Design of a Variant Articles, the Soloist Manifesto--me at my most preachy, and many others), editing the Model House Rules... blah, blah, blah, enough resume! LOL
Gen. Lee:
See my first comment to CAPT Brad. I lurk (and sometimes speak) in most of the Dip forums. Also, I have been around too long and my playing time is too limited to play a lot on a newbie level, which is probably what I'd need to do here, since my point total is low. I am normally only interested in going up against really good, experienced, reliable players. No insult to the forum intended, by the way I am absolutely sure there are good, experienced, reliable players here.
Yes, tactics, strategy and diplomacy are all important. You can't be a really good player without being at least good in all three. But of the three, diplomacy is the most important. As we have all seen, the best tacticians and strategists around get eliminated in 1904 often enough. With great diplomacy, you can have everyone else tie up the best tacticians and strategists in knots for you.
peregrine falcon: When you've been around as long as I have, and shoot your mouth off as much as I do, you tend to become known. ;^)
peterwiggin: Not so. Tactics, strategy and diplomacy are all tools useful in achieving the object of the game.