Is gunboat the normal version? ^.^

Gunboat is the no-press version.
Communication is disallowed.

I'll gunboat you anyday, Eden - I need an easy game to below the rust off;)

Blow, whatever

Gunboat is the no-press version of Diplomacy. Successful gunboat players have a knack for predicting moves, strategy, and stalemate lines, and can manage to pull off rather impressive coordinated feats despite not being able to say a word -- for example, organizing a 4-power coalition against a solo threat and successfully reducing the draw to 3. But because it requires a lot of predictive ability, reading of subtle nonverbal cues, strategic vision, and knowledge of stalemate lines, it is very easy for multiple talented gunboaters to give up a solo victory despite all of them knowing how to stop the solo threat, simply because there is one less experienced player who cannot uphold his end of the bargain.

Gunboaters tend to rage pretty hard about those kinds of situations as well, and it's understandable as to why; when you've done something as difficult as fulfilling your part in stopping a solo, had multiple other people do the same, and then still not get rewarded because of someone else's error, all because you just couldn't say a few words to get that player on the same page as everyone else, it's extremely frustrating. I know I personally tend to get pretty pissed when it happens (though fortunately I manage not to yell on the forums about it... tooooo much...).

But at the same time, this thing is tough. It doesn't feel tough once you "get it," but if you don't "get it" then it's nearly impossible to figure out how you went wrong and improve. So I'm encouraging my fellow gunboaters to be more supportive of newer players in those situations, because I know I was terrible to start and I'm sure I'm not alone.

strat -- ever do a 1v1 game on vdiplomacy?

Or at the very least, have a civil conversation afterwards describing what you think someone did wrong and why, instead of flipping out on them. If they are going to keep on playing gunboats you may as well help them figure it out, right?

Exactly! I think if we did this then the overall quality of our gunboat games on this site would improve substantially. So it's not *just* in the interest of politeness (although respect and civility are worthy goals in their own right!) -- it helps us out too.

Eden - nope

well, they're basically gunboat with fun banter allowed (and can be made gunboat) -- go make an account there and we'll pick one of the 1v1 games to play :)

or you can join "Gunboat Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry-623784672346" or whatever number we're on now (14? 15?)

Perhaps tomorrow on the other site, but will look at the gunboat now

I agree Eden. My early gunboat record was absolutely atrocious.

I stopped playing gunboat after I was in a game where I had awful computer problems going on, ended up in a strong second (like PE talks about his early failings), and then got ripped up and down by Italy for being retarded or something in the post game talk. I said, "I don't need this" and decided to stick to where I was successful.

I don't understand why anybody ever complains about the quality of anybody else's play (after the fact). If you want a better challenge and less mistakes, then bet more, so the noobs can't afford it. If you don't have enough credits to bet more, then you are a noob who doesn't deserve to complain about other noobs.

Exceptions exist, or course, like Draugnar, who is highly rated but a broke ho.