1. General
   1. These house rules are subject to change without notice. If anything that may significantly affect gameplay changes, I will endevour to notify all players in all games.
   2. All house rules may be overridden by the comment of any individual game and/or by game parameters.
   3. These house rules are meant to serve as guidelines. If an unanticipated situation arises, I will do whatever is most fair and reasonable, even if a house rule says otherwise. (And, I will then update my house rules to cover that situation, hence house rule I.1.)

    

2. Deadlines
   1. No player may intentionally submit his orders late. Occasionally missing the deadline is understandable, but habitual lateness is cause for removal from the game.
   2. Any player who is late with his moves, must submit them as soon as reasonably possible. Once the deadline has passed, waiting for a response from other players is prohibited.
   3. Players who are late with their moves may not send press or broadcasts to other players until their moves have been submitted. Sending press and moves in one e-mail is permitted, provided that writing the press does not delay submission of the orders by more than a few minutes. IOW, short messages only. After moves have been submitted, all press restrictions are off.

    

3. Extensions
   1. Players assuming abandoned positions may request immediate extensions. When a player takes over an abandoned position, if it has past, the judge automatically extends the deadline twenty-four hours. That may not provide sufficient time to review a game's history and to conduct diplomacy. I will grant extensions liberally in those situations. If the deadline has not yet past, then the deadline may still provide sufficient time. I may or may not grant extensions depending upon the situation.
   2. For existing players, deadline extensions normally will be granted for future phases only. When requesting an extension, please state when you will need it and why. I don't like holding the game up unnecessarily.
   3. Please be sure to have your complete, error free orders in for the then current phase, before you become unavailable. Failure to do so will mean the extension will not be granted and you may become abandoned.
   4. When you request an extension, I will reply with a confirmation. If you do not receive a reply, do not assume the extension has been granted. If you receive no reply within twenty-four hours, resubmit your request.
   5. Deadline extensions of greater than two weeks will only be granted if you phase at least one set of orders.
   6. Deadline extensions of greater than three weeks will not be granted. If you will be unavailable for that long, please look for a substitute to take over your position or ask me to find one for you.

    

4. Gameplay
   1. Automatic alliances and automatic enemies are prohibited. Each game is to be played on a stand alone basis.
   2. Every player must try to win, as long as doing so does not incur excessive risk of either elimination or allowing another player to solo. Further, if a solo victory is not reasonably possible, every player must make every effort (again not incurring excessive risk of either elimination or allowing another player to solo) to reduce the draw to as few other powers as possible.
      
      IOW, care bear play is prohibited in my games. Likewise, throwing the game, when inclusion in a draw or a solo victory is reasonably possible, is strictly prohibited.
      
      (Note: "excessive risk" is any risk where the player does not feel the potential rewards outweigh the risks.)
   3. Diplomacy, on any subject, is allowed during retreat and build phases. (Note that this is contrary to the written rules.)
   4. In no press games, the GM will not send press of any type on behalf of players. This includes draw proposals.

    

5. Procedures
   1. After the game has concluded, the GM may, at his discretion, publish any and all press sent through the judge. Further, player's names and e-mail addresses may also be published. If any player objects, the GM may limit the information published (if any) or request that the player find another game.
      
      (I have created a web site that contains complete game histories, any given game will or will not be included at my discretion.)
   2. After or during the game, the GM may publish the moves made in the game in DipChief or other formats. No guarantee is made that these will be kept up to date.
   3. The GM may, at his discretion read any and all press sent through the judge.
   4. Any player that cannot finish the game must let the GM know as soon as possible. The GM will try to get a replacement and ensure a smooth transition.
   5. Once signed onto a game, players may only send messages to the GM via the judge, unless a judge outage, or some other problem prevents them from doing so. Unfortunately, until the game actually starts and powers have been assigned, there is no way for the GM to send messages to individual players via the judge. Nevertheless, player to GM messages must go through the judge, if possible.
   6. All players who register using a freemail address must, prior to signing on, send the GM a paid-for e-mail address or other proof of identity, that the GM finds sufficient.