SPQR III Policy

Policy for observing

The players allow me to resend all their PUBLIC actions to you for your enjoyment and interest. Please repay this courtesy by not offering them comments, suggestions, or critique. (Please be seen but not heard). If you have any comments or questions at all, feel free to ask ME and I'll be glad to explain. This policy is not to make you feel unwanted, nor should it imply that you have

nothing good to say. It is simply that the game would get rather unwieldy if everyone felt they had to get their two cents in. So please be courteous. :-)

Policy for playing

1. GAME TYPE. This is the Extended Game with all optional rules.

2. HOUSE RULES. We have three:

a. ANY statesman who nullifies d/s for ANY war now nullifies DISASTERS for ALL wars, but is vulnerable to a STANDOFF for ANY war -- even a war for which he, per AH's rules, would nullify the standoff. This ability does _not_ apply to enemy leader d/s. Example: Scipio #1a nullifies all disasters but is still vulnerable to a standoff, even one from a Punic war, and he's always vulnerable to enemy leader d/s.

b. A combat result of DEFEAT takes priority over a DISASTER or STANDOFF.

c. All treasuries are SECRET. GM reports all income, expenditures, and money transfers. GM reports "total cash" each faction holds.

3. PBEM RULES. We're using the basic PBEM rules from THE GENERAL Vol 27 No 4, including the DELAYED MATCHING WAR RULE (7.3321). In particular, I would like to highlight certain portions of the PBEM rules:

a. EMAIL. CC me (your GM) on ALL emails you write! GMing is hard work -- it's time-intensive, often stressful, and the pay is lousy. One of the rewards of GMing is seeing all those great backstabs and things

that you guys do to each other. So please don't deny me my "reward". :-) But seriously, it also lets me spot possible rules conflicts and ambiguities before they blow up into something that might hurt our collective enjoyment of the game.

b. EMAIL. CC me (your GM) on ALL emails you write! Yes, I know I said it already, but some of you will forget to do so anyway. I'll find out, and then you'll get a nice email from me in which I'll ask you to

explain why you feel I don't deserve a little "reward" for all my hard work. :-) So CC me. Please.

c. DEFAULT MOVES. I will use "Default Moves" should your instructions to me be either missing or incomplete. We've got to keep the game moving. For certain actions, you are welcome to send me your "personalized" default move. But if you don't tell me in some way what you want to do, then I will use "GM discretion" and the game will move on.

d. TREASURIES are secret. The default Income Phase is: all money to the Faction Treasury, governors will plunder their province, governors will spend Local Taxes equally on Provincial Legions/Fleets. (Again, you're welcome to give me "personalized" default moves). Keep in mind that, although treasuries are secret, the money that actually flows in and out is _not_ secret. Any time you collect or spend money, I will report how much to all players.

e. FORUM PHASE is simultaneous for the six initiatives. Default initiative:

(1) Persuasions only versus non-aligned Senators in Forum with no bribe. Whether default or intended, such persuasions are NEVER subject to counterbribes.

(2) Knight attraction with no money spent by the Senator with the least knights, tie to the Senator with the most influence.

(3) No Faction Leader change, no games. If no FL, then I'll name the one with the most influence.

Again: you may "personalize" your default move for me if you wish.

(4) Opposed Persuasions will function as stated in THE GENERAL. If I determine that the attempt is not "frivolous", I will throw it open to bribes/counterbribes and we'll take it from there.

f. VOTING is simultaneous and as described in THE GENERAL. Clarification: the HRAO will announce a voting order. Voting is still simultaneous, but each player "may make conditional votes based soley on the outcome of the votes cast prior to their turn." Voting

Order also determines who vetoed if more than one player wishes to do so.

Default: voting order clockwise from the HRAO; abstain with no bribes, except for Land Bill which gets a YES vote.

g. ELECTIONS & PROSECUTIONS function as stated in THE GENERAL. I will intervene if the HRAO or Censor is dragging his heels to the detriment of the group.

h. COMBAT & REVOLUTION occur as stated in THE GENERAL. Remember that if you bribe legions while checking their loyalty, I will report that to the other players. Default is no cards played and return forces to Rome.

4. DEADLINES. Generally, I will use two- or three-day deadlines for all game actions. I will tell you quite clearly what actions I expect for each deadline. If you get into a jam and feel you need more time, please SAY SO! If you remain silent, you'll default and accept what comes. Gentlemen, we MUST keep this game moving. I will not tolerate one person holding things up and making the other five players wait without a good reason. We all have commitments in Real Life (RL), and what happens

there is more important than this game, to be sure! Sometimes RL prevents us from giving the game its due. This is understandable. But it's not fair to the rest of us if one person disappears with no explanation. If you sign up for this game, then your fellow players and GM have the right to expect you to give it the time it needs. If you doubt your ability to do that, then please say so before we get started.

And if RL catches you and you default, don't worry about it too much! This is a loooooonnng game, and although defaulting on a particular action may hurt you at that time, it will not break you in the long term. In ROR,

you are NEVER down and out for good. The only way THAT happens is if you give up trying. Even the weakest, most hopeless looking position can very quickly turn itself around if you negotiate shrewdly. Your situation is

only "hopeless" when you give up. It's one of the reasons why I love this game so much!

5. EMOTIONS. This is a game, and there is a difference between GAME actions and RL actions. ROR is a POLITICAL simulation, and we've all seen on TV just how cutthroat politics can be. With GAME actions, things will be quite lively and even vicious at times. As long as it's all in

the game, we'll have no problem. But never, never attack the person behind the character. Negative RL actions/comments are absolutely not allowed.

A good rule of thumb I've always used for that is the "naming scheme". If my Faction Leader is Marius, and my fellow player Joe's FL is Julius, I might write "Marius spits in Julius' general direction and says, 'That's

what I think of your stinking Land Bill!'" But I would never write: "Joe, did your mother have any children that LIVED?" This game can get VICIOUS sometimes, fellas. Keep it in the GAME and we'll all be fine.

6. AND THE CATCH-ALL CLAUSE. As your GM, I reserve the right to intervene or clarify any situation that occurs in the game at any time. I will carefully consider all player input before I use my best judgment and reach a decision. That may sound draconian (and seem so if it doesn't go your way) but my intent is to make this an enjoyable experience for all of us. If there is anarchy, none of us will have fun. My judgments are, therefore, final. If you still vehemently disagree, then your only recourse is to leave the game. But we're all in this together, so can't we all just get along?

OK, any questions?