DIPLOMACY WORLD is the new magazine from Walt Buchanan (Hoosier Archives). Its purpose is to give a broad overview of the postal DIPLOMACY hobby by printing articles on the DIPLOMACY scene and on good play, presenting the HOOSIER ARCHIVES Demonstration game with expert analysis, listing rating systems, publishing letters to the editor, and listing game openings and 'zine news. In short, anything of a general interest to the DIPLOMACY community. It is offset printed with quality almost comparable to PANZERFAUST. Page size is an unusual 7"x8" and issue #1 contained 32 pages. Paid circulation of the first issue was 250+. Walt has gotten off to a great start and I belive he is headed for success. I believed, over a year ago, that the time was ripe for a little "professional" magazine for the DIPLOMACY branch of the hobby.

The articles in issue #1 were quite good "The Odd Theory", by Edi Birsan, explode; the myth that any perfectly-played DIPLOMACY game would end in a seven-way draw. "A Fight to the Finnish", by Tom Hubbard is repeated in the DIPLOMACY column of this issue of PF, and will give you an idea of the kind of article you can expect in DW. "Rebuttal to the Illyrian Opening", by Edi Birsan, explores the theoretically best anti-Austrian opening for Italy. "The Alternate World Approach", by Rod Walker, explores the hows and whys of writing entertaining press releases for postal games. "When Is a Stand-off Not a Stand-Off." by Rick Brooks, explores the implications of a quirk of the rules. "Variant Design - Middle Earth V", by Lew Pulsipher gives the rules and map for a DIPLOMACY variant basied on the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien in his fantasy novels. "The Great Langerson Diplomatic Excuse Contest", by David Langerson, is a bit of DIPLOMACY humor, as is "A Diplomatic Affair", by Tallyrand. "The King is Dead, Long Live The King", by Rod Walker, proposes a new system of stand-by players for postal games. "The Success-Failure Rating System", by Lew Pulsipher, proposes yet another system of rating the abilities of players according to their records in postal play. "To the Editor" consists, Innically, of letters to the editor. "News Of the Realm" is like our "Passing in Review", only the subjects are mostly DIPLOMACY gamezines. "Hoosier Archives Demonstration Game" reprints the moves, press releases, and an expert's analysis of games played by supposedly superior postal players in Walt's "Hoosier Archives" (which now exists specifically to run these games, since DW has taken over its other former functions). DW#1 has the Spring 1908, Fall 1908, and Spring 1909 moves of the "Old and New Lions Game" (1973BL) which is nearing its conclusion.

DW#2 should see the see the end of that game and the start of the next. I happen to know that this new game has already started, because I'm in it. Walt hasn't announced a name for this game yet but the line-up goes like this: Austria: Edi Birsan, England: Don Lowry, France: Jeff Power, Germany: Len Lakofka, Italy: Bob Ward, Russia: Arnold Vagts, and Turkey: Allan Calhamer (the inventor of the Game!) Tune in and see your kindly old editor get creamed by the experts! The analysis for our game will be provided by none other than Rod Walker. "New Blood" will be a listing of new play- ers seeking entrance to a postal game (none appeared in D101), "Ratings" will bring us the player standings in the various, popular rating systems. DW#1 has the Calhamer Point Count Rating List. "Recently Completed Games" lists the winners, and their countries, of games not previously reported (in HOOSIER ARCHIVES).

This Magazine is highly recommended to all who are interested in the game DIPLOMACY. It is available from Walter W. Buchanan, RR #3, Lebanon. IN 46052. Subscriptions sell for $3.00 a year ($1.00 discount to IDA members is specifically requested). Single copies are 75 cents each. (Indiana residents add 4% sales tax.)