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Quite true. No Soviet Russia yet in the base game.

So it appears we have 9 people interested (Gerrick, tau, Wintermoot, Elbbsas, North, Hydra, Hannah, Mathyland, and BSR). The base game requires 7 players, so we can either play on an alternate map with 9 players, or I and another person can sit out so a base game can be played.

Another website called vDiplomacy has a bunch of different variant maps, so we can try that website if we want to play on an alternate map on a website, though starting on an alternate map might be confusing for a first game. Whatever you all want to do.

Is it possible to have spectators? If so, I'll be ok with sitting out, since I'll still be learning what happens in each phase.

If not, I'll still be ok with it.

On vDiplomacy, yes you're able to spectate. But let's see if others would rather play a 7- or 9-player game, first.

Uh... it's WWI...

Either way, it's still cool.  European geopolitics is fascinating in any era.  Heck, ANY geopolitics is fascinating in every era!! 

Welp, suppose we can get to starting the game up now. I'll mention everyone who's stated interest:

@taulover
@Wintermoot
@North
@xXTheHydraXx
@HannahB
@Mathyland
@BraveSirRobin

and @Elbbsas said she's willing to sit out if the 7 of you are playing the Classic map, though we can play a different map variant to fit all 9 of us, or if someone decides they don't want to play anymore, that's fine, too.

So since I won't be playing as well if you're on the Classic map, someone else will have to set up the game. As I said before, vDiplomacy seems to be a pretty good website to use -- you all just have to register first.

The game settings you'll need to decide are:
1. phase length (default: 2 days, max: 10),
2. whether you want to know who's playing which country or have it be anonymous (default: former),
3. whether you can have in-game messaging (default: yes). If not, you can just hold all public and private messages on the forums here,
4. whether you want votes to end the game in a draw to be public or hidden (default: public),
5. whether you want the game to not process on certain days of the week,
6. whether you want a No Moves Received policy: if someone doesn't send in an action, their nation will go into civil disorder (meaning units eventually disband). Default: 2 turn length, 1 phase delay.

And whomever sets up the game will want to password-protect it so that only you guys can play it.

How brave!
Diplomacy ruins more friendships than any other game in my experience.

Just remember, if you're not stabbing someone in the back at least every other turn - it's not Diplomacy!

I think the default settings should be fine, for now. Except maybe turn lengths?

How brave!
Diplomacy ruins more friendships than any other game in my experience.

Just remember, if you're not stabbing someone in the back at least every other turn - it's not Diplomacy!

None of us have played before, so you're the most experienced one on the forum, haha. Have you played on any alternate maps before?

No, and honestly I can only claim to have played half a game before, since 2 people (Germany and France) simultaneously lost their shit at being backstabbed for the third time in a row (both by Britain, who, admittedly, was a dick, insofar as he'd promised them both he'd work with them against the other and then teamed up with Austria to fuck France (which was admittedly in Germany's interests), while stealing Belgium from Germany).
I was not one of them, but only because me and Russia had backstabbed each other simultaneously by both working with Austria against the other in the Balkans (I was Turkey and had sweet fuck-all else to do, and Russia's on-off alliance with Italy was 'on' for the moment while they both tried to punch Germany in the throat for backstabbing them both the turn before and helping Austria; he did not, in fact, punch Germany in the throat, instead opting to fuck with me, which Italy took as a minor betrayal) and we were alternately thinking it was hilarious and being fucking furious.
Admittedly we were all much more competitive than we should have been (like, I can't stress this enough, much more competitive than was logical), since I was exaggerating a bit (largely for comic effect) when I said you should backstab every other turn or so. The end result is that nobody wants to work with you, and then everyone either teams up on you (singularly bad), or if you all do it to each other, people ragequit.
But yeah.
Somehow even Risk isn't as harmful to the psyche.

Yay, this isn't dead!

I'm still interested, and still willing to sit out. I'll be a seat warmer until more people show up. =D

How brave!
Diplomacy ruins more friendships than any other game in my experience.

Just remember, if you're not stabbing someone in the back at least every other turn - it's not Diplomacy!

None of us have played before, so you're the most experienced one on the forum, haha. Have you played on any alternate maps before?

I've played before... I've played Diplomacy a few times with friends and once at a gaming society, though always in person and never online with relative strangers.

I would be up for a game... Even though the last game of Diplomacy I played ended up in a lot of frustration...

Hmm, I am really busy though, I am willing to sit back and watch to give Elbb the chance to play

(Edit: I always lose anyway )

None of us have played before, so you're the most experienced one on the forum, haha. Have you played on any alternate maps before?

I've played before... I've played Diplomacy a few times with friends and once at a gaming society, though always in person and never online with relative strangers.

Ah, sorry about that. Seems like it'd be more intense in person as you'd have to lie to people's faces.

None of us have played before, so you're the most experienced one on the forum, haha. Have you played on any alternate maps before?

I've played before... I've played Diplomacy a few times with friends and once at a gaming society, though always in person and never online with relative strangers.

Ah, sorry about that. Seems like it'd be more intense in person as you'd have to lie to people's faces.

No worries.

And haha yup, it kinda is, though I am pretty bad at lying to someone's face, so I tend to just not reveal much information at all, which makes people immensely suspicious of me...

So... I guess I'll just take the reins and say I'm going to host and play in order for this game to get started. So we'll just play on whatever map will fit us all.

So just post below saying whether or not you still want to play since it's been awhile since I first asked and some may have changed their minds.

I'll also create a poll asking how long phase lengths should be. Longer phase length means more time to make careful decisions and negotiations, but makes a game take longer. Shorter phase length results in a faster game, but requires that players in the game are available to check the game frequently.

And I'll just keep all the other options in their default setting. Guess I'll mention everyone again.

@taulover has pretty much already said he'll still play
@Wintermoot
@North
@xXTheHydraXx
@Mathyland
@BraveSirRobin
@Elbbsas can join now since we'll play on whatever size maps fits us all
@HannahB can also still play, too, if she wants
@Doc has displayed interest, but not sure if he wants to play
Plus anyone else reading this who wants to play that I haven't mentioned

I approve of the use of approval voting.