This lecture is in two parts: first, a review of the rules for orders, and second, a review of the procedure for using the PlayDip interface to enter orders into the system.
One point I want to emphasize: THE SYSTEM WILL LET YOU MAKE AN ILLEGAL ORDER, IT IS UP TO YOU TO KNOW THE RULES. Do not be deceived that just because you were able to enter an order, it is OK. Misorders are easy to make and get treated as “Hold” orders.
***** BASIC RULES FOR ORDERS *****
The map is divided into named spaces called “provinces”. There are 3 types of provinces: “inland”, “coastal” and “water”.
There are 2 types of units, “armies” and “fleets”. Armies can only move (or retreat) to inland or coastal provinces, fleets only to coastal or water provinces.
Only one unit can be in a province at a time. (Think Chess, not Risk)
All units have the same strength, a force of 1. Units combine forces with “support” orders. In conflicts, the units with the most combined force win.
During Spring and Fall Orders steps, you may give orders to all of your units. Each unit may be ordered to do one of the following:
* HOLD in place.
* MOVE to an adjacent province. Armies in a coastal province may move to non-adjacent coastal provinces (in one step) if convoyed. Fleets in a coastal province may only move to provinces adjacent to the coast the fleet is on.
* SUPPORT. A unit holds, adding its force to another unit. A unit can only support action in an adjacent province to which it could have moved.
* CONVOY. A fleet in a water province holds, convoying an army. (A fleet in a coastal province cannot convoy.) Convoys can be by one or a chain of fleets. The first fleet must be adjacent the moving army, each fleet in the chain must be adjacent the prior, and the last fleet must be adjacent the destination.
You may support and convoy another power’s units.
A unit ordered to move CANNOT be supported to hold. A unit order to hold, support, or convoy may be supported to hold.
Units that do not receive orders hold. If ALL a power’s units do not receive orders, an NMR (No Moves Received) has occurred. If a power has 2 consecutive NMRs in Orders steps, the player is removed from the game (“auto-surrendered”). (Auto-surrenders are a PlayDip house rule.)
If a power surrenders during a phase in which they have orders to give, the last entered orders, if any, will stand unless changed by a replacement player.
***** USING THE ONLINE INTERFACE *****
To enter orders, click on the unit’s PROVINCE to access a drop-box. Further instructions will appear below the lower left corner of the map. (Follow those instructions.)
You may review entered orders in the “Orders” drop-box above the map.
I strongly recommend ENTERING PROVISIONAL ORDERS at the BEGINNING of a step and REVISING as you go. Orders can be changed any time before the deadline expires.
When ready to proceed to the next step, you may click “finalize”. If all players with orders for the step finalize, the deadline expires early and is resolved immediately.
You do not have to finalize. If you do not, the last orders entered before time expired are used.
If you finalize and change your mind (so long as the turn has not processed) you can “unfinalize” just by entering a different order for any unit, or by clicking the blue “X” next to an order in the order box.
***** OPTIONAL READING *****
While it is pretty intuitive if you follow the short guide above, complete point-and-click interface instructions are in the forum here: