Quick Guide: Surrenders, Draws and Victories

[jaelis]

Surrenders:
Sometimes the real world intrudes and you have no choice but to quit a game. If you need to quit, go to the "Status" box and click the "Surrender" button. A surrender counts as a full loss in the ratings system, regardless of how long you were playing the game. The number of times you have surrendered is listed in your player stats, with ranked and non-ranked games listed separately.You must confirm that you want to surrender, but once you do there is no way to get back into the game.

You are automatically surrendered from a game if you fail to submit orders for two successive Move phases. Build and retreat orders don't count here.

The units of surrendered powers always hold in place. However, if a player entered orders before surrendering, they will still be processed. So if you see that a power has surrendered, don't assume that its units will all hold... there may be "leftover" orders still waiting. Similarly, if a new player takes over a surrendered power shortly before a deadline, you can be surprised by the suddenly active units.

Defeats:
It happens to the best of us. If you have been eliminated from a game (ie, you have no centers left), then you can't surrender. However, if you're not premium then the game no longer counts toward your 3-game limit and you can join another one. If you don't want to see the game in your Games screen, you can use the Ignore button in the Status box to hide it. Once the game is finished, it will move to your Finished Games screen.

Draws:
Any time after 1905, you can propose a draw. If the game was set up as DIAS, then all surviving players are automatically included: simply push the "Propose Draw" button in the Status box. If the game is not DIAS, then you can select who you want to include in the draw. In either case, if every surviving power agrees to your proposal the game ends. You might wonder why someone would agree to a draw that didn't include themselves. Usually it's because that person is about to be eliminated and is willing to concede the game. Of course, you're not obligated to accept any draws... you can go down fighting to the end.

Draw proposals are announced in the Shoutbox (except in gunboat games), and all active draw proposals are listed in the Status box. If you want to accept or decline a proposal, push the appropriate button. You don't have to do either. Proposals are active for one year. If they are not unanimously accepted within that time, they are considered as rejected. There is no way to withdraw a draw proposal or to change your vote on one, so make sure to be careful when submitting a proposal or response.

Some people think that a winning coalition must include at least 18 centers. That is not the case. The number of centers owned is irrelevant to proposing or accepting draws.

Sometimes the game is locked up in a stalemate position, and some players want to declare a draw while others don't. If this has gone on for a long time and you are certain that you have a forced stalemate, you can ask a Mod to examine the game.

Victories:
You win a solo victory by controlling 18 or more centers at the start of a Build phase. It doesn't matter how many you control in the spring, nor whether you would be able to keep control of those centers in the future. You don't need to so anything special to claim your victory; once the fall turn ends and you have 18 centers, the game ends automatically.

There are some interesting things that can happen when a draw proposal becomes satisfied at the same instant that someone wins the game. For instance, consider a game with only Russia, France and Italy surviving, and proposal for a two-way draw between Russia and France. Russia and France have both agreed to the draw, but Italy has not responded either way. At the end of a fall turn, Russia eliminates Italy by taking his last center, which is also Russia's 18th center. Since Russia is at 18 centers, he should win, but also now all remaining players have agreed to the draw so the draw might prevail. The resolution depends on the details of the situation, but you should not count on it going either way.

[asudevil]

What if you surrender in a non-rank game... I know you won't get the -1 penalty, but does it show up on your stats at all... or in that case do wins show up in your stats either?

[jaelis]

What if you surrender in a non-rank game... I know you won't get the -1 penalty, but does it show up on your stats at all... or in that case do wins show up in your stats either?

I hesitate to answer because I'm not 100% sure, but I'm 98% sure that No Rank games don't show up on your stats at all. Superdipsy is the one to ask for sure, but I think he's still on vacation.

Added 5/29/12: This has actually changed around a bit over the past year or so. Right now (and probably going forward), no-rank surrenders and rank surrenders are both tracked individually in your stats.

[diplomat42]

I believe norank surrenders show up on your stats, but I'm not sure.

[Kexsel]

If the game is set up as DIAS, there are 3 remaining players, and one Surrenders, would an accepted draw be a 2-way draw or 3-way draw?

[asudevil]

If the game is set up as DIAS, there are 3 remaining players, and one Surrenders, would an accepted draw be a 2-way draw or 3-way draw?

2-way, unless someone joins in of course.

[malabout]

I'm in a game where a draw has been proposed expiring in the current season (Fall 1910). I'm the last to respond. If I accept the draw will the effect be immediate or will my orders (and others') for Fall 1910 still process? foillowed by Fall Retreats and Builds?

I'm happy with draw just like the 'aesthetic' of another SC or two in my final tally

Thanks,

Malabout

[jaelis]

If you accept the draw, the game ends immediately.

[Halistar]

I'm still confused. In games that aren't DIAS, what does it mean to select players as part of a draw? If every surviving power still has to agree to the proposal anyway, isn't it the same? I think what might help me is an example of how a draw is proposed, accepted, and then their outcomes (in terms of scoring) for both DIAS and not.

[asudevil]

If it is obvious that 2 (or 3) powers are working together for a draw, then the other country (or 2) who is not part of the alliance, but are down to only a couple of SC's realize that they have no shot. So a draw that is not DIAS is proposed and the countries not included still accept. They know they are going to lose and rather than waste a couple extra seasons to be eliminated, they just accept a draw that doesnt include them. Its like an acknowledgement of a lost cause. Its as if a RL game has been going, and even though there isnt a winner, you can see that if you play for a couple more hours, its inevitable who will win. The 2 (or 3) countries share points as if they were the last ones standing, because its still a draw between them. This makes 2man draws easier because you dont have to trust your partner not to stab at the end to snag the 18th for the win, since you may be able to get the last parties to accept a draw when its like 14/14/4/2 or something like that....

As for DIAS games. You have to eliminate everyone remaining, and the only way to acknowledge that you are out, is if you surrender. Most (or at least I wish most) people dont surrender, but fight out the last couple of SC's, so since the leaders dont want to include the low SC power in the draw, they have to eliminate them. This allows for 3man draws pretty easily, but makes 2man draws harder, for the reason I explained above. Again, only the survivors get points because they were included in the draw, its just that there are only winners left.

Hope this helps, let me know.