As a rule of thumb (i.e. not a hard and fast rule) you should have played about five game years in at least one game in afpdip before GM'ing. This is because GMing a game requires a bigger commitment than just taking part. That said, nobody will stop you from forming a game, but people may be a little wary of joining with such an unknown quantity!

In fact, the only criterion for running a game is if people want to play it!

Please see the GM files stored in the 'files' section of the website.

Just post a "call for players" (a "game start") message in afpdip-announce. This should contain a game name, usually taken from the DW books (if you're a non afp'er ask for suggestions), details of your house rules (or where to find them) and details of the proposed variant. My house rules could be used as a starting point for developing your own.

Be aware that, as GM, you will be expected to be impartial and to finish the game! GM'ing is a big commitment - but a satisfying one.

Please be sure that any would-be players are subscribed to the mailing lists. If you need to check this then please email me.

If you have a website then it is possible to design to your game pages as if they were part of "The Diplomat". See files in the GMPack for more details. (Carrot and others operated on this basis). You do not have to use the files here, but if you use your own HTML please provide links back to The Diplomat at the "news" pages.

If you do not have a website then your files can be stored on "The Diplomat" itself, this is less satisfactory as the page will not be in your direct control and the update time will be slower.

The GM should see that a map is produced within a reasonable time of the results being published. (This could mean that the GM asks for a map volunteer)

It is the responsibility of the GM to post results within a reasonable time after the deadline.

It is the responsibility of the GM to be consistent, and impartial.

It is the responsibility of the GM to keep orders confidential, and to correct processing errors within a reasonable time. The GM should not reprocess a move because of an error or oversight on the part of a player.

There are many ways to do this.

Please see the 'assigning powers' file for a method. You can choose whatever method you like, but it should be specified in your game start message.

I have discussed a method for assigning powers without a GM in the file, Email Diplomacy without a GM.