So many variants, so many games and too little time.
Intro
The guys planned to keep the “Shit Cake” theme going from last episode by going to a cake shop bar called “Cakes and Shit”, but it wasn’t that good. Instead they’re recording from the APO (1 min)
They discuss their drinks and announce the Diplomacy Games podcast, playDip, vDip and webDip have been featured in an article by Jason4747 in the Diplomacy World quarterly magazine (1 min 30 secs)
They digress a little and talk about playing Diplomacy by snail mail (7 mins 30 secs)
Kaner has decided he’s no longer playing games with phase periods of 24 hours and less and explains why (9 mins)

Around the grounds
The guys slowly and informally segue into Around the grounds with Kaner discussing his Western Known World game. In addition to the problems with 24 hour phases he felt a little screwed on not being able to transform units, which Amby agrees particularly with Denmark’s opening position (10 mins 45 secs)
They move onto discussing the new variants rapidly popped out by Enriador at vDiplomacy including Canton Diplomacy, 1913 and Renaissance 1453. They talk a little about these new variants and their thoughts on them (14 mins 10 secs)
Then it’s onto the next variant Enriador is working on - Machiavelli (22 mins 20 secs)
Amby then starts lamenting about how he’s involved in too many games (23 mins 30 secs)
He discusses the War of Austrian Succession game he’s currently in that looks like its wrapping up.  This variant has been developed by Safari (25 mins 45 secs)
Amby then goes onto lament his terrible opening in the 1812 Overture play-by-forum game at PlayDip, which is part of NoPunin10did’s team based Tournament of Time (28 mins 30 secs)
He goes on to discuss the communication impact of being away camping and trying to keep up with 1812 discussions while away and how Slack is used to manage conversations (33 mins 30 secs)
Kaner discusses the sunset from where they are, before Amby shows some of the sunset photos he took while away camping, including a special guest appearing (37 mins 40 secs)

 
 
 Original photo the guys discuss: sunset at Lake Moogerah
 After Kaner's comment, Amby shows him this pic from the Moogerah Passion Play
The guys get back to Around the Grounds and discuss what happened with the cancelled Divided States game “United States of Insanity” (40 mins 15 secs)
They discuss the retry of the game, although Kaner has been smarter by not overcommitting himself. Kaner then goes onto show he is crap at American geography pretty much east of the Rockies (44 mins 20 secs)
Kaner discovers the player with Michigan has even less American geographic knowledge than him. Amby discusses a similar problem (51 mins 45 secs)
Next it’s onto Kaner’s Divided States of ‘Murica game and how he’s going (52 mins 45 secs)
Then its the guys’ gunboat Divided States game, Kaner complains everyone is ganging up on him and Amby talks about his new strategy that so far is working well (54 mins 30 secs)
Amby gives an update as games master for the 1066 Tournament and a couple of complications he’s noticed (58 mins 30 secs)

The guys move onto The Bowery and grab some new drinks - Kaner’s got a Bulimba Gold Top from Brisbane, Amby gives a couple of Australian beer stories and tries his Paxton MV organic shiraz rom the McLaren Vale, South Australia (1 hour 5 mins)
Amby gives Kaner further US geography lessons before a Sesame Street throw back (1 hour 9 mins)
Next up its Bourse time! (1 hour 11 mins)
Kaner gives the analogy that organising Dip players to agree on how the Bourse will be run is like herding cats. Amby shares a video about herding cats before Kaner tells a cat story about Mrs Kaner (1 hr 13 mins)


Amby thinks Kaner’s cat comments are part of a joke and starts delivering his own back log of jokes (1 hr 17 mins 45 secs)
Back to Bourse for a bit (1 hr 19 mins 30 secs)

Amby’s new variant ideas
Kaner drives Amby up the wall before they go around in circles before grabbing ano