3 way pbem game?

[UdiHrant]

How difficult would it be to set up a 3 way pbem game where the US player is allied with his British/Aussie/Dutch partner against Japan?

I imagine that the Japanese player could email his saved files to both Allied players so that they could look over the action reports and then the US player could make his moves, send the saved game to Britain who could then finish the allied moves before sending it back to Japan.

I ask if anyone has done this before I try to talk by buddies into purchasing their own versions of WIP.

Thanks.

[Mike Solli]

It works but it can be slow.  I'm currently in a 6 player game (3 per side).  Our goal is 2 days per side.  We even achieve that sometimes. [:D]

[Nomad]

It depends on who is playing. I am in a 2x2 game and we are averaging a turn per day. In another one we are lucky to do 3 turns per week.

[Feinder]

I've played in several multi-player PBEM games.  A coherant strategy and tossing the turn around to everybody that needs it are really the biggest hurdles.  Strategy can be worked out, but if everybody wants to touch the file, you just have to wait it out.  Some ways to speed things up -
1.  Play "ready golf".  One player on a side makes his moves, sends to all players.  Next player picks up file, and immediately sends email (no attach) to all others on team that he has control of file.  He makes moves, sends to all, next player "claims the file", etc.  Last man punts over the fence to opposing side.  Just be advised this can fill up email boxes very fast (with avg of about 2mg per file sent).
2.  Play multi-day day turns.  Some folks don't like it, but if you have 2 per side, and everybody takes just one night to make their moves, you're completing one game day, every 4 real life days.
3.  You can have everyone on a side submit moves to the "lead" player, but frankly this can get tediuus and invariable something (important) gets missed, so it doesn't work as well as it might seem.
4.  Appoint a surrogate if a player is on vacation.  You need to let your teamate(s) know you're gone, and a framework of what to do so the game doesn't stall for a week when your frollicking with Mickey Mouse.
5.  If you're all experienced players, you might consider playing one of the later starting scenarios, maybe Gaud or 1943 or whatever.  If you've played the first 6 months 30 times, and esp if the game is going to be slower than normal due to multiplayers, you might consider starting the war later, to get into the meat of the game faster.
 
-F-

[niceguy2005]

Multi-player PBEMS are fun, but slow.  However, what you propose (only 3 players total) shouldn't be too bad.

[USSAmerica]

I'm only an innocent bystander, but check out the BOB Thread in the War Room sub forum.  It is where these guys coordinate their turns and talk their smack.  Seems like a very easy way to keep up with things to me, and it's entertaining for the rest of us to read.  [:D]