Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 10:47:58 -0400
From: Daniel U. Thibault (Daniel.Thibault@drev.dnd.ca)
Subject: Africa 1880
Let me supply some details for Africa 1880. It is published by Tilsit Editions. The contents are bilingual (English & French). The game components are gorgeous. The play is very Diplomacy-like, with some influence from Pax Brittanica. Players are vying for control of Africa's resources and must balance development of controlled areas with military expansion and conflict.
Unlike Diplomacy, nations can share control of any given areas. Players simultaneously declare whom they're at peace with and whom they're at war with; this determines whose control tokens get kicked out (i.e. if you're at peace with him but he's at war with you, you're expelled). If both players are at war with each other, I think there's some kind of combat that occurs (I'm not sure, having only quickly glanced through the rules).
There is a limited number of turns (something like 10 or 20).
It's on my wish list, for sure.
Clash of Arms and Tilsit have a partnership agreement; each is distributing the other on either side of the Atlantic.
Daniel U. Thibault