ESCHATON

Eschaton is the most complicated children's game anyone around E.T.A.'d ever heard of. No one's entirely sure who brought it to Enfield from where. ... Its elegant complexity, combined with a dismissive-reenactment frisson and a complete disassociation from the realities of the present, composes most of its pureile appeal. Plus it's almost addictively compelling, and shocks the tall.

- Infinite Jest, November 8, Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment, Interdependence Day, Gaudeamus Igitur

The eschaton, the divinely ordained climax of history.

- Parables of the Kingdom, C.H. Dodd (quoted in OED II)

About

ESCHATON is a pen and paper (and calculator) role playing game, loosely based on the game described in the novel Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. In the novel, the game is played outdoors, using tennis equiment and a computer. As a Civilization playing, Model U.N. joining, Shadowrunning, senior in highschool when Infinite Jest was published, I was fascinated by the game described, but wanted to play in real life in a more feasable form. I also was looking for a strategy game that could be played over a period of days, during school, without needing boards or figurines. With the help of some fellow gamers and politics nerds, I developed the version of ESCHATON described here. The game is a sort of model UN, but with total war as its goal, instead of peace. The game plays out largly through diplomacy, as combatants strategize for the inevitable Armageddon. Set in an ersatz Cold War world, the game uses basic math and geography as tools for players to negotiate the final days of the world.

Pre_Game

1:Combatants

ESCHATON is a game for seven players. One player will serve as the GAMESTAT. The other players will be the combatants, and each assigned a number from one to six. The GAMESTAT with then use a random number generator to assign each combatant to one of six alliances: AMNAT, SOVWAR, REDCHI, INDPAK, LIBSYR, and UNAFCO. See Fact Sheet tables for more on each alliance.

2:Money and Initial Purchases

Each combatant is given the amount their alliance spends on defense. They are also given an initial missle cost sheet by the GAMESTAT. The cost of each type of weapon will vary from alliance to alliance, based on the alliance's technical development, percent of GDP committed to defense and other factors, at the discretion of the GAMESTAT. This money is exchanged for the alliance's intial nuclear arsenal. Combatants are advised to reserve some money for use during the game, as no income is generated during the game. These initial purshases are to be kept entirely secret. If a combatant's arsenal becomes widely known, domestic political unrest and loss of confidence will result in the combatant losing, and cause the breakup of the alliance into non-aligned nations.

The_Game

The game of ESCHATON is about diplomacy and strategy. It requires the use of politics, money and military might in a balanced way. Not every alliance is created equal: it is up to the combatant's skill to work from their strengths.

1:Annexing independent nations

A::By election

An alliance can add a nation (including its population) by attempting to persuade the people of that nation to hold a referendum to join the alliance. Buying the election and other asociated costs are determined by the GAMESTAT and range from 1 to 5 billion dollars.

B::By military takeover

An alliance can add a nation (including its population) by attempting a military takeover. This requires the acquiescence of another alliance and 1 billion dollars.

Neither method will guarantee a successful annextion.

2:Making a nation nuclear capable

To make any member nation nuclear capable costs 1 billion dollars and 1 missle. Nuclear capable nations are listed in bold on each alliance fact sheet.

3:Building an SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative)

Building an SDI (commonal called star wars) costs 5 billion dollars and a land launched missle. It prevents 1/3 of all damage in future turns.

4:Missiles

A::Types of missiles

There are three types of missiles: ICBMs, SRBMs and SLBMs. ICBMs and SRBMs are both land launched and vary in their cost, range and damage. SLBMs, as the name implies are submarine launched, and can be used from any open ocean coordinate. See the Damage Table for detailed profiles of each.

B::Acquiring additional missiles

Combatants may buy additional missiles from the GAMESTAT. Missiles aquired after the game begins cost an additonal percentage over the pre-game cost, determined by the GAMESTAT. Missiles cannot be launched on the same game day they are acquired. Missiles cannot be acquired during Armegeddon.

C::Trading missiles

Alliances may trade missiles for other missiles or money at any rate of exchange the parties see fit. These exchanges must be reported to the GAMESTAT, but do not count as a treaty.

D::Launching missiles

A missile may be launched by an alliance at DEFCON 1. The aggressor must submit the lanching nation (which must be nuclear capable), or ocean coordinates of origin (if the missle is an SLBM), and the target city (if one) or enemy nation, to the GAMESTAT. The damage to the the target will then be calculated from the Damage Table. Both combatants are then notified of the outcome (but no press release is issued). Once a city is sucessfully targeted by any combatant, it is destroyed, and its damage multiplier is no longer applied.

5:Treaties

Two or more alliances may enter into various types of treaties. Treaties involving any change in territory or exchange of funds, must be submitted to the GAMESTAT. Other forms of treaty are as binding as the parties wish, but the GAMESTAT will not enforce any treaty or punish combatatant for breaking any treaty.

6:Espionage

Espionage in any form is accepted and encouraged. The only action considered cheating is looking at any of the GAMESTAT's information.

7:Powers of the GAMESTAT

Any and all.

Combatants must notify the GAMESTAT of all their alliance's official actions.

The GAMESTAT is not a reference desk. Combatants are responsible for updating and maintaining intelligence about their opponents.

8:Press Releases

A::Daily broadcast

Near the beginning of each game day the GAMESTAT will broadcast the day's press releases.

B::Territorial changes

If a country is annexed or expelled, a press release will state the additional population and new targets the next day; it is then combatants jobs to update their enemy fact sheets.

C::Combatant releases

If a combatant would like to include a press release in the broadcast it must be received by the GAMESTAT before close of business the prior day. Press releases are not verified or fact checked, though all releases will be accurately attributed to their alliance of origin.

D::Treaties are released by default

Unless secrecy is unanimously requested by all signatories, treaties will be included in the daily press releases the day following ratificatoin, if submitted to the GAMESTAT.

9:Summits

The GAMESTAT has the power, at any time during the game, with two game days advance notice, to call for a summit, for some or all combatants. NOT APPEARING AT A SUMMIT IS GROUNDS FOR EXPULSION FROM THE GAME.

10:Expelling or removing nations

An alliance can expell a member nation (thereby, losing its population but also any target cities within its borders) for 2 billion dollars. It then becomes a non-alligned nation, and can be annexed by other combatants.

11:DEFCON

An alliance will declare it's DEFCON by the end of each day. Missiles can only be launched at DEFCON 1. DEFCON levels can only be raised or lowered by one level per game day.

12:Time

A::Duration

ESCHATON is meant to be played over a long time period. Each game day serves as a sort of turn, and a game takes a minimum of 5 days, if players go right through the DEFCON levels to Armageddon. Or the game can go on as long as the GAMESTAT and the players like. There is no time limit or day by which Armageddon must occur, however the GAMESTAT may unilaterally declare Armageddon if combatants reach a peaceful stasis.

B::The game day

The GAMESTAT will establish hours that constitute the "game day". Offcial actions, such as missile attacks, changes in DEFCON, press releases or annexations must be submitted to the GAMESTAT during the game day. However, combatant to combatant interactions, such as treaty negotiations, outside the game day are allowed.

13:Civilians

Combatants are encouraged to use non-players as advisors, assistants, spies or even teammates. The GAMESTAT does not need to be informed of any non-combatants being utilized in any capacity, though such agents are prohibited from espionage targeted at the GAMESTAT.

End_Game

1:The game is over for a combatant when...

A::their alliance has launched all its missile. This combatant may still win.

or

B::their alliance's nuclear arsenal size becomes public knowledge. This combatant cannot win.

or

C::their alliance's population reaches 0. This combatant cannot win.

or

D::Armageddon occurs. This combatant may still win.

or

E::the combatant fails to attend a duly convened summit. This combatant cannot win.

or

F::the combatant deliberately obtains classified GAMESTAT information. This combatant cannot win.

2:A combatant loses when...

A::their alliance's population reaches 0.

or

B::their alliance's population is not the highest after Armageddon.

or

C::their nuclear arsenal is revealed.

or

D::the combatant fails to attend a duly convened summit.

or

E::they deliberately access classified GAMESTAT info.

3:A combatant wins when...

A::all other combatants have lost.

or

B::their population is the highest after Armageddon.

4:Population

An alliance's population is a combatant's "score". As the alliance suffers damage, it loses population. Population can be gained through annexation. Once their alliance's population has reached 0, the combatant has lost.

5:Armageddon

When Armageddon occurs all the remaining players must turn in their remaining nukes, with origins and targets for each, by the end of the next game day. The GAMESTAT will then calculate the final populations.

6:Armageddon occurs when...

A::three or more combatants launch all their remaining arsenals in a single game day.

or

B::the GAMESTAT declares it.

Damage_Table

Weapon Type City Multiplier 1 Zone 2 Zones 3 Zones 4 Zones 5 Zones ICBM *2 0.5 0.75 1.75 2.5 3.0 SRBM *1.5 2.5 1.0 0.5 SLBM *1.5 0.5 0.2

Each zone = 1600 kilometers. Naming a city as target results in the damage multiple given. Populations in millions of people.

GAMESTAT_Master_Table

Alliance # of Nations GNP % on Defense Military Spending Population A MNAT 10 14605.40 3.71 100 591,877,562 S O VWAR 6 1155.07 7.19 83 355,992,236 RE D CHI 4 683.97 9.97 68 1,019,752,766 LIB S YR 6 173.53 9.63 17 105,733,273 INDP A K 4 506.20 4.20 21 1,012,134,373 UNAFC O 9 108.20 4.55 5 77,332,970

Alliance_Fact_Sheets

All monetary figures in billion of dollars.

Nations in bold are nuclear capable.

Member Nation GNP % on D Targets Population U.S.A 7248 5.98 Atlanta, Washington, L.A., N.Y.C., Houston, Boston, Seattle, Chicago 226,504,825 U.K. 1140 5.25 Liverpool, London, Belfast, Birmingham 55,672,000 France 1500 4.62 Paris, Nice, Lyon, Marseilles 53,788,000 Germany 2400 0.80 Frankfurt, Bonn, Berlin, Hamburg 78,395,000 Turkey 81 5.11 Ankara, Istanbul 45,217,556 Canada 580 1.80 Ontario, Vancouver, Quebec, Montreal 24,343,181 Italy 1002 2.53 Milan, Rome, Florence 57,140,000 Spain 483 3.62 Madrid, Barcelona, Seville 37,340,000 Greece 168 6.00 Athens 9,599,000 Israel 142 8.00 Tel Aviv, Jerusalem 3,878,000 TOTAL 14605 3.71 MILITARY SPENDING:100* 591,877,562

* Normalized to be not insane.

Member Nation GNP % on D Targets Population U.S.S.R. 1000 12.60 Mocscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Dushambe, Kiev 226,504,825 Poland 87 5.72 Warsaw, Gdansk 35,815,000 Romania 65 4.90 Bucharest 22,048,305 Czechoslovakia 10 5.47 Prague 15,276,799 Cuba 16 11.9 Havana 9,706,369 Budapest 38 2.59 Budapest 10,709,536 TOTAL 1166 7.19 MILITARY SPENDING:83 355,992,236

Member Nation GNP % on D Targets Population Red China 664 10.90 Changchun, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Jianxing, Jinan, Linchoun, Mianyang, Nanjing, Qingdoa, Shanghai, Shantao, Tangshan, Wuhan, Zhengzhou 958,090,000 Vietnam 15 4.20 Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi 52,741,766 Cambodia 3 13.60 Phenom Pehn 5,200,000 Laos .65 11.20 Viangchan 3,721,000 TOTAL 683 9.97 MILITARY SPENDING:68 1,019,752,766

Member Nation GNP % on D Targets Population Libya 28 2.64 Tripoli, Benghazi 2,856,000 Syria 9 14.80 Damascus 8,979,000 Egypt 40 7.59 Cairo, Alexandria 41,572,000 Iran 75 10.32 Tehran 37,447,000 Iraq 19 8.42 Baghdad 12,767,000 Jordan 2 14.00 Aman 2,152,273 TOTAL 174 9.63 MILITARY SPENDING:17 105,773,273

Member Nation GNP % on D Targets Population India 252 4.21 Calcutta, Dehli, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Madras, Poona 683,810,051 Pakistan 52 6.64 Islamabad, Lahor 83,782,000 Indonesia 174 3.95 Kuala Lampoor, Jakarta, Surabaya 147,490,000 Bangladesh 28 2.00 Dakha 97,052,024 TOTAL 506 4.20 MILITARY SPENDING:21 1,012,134,373

Member Nation GNP % on D Targets Population Congo 2 5.35 Brazzaville 1,537,000 Sudan 9 5.67 Khartoum 18,691,000 South Africa 45 5.01 Capetown, Johannesburg, Pretoria 23,771,970 Mali 3 4.50 Bamako 6,906,000 Niger 2 3.29 Niamey 5,098,000 Chad 0.3 7.76 N'Djamena 4,309,000 Angola 45 3.50 Luanda 7,078,000 Madagascar 1 1.90 Antanarivo 8,742,000 Namibia 0.8 4.00 Windhoek 1,200,000 TOTAL 108 4.55 MILITARY SPENDING:5 77,332,970

GAMESTAT_Resources

Credits_and_License

Terminology and concept inspired by Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Web site, its text and other content ©1997,2017 Imaginary Cartography, and liscensed CC-NC-SA