Diplomacy zines and magazines
Diplomacy zines are part magazine, part games club and often part conversation with the editor. Some run games by email or post; others concentrate on strategy, reports and letters. They're worth a look even if you do all your playing online.
Evidence checked on 10 October 2026. “Issue evidence” records what the linked publisher, archive or named report actually shows, not a guarantee that no newer issue exists. Archive copies can lag behind publication. “Reported” means a number listed in S.O.B. 318; we have not inspected that issue of the other zine.
Diplomacy and postal-play zines
The editor's country is where the publication is based, not the nationality of its readers.
| Zine | Editor | Country | Issue evidence | Evidence checked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diplomacy World | Douglas Kent | United States | #175 — Fall 2026; publisher confirmed | 10 October 2026 | Publisher lists issue 175; the release announcement is dated 1 October. Replaces issue 174 in the September review. |
| God Save The Zine | Stephen Agar | United Kingdom | #39 — September 2026; publisher confirmed | 10 October 2026 | Confirmed on the editor's homepage. Diplomacy games, variants, letters and hobby history. |
| Fury of the Northmen | Colin Bruce | United Kingdom | #152 — August 2026 — archive-linked copy | 10 October 2026 | Linked by the current-zine archive and listed in S.O.B. #318; includes Diplomacy and other games. The archive still links this copy; no newer publisher-confirmed issue was established in this check. |
| Obsidian | Alex Richardson | United Kingdom | #328 — reported | 10 October 2026 | The link is S.O.B. #318's zine report. Lists Diplomacy and several variants; issue date not independently verified. The same number remains in S.O.B. 318 when rechecked on 10 October; this is still a secondary report. |
| Cheesecake | Andy Lischett | United States | #452 — reported | 10 October 2026 | Reported in S.O.B. #318 with Diplomacy and One-Army Diplomacy. The public archive still linked #451. The same number remains in S.O.B. 318 when rechecked on 10 October; this is still a secondary report. |
| Back of the Envelope | Tom Howell | United States | #63 — reported | 10 October 2026 | S.O.B. 318 reports issue 63 and a Diplomacy waiting list. The archive’s volume-based filename opens an older copy numbered 49 on its cover. We have not inspected issue 63 or confirmed current openings. |
| Damn the Consequences | Brendan Whyte | United States | #250 — reported | 10 October 2026 | S.O.B. 318 reports issue 250 and Diplomacy, Napoleonic Diplomacy and Machiavelli openings. The archive still links issue 243, dated July 2025. Its masthead places the editor in Chicago; issue 250 and current openings have not been independently inspected. |
| Ode | John Marsden | United Kingdom | #467 — August 2026 (archive filename) | 10 October 2026 | The inspected copy includes Diplomacy and other postal games. The August date comes from the archive filename; old waiting lists do not establish places available today. |
| The Cunning Plan | Neil Duncan | United Kingdom | #324 — May 2026; archive copy inspected | 10 October 2026 | The issue’s first page confirms May 2026 and lists standard and gunboat Diplomacy. The archive still links this copy; no newer publisher-confirmed issue was established. |
| Northern Flame | Robert Lesco | Canada | Volume 2, #174 — archive copy; 5 September 2025 deadline | 10 October 2026 | The cover confirms the issue number and a September 2025 game deadline, not a publication date. Treat this as an older archive copy; a newer issue was not confirmed. |
| Will This Wind | Nick Kinzett | United Kingdom | #38 — mid-September 2025; archive copy inspected | 10 October 2026 | The first page also numbers it Outbreak of Heresy #138. The archive still links this older issue; no later publisher-confirmed copy was established. |
Several reported numbers come from S.O.B. #318, available when checked but carrying an October 2026 cover date. A listing or waiting list does not guarantee an immediate game start.
More from the postal-games hobby
These neighbouring publications are worth knowing about, but don't assume they are currently running standard Diplomacy.
| Zine | Editor | Country | Issue evidence | Evidence checked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.O.B. | Chris Hassler | United States | #318 — publisher’s current issue | 10 October 2026 | The publisher still links issue 318. Its Zine Report is the attributed source for several reported numbers above. |
| To Win Just Once | Paul Evans (Pevans) | United Kingdom | #268 — October 2026; publisher confirmed | 10 October 2026 | Publisher’s current-issue box lists 268. Games and convention writing; its games list names En Garde!, Railway Rivals and Star Trader, not Diplomacy. |
Older reading
An archive can be a great read without being a currently publishing magazine.
| Zine | Editor | Country | Issue evidence | Evidence checked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Diplomatic Pouch | Mario Huys (listed zine editor) | International / online | Archive; newest issue not established | 10 October 2026 | The article index remains accessible. This check does not establish a currently publishing magazine or a complete run; the earlier report of 2021 has not been independently confirmed. |
Have a newer issue, a better publication link or an editor correction? Please tell a moderator where to check it. Small zines don't always have a regularly updated website, and a recent copy is much more useful than a guess.