The year is 1862 and America is torn apart. The Civil War has been raging for twelve months with neither the Union or Confederacy able to get the upper hand. But the rebellious South can already see the writing on the wall and has begun serious diplomatic efforts to woo the European powers to come to its aide.

Meanwhile Mexico has defaulted on its debts and France, England and Spain recently sent their armies to compensate for losses.  But once it became clear that Napoleon III intended to stay, the English returned back to Jamaica and Spain, buoyed by victories in Mexico, have recovered Dominica (the eastern half of Hispaniola) in an ambitious attempt to return the Americas to Spanish control. Meanwhile the Russian Czar looks longingly at extending his empire further into America beyond his present grip over Alaska.

American Conflict is a Diplomacy variant based on a war that never happened, but so easily could have. And the result could literally have changed the world.

Rules:

This game follows standard Diplomacy rules with the exception of:

• The game is build anywhere.
• The European powers have a total of five harbor-based SC's: Vladivostok (Russia), Archangelsk (Russia), Portsmouth (England), La Rochelle (France) and Cadiz (Spain.) While these SC's give quick access to the high seas, they can be captured by opposing players. In these circumstances it is considered that the port has been blockaded and shut down, a strategic victory worthy of a build for the attacker. Note: the war does not extend to the homelands of Russia, England, France and Spain other than the harbor SCs.
• Due to the the polar region being at the top of the globe, fleets in the North Atlantic Ocean can sail to the right and end up in the West Arctic Sea (and vice versa.) The same does not apply in reverse though to the Antarctic in the south.
• All players start with 3 units/SC's, the exceptions are the United States and England that due to their size and strength begin with 4.

The map is based on Fall of the American Empire IV. Its rules are:

1. Great Lakes - Fleets cannot move directly from one Great Lake to another, except from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron.
2. Canals - There are a few one-space canals that act like Kiel in Vanilla dip. This means that the spaces have no coasts and fleets can exit on any side: Ontario, Michigan, Upper Peninsula, Chicago (see below). There is also a canal between New York City and New York State. Fleets can move from one to the other.
3. Waterways - There are two waterways in where fleets can move as though there were a coastline in the listed territories. These rivers do not impede army movement:
   • Mississippi (Chicago, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Deep South, Louisiana)
   • St-Lawrence (Beauce, Montreal, NYS, Ontario, Quebec, Gaspe)
   • For example, a fleet could move from Tennessee to any of Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas or Deep South.
4. Landbridges
   • Units can move between North West Territory Islands and North Western Territory or Western Rupert's Land or Eastern Rupert's Land. This does not block movement between Hudson Bay and the Sea of Labrador.
   • Units can move between Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. This does not block movement between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

And just a reminder:

• There are some starting SCs that are notionally held by players, but due to limited defenses they do not count towards your SC/build count.
• As the Panama Canal still has another 50 years to be built, there is no opportunity to transit from the Atlantic to Pacific except via the Arctic seas or by sailing all the way around South America.
• As the European and American powers are too pre-occupied with the conflict in North and Central America, players cannot attack territory in South America. Consider it like Switzerland in Classic.   
• There are a total of 56 SC's

Starting positions and units are:

• Russia - Anchorage (Fleet), Vladivostok (Fleet) and Archangelsk (Fleet)
• Confederate States - Tennessee (Army), Richmond (Army) and Louisiana (Fleet)
• United States - Washington DC (Army), Chicago (Army), Massachusetts (Fleet) and San Francisco(Fleet)
• England - Montreal (Army), Vancouver (Army), Portsmouth (Fleet) and Kingston (Fleet)
• France - La Rochelle (Fleet), Veracruz (Fleet) and Guadalajara (Army)
• Spain - Holguin (Fleet), Cadiz (Fleet) and Puerto Rico (Fleet)