Help! Running politics

[Rockbird]

I'm preparing to run a Play-by-Email pvp politics game for a few of my friends. Now, I've never run a PbE, nor have i ever run a pure politics game, so I ask the playground for any advice I can get.

I'm open to suggestion on everything from suitable game systems to tips for running the thing.

My thoughts so far:
All conversation between players go through me, so that they can't distinguish other PC's from npcs (Unless they tell each other).
The game style is going to be a kind of race-for-the-throne. The first to become king wins, whether by vote or military takeover.
I need some way to keep track of npc loyalty et cetera.

...and I'm sure there's lots of things i haven't even thought of that needs thinking of, so ver to you, playground!

[Raum]

I'm open to suggestion on everything from suitable game systems to tips for running the thing.

You might look at Wushu or Risus. Either works fairly well for text based play. I'd avoid complex systems with lots of stats / rolls, they really slow PbP or PbF play.

My thoughts so far:
All conversation between players go through me, so that they can't distinguish other PC's from npcs (Unless they tell each other).

This seems iffy - and impossible to enforce unless the players don't know each other.

[Rockbird]

Yeah, i was thinking maybe Wushu.

As for the communication thing, It wasn't intended so much as a ban on player conversation as it was meant to enable those who want to be sneaky to be just that.