Diplomacy: Thoughts on the Game

[Warhammer]

I played a FtF game of Diplomacy yesterday and had an interesting experience.

I've played plenty of games PBEM, but only one prior game FtF. What was odd was an unholy Italy/Austria alliance. I never thought about it before, but that just seemed like an unnatural alliance. Anyhow, that alliance dominated the board.

The western triangle of E/F/G was a mess. I was Germany and was terrified of France and England. Primarily because France and England were buds going back to kindergarten and here I am stuck between them. England got Belgium in the fall '01 turn and didn't look back. They wound up winning when we called it, but it would have been an interesting finish because France was about to collapse, I was collapsing because of a stupid move, Russia and Turkey were each in a state of collapse. That left Austria, Italy, and England to fight out the board.

So which nations do you prefer and what are your preferred alliances?

[Fidatelo]

FtF? Face to Face? You've played more games by email than Face to Face?

[Warhammer]

Yes, I've played more Diplomacy games by email than face to face. I've played two games face to face and close to 10 by email.

[Radii]

I think I most prefer either Austria or Russia since they have lots of natural options for alliances. I cannot stand Germany, though, while they have an unlimited number of ways to go for alliances, they're in the dead center and a very easy target of any other alliance that gets formed.

Its really too bad that the couple FOFC games we'd tried here didn't succeed, this would be a great crowd to get some games going with.

[path12]

I've played and GM'd dozens of games by email, only played twice FtF.

I love an I/A alliance as Italy. If you can make it work it's big trouble for Turkey and Germany -- plus it's so hard to get an alliance as Italy where you're not the more vulnerable partner. Austria has to have a lot of trust to make it work though, or you really have to DMZ the Venice/Adriatic area well.

We've had attempts at doing a FOFC Dip game? Man, if that happens again count me in.

[Warhammer]

My preferred choices are Turkey and Germany. Germany is smack dab in the middle and if playing by email can control the board to his benefit. Turkey is good in all circumstances and has a better chance to win than England.

I hate France, don't know why, but I do. I also hate Russia.

[chesapeake]

I played ftf a lot in HS and college, but when I moved to the DC area I lost all of my playing partners, so we took our games to the internet. I haven't played at all in about 3 years, though.

AI is a solid and natural alliance because both have good options that don't conflict -- as long as Italy is content focusing on its navy and Austria on land. It is often more stable than a lot of other alliance options in the mid- to late-game, in my experience. Even though they have contiguous home centers, once you've built out a little bit, Italy just won't have enough land forces or Austria enough fleets to make a very successful stab.

I don't really have a favorite nation to play; I dislike Turkey because I tend to struggle playing as the Sultan.

I'd be up for a game on an e-mail judge if we can reach critical mass.

[path12]

My top choices would be Turkey, England and Russia. I don't like Germany. I like the challenge of Austria/Italy.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by path12

We've had attempts at doing a FOFC Dip game? Man, if that happens again count me in.

Its been years, Skydog ran one once and I ran one once, I don't think either of them got far enough along that it was obvious who was going to win, or that more than one person got eliminated.