Please join our (Second) Diplomacy Game!

[Reveilled]

Well, so far Obsidan Forums' first ever Diplomacy game has been a resounding success, with much fun being had by all involved.

 

Some interest has been expressed by those who missed out on our game in starting a second. At present, we have four possible players (myself, Nartwak, thepixiesrock, and Aishur-Rim-Nisheshu), and need at least three more, depending on if siad people are interested. If necessary, we should be able to pick up the extra players from our current game, but I'd like to give anybody who has an interest but hasn't played an opportunity to get involved.

 

To anyone unfamiliar with the game of Diplomacy, it is a game played on a map of Europe in 1901, with players acting as one of the seven great powers of Europe at the time. Through strategy, planning, and above all diplomacy, players must attempt to gain control of the majority of Europe through wars, alliances, and betrayals.

 

There are a lot of rules (The link goes to a pdf file, which can temporarily hang certain browsers while it downloads, so beware), but once you get the hang of them, they are actually quite intuitive and fairly easy to remember.

 

Here is the starting map. Stars are armies, Anchors fleets, and coloured circles supply centre provinces.

 

And to give you an idea of how the game can play out, here is the map of our current game, after three turns. The colour of England has changed ever so slightly, but the legend is the same. SOme provinces have changed hands, some doing well as a result of their diplomacy, some not doing so well.

 

Finally, here is the thread for our current game, though the game doesn't properly start until post 64, and only public press is shown on the thread, as all negotiations are confidential and done through Email.

 

So, anyone interested?

[EnderAndrew]

I'm down, but I don't want to take a seat away from a potential new player. So consider me an alternate if you don't fill the game.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Wasnt this game going to use a new map? Or is that for us 'vets' ? :D

[Baley]

Well,I'm in,unless there are too many new people who want to play.

[Reveilled]

Wasnt this game going to use a new map? Or is that for us 'vets' ? :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I still think we should use the standard map, especially since we'll have new players. once we've had a game or two, we can look at playing variants, or at least, I can look at playing or GMing variants. You 'vets' could still set up a variant game of your own.

[213374U]

How does this work?

[thepixiesrock]

I will like to play if I can understand the instructions in time...

[Reveilled]

How does this work?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite simply, really. Everyone starts with a certain number of armies and fleets, and you send the GM move orders in order for them to move. For instance, playing as France, you might order your Fleet in Brest to the Mid Atlantic Ocean, your Army in Paris to Burgundy, and your Army in Marseilles to Spain.

 

(Rather like Chess, the game has its own notation, though it is not necessary to use it. Those orders would be F Bre-MAO, A Par-Bur, A Mar-Spa. They can still be written out in full, though)

 

The game's structure is composed of Years, which are divided into seasons, Spring, Fall and Winter. In Spring, everyone sends in Move orders as in my example. In Fall, the same happens again. Also, at the end of Fall, any Supply Centre (a province that has a coloured circle in it) that has a unit in it becomes the property of the country which controls the unit. For instance, if in Spring France ordered Army Marseilles to Spain, and ordered it to remain there in Fall, there would be a French army in Spain at the end of fall, and so France would own Spain. In winter, adjustments to the number of units are made. Units are built or removed in order that the number of units is equal to the number of Supply Centres owned. In our example, assuming that France captured Spain, and didn't lose control of its starting centres then France would have four centres. Since France starts with three units, France would build one unit in Winter (sending the GM an order like Build Army Paris, or Build A Par) If France moved its fleet in Brest to the Mid Atlantic in Spring and from there to Portugal in Fall, then France would have five centres, and build two units.

 

There are other rules regarding conflict between units and convoys and such, but I'll leave explanation of that to the rules themselves.

 

When someone owns 18 centres, they win.

 

 

What's important is the Diplomacy aspect of it all. France can't afford to send two of its units into Iberia unless he can be sure he won't be attacked in the first year. Sending his fleet into the Mid Atlantic and then into Portugal isn't a good idea if England is going to order his fleet in London into the English channel and then into Brest, so the player of France has to negotiate furiously either to get England on his side, or to get Germany to attack England and thus keep him occupied. Of course, Germany and England might well be planning an alliance against France, and so how can France be sure that England's promise of an alliance is sincere? The intrigue is what makes the game fun. If you look at our current game's map and compare it with the start, you'll see the horrible consequences Austria suffered for trusting Italy just a little too much.

[SteveThaiBinh]

How long would you expect a normal game to last? In real time, I mean, not game time.

[Reveilled]

How long would you expect a normal game to last?  In real time, I mean, not game time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A PBEM game can last several months, as each game year takes about two and a half weeks to play (a week for each of Spring and Fall, and 3-4 days for Winter), and there are several game years (a game could potentially last forever, though that has never happened before). But on the bright side, a postal game usually takes over a year to complete, so it's not so bad.

 

The players could probably give you a better idea of just how much time the game takes (as you obviously don't spend a whole week negotiating at a computer screen!), as I am generally not privy to their negotiations, and so can't tell you exactly how much negotiation is involved.

[SteveThaiBinh]

Thanks, I'll pass then. I hesitated over joining the last game, too, as I can't be sure that I'll have internet access beyond September.

[213374U]

Sounds like fun. Do you know of any site that has the detailed rules so I can take a look?

[Reveilled]

Thanks, I'll pass then.  I hesitated over joining the last game, too, as I can't be sure that I'll have internet access beyond September.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Darn. Well, maybe when you know, we might have a third game going by then which you could join.

 

Sounds like fun. Do you know of any site that has the detailed rules so I can take a look?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Only the rules pdf I linked to in my first post, though the website it is hosted on is here. That site also has a great number of strategy articles, which may help you grasp the rules better.

[Darkside]

I'm considering it, but don't hold a place for me. If I don't decide in time I'll just study the second game and join in the third.

[Reveilled]

I'm considering it, but don't hold a place for me.  If I don't decide in time I'll just study the second game and join in the third.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, remember that it's a learning experience as much as the first game was, and that presently all our prospective players have never played a game before, aside from Aishur (who is in a dire position in Game 1), so you won't be at a huge disadvantage if you play. Players in the first game still send me rules questions or have to be corrected for misconceptions, so don't worry too much if you start playing without a perfect understanding of the rules.

[Archmonarch]

Baley should be banned from further games, on account of his lax behavior. "

 

That said, should there be room, I am willing to join as well.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Aishur (who is in a dire position in Game 1)

 

 

 

Quite impressive that a player can be knocked out in just one round. If you played diplomacy without the diplomacy "free for all deathmatch" style, then wouldnt the players in the middle get smashed right away?

[Aishur-Rim-Nisheshu]

Haha... Yeah

 

REVENGE!!!!! MUAHAHA!!!!!!!

[jaguars4ever]

To quote myself from the other thread:

 

I'd like to play in the second game; but if you can find new players, naturally you should give preference to them - after all how else will we get the 30 players for World War 4. ^_^

 

 

EDIT: Reveilled, Nartwak, Pixie and Number Man should have preference.

 

That leaves 3 others...

[Reveilled]

Aishur (who is in a dire position in Game 1)

 

 

 

Quite impressive that a player can be knocked out in just one round. If you played diplomacy without the diplomacy "free for all deathmatch" style, then wouldnt the players in the middle get smashed right away?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, there is a set of moves that it has become extremely common for Austria to play called the Southern Hedgehog. Austria moves F Tri-Ven, A Vie-Gal, and A Bud-Ser. This means that if Italy tries the Tyrolian Attack (A Ven-Tyr, A Rom-Ven), A Rom-Ven will fail, and Italy will be unable to support himself into Trieste in fall. Similarly, A Vie-Gal prevents the Russian move A War-Gal, and A Bud-Ser all but guarantees a build in Winter. This in the hope that other areas of the board will distract Austria's attackers, and Austria will have time to recuperate. In truth, though, both Austria and Germany are countries that live and die by their diplomacy, so a no-press Gunboat game will hurt them more than others.

[jaguars4ever]

I'll ask Shadow and Ghostie - they ought to make decent candidates. :cool:

 

---

 

Aishur (who is in a dire position in Game 1)

 

 

 

Quite impressive that a player can be knocked out in just one round. If you played diplomacy without the diplomacy "free for all deathmatch" style, then wouldnt the players in the middle get smashed right away?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, there is a set of moves that it has become extremely common for Austria to play called the Southern Hedgehog. Austria moves F Tri-Ven, A Vie-Gal, and A Bud-Ser. This means that if Italy tries the Tyrolian Attack (A Ven-Tyr, A Rom-Ven), A Rom-Ven will fail, and Italy will be unable to support himself into Trieste in fall. Similarly, A Vie-Gal prevents the Russian move A War-Gal, and A Bud-Ser all but guarantees a build in Winter. This in the hope that other areas of the board will distract Austria's attackers, and Austria will have time to recuperate. In truth, though, both Austria and Germany are countries that live and die by their diplomacy, so a no-press Gunboat game will hurt them more than others.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But can it protect you from the Brothers of Eee-vil?

 

[Deraldin]

If there is a space open I would like to try. Seems like it could be fun.

[Reveilled]

If there is a space open I would like to try. Seems like it could be fun.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well, with you, Darkside, and Numbers, that would be three more people. Of course, we don't have confirmation from a few people, but it looks like we've got our seven people.

 

Since Darkside has asked for us not to hold open his place, though, I'll still count that space as open until he confirms his intention to play. I'll hold the others closed unless someone expresses their intention not to play.

 

So, one space still open!

[metadigital]

Well, with you, Darkside, and Numbers, that would be three more people.  Of course, we don't have confirmation from a few people, but it looks like we've got our seven people. 

 

Since Darkside has asked for us not to hold open his her place, though, I'll still count that space as open until she confirms his her intention to play.  I'll hold the others closed unless someone expresses their intention not to play.

 

So, one space still open!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[jaguars4ever]

Nart, you've confirmed right?