Simone Lawson
Diplomacy is a strategic board game designed by Allan B. Calhamer, inspired by his study of political geography and 19th-century European history at Harvard. The game is designed for seven players, each with their own set of pieces representing their country's armies and navies. There is a maximum of 18 armies or navies for each country, with players aiming to deploy their pieces tactfully to outmaneuver opponents. The game has gained a reputation for its complex double-dealing nature, attracting and repelling players with its unique blend of cooperation and conflict. With a large number of pieces needed, players often seek creative solutions for game components, and variants of the game have emerged with altered rules and maps, catering to a range of player counts and preferences.
Total Game Pieces in Diplomacy
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Maximum number of pieces for any country | 18 |
| Number of players | 2-7 |
| Number of pieces in a homemade set | 10 armies and 10 fleets for each country, except for Austria (12 armies, 8 fleets) and England (8 armies, 12 fleets) |
| Number of pieces in a commercial set | 8 armies and 8 fleets of each type |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The original game of Diplomacy is designed for seven players, but there are variants for two to six players
- The game is inspired by 19th-century European history and political geography
- There are 18 armies or navies for each country on the board, with a maximum of 36 pieces in total
- Diplomacy has six commercially released variants: Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical
- The game is considered a classic and the most famous wargame in existence
The original game of Diplomacy is designed for seven players, but there are variants for two to six players
The board game Diplomacy is designed for seven players, each with a large number of pieces. The game is complex and involves tactics, strategy, and diplomacy in a game of cooperation and conflict. The original rules did not specify the number of pieces, but the Avalon Hill set included suggestions, such as individual players using multiple countries and additions. There is a maximum of 18 either armies or navies for any country on the board.
There are variants of the game that allow for two to six players. For example, if there are six players, everyone plays one country, and Italy is not used. For five players, Italy and Germany are not used. For games with 2-4 players, the 'Gunboat' rule applies, meaning there are no discussions. For 4 or 5 players, the 'Wilson' or 'Public Press' rule applies, meaning all discussions must be out in the open with no whispers or secret signals. For 5 or 6 players, regular negotiation rules apply.
There have been six commercially released variants of Diplomacy: Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical. Machiavelli is set in Renaissance Italy and introduces rule changes such as money, bribery, three seasons per year, and random events like plague and famine. Kamakura is set in feudal Japan. These variants offer different player counts and rules, providing alternatives to the standard seven-player Diplomacy.
The game's designer, Allan B. Calhamer, drew inspiration from the card game Hearts and chess. He noticed that in Hearts, players teamed up against the leader, and chess had a limited number of spaces and pieces. These influences led to Diplomacy's unique blend of strategy and negotiation, requiring players to form alliances and navigate complex interactions.
Where Does Political Campaign Donation Money Go?
You may want to see also
The game is inspired by 19th-century European history and political geography
The board game Diplomacy is inspired by 19th-century European history and political geography. The idea for the game arose from Allan B. Calhamer's study of nineteenth-century European history at Harvard, under Sidney B. Fay, coupled with his interest in political geography. Calhamer also drew inspiration from the card game Hearts, where players teamed up against the leader, and from chess, which inspired the use of a limited number of spaces and pieces. The game was first created in 1954 and has been through several revisions and publishers since.
The game is designed for seven players, each controlling one of the seven European powers: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire. The map reflects the political boundaries of Europe in 1914, just before World War I, with players negotiating and competing for strategic advantage, reflecting the political dynamics of the time. The game differs from traditional war games in that players don't take turns sequentially. Instead, they secretly write down their moves after a negotiation period, and all moves are revealed and executed simultaneously.
Diplomacy has been described as a "classic game" and "probably the most famous wargame in existence" by game designer Jon Freeman. Freeman praised the game for modelling "power politics" and teaching players about history, geography, and political negotiation. The game has also been criticised for its lengthy playtime and high player requirement.
The game has a maximum of 18 armies or navies for each country on the board. Some players have opted to create their own sets with a balance of 10 armies and 10 fleets for each country, with slight variations for Austria and England, to improve upon the commercial set with 8 of each type.
Diplomacy's Role in Averting World War II
You may want to see also
There are 18 armies or navies for each country on the board, with a maximum of 36 pieces in total
The board game Diplomacy is designed for seven players, each controlling one of seven countries. There are 18 armies or navies for each country on the board, with a maximum of 36 pieces in total.
The game was created by Allan B. Calhamer, inspired by his study of 19th-century European history and political geography at Harvard. Calhamer also drew ideas from the card game Hearts, where players gain an advantage by teaming up against the leader, and chess, which has a limited number of spaces and pieces. The game was first created in 1954 and has been through several revisions, with a map and rules established by 1958.
Diplomacy is considered a classic game, with many fans creating their own variants using altered rules and maps. The standard rules allow for games with two to six players, with Italy and Germany removed for five players, and Italy removed for six players. There are also official suggestions for rule changes when fewer than seven players are present, such as the 'Gunboat' rule, which means there are no discussions, and the 'Wilson' or 'Public Press' rule, which means all discussions must be out in the open.
There are also six commercially released variants of the game: Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical. These variants introduce different rules, such as money, bribery, and random events, and are designed for varying numbers of players.
Who Oversees Political Campaign Practices?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Diplomacy has six commercially released variants: Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical
Diplomacy is a board game inspired by nineteenth-century European history and political geography. It involves a limited number of spaces and pieces, with rules allowing for two to six players. The game has gained a reputation for its "double-dealing", attracting and repelling players. Over time, fans of the game have created hundreds of variants, altering rules and maps. However, there are six notable commercially released variants: Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical.
Machiavelli, published by Battleline Publications and later taken over by Avalon Hill, introduces several rule changes. Set in Renaissance Italy, the board is controlled by various Italian powers, as well as Valois France, Habsburg Austria, and the Ottoman Turks. Machiavelli incorporates new elements such as money, bribery, three seasons per year, garrisons, and random events like plague and famine. It supports a range of four to eight players.
Kamakura, published by West End Games in the early 1980s and later by Avalon Hill in 1994, is set in feudal Japan. It is considered one of the least well-known variants.
Colonial Diplomacy, another official release, has been reissued and renamed "Era of Empire". It has undergone significant changes to its map, rules, game mechanics, and components.
Hundred, an unofficial release, is popular in the PBEM community.
Ard-Rí, also an unofficial release, originated from the PBEM community and is less known compared to other variants.
Classical Diplomacy, an unofficial release, is another variant popular among the PBEM community.
Campaign Contributions: Who's Raised the Most?
You may want to see also
The game is considered a classic and the most famous wargame in existence
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhammer in 1954 and released commercially in 1959. It is considered a classic and the most famous wargame in existence. The game is set in Europe just before World War I and involves players controlling the armed forces of major European Powers. The objective is to move your starting units and defeat those of your opponents to win possession of a majority of strategic cities and provinces marked as "supply centres" on the map. These supply centres allow players who control them to produce more units. The game has three phases: spring, fall, and winter. Spring and fall are diplomacy phases when players use their armies to form and betray alliances. The retreat and build phases follow, where players who lost armies can move or disband them, and powers can build or disband units depending on the number of supply centres they possess.
What sets Diplomacy apart from most board wargames are its negotiation phases and the absence of dice or other game elements that produce random effects. Players spend a significant amount of time forming and breaking alliances with other players, adding a layer of complexity and strategy to the game. The game has a large following and is played at formal tournaments in many nations. It has also been advertised as the favourite game of notable figures such as John F. Kennedy and Henry Kissinger.
The game typically has a maximum of 18 armies or navies for any country on the board. However, some players may prefer to have more or fewer pieces depending on their preferences. For example, a homemade set might have 10 armies and 10 fleets for each country, with adjustments for specific countries, such as Austria having 12 armies and 8 fleets, and England having 8 armies and 12 fleets.
The popularity of Diplomacy has led to the creation of six commercially released variants: Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical. In addition, many fans of the game have created hundreds of their own variants, modifying the rules and map to suit their preferences. These variations add to the replay value and strategic depth of the game, contributing to its enduring popularity and reputation as a classic in the world of wargames.
BLM's Political Campaign Contributions: What's the Deal?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the number of players and the variant of the game being played. The original Diplomacy is designed for seven players, with each player controlling one of seven countries. There is a maximum of 18 either armies or navies for any country on the board.
For each country, there is a maximum of 18 pieces, which can be either armies or navies. One homemade set features 10 armies and 10 fleets for each country, except for Austria (12 armies, 8 fleets) and England (8 armies, 12 fleets).
Yes, there have been six commercially released variants of Diplomacy — Machiavelli, Kamakura, Colonial Diplomacy, Hundred, Ard-Rí, and Classical. Machiavelli, for example, is set in Renaissance Italy and features rule changes such as money, bribery, and random events. It can be played with as few as four and as many as eight players.
While the original game is designed for seven players, the rules allow for games with as few as two players. However, variants with fewer than seven players are typically considered non-standard and are not used in tournaments or most forms of online play.
