Simone Lawson
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954, with each player controlling the armed forces of a major European power. The game proceeds by seasons, beginning in the year 1901, with each year divided into two main seasons: spring and fall (autumn) moves. Each season is further divided into negotiation and movement phases, followed by retreat or disband adjustments. The game typically takes 4-8 hours to complete, with 20-24 turns in total.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of turns | 20-24 turns in total |
| Time per turn | 5-15 minutes |
| Total time | 4-8 hours |
| Number of players | 2-7 players |
| Play-by-mail time | 1960s |
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What You'll Learn
The 'fun' of the game
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954 and commercially released in the United States in 1959. The game is set in Europe in the years leading up to World War I, and players each control the armed forces of a major European power. The objective is to move your starting units to capture a majority of strategic cities and provinces, which are marked as "supply centers" on the map. These supply centers allow players to produce more units. The game proceeds by seasons, beginning in the year 1901, with each year divided into "Spring" and "Fall" (or "Autumn") moves.
The fun of the game comes from its negotiation phases, where players spend a lot of time forming and betraying alliances, spreading disinformation, and creating plots within plots. This aspect of diplomacy and negotiation is a big part of what makes the game fun and engaging. Players can go into closed rooms and make contradictory promises to each other, forming alliances and observing their actions to evaluate their trustworthiness. At the same time, they must also convince others of their own trustworthiness while planning to turn on their allies when least expected.
The game typically takes a long time to play, with an average playtime of around 5 hours, and some games lasting up to 8 hours or more. The "official" answer is six hours, and studies have shown that a typical game lasts until 1910-1912, which translates to 20-24 turns. At an average of 15 minutes per turn, that would be a game lasting 5-6 hours. However, there is no real typical game length, and some players might prefer to stop after 1905, which is a good year to end a casual game.
To make the game more manageable, some players suggest setting a time limit for each turn, such as 5 or 10 minutes. While this can impair the ability to engage in lengthy negotiations, it helps to ensure that the game ends within a reasonable amount of time. Another option is to play in one-hour or two-hour sessions, leaving the board set up between sessions.
Overall, the fun of the game lies in the intricate negotiations, alliances, and betrayals that occur during the gameplay, as players strategize and plot their way to victory in this lengthy but engaging strategic board game.
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Negotiation phases
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954, with an official playtime of six hours. The game has no dice or other game elements that produce random effects. Instead, it is distinguished by its negotiation phases, where players form and betray alliances and strategize.
During the negotiation phase, players discuss tactics and strategies, form alliances, and share intelligence or spread disinformation. Negotiations can be made public or kept private. Players are not bound to any promises made, and no agreements are enforceable. Communication and trust are vital; players must forge alliances and observe their allies' actions to evaluate their trustworthiness. At the same time, they must also convince others of their own reliability while planning to turn on their allies when the time is right.
The game proceeds by seasons, beginning in the year 1901, with each year divided into "Spring" and "Fall" moves. Each season is further divided into negotiation and movement phases, followed by retreat or disband adjustments. The year ends with a Winter phase of new builds or removals following the Fall adjustments.
The length of each turn can vary, with some players setting time limits of 5 or 15 minutes per turn to keep the game progressing at a reasonable pace. However, this can impair the ability to engage in negotiations, which is a crucial aspect of the game.
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Time limits
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954 and commercially released in the US in 1959. The game is set in Europe in the years leading up to World War I and involves players forming and betraying alliances, negotiating, and strategizing to defeat their opponents.
When it comes to time limits, there is no one-size-fits-all answer as the duration of a Diplomacy game can vary depending on several factors. The game is typically played until a winner emerges or until players agree that the game has reached a foregone conclusion. On average, a game of Diplomacy can last around 4 to 8 hours, with some games even extending beyond that.
To manage the game's duration, players can implement time limits for each turn. This can be around 5 to 15 minutes per turn, with the understanding that the earlier turns will likely take less time, and as the game progresses and becomes more complex, the latter turns may require more time. Setting a time limit per turn helps speed up the game and prevents it from dragging on indefinitely, especially if players are engaged in protracted negotiations or intricate strategizing.
Additionally, players can consider other time-saving measures, such as having an experienced player resolve all orders at the end of each turn, which can help expedite the process. Playing in sessions with a set-up board between sessions is another option to make the game more manageable. Some players also opt for play-by-mail or online Diplomacy, which allows for more flexibility in terms of time and player availability. Ultimately, the decision on time limits depends on the players' preferences and how much time they want to dedicate to the game.
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Typical game length
Diplomacy is a strategic board game created by Allan B. Calhamer in 1954 and released commercially in the United States in 1959. It is set in Europe in the years leading up to World War I, with players controlling the armed forces of major European powers. The game proceeds by seasons, beginning in the year 1901, and each year is divided into "Spring" and "Fall" (Autumn) moves. Each season is further divided into negotiation and movement phases, followed by retreat or disband adjustments.
There is no definitive answer to how many turns it takes to complete a game of Diplomacy as it depends on various factors such as the experience of the players, the complexity of the negotiations, and the strategies employed. However, a typical game of Diplomacy can last for several hours, with an average game length of around 5 to 6 hours. Some sources suggest that a minimum of 4 hours is required to get through the first five years of the game. The game can be played in one sitting or across multiple sessions, with some players opting to set up the board and leave it untouched between sessions.
The length of each turn can vary, but it is often recommended to set a time limit for each turn to keep the game progressing at a reasonable pace. These time limits can range from 5 to 15 minutes per turn. However, it is important to note that setting a strict time limit can impact the negotiation phase, which is a crucial aspect of the game. Experienced players may take longer due to the intricate strategies and plots they employ, while new players may need more time to understand the rules and mechanics of the game.
The game typically ends when a player achieves a clear victory by controlling a majority of the strategic cities and provinces marked as "supply centers" on the map. However, in some cases, the game may end early due to stalemates or mutual agreements among players that the outcome is a foregone conclusion.
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Number of players
Diplomacy is a strategic board game that can be played by as few as two players and as many as seven. Each player controls the armed forces of a major European power (or multiple powers if there are fewer players). The game is set in Europe in the years leading up to World War I and begins in the year 1901.
The game proceeds by seasons, with each year divided into two main seasons: the "Spring" and "Fall" (Autumn) moves. Each season is further divided into negotiation and movement phases, followed by "retreat" or "disband" adjustments. There is also an end-of-the-year Winter phase for new builds or removals following the Fall adjustments.
In the negotiation phase, players discuss tactics and strategy, form alliances, and share intelligence or spread disinformation. Negotiations may be made public or kept private. Players are not bound to anything they say or promise, and no agreements are enforceable. Communication and trust are highly important; players must forge alliances with others and observe their actions to evaluate their trustworthiness. At the same time, they must also convince others of their trustworthiness while planning to turn against their allies when the time is right.
The length of a game of Diplomacy can vary, with some games lasting 4 hours or more. The "official" answer is that a game lasts 6 hours, with a typical game lasting until 1910-1912, or 20-24 turns. At an average of 15 minutes per turn, that would be 5-6 hours. However, there is no real typical game length, and some players suggest stopping after 1905 for a casual game. Setting a time limit for each turn, such as 5 or 10 minutes, can help speed up the game, but it can also impair the ability to engage in negotiations, which is a crucial part of the game.
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Frequently asked questions
On average, a game of Diplomacy takes around 5 hours to complete.
A typical game of Diplomacy lasts until 1910-1912, which is around 20-24 turns.
Each turn can take around 15 minutes, depending on the players' experience and the complexity of the negotiations and strategies involved.
Yes, setting a time limit for each turn can help speed up the game. A time limit of 5 minutes per turn has been suggested, but this may need to be adjusted as the game progresses.
Apart from setting a time limit for each turn, you can also have an experienced player resolve all orders at the end of each turn. Playing in sessions with the board set up between sessions is another option to make the game more manageable.
