Malcolm Rivera
Diplomacy is a complex, strategic board game set in Europe before World War I. The game is best played by seven players, each representing a major power of the time: Austria-Hungary, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Turkey. The aim is to gain control of Europe by occupying 18 supply centers, which are typically major cities. The game involves negotiation, player interaction, and strategy, with players forming alliances, spreading gossip, and trying to spy on one another. It is important to note that nothing a player says or agrees to is binding, so figuring out who to trust is crucial. The game can be challenging to win and may take a long time, so setting a time limit is recommended.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2-7 |
| Objective | Conquer as much of Europe as possible |
| Winning condition | Control 18 of the 34 supply centers |
| Board type | Continent-scale |
| Unit types | Armies, Fleets |
| Unit movement | One space at a time |
| Unit strength | All units have the same strength |
| Unit orders | Hold, Attack, Support, Convoy |
| Unit disbandment | Players can choose to disband a unit |
| Unit retreat | Retreat to an adjacent province or be disbanded |
| Unit standoff | Units of equal strength remain in their original provinces |
| Convoy rules | A fleet can convoy an army from an adjacent coastal province to another adjacent coastal province |
| Negotiation rules | Players can communicate 1-on-1 or in groups |
| Game year | Spring Orders & Retreats, Fall Orders, Retreats, and Builds |
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What You'll Learn
Game setup and rules
Diplomacy is a strategic board game that aims to simulate the complex diplomacy of pre-World War I Europe. The game was invented in the 1950s by Allan Calhamer, a then-undergraduate student at Harvard University studying 19th-century history. The game is played on a board that is divided into a large number of spaces, each identified by a name or abbreviation. There are three types of spaces: ocean or sea spaces, land spaces, and coastal land spaces. The type of space determines which units can occupy them. There are two types of units: armies and fleets. An army can travel in land spaces and coastal land spaces, and a fleet can travel in sea spaces and coastal land spaces. Each unit can only move one space at a time, and only one unit may occupy any space at any time, except in the case of a successful convoy.
The game is designed for seven players, each representing one of the major powers of the time: Austria-Hungary, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Turkey. However, there are also rules for playing with fewer players, in which certain countries are eliminated or each player controls multiple countries. The game begins in 1901, and each "game-year" proceeds through five phases: Spring Orders & Retreats and Fall Orders, Retreats, & Builds. During the game, players can meet in private or public, make public pronouncements, sign secret treaties, spread gossip, or even spy on one another. However, nothing a player says or agrees to in writing is binding. After a negotiation period, players secretly write down their moves, and then all moves are revealed and put into effect simultaneously.
The objective of the game is to use your armies and fleets to conquer as much of Europe as possible. Specifically, players must capture and possess at least 18 of the 34 nations or provinces on the map that contain supply centres at the end of a year. Players with more supply centres than units on the board can build new units in their open Home centres, while players with fewer supply centres than units must disband units. If a player loses all their Home centres, they cannot build new units, and if they control no supply centres, they are eliminated from the game.
There are four basic orders in the game: Hold, Attack, Support, and Convoy. At each Movement Phase, players can order each unit to hold its position, attack another province, or support another unit. Fleets can also convoy armies across bodies of water to coastal provinces.
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Negotiation and deception
Diplomacy is a negotiation game where players are not bound to their agreements and a certain amount of deception is involved. Players discuss tactics and strategy, form alliances, and share intelligence or spread disinformation during the negotiation phase. While players will deceive and lie to each other to gain an advantage, it is important to remember that the game is just a game and to not take things personally.
Each player secretly writes down their moves after the negotiation period, and then all moves are revealed and put into effect simultaneously. This means that players must communicate and trust each other, as they will be relying on their allies to follow through on their promises. However, players should also be aware that their allies may not always be trustworthy, and may be spreading disinformation or lying to gain an advantage.
It is important to remember that every player is equally vulnerable to deception and that no agreements are enforceable. Players should be cautious of alliance offers from players who are in a position to win alone by betraying their allies. Additionally, players should not be afraid to communicate their situation to other players if they are unable to continue playing, as it is important to remember that the game is meant to be fun for everyone involved.
To help keep the game running smoothly, it is recommended to have a Diplomacy veteran to help run the game and fairly arbitrate any disputes. It is also important to set a specific time limit for the game, as it can be incredibly hard to win and games have been known to go on for years. By setting a time limit, players can avoid hurt feelings or arguments over board positions when the game ends.
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Player elimination
Diplomacy is a strategic board game set in Europe in the years leading up to World War I. The game involves two to seven players, each controlling the armed forces of a major European power. The players negotiate, form alliances, and deceive each other with the aim of moving their starting units to defeat others and 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.
There is also a "Surrender" rule variant that seeks to prevent player elimination and end the game faster. In this variant, a nation may choose to surrender its territories to another nation if it is down to two supply centres or fewer. If Nation A accepts the surrender offered by Nation B, Nation A would become the Protectorate of Nation B, and Nation B would become a Client State of Nation A. The Client State can still control its units and diplomacy but cannot directly dislodge or cut the support of any unit belonging to its Protectorate.
While player elimination is part of the game, it can be mitigated by encouraging new players to draw separately for the corner countries that are less likely to get eliminated. Additionally, even after elimination, players can stick around to observe and learn from the experience of others.
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Time limits
Diplomacy is a strategic, negotiation-heavy board game that can take a long time to play. A single game year can take up to 50 minutes, and a full game can last anywhere from 120 to 360 minutes (2 to 6 hours). The game is divided into "Spring" and "Fall" moves, with each season further divided into negotiation and movement phases, followed by "retreat" or "disband" adjustments.
To keep the game moving at a good pace, it is recommended to enforce time limits. For example, you could limit the diplomacy phase to 20 minutes for the first year and add another 5 minutes to write down the orders. For the next year, you can reduce the time limit to 15 or 10 minutes, plus another 5 minutes to write down the orders. Most established face-to-face Diplomacy communities have moved away from having a separate order-writing phase, as it can significantly lengthen the game. Instead, it is recommended to combine the negotiation and writing down orders phase into a single 15-minute time block.
If you are playing with new players, you may want to allow more time for negotiation and writing down orders. One suggestion is to set a 15-minute maximum for the diplomacy period, which could make the game last around 4 hours. Alternatively, you can set longer time limits of 17 minutes for spring turns and 15 minutes for fall turns, allowing more time for builds and negotiation.
For those who want to speed up the game, you can set shorter time limits of 5 minutes per turn. While this may impair your ability to engage in negotiations, it will ensure the game ends within a reasonable timeframe. Another option is to play in one-hour or two-hour sessions, leaving the board set up between sessions.
Online versions of Diplomacy, such as playdiplomacy, webdiplomacy, and backstabbr, typically have built-in deadlines. For example, Backstabbr has a 1-week adjudication period. Some platforms offer a wait for orders mode, where the game won't process until everyone has entered their orders. However, this mode is prone to abuse by players for diplomatic gain, so it may not always be available. If you are looking for more flexibility, dipl.io allows you to choose arbitrarily short or long deadlines.
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In-person vs online
Playing Diplomacy in person and playing it online are two very different experiences. The game is a multiplayer, turn-based strategy game where players negotiate, make deals, and betray one another to conquer Europe. While the core mechanics of the game remain the same regardless of how it is played, the experience can differ greatly depending on whether it is played in person or online.
In-person Diplomacy games can be an all-day affair, with players taking breaks for meals and snacks. The game can also run shorter for some players than for others, as there is player elimination. It is recommended to have some backup entertainment for those who get knocked out early. In-person games can also be more intense, as players can directly see each other's reactions and may be more likely to take things personally. This can lead to heated arguments and even the end of friendships.
On the other hand, online Diplomacy games can be more convenient and accessible, allowing players to participate from the comfort of their own homes. Online games can also be more flexible in terms of timing, as players can take their turns at their own pace without the need to gather everyone in one place. Additionally, online platforms may offer tools to enhance the gameplay experience, such as a sandbox mode to test out potential moves or email-based game notifications.
One advantage of in-person Diplomacy is the social aspect, as it allows players to interact and negotiate face-to-face. This can add an extra layer of complexity and strategy to the game, as players can use body language and non-verbal cues to their advantage. In-person games may also be less prone to technical issues or connectivity problems, which can disrupt the flow of online games.
However, online Diplomacy can offer a larger pool of potential players, making it easier to find a full group of seven players. Online platforms can also facilitate reliable gameplay by implementing rating systems that encourage players to meet deadlines and penalize those who frequently miss phases or games. This can help ensure that online games run smoothly and avoid delays.
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Frequently asked questions
The objective of the game is to gain control of Europe by controlling 18 supply centers. The player who represents the power that achieves this is the winner.
Diplomacy is best played by seven players, with each player representing one of the Great Powers of Europe: England, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and France. However, as few as two players can play.
The game board represents a map of Europe and parts of the Middle East and North Africa. It is divided into 34 supply centers, which are major cities or areas of industry and commerce, such as Moscow, Berlin, and Vienna.
The game progresses through diplomacy periods, where players can meet in private or public, make pronouncements, form alliances, spread gossip, or even spy on one another. After the diplomacy phase, players write and read out loud orders for their fleets and armies, which are then executed on the board.
The official rule book recommends setting aside about four hours to play, but the game can last much longer or shorter depending on what happens during gameplay. It is recommended to set a time limit to ensure the game ends within a reasonable timeframe.
