Germany's Conquest: Strategies For Dominance In Diplomacy

Playing as Germany in Diplomacy can be challenging due to its central position, which makes it a target for other players. However, this position also offers Germany several options and the potential for rapid growth. Germany's key strength is its central location, which allows for quick expansion, and it has a easily defensible western land border. Germany should focus on building alliances, particularly with Austria, to protect its borders and expand its influence. It should also be wary of seaborne threats from England or France and work to develop its fleet strength or form alliances to counter this threat. Germany's flexibility and central position provide it with many options for expansion and negotiation, making it an exciting and interesting country to play in the game of Diplomacy.

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Understand Germany's strengths and weaknesses

Germany's central position on the board is a key strength, allowing for rapid expansion and growth. There are 10 supply centres within two moves of Germany's home centres, and Germany can guarantee Denmark and Holland in the first year, with an equal claim on Belgium with England and France. This central position also means Germany has a lot of flexibility and options available to it, with the ability to deploy units in all directions. Germany can also count on Austria not attacking early on, and it is important to keep Austria alive through the early game. Germany can also threaten or hint at different openings to gain diplomatic leverage.

However, Germany's central position also means it is vulnerable to attacks from all sides, particularly from France and England, and it is difficult to strike back against sea power. Germany's fleet strength is a common vulnerability, and German players can get themselves into trouble by focusing on Denmark, Belgium and Holland. An alliance with England can be dangerous for Germany, as England can easily turn on Germany with its superior fleet strength. It is important to settle the E/F/G triangle early and cleanly, and to not be left open to a seaborne attack.

Germany has a lot of leverage early in the game and can have a large impact on how things pan out through diplomacy. It is important to form alliances, as Germany will otherwise be fighting on all sides. A common strategy is to ally with England against France, but this can be difficult to manage and France is a difficult country to invade. An alliance with Russia can also be attractive, as Germany would emerge with control of important strategic positions like Warsaw and Moscow.

Overall, Germany is a challenging country to play and requires a skilled player to handle the intricacies of its strategy.

Be diplomatic and form alliances

Playing as Germany in Diplomacy can be challenging due to its central position on the board, which makes it a target for other players. However, this central position also gives Germany several options for forming alliances, which is key to a successful game as Germany.

One strategy is to ally with England against France. This can be a strong partnership as England's fleet and Germany's army complement each other well. Together, they can eliminate France and then turn their attention to Russia. However, England may eventually become a threat to Germany, so it is important to keep an eye on their movements and be prepared to turn on them if necessary.

Another option is to ally with Russia, Turkey, and Italy against Austria. This can be a good strategy as it allows Germany to expand eastward, and having Russia as an ally can provide protection from seaborne attacks by England or France. However, this alliance may not always be reliable, as Russia and Turkey could form a Juggernaut alliance, which would be detrimental to Germany's interests.

Germany can also benefit from maintaining good relations with Austria, even if they don't formally ally. Austria acts as a buffer between Germany and other powers, so it is in Germany's interest to ensure Austria remains strong, at least in the early game. Germany can also threaten to move into Sweden to dissuade Russia from forming an alliance with Turkey, which would give Austria time to establish itself.

Overall, diplomacy is key when playing as Germany. Forming the right alliances and knowing when to turn on former allies is essential to achieving victory. Germany's central position gives it many options for expansion, but it must be careful not to spread itself too thin or become a target for other players.

Be wary of seaborne threats

Germany's central position on the board is a key strength and weakness. While it allows for rapid expansion, it also makes Germany a target for other players. One of Germany's main vulnerabilities is its lack of fleet strength, which can leave it susceptible to seaborne attacks from England or France.

When playing as Germany, it is important to be wary of these potential seaborne threats and take steps to mitigate them. One strategy is to form an early alliance with England, particularly if you can work together to eliminate France. However, this may not be a stable alliance, and England may eventually turn on Germany, especially if they are a competent and ruthless player. Therefore, Germany should also focus on developing its own fleet strength or at least threatening to do so, to deter England from attacking.

Another strategy to counter seaborne threats is to maintain good relations with Austria. Austria can act as a buffer against attacks from the east, and it is in Germany's interest to ensure Austria remains in the game during the early stages. Germany can also use its central position to its advantage by setting other nations against each other and forming strategic alliances to gain leverage.

While Germany should be cautious of seaborne attacks, it is also important not to neglect other fronts. For example, Germany should keep an eye on potential alliances between Russia and Italy or Russia and Turkey, which could pose a significant threat. Germany's flexibility and numerous options for expansion mean that it can adapt its strategy based on the actions of other players and the dynamics of the game.

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Decide where to put the fleet

Germany's central position on the board means that it has a lot of flexibility but is also vulnerable to attack from multiple sides. Diplomacy is key to playing Germany successfully. It is important to form alliances with 1 or 2 other countries so that you are not fighting on all sides.

One of the most important decisions when playing as Germany is where to put the fleet. Moving the fleet to Denmark provides leverage against Russia, but moving the fleet to Holland gives a better shot at three builds. Denmark is always guaranteed for Germany, but moving the fleet to Holland is not necessarily fatal. The consensus is to go for Denmark rather than Holland, usually with the intention of building a second fleet in A01 to use against Sweden. It is far better to try and play England and Russia off against each other as far as possible than to allow either of them to dominate Scandinavia.

However, some sources argue that the focus on seaborne threats is misplaced and that the danger for Germany comes from its central position generally. The key is to get to the edge of the board. It is the potential inability to strike back against sea power that is the problem. For example, if you take out Russia, start off E/G, kill France, and then as England goes into the Med, you work with Austria in the east. If all goes well, you add Stp, War, and Mos to Hol, Den, Swe and your home centres. But if England then attacks, you will lose Hol, Den, Stp, and anything in Scandinavia. Your line of defence becomes Kie, which is easy pickings for your former Austrian ally.

It is also important to keep Austria alive through the early game. Germany's eastern buffer can be protected by dissuading Russia and Turkey from forming an alliance, for example, by holding Sweden over Russia's head. This can buy Austria enough time to get their footing, setting up an important buffer and buying another year or two to get things figured out in the west.

Hold Munich

Holding Munich is a good defensive strategy and is key to German flexibility. Germany starts with Munich, and it is a gateway to Western and Eastern Europe. Whoever owns Munich usually wins the game, and it is hard to get to 18 centres without it. It is also important to leave Munich clear for a build in 1901 if possible.

Holding Munich is a subtle move that upsets no one and forces England and France to fight amongst themselves over Belgium. If you are facing no immediate threats in Fall 1901, the army in Munich can move to Ruhr to set up your own play for Belgium in Spring 1902. Holding Munich also keeps your diplomatic options open for 1902, allowing you to surprise your neighbours with your two builds gained from Holland and Denmark. For example, you could bait France into building two fleets and then build two armies yourself, giving you a decisive advantage in the war over Belgium/Burgundy and likely bringing England into your camp.

However, Germany's central position on the board means that it is surrounded by four countries on two sides. This means that Germany has to make an alliance with one party, for example, with England vs France, or vice versa, or with Russia, Turkey, and Italy against Austria. It is also important to have good relations with England and/or France, as their target is naturally Germany. Germany could take part in two major alliances at the beginning: ally with England against France, or ally with Russia, Turkey, and Italy against Austria.

Germany can guarantee the supply centres of Denmark and Holland in the first year and has an equal claim on Belgium together with England and France. It is important to settle the E/F/G triangle early and cleanly, and this settlement must not leave Germany open to a seaborne attack. Germany's central vulnerability is often a lack of fleet strength, so it is important to be aware of the threat of seaborne attacks from France or England.

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