Malcolm Rivera
Playing as Turkey in Diplomacy can be challenging, but also rewarding. Nicknamed The Sick Man of Europe, Turkey has a strong defensive position but is slow to start and has limited offensive capabilities. To succeed, players must master the art of diplomacy and tactically manage their relationships with neighbouring countries, particularly Russia, Austria, and Italy. While Turkey's natural strength lies in its ability to stalemate enemies, its defensive position is not as strong as it first appears, and early moves must be carefully considered.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Turkey's natural defensive strength
Turkey has obvious natural defensive strength—a fact that any beginner will be able to point out. Turkey has the greatest staying power of any country on the board. Turkey can stalemate its enemies with six well-placed fleets and armies.
However, Turkey's natural defensive position is not as powerful as it initially appears. While Turkey can stalemate its enemies, it is nicknamed "The Sick Man of Europe" due to its defensive position, which can be exploited by other countries. For example, Russia has a fighting chance to take the Black Sea from Turkey in the early years, and an alliance between Italy and Austria can land an Italian army in Smyrna by Autumn 1902. In either of these cases, Turkey would be in serious trouble.
Turkey's defensive strength allows it to play a long game, outlasting its enemies and picking up the pieces after they have exhausted themselves fighting each other. This strategy requires patience and an ability to defend against attacks without becoming overly committed to any one ally or holding grudges.
Harris' Speech Tomorrow: When to Tune In
You may want to see also
The Bulgarian Push
The first step is to tell Russia that you want to bounce in BLA if you plan to attack them. If Russia anticipates a bounce, they will be much less likely to play A MOS - SEV, which is often part of an Austro-Russian anti-Turk alliance. This strategy can be played as an attack on Russia or to disguise a Turk-Russian alliance.
One possible sequence of moves for the Bulgarian Push is: Spring 1901 - A SMY H, A CON - BUL, F ANK - BLA; Fall 1901 - A SMY - SYR, F ANK - CON, A BUL H. This sequence involves delaying choosing Austria or Russia as an ally and leaving both coasts open for a build. It is a rare opening with good surprise value.
Political Campaigns: Buying Laptops and Tech Legally
You may want to see also
Convincing Russia to stay out of the Black Sea
As Turkey, your opening strategy is crucial to your success in the game of Diplomacy. While you may only conquer one country (typically Bulgaria) in 1901, a Turkey that survives until 1904 with its three home centres untouched has a great chance of winning the game.
One of the key considerations for Turkey is the Black Sea. Both Turkey and Russia start with one fleet bordering the Black Sea, so once one side takes it, the other cannot force them out without building a second fleet. This can be a significant drain on resources early in the game. Therefore, if both sides cannot trust each other not to move there, an arranged stand-off is common, even if the intention is to ally.
If you want to convince Russia to stay out of the Black Sea, you could try to negotiate an alliance, promising not to move into the Black Sea yourself. However, if you are sure you can take the Black Sea, it may be in your interest to do so, as it will put you in a strong position to attack Sevastopol or Rumania.
Another strategy could be to focus your efforts on the Western Mediterranean. Turkey usually faces difficulties in this region due to the easily constructed stalemate lines that run through the Tyrrhenian Sea. If you can take advantage of opportunities to attack Russian centres from this direction, you may not need to worry as much about Russia's moves in the Black Sea.
Remember, in Diplomacy, there are no guarantees, and you should always be adaptable and keep your options open.
The NRA's Political Campaign Funding: Influence and Impact
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Lepanto
To defend against the Lepanto as Turkey, one strategy is to move your starting fleet from Ank to Con, as a counter. However, this assumes you know the Lepanto is coming from the first turn and that Russia will not betray you. Another option is to build a fleet in Smyrna, but this risks losing Bulgaria to an Austrian army/fleet in Serbia and Greece.
To prevent the Lepanto, it is vital to talk across the board and convince other powers to attack Italy or Austria. You can also try to get Russia on board, as they are your most natural ally, but this can be difficult if they are doing well.
In terms of diplomacy, keep conversations with Italy short and covertly back up Austrian diplomacy. It is also important to get Russia worrying about other powers and convince them to move to the Black Sea.
Sweden's Defense Diplomacy: Protecting Norway's Interests
You may want to see also
Stalemate lines
Other stalemate lines to watch are the Strait of Gibraltar, the Alps south of Munich, and the surroundings of St. Petersburg. Together, they form a critical stalemate line that divides the board into 17 Northwestern dots (including Spa, Mar, and StP) and 17 Southeastern dots (including Warsaw). To win, you must pass this line. Not focusing on this fact during every turn of the game will likely lead to failure.
Turkey has two natural allies: England and Germany. They share common enemies and have no opportunity to stab you. England, in particular, can be helpful in reaching the Strait of Gibraltar, as it can prevent France from stabbing Italy. However, your chances of reaching the Strait of Gibraltar diminish once French fleets enter the Mediterranean.
While it is said that Turkey can stalemate her enemies with six well-placed fleets and armies, this is highly unlikely. Turkey cannot withstand a dedicated attack from Austria, Italy, and Russia simultaneously. Even if a solo stalemate with six units were possible, Turkey would be unable to expand.
Kamala Harris: Her Racial Identity and Political Career
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Turkey has a strong defensive position on the board, with the greatest staying power of any country. Turkey can stalemate enemies with six well-placed fleets and armies. However, this defensive position can also be seen as an offensive weakness. Turkey's best shot at two builds in 1901 is a push through BUL, followed by a move to GRE, SER, or RUM with Austrian support.
One opening strategy is to convince Russia to stay out of the Black Sea in Fall 1901. This can be done by suggesting F SEV - RUM or F SEV S A UKR - RUM. Another opening is the Bulgarian Push, which is safer and can be played as an attack on Russia or to disguise a Turk-Russian alliance.
Turkey needs to pass the stalemate line dividing the board into 17 Northwestern dots and 17 Southeastern dots to win. One strategy is to concentrate on getting past Sicily and into the Western Mediterranean Sea. This usually requires eliminating Italy, which can be difficult as they know just as much about Diplomacy as Turkey.
One potential ally for Turkey is Russia. Between them, they can take the Balkans and Austria, with separate routes for expansion. However, a solution must be found for Russia's southern fleet. Another potential ally is Austria, as they are in the middle and have limited naval production abilities. However, an alliance between Italy and Austria can land an Italian army in SMY by Autumn 1902, which would be detrimental to Turkey.
Some moves that Turkey can make are F(Ank) to BLA, A(Con) to Bul, and A(Smy) to Arm or Con. The move to Arm is considered the best as it puts pressure on Russia and can cut their support for an attack from Ukr or Gal.
