Eleanor Finch
Diplomacy and Risk are two of the most popular strategy board games of all time. Both games are lengthy and complex, with a focus on world conquest, military tactics, and shifting alliances. While Risk is a game of conflict and conquest, with players forming and dissolving alliances to capture territories, Diplomacy is more specific thematically, focusing on the European theatre at the start of World War I and the secret alliances that led to the Great War. It is possible to play Diplomacy with a Risk board, but it would require significant adjustments to the rules and gameplay, and some argue that it is not worth the effort.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2-6 for Risk, 2-7 for Diplomacy |
| Board | Political map of the world, divided into 42 territories, which are grouped into six continents |
| Objective | Occupy every territory on the board and eliminate other players |
| Playing pieces | Sets of different coloured tokens denoting troops |
| Dice | Used to determine results of attacks |
| Cards | Deck of 42 territory cards, 2 wild cards, and 12 or 28 mission cards |
| Alliances | Allowed and encouraged |
| Game length | Several hours to multiple days |
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What You'll Learn
Use a Classic version of Risk that uses territory cards
To play a version of Diplomacy using a Risk board, you will need to make some adjustments to the classic version of Risk that uses territory cards. Here is a guide on how to do this:
Firstly, set up the game board, cards, and dice. The Risk board consists of 42 territories grouped into six continents. Shuffle the 42 territory cards marked with corresponding map territories and the two "wild" cards with pictures of troops to create a draw pile. Place the three red attack dice and two white defence dice near the board.
Next, determine the order of play. Each player should roll a die, and the player with the highest roll goes first. Starting with the first player, each player places a single soldier on any unoccupied territory on the board. Continue this process in a clockwise direction until the board is full.
Then, each player receives additional soldiers based on the number of territories they control and may place them on any territories they occupy. It is important to note that players may place their soldiers in any configuration they choose, such as splitting their forces or concentrating them in a single territory.
Now, each player chooses a territory as their capital and places their capital icon on it. The capital icon counts as one unit and cannot be moved. The objective of the game is to control every player's capital to win.
During gameplay, players can either choose to attack or play a territory card. When attacking, players must declare all their attacks for that turn and can only target adjacent territories controlled by their opponents. Players roll the dice, and if they roll a higher number than their opponent, they eliminate some of their troops.
Alternatively, players can play a territory card to launch an attack or fortify a territory. Playing a territory card allows the player to ignore assists and attack with an advantage. Territory cards can also be traded in for reinforcements, with three matching cards or two matching cards with a wild card being required to receive extra armies.
It is important to note that players can form and dissolve alliances during the game, adding a diplomatic layer to the gameplay. Additionally, players can discuss strategies and plans, either publicly or in secret, adding to the diplomatic aspect of the game.
By following these rules, you can play a version of Diplomacy using a Risk board and territory cards, creating an engaging and strategic experience for the players involved.
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Place soldiers on territories
To begin, a first player is chosen and given a marker to indicate their status as the first player. Starting with this player, each player places a single soldier on any territory on the board. This continues in a clockwise direction until the board is full.
Then, each player gets a number of soldiers equal to the number of territories they control, and they may place them on any of the territories they control. It is important to note that some players may control more territories than others at this stage.
After this, starting with the first player again, each player chooses a territory to be their capital and places their capital icon on that territory. These capital icons count as one unit but can never move. The objective of the game is to control every player's capital.
Players may launch attacks from any territory on the board that they control, into a targeted territory. They may also move their troops to another player's territory, in which case the troops will turn into the colour of the player whose territory they moved into. Players may not move their troops into empty territories.
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Choose a capital city
When playing Diplomacy on a Risk board, choosing a capital city is an important step. Here are some things to consider:
Firstly, in the standard version of Risk, the board depicts a political map of the world, divided into 42 territories, which are grouped into six continents. Each continent has a different number of territories, and players may choose any territory within a continent as their capital city. It is important to carefully consider which continent and territory to select as your capital city, as this will impact your gameplay strategy and interactions with other players.
When choosing a capital city, it is advisable to select a territory that is easily defendable. This could be a territory with fewer access routes, as continents with fewer entry points are generally easier to defend. For example, Australia is often a desirable capital choice due to being the only continent that can be successfully defended by heavily fortifying one country, either Siam or Indonesia.
Additionally, players should consider the bonus reinforcement armies that come with controlling entire continents. Choosing a capital city within a continent that your opponents are less likely to target can provide you with a strategic advantage in terms of reinforcement armies.
Another factor to keep in mind is the number of territories you and your opponents control when selecting your capital city. In the classic version of Risk, each player places a single soldier on any territory on the board, and then each player receives an additional number of soldiers equal to the number of territories they control. This initial placement phase affects the selection of capital cities, as players will want to balance their desire for a strong capital location with the need to secure enough territories to gain more soldiers.
It is worth noting that in some editions of Risk, there are rules variations regarding how territories are allocated during setup, which may impact your capital city choice. These variations can include different map configurations and rules, such as the Capital Risk variant, where each player has a capital in one of the initially occupied territories. Understanding the specific rules of the Risk board you are using will help guide your capital city choice.
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Declare war on another player
Diplomacy is an alternative way to play Risk that includes deals, negotiations, strategic manoeuvring, and a decent playtime. To declare war on another player, you must first launch an attack on a territory they control. You can do this by moving your troops into a targeted territory, as long as you have an open, chaining connection between your territories. You can also use other players' territories for chaining if you have the "Open Borders" act.
You can also declare war on another player by forming a temporary alliance with them. Even though only one person can win the game, you can make an unofficial agreement with another player to team up. For example, you might work together to try to eliminate a particularly strong player, or make a deal not to attack each other for a turn. Just keep in mind that you will eventually need to attack each other.
Another way to declare war on another player is to use your troops to fortify your own territories in preparation for an attack. You can do this by moving any number of troops from one territory to another connected territory. You must leave at least one army piece behind in the original territory to retain control of it. Look for territories that are vulnerable to other players and try to fortify them with your troops so you can keep control.
Finally, you can declare war on another player by using your cards to gain more troops. In the classic version of Risk, players are given a deck of Risk cards, comprising 42 territory cards, two wild cards, and 12 or 28 mission cards. When you have three cards that show the same troop picture, or three different troop pictures (infantry, cavalry, and artillery), you can turn the cards upside down to claim extra troops. Each time you turn in cards, you gain more troops than the last set of cards. For every set after the fifth set, add five more troops to the total.
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Use sea zones and focus on Europe, Africa and the Americas
To play Diplomacy on a Risk board, you will need to make some adjustments to the classic Risk setup. The standard Risk board depicts a political map of the world, divided into 42 territories, which are grouped into six continents. However, Diplomacy is more focused on the European Theatre at the start of World War I, with players assigned or choosing to play as England, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, or Russia.
To adapt the Risk board for Diplomacy, you can use sea zones and focus on Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This will involve including oceans and seas as part of the playing field, which is not typically done in Risk. You can use the trans-oceanic or trans-sea routes marked on the Risk board, such as the route between North Africa and Brazil, to create sea zones.
Additionally, you will need to make adjustments to the territories on the board. The Diplomacy board typically has specific starting locations for each nation, with both naval fleets and armies. You can modify the territories on the Risk board to match the setup of the Diplomacy board, focusing on the regions relevant to World War I. This may involve combining or dividing some of the territories to create the necessary starting locations for each player.
Furthermore, Diplomacy has a unique mechanic where play consists of calendar years, with each year divided into a Spring Turn and an Autumn Turn. This adds a temporal element to the game, which can be incorporated into the Risk board setup by assigning seasons to each turn. For example, you can designate a certain number of turns as "Spring" and the following turns as "Autumn," cycling through the seasons as the game progresses.
By using sea zones, focusing on specific regions, and incorporating the calendar-based turn structure, you can adapt the Risk board to play Diplomacy while retaining the core mechanics and themes of the game.
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Frequently asked questions
Risk is a strategy board game of conflict and conquest for two to six players. The game is played on a board depicting a political map of the world, divided into 42 territories, which are grouped into six continents. The goal of the game is to occupy every territory on the board and eliminate the other players. Diplomacy, on the other hand, is a game for two to seven players engaging in the military conquest of Europe and surrounding territories. The game focuses on the secret alliances that led to World War I, with the only random element being the allegiances of the players.
Some players have noted that it is not a good idea to use the Risk board for playing Diplomacy because it takes a lot of effort to create a balanced and fair experience. Additionally, Risk doesn't have sea spaces, and if you did an army-only game, it would result in a lot of choke points.
Diplomacy is a game of shifting alliances and clever gambits. Players need to form and dissolve alliances, negotiate, and engage in strategic maneuvering. It is important to note that Diplomacy is a game that can turn friends into enemies.
