Malcolm Rivera
The board game Diplomacy is a strategic negotiation game where players control armies and fleets to capture supply centres. The Scandinavian provinces consist of five supply centres: St. Petersburg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. An army convoyed to Norway and then dropped to Finland is one way of getting into Sweden. Fleets can only move and hold territories adjacent to their coasts. When a fleet is in a coastal province, the warships are assumed to be anywhere along the coast of that province and can move to an adjacent coastal province if it is connected by a coastline. The Norwegian-Swedish fleet can travel uninterrupted along the coast from one point to another.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Supply Centres in Scandinavian provinces | 4 |
| Names of the Supply Centres | St. Petersburg, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark |
| Number of non-centre | 1 (Finland) |
| Number of coastal centres | 3 |
| Number of fleets at the game's outset | 2 |
| Number of players | 7 |
| Number of units supporting Army Apulia into Trieste | 2 |
| Number of units supporting Army Prussia | 1 |
| Number of units supporting Army Silesia | 1 |
| Types of units | Armies and Fleets |
| Spaces suitable for army travel | Land and coastal land spaces |
| Spaces suitable for fleet travel | Sea and coastal land spaces |
| First places to stop before moving from the North Sea to the Baltic | Denmark, Norway, or Sweden |
| Abbreviation for Norway | Nwy |
| Specification for fleet or army in a coastal supply centre | Necessary |
| Orders for units | Written on a slip of paper |
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What You'll Learn
Scandinavia's interior and exterior
Scandinavia, consisting of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, along with the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland, has a unique political model that blends capitalist economics with socialist values. This model, known as the "Nordic model", has drawn admiration from several American politicians and commentators. It is characterised by high living standards, low poverty, government-funded education, universal healthcare, and generous parental-leave policies.
The region's interior and exterior politics are closely tied to this model. The Scandinavian countries are all parliamentary democracies, with Denmark, Norway, and Sweden being constitutional monarchies, and Finland and Iceland being republics. While the monarchs in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden hold no political power, they do participate in meetings of Ministers of State and sign all laws. In contrast, the Finnish president has influence over foreign policy, military affairs, and the appointment of certain officials.
In terms of foreign policy, the Nordic countries have a history of seeking global influence and offering their expertise as mediators in international conflicts. They also provide significant levels of aid to developing countries as a percentage of their GDP. Additionally, they have played active roles in international organisations like the UN and NATO.
Scandinavia's interior politics are shaped by the dynamics between the countries in the region. For example, in the board game "Diplomacy", Norway and Sweden are adjacent along a coastline in the south, allowing a fleet in Sweden to support an attack on Norway. Similarly, Norway and St. Petersburg are adjacent by land in the extreme north, where a standoff between two equally-supported armies could occur.
The region's exterior is often viewed through the lens of foreign powers. For instance, when England considers Scandinavia, it sees the "exterior" as Norway, the Skagerrak, and the North, Norwegian, and Barents Seas, which it effectively controls. However, the "interior" spaces of Sweden, Finland, the Gulf of Bothnia, and the Baltic Sea must also be considered in strategic calculations.
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The role of convoys
In the board game Diplomacy, fleets are important for convoying armies across water. Convoying is the act of using fleets to move an adjacent army to another land space that is adjacent to the fleet. Convoys can be formed by multiple adjacent fleets, creating a chain to move an army further. Convoys are not disrupted if a unit attempts to move into the territory of the convoyer, but they are disrupted if the fleet is dislodged.
In the context of Norway and Finland, an army can be convoyed to Norway and then dropped in Finland as a way of getting into Sweden. This strategy can be used by England to gain an advantage in Scandinavia. England effectively controls the "exterior" of Scandinavia, which includes Norway, the Skagerrak, and the North, Norwegian and Barents Seas. However, the "interior" spaces of Sweden, Finland, the Gulf of Bothnia, and the Baltic Sea must also be considered.
To successfully convoy an army, a player must have a fleet in a coastal supply center. For example, if Russia builds a fleet in St. Petersburg, they must specify the coast on which it will appear, or the build is invalid. Fleets can also be used to support each other and other units if they can move to where the supported unit is located. For example, a fleet in Sweden can support an attack on Norway as they share a coastline.
Convoys are one of the four basic orders in Diplomacy, along with Hold, Attack, and Support. At each Movement Phase, players may order each unit to hold its position, attack another province, support another unit, or convoy armies.
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Army and fleet travel
When it comes to attacking, there are four basic orders in Diplomacy: Hold, Attack, Support, and
In terms of strategy, the Scandinavian provinces are a key area of contention. They consist of five spaces: St. Petersburg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. These provinces form a distinct and easily defended block, making them crucial for players' victories. Norway and Sweden are adjacent along a coastline, so a fleet in Sweden can support an attack on Norway. Additionally, an army convoyed to Norway can be dropped to Finland, providing another way to gain access to Sweden.
When planning attacks, players should consider the strengths and weaknesses of different powers. For example, Germany is the second weakest player in Scandinavia, and England typically prefers to work with Germany against Russia. Russia, on the other hand, will want to get involved in Scandinavia and will aim to hold Norway.
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Diplomacy rules
The board game Diplomacy is a complex strategy game that involves tactics, negotiation, and careful planning. Here are some key rules regarding diplomacy, fleet movement, and attacks in the context of Norway and Finland:
- Scandinavian Provinces and Supply Centres: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, St. Petersburg, and Finland form the Scandinavian provinces, with the first four being supply centres. Control of these centres is crucial for victory, and fleets play a vital role in capturing them.
- Army Convoys and Fleet Support: Fleets can convoy armies, moving them from one adjacent coastal land space to another. Convoys are only disrupted if the fleet is dislodged. Armies can support fleets in coastal regions and mountains, but only if the army can move to that location.
- Fleet Movement and Coastal Provinces: When a fleet is in a coastal province, it is assumed to be anywhere along that province's coast. The fleet can move to an adjacent coastal province if it shares a coastline. In the case of St. Petersburg, Bulgaria, and Spain, which have specific coasts, fleets on those coasts are considered "in" the territory.
- Norway, Sweden, and Finland: A fleet in Sweden can move to Norway, Skagerrak, Denmark, the Baltic, the Gulf of Bothnia, or Finland in a single move. This allows for strategic manoeuvres and bypassing conflicts with enemy fleets.
- Orders and Rules Clarification: Players write secret orders for their armies and fleets, which are then exposed simultaneously. An illegal order is not followed, and the unit remains in place. A Gamesmaster can be assigned to collect and read orders, adjudicate situations, and clarify rules to prevent disputes.
- Building and Moving Fleets: When building a fleet in a coastal supply centre, players must specify the coast it will appear on, especially in provinces with multiple coasts like St. Petersburg. Moving a fleet into a province with a specific coast, like St. Petersburg, does not require specifying the coast.
- Conflict Resolution: If two or more units are ordered to the same space, none of them may move, resulting in a "stand-off". This rule applies to both armies and fleets, which are considered equal in power but differ in their movement spaces.
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The importance of supply centres
Supply centres are integral to the board game Diplomacy. There are 34 supply centres on the Standard map, 22 of which are controlled by one of the seven powers at the start of the game, while the other 12 are neutral. The aim of the game is to control 18 supply centres (one more than half of the total number) during the Autumn turn to win.
Each player writes their "orders" on a slip of paper, usually keeping them secret, and these orders to the armies and fleets are all exposed at once. The orders must be very clear and specific. For example, if Russia builds a fleet in St. Petersburg, they must specify the coast on which it will appear, or the build is invalid. The Scandinavian provinces consist of four supply centres: St. Petersburg, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, as well as one non-centre, Finland. These five spaces form a distinct, separate, and easily defended block of centres. Control of these centres is essential to the victory of three players.
To own or change ownership of a supply centre, a player must have a unit in the supply centre at the end of the Fall turn. Once a player has control of a supply centre, they can move their unit out and retain control as long as another player does not move a unit into that supply centre at the end of a subsequent Fall turn. A player can only have as many units as they have supply centres. If a player has lost all their home supply centres, they can still fight on with the units and supply centres remaining under their control, but they cannot gain new units until they recapture a home supply centre and leave it vacant at the end of a Fall turn.
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Frequently asked questions
Diplomacy is a strategic board game where players aim to conquer provinces and gain control of supply centres. Each player writes down their "orders" on a slip of paper, which are then read out and followed (if legal). There are four basic orders in the game: Hold, Attack, Support, and Convoy.
There are two types of units in Diplomacy: Armies and Fleets. Armies can travel through land and coastal land spaces, while Fleets can travel through sea and coastal land spaces.
Yes, a fleet can move from Norway to Finland. Norway and Finland are adjacent along a coastline, so the fleet in Norway can support an attack on Finland.
England controls the \"exterior\" Scandinavian spaces of Norway, the Skagerrak, and the North, Norwegian, and Barents Seas. To gain an advantage in Scandinavia, England should focus on convoying armies and fleets to Norway and Sweden.
