Diplomacy's Disbanding: When To Call It Quits

In the board game Diplomacy, which was first played in 1901, players use their armies and fleets to conquer territories in Europe. The game has several rules about when players can disband their units. For instance, if a unit is dislodged, the player must submit Retreat Phase orders for it to either retreat to an unoccupied adjacent province or be disbanded and removed from play. Players cannot voluntarily disband their units, but they can ask an ally to dislodge a unit and then disband it instead of retreating it.

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You cannot voluntarily disband your unit

In the board game Diplomacy, you cannot voluntarily disband your unit. If you want to disband a unit, your unit must be dislodged first, and then you can choose to disband or retreat. This is according to the 2000 edition of the rules, which states on page 17, section 4: Retreat and Disbanding Phase, that a dislodged unit can choose to disband.

The only way to force another player's unit to disband is to dislodge it, leaving it with no place to retreat to. This can be done by arranging for an ally to dislodge a unit during the orders, and then disbanding it instead of retreating. However, it is not possible to disband at will, even if a unit is support-held.

For example, if you have 5 supply centres and 5 armies at the end of the fall turn, you cannot decide to disband an army and rebuild it as a navy on one of your home supply centres. This is not allowed during the "gaining and losing unit" phase at the end of the fall turn, where players count their supply centres and build or disband units to match the number of supply centres they control.

It is important to note that there is a limit to the number of units a player can have, which is determined by the number of supply depots they possess. This means that players can only have as many units (armies or fleets) as they have supply depots, and there is no rule about whether these need to be armies or fleets.

If a unit is dislodged, you may retreat or disband

In the board game Diplomacy, players use their armies and fleets to conquer as much of Europe as possible. The objective is to capture and possess at least 18 of the 34 nations or provinces containing supply centres by the end of the year. The game is divided into turns, each with a "spring" and "fall" phase, with gameplay beginning in the year 1901.

During each turn, players write down their "orders" for every unit, which are then revealed simultaneously. If a unit is dislodged as a result of an opponent's move, the player must submit Retreat Phase orders to either retreat the unit to an unoccupied adjacent province or disband and remove it from play. A unit can also be voluntarily disbanded by a player if they choose to do so in their written orders. However, according to some sources, players cannot voluntarily disband their units. Instead, they must arrange to have an ally or another player dislodge the unit and then disband it.

It's important to note that a unit with no legal retreats or attempting to retreat to the same province as another retreating unit will be disbanded. Additionally, a unit that has been attacked and dislodged from its province must retreat or be disbanded, and it will be defeated if it had no orders to move elsewhere.

A unit must retreat or disband if attacked by greater support

In the board game Diplomacy, units are used to conquer as much of Europe as possible. Players must capture and be in possession of at least 18 of the 34 nations or provinces on the map that contain supply centres. Units can be supported by other units, which is the only way to make forward progress through enemy territory. Support can be offensive or defensive and can be given to a fellow unit or to another player's unit. By supporting each other, units gain increased strength.

However, if a unit is attacked by greater support, it must retreat or disband. This is because a single attack cuts any outgoing support. If a unit is dislodged as a result of an attack, the player must submit Retreat Phase orders that the unit either retreats to an unoccupied adjacent province or is disbanded and removed from play. A unit must also be disbanded if it has no legal retreats or if it attempts to retreat to the same province as another retreating unit.

It is important to note that a player cannot voluntarily disband their unit. The only way to force another player's unit to disband is to dislodge it, leaving it with no place to retreat to. However, players can arrange to have an ally dislodge a unit and then disband it instead of retreating it.

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A unit with no legal retreats is disbanded

In the game of Diplomacy, a unit with no legal retreats is disbanded. This is a strategic, turn-based game where players give their units orders to hold, attack, support, or convoy. If a unit is dislodged as a result of a move, the player must submit Retreat Phase orders for the unit to either retreat to an unoccupied adjacent province or be disbanded and removed from play. A unit may not retreat to the province from which the dislodging unit came or to an "embattled" province. If a unit has no legal retreats, or if it attempts to retreat to the same province as another retreating unit, it is disbanded.

A retreating fleet that is displaced by another force can only retreat into a movable space, which may not be the same space previously occupied by the displacing unit. If there is nowhere to retreat, the fleet disbands automatically. For example, if Fleet Black Sea is supported by two units into Sevastopol, Fleet Sevastopol has to be disbanded or retreat. If Fleet Sevastopol has nowhere to retreat, it is automatically disbanded.

It is important to note that a player cannot voluntarily disband their unit. The only way to force another player's unit to disband is to dislodge it, leaving it with no place to retreat to. However, a player can arrange for an ally to dislodge a unit during orders and then disband it instead of retreating it.

You can't disband at will

In Diplomacy, a strategic board game, players cannot voluntarily disband their units. The only way to disband a unit is if it has been dislodged, i.e., overpowered by other players. In this case, the player must submit Retreat Phase orders, choosing to either retreat the unit to an unoccupied adjacent province or disband it and remove it from play. This rule is stated in the 2000 edition of the rules.

The inability to voluntarily disband units adds an interesting strategic layer to the game. Players must carefully consider their moves and anticipate potential counter-moves from their opponents. If a unit is dislodged and disbanded, players can rebuild a new unit at the end of the Fall. This may involve coordinating with allies to dislodge and disband a unit strategically, rather than retreating it.

It's important to note that a country cannot dislodge or support the dislodgement of its own units. However, if a country's units attempt to move into the same province with equal support, neither will succeed as per the normal rules of the game. This further emphasizes the need for strategic thinking and coordination among players.

While players cannot voluntarily disband their units, they have some options for unit manipulation. For example, players can choose to have all armies or all fleets, depending on their preferences and strategies. Additionally, units can give support to other units holding their positions, and supported units can also provide support themselves. This rule adds flexibility to gameplay strategies.

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