Look over my shoulder in my first game of Diplomacy: Germany?

DavidC · #1 07-24-2006, 07:28 PM

Hey guys, if you're interested in looking over my shoulder in my first game of Diplomacy that would be cool.

The moves are, I shit you not, 7 days apart, so the game won't go anywhere really quickly. As a player, I'm not totally aware of the subtleties of moveemnt/support yet. Anyways, I'm Germany.

Alright, so, looking at a few of the powers:

Italy: They can take Tunis unopposed but afterwards they have to get involved vs France or Austria or have to try to get involved in the greece area, which will be tough for them. It looks like Italy is going to be the main counterbalance to France taking two SC's this turn.

Turkey: Looks like they're going to plug up the black sea and move their armies into bulgaria and constantinople first, then I'm not sure. Perhaps Austria and Turkey will work together towrds curtailing the Russians in the south, which would be ok.

France: If Italy and Austria can't come to an agreement right away, France is free to take Spain and potentially even portugal or Belgium this year. They should probably plug up the english channel, move their army in marseille to spain, and move their army in paris to burgundy to provide max flexibility, although I'm not sure that separating their armies would be very good.

Austria: They get Serbia and then they will probably block Turkey's advance into greece. However, they will probably have to keep their fleet in Trieste to ensure their defense.

Russia: They get Sweden for sure. Their Army in Warsaw looks like it could be trouble for me and is basically what will prevent me from taking 2 SC's this turn.

Britain: Norway is theirs, they'll probably move their fleet into North Sea from edinburg and convoy across an army, while plugging up the english channel.

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Germany: Do these assumptions look correct? If they do, I think my correct course of action is to tell the russians and the austrians that they don't have to worry about me, and to ally with the Italians against the French.

My orders should be, depending on the reaction to this plan by the above powers:
A Ber-Kiel
F Kiel - Denmark
A Munich - Burgundy

DavidC · #2 07-24-2006, 07:46 PM

France has approached me about alliance, but didn't give any details. He basically asked me what I thought of it and what I'd be interested in planning with him. I told him that I wasn't sure right now what I was going to do, that I still had a week to decide, but that I'd be interested in hearing his plan.

durron597 · #3 07-24-2006, 07:54 PM

1) make sure you talk to everyone on the board
2) I only like Mun - Bur if you arrange a bounce with france there. It keeps him out and still keeps Mun defended if you need to.
3) Otherwise move Mun - Ruh

DavidC · #4 07-24-2006, 08:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]
1) make sure you talk to everyone on the board
2) I only like Mun - Bur if you arrange a bounce with france there. It keeps him out and still keeps Mun defended if you need to.
3) Otherwise move Mun - Ruh

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I'm not sure what to say to the guys that I'm not going to directly interact with, though, like Britain and Turkey. Something like, "Hi. I'm Germany." ?? [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

What do you mean by "arrange a bounce with France"? Wouldn't we much rather just hold our positions rather than voluntarily bounce?

Assuming that I actually accidentally occupy Burgundy, what are the consequences to that? I mean, it can still defend Munich, right?

Edit: Is the move into Ruhr intended as something that could potentailly get three countries (holland) and prevent a British/French alliance from hurting me? This would also protect me from a scenario of France building an army in Paris and dislodging me.

Edit: I just sent off a message to Britain/Turkey basically saying that I wasn't interested in attacking them but if they wanted to discuss their plans/assistance to let me know.

Zurvan · #5 07-24-2006, 08:23 PM

Of course you have something to talk about with England - France.

Don't tie yourself down just yet. Keep all your options open. You need to make a deal with one of England or France, to finish off the other. Otherwise, they'll team up against you, and Russia will swoop in to finish you off.

Say hi to Turkey, make vague comments about working together in the future, and hope he attacks Russia instead of Austria.

You want to bounce so that neither of you can take the space. You don't trust each other enough to take a chance of the other taking it. I don't know for sure if that's the best option here, I probably wouldn't even bother.

Pick up DEN & HOL this turn. Make a deal with Russia to have a DMZ in SIL, PRU & ROH. If he does that, he gets Sweden. If not, you keep him out. Easy as pie.

durron597 · #6 07-24-2006, 08:33 PM

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You want to bounce so that neither of you can take the space. You don't trust each other enough to take a chance of the other taking it. I don't know for sure if that's the best option here, I probably wouldn't even bother.

[/ QUOTE ]

I pretty much always ask for a bounce in burgundy when I'm France

DavidC · #7 07-24-2006, 08:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Pick up DEN & HOL this turn. Make a deal with Russia to have a DMZ in SIL, PRU & ROH. If he does that, he gets Sweden. If not, you keep him out. Easy as pie.

[/ QUOTE ]

My press thus far has been:

France: We'll see.
Russia: Move moscow-ukraine and I won't prevent you from taking sweden. Other than that, peace?
Austria: Peace?
Turkey: Um, hi.
Italy: Let's prevent France from taking 2 SC's this turn.
Britain: Um, hi.

I should probably let Britain in on the attempt to take France. I guess you're right about getting one of them on my side. Between the two of them, France is so much more useful than Britain, I think, becaus FRance would actually be able to help me vs Italy/Austria etc whilst Britain would not be as good in that regard: they're more useful to the other powers helping them kill me off. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Do you have opinions on this?

DavidC · #8 07-24-2006, 08:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

You want to bounce so that neither of you can take the space. You don't trust each other enough to take a chance of the other taking it. I don't know for sure if that's the best option here, I probably wouldn't even bother.

[/ QUOTE ]

I pretty much always ask for a bounce in burgundy when I'm France

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, what happens if I can occupy that province? Will it be good or bad for me?

durron597 · #9 07-24-2006, 08:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Well, what happens if I can occupy that province? Will it be good or bad for me?

[/ QUOTE ]

You'll have a huge leg up on him. If he doesn't move there he'll have to move back to Paris (from Picardy) to defend and then you walk into Belgium.

Zurvan · #10 07-24-2006, 08:42 PM

An England/Germany alliance is awful for Russia, because Scandinavia & STP is going to be a major target of England. What's bad for Russia is good for you. So is a strong Austria, as he distracts Turkey & Italy, and he'll rarely attack you.

I don't dislike durron's advice re: burgundy, btw. It depends on France, I think.