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For those who haven't played but want an understanding of Diplomacy, here's how it was described to me: It's like Risk without luck, but instead of taking an h
by kyle_morris_ 6y ago
For those who haven't played but want an understanding of Diplomacy, here's how it was described to me:
It's like Risk without luck, but instead of taking an hour it'll take seven, and instead of being mad at your opponent at the end for a few days you'll hate them for the rest of your life
The way it's played is that there are seven players who are effectively equal in power. There is a timed period where you can discuss your intent freely with others(as open or closed as you'd like).
During this time you strategize, plot against, make deals and offer support.
At the end of the timed period you write down your moves, they're put into an envelope and opened all at once.
No single nation is more powerful than another, you almost always need another's support to make any progress. That said, you don't have to stick to your word, and neither does your opponent.
Did you promise Germany you'd help them into Warsaw, but also promise Russia you wouldn't? It doesn't matter both were plotting against you the whole time because they overheard you talking with England about how you were going to stab both of them in the back.
It's a really fantastic game that has unlimited re-playability.
There's also an urban legend that it was JFK and Kissinger's favorite game[0][1]
[0]: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1529003/kissingers-favorite-game https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1529003/kissingers-favorite...
[1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/6je8nu/til_henry_kissinger_described_diplomacy_as_his/ https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/6je8nu/til_henr...
- dbmikus 6y ago> No single nation is more powerful than another Except Italy, who always gets the short straw :p
- tnecniv 6y agoApparently, in high level play, the countries are all viewed as essentially equal despite them being asymmetric. For example, in the novice games I've played, Austria is always the first to bite it due to the fact that they have the most borders to defend. However, if they play their cards right and can eliminate a neighbor, they end up in a pretty powerful position on the board.
- lmm 6y agoIn high-level play the countries are essentially equal because high-level players adapt to compensate - powerful countries are early targets. Doesn't mean the advantages don't exist.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- ggambetta 6y agoI've played a few times on central power alliances in which Italy was a part, and we ended in three-way draws.
- cheschire 6y agoI would imagine based on your description that the replayability is in fact limited by the number of new friends you can generate. Or at least how good your post game negotiations are.
- philipov 6y agothere are web-based implementations that hide who's playing what country, and online matchmaking, so the ability to generate new v̶i̶c̶t̶i̶m̶s̶ friends is very high.
- jefftk 6y ago"hate them for the rest of your life" is hyperbolic. My friends and family have a good gaming culture, and when I've played Diplomacy with them no hard feelings last past the end of the game. You can't really have fun playing this kind of game seriously with people unless you're able to separate what happens in the game from the rest of your friendship.
- Scarblac 6y agoThere is online play for that, mainly at backstabbr.com.
- Apocryphon 6y agoRisk already takes seven hours to play.
- Someone 6y agoRecommended reading to get a feel for the game (even if you know the game, and even if you read it before): https://grantland.com/features/diplomacy-the-board-game-of-the-alpha-nerds/ https://grantland.com/features/diplomacy-the-board-game-of-t...
- snarf21 6y agoI've designed a Diplomacy card game that plays 3-6 players and takes about 15 minutes per player. It still has all of the backstabbing and alliances but abstracts the map away in favor of a "your borders are the people on your left and right". It is a lot of fun and less friendship ruining. I'd love for some hard core Diplomacy players to give it a try.