Quick Start

Diplomacy is an Avalon Hill (Hasbro) board game for seven players. It is an easy game to learn, but it is impossible to master. Players compete with tactics, strategy, and diplomacy in a game of cooperation and conflict where chance plays no role.

PlayDiplomacy.com is dedicated to promoting the Diplomacy hobby, run by volunteers, and funded by donations and premium memberships. It is free to play, and this Quick Start Guide will get you going in no time.

Step 1: Get Registered.

Register an account and check your email to activate your username. Follow these common sense rules when choosing your username, and remember, only one account per user.

Step 2: Get in a Game. 

Joining a game is a commitment to six other players that you will finish it. Games last at least a few weeks and typically months depending on the deadlines. Don't join unless you are willing to play to the end, and do not surrender or quit as it affects the game for the others.

If you are new to Diplomacy or it has been a while since you played, the best way to get started is to play a mentor game with an experienced player available to answer questions. Look in the Mentoring forum to sign up. Otherwise, in the Games tab, select “Join Game” to see all the games with openings.

We recommend you choose a “Not Ranked” game for your first game, if you have not played Diplomacy before. Click the “Join Game” button next to the game you want to play, and you are in.

If you join a new game, the game you select will move to “My Pending Games”. Once the game has a full set of players, you will need to select the game and click “Confirm Participation” in order to start play.

Games you join that have started move to “My Active Games”. Click on the game there and you are playing.

Step 3: Play Diplomacy!

Everything you need to play is on our site, but we still urge you to buy a copy of the game.

To enter orders, on the game map page click on the unit’s province to access a pop-up box, and follow the instructions below the lower left corner of the map. Complete point-and-click interface instructions are in the forum. You may review the orders you entered in the “Orders” link above the map.

We recommend you enter provisional orders at the beginning of a phase and revise them as you go. Orders can be changed any time before the deadline expires. When you are ready to proceed to the next phase, you may click “Finalize Orders” in the Orders window. If all players with orders for the phase finalize, the deadline expires early, and the turn is resolved immediately.

You do not have to finalize. If you do not, the last orders you entered before time expired are used.

To communicate with other players, click on the “Messages” or “Public Press” links above the map and new messaging windows appear.

Starting in 1905, you may offer or accept draw proposals in the “Status” window.

Step 4: Know the Rules.

Learn our site rules, and download the rulebook or use the summary rules provided on the Game Rules page.

One point must be emphasized: the system will let you enter illegal orders, so it is up to you to know the rules. Do not be deceived that just because you were able to enter an order, it is OK.

TIP: To learn Diplomacy quickly, check out these short instructional videos (11 minutes total) by Edi Birsan!

Part 1: Introduction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e2ub5lqItoI

Part 2: Moves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HfNSkfIm9EQ

Part 3: Adjudication

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fG4AwgRHqx0

Part 4: Special Places

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZFGoSpTF0_4