Here's the breakdown to give you some idea of what's in the article.
1. Understand your power
- - There are a range of things to consider to understand the power you’re playing: the geography, the units, the SCs available, the immediate ally, the longer-term ally, and continual expansion.
- Although I’m thinking about the start of the game, you really ought to be considering the geography and the units throughout the whole game. Understanding both means planning what you’ll need.
- Everyone wants to expand in 1901. Actually, I’d go as far as to say everyone has to expand in 1901! So knowing which SCs you’re going for is an important factor.
- An understanding of the powers that could hurt you will give you an idea of the powers you need to reach agreements with - but this may not equate to the powers with whom you wish to ally.
- - The only maxim in Diplomacy is that there are no maxims in Diplomacy. Well, almost. Turkey should always take Bulgaria because, well, what else is she supposed to do (unless she’s playing an Austria who doesn’t know their Budapest from their butt)?
- When you go into a game of Diplomacy you’re better off going into it with an open mind. Go into it expecting to do nothing until you’ve spent time getting to know the players.
- What, then, is the advantage of reading all these articles if you’re not going to follow them? Well, they give you knowledge about Diplomacy and they give you knowledge about what the predictable players will do.
- - You absolutely, uncontroversially, 100% no matter what the feck else you do, must communicate.
- You’re here to play the game. Sitting around for whatever amount of time you have before thinking about the game becomes as urgent as needing to pee with a swollen prostate isn’t a good idea.
- - The only way you’re going to get anywhere in a game of Diplomacy is when you have an alliance or two.
- You need people to help you achieve the goals you strive for along the way. And you need to keep a successful alliance going as long as it remains successful.
- - Now, although I’m going to stress how important it is to grow in 1901, I should probably say that not getting extra units on the board for the start of 1902 isn’t fatal. Let’s be honest, it’s not good but it’s not going to kill you.
- Home SCs can, of course, also be taken. Every power has the chance to take a home SC from another and, consequently, the threat of losing one.
- Planning for steady growth is important. Getting one or two SCs in 1901 is great; well done. Good start. It’s amazing how many players lose a good start because they haven’t considered where they’re going after 1901.
- - There are some key spaces on the board that make a power either vulnerable or invulnerable. Knowing and defending these spaces makes all the difference to attack and defence.
- Land defences are also important. In this case, it is very much a case of where the attack is coming from.
- - The easy thing to do, online, is to walk away from the game. Don’t. Remember, you agreed to play the game, so play it; stick it out.
- The first thing to do is try to work out what went wrong and why (assuming it wasn't just that you didn’t enter orders, of course).
- You need to talk your way out of the situation if you can. You need to find a way to threaten the stability of the alliance working against you.
- There is one thing you have going for you in this situation, but it isn’t a great positive, honestly. Can you take advantage of it?
If you want to read articles 1 - 4 of the "Seven Tips" series, look here:
1. Messaging.
2. Planning,
3. Understanding the Stab.
4. Tips from Sun Tzu.
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