I’m in quite a bind in the Diplomacy game pictured at the bottom of the page here:
I’m Germany, and have successfully turned the tables on Russia this past Spring, and England is currently pursuing expansion in Scandinavia (although obviously has annoyed me through taking Denmark a year or two ago.)
The real problem is that Italy just completely collapsed after an Austrian betrayal, and the Austrian growth rate is unmatchable. Even if I’m successful in Russia, then I’m sandwiched between Austria and England.
What would you do in this situation?
Kibitzing and recriminations for my placid acceptance of peace with Austria up to this point will be cheerfully accepted.
I can’t quite tell for sure whose units are whose; I’d say your offensive position vis a vis the Tsar is rather poor; Warsaw is safe, for the moment, and you have a landed fleet stalemated against a Russian fleet in the Baltic.
I’d play up fears of a Juggernaut (solid Russian-Austrian alliance) to the other players. Right now they are the biggest threat on the board-I see he bought an army in Trieste-possible mistake but that means he’s gunning for you not Italy/France via the sea lanes. Only an anti-R-A coalition of all other remaining powers will likely be able to stop an Austrian victory, which for you means burying the hatchet with England and helping him push Russia back in the north while you turn all your armies in the direction of Austria. You have to personally shoot for a draw at this point (study the relevant stalemate lines-you have a chance, for the moment at least, to bottle him up). Try to talk Russia into betraying Austria-point out that the Archduke is getting far more out of the alliance than he is, and if he turns south and stabs his ally you won’t invade him (you may betray him anyway that’s your call).
Yeah, you’ve got issues there. Austria built two armies, I see. Two armies from Austria instead of an army and a fleet doesn’t scream “I’m focusing on Italy” to me. It says more “hey, look at Munich, and Germany focused waaaay off in the north…” I’d guess that Russia and Austria have already formed an alliance. You need to worry about that.
Mostly I think you need to decide what your priorities are. Are you friends with England? Then what are you doing with those two navies of yours? Are you done with the western campaign? Then why are you letting rump French armies run around between Paris and Holland? Most importantly: where are your next supply centres coming from?
In addition to what John said about the diplomatic front, keep talking to Italy and Turkey. The two of them should be lobbying Russia vigorously to turn against Austria; it will be much more believable out of their mouths than yours.
After hearing my Step Dad rave on and on, and on about how complex the game is, I knew to be on the look-out for it, (in the background). He had asked me a few times if I had ever come across it, on my end of the “gaming” spectrum. He is more War gaming / Risk / Axis & Allies, I am more ““German”” Style board and CCG.
One day, shopping at Big Lots, of all places, I come across a CD-rom copy of the game. It was only 4 bucks. You should have seen me, I nearly tore the entire shelf apart, trying to find a second copy. - It took me a good bit of time, but I finally found a second copy. I bought both copies, and hurried home to surprise my Step-dad with a copy. It made my day, knowing that I found two copies of a game he always wanted.
I started on the Tutorial, the game is indeed complex. I believe I got a good way though the tutorial, but I have yet to start a game.
You’re right about the Russian-Austrian alliance, John, they cooperatively carved up Turkey - fueling Russian growth that brought us to our current situation. Now that the Sultan’s all but dead, they each need a new target (and I’m afraid it might be me.) I tried to talk the Turkish player into putting up more resistance, but he didn’t submit orders last turn, so I don’t think I can count on future support from him.
Italy is in a similar situation - Austria stabbed into Venice in Fall 1903 and I (believing the Italian campaign would last longer) curtailed his growth into Spain. Instead, Italy completely folded and we can expect the Archduke to take Rome and Naples this Fall, which should put him at 10 - 11 if he also gets Constantinople.
England is the one bright spot in all this (you’re pretty much on the money there, Orbifold.) I have just buried the hatchet with him as of Fall 1903 and we’re taking on Russia. I don’t trust him too much - he’s certainly not reliable enough for me to ask him to eliminate my fleet, but at least he was flexible enough to ally with me against Russia after I tried to orchestrate a French-German-Russian attack on England in the early game.
The French armies still exist because I had thought he was out - he didn’t submit orders for two consecutive turns. I was really surprised when he submitted a retreat order from Spain to Portugal. I really should have crushed Army Picardy when I had it surrounded.
Perhaps the worst part of it is that Austria makes the best ally in the game - least likely to not turn in orders or make nonsensical moves. Russia’s made a bunch of puzzling moves that just leave me scratching my head.
There’s word of a fight brewing between England and Austria over Spain and the entrances to the Med. Perhaps that will be the straw I should grasp at?
I think it’s a cheerleader. - although who it’s rooting for, I don’t know. Meeko, is that the Paradox version of the game you got? I haven’t seen it, but hopefully there’s good support for it on their website.
In my (admittedly very limited) experience, England needs to get into the Med to win. It’s just math; there aren’t really plausible ways for England to get to 18 centres without getting into the Med. Austria’s in a similar boat, although mostly Austria probably just wants to keep England (and you) out of his back yard. So yeah, there’s a selling point there.
But that kind of assumes that everyone’s still aiming to win, and not just be a part of a two-way draw or something similar. If they’re not gunning for 18 then their goals will be different. Still, yeah, sell England on the fight for the straits of Gibraltar. You want to encourage England and Austria to fight each other and not carve you up like a roast.
A quick followup-I noticed the OP ultimately decided to stab England, while Austria simultaneously put the knife in his former ally Russia. Austria figures to pick up at least 2 more builds, putting him at 12. The good news is that he still only has two fleets, and if Italy (about to lose its last home center, albeit) and England can get their act together they should be able to stalemate the Med. Which leaves Germany as the ultimate arbiter of victory here, as the victory centers the Archduke needs lie squarely in the Reich. Germany is weakened by only having 2 armies in its home territory-it will need more to stop the Austrian steamroller. Russia does have a chance to stem the tide however if he plays it smart.
Yeah, nice little fake stab of Russia by Austria. Germany’s (OP’s) failure to round up an anti-Juggernaut coalition is now costing him (and the other powers) dearly. Doesn’t help that Italy disbanded one fleet and moved the other one out into the Atlantic-Iberia is ripe for the plucking. Only chance is to convince Russia that he’s doomed to be the second banana (2nd place is 1st loser, etc.).
Russia refuses to even communicate with me, no way I can negotiate a stab of Austria. I tried offering her Berlin and Denmark and other centers if she would cooperate, but not even a response.
I’m starting to wonder what the point of continuing the game is.
In that case, try to round up the troops as best you can; Italy and England still have a shot at getting back to Iberia and stalemating the Med, but they’ll have to hurry (and France’s last unit in Piedmont is also crucial). Eventually Austria will stab Russia (for real) to get the win, and then you can go “neener neener” at him.
Bumping because I can’t resist kibitzing about a Diplomacy game.
The game likely hinges on whether England can call off his foolish prickling of Germany and get fleet English Channel into the Mid-Atlantic to block the approaching Austrian armada. To his credit Italy seems to be the only one who grasps the danger-yeah, him stabbing England could “have have been the funniest move of the game,” but also a losing one. Even then they’ll eventually need another fleet to support MAO and make an unbreakable stalemate line-if English fleet Barents Sea doesn’t immediately move to the Norwegian Sea, Austria likely will have just won the game.
I am still amused by Russia (who went civil disorder this turn) and that one Austria army poised in Constantinople, primed for the victory stab when the right moment comes. If the Med route is shut down, then the game hinges on who is the best tactician in the Battle for Germany, and if someone can talk some sense to Russia (if he’s still around).
Didn’t happen - Russia is back and still allied to Austria. Even assisted Austrian troops into Berlin this past Fall. Worse yet, England didn’t submit a build order.
I’m holding out some slight hope that we can pick the 50% chance arrangement that stonewalls Austria while Russia realizes she has no expansion options except to attack Austria.
I strongly suspect Austria has convinced Russia that they have a “special, honest” relationship :rolleyes: that is somehow more honorable than the other relationships in this game. It’s the only explanation I can think of as to why Russia remains impervious to her own self-interest.
I hold out some hope that Russia can realize this is nonsense, but I’m thinking this game will be over around Fall 1908.
Russia is probably one of those silly “I got second place!” types of people (trying hard to avoid pejoratives here). This game is an object lesson in how motivations other than victory (or thwarting same) can come into play (England, due to past acrimony, apparently isn’t willing to bury the hatchet with Germany, other than in the Kaiser’s head of course).
Austrian fleets in North Africa and Western Med will seal this.
Actually I offered him Holland to ensure that he couldn’t be swayed by Austria. I suspect he would have taken it anyway, but at least this way he listened to my suggestion about moving to the Mid-Atlantic. I played in a game with England before and he was a little short-sighted about the eventual victor. I wanted to make sure he believed me this time. Even so he’s been only moderately cooperative.
Yeah, I agree. If Russia doesn’t turn before then, the fat lady can sing.
- although who it’s rooting for, I don’t know.