I’ve seen the threads here, so I know that there’s a few of youse guys out there. I’m new to the game, and consequently I don’t know how others should be thinking. I can’t track down my usual able advisor, so I thought that…if you have a bit of time…I would put up a situation and then ask: What would you do?
You are England. It is Fall 1901 and you are pondering your move.
You’d had an agreement with France to keep the English Channel free of units. You went in anyways. France, predictably, went to MAO.
Here are your units:
A(Lvp)
F(Nth)
F(Eng)
France is here:
A(Par)
A(Spa)
F(Mao)
Germany:
F(Hol)
A(Kie)
A(Mun)
So, as England, do you go for Brest? Lend support to one of the French units there? Support yourself into Belgium? Go to Norway? Denmark? Hold?
I’ve already sent my orders in, although I still have an opportunity to change them. I don’t think I will though. But the suspense is killing me. So, any thoughts? What would you do?
Whatever you choose, get that army the heck out of Liverpool. It is doing no good there at all.
France is gonna be pissed, so make nice with Germany real fast. What is Italy doing? Can you persuade him to move on Marseilles, to take some of the heat off of you? What is Russia doing in Scandanavia? Is there a chance he might bounce you out of Norway?
I would try to take Belgium and Norway. Try to persuade Germany that it is better for him if you take Belgium, as you can help against the Baby Blue Menace[sub]tm[/sub]. From the North Sea, I would try for Norway. Either you will get two builds, with which to retake the Channel and/or the North Sea, or if you get bounced in one of those places, your fleet is still in a good position.
Diplomacy is the most important thing. Who would it be better to anger, Germany or France?
There’s a Doper Dip game starting up, in a threat started by RTFirefly. We’re looking for some players.
France is always a kindly harmless little wallflower in every Diplomacy game. You should pay him no mind, and turn your attention else where and focus on the evil nations that are Germany and Italy. As tempting as the land of Brest is, there are no breasts to be seens there. I understand its blatant false advertising, but you should just trust me when I say every Dipper would be best to simply forget about this little shoal of rocks and storms.
France has the strongest opening position of the game. On the short term, you may be able to take Brest and pick up an extra army. If the guy playing France has been half intelligent, he will be gaining two extra armies and come and boot the perfidious English back into the sea, Jeanne D’Arc style. It’s a short term win which you probably can’t hold on to. Don’t do it. Ally with France: you provide sea power, the French provide the land troops. A strong alliance between Britain and France is bloody dangerous to everyone else, especially if you can bring the Russians on board to divide the Central Powers’ forces. Very much like in reality, in fact.
Shit, I haven’t played Diplomacy in ages. I miss it.
It’s too late to have a solid ally in France. Violating a DMZ on the first turn of the game usually spells doom to good relations.
What’s been said so far is true: move the army out of Lvp and make friends with Germany; if you don’t, France will, and then you’re done for. It’s too bad your army isn’t available for Convoy, there’s a lot you could do with that. Something I would consider doing would be to tell Germany you’re going for Brest and ask him to ‘leak’ that info to France. Hopefully, and especially if Italy’s opening was anti-France, this can cause France to pull back a bit and not get both the Iberian centers in 01. You then go for Norway and Belgium. There’s little reason for Russia to screw with you this early, so I’d call it likely that you’ll get Nwy. Bel is a slice of pie.
Admittedly, there’s little hope of this ploy having any benefit unless Italy is in Piedmont, because France can easily order A Spa Hold, F MAO-Por, A Par-Bre and gain 2 centers for sure without risking losing Brest. But at worst this denies him his fleet build in Brest, which is a pretty big advantage for you. In fact, if he moves to Brest to protect it from you, he has to build A Par and in Mar, and this is necessarily threatening to Germany, making it easier for you to persuade him to come in on you side against France. With you building 2 fleets in the North to his none, you should have a nice time of it harrying Brest and the Iberian centers. As long as you can get Germany on your side it looks like the immediate violation of the DMZ may have been a good move on your part.
Thanks everyone for their comments. Like I said, I’m new to the game and while I’ve read quite a bit of the strategy stuff out there, I find it very helpful to hear what people think in a particular situation.
I must, admit however, that it was a bit of a judo question. I am, in fact, playing France. Not England. I was trying to decide if I could risk leaving Brest open. It seemed like a silly thing for the English to try and take it considering that I could defend it so easily and that I could easily kick him out next season. All it would accomplish would be to make me angry. I also didn’t want to do the bounce my fleet and army together as I was afraid he’d support my army into brest and it would put me out of position if the stinkin’ German were to get sneaky. As it is, I tried to move my fleet into the channel figuring that even if he did take Brest, I’d get the channel and that was a good counter threat.
Thanks again. If I come up with another situation, I’ll write back in.
Darn, as England, I always take France as an Ally. The two of them are very hard to beet whilst playing together.
Try and take Belgium, and work on getting Italy to take them on with you. If Italy is working with France, then You’ll have a much harder time with them. And don’t forget Convoy convoy convoy, that’s what it’s all about.
In that case, if Germany doesn’t mind antagonizing the Brits and you know he is gonna try for Belgium, you could try to persuade him to bounce England in Belgium. Two English builds is not good for you at all. You could also try to get Russia to bounce him out of Norway, if he has an army in St. Pete’s. Neither of them should be too worried about England if it gets no builds at all in 1901.
And JC, given that a Diplomacy game draws me in like a moth towards a flame, makes me paranoid, and takes so much time I’m surprised I haven’t been canned from work yet, I think calling it a threat is pretty appropriate.
Well, I’d advise (obviously) making good friends with Germany. Tell him about England’s brash attitude and voracious appetite for Continental centers.
I’d use the same misinformation tactic – get Germany to ‘leak’ to England that you’re NOT defending Brest. Then England orders F ENG-Bre and you order A Par-Bre and you leave Brest open for a fleet build while still staying in position in your homeland and taking both Iberian centers.
