# Question for Diplomacy players and judges

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-diplomacy-players-and-judges/487150>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [February 24, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-diplomacy-players-and-judges/487150 "2009-02-24T03:06:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-diplomacy-players-and-judges/487150/1 "2009-02-24T03:06:01Z")

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Howdy Diplomacy fans!

I’ve got a rules question about support orders (I’ve done a search, but the websites I found weren’t helpful.) When you order a unit to support, can you also order a unit to support the first unit in case it gets attacked?

The example:

Russia orders:  
F Rumania supports A Serbia to Bulgaria  
A Ukraine supports F Rumania

Turkey orders:  
A Serbia to Rumania  
A Budapest supports A Serbia to Rumania

I thought that the Ukraine order would be invalid, but a friend thinks F Rumania should be able to stand off the Turks.

What’s the real answer?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-diplomacy-players-and-judges/487150/2 "2009-02-24T03:37:03Z")

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> [@wevets](#):
>
> I’ve got a rules question about support orders (I’ve done a search, but the websites I found weren’t helpful.) When you order a unit to support, can you also order a unit to support the first unit in case it gets attacked?

It’s been decades (yes, about 20 years) since I last seriously played Diplomacy, but I’m certain that yes, a supporting unit can be supported by another unit.

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**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-diplomacy-players-and-judges/487150/3 "2009-02-24T03:58:10Z")

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**Duke** is correct. From the rulebook (which is available online at [http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/diplomacy.pdf](http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/diplomacy.pdf), btw): “Support can be offensive (supporting an attacking move order) or defensive (supporting a hold, support, or convoy order).”

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**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-diplomacy-players-and-judges/487150/4 "2009-02-24T15:36:23Z")

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A unit that is ordered to support does not leave the territory it’s occupying, and can be supported by another. However, in the OP example, the support given by the Fleet in Rumania is still broken. (It’s also invalid due to Turkish duplicity, but still.)