Wow, that DIP 983 map is interesting. I can see that Diplomacy doesn’t factor in the French, Italian or Russian real life inability to win a war.
If there are any history buffs out there you might be interested to read Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s August 1914 which documents what a real mess the Russian Army was in at the beginning of WWI. Interestingly, from his perspective, Russia was able to win some battles against the Germans because the German leadeship failed to believe how inept the Russians actually were and thought that it must be a trap.
I was thinking more contemporary to the game. France did pretty well in taming England once upon a time IIRC. And there was that short guy with the phobia of showing one hand, who did pretty well there for a while before the other teams ganged up on him. For Italians, if you go back long enough to before they were called Italy they had a pretty good winning streak going.
Barbara Tuchman also goes through this, though probably in less detail, in The Guns of August, which is of course one of the most riveting nonfiction books ever.
Well, this is just great. Not only have you all sucked me into Dip 936 but now I am about hooked on watching Dip 983 to see what will happen next. Can the Russians hold on against the Italians and French? Do the Germans have a snowballs chance in Hades? Will Rachel go back to Ross?
Yeah, I needed this, just way too much spare time in my life. Not.
Well, this is just great. Not only have you all sucked me into Dip 936 but now I am about hooked on watching Dip 983 to see what will happen next. Can the Russians hold on against the Italians and French? Do the Germans have a snowballs chance in Hades? Will Rachel go back to Ross?
Yeah, I needed this, just way too much spare time in my life. Not.
Awww, Math Geek, I didn’t know you cared. [giggle] Yes, I fought bravely to hold onto my crown and maintain my reign as Queen of England. But, alas, treachery and, um, well, my very unskillful playing, did me in. :o Though I am now in exile, I still retain the right to call myself the Queen of England. You go right on ahead and “exact karmic justice,” or as I like to term it, give them a good spanking, for me, hon. I’m rootin’ for you.
Isn’t it, though? There’s this aspect of whamming into someone, then wheeling around in another direction and whamming someone else (or getting whammed into from the blind side, depending on who you are) that reminds me of bumper-cars. And the fun lasts for weeks, instead of being over in ten minutes!
You can have a bumper car
this amusement never ends
I want to be your sledgehammer
Though I am now in exile, I still retain the right to call myself the Queen of England. 