Play By Play - Diplomacy
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Author Topic: Play By Play - Diplomacy  (Read 1246 times)
Teddy (IDS Legislator)
nickjbor
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,200
Canada


Political Matrix
E: -1.42, S: -1.91

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« on: May 16, 2011, 03:29:42 AM »

This thread is intended to be similar to those President 4 ever results thread - to boast about how well you've done, only, in Diplomacy.

I am working on a post right now detailing my first solo ever, it was in a Gunboat game, and I was Turkey.
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
nickjbor
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,200
Canada


Political Matrix
E: -1.42, S: -1.91

WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2011, 04:46:34 AM »

Disclaimer

This game was played years ago. By this point I'd played about 50 games. Statistics show I should have had a few solos by now. I did not. I did have a few draws, but they were rare. I'd never won a game before.

I decided to try a Gunboat game. It was a variant I had played one or two times, but that was quite a while ago. Now that my tactics were up to par, I decided to try again.

I do not recall everything of every move, nor, do I have records, sadly. What I do have is my photographic memory, and, much like Chess, if a piece is in a certain place on the board at a certain time, there are only a very small number of ways it could have gotten there. I've pieced all of this together the best I could, and believe this to be very accurate.

I will start with the opening set of moves.



I decided to play an unusual opening for me, an aggressive one. I was going to go all out on Russia and hope that Italy and Austria would not decide to work together.

France had decided to support a German unit it could not reach. This is "Talking" in Gunboat diplomacy. Since you can not communicate, if you want to show someone you wish to be their friend, you need to show it with your orders. The moves though show that France had other things to worry about.

My moves had went about as well as expected. Russia bounced me in the Black. Italy and Austria meanwhile, from my prospective, were heading right for me. I was toast! I was certain of it.



The fall had a happier ending. I decided to propose a peace deal with Austria, get him to side with me against his ally, Italy. Austria was keen on this. Only Italy was not allied with Austria at all, he attacked!

Looking back on the game in 1907 I came to realize that the players for Austria and Italy were not the brightest bulbs in the box.

The West was in trouble. I remember Russia's northern moves, and England's surprisingly successful convoy to Belgium.


When the Winter builds came in, I was falling behind, or so I felt. I decided to build a fleet. Italy and I would need to duke it out, and if I could not move fast enough, Russia would be knifing me from the behind. Austria would then turn on me without a doubt and I'd be the first nation gone! Italy's build of an Army was a bit surprising to me, I had expected a fleet, and France's builds, I remember, I thought were foolish, as he should have IMO built two of the same thing. Fleets if he is going after England, or Armies if Germany.


The spring moves were a happy time for me. I finally was able to sail into the black sea. Better, Italy had become embroiled in another skirmish in Greece, rather than coming after me. I began to see the momentum I was building. Russia's move into Germany also made me feel much better. 1902 would be a good year for me! or so I thought.


Turns out I was dead on. Russia foolishly went after Warsaw, leaving me free to march straight in Sevastapol. MINE! I was happy I could nom on his dots. It was at this time, Russia managed to slip into Munich. I was never quite sure what the hell the three western nations were thinking, but they just ended up making a mess of one another. I thought Russia and I would end up having the battle to the end, and while we were fighting, someone in the West would rise, and beat both of us!


Italy's retreat made me facepalm on Austria's behalf. Poor guy was still stuck at 3 dots.


With my northern flank secure, I decided to go all out on Italy. I ordered new fleets raised and prepared to sweep the Mediterranean. I was not going to stop until I hit Spain, or maybe even, Liverpool!

It was time for me to really dig into my opponents!!!

...to be continued.

(plz no reading ahead, I'll be done in a short while)
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
nickjbor
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,200
Canada


Political Matrix
E: -1.42, S: -1.91

WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2011, 01:47:02 PM »



I was still rather weary of Russia at this time. I decided to move defensively, and, prepare for what I expected would be an assault from him. Meanwhile, I tried to support Austria to taking back his dot, but he was not interested in that, decided to go 100% defence. Italy tried to support me against Austria. This is also the move that Italy convoyed in that damn army in Albania that would be the stuff nightmares are made of for me.


Now that Austria knew what I was thinking, I expected my move would work. Austria however, as mentioned earlier, was not the 'item of most desirable quality in a grouping of items that desire said quality'. Italy's moves were equally ineffectual. I decided to try and support Russia in place rather than sneak into Warsaw. I thought that with a Fleet in Sev that I'd pose less of a threat to him. Surprisingly, I received support from his unit in Kiel, showing maybe he had the same thing in mind.


For some reason I still don't understand to this day. Italy did not retreat to the sea, from where he could defend both his dots with a 50-50 chance, but rather to Naples 1903 was the year I paid least attention to the western areas of the board, but specific memories like France: F NWG and A Pic have only a few ways to have gotten there. I had to piece together the rest. I also have no clue what the hell Germany's fleet in Livonia was doing, only that it didn't impact on anything.


I decided to build an army to balance off my units.


I was finally able to attack Italy myself. Italy decided to change tactics against Austria, and it worked. France however snuck deeper into Italy for some reason. In the end-game, where talking was permitted, he said he had hoped to give Austria the chance to bounce back - thus to throw the eastern area of the board into as much chaos as the west was seeing. He too was frustrated by the Austrian player's lack of tactical foresight.


The dislodging of Austria's Serbia army gave me a chance to take it from Italy. I expected Austria to see this as a stab in the back. Greece would be left open, but I saw no way to avoid this. With an army in Albania, for sure Italy would take it anyway, so, I moved my unit out.


Italy ended up taking Greece in an unexpected way.


And more shockingly, disbanded his army there, rather than his army in Albania. Meanwhile, I'd managed to slip my fleets past him, and now posed a threat to his entire county. I also posed a threat to the survival of Austria. Suddenly, in the course of a single year, I'd leapt into the strongest position on the board. Russia was still tied up trying to capture Berlin, while I had a good chance to get rid of Italy and Austria. More fleets were ordered.
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
nickjbor
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,200
Canada


Political Matrix
E: -1.42, S: -1.91

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« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2011, 12:55:35 AM »


I had expected Italy to make a move against Austria. I'm not certain exactly what I did, but I suspect I may have moved Rumania to Serbia, as part of a plan to eliminate Italy's army in Albania. His bounce frustrated me.


France suddenly moved his unit into an area that could have caused problems for me.


Russia suddenly moved away. It was getting clear to me that he was planing a move on England, despite his moves to suggest otherwise. I was able to make quick work of Italy


It became clear that I would have to attack Austria. Something I'd wished to avoid. Italy's army in Albania was starting to drive me mad.


Italy suddeny disbanded his unit in Albania. A bit sad, I'd been hoping to crush it.
With 3 builds, I was well on my way. I had feared my move to Galacia (in an attempt to head off France, if he moved to Bohemia) may have upset Russia. We'd see.


I moved back from Sev, in an effort to show goodwill towards Russia. Fortunately, it seemed as though he did not. In fact, Russia moved west very quickly.


Austria's only option.
It was at this point I had a serious debate about attacking Russia. In fact, my original set of orders had a convoy into Sev, from where I was going to move north. It was only when I noticed I could convoy into Tunisia that I decided against it. A few hours before the deadline, I changed my moves. I was still itching to stab Russia.


I made my moves. This is when I came to realize that Russia was trying to beat me to 18 centres. I was no longer certain I could win in time.


A truly meaningless retreat. Austria was about to be dotless, and without dots, his units will need to disband anyway.


And so it was, that I set up the stab on Russia.
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
nickjbor
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,200
Canada


Political Matrix
E: -1.42, S: -1.91

WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2011, 01:32:26 AM »



I'd always thought Russia's move here in the UK was clever. Not something I'd have come up with. I was a bit shocked he never saw the stab coming. Regardless, it was quite clear what my intent was.


This was a tactical error on my part. I should have supported my unit in Sev, not the one in Gal.


I had hoped to win by the end of this year, but, it would not be.


This is about when I realized that I did not have nearly enough armies.


It was on. Russia was challenging me for a solo. I was in his home. It shocked me a bit that Russia continued west rather than returning east. This was his fatal flaw.


I was in a pretty good position
If all my moves worked the way I hoped, I would win by the end of the year.


And they did!


The lognest retreat phase of my dip life.


The End. I won my first solo. Looking at Russia, it was clear that my victory was not a given. Russia could have beat me to the punch.

England was upset at how France played, but France had the same concerns about England. Germany, Austria, and Russia were AWOL when it came time for end-game comments. Italy did not have anyhting useful to say.
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Teddy (IDS Legislator)
nickjbor
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,200
Canada


Political Matrix
E: -1.42, S: -1.91

WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2011, 01:10:16 PM »

My first game ever, over 10 years ago:

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Yelnoc
Junior Chimp
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Posts: 7,127
United States


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« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2011, 04:17:18 PM »

I don't have any pics, but here's an overview of my games.

My very first game was about two years ago.  I was called in as a sub in 1902 or 1903 for Germany.  A very, very stupid Germany.  The guy had tried to attack France, ignoring Denmark and the Benelux and then failing epically.  And, to top it off, Austria stabbed him in the back and took Russia.  So I started off with only two units and in control of only Kiel and Berlin.

Austria had overstretched himself, so I was able to take back Munich without a fight.  Britain had considerately left both Denmark and and the Netherlands open, allowing me to seize both.  I then played Diplomacy with France and Britain, letting them pick each other.  I finally came down on the side of Britain and made some good headway into France. 

Britain then betrayed me; unfortunately, he did so while at war with Russia in Scandinavia.  I was still making headway into France when the game mod disappeared.
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Gustaf
Moderators
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Posts: 29,767


Political Matrix
E: 0.39, S: -0.70

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« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2011, 08:10:50 AM »

I've played one game apart from the ones on here. I was Turkey.

I allied with Russia and Italy against Austria and we steamrolled. In reply England, France and Germany all allied against us to save Austria. Because of Russia's incompetence it soon became clear that they would win. Italy and Russia then got Austria (which was down to one SC) to switch to us. Simultaneously, however, I switched to the other side. Austria was wiped out but for unclear reasons Italy moved so as to allow me to get most of his SCs.

Italy and Russia were then divided between the rest of us. At that stage I controlled most of the Balkans and Sevastopol and half of Italy. I then allied with Germany against England in exchange for Moscow. Then England gave me St Petersburg in exchange for something else. And about that time I stabbed France. And then I won. 
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