Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

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swordsman3003
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Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#1 Post by swordsman3003 » Mon May 27, 2019 3:56 pm

Hello friends, I've written a new article:
BrotherBored's Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

This article places each of the 7 powers into "Tiers" of strength. I explain how the no-press rule alters each country's capabilities and gives rise to the peculiar Gunboat metagame.

I've also got some advice for how to incorporate this information into your strategic thinking.
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Nikola Maric Eto
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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#2 Post by Nikola Maric Eto » Mon May 27, 2019 6:20 pm

Great article. Should be red by everyone that is starting playing gunboat. And others...
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ziran
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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#3 Post by ziran » Mon May 27, 2019 7:22 pm

While I agree that Russia is not complete trash, it really should be in tier of it's own. Call it D-tier if you like.

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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#4 Post by ziran » Mon May 27, 2019 7:23 pm

While I agree that Russia is not complete trash, it really should be in tier of it's own. Call it D-tier if you like. Everything else makes sense.

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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#5 Post by Claesar » Mon May 27, 2019 8:14 pm

It's interesting that for me it's slightly different (I keep a record):

A: France, Turkey, Germany (66% score)
C: England, Italy, Austria, Russia (33% score)

And there's a very significant difference. So that probably means I need to work hard on my Italy game..

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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#6 Post by mhsmith0 » Tue May 28, 2019 2:21 am

ziran wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 7:23 pm
While I agree that Russia is not complete trash, it really should be in tier of it's own. Call it D-tier if you like. Everything else makes sense.
I think Russia is borderline F-tier in a really high level game, but I'd also tend to think that Russia is pretty adequate in lower level games where I/A fight each other and R/T take advantage (I have 0 stats to back up my gut read tho :P )

Russia also has the advantage of having a natural ally (France) that's an extremely strong gunboat power.

I think if you're looking from a perspective of games ranging between high level and low level, Russia ought to be no worse (or at least not much worse) than Austria.

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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#7 Post by Carl Tuckerson » Tue May 28, 2019 2:58 am

Maybe it is just a consequence of metagame or luck, but I have had outstanding success as Austria and I struggle with the idea that it belongs in the bottom tier. I wholeheartedly agree that Austria must put blind faith in Italy for the duration of the early game and that Austria is at Italy's mercy, but Italy is also at Austria's mercy if it decides to attack Austria, because Italy must absorb a large part of Austria's centers and end up in an advantageous tactical position against Russia or Turkey (and frankly often both) to capitalize, and Italy has no power to create that outcome on its own: Austria must permit it by choosing to defend against Russia or Turkey and allowing Italy an easy annexation.

Once that is established, it's very easy to see that Austria and Italy should defer hostilities until the Turkish threat is neutralized. And once you can be reasonably certain of this deferral, Austria becomes a much stronger power, certainly on par with any power not starting with the letter "F." The A/I alliance is a major tactical favorite against R/T, and the main question Austria and Italy must answer is not "How do we survive and win the fight?" but "How do I betray my ally without letting my enemies off the mat?"

At the very least I would put Austria on par with Germany. I think their early situation is analogous; both have an A-tier neighbor (France/Turkey) who is the natural predator of the power in the best position to ruin them (England/Italy), both will quickly collapse if that power attacks them to their mutual detriment and to the benefit of the predator, and both have a very strong position if that power recognizes the strategic danger that the predator poses. Germany theoretically is ahead because the metagame favors Russia helping Germany and hurting Austria, but it's pretty close, and both are definitely riding on neighbors making good reads on the strategic situation to get ahead.


Conversely I'm also not as sold on Italy not being A-tier. Maybe it's worth demoting Italy due to its heightened complexity and lack of "free wins" compared to France or Turkey, both of whom can have very simple paths to success and who can roll up insurmountable advantages on sheer power level against neighbors who fail to respect them. But in experienced hands, I think Italy is stronger than Turkey and a clear cut above everyone but France. I'm unsure how much weight should be given to analyzing the countries in experienced hands vs in general population hands.


I do largely agree with your analyses and I enjoyed this read, but I differ on the conclusions. I'd rate them as follows.

1. France
2a. Turkey
2b. Italy
4a. Austria
4b. Germany
6. England
7. Russia

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Re: Tier List for Gunboat Diplomacy

#8 Post by Matticus13 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:38 pm

I must say that I would much rather play as England over most other nations. France and Turkey are probably top tier for most. For me, for whatever reason, (luck?) England is usually my best bet.

I do think the current metagame in gunboat plays right into England's hands. When England opens to EC, Germany takes England's side more often than not. Three English fleets can contain France on the seas. Germans often pile in with armies, seeing a chance to down a top tier nation in gunboat. When you get to six units with England, you are definitely in the draw. If Germany over extends itself, and the south breaks right, a solid shot at a solo.

I am terrible with Italy and Russia. Often Austria goes terribly wrong. Germany is solid. Turkey and France are swell.

My personal favorite list at the moment:

1. England
2. Turkey
3. France
4. Germany
5. Austria
7. Italy/Russia

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