webdiplomacy.net

(I'm honestly curious as to the quality of my advice)

To assertively avoid taking the initiative? It's an interesting approach, that's for sure. If I was feeling generous I'd say it manages to encapsulate the enigmatic and contradictory spirit of the game.

Avoid taking too much initiative. Let the other plays chuck their initiatives around, especially if they're likely to align with yours. If they don't, then be assertive. Or maybe just, y'know, ignore me and listen to someone who knows what they're doing.

Ah, I like that advice far less. "Avoid too much x" is always true, as too much of anything, by definition, is a suboptimal amount. But with its universal truth comes a fundamental lack of utility.

Well how about force the other players to take a significant portion of the initiative. Better?

Possibly... Assuming it's even possible to force someone to take initiative. Can you initiate someone else's initiation? On the basis that it's impossible to do what you suggest I wholeheartedly support the spirit of the proposal.

My indecision on this is final.

"Nobody plays Diplomacy because they're an honest saint. You're at a table of liars. Find every possible trick they could be playing on you, and learn to outmaneuver them all."

TDOS wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 5:14 pm

"Nobody plays Diplomacy because they're an honest saint. You're at a table of liars. Find every possible trick they could be playing on you, and learn to outmaneuver them all."

Stab em all

Octavious wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 16, 2020 12:53 pm

Possibly... Assuming it's even possible to force someone to take initiative. Can you initiate someone else's initiation? On the basis that it's impossible to do what you suggest I wholeheartedly support the spirit of the proposal.

My indecision on this is final.

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

The birds in the bush suffer from low self esteem.

“.., by universal custom, your enemy is never more polite than when he is planning or has planned your destruction.”
― James Clavell, Shōgun

“Hope clouds observation.”
― Frank Herbert, Dune

I am a new player so I can say what (I think) helped me – the advice could be “Study Diplomacy”. Experience from games helps of course, but by just playing and playing, you can make the same errors over and over again.

Go out there, read the huge game journals by BrotherBored, listed to Captainmemes 10 hour video, browse through the editions of Diplomacy Briefing, turn on the DBN, etc. etc. The rules teach you how to move the pieces, these resources teach you how to think about the game.

"A move that is certain to be executed is worth a dozen gambles". - fourofswords

God doesn't play dice. Neither should you

-Albert Einstein on the virtues of Diplomacy

This advice may seem like common sense, but it's followed less often than it should be.

"Win when you can, draw when you must, and survive by any means necessary."

Play every game of Diplomacy as if it will be the last game of Diplomacy you will ever play.

David E. Cohen wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:46 am

Play every game of Diplomacy as if it will be the last game of Diplomacy you will ever play.

I would disagree. If it's your last game, you have no reputation to uphold, you can be a ruthless as you want. After a while, you'll get known as a mega-backstabber.

I offer two more esoteric pieces of wisdom:
1) Play gunboat games if you are busy in real life (they take a lot less effort...)
2) Get creative and take chances with support moves if the opportunity presents itself, you can sometimes baffle an opponent when they are trying to bounce, turning the tides of the game (usually gunboat)

Macca573 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 03, 2020 11:25 am

David E. Cohen wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:46 am

Play every game of Diplomacy as if it will be the last game of Diplomacy you will ever play.

I would disagree. If it's your last game, you have no reputation to uphold, you can be a ruthless as you want. After a while, you'll get known as a mega-backstabber.

I disagree with your disagreement. Its more about effort than anything else. Leave nothing in the tank. After all, one never knows if the second part of the statement might be true.