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Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:20 am
by LuckyCharmQuark
What resources are out there for learning Diplomacy strategy? Books or otherwise.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:51 am
by The Belgian Bulldog
I'd say three channels are really useful:
1. the dilomacy archive, including Richard Sharp's 'The game of diplomacy'.
2. the strategy section of this forum, discussing various topics and including breakdown of games such as in the School of War.
3. BrotherBored's blog (aka swordsman3003 on webdip), who often discusses a very specific topic or aspect of diplomacy. Swordsman usually shares a link to his new blog on the strategy section of this forum where players of varying skill react and (dis)agree.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:07 pm
by David E. Cohen
The longest running big 'zines on line are the Pouch and Diplomacy World. Start at the first issue of each and plow through.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 5:52 pm
by jay65536
When I was first starting, I found the most useful resources to be diplomacy-archive.com and the Diplomatic Pouch, both previously mentioned. (One thing to know is that sometimes diplomacy-archive will link to a Pouch article; those links are dead at the time I'm writing this, but the articles themselves still exist and you can search for them.)

The biggest thing that will help you is not to take anything you read as gospel. This is especially true of opening strategy articles that attempt to logically conclude that one country must always ally with another or always attack another.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 12:22 pm
by David E. Cohen
Damn straight. Opening theory has its place, but Dip ain't chess. The personalities of the other players and the in-game situation and relationships are far, FAR more important.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:46 pm
by Brumark
I would echo the Richard Sharpe recommendation. It was what I read when I started and is very helpful to get a grip with the starts and build out from there, especially as it is a whole publication which looks at each country in the same way. Jays point that nothing is absolute is spot on.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 7:00 am
by umbletheheep

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:42 pm
by David E. Cohen
Not specifically about the game of Diplomacy, but the military classics can greatly improve strategic, tactical and diplomatic (small 'd') thinking. My suggested reading list (some of which are MUCH easier to find than others), in no particular order:

A Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi.

Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War, by Munenori Yagyu.

On War, by Clausewitz.

Strategy, by Liddell-Hart.

The Prince, by Machiavelli.

The Art of War, by Sun Tzu.

The Secret of High Strategy, by Yamamoto Haruyuki.

The Strategikon, by Maurice.

Re: Books on playing Diplomacy

Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2020 3:44 am
by WumbologyDude
Brumark wrote:
Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:46 pm
I would echo the Richard Sharpe recommendation. It was what I read when I started and is very helpful to get a grip with the starts and build out from there, especially as it is a whole publication which looks at each country in the same way. Jays point that nothing is absolute is spot on.
I agree. Richard Sharp's book is a must.
http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/god.htm