Pants...check

1. Trust no one.
2. Cooperate.
3. Do not give them the opportunity to stab you - or they will.
4. Lie as little as possible. If you really have to lie, be vague.
5. Communicate - even when you are under attack.
6. Think of the interests of every player on the board and don't hesitate to talk to players whom you don't border - your enemies might border them, or your friends...
7. Don't miss moves.
8. Think about the agenda behind what people say you - why would they say it, and whom it benefits.
9. When you get a country, learn its openings (Google it - "diplomacy openning" etc - there are a lot of good articles.
10. Don't forget that convoy is a two-part order (move + convoy).

Good luck!
7.

First time Diplomacy player? Or first time playing via web or on this site?

Either way, get to know this site... http://www.diplom.org/~diparch/index.html and get to know the stalemate lines

Excellent and succinct list Baskineli...

Before playing a live game make damned sure there's something worth listening to on the radio for those long, long turns when Austria is down to his last army and buggers off early.

Don't CD, or i'll find you

@ ava- i dont know if pants are really that necessary

Welcome! As a relatively-new player and one new to this site, here are a few follow-ups to Baskineli's fine list:
--Learn the funny geographical bits for the map you are playing (i.e., Denmark/Kiel and the two coasts of St Petersburg on the basic map, the Four Corners ocean territory and Nile delta in the Ancient Med)
--Generally, the conversations within games are civil, productive and even humorous. Don't take the rather rancorous and occasionally expletive-filled interchanges on the forum as indicative of the culture of the site.
--The little dictum that has helped me most in planning moves is this: You can cut support, but you cannot cut a cut. (In other words, an attack on a piece that is cutting support somewhere else will not negate its cutting action, although a dislodged unit has no effect on the province that dislodged it.) If I got that wrong, I'm sure someone will write and correct me within five minutes. :) All the best!

I'm short on time today, but here's a good reference:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Diplomacy

I also want help with the technical stuff, like all the arrows and colors on the map sometimes

Red arrows denote move orders
Yellow arrows denote support move orders
Pink arrows denote retreat orders
Green crosses indicate support hold orders
Units with stars indicate new builds
Little fire icons indicate destroyed units

The big "You Lose" window that appears sometimes happens whenever I'm in the game.

So let me see if i get it...in diplomacy the whole idea is trying to take control of the little withe dots, utilizing the help of others then stabbing them in the back...this looks like a rally fun game

Ehm, "the whole idea" is different for each player. Some stab every round, and some don't stab at all. Some are going to tell you they are about to stab you, and others will loathe at you for trusting them.

You have to find your own playing style.

Oh, ok...guess the evil genius monologue didn`t work

Take a look at my game, as Russia: gameID=38295#gamePanel

One of the best things to do in diplomacy is play people off against each other. In the east, I worked with Turkey to destroy Austria, but only after I got Italy to attack Austria. So while Austria destroys Italy we destroy Austria.

In the West, I inserted myself into an anglo/french vs german fight, after England attacked me. Instead of giving up, like some players are apt to do (cough, england, cough) I fought back and worked with a former enemy (france) to destroy germany.

So, now you can see that I'm about to win, as Germany, Austria, and Italy are all basically gone. While France and Turkey are too weak to oppose me.

How very pretentious of you

lol +1 ava for all comments in thread

I think LJ Tyler Durden said it best:

'Note to Self: Don't play live games while high.'


I'd say the best thing you can do is communicate with everyone, constantly. If someone stabs you, talk to them more. Make them feel bad about what they've done. If you stab someone, talk to them more. Make them not hate you in case you need to work with them later.

Yeah, don't burn bridges in this game, you never know when you'll have to slink back over one of them.

1. Enjoy your time here, lots of great folks to play and chat with
2. ALWAYS join in our philosophical chats here on the forum...that someone starts...
3. NEVER answer Miro Klose unless you want a headache
4. NEVER root for the New York Mets (I have the lifelong headache to prove it...)
5. Win or lose, ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE!

Thank you, i was expecting a cold welcome, but you guys are very nice to new people on your forums (something that`s very rare in the internet), thank you again.

NUMBER ONE RULE!!!!!!!
Don't listen to anything I say.

Check out this website:

http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/resources/strategy.htm

When I first started, I ALWAYS read the opening strategy for the great power I got cause I didn't know what the hell was going on. It also has a number of typical openings that you can do with another great powers, which I still reference since I never know what a hedgehog is or other such things. I do know what a Jugg is and a Lepanto, but that's about it, after that I go to The Pouch!

I'm pretty sure a sea lion involves E/F/G, but I have no idea who is teaming up on who... I think England gets screwed in that one... Okay, I got curious and had to check The Pouch. I was right, but I still have little idea of how it works, I have to read these articles any time someone suggests one to me.

aaah I go for the sea lion half the times I play England, France or Germany.
Never knew they called it that way. I use to call it western triangle.

I'm pretty sure a Sea Lion is Russia, Germany, and France all gunning for England. I may be wrong though.

The Sealion is the opening where France seizes the Channel and supports Germany to North Sea in A1901 while Russia moves for Norway. The idea is that Germany and France both convoy armies from Holland and Belgium, respectively, to Yorkshire and Wales, respectively, thus ending the English defense before it can get started.

It's no mere FGR v E; it's a highly specific series of moves.

Sea Lion is France going to eng and supporting den-nth in fall 1901. The idea is to have fleets in eng and nth and armies in bel, hol, and den going into 1902 so that FG can convoy armies into England. Russia isn't directly involved, but it works better if Russia moves mos-stp in S1901.

The Sea Lion is also what happens when I draw England as well as what I want to happen by never does when I draw Germany. Of course, if I draw Germany and France does a Sea Lion, I'd probably convoy his army into lon with support, take bel, and then move into pic and bur to take par the next year.

Note to self... peterwiggin is just like his namesake: greedy and wants it all. Don't trust him.

Note to self... Draugnar is just like his namesake sounds: a great firebreathing dragon come to destroy us all! Don't trust him.

Note to self . . . don't play non-anonymous games.

Duly noted.

There goes any chance I had of making the Premier League!

join my game!