I joined a game on playdiplomacy.com last week with random internet strangers, and it was AWFUL. People didn't conduct diplomacy, or they did, but in a weird, inexplicably hostile fashion. Plus as soon as someone had a bad turn, they surrendered and quit. There were three new players by 1902. And the moves made no sense at all. Bleah.
So, new game!
Name: SG Diplomacy League, Game 4Password: artemis
Turns: 24 hours for orders, 12 hours for retreats and builds
I didn't join yet, since I've played in the last three, so I'll wait and see if it fills up quickly. If not, I am all in.
Comments
Cossack and Russian / Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd
I haven't even won a game yet and no one dares stand against me!
Bwahahahahahacoughcough!
EDIT: Eero is right! This is a fun game with not-so-terrible a time committment. Plus, playing with friendly, smart SG posters is WAY WAY WAY better than playing with anonymous internet goons, I tell you what.
In case this game does fill up before Brian and Eero join, perhaps there might be enough players for a second, concurrent game? ... maybe the S-G group could turn into something of a two-tier league?
We have room for two more players. Get 'em while they're hot.
I have fond memories of Diplomacy from college, but we would all meet face-to-face in private meetings in the dorm and play over the course of a weekend...
On the other hand, I am more prone to stab you if your terseness is combined with non-communication: if I don't know what you're planning and you refuse to commit to anything plan-wise, then I lose nothing by making prey of you.
But I would definitely try to form a Terse Compact. Down with the Verbose Alliance! 140 characters or death!
Good luck to Italy...
I haven't played Diplomacy since my early 20s, and only once or twice then. I'm prepared to be used, betrayed, and left to wonder where it all went so wrong.
-Vincent
We have some new faces, some reiging SG Diplomacy champs, and some embittered has-beens desperate for our chance to prove our mettle, but destined to end up floating on a lone fleet unit in the south seas while someone takes our last supply centre.
Russel, Vincent, welcome aboard.
It's an exciting time, all right, and fraught with uncertainty, since it's not unknown for a player to get second thoughts during this confirmation period. Failure to confirm kicks the game back into "waiting for players" mode, with all the anxiety-making that that suggests.
I want to see Eero as one of the western trio; would make for novel commentary on my part.
Russell
Oh, and look at that. I'm all cozy neighbors with Jamey and Eero. This should be interesting...
TURKEY - Chris / C. Edwards
ENGLAND - Nathan / ndp
GERMANY - Russell / Aumpa
RUSSIA - Eero
ITALY - Brian
AUSTRIA - Jamey / Marhault
FRANCE - Vincent / lumpley
Vincent and Eero as Franco-Russian. Watch out for the pincer, boys...
I'll try to open up the diplomatic channels today. Anybody feel free to write me of your own accord, of course. I won't be at IM range for the next couple of weeks, but the in-game messaging system works well enough.
You know, some places just call the big red dot in the middle a "bullseye".
Also, will Eero and Jamey's established positions as 'ones to watch' effect how others players treat them?
In fact, in the original Diplomacy discussion thread that led to these games the SG Diplomacy League, we were discussing the idea of a local Diplomacy play cultures, and how different they can be from one another.
As to WHAT effect that has, I don't know. Will we all hustle to ally with Jamey as the reigning SG Diplomacy champ, or will we gang up on him to take him out?
What Brian said. I know I certainly adjust based upon actual play experience with particular folks and/or my perception of someone's knowledge of the game. For example, while this is the first game I've played with Eero, I know the likelihood of him falling for any freshman level tricks is at most minimal and I'll take that into account in my dealings with him. Basically, being surrounded by Brian, Jamey, and Eero is either going to up my game or hasten my demise with extreme prejudice.
So, time for me to go dig those secret escape tunnels.
Chris, I felt the same way when I saw the player draws. The East got all of the known quantities in this game, which, in this case means it got all the people who've played multiple games and are thus regarded as experienced (at least locally).
-Vincent
Germany comes out of his corner swinging with a strong anti-'Russian opening! The fleet move to Denmark threatens to keep Eero out of Sweden, and the armies in Prussia and Silesia threaten Warsaw. England's opening is also strongly anti-Russian; expect a convoy to Norway supported by the other fleet. The French moves are temporizing, portending a rapid occupation of Iberia and an uncontested invasion of Belgium although one can imagine Germany sweating out the next 24 hours over Munich. All in all, it looks like England and Germany have agreed to throw in together for a smash-and-grab against Russia, with France either a silent partner or a fly in the ointment.
Meanwhile, Italy's fairly traditional deployment suggests a convoy to Tunis as his most conservative fall move, since Austria's heavily anti-Turkish opening promises a supported attack on Greece; no opportunities for the Italian here! But there are some tricky judgments to be made. Russia's moves show him gunning for Rumania, but T:Arm-Sev, Bul-Rum conceivably puts Russia down to 3 SCs if Warsaw falls. To the extent that Austria is counting on Russia's big guns against Turkey, he may opt to support Ukr-Rum so that there are Russian boots on the ground pointing toward Anatolia. That being the case, Turkey might roll the dice and support an Italian convoy into Greece, since the worst that could happen from his perspective is that Austria would be denied his second build. A Greek gambit that failed would leave Italy out in the cold, though, and failing to get that first-year build would be a powerful psychological drag on the Italian player as well as potentially a flag for France to come on down to where the water's warm. In any event, the maneuvering suggests that Italy and Austria are working toward some kind of modus vivendi if not outright cooperation against Turkey from the get-go. So you might see Austria using F Adr to support Italy into Greece while A Ser supports Russia into Rumania--although both Russia and Italy would put Austria on the list as second to go after Turkey, so there's a limit to how accommodating you can expect Austria to be to his nearby rivals.
Is it possible that Eero's reputation has caused his neophyte neighbors to gun for him in the early going? What arguments and expostulations can he deploy to forestall the deadly blow? Is the apparent Austro-Russian collusion similarly a product of the two board leaders getting each others' backs against a ravening horde of wannabes? Whose side is Italy on? Will France make an early break against his Western neighbors while they are marching eastward? The questions are many! Let the kibbitzing commence!