Malazan Empire: Diplomacy Guide for N00bs - Malazan Empire

Jump to content

Page 1 of 1
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

Diplomacy Guide for N00bs DON'T PANIC!!

#1 User is offline   caladanbrood 

  • Ugly on the Inside
  • Group: Team Quick Ben
  • Posts: 10,819
  • Joined: 07-January 03
  • Location:Manchester, UK

Posted 16 October 2008 - 02:01 PM

Basic Rules
A diplomacy map consists of two types of region – Control Regions and others. To win the game, you need to be in possession of a certain number of Control Regions. This will either be agreed beforehand, or be set specifically by Realpolitik.
There are two main moves in each year, Spring and Fall. As well as these, there are three other seasons (Summer, Autumn and Winter) which may or may not be used. Anyone in a Control Region at the end of the Fall turn takes control of that region for their country. The Summer and Autumn moves occur directly after Spring and Fall moves, and are for retreats, when a unit has been forced out of the region they occupy. The Winter move is for builds and disbands, which will be explained later. Each move, your orders should be sent in a private message to the Adjudicator account, clearly titled (most people just put “orders” – it’s really not helpful for the Adjudicator. At least say what country you are.)

Game Play
Diplomacy is really a very simple game - overwhelming numbers always win. Basically, if you are attacking a territory that is defended by two units, you need three units to capture the territory.
Each country has two different types of units – Armies and Fleets. Obviously, Fleets are limited to the sea, coast, and occasional canal regions, while Armies can only move on land, unless convoyed by fleets. There are four different options for each unit in a move:

Move:
A unit can move to any region adjacent to the one it currently occupies. Or at least attempt to! The basic order looks like this: “A Picardy – Belgium”. This means that an Army (“A”) is moving from the region of Picardy to the region of Belgium.
Hold:
If you are happy with your unit where it is, and don’t want it to do anything, a hold order can be applied, eg: “A Picardy Hold”
Support:
A unit can also support the move or hold of another unit. This would look like, eg: “F English Channel Supports A Picardy – Belgium”. This is a Fleet (hence “F”) in the English Channel supporting the move that was used as an example earlier. The important thing to remember is that a unit can only support into a region that it itself could move to. So, the region being moved into must be adjacent to the unit supporting the move, as well as the unit moving. Also note: an army could not support a fleet into a sea region.
Convoy:
Armies can cross the sea! But only when convoyed by a fleet. This is the most complicated move situation you can find in Diplomacy, so it’s not too bad... If you want to convoy an army, the order would be, eg: “F English Channel Convoys A Picardy – Wales”. In all other ways, this follows the normal rules applying to a move, so it can be supported, cut, bounced etc.

Attacking a Region:
If an enemy occupies a territory that you want, you will have to take it from him! If diplomacy fails, you’ll have to take it by force. If he has only that one unit, you will have to attack it and support that attack with one more unit. However, if he has another unit adjacent to the unit you want to attack which supports the unit, you will need two units supporting your attack to be victorious. Keep in mind that once you’ve taken a region, you will probably need to defend it, so a quick risky grab with little support isn’t always the best plan. Remember, you will only take control of a region if you are in at the end of the Fall move, so if you can’t keep it until then, it might be better to hold back until a better time.

Builds/Disbands:
In each Winter move, every player has to balance their units. This means that every player should have the same number of units as Control Regions. So, if, during the Fall move, you took control of two more Control Regions, then in the Winter move, you can build two more units. However, it is important to note that you can only build in your “home regions”, which are the initial Control Regions you started the game with. So if you have two new regions, but only one empty Home Region, you will only be able to build one new unit that year!
Conversely, if you have lost Control Regions, you will have to disband one of your units. This can really mess up your plans, so it’s best to make sure you don’t have all your units involved in vital positions at once, if you can possibly avoid it.

Diploming
DO NOT LIE.
Obviously, as the name suggests, a big part of the game is the actual Diplomacy. Talk to the other players, A LOT!! At least to start off with, you will almost certainly need a strong alliance to see you through. Keep in mind though, that even your allies are also your opponents. A good alliance can sweep aside everyone else on the map with relative ease, as you have basically doubled the number of units available to you. Supports, Convoys etc do not have to be done by units of your own country, you can get an ally to help too!
DO NOT LIE.
There are a few things that it’s important to remember, however. These are long games. People have long memories. It’s best to not piss off too many people, as it may well come back to bite you in the ass five or ten years down the line.
Did I mention, DO NOT LIE? I think I might have... playing Diplomacy over one game, or even several, you gain a reputation for how you play. If you lie to people, they will tell others, and people will stop trusting you. Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t mislead, confused or beguile. But if you make a specific statement saying you will do something, you really really need to do it. Any short-term gain you get by deceiving one person is likely to be outweighed by the long-term bad reputation you might get. If someone is stabbed in the back having had a specific promise from you, they aren’t likely to take it very well. Would you?
Obviously, there are many more complexities than this, but the rest you need to find out for yourself by playing. Really.



Using Realpolitik:
Realpolitik is a very handy program for Diplomacy, but it isn’t vital, you can play without it... but it does make things a hell of a lot easier. The best way to learn how to use it is just to mess around for a while, trying moves, supports, defences, convoys etc until you find out what works. Once you have input your orders into the game, if you open the Orders window, it will give you a nice long list of orders in the form they need to be, which you can copy-paste into your message to the Adjudicator each move.
The best thing about RP is that you can play through scenarios that you think might happen several moves into the future, giving you a chance to anticipate moves in advance, rather than simply reacting to them as they happen. A long-term plan is much more profitable, in general, than just going for the nearest available Control Region.
Each move, the Adjudicator should post a download link to the latest .dpy file (Realpolitik game file), which you can open to have all the latest moves inputted for you. Otherwise you can copy-paste the list of orders into a .txt file and load them in via Orders – Load Text, or even just input them manually yourself, it’s down to personal preference, but the more involved you get, the better your understanding of the game normally is.

Finally:
Be online! If you only visit the forums once a week, this is probably not the game for you. You might miss a deadline completely, or a chance offered to you from another player via PM might go to someone else. If you are going to be unavailable for a while, let the players and Adjudicator know in advance, so deadlines can be re-arranged accordingly. Everyone has occasional offline periods, but if it’s every other week, or you’re going on holiday for two months in the near future, don’t start the game and then point out three moves in that you have to give up. Replacement players can usually be found, but it’s damn awkward for everyone involved, and people will not be happy with you. Unforeseen situations happen of course, and that’s fair enough. For the smooth running of the game however, it’s best to keep everyone informed as much as you can.
On top of this, the games take a long time, it's not a one-month commitment. Expect to spend the best part of six months on a full-length game, maybe even more.



Realpolitik is available for download here: http://realpolitik.sourceforge.net/ and a pdf of the rulebook (which goes into much more detail) is here: http://www.wizards.c...s/diplomacy.pdf

The rulebook in particular is a useful cure for insomnia, and you might even pick up a few hints...

This post has been edited by caladanbrood: 16 October 2008 - 03:15 PM

O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.
0

#2 User is offline   Tapper 

  • Lover of High House Mafia
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 6,646
  • Joined: 29-June 04
  • Location:Delft, Holland.

Posted 16 October 2008 - 02:24 PM

http://www.diplom.org/Online/

Could be some help to you. It's written mostly for play-by-post players, not for us forumboard gamers, but it is a great site.
Everyone is entitled to his own wrong opinion. - Lizrad
0

#3 User is offline   Path-Shaper 

  • Mafia Modgod
  • Group: Game Mod
  • Posts: 1,255
  • Joined: 01-October 08

Posted 16 October 2008 - 02:26 PM

You forgot something about diploming.
Never trust JA...
Only someone with this much power could make this many frittatas without breaking any eggs.
0

#4 User is offline   Jump Around 

  • Weasel
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 241
  • Joined: 01-December 06
  • Location:Milan, Italy

Posted 16 October 2008 - 02:40 PM

Hey, who's this? I'll sue you! :)


This is not Mafia, I kept all my words. :w00t:
0

#5 User is offline   Gavin 

  • Sergeant
  • Group: Malaz Regular
  • Posts: 62
  • Joined: 19-February 08

Posted 16 October 2008 - 02:41 PM

View PostPath-Shaper, on Oct 16 2008, 11:26 PM, said:

You forgot something about diploming.
Never trust JA...



Thats what I thought when I started. Turns out its a never trust Morgoth situation instead :w00t: JA has been surprisingly trustworthy. Every turn I look and think, "Surely this time, he's gotta put in the knife I'm doing so badly" and every time nothing.

@The OP, You should also mention thats its a long term game, it can take several months or longer before game one game is over, so it takes a bit of commitment as well if your going to play.

Which reminds me, we seem to have quite a few new people keen to play. Should we have teams for the next game of newbie + experienced person to help out?
0

#6 User is offline   drinksinbars 

  • Soletaken
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 2,162
  • Joined: 16-February 04

Posted 16 October 2008 - 02:47 PM

as long as someone doesnt get joined to me they should be fine...

well if i didnt say it someone else would :w00t:
0

#7 User is offline   Grief 

  • Prophet of High House Mafia
  • Group: Administrators
  • Posts: 2,267
  • Joined: 11-July 08

Posted 16 October 2008 - 03:01 PM

View PostJump Around, on Oct 16 2008, 03:40 PM, said:

Hey, who's this? I'll sue you! :w00t:


This is not Mafia, I kept all my words. :)

Along with all MY provinces :w00t:

Oh, and gavin, I have taken over italy, and assure you that I had no hand in morgoths policies.

Cougar said:

Grief, FFS will you do something with your sig, it's bloody awful


worry said:

Grief is right (until we abolish capitalism).
0

#8 User is offline   caladanbrood 

  • Ugly on the Inside
  • Group: Team Quick Ben
  • Posts: 10,819
  • Joined: 07-January 03
  • Location:Manchester, UK

Posted 16 October 2008 - 03:16 PM

View PostGavin, on Oct 16 2008, 03:41 PM, said:

@The OP, You should also mention thats its a long term game, it can take several months or longer before game one game is over, so it takes a bit of commitment as well if your going to play.

Good point, added :w00t:
O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.
0

#9 User is offline   Jump Around 

  • Weasel
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 241
  • Joined: 01-December 06
  • Location:Milan, Italy

Posted 16 October 2008 - 03:25 PM

View PostGrief, on Oct 16 2008, 06:01 PM, said:

View PostJump Around, on Oct 16 2008, 03:40 PM, said:

Hey, who's this? I'll sue you! :w00t:


This is not Mafia, I kept all my words. :)

Along with all MY provinces :w00t:



Haha, if you take over a country and see the whole damned Armada pressed half a kilometer from your coasts, don't say you can't trust me if they mysteriously change hands soon after :)
0

#10 User is offline   Jump Around 

  • Weasel
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 241
  • Joined: 01-December 06
  • Location:Milan, Italy

Posted 16 October 2008 - 03:29 PM

To the guide I will add this:

Read the fine print. When someone makes a promise, look at what the person actually says, not what he seems to say.

I was a victim in my first game, then used it to my advantage in this one. :w00t:
0

#11 User is offline   Morgoth 

  • executor emeritus
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 11,448
  • Joined: 24-January 03
  • Location:the void

Posted 16 October 2008 - 06:22 PM

View PostGavin, on Oct 16 2008, 04:41 PM, said:

View PostPath-Shaper, on Oct 16 2008, 11:26 PM, said:

You forgot something about diploming.
Never trust JA...



Thats what I thought when I started. Turns out its a never trust Morgoth situation instead :) JA has been surprisingly trustworthy. Every turn I look and think, "Surely this time, he's gotta put in the knife I'm doing so badly" and every time nothing.




Ah but I never did lie to you, and I never did break our agreement. Just because you don't pay attention to what the agreement actually said does not mean I lied :w00t:
Take good care to keep relations civil
It's decent in the first of gentlemen
To speak friendly, Even to the devil
0

#12 User is offline   caladanbrood 

  • Ugly on the Inside
  • Group: Team Quick Ben
  • Posts: 10,819
  • Joined: 07-January 03
  • Location:Manchester, UK

Posted 16 October 2008 - 06:35 PM

Which is a good demonstration of making sure you say exactly what you mean, no more no less, and don't read between the lines, just read the lines themselves :w00t:
O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.
0

#13 User is offline   Gavin 

  • Sergeant
  • Group: Malaz Regular
  • Posts: 62
  • Joined: 19-February 08

Posted 17 October 2008 - 06:41 AM

View PostMorgoth, on Oct 17 2008, 02:22 AM, said:

Ah but I never did lie to you, and I never did break our agreement. Just because you don't pay attention to what the agreement actually said does not mean I lied :p


I guess I had a differing rememberance of the agreement then. I'm confident your first line was, "So, Peace between us then" which for me implied peace between us. There were a few conditions you attached, such as didn't want me to build fleets, or move to Pie. Which I had to break after you forced me to retreat by supprting Germany into Swizterland which broke our agreement of peace.


A couple more general notes from my experience of playing Diplomacy for a little while.

Try not to stab people often especially if your playing among the same group of people. You'll get a bad reputation and people will gun for you straight away and you'll find it difficult to make deals as you can't be trusted. Same thing with trying to worm out of deals as people are mentioning around here. If your not going to live up to your word, then people will stop trying with you. Your reputation doesn't normally reset itself every game especially in a forum like this.

Stabs should be to put you into a winning position, put a team into a winning position or halting an obvious march to glory and you want to break the game up. If you've made a deal and then betray it for one or two opportunistic supply centers then you are probably putting in the knife for the wrong reason.

Its a team game. It doesn't look like it because to win one person needs a certain number of supply centers, but its a team game, and there's no shame in finishing a strong second or even third when more then 7+ players as part of a winning team. If you can win individually even better, but it almost always comes down to teams.
0

#14 User is offline   drinksinbars 

  • Soletaken
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 2,162
  • Joined: 16-February 04

Posted 17 October 2008 - 07:44 AM

just as an amendmum to what gavin said as i stabbed people mercilessly and paid the price in diplomacy 1, one agreement you should make with people that they cant get out of is prior notification of hostilities. For example brood and I had an agreement in the current game that if we were going to attack one another we would let the other know, you lose the element of surprise, but you never know when you may need to ally with someone again, and if you can trust them to tell you when they are going to attack its fairly certain they will play straight with you.

It removes any resent,ment or anger you may feel at someones attack.
0

#15 User is offline   caladanbrood 

  • Ugly on the Inside
  • Group: Team Quick Ben
  • Posts: 10,819
  • Joined: 07-January 03
  • Location:Manchester, UK

Posted 17 October 2008 - 08:39 AM

Dibs is right, although be careful with this. I used the agreement we had in order to influence his move, because he assumed, when I said he would be attacked, that it would be me attacking him, but it was actually my ally, so he ended up making the exact move I wanted him to :p Another example of reading exactly what is said, I suppose.
O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde; keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi.
0

#16 User is offline   dktorode 

  • Luck is my middle name, Mind you, my first name is Bad."
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 2,188
  • Joined: 03-September 05

Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:08 AM

Glad there is a Mac version of realpolitik...wheeeew
...┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐...

Why dont they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff?
0

#17 User is offline   drinksinbars 

  • Soletaken
  • Group: High House Mafia
  • Posts: 2,162
  • Joined: 16-February 04

Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:48 AM

View Postcaladanbrood, on Oct 17 2008, 09:39 AM, said:

Dibs is right, although be careful with this. I used the agreement we had in order to influence his move, because he assumed, when I said he would be attacked, that it would be me attacking him, but it was actually my ally, so he ended up making the exact move I wanted him to :p Another example of reading exactly what is said, I suppose.


well actually this isnt technically true as what i wanted to do was to attack cause because i knew you were moving into ada, thus taking izm from ist by supporting it from ank and then convoying an army toward ist to block your move there. I was over ruled, but then you are stuck at moment ina dead lock while we have the whole north to attack. so are you going to continue attempting to attack through us, or is ja soon to recieve some cleopatra love?
0

Share this topic:


Page 1 of 1
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

1 User(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users