"The Germans offered Russia alliance.....

[Altipueri]

"The Germans offered Russia alliance against attack 'by a European power'; the two allies would also 'combine in order to remind France of the obligations which she has assumed by the terms of the Franco-Russian alliance. The Germans did not know these terms; they always assumed it was a defensive alliance, never dreaming that it was directed solely against themselves. Now they were projecting a continental league against Great Britain. If France came in she would have to drop her hostility to Germany; if she refused, the Franco-Russian alliance would be disrupted. In either case Germany would end the danger of 'war on two fronts'."

No, not a Diplomacy AAR, but a quote (p422) from AJP Taylor's "The Struggle For Mastery in Europe 1848-1918"

As I am apparently the only person in the world playing this game and enjoying reading about he period I'll spoil my self with another quote (p 143, on Bismarck) "The great player in diplomacy, as in chess, does not lose himself in speculation as to the remote consequences of his act: he asks only 'does this move improve my position?' and then makes it."

So what games have good diplomacy (any period)? Crown of Glory - Emperor's Edition?

 

[Nikolai II]

Would you prefer your thread moved to the History forum or the OT forum?

Seriously, though, I think you'd get more attention there, and perhaps a few replies as well

As a reply, well AIs usually have a hard time handling diplomacy, since if it follows rules they can be abused, and if it doesn't follow rules it will come off as random..

Also, what do you mean with "Good" diplomacy. Lots of options, or that the options that exist actually mean something?

 

[Altipueri]

Thanks for the reply Nikolai. Thread can stay here and gradually die on its own.

I'm getting to the stage in life where you talk to yourself because the answers are more acceptable.

I'm even getting the horrible feeling I actually read the AJP Taylor book I refer to about 35 years ago.

Or perhaps it's just that deja vu again.

 

[Altipueri]

"The Triple alliance was concluded on 20 May 1882.

Austria-Hungary and Germany promised to assist Italy against a French attack; Italy, but not Austria-Hungary, made the same promise to Germany. Each of the three would assist the others if one or both became involved in a war with two Great Powers and would remain neutral in the case of war with one." p275

As you can tell I'm a slow reader. But I thought I would look in here again.

Nikolai - do you know if anyone has taken up the rights to try again at making Diplomacy?

Crown of Glory does seem to answer my other question about diplomacy in games.

Incidentally, for the odd passer by who might like odd games -I found I could get my 1986 copy of Balance of Power by Chris Crawford to work - even though I didn't play it at the time it came out.

 

[Nikolai II]

I have no idea, I guess you could ask Hasbro for who has the rights.

Or maybe someone at http://www.daide.org.uk/index.xml knows - they are working on computer AI for Diplomacy.

Or you could go to http://www.playdiplomacy.com/ which are supposed to be the web solution for Diplomacy.

 

[Altipueri]

"Few things matter very much, most things matter not at all"

Thanks for your reply Nikolai, I followed the links, and gosh some people take this Diplomacy game really seriously.

 

[Nikolai II]

Everything is really serious to some person in the world

Oh, and for the boardgame - Hasbro owns the rights, but I think they might still be using the Avalon Hill flag for producing it. Since you were posting in a computer game forum I simply assumed that you weren't asking about tabletop gaming