I started a game on Diplicity in late January 2024. This was a trial game for me. I’d played one game on Diplicity before but didn’t stay in the game long because others didn’t stay in the game long. I got fed up with it.
When I’ve finished the game, I’ll write a review of the site. And, yes, I mean the site. Diplicity is an app on Android (not sure whether it’s on Apple) and. previously, I used the app. Wasn’t impressed. But, unlike Conspiracy, the other Dip app, Diplicity has its own site and you can play on it. And it’s a good site.
Anyway, here’s the game.
Spring 1901
I’d drawn England and that was fine by me. I like playing England. I tend to do well with England, possibly because I ignore the perceived ‘wisdom’ of having a balanced build policy. For me, England needs fleets. Armies can wait. And this tends to make others unsure about how to play me, either because they think I don’t know what I’m doing, or because they don’t know how to handle the fleet-first policy.
Anyway, I did a little research into my fellow players:
- France was being played by Ciaras Wyatt. They’d started 4 games, finished 2 of them… and in both they’d abandoned the game.
- Italy was controlled by Michael Aragon. They’d started 3 games and none of them were finished.
- Germany was Mike Jopson. This was their first game on Diplicity.
- Austria was played by The Juggernaut2345. They were the experienced player. They’d started 1036 games and finished 1026. That meant they were in 10 active games. They’d abandoned 67 of their games, which is a high number for someone looking for consistency, but a small fraction of their games.
- Turkey was controlled by Giorgi Andguladze. They’d started 4 games and finished 2 of them, eliminated in both.
- Russia was Tiago Andrade. Having started 2 of 2 games, one had ended and they’d abandoned it.
What did this tell me? Well, not very much. Austria could be the threat… but so could anyone. Like me, most were newer players. Although France, Turkey and Russia were possible quitters, you have to expect these were novice errors. Again, although Germany was brand new, they could be brilliant. Anyone of them could be accomplished Dippyists who were just getting to know Diplicity. Well, OK, probably not if they had high surrender rates, I guess.
So, OK, not much to learn until you’re in the game.
As usual, I messaged all of these players. I offered alliances to France and Germany. As England, I really don’t mind which of these powers I work with. I pitched my main alliance to Russia. It didn’t matter which of France or Germany I aligned with, Russia was going to be my main ally. To both Austria and Turkey I offered a long term alliance and to share info.
The replies were interesting. France came back with an agreement for the alliance, but demanded – and I mean demanded – I stayed out of the Channel and didn’t land an army in Belgium, even though they’d be fine with me owning Belgium. At this point I entered the following provisional orders: A Lpl-Wal, F Edi-NTH, F Lon-ENG.
I don’t usually like the Severn Opening because it antagonises France and it has the concern that France will order F Bre-ENG and cause my F(Lon) to stay in place – that’s always a waste of a move. Still, France’s response, while cautiously favourable to an alliance, was a demand, and I wanted to test how far they’d go to oppose it. I wrote to them and said that I was likely to move to the Channel because it was the best way to Belgium. I also asked for them to move into Burgundy to support me there.
France didn’t respond.
Russia was very positive about the alliance. I’d get Norway with a fleet and wouldn’t move to St Petersburg at all (of course I wouldn’t…); I’d help them into Sweden if they needed it and would side with them in a war with Germany. Russia was up for everything – including not moving A Mos-Stp.
Turkey responded that they weren’t intending to attack Russia (fine by me) unless Russia moved to Rumania. I responded that, if they didn’t want F Sev-Rum, that didn’t leave much for Russia to do with it except F Sev-BLA. But Turkey had a very simplistic idea: they wanted to get control of the Balkans and then attack Russia. This meant that Austria was bound to be their initial target, well – apparently – unless Russia directly threatened them by moving to the Black Sea. I tried pointing out this hole in their strategy. This basic approach was to set the theme for interactions with Turkey.
Turkey was quite chatty, as Russia was, and Italy proved to be the same. I warned Italy that Turkey had told me they were going for the Balkans. Italy could therefore take advantage of this by attacking Austria, if they wanted.
Austria said little. Not surprising, given that Austria and England don’t have much reason to talk a lot in S01. Still, I’d expected to find a decent communicator given the number of games they had under their belt.
Germany, however, said less. I didn’t receive a single message from them. Russia told me that Germany has asked them what I was planning to do and whether they would ally with Germany against me. I don’t think this conversation ever happened.
So the S01 deadline came and went:
- F Edi-NWG, F Lon-NTH, A Lpl-Yor
- F Bre-MAO, A Mar S Par-Bur
- F Nap-ION, A Ven-Tyl, A Rom-Ven
- F Kie H, A Ber H, A Mun H
- F Tri-Alb, A Vie-Gal, A Bud-Ser
- F Ank-BLA, A Con-Bul, A Smy-Con
- F Stp-GOB, F Sev-Rum, A Mos-Ukr, A War-Gal
Fall 1901
Yes, I changed my orders. Because I’d heard nothing from Germany, I decided that antagonising France was stupid. Instead, I went for the more typical (for me) Jovik Opening. Surprisingly, France had done what I’d asked them to do!
Whether this affected the relationship with France negatively, given that I’d said something and done something else (which any decent Dippyist will tell you is a no-no), I don’t know. But it didn’t seem to do. I wrote to them and said that I’d changed my moves because I didn’t expect them to let me do what I wanted. Anyway, if – as I expected – Germany hadn’t even entered the game, France wouldn’t necessarily need to attack me.
I wrote to everyone (as you should) at the start of the turn, even Germany, just in case. Germany didn’t respond. This suggested very strongly that they weren’t playing.
Italy was lining-up an attack on Trieste, surely. I tried fishing which player they were aiming to ally with but got nothing useful, as I expected. What I did find out was that they were going to build fleets, to which my response was that, surprisingly (well, not), so was I.
I congratulated Turkey on getting into the Black Sea. For me, A Con-Bul and A Smy-Con is a mistake unless you’re aiming to convoy A(Con) in F01. Otherwise, if you’re looking to move A(Bul) somewhere and follow-up with A Con-Bul, you could well fail: it’s too easy for A(Con) to be bounced back. Where was it going? Greece? Austria could well head there (although I doubted that in this game). Serbia? Austria is unlikely to let that happen. Rumania? Even if Rumania’s empty, someone will be moving there. So what’s happening with A(Con)?
Turkey persisted. They weren’t going to attack Russia, even though Russia had moved in a way that, supposedly, Turkey would see as a casus belli. It looked to me as if Turkey would probably try to take Rumania, however.
Russia was still quite chatty. They were moving to Sweden (shocking) but I didn’t really get much else from them. I offered to support them into Denmark (assuming F GOB-Swe would succeed with no German opposition). It was one way of cementing the E/R alliance. As long as they didn’t have to defend Norway. In other words, if Russia didn’t build in St Petersburg. My pitch was that, with France on a probably 3-build W01, I would be their target. After all, they didn’t face a German threat.
To Austria, I pointed out that Turkey occupying the Black Sea, along with their promise of war with Russia if the latter occupied Rumania (I really can’t understand that philosophy!), it would make a lot of sense for them to ally with Russia. Russia’s other option was Italy, after all, and if Italy secured an I/R alliance, with Italy attacking Austria that would mean Austria was in trouble.
I didn’t get a reply.
I had to make a decision. Did I go to Belgium? France should let me, after all, given that Germany was (probably) out of the game and I hadn’t moved to the Channel. However, France could secure 3 builds if I didn’t do that. Again, for me, that would normally be a mistake: France with 6 units in 1902 is a huge threat; a sensible France would normally avoid this. But this was a game without a Germany. Why wouldn’t France take Belgium?
I actually asked if France was prepared to let me into Belgium anyway. They pointed out, and it was the alternative that I was already considering, that I could take Holland or Denmark instead.
It looked like I would have to go to war with France. England can seldom accept a France with 6 SCs in 1902 without responding. But I would be doing this on my own, unless I could draw Italy into the war. So did I bounce France from Belgium? Or did I maximise my gains, with the chance that Germany could still move to both Holland and Denmark?
Russia would take Sweden. They would probably need to defend Sevastopol, or feel they had to, so how did they do this? F Rum-Sev was the banker – if Turkey ordered F BLA-Sev they’d bounce and Russia would hold Rumania. They could even order A Ukr-Rum as insurance. However, with Turkey able to order F Sev S Bul-Rum, these moves would allow Turkey to take Rumania and prevent Russia from building in Sevastopol. For me, the latter move was more likely for a Turkey fixated on controlling the Balkans.
Austria had to respond to Italy having two armies bordering Trieste. If this was the case, Austria had to order their armies to defend Trieste and use F Alb-Gre. That ran the risk of letting Russia into Galicia, of course. Honestly, I’d take that risk. With two builds, armies in Vienna and Budapest (assuming A Ser S Vie-Tri) and a new unit – probably an army – in Trieste, Russia wouldn’t be a huge threat.
I sold Italy on attacking Trieste anyway; given the position they were bound to do that. I suggested they try for Greece, the basis of which was that Austria really couldn’t allow Russia into Galicia as that would mean Italy and Russia would have a natural alliance against them; Austria would have to defend Trieste with A Ser S Alb-Tri. As I say, I didn’t expect this but, then again, I hadn’t got enough from Austria to know what to expect with any degree of certainty! On the other hand, I would prefer Italy to go to Tunis. I needed Italy to get at least one build.
So, I decided to order F NTH C Yor-Hol. Would Germany block me?
- F NWG-Nwy, F NTH C Yor-Hol Gains: Norway, Holland – 2 builds
- F MAO-Por, A Mar-Spa, A Bur-Bel Gains: Portugal, Spain, Belgium – 3 builds
- F ION-Tun, A Ven S Tyl-Tri Gains: Tunis – 1 build
- F Kie H, A Ber H, A Mun H Gains: 0
- A Vie S Alb-Tri, A Ser S Alb-Tri Gains: Serbia – 1 build
- F BLA H, A Bul-Gre, A Con-Bul Gains: Bulgaria, Greece – 2 builds
- F GOB H, F Rum H, A Ukr H, A War H Gains: Rumania – 1 build
Winter 1901
The big shock was, obviously, Russia NMRing. No orders – I didn’t expect that to come. I suspect they missed the deadline. Would they build? Hopefully!
Austria made a mistake. There was no need to use all three units to defend Trieste. Having the fleet there meant that they were a year away from having a say in the Med. They were effectively giving the Med to Italy and Turkey. This isn’t surprising – a 1-fleet Austria is not going to have much say there, anyway, But, honestly, having no say is daft. Assuming a bounce in Trieste, I would’ve used A Ser S Vie-Tri, and used F Alb-Gre. If the fleet got into Greece, I’d have two builds; if A Vie-Tre succeeded, then I’d have at least one build in Vienna or Budapest if Russia occupied Galicia; if I bounced with Italy in Trieste – the hoped for result – I could build an army in Trieste anyway.
Turkey taking Greece was a bit of a surprise. It didn’t threaten anyone and was – away from diplomacy – not a guarantee. I suppose A Bul-Rum wasn’t a guarantee either, however, and possibly had the less chance of success but Russia would face the 50-50 call of defending Sevastopol or Rumania so I would probably have tried that.
For me, it was looking like Turkey wanted to fight Austria rather than Russia. Austria – well, they really had no choice: Italy was the enemy. They’d just have to hope that their diplomacy was good enough to keep Turkey and Russia off their backs, which didn’t look promising. Italy, similarly, were likely to have to stay at war with Austria.
- Build: F Edi, A Lon
- Build: NMR
- Build: F Rom
- Build: A Bud
- Build: A Con, A Smy
- Build: NMR
And another big shock – no builds from France! I’d had no communication from them, either. It looked as if both Russia and France had joined Germany in being absent.
If this was true, it meant a dream scenario for me! No France, no Germany, no Russia! Party time. All you can eat buffet! And, in the east, Austria and Italy at war, Turkey looking as if they were after Austria (if only to seize all the Balkans!). However, would Turkey take advantage of a seemingly absent Russia?
As far as I was concerned, my problem now was a nice one to have – hope to most efficiently take advantage of this?
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