Diplomacy

by Avalon Hill

Product Features

• 2 to 7 player game
• 360 minutes to play
• The Classic Game of Intrigue, Trust, and Treachery
• Strategy board game
• European political theme

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2 x 10.5 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0015MN6JE
• Item model number: 221930000AVH
• Manufacturer recommended age: 12 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,974 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The classic game of negotiation, cunning, and deceit is back. Through negotiations, alliances, and intrigue, expand your empire over pre-World War I Europe. Form alliances and unhatch your traitorous plots as you negotiate and outwit— in a delicate balance of cooperation and competition— to gain dominance of the continent. Your success hinges not on the luck of the dice, but your cunning and cleverness.

Product Description

At the turn of the 20th century, prior to World War I, the seven Great European Powers engage in an intricate struggle for supremacy. Military forces invade and withdraw, shifting borders and altering empires with subtle maneuvers and daring gambits. Alliances are formed and trust is betrayed as players negotiate and outwit one another in a delicate balance of cooperation and competition to gain dominance of the continent. Diplomacy challenges players to rely on their own cunning and cleverness, not dice, to determine the outcome of this game of conspiracies and conquest. New artistic treatment to game components. First time back in print since 1999. Social interaction, interpersonal skills and negotiation make up an essential part of the game play. Classic negotiating game in existence since 1959. Game board measures 30"L x 20"W. Includes 315 army, navy and national control markers, 20 count strategy map pad and 24-page rulebook. Compact box, bookshelf ready.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but not for everyone, March 31, 2008

By 

Ralph G. Mcgeary (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Diplomacy (Toy)

A new version of Diplomacy is long overdue, with the 1999 release often going for as much as $[...] on Ebay.

Rather than metal or plastic playing pieces, this new version of Diplomacy includes glossy cardboard tokens. Though plastic or metal pieces would have been nice, the cardboard tokens are durable and functional, and probably help keep the price of the game low. The game also includes a big note pad of maps that can be torn off and drawn on. You'll need to purchase seven pencils and seven small notebooks for writing down orders.

This game is very fun to play, but unlike Risk or even Axis & Allies, its complicated nature makes play become tedious very quickly for those who aren't used to plying strategy games. Long story short, this is a great game to play with your gamer friends, but less nerdy friends, even those who like Risk, may not enjoy playing.

It can be difficult to gather the full seven players needed, but luckily, the game can be played with a smaller number (as few as 2, according to the instructions).

All in all, if you like strategy games and history and have enough people to play with, this game would certainly be a wise purchase.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best game ever invented, but it's not for the novice gamer, February 2, 2009

By 

Alan Holyoak (The Shadow of the Tetons) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Diplomacy (Toy)

This is perhaps the best game ever invented. Well, that is, if you are interested in history, geography intruige, human nature, diplomacy, and you have plenty of friends that like games and they all have a whole day to play the game.

Here's the basic premis:

The game is set at the outset of WWI. There are seven major European powers (Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, and Turkey) involved in the conflict, and each country is respresented by a player. The game flows more smoothly if you happen to have an eighth player that is willing to serve as game-master. The game-master keeps time, helps interpret rules, helps keep the game moving along, and keeps things straight and in order.

The goal of the game is to acquire control of as many "supply centers" as possible. As a player's country conquers supply centers they are able to add armies and navies to their military might.

Game play involves the following events:

1) Diplomacy - usually a 20-30 minute period where players meet privately with one another to try to make deals of mutual support, alliances, break alliances, etc.

2) Order-writing - when each player writes orders for every one of their armies and navies.

3) Resolution of orders - when all orders are made known, and all conflicts are resolved.

4) Addition or loss of armies and/or navies as mandated by the outcome of conflicts from the previous turn.

The game opens in 1914, and there are two turns per year (spring and fall). A game ends with the fall move of 1918. At that point all players still in the game count up their "supply centers" and the player with the most wins.

What you should know.

1) There are no cards, dice,or other elements of chance in this game, other than the BIGGEST element of chance there is - human nature! You never know when someone will live up to their agreements, support you when you need it, or makenew alliances and stab you in the back. It's pretty brutal - like real life.

2) The game can be played with as few as two players, though it plays best with the complete seven-player game.

3) It takes hours and hours to play this game. A full game may take as long as 8 hours to play.

4) Not all "board game players" will be interested in this game, mostly because of it's length, so you need either a gaming group/club or a large group of gaming friends to find enough players to try this game.

Anyway, I have been playing games, including Avalon Hill bookcase games, and more recent games like The Settlers of Catan and expansions, Agricola ZMG 7026, etc. And I still find this game to be top-notch, even after more than 30 years...now if only I could find six more people who would be willing to play (and a full day for game play!)

Even with those challenges, this game remains a 5-star event.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most fun that you will have with a piece of cardboard, April 22, 2008

By 

CaptainPlanet52 - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Diplomacy (Toy)

What can I say about Diplomacy. I started playing just a week ago and I'm already addicted to it. This game is truly a masterpiece because its not really the game that gives you the most fun, its the interaction with all of the other players. You can make secret alliances, team up to take down the powerful player, or betray your ally and take his country for a prize. A game can go on for months, you can email moves to each other, or meet up with the players a couple of times a week to issue commands to your fleets and armies and talk to the other players. This game can be played with 2 people, but you won't have the experience unless you play in a seven player mode. Overall, if you like to socialize and have a blast stabbing your friends in the back, buy this game!