How to do Diplomacy effectively ???

[CSS]

OK I am doing the diplomacy game, but have not achieved any results like Italy joins the CP turn 1 or Japan joins the CP.

So...What I am asking is someone to detail how they do diplomacy step by step, so that we can see how these really cool variants were achieved !!!

Thank you in advance

[Tamas]

Well, the really cool variants are cool because they are the unlikely ones!

There are lots of modifiers for diplomatic checks with any given country. Obviously the decisive thing is which side has more points worth of diplomats there, but there are also others. Speaking in boardgame terms (and I think CSS, you know this), number of diplomats determine the column used on the resolution table, while other modifiers modify the dice roll.

Most of those roll modifiers, you can't influence. You either have them or not. Like, capture of enemy cities, Belgrade for example.
There are a few which can be given attention to, and these are the national one. For example, no Austrian diplomat to Romania or Italy, if possible, and let the Russians handle Entente diplomacy in Bulgaria, if possible.

So, the unlikely results: I would not waste resources on Japan as Central Powers. It is an extremely hard task to get them off their British friends, and there is an event which simply makes them declare war on Germany regardless of diplomacy levels. So altough it would be extremely cool to have them, I would rather see them in a mod for the game, than to waste my way too precious diplomats on them.

Italy: your best bet as Centrals for them, is to get them in the beginning. Choose the Option "Diplomatic Poker" by Germany, during the Warplans phase, and you will have a dice roll determining if Italy will fulfill what is their legal binding by treaty to join Germany (since with the Poker option, Germany waits for declarations of war on her). Throw in the handing over of Trentin by Austria-Hungary, which is also an Option, and you have a very likely result of Italy joining you immediately.

But, assuming historical or near-historical warplans, the Italians will, by all likeliness, stay neutral initially, and be drifting toward the Allies, with unpredictable speed.

Italy will be a favourite target for AI diplomats, and as a matter of fact, should be a favourite target for any human player, Allieds or Centrals. As Entente, you just can't have them soon enough, and as Centrals, you need to delay them.

[captainmatt]

I really enjoyed reading your Italy strategy.

Could we have more on other countries...like Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Albania, USA, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal?

Something like a diplomatic situation report so we have a better idea on where we should focus our diplomatic efforts? Even a + - chart would be very helpful.

I hate to send my diplomats to a country that I could get little or nothing out of...

[Tamas]

I really enjoyed reading your Italy strategy.

Could we have more on other countries...like Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Albania, USA, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal?

Something like a diplomatic situation report so we have a better idea on where we should focus our diplomatic efforts? Even a + - chart would be very helpful.

I hate to send my diplomats to a country that I could get little or nothing out of...

Sure! Just a quickine now, will write more later. Lets look at Central Powers:


A lot depends on your warplan obviously. But, for Central Powers, two things are certain:
Italy must be delayed. They may not be an immediate burden, since they face you on extreme terrain and initially low in numbers, but the later their buildup starts, the later it finishes. You should seek to defeat them eventually, so this is important.
Also: you want Bulgaria. Even if you have an anti-Russia plan and ignore the Serbs, the Bulgarians can help against Serbs, Romanians, Greeks, and they would be a major pain in the arse if they would join the Entente, and march up to help the Serbs. The Bulgarian army is most excellent compared to the rivals it has to face.

Romania depends on your warplan, but again, rather straightforward: if you are doing a Moltke plan, together with Austria going anti-Russia, you will probably want the longer front - Romania would be a secondary area for you, since the Russians probably wont bother conquering it, but the Russian AI (or player) surely dont want the Romanian units ransacing south Russia unopposed.
In any other case, I like a balanced approach. In the historical or near historical setup (by setup I mean warplans and general happenings), you should favour them staying neutral. So, send many diplomats when they are near the Entente, fewer when they are closer to you. Keep them out of the war, but of course, they fighting Russia is enormously better than the long Hungary-Romania border opening up for war.

More later.

[eleven_west]

What is the difference between just sending a diplomat to a country and further commiting them to a diplomatic mission (When you press the second option button and they get the little envelope sign next to them)?
I assume that there are costs associated with each option? (Haven't calculated yet)? What is the point of having 2 stages in each mission, one where a diplomat travels to a country and another where a diplomat commits to a mission?

I assume that the manual will clarify all that but I thought I'd ask while we're on the wait

[PhilThib]

I am currently rewriting this section. In addition tomorrow's patch will fix some of the button texts and tooltips on this... I made too many errors on that myself in early trials

If you click on first button, you just send the diplomat 'on station'...he is in the country, and awaits ordrers...

The second button is for a specific action to be undertaken. Apart for August 1914 special (and intense) mutli-coutnry action, you are normally allowed only ONE action per turn. Choose your target wisely, and then click on the second button

[Tamas]

What is the difference between just sending a diplomat to a country and further commiting them to a diplomatic mission (When you press the second option button and they get the little envelope sign next to them)?
I assume that there are costs associated with each option? (Haven't calculated yet)? What is the point of having 2 stages in each mission, one where a diplomat travels to a country and another where a diplomat commits to a mission?

I assume that the manual will clarify all that but I thought I'd ask while we're on the wait

There is a very important difference: you need to "seek audience/perform mission" with a diplomat (thus have the envelope appear next to him), for the diplomatic check to take place. Otherwise, he is in the country "passively" - it gets used when the enemy performs a mission in the country (to counter it), but otherwise there will be no diplo-check.

You can do two diplo missions per side per Diplomacy phase.

[tagwyn]

Tamas: when the patch? apy:

[Tamas]

Tamas: when the patch? apy:

There is thread: it is out tomorrow.

[eleven_west]

There is a very important difference: you need to "seek audience/perform mission" with a diplomat (thus have the envelope appear next to him), for the diplomatic check to take place. Otherwise, he is in the country "passively" - it gets used when the enemy performs a mission in the country (to counter it), but otherwise there will be no diplo-check

However what is the point of sending a diplomat to a country to counter an opponents move, and not actually assigning him a mission to bring whatever results may be brought? Since he's taking the trip already.

Unless there's a monetary or other cost associated with each action, sending a diplomat is as good as assigning him a mission, since there's no cost associated to it (Assuming that every diplomating mission actioned has a generally positive effect regardless of the overall outcome).

The diplomatic system could ofwer a whole new dimension to the game if properly enhanced. Ie it could be associated with monetary costs or it could have negative instead of positive effect based on a roll. That would definitely add to the excitement

[calvinus]

The reason is very simple... If you want to modify the diplomatic attitude of a nation, you have to plan a diplomatic mission. Nothing else (unless the diplomatic move, of course). But if we allow players to perform any number of diplomatic missions they wish, we can generate a diplomatic earthquake!!! All nations will enter the war in a few weeks!

That's why the boardgame rules tell each player may perform one mission per turn. The PC game has probably a higher constraint...

On the other hand, the diplomatic move is a must also to prevent enemy moves... In fact, you are informed of enemy moves, not of enemy missions. So you can "guess" where the enemy will perform his one allowed mission, in order to send there a grafted ambassador to protect your own interests!

In addition, provided you have a good hand of diplomats (mainly in 1914), you can start sending your ambassadors everywhere all over the world, for when you will decide to do missions.

[eleven_west]

Ahh that makes perfect sense - so then we have a possible bug.

The game has allowed me to perform one mission per move at least during the initial 1914 phase - the mission button has been highlighted in all occasions for all ambassadors. All missions were actioned on that turn with variable results. I even up to +1 diplomatic points from zero skill diplomats performing missions - not sure if this is a feature perhaps it is if we see skill as a positive modifier of the die roll. Plus all missions cleared and I got a full hand of diplomats again on the second phase.

If they are supposed to travel to countries, stay there until recalled and action once mission per turn, it makes perfect gaming sense. But I think that this might be kind of broken at the moment..

Could someone verify that ?

[calvinus]

The game has allowed me to perform one mission per move at least during the initial 1914 phase - the mission button has been highlighted in all occasions for all ambassadors. All missions were actioned on that turn with variable results. I even up to +1 diplomatic points from zero skill diplomats performing missions - not sure if this is a feature perhaps it is if we see skill as a positive modifier of the die roll. Plus all missions cleared and I got a full hand of diplomats again on the second phase.

Yes... this looks like a bug... and I'm going to check and fix it immediately!

[Le Ricain]

Ahh that makes perfect sense - so then we have a possible bug.

The game has allowed me to perform one mission per move at least during the initial 1914 phase - the mission button has been highlighted in all occasions for all ambassadors. All missions were actioned on that turn with variable results. I even up to +1 diplomatic points from zero skill diplomats performing missions - not sure if this is a feature perhaps it is if we see skill as a positive modifier of the die roll. Plus all missions cleared and I got a full hand of diplomats again on the second phase.

If they are supposed to travel to countries, stay there until recalled and action once mission per turn, it makes perfect gaming sense. But I think that this might be kind of broken at the moment..

Could someone verify that ?

Yes, I can confirm all of the above. I did not know if this was WAD.

[Tamas]

I am sorry I dont get it: of course you get a trainload of diplomatic results in the very first diplo phase of 1914: a lot of countries are checked with automatic missions.

I THINK that after this, altough you can assign multiple missions per turn, only one will be resolved. I may be wrong.

As for zero level diplomats. Yes, they can have results as well (their level shows the column change they achieve on the resolution phase in your favour).

[PhilThib]

Remember: in August 1914 Initial diplomacy, this is the [color="DarkRed"]exception[/color]: you can make as many missions as you have diplomats... the one mission per turn and per side rule applies only after September (included)...

To be more precise, if the Allies have 1 diplomat of each Russia, France and GB in various minors, only ONE (for the Entente) may be activated on mission, not one per nation...

[Tamas]

Ah yes. Even I can forget rules sometimes.