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Diplomacy

2-7 players 360-360 min 7.0 Board Game Geek Rating

Players control European powers before WWI, using armies and fleets to expand territory through simultaneous written orders. Success depends entirely on negotiating alliances and deals with other players, as combat outcomes are determined by unit strength without dice. Victory comes from conquering the most territories through strategic movement and diplomatic manipulation.

Published 1959

Diplomacy

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Choose your power
Each of the seven players represents one great power: Austria, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, or Turkey
2
Place starting units
Each power begins with their historical starting armies and fleets in their home provinces
3
Identify Supply Centers
The board contains 34 Supply Centers that players will compete to control
4
Begin in 1901
The game starts in the Spring turn of 1901

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Negotiate with other players
During the negotiation phase, discuss plans with other players in groups of any size, in secret or public
2
Write secret orders
After negotiation ends, each player secretly writes one order per unit
3
Issue Hold orders
Keep a unit in place with strength of one by writing: F London Holds
4
Issue Move orders
Send a unit to an adjacent province by writing: A Paris—Burgundy
5
Issue Support orders
Add one strength to another unit's hold or move by writing: A Par S A Mar—Bur
6
Issue Convoy orders
Transport an army across water using fleets by writing: A Ank—Sev; F Bla C A Ank—Sev
7
Resolve all orders simultaneously
All players' orders are read aloud and resolved at the same time
8
Handle bounces
If two units with equal strength move to the same province, both return to their original positions
9
Cut enemy support
A unit moving into a supporting unit's province stops that support order
10
Dislodge weaker units
A unit with greater strength (from support) forces a weaker unit to retreat
11
Order retreats
Dislodged units must retreat to an adjacent unoccupied province that was not the attack source or a bounce site
12
Adjust unit counts (Fall only)
After the Fall turn, count Supply Centers controlled

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Achieve solo victory
Own 18 or more of the 34 Supply Centers at the end of any Fall turn
2
Agree to a draw
All surviving players may mutually agree to end the game in a shared draw
3
Reach game limits
The game may end at a predetermined time limit or turn number (e.g., 1907)

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Diplomacy STRATEGY with a WORLD CHAMPION

Diplomacy STRATEGY with a WORLD CHAMPION

Instructional

Tutorial de Diplomacy

Tutorial de Diplomacy

Instructional

MORE VIDEOS

FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

PDF RULEBOOK

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