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From: jrrt@mtuxo.UUCP (r.mitchell)
Newsgroups: net.games.pbm
Subject: Re: How to start a Diplomacy game off right.
Message-ID: <726@mtuxo.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-May-85 16:45:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: mtuxo.726
Posted: Tue May 28 16:45:42 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 30-May-85 01:47:37 EDT
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> I've been in kind of a Diplomacy mood lately and I was messing around
> the Net so I decided to raise this question.  What are the BEST ways to
> start off with the various countries.

Avalon Hill has a great booklet, "The Gamer's Guide to DIPLOMACY" which
includes a Power-by-Power discussion of the major opening moves.

France, for instance, has essentially four alternatives: General,
anti-English, anti-Italian, and anti-German.  The set of moves posted
in the base article was the anti-Italian opening, and the booklet comments:

"This sequence puts the defensive burden on A Mar...A Mar-Bur is just
in case the Germans try a stab.  Perhaps Belgium can be picked up,
too.  In either case, Marseilles is covered.  This opening can be
used in alliance with England, where a strong push into the
Mediterranean is desired, and Germany is neutral."

> 
> I'd be interested in seeing what some people think about an Italian
> first move.  

The booklet recommends the "Lepanto Opening," which is A Ven-Trl, A
Rom-Apu, F Nap-Ion.  This develops into an attack on Turkey:

Fall 1901: A Apu-Tun F Ion C A Apu-Tun  <Build F Nap>
Spring 1902: F Ion-Eas F Nap-Ion A Tun H
Fall 1902: A Tun-Syr F Ion & F Eas C A Tun-Syr

These moves require an alliance with Austria-Hungary.  If you wish
to attack the Dual Monarchy, in Spring 1901, order A Rom-Ven.

I really value this booklet.  It covers basic strategy, negotiation
concepts, Power-by-Power evaluation, tricks-of-the-trade, Postal DIPLOMACY,
Variants, Clubs and Tournaments, and more.  I think the booklet is as 
important to me as the rules themselves.

Rob "Trust Me!" Mitchell
{ihnp4,allegra}!mtuxo!jrrt