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From: ix415@sdcc6.UUCP (Rick Frey)
Newsgroups: net.games.pbm
Subject: Re: How to start a Diplomacy game off right.
Message-ID: <2112@sdcc6.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 8-Jun-85 00:01:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcc6.2112
Posted: Sat Jun  8 00:01:52 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Jun-85 20:51:35 EDT
References: <2936@drutx.UUCP>
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 50
Summary: Let's deal with England (also French posting mistake)

In article <2936@drutx.UUCP>, hardlj@drutx.UUCP (hardouinLJ) writes:
> > A Par -> Bre
> > A Mar -> Bur
> > F Bre -> Mid
> Can anyone explain Par->Bre to me?  In the ten diplomacy games
> I have played I have never seen this manuever before.
> But back to the subject at hand, for France I like the opening:
> 
I can explain it.  Jim Grams posted the move wrong.  Paris went to
Gascony, and the other moves are listed correctly.  As it turned out,
no one tried to double-cross and Germany supported me into Belgium so
France (me) picked up three builds.

> F Bre-Mid
> A Mar-Gas
> A Par-Bur
> As the French commander, the only thing that would upset me
> on the first turn of the game is Germany moving into Burgundy.
> My hope is to take Spain and Portugal and use Burgundy to
> cover Marsailles should the spaghetti eaters get any bright ideas.
> 
Then why not have Marseille sit and support Paris into Burgundy?  It was
suggested by someone else, but it works great.  If the spaghettie eaters
don't get uppity, then you've got the army at Spain, which is where
you'd like to have it end up, and the fleet can move to Portugal to pick
up that freebie.

> For England, I like:
> F Edi-Nwg
> F Lon-Nth
> A Liv-Edi
> This move allows the most flexibility without stepping on anyone's
> (namely France's) toes.  Having the army in Edinburgh allows it to
> be convoyed by either fleet to Norway.  
> 
I don't see why everyone is so worried about a French stab.  It works
out too nicely to just let England get Norway and to go after the two
supply centers yourself.  Germany, however, must be prevented from
making it into Burgundy so either moving in intending to bounce or
supporting one's self in is the cool good strategy.

About England.  The second move is the crucial one.  The best strategy
is to get the army of of England and in at Norway.  The fleet in the
Norwegian can move into the Barents (is that right, I don't have a
map here) and then Russia has to work to keep either St. Petersbur or
Sweden depending on what Germany starts to do.  England needs to be able
to trust France to enable her to make the big Northward plunge, and with
a little German help, Russia can be in big trouble up north.

		Rick Frey  (France in the "Grams" diplomacy game)