I know, I know, reading about other people’s diplomacy games is about as interesting as listening to other people’s dreams. But after many brief unsuccessful attempts to defeat the AIs on WebDiplomacy.net, and two successes, one as Turkey and one as Italy, I finally scored another victory, this time as France, and I feel like recording it here.
Spring 1901
I started with a simple strategy: smash England and then smash Germany. (This is not what actually happened.) I took the risk of leaving Burgundy open and moved my northern army to Picardy, tried for the English Channel (bouncing for the first but not the last time) and sent my southern army to Spain, so that I would get at least one build. I was lucky with Burgundy, and though Italy could have tried a stab with the army in Venice, the Austria situation was of course a higher priority there.
Autumn 1901
My kill-England-first strategy began to come apart as I bounced in both the English Channel and Belgium. My southern army went on to Portugal, so that I could eventually get it back east a bit sooner. Italy somewhat capriciously convoyed an army to Tunis, where it stayed until it was later disbanded. Russia failed to make the best of a weak position, and unusually in a Gunboat game, Austria supported Turkey into Rumania, effective because the Russian army in Warsaw was mysteriously immobile.
Winter 1901
I had only one build, while Germany, Turkey and incredibly Austria each had two. (Though Russia had none.) With the Italian front quiet, there was only one choice for me, an army in Paris. Naval strategy purists may grumble that I could have built a fleet in Marseille, but I was concerned about German militarization – they had three armies in the north to my two, and if I had not built in Paris that would have been three to one.
Spring 1902
Only one of my units actually moved, the army from Portugal to Spain, and I knew it would have to hold next turn to get the build. My fleet bounced for the third time in the English Channel, and my new army kept Germany out of Burgundy while I failed to gain Belgium against superior German strength. At this point the chances of further progress looked poor, and I was beginning to write off the game. But down south, Austria offered me a helping hand with a move to Silesia – of course, aimed ultimately at Warsaw, but that wasn’t entirely obvious. Elsewhere, it was bad news for Turkey.
The various arrows show which unoccupied provinces are unavailable for retreats. Turkey’s army in Rumania had to disband, while its fleet in Bulgaria retreated to Constantinople.
Autumn 1902
My fleet was bounced from the English Channel for the fourth time, and my army in Spain needed to stay put. But thanks to the distracting Austrian army (I guess), or possibly hoping for a Baltic convoy, Germany was not able to move on Burgundy, which I think would have been the obvious next move against me, and I was able to occupy it. Elsewhere, England took Sweden with an army, and Turkey recaptured Bulgaria while Italy sneaked into Greece.
And the Austrian army in Bulgaria was out of options and had to disband.
Winter 1902
The last three neutrals had fallen, Spain to me, Belgium to Germany and Sweden to England, so we all got builds as did Italy and Russia for Greece and Romania. No disbands from Austria or Turkey as each had lost a unit in combat. The Italian border still being quiet, but Germany still having a land advantage in the north, I built another army in Paris.
Spring 1903
I was still not expecting to make much progress, but felt I must give Belgium a shot anyway, and duly failed. My fleet was bounced from the English Channel for the fifth time. My only unit to move, again, was the army returning from Spain. Elsewhere, Turkey was mounting a counterattack on Italy, Austria was going for Russia, and England convoyed another army to Scandinavia.
The Italian fleet displaced from Greece by Turkey retreated to Albania.
Autumn 1903
None of my units moved at all in this round, with my fleet bounced from the Channel for the sixth time, and another attack on Belgium failing and therefore blocking an internal advance on Burgundy. But in retrospect, this is actually the turn from which my victory became almost inevitable, because Austria finally and ineffectively stabbed Germany, and England successfully took Denmark. Big shuffle in the Balkans as Austria took Bulgaria but lost Rumania to Russia.
The Turkish army in Bulgaria was annihilated, the second year in a row that an army was destroyed there. The German fleet displaced from Denmark retreated to Kiel, where it was destined to be a blockage on Germany’s land defences.
Winter 1903
I did not get any builds this year, but there were two critical disbands: the unused Italian army in Tunis, which basically meant that I could stroll in there whenever I wanted, and Germany’s army in Belgium. Germany had only bad choices to make here, but I think a human player might have disbanded the Baltic fleet in preference. The Belgian disband put me back in the game, and the Tunis disband offered a possible future route to eighteen centres.
Spring 1904
For the seventh time, my fleet was bounced from the English Channel; and for the fifth time I attacked Belgium – but this time it worked, as did the follow through to Burgundy. Better yet, Germany guessed wrong about my intentions (and perhaps Austria’s) and moved to cover Munich, leaving the Ruhr open. In the Balkans, Greece and Rumania changed hands again.
The English fleet displaced from Denmark retreated to the Skagerrak, leaving England with three units surrounding the peninsula, facing a German defence of two. The Russian and Turkish armies in Rumania and Greece were destroyed.
Autumn 1904
None of my units moved, again. The obvious thing to do was to press home my advantage to the east and push on the Ruhr; but it did not work and also my fleet was bounced from the English Channel for the eighth time. But, crucially for me, England retook Denmark and no German units moved either. And bad news for Austria which lost Bulgaria to Turkey and, in a long awaited stab, Trieste to Italy, though also managed to sneak into Warsaw in compensation..
The German fleet in Denmark retreated to the Heligoland Bight; but it was looking bad for the Reich. The Austrian armies from Trieste and Bulgaria retreated to Vienna and Serbia. Greece had now changed hands for the fourth time in four years; it stayed Italian through to the end of the game.
Winter 1904
I had managed only three builds in four years, but that still put me in the joint lead with England and Italy. And I now had four armies on the ground against Germany’s two (plus a fleet), so land supremacy on my eastern border seemed assured and it was at last time for some extra naval power – which had to go in Marseille, Brest still being blocked.
Spring 1905
My Brest fleet not only failed to get into the English Channel, on the ninth time of trying, but was actually defeated by an English move in strength. But I managed a breakthrough to the east, where Germany could not risk losing either Holland or Munich, and instead let me take the Ruhr. My southern fleet started its journey around the Iberian peninsula. Stalemate elsewhere, apart from an interesting Austrian move to Ukraine.
Autumn 1905
I did the obvious and grabbed Munich, knowing that I had sufficient defences to defend Belgium; at the same time England successfully attacked Kiel. And I made a strong move into the Mid Atlantic, which is always crucial for France. Now the question was whether I could consolidate in Germany quickly enough to bring forces to bear on England. Another odd case of Gunboat support elsewhere as Turkey helped Russia to take Rumania.
The displaced German units retreated east, to Berlin and Silesia; the Austrians retreated from Rumania to Galicia. At this point a human Germany would have been wishing for an army rather than a fleet in Berlin.
Winter 1905
England and I now jointly led the board with seven centres each. Two disbands for Germany, including the army in the Ruhr which effectively opened up that entire front for me; one build each for me, Russia and England. I built another fleet, in Marseille again since my fleet in Brest had yet to move after ten turns.
Spring 1906
The slow grind towards dominance began in earnest, as I took the Ruhr and my Brest fleet finally moved into the English Channel on the tenth attempt. England was now trying to reconfigure its forces to face me, and did take Holland, but it was slow going. Stalemate elsewhere, though Russia retook Warsaw.
Autumn 1906
Because of the configuration of the board on the screen, I actually forgot about England’s fleet in the North Atlantic and thought I could stroll into the Irish Sea. It was probably the best move available anyway. My army in Picardy, which had been there since 1901, was now better employed exploring the undefended English supply centres, so I convoyed it over. My threat to London weakened the English defence of Holland, so I was able to march in by cutting the support from Kiel. Slightly worrying Austrian move to Bohemia, but Austria was not something I worried about.
And the English fleet in Holland retreated to the Heligoland Bight.
Winter 1906
Builds for me and Russia; two disbands for Austria, including that worrying army in Bohemia.
Spring 1907
Things were now looking pretty good. Italy was facing the other way; Germany was down to defending Berlin; I had an army on the English mainland, and England was snarled up in Kiel with a useless army in Norway. I still had a concern about Austria, but I expected the AI to prioritise defence over offence. I moved on Kiel, taking a gamble on Holland, and also pushed into the Irish Sea to exploit England’s weakness. Meanwhile the East did not move much.
The English army that I had displaced from Kiel retreated to the Ruhr.
Autumn 1907
I was not in a hurry, and prioritised naval control in the west over a quick stab at Liverpool. But I had superior power on London, so that was an obvious move. I had only a strength of two available to defend Kiel, while England potentially had four to attack with; but Russia had provided a helpful distraction with moves on Norway and the Baltic Sea. In the south, Italy was finally beginning to break through and took the Aegean, though still balanced with Turkey on four fleets each.
The English army in the Ruhr was annihilated, which tidied up the map of Germany for me.
Winter 1907
I had the only build, and with two thirds of Germany under my control, it was clear that England had to be my next priority, so a fourth fleet appeared in Brest.
Spring 1908
Time to get serious. I took Berlin, deliberately leaving Kiel open, and took Liverpool as well. In the south things were finally moving as Italy took Smyrna.
The German fleet in Berlin could in theory have retreated to Prussia to cause me grief, but the AI decided to give up and the last German unit disappeared.
Autumn 1908
I now had four units facing the two English units in Holland and Berlin, and was sure I could capture both; but I miscalculated, and the support in both cases was cut. Really I should have concentrated on Kiel alone, and I would have captured it. On the other hand, I was able to move to the Norwegian Sea without opposition, consolidating my naval presence in the north. In the south, Italy crucially captured Smyrna, and Turkey was now in collapse.
The Turkish fleet in Smyrna retreated to Constantinople. But things were not looking good in the yellow corner.
Winter 1909
Germany was now eliminated. Italy and I got the only builds; I was a bit concerned by the new Italian fleet, but I could also see the potential naval traffic jam in the Med. For myself, I felt an army would be useful defensively.
Spring 1910
Again I tried the double attack on Holland and Kiel, and this time it worked on Holland. A triple bounce in Norway, which helpfully distracted the English forces. And Turkey’s fate looked sealed with Russia taking the Black Sea.
The English fleet displaced from Holland retreated to the Heligoland Bight.
Autumn 1910
I wasn’t making any mistakes this time, with three supports for the attack on Kiel from Munich, and also a strong move to the North Sea, which England obligingly vacated to defend Norway. And I landed my other fleet in Clyde, one of the least used spaces on the map. Down south, Turkey retook Smyrna but Russia took Ankara.
The English fleet in Kiel was out of options and had to disband; the retreating Italian fleet went to Syria, which is used perhaps even less than Clyde. (Incidentally no unit moved to North Africa at any point in this game, or to the Gulf of Lions, or perhaps more surprisingly to the Adriatic Sea.)
Winter 1910
The English fleet in the Irish Sea disbanded, which was a relief; England was now down to four centres, only one of them a home base. I got two builds, the first time any country had managed that since Italy in 1904. Italy now had a disband and Russia surprisingly a build. I went for a fleet in Brest; I was not completely confident that I had England sewn up as yet, but if the next turn went well, there was vacant Tunis waiting for me…
Spring 1911
We were in the end game now, and I was counting centres. If they had been human players, England, Russia and Italy would have been working out how to hold me to a draw. I was confident that I could get all sixteen centres northwest of the Tunis-St Petersburg line, and undefended Tunis itself looked certain; St Petersburg seemed the most likely eighteenth, so I started moving my land forces east again – but was dismayed by the Russian move to Silesia. And sacrificing the North Sea for Norway and Edinburgh seemed like a good deal. Meanwhile in the East, Italy took Smyrna again.
The Turkish fleet in Smyrna was squashed; the English fleet that I had displaced from Norway went to the Barents Sea. (I would have chosen the Skagerrak.)
Autumn 1911
I stayed defensive in the North to reinforce my German holdings, though in fact Russia pulled back. And the time had come to move into the Mediterranean. Meanwhile England succeeded in a last ditch attack on St Petersburg, and Italy took Bulgaria from a collapsing Turkey.
The Turkish fleet in Bulgaria disbanded; the Russians retreated from St Petersburg to Moscow.
Winter 1911
I got two builds for Edinburgh and Norway; Italy got two for Bulgaria and Smyrna, fleets which looked like they could be facing west. To my surprise England abandoned its Danish outpost and kept its forces in the far north. At this stage I was on 14 centres, with Italy some way behind on 7. Only Italy was really in a position to challenge me, but its units were too tangled up in the east.
Spring 1912
My long-prepared stab on Tunis worked, and I had another fleet coming behind in support, plus the new army in Marseille to cause distraction, and slipped into Piedmont. Not quite such good luck in the North, where I misjudged the balance of forces around Norway and allowed the English to retake it (perhaps showing the England AI‘s wisdom in leaving Denmark to fend for itself). But crucially, I now held the North Sea. Further south, Italy took Constantinople, Turkey’s last centre.
I retreated from Norway to the Norwegian Sea; Turkey’s last unit retreated from Constantinople to the Black Sea.
Autumn 1912
As I had hoped, I was able to retake Norway comfortably with a convoyed army, and hold Tunis; and Sweden and Denmark would now be mine for the taking. That would take me from 14 centres to 17; but where could I get the eighteenth? I moved my forces in Germany east, to hope to stir something up in Russia, and struck further south in Italy to press both Venice and Rome.
The English fleet in Norway retreated to the Skagerrak; not that it mattered.
Winter 1912
Just one build for me this time, taking me to 15 centres, with Italy still on 7, and Turkey eliminated. The only centres to change hands were Constantinople, from Turkey to Italy, and Tunis, from Italy to me. Annoyingly England still had a unit covering each of Denmark and St Petersburg.
Spring 1913
I was in a position to try several things: a perfunctory pass at Rome, and more serious efforts on Warsaw and St Petersburg, while also getting on with the serious task of taking Denmark, and slipping armies into Tyrolia and Piedmont to press Italy further. I now occupied both of England’s remaining supply centres.
The English army retreated from St Petersburg to Finland, and I realised that I might not be able to capture Sweden; so I needed at least one centre from the other side of the St Petersburg-Tunis line to make it to 18.
Autumn 1913
I started to move my units into place to bear down on Denmark, while England took Sweden, but I also pushed on Warsaw, unsuccessfully, and Venice, successfully, with the assistance of an Austrian counterattack on Trieste. Venice therefore turned out to be the centre that I needed from the other half of the board.
The Russian fleet displaced from Sweden went to the Gulf of Bothnia, and the displaced Italian armies to Tyrolia and Apulia; but it did not matter.
Winter 1913
I had made it to 18 centres, after 26 turns of solid grinding, including two turns where none of my units moved at all. The turning point was the end of 1903, when Germany abandoned Belgium and Italy abandoned Tunis, but it took me a very long time to fully exploit those structural weaknesses. I was also fortunate that the other side of the board stayed stalemated for so long – Turkey did not start to collapse until 1907, when I already held two thirds of Germany, and also had an army on English (technically Welsh) soil.
I don’t think any of the AIs neighbouring me made stupid choices. I do think that the Russian AI could have played more aggressively to the south in the early turns – the Warsaw army did not even attempt to move until 1903 – and that would have made the endgame more difficult for me. On the other hand, I was also struck by several instances of support from Turkey for Russia in Rumania, though well short of the sort of collaboration that human players can sometimes manage.
If you have made it this far, thank you for reading! This graphic kinda sorta displays the shift in control over the course of the game; I found it tricky to convert the two-dimensional board into a linear mapping.
