8 Diplomacy Archetypes / Which Type Are You? / Media Wars Game

the anonymous media wars game is underway which  means that by fall of 1903 everyone's identity was   completely obvious diplomacy players really can't  keep a secret so this got me to thinking though   how many different types of diplomacy players  are there i've narrowed it down to eight main   archetypes if you can figure out who your ally  is and who your opponent is it goes a long way   to knowing how to work with them or better yet how  to counter them if you stick around until the end   of the video i'm going to apply these archetypes  to the media wars game this is legendary tactics when joseph campbell noticed that the hero's  journey usually employs a stock set of easily   recognizable character archetypes it was clear  that he was onto something and at first i thought   i hadn't played with any of the diplomacy content  providers in the media wars game but it soon   became apparent and also very useful to find that  i had played with players very much like these in   my own gaming groups my goal in this video is to  identify the eight main diplomacy archetypes and   to assess the relative strengths and weaknesses  of each after identifying the core list of eight   archetypes i thought i'd look around the inner  tube and see if anyone else has already done this   so i see a variation of this by roomie khan but it  also seems to fuse play style with character type   and i want to break these up into two different  lists and different videos because there's an   important distinction between who the player is  and what strategies they employ for example you   could be a manipulator which is rather like a  tinkerer but you could be variants on that role   such as offensive or defensive naval or land-based  i'll get into play styles in a subsequent video   though from play diplomacy online i see a list  of 10 types but again these seem to be about   the personalities of the player rather than about  how their character is expressed in their strategy   and there are many possible hybridizations here  so let's get into the meat of this i see eight   main archetypes i'll name each one with both  positive and a negative title because players   tend to express these differently and sometimes  they work for the player and sometimes against   number one the architect or the puppet master  number two the diplomat the people pleaser number   three the gun boat tactician or the quiet type  number four is the rookie or the dissembler number   five is the calculator or the ruthless stabber  number six is the loyalist or the devotee number   seven is the equivocator or the irresolute and  number eight is the shapeshifter or the wild card   one challenge that's absolutely critical in  diplomacy is to identify very quickly which of   these players you're working with it will help you  know what approach to use when you're dialoguing   with them remember that players sometimes change  throughout a game or they can express elements of   multiple archetypes but no matter what you see  in the game it's hard for a zebra to change its   stripes just as it's hard for a diplomacy player  to be someone they are not let's start with the   architect this is the easiest archetype to spot  sometimes they're called the puppet master this   is the player who will communicate often  and demonstrate to you that they have lots   of knowledge about the game they will often offer  complicated options for openings right out of the   gates the player may be good at making you feel  as if you're the only one they're communicating   with when in reality they're making equally  detailed proposals to all of the other players   the architect likes to bring countries together  to create overarching strategies that can benefit   the whole alliance though ultimately they will  tend to be the benefactor of such arrangements   this player is the classic genius or mastermind  they'll be very good at suggesting the perfect set   of orders for you to execute and likely spend  a lot of time with a physical copy of the map   or they use the sandbox feature in backstabber  a lot they're often very needy in terms of press   if you're aligned with a puppet master  be sure to give them lots of assurances   and reply thoroughly to their ideas otherwise  they may feel their time has been wasted on you   the upside to this this player shows that  they're dedicated to the game and that they are   forced to be reckoned with and it's better to have  this person plotting with and for you than against   you they will point out places of weakness in your  defenses and suggest options for you to break your   enemies they're good at getting other players to  antagonize each other while they often play the   neutral party who can join whichever side seems  to be winning the war without committing too much   the downside for this player is often that they  can be very paranoid and they'll read into the   moves that you make whether warranted or not the  puppermat puppet master variant of the architect   is one that does not like it when others reject  their plans or try to plot their own course   they see quote unquote the best possible tactical  options and are annoyed when other players don't   want to follow through so while they're good  at guiding and controlling players such as the   equivocator they're not prepared to deal with  players like the shapeshifter or the wild card   the major downside to this approach is that  they give a lot away in communications and   they can sometimes overwhelm busy players with  too much information and too many ideas next we   have the diplomat or the people pleaser have  you ever had a game shift on you and you have   absolutely no clue why your allies turned against  you or why your communications failed so badly   chances are someone like the diplomat was behind  it this is an affable player who's very good at   communicating either in writing or in person they  know how to use the right word at the right time   they often play on the emotions of the players  rather than on the tactics side of the game   they aren't necessarily the best tactical player  but they are very good at forging alliances and   getting other players to listen to them and do  their bidding of all the types these players are   possibly the most dangerous because often you will  have no idea how they got the whole board to flip   on you this player will often use jokes memes or  witty banter of a social nature that unconsciously   builds a sense of familiarity with other players  the upside to this people are often reticent to   take out the friendly player this person is very  much a people pleaser relies heavily on goodwill   and the better side of human nature to achieve his  or her goals this player is a master manipulator   people listen to them for intangible reasons  which may in fact just be the tone they use or   saying the right thing at the right time to the  right person at a party this is the cool kid who   everyone wants to talk to they effortlessly  flow from one conversation to the next   the downside to this strategy is that the  player can sometimes be viewed as a pushover   if you stuck around as a diplomacy player you've  been stabbed multiple times and you've also done   your share of stabbing so you quickly get over  the hesitation to stab a mr or mrs nice guy or gal   and get them out of the game fast that  everyone doesn't realize how amiable they are   this player is also dependent on who the other  players are in the game so sometimes their talent   to persuade is not effective when you're working  in the intangible regions of the game you may find   inexplicably that your tried and true methods  are no longer working that you can slump for   no apparent reason well diplomat that's what you  signed up for when you became the people pleaser   next we have the gunboat tactician or the quiet  type if you want to think about it negatively   i don't need to say much about this archetype  this player uses minimal communication they   express themselves succinctly they're often very  technically savvy and there's no room for luck   or intangibles in their play the board speaks for  itself your moves speak for themselves there's no   need for lengthy mismissives from this player type  the upside to this it can be very successful they   don't often get a target painted on themselves for  lying to their opponents or setting up elaborate   schemes that piss people off they read the board  and the positioning not through what people tell   them but through what they actually see happening  the downside is it's very easy to misread a   diplomacy board especially if you're up against a  shape shifter other players can conspire to make   a move that looks as if they're at odds when  in reality they're setting up a deception some   players are very needy and if you're not giving  them the assurances they need or offering ideas   that can benefit an alliance the quiet types are  likely to miss out when that ship sets sail the   rookie or the dissembler this is a player who's  either new to the game has been away from it for   a while or they're pretending that they're new to  the game the games have been around since 1959 so   there are some seriously experienced players out  there but with the emergence of online platforms   like backstabber the game is also popular with  new players inexperienced players will sometimes   make mistakes miss their turn or not really  understand the long-term importance of their moves   this player doesn't know when to build a fleet  versus an army and they don't know how important   spaces such as the mid-atlantic ocean mao or  munich are the upside to the rookie comes with   often the fact that they have transferable skills  from other games players often underestimate them   and write them off early they're not threatening  and they may even cause other players to let their   guard down and to open their flanks up the  downside well clearly this player will not   be as strong on the board side they may forget to  submit their orders or they may not know how to   input the order for a convoy properly they likely  don't know the difference between a north coast   or a south coast in a territory and they'll often  make very odd decisions deal with it they're new number five is the calculator or the ruthless  stabber this is a player who takes a clinical   tactical approach that balances press with board  play they'll weigh every decision based on what   they see on the board and what they're hearing  in the press the calculator measures who can help   them the most and makes their decisions based  on the statistical probability that their moves   will work likely this player is a well read and  knows every possible outcome of any given turn   they're also usually good at planning multiple  turns in advance when it's time to stab an ally   they will do so without batting an eyelash if  the reward pays out it's nothing personal it's   diplomacy when the time is ripe they will strike  the upside to this this player is often very   patient they often play a safe game that minimizes  risk and maximizes potential gain this player is   often very honest and forthright they only lie or  deceive when they absolutely have to and they're   good at making allies because they balance  the need for a strong ally against the benefit   that can be gained from the stab this player  will often finish in the top three on a board   the downside to this player the game  comes with the human element that can   completely mess with the calculator's clinical  approach to board tactics and people management   if this player miscalculates and stabs too  early the opponent will often seek revenge   number six is the loyalist or the devotee you  don't see this one quite as often in diplomacy   but it does exist this player is the best kind  of ally they pick a partner from the beginning   of the game they try to run the board together if  they can hold the alliance together they're likely   going to make it to the end game whereupon they'll  get stabbed by their partner this player tends not   to leave much in reserve to defend against an  allied incursion which makes their forward line   very strong but their back line wide open takes a  lot of trust to play this role the player prides   themselves on their reputation and may benefit  from game to game if they become known as the   player who stays true to their ally they play  the long game the upside to this the loyalist   is a player that everyone wants to work with  they have honorable intentions and they're often   well liked and respected at the table loyalty  is rare in the game so it's coveted by many   the downside to this is that they're vulnerable  to attack from an ally and they often don't see   stabs coming in their mind their allies should be  as devoted as they are the loyalists can sometimes   end up propping up their ally and sending someone  else to solo the board victory isn't their main   goal rather forging friendships is well come to  think of it maybe this is an upside not a downside   number seven is the equivocator or the irresolute  this player often attempts to mislead with their   writing or with their face-to-face conversations  they don't give much away they're indecisive   they're non-committal they try not to piss  anybody off and they tend to grow slowly and   surely as other countries battle it out they're  masters of avoiding conflict and clear responses   their orders will often move a piece in one  direction then reverse that move the following   season they're tantamount to a hedgehog  or an armadillo hoping to go unnoticed   the upside is that they don't draw a lot of  attention they don't create a lot of conflict they   grow silently and they stay under the radar their  orders are sometimes hard to read by opponents too   as they pretend to be switzerland the downside  of the strategy is that working with this kind   of player can be very frustrating they tend to  be vague and ambiguous to their own detriment   this kind of player often gets controlled  by a stronger or more experienced country the shape shifter of the wild card is our eighth  and final trope so i've left this one until the   end the shapeshifter is a player that reads  other players and becomes what they need to   be they use a mirroring technique so players tend  to respond well if they feel they're working with   a like-minded ally if an ally is worthy the  shapeshifter's worthy if an ally is curtain   direct so too is the shapeshifter throughout  the game they may present different archetypes   to different players the loyal ally to one player  the equivocator to another and there's also room   in this archetype for the type of player who does  unique maneuvers that no one expects after all   in a room full of really strong players everyone  knows the quote unquote best moves that each power   can make this so this is a player who counters  those moves who or who plays in an unexpected   way when it looks like they should defend  their home centers they launch a brazen attack   and it's very intentional too it's not just  random wild card play the upside of this is that   this player is very flexible and that's really  important to diplomacy not being beholden to one   approach can be very successful this player  approaches the game creatively like an actor   the downside though be warned it's hard  to trust the wild card if you're privy   to multiple sides of their play it can be  challenging for this player to determine   what approach to use too in the first few years  of play and their entire strategy depends on   that it can be off-putting to other players if  the wild card doesn't do what they're expected so in the media game in the media wars game  i came in not knowing much about my opponents   so i'll put the links to their platforms and their  resources below if you want to check out the work   as i most certainly did when i entered the game  i can tell you there are definitely no rookies   in this game if my opponents are listening i hope  this video doesn't drive you to give a reason to   take me to the wood chipper but i'm willing  to risk it so i'm up against brother board   you can check out his website here he's a blogger  he's one of the world's best gun boat players   and i have actually named the gunboat tactician  after him he doesn't talk a lot in press or at   least not to me but he makes his position  clear with his orders he's very succinct   diplo strats or captain meme he comes to us as  a commentator from the liberty cup and multiple   other tournaments uh he really knows his business  in my mind he is a calculator he assesses the game   rationally and logically and he balances the  people side with the tactical side if and when   the time comes he'll likely eat my centers for  breakfast the diplomacy broadcast network which is   represented by zachary moore is a fantastic site  that's giving lots of coverage to diplomacy and   he runs tournaments like the liberty cup and seems  to be known by everyone on the tournament circuit   i haven't had enough play time or press with  him yet to determine what player archetype he is   so help me out in the comments if you know  zack's archetype or if you've been following   the media wars game please try to make an  inference about what you think he might be   the diplomats is represented by go horns go he's  a podcaster who works closely with humble the   heap and he's absolutely the shape shifter of the  wild card type and some of that could be due to   real-life experience with uh kova that that he's  going through right now but like a mercenary he's   content to shift with the currents and to pivot  on a dime next we have the briefings champion   his name is jeff and the briefing is a great  weekly diplomacy publication by humble the heap   he's our game master and it's full of  juicy strategy tips and news about the game   jeff is most certainly the architect he's having a  lot of fun working the board in this game despite   battling a hurricane in real life we've also  got ambi from diplomacygames.com uh and he's   the podcaster he's got some seriously intense  podcasts uh they're they're very relaxed chats   about the game and about other tangents that often  revolve around beer and just general conversations   so very enjoyable to listen to he's the affable  diplomat no question he's uh definitely getting   stuffed in this game as his podcasting partner  points out but it's hard to find someone as   amiable as ambi when they're getting stabbed  repeatedly by all of their neighbors so and   lastly i'm representing legendary tactics and uh i  guess a self-diagnosis is in order i'm likely the   shapeshifter of the wild card i don't always play  a conventional style of game and one technique   i've been experimenting with in this game is to  mirror the type of player that i think i'm working   with or against so i'm trying to reflect back  to them whatever um i see coming from them   and uh we'll see how that turns out for me but  you can follow the media wars game on backstabber   if you'd like to see how the game shakes out  this is flash at legendary tactics make sure   to stab the subscribe button and like buttons if  this was helpful to you and thanks for your time

Channel: Legendary Tactics

Views: 13,333

Rating: 4.9609756 out of 5

Keywords: Legendary Tactics, Diplomacy, diplomacy board game, backstabbr, diplomacy war game, diplomacy walkthrough, diplomacy gameplay, military board games, avalon hill, how to win Diplomacy, board game geek, Diplomacy board game tips, Diplomacy tactics, webdiplomacy, alliances, backstab, backstabber, diplomacy backstab, bgg, diplomacy boardgame geek, which type are you?, 8 archetypes, diplomacy types of player, types of diplomacy players, media wars game, Diplomacy media wars, archetypes

Id: PdP3nC2UOWs

Length: 17min 2sec (1022 seconds)

Published: Sat Aug 08 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/Rep_Melior]

I was gonna make a joke about how my archetype was bad at the game, but damnit, you even had that. Nice vid.

[u/ByzantineBomb]

Neato! This is pretty spot on from my games.

[u/Flashthompson6]

Bonus points if anyone can identify the leader in the picture.