DIPLOMACY: PRESS IS HALF THE BATTLE / Backstabbr / Avalon Hill / Military Board Game

one side of this game that's absolutely overlooked  is the press and the diplomacy side most people   think it's played tactically on the board but  that's really only half the battle this is   legendary tactics so today I'm going to show you  a game in which we have a lot of the same folk   this is the experience gaming group I play with so  we've got Erin playing Austria I'm playing England   France is played by uh 'tried that's a fellow  named Peter Germany's played by Rick Italy as   Pierre rushes the mist and turkeys England you may  have seen well England is a fellow named norm so   there's a number of people you may have seen some  of my other videos here playing again so we tend   to play blind for the first week because we don't  want to know who people are so that we just fall   into old patterns so we try to mix it up that way  the second thing that's important and this is we   did an auction so you bid points and you can look  that up online or I can post it in the comments   below we did an auction so you get a really good  chance of bidding on the country that you want   to be so I got to be England in this one and so  early on the very first importance of press is   to make early relationships so and this one you  can see France decided to go south I decided to   go north and that was very conscious France is a  fellow who hasn't gotten the first place yet and   so I decided right from the outset to hook my  wagon to his hook my horse to his wagon and I   think I like to stay loyal to a player and really  help that player go far and then in the endgame we   obviously need to turn on each other and fight for  the solo so you can see here I had some difficulty   with my phone in this turn and the turn didn't go  through everybody else progressed fairly naturally   and we moved to winter 1901 but Russia and I were  going head to head here Germany was coming after   France and I told France basically I've got his  back I'm gonna leave myself wide open and if he   wants to stab me he can take my builds and and  run with it and he decided not to at this point   so he began to shift his attention more towards  Italy and I got locked into a fight with Germany   and Russia being as I only had the three pieces  it's a bit of a challenge lots of action down here   between Austria and Turkey and I'll show you some  of the press will pop in the press intermittently   throughout there were a few key turning points in  this and the Alliance's shifted like sand because   that's that's how the game has to be played but I  only had really one one mission in this and that   was to stay loyal to France as long as possible  without actually handing him the game and letting   him win it so I let him know that when he got  within striking distance or when we got down to   top three that he we'd have to fight it out need  after earnest win because it's not legitimate to   just I think it is legitimate for people to be  loyal to each other and stay connected but it's   not legitimate for me to throw the game and just  give him my belt so that he can win that way so he   had to earn this win if he's gonna get his first  win ever so you can see that we're working hard   here I'm trying to hold off Russia he's got three  fleets pushing against my three fleets I decided   here to get rid of my army so that I could build  another fleet I figured I would need four fleets   there so Turkey took a real pounding early on he  got teamed up on by Russia and Austria so you can   tell he's not long for the world at this point he  bet Germany a strong stout beer that he would last   longer than Germany so unfortunately the odds were  not in his favor and and that didn't pan out but   France and I are managing to stay together Russia  is battling hard but he's taken Norway I knew he   would so I pushed it into the barren sea because  I figured that would give me my best chance to win   it back in the next turn he made the smart play  to move into Finland this guy is Jeff here and   he's he's a very very strong player and good on  the message boards good tactically and so you can   see that we're really having a Dickens of a time  he takes one from me I take one I slip in and take   one from Denmark so I'm really holding off Germany  and Russia so they don't get to Frances back door   at this point France is making some good and slow  headway here about Russia is really completely   dominating this game so he's at eight builds so  this is where the the press comes in because once   you you need to begin helping to shift the tide  once a player like him gets control of the board   and at this point Austria is really the only hope  of breaking through here because Germany is fully   committed against us in his assault so you can  see that Russia is growing he's up to nine from   my ally France is only up to seven and I'm sort  of surrounding this area but there's a few key   plays that are coming here this is one of them  so they made a massive attack on me here and I   accurately predicted that so I was able to break  the support and stop that attack there and I was   trying to pop this ska fleet I like to neutralize  the fleet's up in the north so that you can really   control the Seas as England and you can see I mean  I've left my island wide open if France wanted to   build and take me out he could but part of the  diplomacy I think is in working with people so   that they they trust you and they see that you're  not about to stab them and they're more likely to   extend trust to you and so we got a good rapport  this game a good relationship going and we built   on it so we move forward again and here I  accurately predicted it again rather than   him attacking the North Sea which he very much  could have done I decided to go in the offensive   and I took Norway back this allowed him to get  Denmark but I was able to sneak into the Baltic   which gave me some options so at this point I  was really beginning to try to convince Germany   that Russia was not doing anything for him and  Germany was a smart player and a very good good   strategic player but he was starting to see that  Russia was huge and he was not so we were sort of   on friendly terms bantering back and forth all  throwing a little press to show you what we're   talking about there but this is the first moment  where unfortunately Germany and France are against   each other but I'm actually starting to befriend  Germany a little bit because I'm gonna need his   help if we're gonna take rush out and so you can  see here that we're still playing our little dance   Austria is take it really strong control but  people are starting to get worried about Russia   in the North there France gets a couple of builds  he comes out here which does sort of threaten my   supply base but I was basically saying to him if  you need to take it from me take it and and I was   at that point fine if he if he stabbed me and  took it then that's that's the brakes but I was   fighting a good battle up here to try and defend  his flank so I think he saw what I was doing and   so here we had suddenly Germany decided to stab  Russia so this was a beautiful turning point and   he jumped in here to Sweden I can't avoid him  cross and the the tides began to turn someone   so launching a few more futile attacks here were  basically bashing her skulls against each other   but Germany could see the writing on the wall  Russia was gonna steamroll through him so he   shifted his forces he's joined with France and  I now and that's that's gonna help us save a lot   here so nothing much to see there good play here  and we he actually had some very good moves which   got him into Norway that allowed me to retreat  to the Baron see Austria is now in full command   so Austrian Russia are really looking strong this  game I mean unless something happens these guys   are just gonna push right through us so I just  needed to continue hold him you can see France   is keeping this this fleet here to try and keep  me honest not particularly be fond of that so   there's a little bit of a rift starting to grow  between us but again press press is important   France was very quiet he doesn't use the the  press very much Russia on the other hand uses   press all the time so Jeremy pops or attempts  to go or he breaks up the defense here I get   Norway back and we're we're doing all right here  we pop this fleet in st. Petersburg so you can see   that Russia now is down to one fleet and that  was part of the goal was to really neuter him   and get him so he can't support from the ocean  I'm also completely surrounding him this way   but he's still got a little bit of power there  this building in Moscow is a bit of a challenge   Austria and Italy's just clinging on he's working  his magic to try to stay alive through some sort   of deal and I think people are taking a bit of  pity and trying to keep him alive there so I   build an army there just to protect England it's  always wise to make sure that your enemies don't   have an easy opportunity to make this deal so I  defended myself here fairly well there's a good   defence put on here and we both made first gasa  this was a little bit weird because Germany now   has suddenly switched and now is coming back to  attack me and this this was actually a mistake   on his phone he inputted the moves thought he  was doing one thing but he and and this is where   you're never sure if if they're being truthful and  of course I didn't believe him because I figured   he and Russia were trying to break through  so we were we were continuing in Russia here   because Germany's going this way Russia decides  to retreat so that he can take me out somewhat   so this worked out really well for us because  Germany I mean I was ready here with a defense   in case he tried to break through but it turns out  he really did actually want to go back and try to   stab Russia again so here's here's a second stab  on Russia this is where Russia completely lost   his mind and this is where diplomacy's is really  critical France is still working with Germany now   but Russia at this point is beginning to think  that it's time to go to any lengths to take out   Germany so I'll show you a little bit of press  - to show you how he's managing that so he's   very good at shifting his character so to adapt to  the situation so we've got this really interesting   battle still raging in the north I mean I'm just  beating beating him into a pulp he's beating me   into a pulp we're just two crashing up against  each other so a few complicated attempts here   but France breaks through Russia is coming back  on the offensive here I'm beginning to get some   traction moving along this is where you can see a  perfect line across here and if if Russia doesn't   attack Austria in Austria doesn't attack Russia  then they're in a pretty good position but I've   really got the north lock down to such a point  that Russia doesn't have many choices but to   attack his ally so the press again is critical  here because we need to try to get Russia to turn   on his his ally or we need Austria to turn but I  can't see you in this position here that that he   would turn our Russia so this is our only real  option for any kind of possible victory here so   it was completely unexpected then that Russia came  in and began taking the Austrians centers Austria   completely lost his mind didn't care France this  is where he abandoned all caution I'm beginning to   push forward Russia basically said I'll retreat  and holed up in the North here and he's at this   point saying wow France is starting to gain steam  he's up to ten builds and you need to turn on him   fast or he is going to take this game so I decided  to continue pushing into Russia that way which   after I held off for one turn up here that was our  agreement I would hold off for one turn so that he   would attack Russia and he followed through he's  a man of his word I followed through and then the   following turn I decided to continue hitting him  but he he took the fight white fire with water   approached and said basically hey if you need to  take those centers in order to build back home   and then attack France he was starting to see  the runyan on the wall here Austria had turned   its full force against him in the battle rage so  i pressing my advantage up here and took that you   can see that this is the very pivotal move where  i decided to make a move against france here so   france had slowly been taking german territory  and he'd had a bit of a gravy train without me   doing any aggressions so this was a big move  because it it told france that he can't just   push germany and i around or will turn around and  hit him just like austria did so he was forced   to retreat he he began to become a little more  cautious at this point and because of the press   because of how jovial germany was and how helpful  he had been in helping me break russia which was   one of my goals up here i decided you know what  i'm gonna help him out so part of the sympathy   in this game sometimes comes helping those those  players and i have seen in this game a player with   one one single unit come back and win the game  so that is a possibility and i'd like fostering   these relationships so I was working with Germany  to try to do that so you can see Austria took a   huge beating Russia's doing great I've solidified  things they're building a little bit back home to   make sure that I can protect my homeland because  I don't know how England is going to Rance is   going to react to my act of treachery here so he  comes back into the English sea and begins to put   pressure there so I need to defend this in case  he decides to take me out we are getting closer   to that end game now so you can see I'm holding  really nicely here so Germany actually decides to   come back and and go at Russia again I basically  arranged with France to ease up on Germany and   and then I wouldn't come back and get him and he  agreed to that so he's continuing to push here the   problem is he's getting up to twelve centers so  unless he's willing to give up some builds then   we're gonna have to do something soon or he's  gonna sneak a victory out before we can take care   of Russia and Austria here so Russia decided to  pull back in order to allow me to go back in and   attack France so I I decided to push my advantage  just in case he wasn't being honest there and I'm   having a little fun here supporting his unit  a little show of camaraderie he was a little   miffed I think here that I pushed forward and  well well-deserved so I basically at this point   I'm thinking okay I've taken all the territory  I really need and strangely he said okay I'm   gonna move it of moss and you can take Moscow  I didn't actually want to [ __ ] him too much   because he was battling against Austria here  and I was really hoping he would not Austria   down a peg so I had the opportunity there to take  Moscow he told me it was coming and I didn't take   it and so we're building a relationship Russia  and I because in this who knows what direction   things are gonna turn I may end up being his ally  in the late game so France is pushing forward   again and he's up to 13 builds you can see I'm  starting to slowly migrate backwards now I did   notify Russia I was gonna take Moscow so I could  build at home and that would give me some units   to then take out France because this end game  is coming very quickly if he plays his cards   right he can finish this very fast so he's up to  15 builds so basically were two turns away from   a win if nobody stops him so I'll show you some  press here we tried to I tried to rally Austria   wanted nothing more than kill Russia Russia wanted  to kill Germany I wanted to stop France from his   advance France obviously wanted to win and Germany  wanted to embarrass Russia so there was this big   circle of people wanting so I was hoping that we  could unite some of that and try and slow down   so I'm beginning my advance here but you can see  him a little bit late coming in France blocks me   there smart play by him to support himself he's  gathering his strength there he makes a big push   here I help Germany in to Warsaw try and build  him a little stronger because we need to hold   Berlin so that mean it doesn't walk in there  the battle rages between Russia and Austria   a lot of love loss there and so this is a huge  turn this is so I've made a full-court press to   get in into the the back woods for France here I  was really hoping Russia and Austria and Germany   could do their bit so I helped get into Holland  here well I was hoping we could stave off Frances   victory here and unfortunately Russia began to  help France so that so they they pushed Germany   out there and we've got France winning a build  there and France coming into Russia there I'm   pretty sure this was arranged so there was a  deal I don't have that press to show you but   that is the endgame position France takes it  with 18 I end up with eight Germany with two   Russia with five Austria with one so you could  see France really starting to scramble in the   last bit he was not pleased that I was coming back  to attack him but as I say if he's gonna get a win   he needs to earn it and I was just about to make  him earn it but I I may have made my move one or   two turns late so this is a really interesting  game where pres really changed the direction of   the alliances so don't undervalue pres when  when you play diplomacy this is legendary   tactics give me a like give me a subscription  if you want to see more thanks for your time

Channel: Legendary Tactics

Views: 5,170

Rating: 4.9708028 out of 5

Keywords: Legendary Tactics, Diplomacy, diplomacy board game, backstabbr, diplomacy press, diplomacy war game, diplomacy walkthrough, diplomacy gameplay, military board games, military games, war game, world war i game, avalon hill, best avalon hill game, diplomacy importance of press, how to win at diplomacy, how to win Diplomacy, diplomcy, board game geek, diplomacy stab, Diplomacy board game tips, diplomacy board game strategy, strategy, diplomacy help, Diplomacy tactics, webdiplomacy

Id: jdH-1UHsqlI

Length: 18min 23sec (1103 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 17 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/david_e_cohen]

Dip tactics are comparatively easy. Negotiation skills are more difficult and more important than tactical skills. The best Dip tacticians in the world are beaten all the time by average tacticians who have persuaded the other players to their side.