Diplomacy - Betrayed!
So my first game of Diplomacy looks to be going very badly for me after only one full turn. As Russia, I had a plethora of potential enemies and allies. I courted both the Austrians and the Turks for an alliance, made some overtures to the Italians, chatted up the French and English, and agreed to a non-agression pact with Germany. Turkey and Austria both sent amicable replies, and I figured I could just pick up the loose centers that usually go to Russia and worry about heavy politicking later.
Of course, the Turks made some very aggressive moves against me at the outset, and the Austrians left themselves wide open for an attack by the Italians. Germany was well entrenched in his own battles, and safely away from my territory. The Austrians begged me for help against the Italians, which I felt obligated to give, while the Turks were still promising a firm alliance which I didn’t trust for a second, given that he was ready to invade my home centers. I made a couple moves that would simultaneously protect me from any assault by the Turks and still provide me with an extra army for the start of the next turn.
When orders were revealed, I congratulated myself on successfully defending against the Turkish sneak attack, but goggled at the audacity of the Austrians in a simultaneous attack, while the Italians completely ignored the naked Austrian capital and advanced on my territory. I now face a combined assault of no less than ten armies to my four. Things do not look so good for Russia.
In retrospect, there is little I could have done differently. I think the key flaw in my strategy was underestimating the effect of outside emotions influencing the other players’ strategy, and in somewhat overestimating the tactical expertise of my immediate neighbors, given that this is their first game, and they probably didn’t spend hours pouring over strategy guides and discussions of diplomatic manipulation and unit tactics.
In any case, I can still have fun watching and learning from the continuing play of the game, since I’m now the official referree.