What are Diplomacy variants?
Diplomacy basically consists of a simple set of rules for adjudicating moves and a map on which to play. However, by changing either or both of these basic elements, fans have also created Diplomacy variants. The most common variants use the original rules of Diplomacy, but play on a map from a different time or place. A variant can be as simple as the Fleet_Rome variant, which merely changes the army in Rome at the game’s start to a fleet, or extremely complex like those set in Tolkein’s Middle Earth with special units, unusual maps, and new rules and added game elements. A short introduction to Diplomacy variants can be found at http://www.variantbank.com/what_are_variants.htm. Since Diplomacy was first published, a number of commercially made variants have appeared, e.g. Machiavelli (originally published by Battleline Publications and later Avalon Hill) and Colonial Diplomacy (Avalon Hill). The Variant Bank at http://www.variantbank.
Why Do People Design Variants?It is natural, I suppose, that people will adapt their surroundings to suit their own particular fancies or needs. There is nothing sacrosanct about rules for board games, even Chess has a whole host of variants, many played by very experienced players for relaxation. And so with Diplomacy. The basic movement and combat system used in Diplomacy is essentially very simple and well suited to other scenarios. Indeed although the actual scenario used by Allan Calhamer when he put the game together in the 50’s is what creates an inherently imbalanced (and therefore more interesting) game, it is perhaps the least important element.
Diplomacy basically consists of a simple set of rules for adjudicating moves and a map on which to play. However, by changing either or both of these basic elements, fans have also created Diplomacy variants. The most common variants use the original rules of Diplomacy, but play on a map from a different time or place. A variant can be as simple as the Fleet_Rome variant, which merely changes the army in Rome at the game’s start to a fleet, or extremely complex like those set in Tolkein’s Middle Earth with special units, unusual maps, and new rules and added game elements. A short introduction to Diplomacy variants can be found at http://www.variantbank.org/what_are_variants.htm. Since Diplomacy was first published, a number of commercially made variants have appeared, e.g. Machiavelli (originally published by Battleline Publications and later Avalon Hill) and Colonial Diplomacy (Avalon Hill). The Variant Bank at http://www.variantbank.org catalogues over 1350 known Diplomacy variants
