How do you create an alliance with a bot?

[Robbyb]

Hi folks I'm a relative newcomer at diplomacy. I don't really have time to play with other humans but sometimes at work I play with the bots. I've had a really hard time creating any sort of alliances or understandings with bots. Sometimes I support hold them or even try to support them to move into a neighboring country. They never seem to get the message and ally with me and usually attack me as soon as they get the chance. Is there any trick to turning a bot into an ally?

I keep getting crushed as Russia because all neighboring countries attack me.
Thanks for any advice you have,
Robby

[Comeng17]

As far as I'm aware, this is impossible. Diplomacy with bots doesn't work, and the bots are mostly for military training. If the bots can form alliances, I haven't seen it yet. Games with people don't actually take up a lot of time, they're just spread out over extended periods, so any time issues aren't too important.

[DiplomacyandWarfare]

Bots do tend to have behavior that focuses on attacking one country and not another, but this is less of an "alliance" and more of a strategic focus. There is a setting for press bots that can read and respond to messages, but it only has 7 slots and most of them tend to be filled. As Russia, go for an attack on either Austria or Turkey, but not both. An attack on Austria is usually easier for beginners.

[Travelschlepp]

Just won a bot game as Russia. Went north into Scandinavia, then dealt with Turkey. Austria and Germany left the eastern front alone (whew!), which also meant no competition for Sweden. Lots of northern fleets to counter English bot efforts. Eventually, lots of southern fleets to keep Italy and France at bay.

As already mentioned, bots have strategic focus, not alliances. If you can quickly determine which adjacent forces are not actively hostile to you, then you can relax to a certain extent on those fronts.

[Robbyb]

Thank you for the responses folks. Everything you all are saying makes sense. But I have seen some games where bots have exercised remarkable restraint from attacking neighbors who they seem to have and understanding with. Maybe this is just pure strategic analysis on the bot's part.

I suppose in this case the way to create an amicable relationship with a neighboring power is to make sure it's not in their interest to attack you by creating a sort of natural stalemate. And then you can focus elsewhere, somewhat.

But there are games which I've looked at which to appear to have alliances between bots and human players. Take a look at this game and observe the human player turkey and the bot controlling Russia. Not my game. It's Georgefc3:

https://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=427835

Bit Russia left their country wide open to turkeys invasion. Also Georgefc3 talks about alliances and "buddy"countries in his thread "bot talk" , so I may not be the only one with this crazy idea!

[Trigfea63]

The best way to create an alliance in a no-press game (bot or human) is to help your potential ally. In order from most effective to least effective, you could try these specific ways:

1. Support them in taking a supply center of a mutual enemy. See England's support of Germany's move to Sweden in S02: https://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=745052#gamePanel

2. Support-hold your potential ally against an attack of a common enemy. This is especially effective when your support is the difference between your ally keeping a supply center or losing it.

3. Move your units away from your border with your potential ally. Same game as above, see England's moveset away from Germany's territories in F03.

4. (least effective, but maybe worth a try) Support-hold your potential ally simply as a signal, when your support makes no difference to the outcome.

You can call it "alliance," "strategic focus," or whatever you want. The point is, you can influence the actions of other players (bot or human) without press, with the moves you make in the game.

[Trigfea63]

Sometimes these approaches work, sometimes not. See Germany's ill-fated attempt to ally Russia here: https://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=1021732

[Comeng17]

So, just a question, you can convince the bots on this website to leave you alone

[Trigfea63]

Sometimes yes. Other times no. For me personally it's about 50/50.

[DarthPorg36]

I find early game you can ally with bots if you're lucky. The bot has to have a neutral-friendly opening, and you have to do the same. If either of you open to the other, you'll never have an alliance.

Then, you can hold an alliance until about the mid-game. Watch to see if your ally gets too powerful, or if you do. If an imbalance of power forms, chances are one or the other will stab.

If one bot threatens a solo, another bot may join you, but again, you have to get lucky.

It's basically like rolling a die for alliances.