I certainly agree to that last sentence. Too many people don't take the time to diplome correctly.

However, in a Gunboat game another challenge is to guess your opponent's moves - and your ally's. It gives a real kick if you work together well without saying a word. In Gunboat you're more on your own. It's easier to stab but difficult to trust.

I like the word diplome. Is it a real word? If not it should be.

I agree that the real game is a lot more enjoyable. I have played one gunboat, and while it makes an interesting change, I still consider the actual negotiations and communication to be what makes the game so fun.

Gunboat is a great game.
It is not the same as diplomacy, it is a varient, but it is a good game.

I'd actually like to disagree with the last point. People can play a normal game however they want. If they don't talk then that's their decision - you should be able to take advantage of it. Also you could always consider it might just be you to whom they're not talking...

I've just finished a great gunboat game, and I must say, it has its place. Have you played many gunboat games orathaic? The diplomacy isn't as comprehensive obviously, but it's still there in the moves. It's a whole new world.

Well, yeah, I've seen it before be used by others. But I'm not english so it could be the noun doesn't really exist. If so, we may have invented a new noun:

to diplome = participate in diplomacy

I diplome
he diplomes
we diplome
he diplomed
we diplomed

I was diploming

:)

Diplome would be the verb. Diplomacy is the noun.

Ursa isn't a native English speaker so I think we can forgive the misnamed term (noun instead of verb). It was conjugated properly though.

Additionally:
You diplome
They diplome

Oops...

I don't know about the rest of you, but I diplomatize.

"Diplome" was coined in this forum just a few weeks ago, although I've already forgotten by whom (ah, the warm glow of senescence). It's definitely growing on me.

Gunboat is interesting to develop your feeling about other moves and your tactic skills, but it was far away from beeing as good as the real game.

sometimes the end game of a normal game can be like gunboat (funboat?) - the game that recently ended that xapi and i were dueling in was very gunboat-esque, as i had 16 SCs as england, germany had 15, and the italo-russian alliance was holed up in anatolia without any influence, really. so xapi and i were basically in a game of two person gunboat. i previously didn't much care for gunboat, but i see it's usefulness now.

I can't stand gunboat. I'm in my second, and last, gunboat game. I like the chat.

Gunboat can be very, very frustrating for more expierenced players when another player goes for short-term gain in stead of seeing the greater patterns on the board. Russia and Austria have even less chance of surviving. A great gunboat is achieved when all players 'feel' the balance of the game.

I've played in two gunboat games and have to agree with Ursa. It can get frustrating.

In my first one Germany and I (Turkey) were working together taking out Russia and Austria, and then he grabbed one of my centers when he was in no position to do so. I quickly crushed him but it allowed England to come in for the win with me not able to do anything about it. Game ended with England at 18 centers and me at 16.

My second game was much more frustrating. I was Germany and was working with England. Some players kept complaining that we must have been cheating since we were supporting each other very efficiently. From my perspective the moves were obvious. So that was frustrating. But then England turned on me, and at the same time I was helping Austria take out Russia and push Turkey back. Austria for some reason decided I was a threat and turned on me. The two of us got smashed between England and Turkey when we could have had each others backs. So double frustrations.

Gunboat is Diplomacy, despite what others may proclaim. You just have to learn to diplome with your actions...

LOL. There is one problem with a good gunboat game. I had a game that I was working with a nearby country to try to put a stop to the expansion of a third. I wanted him to convoy my fleet from (I think...) Albania to Apulia. So since my army had nothing to do, I entered the move 'Albania to Apulia'. It failed of course, but the next turn, I entered the same move, and lo and behold, by silent ally entered the same move.

It worked so well, of course, that we were accused of cheating loudly, publicly and repeatedly, and the game broke down after that. We ended up drawing the game rather than listening to repeated accusations. But to me, that is EXACTLY how to diplome in Gunboat games.

Great example DingleberryJones. When you have a full game of players who know what a Gunboat entails and can build off that you get a new type of strategy.
I must say however that the beginning of the game is always a roulette.

I'm going away for a bit, but when I get back can I offer you a proper Gunboat game DJ? I still have a few players I was supposed to restore one with, but rather fell through :(

Surely figles...

@DbJ - That is EXACTLY how Gunboat is supposed to be played and what makes Gunboat Diplomacy be Diplomacy.

Can I get in Fig?

Arguably more so than "real" diplomacy, because you can even deceive people with the moves you enter. Imagine, a gunboat stab:]
Not that I would ever do such a thing:]

I'm very vocal in my games, but I would enjoy playing a gunboat at some point. I may not be able to think ahead and say, "Well, this player will support me here because it makes sense for him to do that without us talking about it," but I would get the hint in DbJ's example, for sure. It would be a good way for me to test my tactical skills.

The one thing you need to remember is to always check the big map. Some failed moves don't show up on the small map. The failed convoy for instance wouldn't show up on the small map.

I want in on a gunboat. Been a while since I had one.

I check the big map, and the Order History which is sometimes easier to understand anyway. Especially with a cluster of moves in the Balkans or something.

failed convoys show up on the big map. it will just be an arrow with an x through it, but it still points to the intended destination.

Sure, but to warn you won't be starting for a month - lovely long holiday :D
Unless Ghost wants to start a game sitting for me :S

I don't have any points to put in anyway until one of my current two games ends. I think I'm in both for the long haul and considering the snail-like pace, it could be a while, haha.

"Gunboat is Diplomacy, despite what others may proclaim. You just have to learn to diplome with your actions..."

ok, i will admit that real diplomacy is the art of lying about what you meant when you diplomed with your actions... if that makes sufficient sense.

LOL.

Like DBj said, always check the big map. Anyone who doesn't do that shouldn't play gunboats. In the last one I played England tried to turn me against France, by supporting HOL-BEL from NTS. On the small map you would simply see F NTS hold - in that case I would never be aware ENG wanted an alliance.

Support Holds and support moves are different colors, no?

Yeah but you don't see an offered support move if the move itself is not made.

You also won't see an offered convoy if it isn't accepted.

"'Diplome' was coined in this forum just a few weeks ago"

No, it's quite a bit older than that. I imagine that it's been thought up independently many times, but I'm quite sure that it's been in use for far longer than a few weeks.

Re:Gunboat, I'm terrible at Gunboat. I prefer to chatter away.

Diplome is the German plural for Diplom which is a noun referring to a higher education diploma or degree.

Additionally:
French
Adjective diplômé m. (f. diplômée, m. plural diplômés, f. plural diplômées)

Having a diploma or a degree

Noun diplômé m. (plural diplômés)

Degree-holder, someone who has a degree

Verb diplômé

Past participle of diplômer.

diplome is my invenetion. i thought of it 3 or 4 years ago. You should pay 1 cent every time you use it. Pls.

*invention

Every so often I have been talked out in regular diplomacy, and I like to g into a gunboat game so I don't have to talk.
On the whole tho I prefer good communication with other players. Gunboat is a good varient, but it can't reploace diplomacy.