No, its called Gunboat - if it was called Diplomacy there'd be no end of confusion :)

Gunboat is fun, granted that you need competent players. I'm playing Turkey in Monday Night Live WTA Gunboat, and I won't say anything about the game beyond the fact that Russia, despite being my enemy at a few points in the game, seems (we'll see after this turn) to be rather intelligent and aware of the situation. When you have players like that, who know what's going on and how to accomplish their goals, Gunboat can be VERY fun.

...And yet for every Russia in that game, you'll have at least one Austria that attacks you in the middle of a Lepanto, claiming to be allied with Russia and Turkey. It happens.

@PE - You shouldn't take about ongoing games, particularly if its anon (which this one seems to be)

figle +1

Oh, come now. All I did was compliment a fellow player.

I actually prefer gunboat games. I sometimes win them. I'm a good strategist, but I'm not the worlds greatest negotiator.

my question is why are they called gunboat games?

In international politics, gunboat diplomacy refers to the pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power — implying or constituting a direct threat of warfare, should terms not be agreeable to the superior force.

@iMurk - Because you let your units do the talking.
The British Empire was particularly known for it - chuck a couple of battleships to a port (Hong Kong) and the neighbors (China) will do as you ask.

Eden,
You are displaying your affinity for a player. Had you said 'I am playing Turkey and my Russia is a complete dick', which is the opposite of what you did, obviously that would have an affect on how Russia would treat you in game, no?

Fair enough, Dingleberry.

I was the Russian in that game. Didn't see Eden's comments until well after it was over. In retrospect, I should've stabbed him :~P

isnt that what teddy roosevelt called big stick diplomacy?

If all else fails:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunboat_diplomacy