When I'm Austria I normally
1. kill myself (then revive myself)
2. Go CD
3. kill myself again.
4. Offer yourself as a support tool and sell information
5. attack Italy

If none of these work I normally get so depressed I get knocked up then abort the baby then kill myself...

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Diplomacy/Austria


I try to arraigned a bounce with Russia in GAL from BUD, then move TRI > ALB, VIE > TRI.

Unless Italy moves to TYR, this at least protects my territory from invasion in 1901.

I also talk talk TALK to my neighbors, because if I'm not allied with one against another, they're allied against me.

I also tell Italy that France says he's coming for him ;)

The most important thing is to ally yourself with italy. once thats done you can fight russia and turkey.

play austria and germany as the same country at least for the first few years

Amongst very experienced players, Austria is often a favored country for the simple history that it often will either die early or do well with not so many mediocre results. I prefer to play Austria rather than Turkey or Russia for example. It is also is a lot of fun in that it forces you to be in communication with interactions with quite a few people at an early stage.

There are quite a few ideas/guides on playing Austria that you can find on the Net archives at resource section of www.diplom.org

I'd say the best opening for Austria is the balkan gambit. This opens to albania and serbia with vienna moving towards whoever you are more suspicious of. I'd be more threatened by Russia than italy generally, so the bounce with Galicia is the best.

If you feel like everyone is out to get you then you should try the hedghog. You open by saying that you are opening conservatively and inform the Russian and Italian players that you will be moving to Galicia and Venice (and Serbia). You need to make it clear that it is defensive, not offensive. This means that Italy can't open to Tyrolia and Venice while Russia can't get into Galicia. Quite secure after all.

In addition to Centurian's comment, there are two variants to the hedgehog, a violently defensive Army Budapest to Rumania, to absolutely negate any potential edge Russia could gain on Austria, and the southern hedgehog with a move to Serbia from Budapest, at least guaranteeing 1 build, and living past at least 1901

Try to get Italy and Russia to ally against Turkey. Then, decide who is the more reliable ally and stab the other. ;-)

>>Fidobot
No, NEVER do the southern triple against Turkey. Italy and Russia will use you and then squeeze you out.

Well, I've seen it work effectively for Austria. But you need to make sure you get Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria before either Italy or Russia have a single Turkish centre. But granted, thats an easy way for Austria to get squished.

I've only ever played Austria once and I won by having a team of monkeys throw darts to determine my moves. Just as good as any other Austrian plan - and maybe better!

Seriously, I was very lucky in that game.

You must convince Italy that you live together or die together. Encourage Russia and Turkey to attack each other. DMZ with Germany in opening years.

I have tried to get a central triple going a few times between Austria/Italy/Germany... I still think this alliance has a lot of merit. But unfortunately in my limited experience of trying it, it seems that Germany either gets trampled by Fra/Eng too early or goes 'native' and forms a stronger alliance with his Western ally than the original central powers alliance.

I generally enjoy playing Austria, but my frustration normally comes from inability to build fleets. Not only are you the only nation with only one base to build fleets from, but the fact that it resides right next to Venice means that it's difficult to keep it open to build in at all.

I've tried to get the central triple going but never been able to convince the other two powers to join in. I agree that it seems like it would have a lot of merit, though.

i think that the typical beginner's mistake playing austria is fighting everyone around you. usually one neighbor offers them a hand, but typical austria is so stunned by this - how can it be possible? so he assumes that this is a lie, replies with a lie, and then continues to fight everyone around