Diplomacy. The game of international intrigue. What memories it brings back! Published independently of Avalon Hill, it was destined to develop such a following that it would become a hobby unto itself, and one of the most popular strategy games ever created. Magazines would be written allowing players across the globe to take part in play-by-mail Diplomacy games. Diplomacy variants would be created changing the time and place of the game from 1900 Europe to anytime or anywhere imaginable. Diplomacy clubs would be formed, magazine articles written, by the time Avalon Hill acquired it (during the 1970s), it was very popular. Avalon Hill offered a bookcase version (which was good), a deluxe version (which was not), and a revised version, Colonial Diplomacy, taking place in the Far East. Its popularity increased, the coming of the web would see Diplomacy become more popular than ever. Time passed, sales declined, and Avalon Hill sold out to Hasbro. Fortunately, Hasbro would release some of the more popular Avalon Hill games, and Diplomacy was one of them. With this in mind, I shall review the latest version of Diplomacy.

Diplomacy comes in the signature 16" x 10 1/2 " x 3 1/2" box Avalon Hill games currently released by Hasbro have come in. In theory, it should be exciting. You have caricatures of the leaders of the various European powers placed over a sword placed, in turn, over a map of pre-World War I Europe in flames. Regretfully, it seems to be lacking that certain something that would make it pleasing to the eye. The caricatures come across as emotionless, wooden, lacking feeling. The box, while large, can prove awkward. I find myself missing the bookcase version. Things were a little more compact, easier to keep track of. In its favor, though, it does have a professional feel to it. Its back has a picture of the mapboard, playing pieces, a brief description of the game, and a rating of "challenging" on a scale of "moderate" to "challenging" to "complex". I was surprised anyone would find Diplomacy "challenging". I personally found learning to play Diplomacy simpler than chess (although a bit more difficult than checkers).

The components of Diplomacy consist of a 20" x 20" map, an 8 1/2" x 11" rulebook, 70 Army playing pieces and 70 fleet playing pieces, a sheet of 1/2" x 1/2" flag marker counters, a pad of 10" x 9" conference maps, and a box-sized plastic tray to hold the various game parts in. The mapboard is noticeably smaller than the previous versions, but not to such an extent that it could cause problems. It is multi-colored with emphasis on the mountains, forests and other terrain types that give Europe is unique flavor. The colors are moody, presenting the mapboard as dark, foreboding, a sinister sign of what is about to come. Time has been taken to give the mapboard a professional feel. This is not the mapboard of the not-so-deluxe Deluxe Diplomacy version with its pathetic Mediterranean misspelling, rather the result of time being taken to produce a high quality product. Three cheers to the mapboard designers!

The rulebook is of equal high quality, giving detailed explanations of how to play the game, using diagrams to show what is and is not a proper move. The more experienced players may shrug them off as unnecessary, but beginners will find them very useful. In addition to the usual sample game and suggestions for Diplomacy games with less than seven players, there is a "Rules to Help You Resolve Orders" section on page 23 to keep confusion to a minimum. One complaint - it keeps calling Austria-Hungary "Austria". Come on, guys, be accurate! The playing pieces have undergone the most radical change. The fleets are now represented by small metal ships (like what can be found in some of the old Monopoly games) and the armies by what appear to be small metal cannons (I say "what appear to be" because, on closer inspection, the are actually depictions of a mop leaning against a wagon wheel, another old Monopoly piece!). The pieces are painted in the now classic Diplomacy colors of dark blue for England, light blue for France, black for Germany, green for Italy, red for Austria Hungary, white (a bit more on the grayish side this time around) for Russia, and yellow for Turkey. I like the metal pieces, they give me the feeling I got my money's worth. A word of advice, don't leave them lying around on the floor or, when you walk around barefoot in the middle of the night - OUCH!

To assist beginners and resolve questions over who owns which supply center when, the game includes 1/2" x 1/2" cardboard flag marker counters with the flags of the European powers on one side and the colors of the European powers on the other. Personally, I do not think they are necessary. Moves are written down, supply centers are tallied at the end of each year, and the geographic location of the major European powers alone makes it highly unlikely such a situation can occur. The smaller mapboard leads to another problem - space! The counters can get in the way, become annoying. I will admit that they are nice to look at, and serve a purpose until a player becomes familiar with the game. After that, they can always be used for a makeshift game of tiddlywinks. As has been the case with the previous versions, Diplomacy still includes the good old-fashioned conference maps. Like the flag marker counters, they are best suited for the beginners. Players used to the game will more than likely use them s makeshift towels when someone spills the beer! The tray is a good for keeping pieces in while playing the game, but only for playing the game. There is no way all those pieces are going to stay put when you carry the box for any length of time. Personally, I prefer zip-lock bags.

The internet has proven very useful in playing Diplomacy. There are all sorts of web sites, game variants, the sky is the limit! I took advantage of this new technology to play a Diplomacy game via e-mail. Moves were sent to a gamemaster in a manner similar to the Diplomacy magazines of old. The game was called "Artois", sponsored by Armistice Day magazine. I got to be Russia, and tried to for the dreaded Russo-Turkish alliance with the sultan to the South. My strategy would be to cede Scandinavia to the English and Germans, roll over Austria-Hungary, then, while Turkey was stalled by what would undoubtedly be Italian resistance in the Mediterranean, advance into Germany. Germany would be taken by surprise, I could then seize Scandinavia, stab Turkey, rule the Balkans, and win the game! At first, things couldn't have better. France and Germany started making aggressive moves towards England, Turkey had allied with me, Austria-Hungary was but a minor inconvenience. Surely nothing could go wrong!

Things started going wrong when Turkey screwed up a move. Rather than remain my ally, the sultan felt it would be a better idea to gang up on me with Austria-Hungary and, before you could say "backstab", there was a Turkish fleet in the Black Sea! Good news - I prevented a Turkish invasion. Bad news, Austria-Hungary knew I was out to get her. The result was a stalemate. To make matters worse, Italy had decided on the Lepanto bit and was sending a fleet into the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey saw the error of his ways and gave me proxy control of his units, but it no longer mattered. The momentum had been lost. The best I could do was hold off an increasingly annoyed Austria-Hungarian/Italian alliance, hoping that somehow someone would come to my assistance. It was not be. Germany and France had polished off England, and now fought each other with France getting the upper hand. I volunteered to send my St. Petersburg fleet to help Germany which he accepted, then grabbed St. Petersburg (I was getting stabbed so much I felt like a pincushion!). Things started going from bad to worse. Proxy control was given to someone else (Italy, I think!) who used it to take over Turkey and attack me! The once noble Russian Empire was reduced to defending Moscow and Warsaw, before long just Warsaw. Austria-Hungary was still alive, but it was obvious France was going to win. She had obliterated England, overrun almost all of Germany, and was all set to invade Italy. Facing the inevitable, all remaining players unanimously voted her the victor. Who says France doesn't know how to fight?

Recent news has it that Hasbro will discontinue production of Avalon Hill games. If so, I hope someone buys the rights to Diplomacy. It is still as enjoyable and exciting as ever, the internet increasing that enjoyment. Perhaps the reason is its total lack of chance in game playing. Like chess, it is the actions and interactions of players that will determine victory. Intricate strategies will have to be thought up, players will have to be magnificently benevolent one turn then contemptuously ruthless the next to win. Remember, there may be seven players, but only one winner.

On a scale of 1 (forget it!) to 10 (outasight), I rate the latest version of Diplomacy a 9. The game has truly survived the test of time! Second millennium, here we come!!!