The idea
Inspired by
this wargaming blog with its occasional bouts of online umpired Diplomacy games I've started to think about how to solitaire
Diplomacy.
One ingredient for solitaire games without hidden information is to give the different parties some personality and goals that guide their decision making, so it's not all random (or all based on one consistent narrative which removes all conflict and tension).
One idea could be to roll dice for each country to determine personality traits (of their rulers, perhaps?) in the following dimensions.
Personality traits
1. Strategic outlook
How does the country decide which plan to pursue, where to go, when and how to change its plans?
a) geopolitical strategy focus: determine goals, directions of action etc. based on a large scale plan thought through on a multi-year, all-European level
b) tactical focus: define goals and actions based on a mid level plan for objectives and intermediate results
c) opportunistic: act on a small time and spatial level, using opportunities as they offer themselves and reacting to threats as they develop.
2. Alliances
How does the country choose its allies?
a) long term traditional alliances: start with pre-defined, presumably traditional alliances. In practice, the allies should be one or two other players with the same Alliance level outlook; if there are more than three countries with this attitude, one or two could also be traditional arch-enemies.
b) mid term tactical alliances: find partners based on common interests, goals, enemies and stick to them as long as useful
c) short term opportunistic: make and break alliances as friends and enemies present themselves
3. Reliability
How long and faithfully does the country stick to its alliances?
a) long term reliable: maintain alliances as long as at all possible, only act against allies if it is unavoidable to avoid total disaster or destruction
b) mid term stable: maintain alliances as long as they work, only break them if the other side breaks them first, or significant, sustainable advantages can be gained
c) short term opportunistic: maintain alliances as long as they provide immediate benefit, change them whenever stronger opportunities or threats present themselves
Character generation
These traits are not completely independent of each other, so maybe one approach to determine them would be to roll three dice:
1. die roll for strategic outlook
Strategic Outlook
|
Die roll
|
a) geopolitical strategic
|
1-2
|
b) regional tactical
|
3-5
|
c) local opportunistic
|
6
|
2. die roll for Alliances, with some dependency on strategic outlook
|
Outlook based on die roll
|
Alliances
|
Strategic
|
Regional
|
Local
|
a) long term traditional
|
1-3
|
1-2
|
1
|
b) mid term tactical
|
4-5
|
3-4
|
2-3
|
c) short term opportunistic
|
6
|
5-6
|
4-6
|
3. die roll for Reliability, with dependency on Alliances
|
Alliances based on die roll
|
Reliability
|
Traditional
|
Tactical
|
Opportunistic
|
a) long term reliable
|
1-3
|
1-2
|
1
|
b) mid term stable
|
4-5
|
3-4
|
2-3
|
c) short term opportunistic
|
6
|
5-6
|
4-6
|
Examples
Let's try it out. I'm using random.org to roll characteristics for the seven players:
Country
|
Die rolls
|
Outlook
|
Alliances
|
Reliability
|
England
|
4 4 2
|
Regional
|
Tactical
|
Reliable
|
France
|
1 4 2
|
Geopolitical
|
Tactical
|
Reliable
|
Italy
|
1 4 3
|
Geopolitical
|
Tactical
|
Stable
|
Turkey
|
5 2 2
|
Regional
|
Traditional
|
Reliable
|
Austria-Hungary
|
4 1 3
|
Regional
|
Traditional
|
Reliable
|
Germany
|
3 1 1
|
Regional
|
Traditional
|
Reliable
|
Russia
|
1 4 2
|
Geopolitical
|
Tactical
|
Reliable
|
This looks to become a game with very stable, long lived alliances, so a lot will depend on the starting condition. It is natural to start with an "Axis" of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey, and let the other four arrange their initial alliances around their interests given this Axis. Maybe this would mean that England and Russia agree to maintain peace and push southwards. They might even be willing to work together to weaken Germany quickly so the Axis doesn't take over the game too easily. France and Italy would agree on a large scale strategy and stick to it - probably starting with solid defence against England and the Axis, and maybe pushing south to face Turkey there.
Here's another go:
Country
|
Die rolls
|
Outlook
|
Alliances
|
Reliability
|
England
|
5 3 1
|
Regional
|
Tactical
|
Reliable
|
France
|
3 2 1
|
Regional
|
Traditional
|
Reliable
|
Italy
|
6 4 3
|
Local
|
Opportunistic
|
Stable
|
Turkey
|
3 6 4
|
Regional
|
Opportunistic
|
Opportunistic
|
Austria-Hungary
|
1 6 3
|
Geopolitical
|
Opportunistic
|
Stable
|
Germany
|
5 1 2
|
Regional
|
Traditional
|
Reliable
|
Russia
|
3 1 3
|
Regional
|
Traditional
|
Reliable
|
With more opportunistic alliances and Turkey as "loose gun", this could be more dynamic and unpredictable.
The "traditional bonds" between France, Germany and Russia could either be a three way Entente fending off England and pushing south, or it could be a partnership between two of these and an "arch enemy" tradition, like France vs Germany and Russia allied with one of the two.
In the Entente scenario, France, Germany and Russia would agree on joint targets and help each other out expanding, England would try to find one or two partners (maybe Italy) to put some pressure on at least France, and Italy, Turkey and Austria-Hungary would mostly try to stay alive and find partners for that. Maybe Italy and France, and Austria and Turkey, could start the game working together.
In the "arch enemy" variant Germany and France would go at each other's throats, Russia would try to support its ally (maybe France, pushing Germany into the historical two-front confrontation). Germany would have to try to win Austria and Italy as allies, nudge England away from joining the attack on Germany, and maybe try to get Turkey involved against Russia.
