Mastering Diplomacy: Strategies For Austria's Victory

Playing as Austria in Diplomacy can be challenging as it is the most vulnerable country on the board and is regularly eliminated early on. To win as Austria, your first priority should be to survive the first couple of years. You need to foster strong alliances, especially with neighbouring countries like Germany, Italy, Russia and Turkey. Avoid early wars with Italy and Germany, and try to prevent an alliance between Russia and Turkey. Offer to support moves that benefit your allies and be prepared to negotiate and sacrifice some supply centres in exchange for alliances. Focus on building your defence and expanding your influence in the Balkans. Be cautious and strategic in your moves, and be prepared to adapt your strategy based on the actions of your opponents.

Get a genuine alliance with Italy, Russia or Turkey

Austria is the easiest country to eliminate in the game. She is surrounded at the start of the game, sitting atop the Balkans, the densest concentration of supply centres. Russia and Turkey both covet this region, and Italy will likely stab Austria to get a piece of the action when she starts to falter. So the Austrian position is a precarious one.

Your first priority is to do whatever it takes to keep Russia and Turkey from allying. Beg, plead, and even hold their children hostage to ensure a war between these two. Offer to support Rum into Bul and Bul into Rum. Promise Turkey whatever it takes to get him to move to the Black Sea. Sacrifice your fattest calf to whatever god you worship and plea for Smy-Arm.

Your second priority is to ensure friendship with Italy. Trust Italy. Take him down with you if he attacks. Reassure him that you will both die if either attacks the other. This happens to be true about 95% of the time. Do whatever Italy wants. Let him into Trl, Tri (assuming he is only moving through) or support the Lepanto. Neither you nor Italy can afford a war. Most Italians realize this. Encourage them to read the suggestions for the Italian player. AI wars are bad for both.

You usually have to worry about an attack from Italy when it is played by a new player with little experience. They often don't realize that by attacking you, they are signing their own death warrant.

If you are in the fortunate position of being wooed by both Russia and Turkey for an alliance against the other, you have a difficult decision to make. An alliance with Russia will usually be successful but once Turkey is dead, you may find yourself surrounded by Russian units. An alliance with Turkey against Russia can also be successful but here the problem is that once Russia has been defeated in the south, Austria will have to move north, leaving his back exposed for a tempting stab by Turkey.

The standard Lepanto opening - Italy convoying A(Tun) to either Smy or Syr via F(ION) & F(EMS) - is good from the Austrian point of view. It ties up all of Italy's units except the army guarding Ven and enables Austria to keep its options open regarding alliances with Italy or Turkey until 1902.

If you do ally with Russia, your goal should be to prevent the other players from catching wind of the alliance. The "Galician Bounce" (RA War-Gal; AA Vie-Gal) is not a bad idea.

If you do ally with Turkey, you will have to be careful that Italy doesn't link up with Russia after Turkey is reduced. This is the greatest danger to you in going to bed with the Italian. So make sure Russia and Italy don't communicate too much.

Ensure Germany is an ally

Germany is Austria's last neighbour and is usually more concerned with western and northern affairs. Germany can usually be relied on as an ally for most of the game. Germany rarely attacks Austria, and it is in both countries' interests not to fight each other.

Your first order of business is to get on good terms with Germany. Germany won't be thinking of attacking you, but you need to ensure you're on their radar. Usually, this means encouraging them to open with a fleet in Kiel to Denmark. You want them to move to Denmark to bounce Russia out of Sweden if need be. You want to convince Germany of how vital you are to their survival, and vice versa.

You want to keep Russia out of Germany, which shouldn't be a problem since you are convincing Russia to go along with you in an attack on Turkey. You can also remind Germany that you have friends in the west who can come to your aid if need be.

It is important to maintain the balance of power in the west. Austria can get to double-digit centre control quickly, but you can also get stuck on the right side of the stalemate line, loaded down with armies and no hope of breaking through for a win. It is important to keep Germany, France, and England somewhat balanced so they won't be able to ally against you.

In most cases, Austria should seek a non-aggression pact with Germany, demilitarising Bohemia and Tyrolia in the process. Neither country has anything to gain from an early war between the two. If Germany and Austria are thought of as corridors through which the other powers expand, then one of them killing the other only expands them into the whole corridor. In short, the initial problem of being in the middle of everything is not only not solved by victory, but it is made worse.

By the same logic, Austria should avoid early war with Italy. Italy is a corridor, and peace with France can be maintained, then Italy is a fortress, difficult to attack from the Austrian side. But Italy's position against Austria is very different. Italy's western side is very vulnerable to a strong French attack, which will be invited by Italy doing poorly in a war against Austria. So, Austria can't make the same mutual appeal to Italy that it can make to Germany. However, war with Italy is also not a good idea, as it only extends the corridor. Negotiating mutual peace is in Austria's best interest, but it may be difficult to do.

Avoid an early war with Italy

Avoiding an early war with Italy is crucial for Austria, as it is surrounded by potential enemies at the start of the game and is the easiest country to eliminate. Italy is an odd case; while Austria has no reason to fight Germany early on, Italy's position against Austria is much different. From the Austrian side, Italy is a corridor—if peace with France can be maintained, Italy is a fortress, difficult to attack from the Austrian side. However, Italy's position against Austria is very different, as it is easy to attack from the east. Thus, Austria cannot make the same mutual appeal to Italy that it can make to Germany, and yet cannot resort to war because that only extends the corridor.

Negotiating a mutual peace is in Austria's best interests, but it may be difficult to do. Austria must make it absolutely clear to Italy from the outset that they are prepared for the worst. They must be firm and not let Italy talk them out of their defensive moves. It is not an attack; if Italy says it is, Austria must tell them not to be silly. Austria must also offer Italy a neutrality pact. Italian openings against Austria invariably end up with Turkey and Russia rolling all over everyone, including Italy. Make sure Italy realizes that Austria is the only thing between them and total destruction at the hands of Turkey and Russia. Having accomplished this, try to get Italy to outright attack Turkey in a Lepanto. If the R-T alliance forms, Italy will need to do this for sheer self-defense. If not, sell Italy on the riches of Turkey—when they finally get there, Austria will be strong enough to muscle them out. But be careful that Italy doesn't link up with Russia after Turkey is reduced. This is the greatest danger to Austria in going to bed with Italy. So make sure Russia and Italy don't communicate too much.

If an attack from Italy is feared, Austria has several methods of defence. F(Tri)-Ven (or stands) will halt any direct move from Ven to Tri but will almost certainly mean that Gre will not be taken in the autumn. The other defence is A(Vie)-Tyr (or Tri) while the fleet moves to Alb. Here, the Austrian player is using guesswork as to whether Italy will order A(Ven)-Tyr or Tri. If they guess correctly, then Italy is stopped dead in its tracks, but if they are wrong, they are in dire trouble. If Russia is to attack, this will invariably be through Galicia, and though Austria can easily stand them off, it means that Austria may have to settle for only one build in the autumn. Should both Italy and Russia attack, Austria has real problems. However, no problem is insurmountable, and with clever diplomacy, Austria can wriggle out of an intended Italy/Russia attack. Italy can be bribed with the promise of Gre in 1902 on the understanding that they don't go for Tn or Tyr in 1901. Whether the Austrian player keeps this promise is up to them. Another ploy is to offer Italy the facility of playing the Key Lepanto (A(Ven)-Tri in Spring followed by A(Tri)-Ser in Autumn) and if the offer is accepted, then at least the Austrian knows where A(Ven) is going and has two choices. They can grit their teeth and hope that Italy plays fair and vacates Tri in the autumn, or they can simply order A(Vie)-Tri in Spring 1901, thus safeguarding their position and keeping the Italians out!

Stir up a fight between Russia and Turkey

Stirring up a fight between Russia and Turkey is a key strategy for Austria in the game of Diplomacy. Here are some tips on how to achieve this:

First, it is important to understand the dynamics between Russia, Austria, and Turkey. These three countries form a tense triangle in the east of the board. Getting one of them on your side against the other is crucial for Austria's survival and expansion. While both alliances have their challenges, getting Russia on your side is generally considered easier and more advantageous.

To stir up a fight between Russia and Turkey, follow these steps:

• Foster an Alliance with Russia: Start by building a strong diplomatic relationship with Russia. Emphasize the mutual benefits of working together against a common enemy—Turkey. Offer Russia incentives such as support in the Balkans or promises of a de-militarized Turkey once the alliance is over.
• Delay Commitment to Turkey: While your main goal is to pit Russia against Turkey, you don't want to alienate Turkey too early in the game. Delay committing to an alliance with Turkey for as long as possible. This will give you time to strengthen your position with Russia and make it less likely that Russia and Turkey will form an alliance against you.
• Play on Their Interests: Both Russia and Turkey covet the Balkans region, which is rich in supply centers. Highlight to Russia and Turkey the advantages of gaining control over this area. Emphasize the potential for expansion and the strategic benefits it would bring to their respective positions.
• Use Diplomacy: Diplomacy is key to your success. Communicate frequently with both Russia and Turkey, offering support and making promises that will fuel their rivalry. Be careful not to make promises you can't keep, as this could backfire and damage your credibility.
• Encourage Aggression: Once you have secured an alliance with Russia, encourage them to take aggressive actions against Turkey. Offer your support and make them feel confident in their ability to gain the upper hand. At the same time, remind Turkey of the potential threats posed by Russia and other powers.
• Timing is Crucial: Choosing the right moment to instigate the conflict between Russia and Turkey is vital. Wait until Turkey appears vulnerable, and Russia seems strong enough to pose a significant challenge. However, be careful not to delay too long, as you don't want Russia to become too powerful and turn on you instead.
• Maintain Your Position: While stirring up the fight, focus on strengthening your position and expanding where possible. Take advantage of the conflict to gain control over key areas in the Balkans and solidify your alliance with Germany, who can provide additional support.

Remember, your ultimate goal is to use the conflict between Russia and Turkey to your advantage. Be prepared to switch alliances or make unexpected moves when the opportunity arises. Always keep your long-term strategy in mind, and don't hesitate to adapt your tactics as the game progresses.

Develop some naval power

Austria is the only Great Power with just one coastal supply centre, and that centre is harbored far up the Adriatic Sea, which makes it difficult for Austria to develop naval power. It usually takes two moves just to get an Austrian fleet somewhere useful. Therefore, a major naval campaign seems pointless during the early years of the game.

However, naval power will be necessary if Austria is going for a solo win. In the endgame, Austria will likely need to go to war with Italy, and that means Austria will need fleets—at least one in the Adriatic, for starters. Building a fleet in Trieste will likely alert Italy to Austrian intentions. Therefore, it is important to be sneaky about building up naval power.

Germany, which is often Austria's best "neutral" friend throughout the game, is unlikely to stand idly by while Austria builds up its navy. Therefore, it is crucial for Austria to maintain control of Tyrolia and Galicia. Losing them to an unfriendly force from the north will likely put Austria's expansion plans on hold.

England and France can become chief obstacles in the Mediterranean and Russian provinces if they form a successful alliance. It is unlikely that Austria will be able to beat them on the seas. So, Austria's best hope is a strong push through the interior of central Europe and Piedmont (once Austria has broken through to Italy).

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