by Tarzan

Recently, we tried to put together a FTF game with 7 players. As happens all too often in Diplomacy we were short several players. When we finally sat down at the table we had only 4. We contemplated playing several different variants, but then decided we really wanted to play of the Standard map. After much thought we came up with a scenario that worked pretty well. It’s a modified 1898 setup as follows:

Four-Man Diplomacy on a Standard Map:

1. Setup

England	F London, A Liverpool
France	A Paris
Germany	A Berlin
Russia	A Moscow
Turkey	F Ankara
Austria	A Vienna
Italy	A Rome

2. Home SCs

Per usual for each of the seven standard powers

3. Players

Player 1 = Russia and Italy
Player 2 = Germany and Turkey
Player 3 = France and Austria
Player 4 = England

4. Victory conditions

18 SCs by ONE country ONLY (so if you’re playing France and Austria ONLY one of these countries can win – with 18 SCs).

This variant played out very nicely. Interestingly, we noticed that if 2 players left the room to “negotiate” it invariable left the other 2 players at the map to do their own talking! This had an effect on the shift of alliances (after all why WERE those other 2 guys in another room?!).