- BGG rating
- 6.5
Diplomacy Games and Variants
- 2–7 players
- 360 min
- 1978
- BGG rank
- BGG #892
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Diplomacy
1959
Rules assistance for Diplomacy
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–7 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Diplomacy
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Diplomacy is a board game released in 1959 for 2–7 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Allan B. Calhamer and its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Area Movement, and Area Majority / Influence.
Expansions
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About the game
Diplomacy, the classic boardgame of pure negotiation has taken many forms over the years. The first The Avalon Hill Game Co version has perhaps the widest release, but Avalon Hill re-released the game in 1999, complete with a colorful new map and metal pieces. In 2008, Avalon Hill released a 50th anniversary edition with a new map and cardboard pieces representing the armies and navies. In the game, each player represents one of the seven "Great Powers of Europe" (Great Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy, Russia or Turkey) in the years prior to World War I. Play begins in the Spring of 1901, and players must negotiate and make deals with other players in order to have any success in expanding their borders. They will make both Spring and Autumn moves each year. with two kinds of military units: armies and fleets. On any given turn, each of your military units has limited options: it can move into an adjoining territory, support an allied unit in an attack on an adjoining territory, support an allied unit in defending an adjoining territory, or hold its position. Players instruct each of their units by writing a set of "orders." The outcome of the various orders is basically determined by the total strength of the units involved. There are no dice rolls or other elements of chance. With its incredibly simplistic movement mechanism fused to a significant negotiation element, this system is highly respected by many gamers. Avalon Hill Complexity rating - 3 Re-implemented by: Colonial Diplomacy Diplomacy: Classical Variant Diplomacy: Hundred Variant
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- (Unknown)
- (Self-Published)
- asmodee
- Parker Brothers
- Waddingtons
- Editrice Giochi
- Miro Company
- Kod Kod
- Parker Spiele
- Grow Jogos e Brinquedos
- Avalon Hill
- Jumbo
- Gibsons
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
- Philmar
- Descartes Editeur
- Jedko Games
- Renegade Game Studios
- Waddington Sanders Ltd.
- Banana Games
- Joc Internacional
- Mondadori Giochi
- Games Research, Inc.
- Intellectual Diversions
- Kipo's
Questions and answers
Diplomacy supports 2–7 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Diplomacy is 360 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Diplomacy for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Diplomacy has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Diplomacy belongs to these categories: Wargame, Bluffing, and Political. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Area Movement, and Area Majority / Influence. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Diplomacy are: Allan B. Calhamer. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Diplomacy as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.