Diplomacy: How to Win as AUSTRIA / Interview with world class player Tanya Gill / 42 Tips

We’re honoured to have a World Class, top ranked Diplomacy player with us, Tanya Gill, who will take us through everything you need to know to play Austria. She will share 42 tips and secrets with us today. We’ll cover it all: openings, strategies, tactics, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to top the board with a tricky, but fun nation to play.

Whether you’re new to the world of Diplomacy, or if you’ve got loads of experience, we’re going to offer you all the critical information you need to play Austria. Today we’re talking with Tanya G. who placed in the top 3 in the World Championship in 2017, won the Boston Massacre in 2020, and just won the first ever Virtual Diplomacy League Tournament in 2021.

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This classic game 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 Games, Inc. 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, players represent 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 make both Spring and Autumn moves each year. There are only two kinds of military units: armies and fleets. On any given turn, each of your military units has limited options: they 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 their position. Players instruct each of their units by writing a set of "orders." The outcome of each turn is determined by the rules of the game. There are no dice rolls or other elements of chance. With its incredibly simplistic movement mechanics fused to a significant negotiation element, this system is highly respected by many gamers.

Avalon Hill Complexity rating - 3

[obamacare]

Would Austria be a good nation for a beginner

[tomau]

Austria is often eliminated early because it is feared by three countries, Russia, Turkey, and Italy. So a "nice girl" (or nice guy) who assuages these fears and wins friends has the best chance of surviving. And Austria is one of those countries that is likely to win--if it survives to the mid game. Ditto, to a lesser extent, for Germany.

[Snugguinius]

I don't know how this got into my recommended but it was a nice video to have in the background while I draw maps

[nathanielmerchant]

What a wonderful interview! I am sending this to my kids, who don't (yet) play Diplomacy but who do play tournament chess. What a fantastic inspiration Tanya is for all players but especially for female strategy gamers, like my daughter. I can totally see how Tanya can turn the question the other players are asking--"who do I stab?"--around to "who do I work with?" And Tanya, as she says, offers herself up as a serious, sober, committed ally. This is great stuff. I just wish I knew more about the tournament scene for Diplomacy nowadays.

[bigbuffguy]

Tanya has subsequently won 2022 Dipcon. She's definitely one of the best players in the world.

[JasonSmith-ubbj]

I’m playing this in my US history class for the first time and I’m Austria. Thanks for the advice.

[lucasmayer]

That is a really high quality interview and I agree to 100%. There are so many important points mentioned that a lot of lower level players do wrong. Just some few examples:

1. Russia taking Rum with a fleet is pro-Austrian and not pro-Turkey. Often in Juggernauts they play this move but it slows down their attacking potential against Austria.
2. Always play Bud-Ser and Tri-Alb. Every other moves of this units make your position worse.
3. Be brave. A lot of Austrian players try to defend all centers (which they can`t). You have to go a different approach: attack and try to get the centers yourself. I believe the critical point is if Austria can reach 6-7 centers. If that is possible Austria is great to play. Before it is rather dead than alive. So you have to aim for the centers.
4. I especially like the calmness about an Italy moving into Tri in sprig 1901. I sometimes let Italy in even on purpose (Trieste treaty) when Italy moves Ion-Aeg or Ion-Eas in the fall and gives me Tri back 1-2 years later.

There are so many more points I could mention. I have never played with her but alone from this interview I can say she is a top-player. Simply by the points she values in playing Austria which are spot on.

[mitchellshort]

I've never played diplomacy and don't have a group of friends serious enough about board games to play this with. Yet I find myself watching all these tutorial videos on countries. Well done!

[Warriorking.]

While I enjoy Diplomacy, I have to admit I'm pretty useless at it. So it is something of a surprise when I think back to the best game I ever played, as Austria.

Through a combination of begging and grovelling, I managed to get both Russia and Turkey to look North and South instead of in my direction, and Italy decided to go at France from Spring 01.

And the funny thing is, if Austria can survive a few years, it suddenly becomes a real pain to stop. By the time Russia - who kicked the Turks to death - realised I might actually be a danger, it was too late and my armies ripped the poor sod apart.

The result was a total, solo win, and a very silly, if somewhat stunned, grin on my face.

Great video, definitely a lot of stuff to think about here, thanks so much for posting.

[karthikkonath]

I think one tip that wasn't mentioned here in this phenomenal Austrian overview deals with the tactical position an Austrian player wants to find themself in/be aware of in the midgame. Aegean Sea, Albania, and Galicia are probably the three most important non-supply center squares (and three hugely important squares even without that qualifier) when it comes to securing the Austrian position.

I would never want a non-Austrian unit in any of those squares for any longer than necessary. For the Aegean Sea, I personally would tolerate an Italian unit there in the early game to ensure the collapse of Turkey, but ideally I want that unit literally anywhere else at the earliest possible moment and ideally, I would be the one in Aegean Sea helping Italy get their fifth dot (presuming I am working with Italy). I certainly don't want Italy there in the mid-game as that is a position that lends itself to good stabs of the Austrian by the Italian when used in conjunction with squares Italy is like to own.

Speaking of dangerous squares to combine with the Italian F AEG, an army convoyed into Albania by the Italian is similarly lethal in its ability to help flip control over Trieste, Greece, and most importantly Serbia, the center that is truly the key to a successful takeover or defense of the Balkans.

As for Galicia, this one is fairly obvious in terms of the levels of chaos it can cause for you. I am personally a huge fan of DMZing it whenever possible and using it as a funnel when necessary to get units into no man's land for either the Russian or the Austrian. Especially when combined with F Rum, certain uses of Galicia can be entirely unfrightening. That being said F Rum, an empty Black Sea, A Sev, and A Gal is an incredibly dangerous for the Austrian and it is important to know when the move to Galicia is in your interest and when you're getting played.

[lovleenrandhawa-oscarpeter]

Thank you for sharing these great tips! You are amazing!

[bradmenpes]

Another really great video! Excellent advice about how to play AH, one of the hardest nations to play.

[andreavilla]

Such a beautiful interview! Thank you from the DipCountry with the least amount of players: Italy!

[Aldaronification]

Great interview. Love the energy and enthusiasm!

[ianalex]

Last time I played Austria, Germany was my “ride or die” ally. Russia and Turkey formed an unbreakable alliance, and I died first, but Germany managed a miracle convoy into an unguarded Lvn from Ber through BAL and in his last stand, he walked into an unguarded Moscow and lived. It was incredible.

[carolinebrorsson]

So great video!!! Would love a video with the theme of the diplomacy part. Discussion, thoughts and tips on the social part!

[SlugHug]

Really interesting video. Never played this game, don’t know why was recommended really (board game adjacent?), but it was really interesting. Now I want to play this game! Thanks!

[brendanmolloy]

An active diplomacy channel how wonderful! My absolute favorite board game. Haven't played in a while but I adore it. Italy/Austria are my favorite powers to play.

[DrMarkFrazier]

Congrats Randy! Great interview, and you got more than 10X the votes were asking for. DFraz

[malibelizec]

Best game ever and very nice interview.