Zahn wins Title Among The Special Surprises By GM!

Diplomacy returned to WBC this year new & improved. Since last year’s tournament, Renegade Games Studios announced they had licensed Diplomacy from Hasbro (along with Acquire, Robo Rally, Axis & Allies, and Squad Leader). They intended to bring Diplomacy to print in 2023, the first such printing since the 2008 edition with cardboard chits. I’ve been a volunteer for years with Hasbro, running Diplomacy, Acquire, and other Avalon Hill games at conventions. It was through the Avalon Hill team at Hasbro that I was brought into contact with Renegade Games. Thus began my involvement in the new edition of Diplomacy.

Knowing that a new edition of Diplomacy was targeted for July 2023, I worked to upgrade the entire experience of the Diplomacy tournament. I had a giant 12’ wide map produced with large pieces pushed by plotter rods. I had multiple wargaming mats with different maps produced. I had several large 6’ fabric maps produced of the new game board. To take it a step further, I even made a 4’x4’ Deluxe Diplomacy (1992) map entirely out of LEGO. I spared no expense for my players this year. In addition to the maps, they also had custom color-coded clipboards produced and color-coded pens. They could use power stickers or pins to indicate who they were playing. And the swag – did we ever lean into the swag. Players had game prizes to win, stickers, patches, fridge magnets, keychains, pens, shirts, mugs, challenge coins, and the BEST Best Country awards in the Diplomacy hobby.

Given this was an auspicious year for Diplomacy, we were joined by several special guests. Three players flew all the way from Italy to play at WBC for the first time. They were joined by Dan McNeill, two-time US champion, who was also making his first appearance at WBC. I made sure the Italians got a solid American meal at Primanti Brothers on our way to the venue. Nothing like a giant sandwich covered in fries to prep you for Round One of the Diplomacy tournament!

Round One Board One was on the giant map. Players were each given a WW1-era officer hat to wear for the occasion. How many times in a person’s life will they get an opportunity to push armies across a giant map with plotter rods? The game started off with an early England-France-Germany (EFG) alliance or Western Triple. Their unified movement caused the Eastern Powers to react in kind. As is so often the case with Western Triples, Turkey is a big beneficiary, being the farthest from the action and with so many available supply centers to pick up. The board top belonged to Paul Konka’s England, as he moved on his erstwhile allies Germany and France late in the game to grow to 13-centers by game’s end. Turkey, helmed by past champion Ed Prem, finished second with 7-centers.

Round One Board Two was on the 6’ fabric map. In the game, Mattero Anfossi of Italy piloted Austria and Dan McNeill of Florida led Turkey. They formed an inseparable pair from the game start that rolled into Russia and Italy. The disorganization from the powers in the West meant we saw Austrian armies in Naples, Munich, and Berlin to go with Turkish fleets in the Ionian. It was through this chaos though that England prevailed as the board top. With Germany and France locked in struggle, England gobbled up enough centers to squeeze out a board top with 9-centers, one ahead of Turkey at 8-centers and two ahead of Austria at 7-centers. Sometimes the strongest alliance wins the day, other times the most opportunistic player wins the day. Remember that when we get to the Final of the tournament!

Round One Board Three was played on the Deluxe Diplomacy LEGO map. Right out of the gate, Turkey was jumped by Austria-Italy (AI) and Russia & Turkey bounced in Rumania. Jack Wilsbach’s Austria picked up easy gains in Russia and Turkey by coordinating with Nic Benedict in Italy. Meanwhile, Ric Manns in France, had multiple back-and-forth offensives with England and Germany. Turkey was eliminated in 1904 and Russia held on strong with 4-centers despite the attack. At game’s end, it was Jack Wilsbach with 8-centers board topping, and Nic Benedict in second place with 7-centers. Ric Mann’s came in third with 6-centers in a close game.

Round One Board Four was played on the custom wargaming mat with 3D printed pieces. Similar to Board Three, the players first started by jumping Turkey. Only this time, Turkey had also committed to attacking Russia. In a wonderful frenzy in the east, Turkey controlled Sevastopol at the same time an Italian army was in Ankara. Meanwhile in the West, Harald Henning’s Germany started strong with 6-centers in 1901 and continued his climb via Diplomacy and superior tactics. Aided by Evan Walter’s France, together they made a successful attack on England, landing a French army in Liverpool. Eventually the dust settled in the East with Austria pushing to 10-centers next to an eliminated Turkey and Russia. In the West, it was Harald Henning’s 11-centers as Germany that won the day.

The next round continued the following morning. As has become tradition, David Rynkowski brought doughnuts for the players. Many thanks to David for his support of the event year after year.

Round Two Board One was played on a different giant 12’ map, this one a custom piece by UX designer John Fairley. We had early alliances form on this board, with France and Germany going after Matteo Anfossi’s England. Perhaps the guest rights for the Italians were limited to one game. In the East, it was an Italy-Russia-Turkey (IRT) triple on Austria. Ever Austrian players worst nightmare is getting tripled out of the gate, and that’s what happened here. It ended in a 1903 elimination for Austria and a 1904 elimination for England. Alliances aren’t forever in Diplomacy. They can shift as quickly as the mountain breeze at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. So as those two players were being eliminated, it was Jeff Hayman’s France that turned on Geoff Mize’s Germany and Brady Detwiler’s Italy that turned on Francesco Cleopadre’s Turkey. The resulting push by the stronger powers meant that Jeff Hayman board topped with 13-centers, followed by Italy with 9-centers and Russia with 8-centers. Two Italian tourists on this board, but just one center to show between them. The tournament was on for real.

Round Two Board Two featured a different 6’ fabric map. I have so many maps, my goal was to rotate them every round so someone playing all three rounds would have a different experience every game. Just like the giant map, Austria was jumped from the gate by all three neighbors. Nothing to do but smile and take the consolation prize as first eliminated. The game was a masterclass by Davide Cleopadre as Turkey (one of the Italian tourists) and Dan McNeill as Germany. After Austria was eliminated, Turkey and Germany coordinated on Russia, which also led to an elimination. As Russia was knocked down, Turkey took the opportunity to push into Italy while Germany engineered a dual stab of France & England. There were so many nearby centers it was almost criminal not to stab and go for broke. Both moves paid off, as Germany topped with 14-centers and Turkey was second with 12-centers.

In between the second and third round a large group of players had dinner together at the resort. These sort of get-togethers around the “action” are typical at Diplomacy gatherings. It gives a chance for players to connect off the board, learn about their fellow competitors, and rehash what happened in the earlier rounds. I also placed an order for pizza before the evening round, so we could have our annual pizza party for the Final.

The final round of the event is always a gladiator’s arena as players vie for the championship and other awards. The tournament is determined by best two rounds out of three, so those in the “clubhouse” were looking to maintain their position and those with a bad finish were looking for something big to propel them to glory. This year I created an added incentive to join the ranks of champions: a large wooden annual plaque with the Diplomacy map laser-etched on one side.

Round Three Board One was played on an all-wooden laser-etched board. The players used the pieces from the new release to play. In the game, Dan McNeill’s England started strong with a two build in Norway and Belgium, while Russia was locked out of builds completely. France and Germany deadlocked in the Rhine, while Jeff Hayman’s Austria made a play for the championship. In his way was Matteo Anfossi in Turkey, familiar with the European style game being played in round three. Matteo could not win the event himself without a solo, but he knew how to hold the line. This allowed Dan’s England to capture Scandinavia and eventually multiple Germany dots. France and Italy were deadlocked in the western med. Without any viable options for Austria to win, Jeff Hayman’s Austria took the draw and a solid finish. The result, a board top at 10-centers for England, would put Dan McNeill in the lead for the tournament.

Round Three Board Two was played on a 6’ fabric map. The game was unique in that a Turkey army made its way to Silesia. In the scrum of units at the center of the board, it was Ed Prem’s Russia that showed the most promise. With Germany and France unwilling to attack each other in an alliance, the board reached a deadlocked state with all seven Powers still alive. It was in this deadlocked state that a draw vote passed, with Russia topping at 7-centers, followed by France with 6-centers and Turkey with 6-centers. The quickest game of the tournament and most evenly matched.

Round Three Board Three was played on the giant map. This board was reserved for all the first-timers joining for the final round as well as some experienced players to help guide them. It’s always great to see our veteran players help new players enter the game. Special thanks go to Kevin Youells and John Stevens for playing on this board. They were so generous with their time they also donated a number of their centers. It was Jay Schoenen’s France that stood out amongst the pack, driving up to 8-centers at England’s expense. Brian Scilzo’s Russia also had some solid play, taking Sweden and Norway. Austria and Turkey ganged up on Italy with France’s help from the West. The end-state was Jay Schoenen with a board top as France, followed by Russia with 7-centers. Two other new players, Elizabeth Shea (Austria) and Alex Nesenjuk (Germany), tied for third. It was a great board to witness as players were seeing the finer strategic points unfold as the game went on.

Round Three Board Four ended up being the deciding board of the tournament. With all other boards finished, this one was still going. It had the most eliminations of any board in the tournament as well. Right from the start, Austria was attacked on all sides and received no builds. It was a quick elimination for Austria, saving him the terror that was to follow. England was also attacked from the start, but England is not so easily torn apart. That meant England lived one more year than Austria. The barreling attack of Russia and Italy forced Turkey back quickly and eventually into elimination. Suddenly there were only four powers left: France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. A draw offer was initially made but then turned down, as one player was hoping to press for a solo. The players continued. Russia and Italy pushed their center counts higher and high, eventually eliminating Germany in the process. Sometimes in Diplomacy a player leads a Power to a strong result. The alliances fall just right in your favor and you roll the board. Along the way, it’s easy to get lost in what will happen on the board if you press too far too soon. This was one of those situations. In the final, fateful year, Robert Zahn’s Italy pushed from 14 centers to 18 centers, taking two off France and two off Russia to get the solo. All the points on the board went to the victor, and the tournament along with it. For the third time in 10 years, a solo has won the day at the WBC Diplomacy Tournament.

WBC Diplomacy Tournament Awards:

• Best Austria - Jack Wilsbach
• Best England - Paul Konka
• Best France - Jeff Hayman
• Best Germany - Dan McNeill
• Best Italy - Robert Zahn
• Best Russia - Ed Prem
• Best Turkey - Davide Cleopadre

Two other regulars were recognized at WBC. One is Kevin Youells, who has helped run the PBEM Diplomacy event and been a constant supporter of the event to WBC board members. He received a wargaming mat & 3D printed pieces. The other is Dave Rynkowski, whose contributions every year were highlighted in the History of WBC posts. This year he again volunteered to sit out a round -- the very round he provided breakfast to the players! Always a gentleman.

Note: GM Pictures of the event can be found at https://photos.app.goo.gl/oTXELWwuwgATLu7Z6.