General Thoughts
France is always one of the first two countries picked when our Dip games get going. And it is generally considered to be the best country to have. Which is both good and bad. ITs good because they're right--France is a great country to have--my personal favorite and in ryan's top three. But everyone knows that France wins a lot, so it is tough to get along with your neighbors sometimes. France is so flexible. You can launch a quick attack on your neighbors, you can puff up and play solid "D", and you have a number of alliances to play around with. France is fun.
Unless you are going to have a triple alliance (F,E,G) the three "western
powers" of France, england, and germany are going to have to settle
who is the boss on the left side of the board. As France, Your most vital
negotiations should be with Germany and England. You will Always always
have to deal with these two.
Just as a rule of thumb, remember that ENGLAND IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN GERMANY
to you. I hope this is clear. The reason for this is primarily tactical.
If you look at the board you'll notice that France's border with Germany
hinges on two spaces, Burgundy and Picardy (Sometimes Belgium). The reason
that Germany is less of a threat to you than England is that very often,
a German assault against France boggs down here. Many Germany's have tried
and failed to break into France via the Ruhr-Burgundy corridor. It just
doesn't work. Three armies can hold out forever against germany. The German
player alone can never beat France. This is true with most countries, of
course, but it is especially true here, and since Germn players constantly
try to ram into France, it should be pointed out to them repeatedly when
you play the light blue pieces.
England, if she gets strong, hangs over your head like the Sword of Damocles.
A big England can never be trusted, because she can fall upon you with
lighting speed and lethality. this is partly because often times France
is army-heavy and unable to deal with fleet-rich England's sweeping thrusts
into the Mid-Atlantic and English Channel.
It is true, of course, that England and France make a powerful alliance--happily
chopping up German pieces and growing fat early. DONT DO IT! An alliance
with England must be approached with caution. Obviously there are no absolutes,
but if you had to pick, take a German alliance over an English one. English-French
alliances are profitable early, but eventually, England must stab you in
order to go for the win--and all too often, a careless France turns her
back on England--inviting the knife! You have too. You can't ally with
England and keep fleets in the waters you need to protect yourself. England
simply bides her time and waits for you to sally off against the italians
or whoever and then pow! Hammer time.
A triple alliance between the three western countries is likewise not very
profitable in the long run. For the same reasons, only this time, maybe
england will strike Germny instead of you.
The way to win in the west is to control England. This is easier said
than done England is really a defensible country. not as tough as Turkey
in my mind, but tough still. The key here is Russia. Technically not a
western poer, Russia will often play the key role here. you must discourage
all Russian/English alliances. If not, it will be all you and Germny can
do to stay afloat. And if Russia also allies with Turkey...Well, the game
will be short. Hold out Norway to the Czar. Convince Germany that the two
of you can get Norway back to him easily enough Covince Russia that if
he takes Norway, Germany's denmark will soon be his and then ooh-la-la
who know what! We're really coming to the secret as France, I feel. Balancing
Russia. Getting Russia to get involved in the west always helps you--she
will rub Germany and England wrong, causeing them to turn their backs to
you. No matter what happens, if Russia gets involved in the north, you
are going to be able to throw your wieght around against Germany or England.
but be careful! It is a balancing act, because you don't want Russia to
get too strong. What you want is for Russia to come into play in the north,
but NOT TO HAVE A TURKISH ALLY. If russia is allied with a western power
and turkey she can grow so fast that she can get 18 centers while you are
still getting your gym shoes tied. Russia is hardly ever a threat to knock
you out, but she is a threat to win the game well ahead of you.
I think this is the key--Russia. Attaking germany or England without her
means allying with one of the other, which is fine, but be careful because
once you take out germany or england the ally your trusting might stab
you. Or the power vaccuum left by the dying western power might be filled
by a powerful eastern influence. Always be thinking ahead about how you
can stab your partner, try to stay on good relations with another power
that might be able to help you here. Again--Russia seems to workd the best
for this.
But what about Italy?
We have found that Italy isn't involved in the west as much as he is in
the east. This is what you want, for a number of reasons. Obviously, if
Italy attacks you, the shit is hitting the fan. Now you have to turn your
back to your two rivals in the west. They have probably put Italy up to
the attack on you anyway. Any combination of attacking nations on France
that includes Italy is going to lead to the quick French exit from the
game. Clearly, you can't have italy coming after you or your'e dead meat.
Englan's and Germany' willbe sitting over ther e going "ch-ching!
ch-ching!" as soon as that army invades Piedmont. You also want ITaly
in the east becase of how it affects the power situation over there. Getting
Italy involved in teh east makes it a 2-on-2 affair, usually Austria-Italy
versus Turkey-Russia but sometimes A-R vs. I-T, the latter being the MOST
DESIREABLE by FAR. Count yourself lucky if a R-A vs. I-T develops or the
Italian-Russian vs. Austrian-Turkish war is started. This last one is rare,
because A-T hate each other. What you want is to get Italy over there so
a Russian/Turkish steamroller doesn't get going. Like I said earlier, this
is bad in the long run for France. R/T will gobble up Austria in a year
and Italy in a couple more, with Germny as a mere appetizer. Russai will
win nine times out of ten and you will be congratulated for coming in third.
Big deal. Promise ITaly the moon--do whatever it takes to get him moving
east. If that is accomplished, go whew! and then try to steer him away
from attacking ?Austria in favor of Turkey, which will most likely create
a big mess in the east, leaving you free to win in the west (usually with
help from one or two quickly expendable russian units) and then maul one
or two of the warring eastern powers if they don't wake up in time to stop
you.
Belgium. Everyone wants its. Having it means you are one up on your rivals. Let Germany have it before England if you must. Be patient. If things go well, Belgium will come your way sooner if not later. It is more important for England to get into Belgium than Germny or you, so you might be able to hold it out as a carrot while you ready your very big stick. How many times does France send this message to England: "go ahead and try for Belgium I hope you get it," followed by this to Germany: "That English bastard is hell-bent on taking your center in Belgium!" When the smoke clears, you end up with Belgium. English Channel. You lose it, you die. You get it, chances are things will go well--London and Belgium are a step away now, and you can support action into the Irish Sea and North Sea. Don't let cry-baby Englands talk you out of it. And don't take it for granted that England won't try to grab it from you. A fleet built in London might go there, you know.
Geez, where to start? There are a lot. A Par-Bur, A MAr S A PAr-Bur,
F Brest-MAO: The most conservative opening, it really protects you from
Germny. But it is a bit of an over kill. How many times does Germany go
to Burgundy right away? 1 out of 100? You then go to Port and Spain and
get your two free builds, but kiss Belgium goodbaye (but only for Now!)
A PAr-Bur, A Mar-Spa, F Bre-MAO: This one says: I'm a little looser, and
usually means an Italian campaign is about to be waged. IT might tip the
board off that a triple is forming too. Because it is usually always followed
by MAO-Spa (SC) and A Spa-Port. Now, France can build a fleet in Mars.
and race after Italy (While getting her ass royally kicked by England and/or
Germany). If you go after Italy you know something I don't. It's suicide.
But this is how you might try to slyly to it. Anyting gong to Piedmont
in an opeing is also basically the same deal.
A PAr-Bur, F Brest-English Channel (or Picardy), A MAr hold (or support
PAr-Bur or go to Spain): The key here is that the fleet in Brest makes
a play for Belgium right off the bat. Obvoiusly, if you put two units on
Belgium in your opeing you are forfeiting the automatic two builds for
one, in exchange for a real say in Belgium. Not a bad idea, a bit antagonistic,
but the reality is that France sometimes is better off keeping a build
for the second year. It has save my ass a couple of times, because then
you can put that build exactly where you really need itin the Fall of '02,
something alot of players overlook. Two builds in ')1 is nice, but sometimes
the situation will change in that year and you wish you had a build in
'02 for say, a fleet in Brest or an army or whatever you should have built
but didn't . Now you can build what you should have because you never built
it wrong in the first place. If you want to carry this logic out to the
extreme, order Bre-EC, Par-Pic, Mar-Bur. Now you have three on Belgium.
You won't necessarily get it though, and then you ave 0 builds in the fall
and no place to hide.
One I will mention because it is a personal favorite of ours is the Gascony
series of openings--you order Par-Gas and usually Bre-MAO, and Mar-Spa
or hold, or to Bur. This is designed to convoy a unit to port or spain
(almost always Port) and keep the fleet in the MAO for a quick strike into
the North Atlantic or Irish sea against England. It is a tough sell to
England, because a good player will see the convoy as a bell signalling
a French assault. New player soften fall for it. If you go to spain and
get the two builds, consider building fleets on both coasts--it might confuse
the English. Having a fleet in MAO and BREST is a big move on England--and
strong too, just hope the German isn't too aggressive. Maybe you can try
this when your mom is playing Germany. But think about it. I really am
a pro-German style of French player. I've never been taken out by Germany
and I've tried it myself plenty and failed miserably. Enjoy!