Dumbest Thing You've Ever Done

[andrewlawton]

After kicking myself repeatedly over entering an order as a support rather than the intended convoy order (and thus revealing I had secured the support of two powers), I thought it might be fun to put the question out there to my fellow Diplomats: What's the dumbest thing (game-defining or otherwise) you've ever done while playing DIplomacy?

[adebruyn666]

Once, I send a message to France informing him that, after our little dance, now was the turn I was going to backstab my long-term ally England.

Except I sent the message to England...

It was... humbling.

[Natteron]

That's like hitting "Reply All" on an email when you were talking smack about someone on the list.... and funny!

My dumbest thing so far - I'm still in my first game: Before I got used to the structure of "Messages" I thought the 'Mark' notation meant it was "From Mark" because we had a player named Mark, who was the player for Russia. This happened at the beginning of the first season. I had all of these interesting assumptions about Russia's moves and intentions when it was really Austria who was sending messages. Wow, did I put myself into a problematic situation at the beginning. Really dumb! But, I survived... Phew!

I'm sure there are more to come!

[ruffdove]

Easily the dumbest thing I ever did was in a recently ended stuff happens game. I was an 11 center Russia allied with Austria and Germany and in prime position to stab. England was in IRI with a fleet that for the year had a strength of two (stuff happens). I was in NAO. I convinced England to go to MAO and take Spain to stop Austria and be a part of an RAE 3-way. He bought it. Germany was in ENG and I thought I had worked it out that he would support England to MAO... but we were being vague in our communications in case of an intercept and he misunderstood me. I COULD have also supported IRI to MAO and taken LVP in the fall... but I thought Germany was supporting so I just went to Lvp in the Spring... Incredibly stupid. France moved to MAO with support and bounced England's superfleet, which of course turned around and kicked my ass out of Lvp.

Also in the Fall turn, I stabbed A and G for three centers (Den, Hol, Bul) to go to 14 (should have been 15 with Lvp). The following turn I took two more centers, but it was over. Everyone was reacting and there was no path to 18. Had I just supported England's super fleet to IRI in the spring, I would have taken and kept LvP in the Fall, and Superfleet would have taken Spain (England had a fleet in Por) from France instead of Austria taking it. Austria taking Spain gave him the build he needed to stop me in the Balkans... If he had been robbed of that build by England, I would have been at 15 with an easy path to 18.

Instead I wound up as part of a RAE draw. Just... really infuriating when you beat yourself.

[condude1]

Hmm, I'd say the dumbest thing I've done was in a tournament on this site. There was one game where I was Italy, and Austria and I joined forces against a Juggernaut intent on our destruction. After like 5 years of tenacious defense, I misordered a support and let Turkey into the Ionian, promptly ending the game for both Austria and myself. That was... unfortunate to say the least.

[Phlegmatic]

My personal favourite was in a gunboat game a few months back.

Playing as Turkey I was close to the solo and had muscled my way into MAO. Victory was near. I cleverly left MAO unsupported, so it could retreat somewhere mischievous and waited for France to take the bait.

I woke early and checked my phone. Hurrah, France had dislodged me as hoped and I could retreat as planned!! This was wonderful! In a fit of deliciously smug self-congratulation, and without checking the previous turn’s orders. I retreated to the now vacant Spain in a move that must surely wrap up the solo! Nothing could possibly go wrong!

Imagine my puzzlement then rage then despair when I discovered that Spain had been battled in a bounce and my supposedly game-winning fleet was destroyed in a massive flash of hubris. Utter, utter genius...

[Pootleflump]

Ask dib about the time he had a beer or two too many and accidentally posted the message trail about our carefully constructed, imminent stab in the PP, lol.

[Phlegmatic]

Ask dib about the time he had a beer or two too many and accidentally posted the message trail about our carefully constructed, imminent stab in the PP, lol.

I can independently verify that this happened, it was an absolute beaut