Diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is MajorCommand's in-game system for sending private diplomatic messages and creating formal truce agreements with other players.
Diplomacy can be used to negotiate temporary peace, protect important borders, avoid unnecessary wars, coordinate short-term strategy, or warn another player before a conflict escalates.
All diplomacy is handled from the Diplomacy tab on the game page.
Quick summary
- Diplomacy lets players send private messages and create formal border truces.
- A truce protects a specific border, not an entire player.
- Diplomacy may be disabled, breakable, or unbreakable depending on the game settings.
- Private diplomatic messages stay private, but public chatter may show that diplomacy happened.
- Accepted truces may appear publicly because they affect the game state.
- Diplomacy is not available once a game reaches the final small-player stage.
Contents
When Diplomacy is available
Diplomacy is controlled by the game settings chosen when the game is created.
| Setting | What it means |
|---|---|
| None | Diplomacy is disabled for the game. |
| Breakable | Players can make diplomatic agreements, but a player may still choose to break an agreement. |
| Unbreakable | Players can make diplomatic agreements, and the game blocks hostile actions that would violate an active agreement. |
Diplomacy is intended for games with more than three active players.
When a game reaches three or fewer active players, new diplomacy is no longer available. Existing diplomatic agreements are ended because diplomacy no longer makes sense in the final stage of a small-player game.
Diplomatic messages
Players may send private diplomatic messages to other active players from the Diplomacy tab.
The contents of diplomatic messages are private. Other players cannot read the message body.
However, the public chatter may show that a diplomatic message was sent. This means other players may know that diplomacy is happening, but they will not know what was said.
Example public notice:
- Intercepted transmission: Player A sent a diplomatic message to Player B.
This keeps private diplomacy private, while still giving the rest of the table some awareness that negotiations may be taking place.
Diplomatic agreements
A diplomatic agreement is a formal truce over a specific border.
A truce is not a general peace agreement between two players. It only applies to the selected border or region pair.
For example, if Player A owns one region and Player B owns a neighbouring region, they may agree not to attack, blitz, or bombard across that specific border for a set period of time.
If the same two players share several borders, one truce does not protect all of those borders. Each border must be protected by its own agreement.
Creating a truce request
To create a truce request, use the Diplomacy tab and choose:
- One of your regions.
- A neighbouring region owned by another player.
- The player you are making the agreement with.
- The expiry time for the agreement.
- Any message or context you want to include.
The other player may then accept, reject, counter, or ignore the request.
Request expiry
A diplomatic request does not stay open forever.
If the other player does not accept, reject, counter, or otherwise respond before the request expires, the request is automatically voided.
In general, a request remains open until the start of the requester's next turn. This gives the other player a chance to respond without allowing old requests to linger indefinitely.
Expired requests no longer create agreements.
Accepting, countering, and renewing requests
If a player accepts a truce request, the agreement becomes active.
An active agreement records:
- The two players involved.
- The two regions or border points covered by the agreement.
- The expiry timing.
- Whether the game treats the agreement as breakable or unbreakable.
Once accepted, the agreement may also appear in the public Record because active truces are part of the visible game state.
Private message contents remain private.
A player may also be able to counter a diplomatic request instead of accepting it exactly as offered. A counter may suggest different terms, such as a different border or expiry time.
A request or agreement may also be renewed when players want the same general agreement to continue. A renewed request still needs to be accepted before it becomes an active agreement.
Breakable Diplomacy
In a game with Breakable Diplomacy, agreements are formal promises, but they are not physically enforced by the game engine.
If a player tries to take a hostile action across an active truce border, the game may warn them that the action would break a diplomatic agreement.
The player may still choose to continue.
Breaking an agreement can damage trust. Other players may remember that the player broke a truce, and the broken agreement may be visible in the diplomatic history or Record.
Unbreakable Diplomacy
In a game with Unbreakable Diplomacy, active agreements are enforced by the game.
A player cannot perform a hostile action across a protected border while the agreement is active.
This means an active truce blocks hostile actions such as:
- Attacking across the protected border.
- Blitzing across the protected border.
- Bombarding across the protected border, where bombardment applies.
Unbreakable Diplomacy is stricter and more predictable. If the agreement exists, the protected border cannot be violated until the agreement expires or ends.
What counts as a hostile action
Diplomacy applies to hostile actions that use the game's attack-style paths.
This generally includes attacking, blitzing, and bombardment-style actions.
It does not mean the two players are fully allied. A player may still attack the same opponent elsewhere unless that other border is also protected by a separate agreement.
What ends a truce
A diplomatic agreement can end for several reasons:
- The agreement reaches its expiry time.
- One of the protected regions changes owner.
- One of the involved players is defeated, removed, or otherwise no longer active.
- The game reaches three or fewer active players.
- In Breakable Diplomacy, a player breaks the agreement.
- The game ends.
When a truce ends, it no longer protects the border.
Territory ownership changes
Diplomatic agreements are tied to specific regions and their current owners.
If one of the regions involved in a truce changes owner, the agreement is no longer valid.
This prevents old agreements from accidentally protecting a border after the board position has changed.
Public and private information
Diplomacy has both private and public parts.
| Information | Visibility |
|---|---|
| Private diplomatic message body | Private to the involved players. |
| Notice that a diplomatic message was sent | May appear publicly in chatter. |
| Pending request details | Private to the involved players. |
| Accepted truce details | May be visible publicly because they affect the game state. |
| Broken, expired, or ended truce history | May appear in the Diplomacy tab or Record. |
The general rule is:
- Messages and negotiations are private. Active agreements that affect the board may be public.
Diplomacy tab
The Diplomacy tab is where players manage diplomatic activity during a game.
Depending on the game state, it may show:
- Private diplomatic messages.
- New diplomatic request controls.
- Incoming requests.
- Outgoing requests.
- Active truces.
- Broken truces.
- Expired truces.
- Recent diplomatic activity.
If Diplomacy is disabled for the game, or no longer available because too few players remain, the tab may show a message explaining that Diplomacy is not active.
Chatter notices
The public chatter may show diplomacy-related notices.
These notices are designed to give players awareness without revealing private details.
For example, chatter may show that one player sent another player a diplomatic message, or that a diplomatic event occurred.
The exact private message text is not shown.
Record tab visibility
Accepted truces may appear in the game Record because they affect what players can do on the board.
For example, the Record may show that a truce was accepted, expired, broken, or ended.
Pending requests and private message bodies should not be shown publicly in the Record.
Strategy and tips
Diplomacy can be powerful, but it should be used carefully.
Protect important borders
A short truce can protect a vulnerable border while you focus elsewhere.
This is especially useful when you are fighting on multiple fronts.
Avoid overly long agreements
Long agreements can become dangerous if the board changes.
A border that seems unimportant now may become critical later.
Short agreements often give you more flexibility.
Remember that a truce protects only one border
A truce over one border does not stop the same player from attacking you through a different route.
If several borders matter, you may need several agreements.
Watch for sneak-around paths
If Player A agrees not to attack from one region into another, they may still be able to attack around that border through a different route.
Good diplomacy requires understanding the map, not just the agreement text.
Use public chatter awareness
Even though private messages are private, other players may see that diplomatic messages are being sent.
This can create suspicion, pressure, or opportunities.
Sometimes the fact that diplomacy is happening matters almost as much as the message itself.
Trust matters
In Breakable Diplomacy, agreements can be broken.
Before relying on a truce, consider the other player's history, position, incentives, and need to expand.
A player who benefits greatly from breaking a truce may be tempted to do so.
Frequently asked questions
Can other players read my diplomatic messages?
No. Other players cannot read the private message body.
They may only see a public notice that a diplomatic message was sent.
Does a truce protect every border between two players?
No. A truce protects only the selected border or region pair.
If the same two players share multiple borders, each border needs its own agreement.
Can I attack the same player somewhere else?
Yes, unless that other border is also protected by an active agreement.
Diplomacy protects specific borders, not entire players.
What happens if I break a truce?
In Breakable Diplomacy, the game may allow the action but mark or record the agreement as broken.
In Unbreakable Diplomacy, the game blocks the hostile action while the agreement is active.
Can I make diplomacy agreements in a two-player game?
No. Diplomacy is not intended for games with three or fewer active players.
What happens when the game drops to three players?
New diplomacy is no longer available, and existing agreements are ended.
At that point, the game is too close to the final conflict for diplomacy to remain active.
Are accepted truces public?
Accepted truces may be visible because they affect the board and the legal actions players can take.
Private message contents remain private.