About

President: Lars Nordquist; Vice Presidents: Hadley Pade, and Matthew Chalk

This is the website for the STA Diplomacy Club.

Diplomacy is a board game played by any number of players, usually more than 4, and this site is the home of the Saint Albans School Diplomacy Club. This game relies on both tactical and strategic thought — that is to say, not only planning the nitty-gritty of unit movements and attacks, but also enacting overarching strategies. It is much like chess in that its simplicity allows the tactical and strategical genius of players to shine; however, because it almost always has more than two players, the heart of the game lies with interactions between players competing for dominance of the map. As well, Diplomacy can be played on a large variety of different boards with different starting positions, with some maps even made by the players themselves; this aspect allows not only for variety in gameplay but also in the character of the game itself and in the strategy and tactics involved. The presence of many players allows for complex systems of alliances and wars, and the constant threat of treachery keeps all on their toes. Real life diplomacy has shaped the course of human history for millennia, from the breakup of Alexander’s empire to the establishment of the United Nations, and this club, though it may seem to be a simple board game, seeks to allow members to emulate the triumphs and failures of diplomacy through human history.

Prospective members should email any of the leaders (lnordquist@stalbansschool.org, hpade@stalbansschool.org, mchalk@stalbansschool.org), or come see one of us during the school day.

Currently running games: Europe, Mediterranean

Past games: Colonial Asia; winner Ilyas Talwar