Over-success when holding in Diplomacy

Question

What happens if an army is holding and has more support than an army attacking it? It didn't say in the copy of the rules on Wikipedia.

Answer 1

A unit holding that has more or equal valid support to hold than its attacker stays put (wins). Here are some examples:

Example 0: Greater Valid Support To Hold

• Army Gascony -> Paris
• Army Brest supports Gascony -> Paris
• Army Paris Holds
• Army Belgium supports Paris
• Army Ruhr supports Pairs

Paris's support plus itself is 3 strong, and Gascony's support plus itself is 2 strong, so the defense is greater and Paris holds

Example 1: Equal Valid Support To Hold

• Army Gascony -> Paris
• Army Brest supports Gascony -> Paris
• Army Paris Holds
• Army Belgium supports Paris

Paris's support plus itself is 2 strong, and Gascony's support plus itself is 2 strong and the tie does to the defender so Paris holds

Example 2: An invalid support

• Army Gascony -> Paris
• Army Brest supports Gascony -> Paris
• Army Paris Holds
• Fleet Belgium supports Paris (* invalid -- you can only support where you can move *)

Paris's support from Belgium was invalid, so it doesn't exist. Paris is at one strong, and Gascony's support plus itself is 2 strong and so Gascony wins and Paris is dislodged.

Example 3: A support of a move instead of a hold

• Army Gascony -> Paris
• Army Brest supports Gascony -> Paris
• Army Paris Holds
• Army Belgium supports Paris -> Brest (* invalid -- Paris isn't trying to move to Brest *)

Paris's support from Belgium wasn't to hold, so it doesn't help. Paris is at one strong, and Gascony's support plus itself is 2 strong and so Gascony wins and Paris is dislodged.

Answer 2

Units can move to another area. If the area is occupied, it is seen as an attack. And that needs to be resolved.

Each unit (either moving or held) has a value of 1. And each unit that successfully supports a unit, adds 1 to the total value. And the total values are compared.

There are now three possibilities:

• The attacking unit has a higher value. The attack wins and the defending unit must retreat (or is disbanded).
• The attacking unit has the same value as the defender. The attack fails. Both units stay at their own area.
• The defending unit has a higher value. The attack fails. Both units stay at their own area. (There is no additional advantage to the defender because of the higher value).