<p>No, you can only give orders for your own units.</p>

<p>The first sentence of paragraph 2, "Order writing phase" in <a href="https://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/diplomacy.pdf" rel="nofollow">the rules</a> is, emphasis mine,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Each player secretly writes "orders" <strong>for each of his/her own units</strong> on a slip of paper.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-16T03:35:08.290Z
With no rules reference or explanation, this is essentially an opinion comment rather than a legitimate answer (despite being correct). Another sentence or two by way of explanation, before I forget about this question, would garner an up-vote from me.
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-16T07:05:05.103Z
@ForgetIwaseverhere: I know, but I still feel this question needs an answer like this.
RemcoGerlich
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-12T18:37:46.073Z
2016-10-16T07:07:50.597Z
2016-10-16T07:07:50.597Z
RemcoGerlich
<p>A nation can support another nation's units. You just need to coordinate and issue the correct orders. Remember, you need to be specific with your support. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Army in X supports army moving from Y into Z.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-13T04:32:11.623Z
That's till inadequate - you must specify the territory from which the moving army/fleet being supported in its attack is moving (or being convoyed) from.
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-12T17:44:15.867Z
2016-10-13T05:27:15.913Z
2016-10-13T05:27:15.913Z
residood
<p>You can only send orders for your own units. You can use diplomacy to request another player to issue an order, but they are not required to do so.</p>

<p>You can issue an order to support a unit of another player (both move and hold). You can also convoy a unit of another nation.</p>

<p>But you can not support a unit that is attacking you.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-13T15:28:48.857Z
"But you can not support a unit that is attacking you."  Actually you can, but the order is voided by the attack (if I recall correctly).
Urhixidur
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-13T20:24:53.153Z
There are several versions of te rules. Some allow it some don't but the end is that it is voided.
Toon Krijthe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-12T19:29:53.080Z
2016-10-12T19:29:53.080Z
Toon Krijthe
<p>No.</p>

<p>The way to obtain the support of Player B's unit is to convince player B to write out the support order on your behalf.</p>

<p>Let's say you are France, allied with England against Germany. On the second turn, you move A Burgundy to Belgium, opposed only by a German fleet, Netherlands to Belgium. You want the support of the English fleet in the North Sea.</p>

<p>Even though you and England are allies, you can't write orders on his behalf. Instead, you must persuade him to write, F North Sea supports A Burgundy to Belgium on his own order card.</p>

<p>This is a good time to find out if England really is your ally. Maybe his order will be, instead, F North Sea supports F Netherlands to Belgium.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-15T14:49:03.923Z
The nationality on your orders is unnecessary, and also troublesome as giving an excuse for an argument over the *completeness* of an order. The nationality of a piece being ordered or supported is always irrelevant - as it is always fully determined from the piece's *start-of-move* location. It is highly desirable to practice, and demonstrate, a minimally fully complete methodology for writing orders.
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-15T18:01:12.083Z
@ForgetIwaseverhere: That's not the way I was taught, but i respect your suggestion enough to follow it. Fixed.
Tom Au
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-13T21:11:07.493Z
2016-10-15T18:00:28.177Z
2016-10-15T18:00:28.177Z
Tom Au
<p>In the Diplomacy board game, can player A issue a support order for a player B unit? Let's say player B has a hold order for his unit. Can player A use that unit for support in an attack? Basically, at any point under any circumstance can I "commandeer" an opponents unit to support my own attack, and in essence cut that support if he is also using it in an attack? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-12T17:59:46.567Z
You can only issue orders for your own units. I'm trying to work out if I have misread the question but you seem to be asking if you can issue orders to units that aren't yours...
Chris
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-12T18:54:10.810Z
I'm with Chris.  A specific example of the orders for player A and player B would help a great deal to clarify what you are asking about.
bwarner
<diplomacy>
Diplomacy Support Question?
mark S
# Diplomacy Support Question?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-12)

In the Diplomacy board game, can player A issue a support order for a player B unit? Let's say player B has a hold order for his unit. Can player A use that unit for support in an attack? Basically, at any point under any circumstance can I "commandeer" an opponents unit to support my own attack, and in essence cut that support if he is also using it in an attack?

**Tags:** diplomacy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You can only issue orders for your own units. I'm trying to work out if I have misread the question but you seem to be asking if you can issue orders to units that aren't yours...  
> **username_2**: I'm with username_1.  A specific example of the orders for player A and player B would help a great deal to clarify what you are asking about.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-10-12. Score: 7

No, you can only give orders for your own units.

The first sentence of paragraph 2, "Order writing phase" in [the rules](https://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/diplomacy.pdf) is, emphasis mine,

> Each player secretly writes "orders" **for each of his/her own units** on a slip of paper.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: With no rules reference or explanation, this is essentially an opinion comment rather than a legitimate answer (despite being correct). Another sentence or two by way of explanation, before I forget about this question, would garner an up-vote from me.  
> **username_3**: @ForgetIwaseverhere: I know, but I still feel this question needs an answer like this.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-10-12. Score: 3

A nation can support another nation's units. You just need to coordinate and issue the correct orders. Remember, you need to be specific with your support.

> Army in X supports army moving from Y into Z.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: That's till inadequate - you must specify the territory from which the moving army/fleet being supported in its attack is moving (or being convoyed) from.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2016-10-12. Score: 2

You can only send orders for your own units. You can use diplomacy to request another player to issue an order, but they are not required to do so.

You can issue an order to support a unit of another player (both move and hold). You can also convoy a unit of another nation.

But you can not support a unit that is attacking you.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: "But you can not support a unit that is attacking you."  Actually you can, but the order is voided by the attack (if I recall correctly).  
> **username_6**: There are several versions of te rules. Some allow it some don't but the end is that it is voided.  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2016-10-13. Score: 2

No.

The way to obtain the support of Player B's unit is to convince player B to write out the support order on your behalf.

Let's say you are France, allied with England against Germany. On the second turn, you move A Burgundy to Belgium, opposed only by a German fleet, Netherlands to Belgium. You want the support of the English fleet in the North Sea.

Even though you and England are allies, you can't write orders on his behalf. Instead, you must persuade him to write, F North Sea supports A Burgundy to Belgium on his own order card.

This is a good time to find out if England really is your ally. Maybe his order will be, instead, F North Sea supports F Netherlands to Belgium.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: The nationality on your orders is unnecessary, and also troublesome as giving an excuse for an argument over the *completeness* of an order. The nationality of a piece being ordered or supported is always irrelevant - as it is always fully determined from the piece's *start-of-move* location. It is highly desirable to practice, and demonstrate, a minimally fully complete methodology for writing orders.  
> **username_8**: @ForgetIwaseverhere: That's not the way I was taught, but i respect your suggestion enough to follow it. Fixed.  

---

