I used to think that this was a pretty good solution. Maybe the behavior has been patched, but I no longer think that exchanging embassies matters hardly at all. I don’t give one up until I have writing, but I no longer wait on NC. After ~T75, they either know where you are, or you are too far away to forward settle.
I was using 4 for a long time, as 5 was too limiting too much of the time. That turned out to be messing with my GotM submissions
so I changed it back to 3. But playing with 4 for the long while got me over a hump.