Team Babe Embassy

[cubsfan6506]

Definatly know tech trading.

 

[Niklas]

Not cultural waters, as discussed before. Territorial waters is a better word, though it requires an explanation. Also I think you're giving it too much weight. This should be an off-hand remark, as if we never expected anything less and that it shouldn't really bear mention.

My attempt:

Dear Alessandra (and all Babes)!

What a pleasure to meet you! We welcome you to the coasts of The Council.

We hope we can build a peaceful and profitable relationship with you. Of course, we recognize that there is iron behind the smiling faces of your lovely ambassadors, and we fully expect the mighty armies of the BABES to march forth in due time. Therefore, it obviously becomes us to see if we can make ourselves a less appealing target and more appealing friend.
Therefore, we'd like to explore options for peace.

You currently don't have any knowledge we lack, but would you be interested in purchasing some of our tech? We're open to any fair suggestion if the idea of trading gold for tech appeals to you at all? Let us know.

We would of course also ask your curragh not to sail further along our coasts*. While your babes people are always welcome in our lands, our people are somewhat reclusive and we must keep our cool mysterious image. Surely you appreciate the value of such map knowledge, and understand why we wish for it to remain a secret for now.

* By our coasts we of course mean not only our cultural waters, but any coastal/sea tiles outside our main landmass.

All the best,
General_W, speaking with the voice of The Council

I'd like to further stress to the Council that I don't think this is in any way offensive. It is a highly natural request, and they really should ask our permission before sailing on in any case. There is absolutely no reason for them to sail on, except to map our shores. Any other contacts they could reach are closer to them by other routes. And there is absolutely no reason for them to map our shores, except to plan for an invasion.

 

[General_W]

That's a very good letter Niklas! Nice work

Let's just call that version 3.

Only suggestion I'd make is changing the "costal/sea tiles outside our main landmass" to "costal/sea tiles around our main landmass" … just because technically everything is outside our main landmass

 

[Niklas]

Aye, I can agree to that. BABE has the save now, though Wotan is probably asleep. Should we be fast and send this before they get to play another turn? I think yes.

 

[donsig]

I think version 3 is the best. I think we should sent it. Lots of good discussion on this one and I was working all darn day. Well, Council!

 

[AutomatedTeller]

I think it's fine to send.

They might stay out of the coastal waters, though I dunno if they would or not. I am fairly sure we wouldn't if we had the lighthouse.

I am certain they will not stay out of the sea tiles, and I am pretty sure I wouldn't believe them if they said they would.

 

[General_W]

ok - well, I'll go ahead and send it now!
Babe still has the save...

 

[Niklas]

Checking the save, their curragh is nowhere to be seen.

 

[Paul#42]

Where was it the last time we saw it and where could it be now?
Could it be back to the shallows it reached our shores over? Or did move too far away from theer and seize other shallows (they did not know before)?

Could anybody show it on a screenie of Aigburth' map?

 

[Aigburth]

This screen is from zyxy's last turn log



It could be in the fog just of the coast by the marsh north of where the curragh is in that picture. We should probably move that warrior down to have a look.

 

[Paul#42]

Thanks.
I'm pretty sure it hides there.

However I had hoped for your artifical map with some red crosses and a red circle drawn on it

But this also helps, I'll draw my circles and crosses in my mind's canvas.

 

[Aigburth]

I could do something at lunch, it takes a little too much time to fit in between writing work emails

 

[General_W]

well, at the least, if they're sailing north, maybe they'll meet their doom with that Barbarian Galley!

 

[cubsfan6506]

well, at the least, if they're sailing north, maybe they'll meet their doom with that Barbarian Galley!

Perhaps we should warn them. As a show of good faith. That curragh won't make that much of a difference.

 

[General_W]

Well, no one here can say I didn't warn you about this...

Dear Bureaucrats of the Council,

We find your offer of peace heartwarming however we find your demand regarding your coastal waters provocative and discouraging for our future.
Our vessels do not carry military personnel so come purely with peaceful intentions. If you do not agree to let us pass through we will consider this a dire breach in our relationship.

Sincerely your new envoy,

The Bambino

Not that we really expected to get along with them anyway. I hope the fear of our MDI outweighs their anger at our "provocative" demands.

What now?

EDIT: I’m not trying to be annoying – I agreed to go along with the letter we sent, and am very disappointed in this response from BABE. I just wish it was more unexpected…

 

[Paul#42]

As this curragh obiously can't carry units, I would tend to give in by allowing this (and only this) vessel to sail our shores (just to save our face)

If we become aggressive right now, they would quickly find out how thin our armada is... Once we are able to produce some "navy" we could draw a harder line when they come back with galleys...

Going for Ironclads anyone?

I still think it was worth a try.

 

[Niklas]

They are a bully, or they don't realize what they are asking. I think this is something that would call for an IM dialogue, to be sorted out in the best way. I uphold that their ship has nothing to do in our waters at all. If they want the maps, we can sell them to them on our terms, that would be nothing but fair.

It doesn't matter how thin our armada is, that's not the issue. They would quickly find that out if they sailed on too. They have no legitimate reason to be here at all.

I propose sending back a note of great surprise, asking what their reason is for wanting to sail further on. There simply can't be a legitimate reason.

 

[tomasjj]

They are a bully, or they don't realize what they are asking. I think this is something that would call for an IM dialogue, to be sorted out in the best way. I uphold that their ship has nothing to do in our waters at all. If they want the maps, we can sell them to them on our terms, that would be nothing but fair.

It doesn't matter how thin our armada is, that's not the issue. They would quickly find that out if they sailed on too. They have no legitimate reason to be here at all.

I propose sending back a note of great surprise, asking what their reason is for wanting to sail further on. There simply can't be a legitimate reason.

Agree with every word.

Imo, they were only looking for an excuse to come out with the statement claiming they have been "provoked" on this issue.
They planned to map out that coast anyway, and now try to disguide it.

"If you do not agree to let us pass through we will consider this a dire breach in our relationship."

That in itself is ridiculous and insulting. They ask for a right of passage, no they actually make threats to get one for free. And their intention is most likely to map out our coast to find out where they will attack.

 

[tomasjj]

As this curragh obiously can't carry units, I would tend to give in by allowing this (and only this) vessel to sail our shores (just to save our face)

Imo, that would have exaclty the opposite effect of saving face. It would be to back down and admitting that our prior words were hollow.

 

[Niklas]

An attempt at a reply:

Dear Babes and Bambinos,

we are surprised and saddened by your sudden offensive posture. We can only hope your words stem from ignorance and too rash thinking.

Our request that your curragh does not map our coastlines is nothing but reasonable, which we are sure you would agree to if you take th time to think it over. There is nothing to be gained for you by travelling further, except the knowledge of the lay of our land. And there is no gain in that knowledge for anyone except in the case that they were planning for a possible invasion. It does not matter whether it is you or someone else, we simply do not want this knowledge to come out. And if it should come out, it should be on our terms, through a trade that we have agreed to. There is also nothing else for your explorers to do in our lands, no further contacts to be reached by pressing on that could not be reached much easier from your home lands.

Our close allies have understood and respected this our wish without further ado, which is only natural if there are no hostile intentions. Our stance on this can certainly be seen as defensive, but not in any way offensive since we do not deny you anything of value to you. However, were you to persist in your wish to sail on, we can only perceive your actions as aggressive. We are sure you understand our position in this.

Thus we ask you again, kindly do not sail onwards along our coasts. You are of course free to stay inthe waters you already know, we have absolutely no reason to fear your friendly sailors. But please, no further.

We sincerely hope you will realize the truth in our words and that a peaceful and cooperative spirit will guide our future relations. Let not curiosity cloud your vision!

Peace and all the best,

The Council