Diplo for Team Council

[jb1964]

Interesting that General_W is using the public forum to tell one and all that they are in the Middle Ages, have discovered Feud and apparently made the switch to Feud.

Since they went and landed SoZ I don't think they're intent on using Feud in the same manner we are but w/ more militaristic aspirations in mind.

Just another random thought.

 

[Sir Bugsy]

JB - I think this is a good analysis. I think it might be interesting to try and figure out what the other teams are trying to do victory-wise. I think there may be a good chance there is another team going for 100K.

 

[jb1964]

I'm just recalling that Council announced going medieval on turn 97 and here we are now just past turn 114.

Council, being Korean, is Scientific & Commercial. So, did they switch to Feud on 97 or just announced getting in the MI? Not sure if I want to ask the Babes to start paying attention to that because they've not noticed our government switch, or not mentioned it, yet. Anyway, I'm not positive they switched to Feud but they did mention that worker loads had doubled.

Team Free is Sumerian and therefore, Scientific & Agricultural. Hmmm, first time I realized that two scientifics are teamed up.

Anyway, if they were up and running w/ Feud on 97 then they and Free have had 17 turns in the Middle ages with one or two free techs. Let's assume 2 freebies (both getting Feud or Eng is only a 22% chance) and we know that one wasn't Mono but that Council now has had it for at least 3 turns. So, if they're standing on Eng & Feud there's 5 techs to MilTrad, including MilTrad. And since it's linear, at a minimum of 4 turns a pop, they're at most through Metal. If they're at a 5 turn clip then they're just past Chem.

One's got money (Com), the other's got growth (Ag) and they're both sitting on scientific. Again, it would be interesting to ask the Babes for a culture assessment to estimate libs but I'm not sure I want to draw attention to it.

Well, I think our play is to sit on our butts and let the FC axis come to us either by suicide galley or after they're on Astro.

One reason we would need the techs earlier would be to not blow past the needed shields for Sistine's and/or Leo's.

 

[jb1964]

Of course we will know for sure more about our opponents when they get contact. I only hope that we gain gunpowder from them, I seriously doubt they are at Chemistry (AND have traded across) but you never know. I think Council hit the MAs sooner, like around turn 88-90.

What clue was there that Council made it to the MA's around turn 89? Was there an earlier PM from the Babes about this?

We're assuming that the FC axis exists and that they crossed into the MA hand-in-hand. Neither bothered to research Mono until much later.

Does anyone out there know the players on these two teams well enough to take a stab at how they might be collaborating, or not?

 

[killercane]

It was something from the BABES way back when.

 

[jb1964]

From GW of Council....

Dear Party Animals of the GONG show,
Keepers of the Great Library & Pyramid of Cans,
Exporters of fine adult beverages,

Warmest greetings from the halls of The Council! We are pleased to
finally make your acquaintance, and look forward to a mutually
beneficial relationship.

What are you plans for this watery world? We look forward to hearing
from you!

General_W, speaking with the voice of The Council

 

[jb1964]

Our "Howdy do to The Council!

Hello to The Council from the fun-loving anarchists of the Gongers!

Our current plans are to assess our ever-expanding world and see how we can all move forward together in a fun-loving (not that there's anything wrong with that) way.

We have long heard of the relationship you have struck up with team Free. Rumor had it that the FC-Axis was on the verge of interstellar flight so we are bit nonplused that you two have only made a single deposit into the Great Gong Library.

Currently The Great Gong Library is only stocked w/ Iron Man comics, AAA maps of Whales and Indiana, and a tap that runs back to the Pyramids. Daghie never leaves that place except to beat on his drums that are specifically forbidden inside the Library. Once we actually get some books in that place we'll also have to deal with his incessant taping on "everything" with a #2 pencil and a spork.

In this world of odd islands, odd numbers, odd teams, and outright goofy characters it would be splendid if we could find a way to work together in a mutually beneficial manner. And since I'm not really the idea guy amongst the Gongers I'll wait to hear back from The Council, keepers of SoZ, new friends in the world of Rik, for suggestion as to how we may formally cooperate in the short, mid and long terms.

Salutations,

Ambassador jb of the Gongers

 

[Daghdha]

Splendid jb

 

[jb1964]

Council's reply... at least somebody has taken notice of our fine culture.

Dear jb and all GONG funlovers,

As you have correctly gathered, rumors of The Council flying cars and spaceships were greatly exaggerated. Don't despair over the marginal returns on your Great Spybary just yet… I'm sure you'll get your money's worth out of it… at the very least, it's sure to be a great source of cultural improvement!

We'll admit to some hesitation at working with you, as the Council Intelligence Agency long ago uncovered the GONG-BABE cooperation that catapulted you both into the (formerly fashionable) Middle Ages. But now with the BABE armada frustrated and wandering about aimlessly looking for beach party that's not already too crowded (if you catch my drift)… we're wondering if perhaps you're truly interested in other friends?

As a starting point, we'd like to offer you a D.A.B. treaty… Defense Against BABE. We could both agree to some guaranteed peace and to send gold to the other team if they're attacked by BABE?

Would you have any interest in such a deal?

Looking forward to seeing where we can go from here.

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

 

[killercane]

Ha will they give us peace until turn 260 in exchange for some gold? That would be a sweet deal. Whatever we decide has to be run through BABEs first right?

 

[jb1964]

Here's a draft of a letter that we could pose to The Council....

The intent of the letter is to keep bantering back and forth w/ Council until the Babes land.

And you're right, we can't enter into an agreement w/ the other's w/o getting the Babe's approval.

Honorable General_W and fine Council members,

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement regarding the future value of the Great Gong Library. Since all our information was filtered through Team Babe we only got a look at the picture that was painted for us. Daghie's calling it a Whompian Consipracy and Killer's words are less kind. Babe had a choice as to whom they wanted to tech partner up with to catch up to the FC-Axis and we got the nod over Saber. Lucky us. Obviously Saber felt the lack of love from the Babe hotties and wisely prepped for the worst.

Now the Babes were on a bit of a rampage, evidenced by the UN rants, and although they should/could be saber rattling, no pun intended, I think the remaining players are trying to lick their tactical wounds and settle on a change of direction. Also, since we currently have a peace agreement w/ the Babes we're counting on them retaining a sense of honor and not pillaging our malted beverage supply in the near term. We've also given them glimpses of our roaming GS's and let them figure out just how long a stack of MW's would last against that. So we don't have an urgent need for a D.A.B. treaty. Also being a Feudal society sitting on our Spybary our need for gold to rush anything is about zero. But our ability to provide gold in a time of need is certainly not zero.

Like you, we're not interested in the Babes running amok, even at your expense, while the rest of us are so far from Astro and the ability to keep them in check. So we're interested in a faster tech pace that would move all of us towards Astro and provide some parity in the high seas and a real fear that an offensive move could be countered w/ a landing from a partner. But now we're back to our investment in the Great Gong Library. Our desire to move forward scientifically is counterbalanced by our desire to sit on our lazy butts and rake in techs for free.

Therefore, if the Babes are going to leverage their ownership of the seas we would like to enter into an agreement that helps us reach Astro before long while also providing the D.A.B. partners some level of comfort in the event of an unwanted beach party. The question becomes, are you interested in helping us get to Astro and at what cost? Also on the table are the lower tier techs and long term agreements reguarding the sharing of luxeries once trade can be established.

 

[Sir Bugsy]

I like that letter JB. It should keep the dialogue open. That is key.

 

[killercane]

The letter sounds good, though stringing them along for too long will raise some eyebrows there. If they really want peace, and we can persuade them to trade techs over to Free in exchange for that, then we should go for it.

 

[Daghdha]

Nice letter methinks. Keep diplo w Council slow and witty and see what Babes decide to do.

 

[jb1964]

Message sent.

Will look into peace for tech trading.

 

[jb1964]

OK, here's the military portion of the Gong/Babe treaty..

Military:
No Fighting
-Teams Gong and Babes will live in peace and not take any miltary action towards each other, nor will they in any other way support a third party in conflict with the other part in this treaty.

I don't think by maintaining peace w/ the FC Axis of dirtbags we violate the treaty. We could then offer a peace agreement w/ FC in exchange for THEM exchanging techs. We can't deny the techs to the Babes so we could agree to provide the FC Axis half of all compensation we get out of the Babes IF we sell. And half of zero is a small number. Maybe even put a turnplay limit on the sale.

Dunno, just random thoughts...

 

[Nate1976]

Where can I find the treaty terms to look at? I checked the GMail account but nothing stood out as being them. Maybe ww could save the treaties in a seperate folder?

-Nate

 

[jb1964]

Where can I find the treaty terms to look at? I checked the GMail account but nothing stood out as being them. Maybe ww could save the treaties in a seperate folder?
-Nate

This is a good idea. I'll open up a documents thread.

 

[jb1964]

This is the reply from Council.

Dear jb and all GONGlings,

Why dear! If we had known you wanted Theology, you could have just
asked! No need to steal these things, we're always happy to lend our
neighbors a cup of sugar, a cube of butter, or some of our advanced
and secret knowledge.

We're pleased to learn that we're so close to FREE that we're now an
Axis! Were you aware of this FREE? Good news, I'd say!

As for these other lower level techs you speak of… did you have a
proposal in mind? While we're always fans of vague and thinly-veiled
fishing expeditions… The Council would also be happy to entertain any
proposals you'd like to offer.
Hard for us to say, since we're not sure what kind of…er… "bind"… the
BABE's have you in!

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

P.S. Hello FREE!

 

[jb1964]

And my reply to that.....

Understand that many comments in this note are total BS. I'm just trying to paint a picture for them that's not exactly reality. However, the part that I'm winging this is quite true. Again, sorry if isn't helping.

And the fact that our treaty w/ the Babes never does end doesn't preclude me from suggesting that it does.

Haha! Very good.

We actually would like all your techs in exchange for a beer, one of Bug's songs, and Gong goodwill but I don't think that currency is quite so valuable that you would be willing to make that deal.

Sorry about the axis reference. I guess that does sound a bit militaristic, and not in a good way. I just wanted to hurry things along because a deal cannot be made without both Team FREE's and The Council's cooperation via the, as you put it, Spybary. And it's not a secret that our path into the MIddle Ages w/ the Babes was right behind Team FREE and The Council. BTW, anyone seen SABER?

The bind is that our current agreement w/ the Babes does not allow us to consort w/ others on tech w/o running it past the Babes. The Spybary gives us the opportunity to skirt that provision and keep w/i the letter of the law while maybe not the spirit.

My fishing expedition is only to see if you're even interested in discussing the matter and what you might find worthwhile. I wasn't too involved in MPDG #1 so I didn't want to toss out any suggestions that would be insulting. Since Team Gong seems to consist of me, Daghie and Cane I'm pretty much flying solo on diplomacy. And Daghie only seems to show up to needle SABER. The one thing I did pick up from last game is that Team KISS would banter back and forth endlessly w/ the Nuts, getting nowhere; while we could all hear MIA's machinery clanking at a fevered pitch. I don't want to banter while Rome burns.

I guess in my mind we can offer lasting peace, agreement to not materially support an aggressor, and futures on luxury trades and technology. All of our attempts to map beyond our continent ended abruptly, repeatedly, so we have little to offer in the way of maps other than our own which I doubt Cane would agree to part with. But I can always ask.

How about Invention for peace for 80 turns & guaranteed luxury trading? For the peace agreement we'll pay you 25% of the current value of Invention, via installments. We're also open to paying more for the peace agreement should any other tech flow our way via the Spybary.

Well, there's a starting position off the top of my pointy-head. Of course if there's no deal to be had prior to Education then we'll need to wait until we're less encumbered to discuss scientific cooperation.

Thanks for the response.

Regards, jb