Embassy to mavericks

[CharlemagneXLII]

I think we had decided not to try and trade for MC since we'll get it soon enough. Getting MC then giving it away is a good way to make them enemies quickly. We want to string them along and leave them behind slowly and gently so they don't get too desperate fast. This will probably be the thing we do that will give us the most guilt in this game, these guys seem alright and I don't like abandoning them. Still, there can only be one.

 

[Earthling]

For the record, I feel zero guilt at all, and I'm not sure I'd classify these guys as any more "nice" and not a team of hotheads than any other team. That's my own view though, and I'm also annoyed by pre-game talk and decisions from their team. But in short - they got to play the game they wanted to play, it's baffling but really no one else's fault they failed to get themselves out of isolation and make alliances. I favor diplomatic approaches to everything in general in a game like this, but imho there's no reason at all to feel bad that a team who clearly should have known how tech trading alliances work is left out.

 

[Bowsling]

Drafted a reply:

TheMike of the Mavericks,
Your reply was very helpful, it is good to be clear with why you offered those tech trades that you offered. Our team thought that you were trying to insult us for making trades with other teams.

Unfortunately, we are getting Metal Casting soon, and getting it a few turns in advance would not be helpful at all.

We understand that you would love to make a tech trade, but, you have nothing to give us.

Apologies,
Ambassador Bowsling
Team Quatronia​

 

[Earthling]

That's actually a great reply too, I like it as it stands as far as I'm concerned.

 

[CharlemagneXLII]

Agreed.

 

[Bowsling]

Sent it.

 

[Bowsling]

Chatted with obsolete

Spoiler :

Didn't log the whole chat, but got some important parts.
Some notes:
Testing our relations with Amazons; saying that Amazons have a WB with 3 galleys behind it 1 turn away
Amazons sent them a cryptic message, and Sirius renegaded. Don't ask me what it means, although you can try and decipher their ramblings from the screenie.
They are also building the Pyraminds

 

[cav scout]

Wait, what is this about 3 galleys?

And by renegaded do you think they meant reneged?

 

[Earthling]

I can't really make sense of this message, and would prefer to avoid chats with Mavericks in partiucalar as they are not allies. But first - we certainly haven't heard that AMAZONs/Sirius have three galleys, that's a very large total investment, and obviously they can't invade India yet, so that's just odd.

On the other things mentioned - I wouldn't be surprised if he was flat-out lying or being misleading about the Pyramids. They Oracle'd Metal Casting and could very likely be doing the Colossus and trying to stall for time on that, and anyway, mids are still crazy expensive at this point in the game. So if they did go for the Mids that all but dooms them even more, not that it wouldn't be good news, but I don't think they are that stupid and are probably trying to be wily.

 

[galdarian]

If they Oracled MC then they are doing the Colussus. That and you wouldn't go for Pyramids without stone. Not in an MP game anywho.

 

[CharlemagneXLII]

I think they were fishing for information (which they didn't get, it seems) and feeding us false information. Your comments about the pyramids make sense, and the three galleys are just a flat out lie (if they were smart, they should know that we know that, having sent a workboat that way). I don't understand their comments about Sirius, they don't even know them! They most definitely suspect something is up with us and Amazon and are getting frustrated. I think the best thing to do for now is mostly ignore this, maybe send them a note in the next few turns asking them where those galleys are.

For the record, I no longer feel bad for these guys if this is how they do diplomacy.

 

[Earthling]

For the record, again, we should be fair and know that an entire team isn't always represented by what is said by some players, especially informally - though yeah, I'm not surprised about obsolete here. And they are in a tough position/backed into a corner.

On the other hand, however, I again don't feel too bad about their position, because they clearly should have known better (several players on their team very prominent arguing about pre-game rules and settings, and announcing pregame when settings were set-up they'd do so well and have alliances and so on). And furthermore - in the game itself they put minimal effort into exploration and diplomacy, clearly focusing on their internal affairs/wonders/religion almost exclusively.

But still, let's be careful and reasonable ourselves - and we always really get a feel to check how things are going if we wanted to discuss more with Sirius or AMAZONs for instance.

 

[cav scout]

Mavs see the writing on the wall and know their only hope is to break up this alliance that they aren't part of. So I bet we aren't the only ones they are sending false info to. I hope the Amazons take anything these guys say with a grain of salt.

 

[RegentMan]

Should we send our allies a heads up or do we trust them to come to the same conclusion as us?

 

[Provolution]

Machinery for sale
As I understand it, you are about to get MC from someone else. Have you made a deal yet for Machinery? Because we may be willing to sell when you finally unlock MC. If so, let us know so we may be able to hammer out some sort of fair agreement.

Obsolete sent this PM as a feeler, its up to you gents what you want to do with it.

 

[Earthling]

It would be great to have Machinery for faster optics but it's even better to stick to our guns, keep trading with our allies, and I doubt we can make this trade well enough to benefit the whole alliance, Mavs probably want something imbalanced again.

 

[RegentMan]

We'll get machinery soon enough anyway. The point of the ETTT is to leave the mavericks and Merlot behind; any tech trades made with them goes against this.

 

[CharlemagneXLII]

They sent something else. It was in bold this time.

Dear friend Quatronia:

Over a week ago the Mavericks inquired if you wished to gain Metal Casting through a deal to benefit us both. However, you did mention that you were already about to gain MC in a few turns, which we understand.

Since you then are just about to unlock the next tier-tech, we would be willing to sell Quatronia Machinery to you now so we can boost relations, as well as our power together. Please let us know what you would be willing to trade for this key tech.

How much longer are we going to try to string them along?

 

[Bowsling]

A reply:

The Mavericks,

It was good to hear from your people again, we were worried that a terrible calamity had wiped out your civilization.

We have received your messages, and we appreciate your continuing willingness and enthusiasm to make a technology trade. As we have already specified, it is not possible to make a technology trade.

Also, I, Ambassador Bowsling, recently had a lengthy discussion with one of your senior officials, obsolete. While this chat helped solidify our alliance, we also received some bewildering messages. We were told that three Amazon galleys were traveling towards our continent behind a workboat and with no clear intentions. This exploring workboat recently came in to sight of Quatronian sentries, with absolutely no sign of galleys. It would be very reassuring to know what obsolete meant by these claims.

Best Regards,
Ambassador Bowsling
Quatronia​

 

[Earthling]

That's actually a great message, since we're not really interested in trade, but it does put the onus on them in the situation. They clearly knew they've been lying/doing silly stuff between different teams and it's not unreasonable for us to act confused by that.