Foreign Affairs Proposal for June 12 turn

[chiefpaco]

Background:
Attitude Summary:
Polite: England
Cautious: India
Annoyed: Rome, Greece, Iroquois, China, Zululand
Furious: Aztecs, Babylon

Current FA Spending:
Nation, amount, turns to expire
Greece, 2gpt, 11
Iroquois, 2gpt, 10
India, 2gpt, 10

Here are the FA proposals for the next turn:

Turn 0
Zulu (annoyed, Common Neighbour)
I would endorse a tech trade with the Zulu in hopes that increased trading might ease tensions between our nations.

Babylon (furious, Rogue state)
Renegotiate peace for max gold. 80 was the most I could get.

England (polite, Favoured Nation)
I endorse resuming wine trade to keep relations tight with Elizabeth.

Rome (annoyed, Able Partner)
How about gifting them with Magnetism or one of our excess luxuries like Insence? They are a bit backwards now and this may improve our relations. What do you think?

All other ROP and Peace deals should resume even up. I'm avoiding setting up Greece and Iroquois deals for now as both look suspicious in starting wars. I suggest we let ROP deals go on a turn-by-turn basis with them.

If we do not fear the gift deals, then I would choose to spend gpt in the following ranking:
1. Iroquois (annoyed Favoured Nation)
2. India (cautious FN)
3. Rome (annoyed able partner)
4. Zulu (annoyed Common Neighbour)
5. Greece (annoyed AP but looking aggressive at the moment)

How much should we be spending?

 

[Shaitan]

Definitely help Rome out. They helped us when we were desperate for friends. They're also a nice doorway to a soft Greek underbelly in case that Greek troop movement is more than a training excercise.

 

[Lecky]

I agree with Shaitan. If the Greeks and Iros go hostile on each other then we end up in a very difficult firing line all along Kashmir. If either (or both) of them turn on us then we are directly engaged. Either way, Rome could be a very useful ally - or at least a transit zone. Lets be nice to Rome.

Lets not, all the same, be too mean with the Greeks. They DO have a massive army inside our borders after all. I would not wish them to consider any abandonment of the ROP as a hostile act on our part.

 

[donsig]

I agree with helping out Rome but would not go so far as to give them a luxury that might be better utilized elsewhere. Our horses deal with Ceasar is almost up. We could give them the horses after the current deal expires.

 

[Shaitan]

I'd like to see them get something they don't have already. Granted, it's a very nice gesture to supply their horseflesh gratis but it doesn't level the field between them and Greece at all.

 

[chiefpaco]

Sounds like a poll might be advantageous. Current proposals:
- Incense or Ivory (excess luxury we have 2 extra, value of 5gold in trade)
- Horses (turn 1)
- Magnetism
- Gold per turn
- Nothing, leave them annoyed

I will post later tonight. Let the debate continue here.

 

[Shaitan]

I'd say a combination. Do Magnetism right away and then horses in 5 turns. If they still aren't chipper, drop them a g/t on turn 10.

 

[donsig]

Shaitan's idea is good. I am not totally against giving Rome a luxury but would like to hear from trade first. If we can sell luxuries on the open market I prefer thaty over giving them away.

 

[chiefpaco]

I think its important to have a goal for our gifts. I think we agree that annoyed is not sufficient. Should we stop at cautious or go for Polite? At what cost shall we pay for polite?

I wouldn't be against going for polite, given that we have many options here. I am not against giving them anything, but would prefer to keep gold in our pockets, because we have a lot of free stuff that comes to no cost to us first.

 

[chiefpaco]

I haven't posted a poll for a while so I decided to poll this decision. Choose what we shall gift Rome with here:
Pleasing Rome

 

[chiefpaco]

Given the Trade Department's absence, I propose the following tech trade with the Zulu. Electricity would be discovered in 5 turns (after researching Medicine) at current 70% funding (600 science/turn):

Electricity, 25 gold (near their max gold)
for
Industrialization, Saltpeter, Incense

or Take out SP:
Electricity
for
Industrialization, Incense, 280 gold

or Take out the Incense:
Electricity
for
Industrialization, SP, 160 gold

Take out our SP and Incense and we would have to spend 635 gold. It appears our SP is worth 475 gold. Our Incense is worth 355 gold. The most they can afford is 4gpt and 25 gold for any deal. We have 2 excess Incense. I do not wish to take 4gpt from them to bankrupt them and get angry (not over 4gpt).

May I suggest the 1st deal? Saltpeter won't be that valuable to them. Shaka has Nationalism so they can build rifles. It would only allow cavalry.

England:
May I suggest:
Wines
for
Spices, Chemistry

A favourable deal for them, but we get Wines for giving up not much as far as we're concerned. No other nation would we get a luxury so easily, I believe. We have 1 excess Spices.

Note, these deals are not meant to replace Trade recommendations. In their absence, I am trying to improve FA relations. Nor am I looking at all possible deals with all nations.

 

[Chieftess]

The Trade Department will be altering it's policy a bit on strategic resources. We will now allow trading of strategic resources when the allowed units are outdated, or nearly outdated. So, I do support those deals. I will also be looking into more trades now.

 

[Chieftess]

Turn Chat Instructions:

Turn 0

India - End Gems deal

Zulus
Electricty --> Saltpeter (or 276 gold upfront), Indust., Incense

England (not sure we should trade these. Vote needed? They seem pretty harmless anyway.).

Wines --> Spices, Navigation, Chemistry, World Map

Turn 1

Rome - End Horses deal and renegotiate

Turn 5

Greece - Renegotiate Ivory deal (if they ask)
Zulus - Renegotiate Spice deal (if they ask)

Turn 6

India - Renegotiate Ivory deal (if they ask)

 

[chiefpaco]

Originally posted by Chieftess
Turn Chat Instructions:

Turn 0
Zulus
Electricty --> Saltpeter (or 276 gold upfront), Indust., Incense

England (not sure we should trade these. Vote needed? They seem pretty harmless anyway.).

Wines --> Spices, Navigation, Chemistry, World Map

We don't have to give up so much if we negotiate. Would you prefer the deals I proposed?

During your trade policy revision (strategic resources), what about also addressing a tech gap where we could use easily use technology in trade and gifts? (like trading away Chemistry while we research Medicine would be what, 6 techs away?)

 

[eyrei]

I support the trade for electricity wholeheartedly if we use saltpeter and not gold.