Foreign Policy: CivFr

[Bowsling]

Prepared a quick draft:

Hello,

We'd be more than willing to trade maps with you. Our knowledge of that area is sadly deficient, and we'd love to get more information about it. Do note that we have already exchanged maps with both Apolyton and CivPlayers, so our picture of the world is nearly complete. Of course, following those agreements, we are obliged to trade them our maps, so those two teams would both gain knowledge of your land.

We are still very interested in purchasing your extra source of gems. Was our offer of wines and 1 gpt per forge built not acceptable? The sooner we can get this deal worked out, the better.

I'm assuming we already have permission to trade maps?

 

[2metraninja]

We just got final permission from Poly to trade their map to CivFR. LOL, MZ said their biggest concern was they both told each-other how bad their lands are and how they needed that disputed piece of land and now the truth will shine for everyone to judge.

I still think we must remove the part where we tell CivFR

Do note that we have already exchanged maps with both Apolyton and CivPlayers, so our picture of the world is nearly complete. Of course, following those agreements, we are obliged to trade them our maps, so those two teams would both gain knowledge of your land.

If they ask about terms of distribution, just then we tell them we have agreements with Poly and CP and ask for permission to trade to them.

 

[Sommerswerd]

We should be honest with them about who we must give the map to.

 

[2metraninja]

But only if they ask. If not, why would we scare them: "We are whole block, beware, you are not dealing only with us!"

 

[2metraninja]

Because we really need their gems and they seems to want our map, lets tell them the following:

Hello French friends,

Of course we will be willing to trade maps with our friends and trade partners.

We are still very interested in purchasing your extra source of gems. Do you accept our offer of wines and 1 gpt per forge built? The sooner we can get this deal worked out, the better. ALso, we want to make this deal long one. what you say if we sign this gems for wines deal for 50 turns?

 

[Bowsling]

But why do we want to deceive them? They think that they are only trading maps with us, but in reality we are obliged to give this map to CivPlayers and Apolyton. Isn't honesty the best policy here?

 

[2metraninja]

Depends how you look at it. For me, honesty=not lying. We are not lying. Why should we tell them every weird little secret we have on the second date?

 

[2metraninja]

And also, just re-read what I had wrote last (was sleepy and dont clearly remembered till now), but we say it explicit:

Of course we will be willing to trade maps with our friends and trade partners.

How much clearer we need to state we will trade maps with all our friends and partners

Joking aside, lets send it already. Time when we will need it is closing very quick. Lets not allow diplomacy holds our in-game plans.

 

[Sommerswerd]

Not only will money not buy us friends and allies... Mistrusts and secrets will also gain us no friends nor allies. Lets be nice until RB is a smoking, crippled ruin at least. Then we can go back to some cloak and dagger

 

[2metraninja]

But nowhere we have secrets other than the normal. My reasons for not telling them we will trade maps with Poly and CP are that they feel special. Not some "Number 3 best friend".

 

[2metraninja]

BTW, they have an archer on our borders and will start mapping us out from next turn, so they might not be interested in map trades after some 5-10 more turns as they will have our territory mapped out.

 

[YossarianLives]

I like 2metra's version. We absolutely do not need to offer up information about our deals with other teams. Now if they ask, then I definitely agree that we should be honest with them, but I don't see the point of throwing all that unrequested information at them.

Time is of the essence here, we need those gems. I also want to point out that unless I missed a chat somewhere, we have not yet offered them any gpt for their gems. We have not mentioned it in email correspondence ever since they told us a straight-up wine for gems deal wouldn't be enough. I think 2metra's wording still works, though.

Bowsling, I'd say it's your call here as ambassador

 

[2metraninja]

Very good observation about us not even mentioning the +1gpt per forge, Yossa.

 

[YossarianLives]

It's been in the back of my mind, but I didn't have a chance to look through our email correspondence to confirm that until today.

 

[2metraninja]

Sending this in few minutes in no one objects. Its been 3 days already.

Hello French friends,

Of course we will be willing to trade maps with our friends and trade partners. We are still interested in purchasing your extra source of gems. Do you accept offer for your gems for our wines and 1 gpt per forge built on our side? The sooner we can get this deal worked out, the better. ALso, we want to make this deal long one. What you say if we sign this gems for wines deal for 50 turns?

 

[2metraninja]

Because this deal will act like somewhat NAP too, maybe is better idea to shorten it to 20 turns. This way CIvFR will be afraid to try to play us and take Zulu cities when we start the war with Spaniards. Also, we will have the the Spaniads luxuries, we will have Notre Dame, the whip/draft anger will be worn out too.

 

[RegentMan]

20 turns seems better. We can always renegotiate to extend it should we require it, but we won't be committed to a full 50 turns in case an opportunity comes up.

 

[2metraninja]

Indeed.

Sent.

 

[YossarianLives]

Did we ever try offering CivFr a map trade in-game after sending the message? I feel like they would probably accept it since they were the ones who originally asked for the trade. The again, I noticed we've been mapping out a lot of their land ourselves, so maybe we are less interested in this after all? Will our scout be able to reach the Spanish border? Has he already?

Also, what about nudging them about the Gems-for-Wine+GPT trade by offering this in-game as well? We can send them Wine plus however many GPT as we have forges, perhaps with a message in the window promising to send them an additional GPT for each forge we complete? They may not accept it immediately, but hopefully it will remind them that we said the sooner we can get this deal worked out, the better.

 

[2metraninja]

Very good idea for the in-game proposal. We can even propose them both in one screen. If they want map, they have to give gems.