Team Free Embassy

[General_W]

Team Free Embassy
​

Team Free
Civ: Sumeria
Traits: Agricultural, Scientific
UU: Enkindu Warrior (+1 defense, same cost as warrior)
Contact: Turn 56


Ok, per the discussion in the "We are not alone" thread, and per AutomatedTeller's difficult schedule, I've decided to go ahead and draft an initial letter to get the ball rolling.

Hail Team Free!

We send you warmest greetings from tranquil halls of The Council. Our sailors have spotted one of your intrepid curraghs, and we are very pleased to have made their acquaintance.

Rumors have drifted to us from across the seas of many strange and terrible civilizations… Fearsome Gallic Warriors, Hordes of Iroquois Mounted Warriors, and thundering Ottoman Sipahi. However, amidst the dark tales of savage warriors, we have also heard tell of a peaceful and science loving people much like ourselves – so you can imagine our joy at meeting you!

We hope the tales are true? Do you share our kindred desire to live in peace?

This world is a scary place – and the Council is most eager to have you as a friend and partner in peace.
If you'll forgive our boldness at this early stage in our meetings, we can't help but ponder the power of an Alliance of the two teams most likely to profit from peace. We could coordinate research, share in our bonus technologies, and both grow stronger and safer together.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves – let us ask you: what are your intentions for this world, and can we work together?

We eagerly await word back from you.

Sincerely Yours,
Speaking with the voice of the Council, General_W

EDIT: Sent 4/6/07 to azzaman333 & Team Free gmail. Title: "Greetings from The Council!"

Thoughts? Edits? Total re-writes?
Let's get something off to Team Free asap!

 

[donsig]

Looks like a good initial letter. Our turn is here again and FREE has not send any word to us yet.

 

[peter grimes]

Let's send this today, or at least once the European Councilors have weighed in

 

[Niklas]

I like it a lot, great work General!

 

[peter grimes]

The last time I checked, Sweden was still considered European. Is Niklas' affirmation enough to send this off?

Maybe wait another 10 hours for those who are still asleep?

 

[Niklas]

I think the sooner it goes, the better. And it's now past midnight in central Europe, so waiting for more to chime in may mean to wait until morning...

 

[donsig]

It's a safe letter. No need to wait to send it. I wonder though why they have not contacted us.

 

[General_W]

Well – I don't know that we quite have a (wait for it&#8230 consensus, but this is just an first contact letter with no real policy in it.
I think the positive reaction from all who have posted combined with a real value to speed – makes it worth sending out now.

Unless someone posts "STOP" here in the next few moments, I'll go ahead and PM this letter to azzaman333 (Team Free's UN rep) and also send it to their gmail account (team DOT free2 AT gmail DOT com).

EDIT: Sent 4/6/07 to azzaman333 & Team Free gmail. Title: "Greetings from The Council!"

 

[Paul#42]

Great letter!

I like it and it's okay, if you do (did) not wait any longer.

Too curious, why they did not contact us.
And of course, if we are their first contact also.
Maybe they don't want to share too much insight and are working on their initial letter for 2 days...

 

[General_W]

Ok – it's been sent, thanks for all the rapid feedback.
And as to why they didn't contact us… is it possible they didn't get a pop-up window, and just missed us? It's been so long, I can't remember… but I know Civ3 PBEM has a few odd quirks in it.

Also – going by the last MTDG as a guide, it's very possible Free has weak participation, and it's not at all unbelievable that they haven't been able to get a letter together yet. I mean – we've got (what I would characterize as) strong participation, and it still took us 2 turns!

Now the 'waiting for a response' game begins!

 

[Aigburth]

Great letter General

I agree with the views so far that we should make every effort to get Free as science partners.

If Team Free's participation is indeed weak we should try to arrange a chat session with Kuningas (and / or any other representative of theirs), that way we can hopefully cover a lot of ground in a short space of time.

 

[zyxy]

Good letter. I am puzzled why they didn't send us one. It's generally not a good sign, but the explanation could be something simple like the Easter weekend...

This is their latest member list, btw:
azzaman333
Empiremaker
vikingruler
aluka
CommandoBob
kingstuart
Kuningas
Black_Hole
admiral-bell
Elephantium
CivGeneral
MikMilaKiks2Kil
nc-1701

It looks like Kuningas played all their turns except for the first few.

 

[donsig]

I know CivGeneral and Black_Hole from the democracy games. I could pm one of them if need be. They are the only players I'm familiar with.

 

[Niklas]

Well, me and zyxy know CommandoBob quite well, though he's currently busy painting the house...

 

[Paul#42]

Is it wanted that players have contact (regarding this game) directly and not formally to players of the other teams?
I did not find anything on that in the ruleset.

 

[peter grimes]

It is perfectly fine for players to contact eachother directly. However, giving out spoiler info is not permitted.

For instance - I could PM Azzaman (someone I know from earlier games) to let him know that The Council encountered Free's curragh. But I can't contact GBno1Fan of Saber to let him know the same thing. Once we meet in-game, we can talk.

 

[General_W]

I have wonderful news!! Team Free has responded!
(And it’s good news)

We apologize for late reply. It seems our Foreign Minister has gone absent. We remaining people wish best to you, and hope we would have close relations between our peace loving nations. Our intentions are to protect and teach higher knowledge to fellow citizens of FREE.

Enkidu Warriors solely mission is to defence. We have heard those rumors about savage civilizations also. We are not one of them. And to our understanding you are the other exception. We call you to work for the common good. Is this cooperation accepted by your citizens?

We welcome you to share technological advantage between us. One FREE citizen reported Mausoleum of Mausollos being build in your city. If that is true we have to assume you know secrets of Philosophy. Is it possible to share this technology with us? In exchange we give exact same cost tech Iron working. We wait respond from you.

Voice of FREE
Yours faithfully, Kuningas

I humbly suggest to the council that we act quickly and offer this deal even this very turn. According to CAII, Philosophy is worth 162 beakers, while Iron Working is worth 180.
Not only is this a good deal, it starts us off on the right foot (trading), and nets us a great defensive tech to boot!

I’d also suggest that we notify Free that we have just discovered Literature and will be starting on Masonry, and see if we can start coordinating.

 

[Paul#42]

Great!! Do the deal!

 

[General_W]

I’m not trying to take over from Automated Teller – but since the first one went over so well, I thought I’d go ahead and take a stab at a response letter, so that we can really stay up to speed on what will potentially be our most important foreign relationship.

Dear Kuningas and all FREE people,

Your words were received with great gladness in the halls of The Council.
We most heartily agree to your trade of Iron Working for Philosophy… we are sending Philosophy to you this very turn.

Perhaps now we can begin coordinating our research to advance both our peoples more rapidly?
We’ll start by informing you that we just learned the secrets of Literature, and have our wisepeople peering into the secrets of something called Masonry. Where are your current research plans taking you? We’re happy to adjust our plans to mutual benefit.

Perhaps your people could strive for knowledge of Code of Laws and then Republic (a government with more freedom as befits your name) while we gather and provide knowledge of a baser sort (like Literature, Masonry, Math, Map Making, The Wheel, and Warrior Code). We believe we can trust you, and so we would be happy to provide you these technologies for free as we discover them, so you don’t fall behind – and then you can repay us with Code of Laws and Republic when you learn them.
If you agree to this in principle, we can write up a more formal treaty, carrying both our peoples all the way through the ancient age, into sharing our free techs, and beyond!

In the meantime, please respond with your research plans so we can make sure we’re not duplicating our efforts as we hammer out the details.

Speaking with the voice of the Council, General_W

It’s hard to say without knowing what FREE is currently studying (I suspect Literature) – but the deal I outlined looks like this..

Team Free

• Code of Laws = 300 beakers
• Republic = 840 beakers
• = TOTAL 1,140

The Council

• Literature = 300 beakers
• Masonry = 120 beakers
• Math = 240 beakers
• Map Making = 360 beakers
• Warrior Code = 90 beakers
• Wheel = 120 beakers
  
• = TOTAL 1,230

Now – that’s obviously in Free’s favor – but our techs are likely to be a bit cheaper as others discover them, saving us beakers. Also, if FREE does have lit as suspected, then we can try substituting Mysticism and Horseback Riding (total = 270) for Literature, bringing the totals even closer together.

As always, just trying to get the ball started. Won’t be upset in the least if someone wants to attempt a total rewrite of this response letter.

 

[donsig]

Looks good and I will offer philo to them this turn.

(Oh, the initial you should be your. )