Term V- BABE Diplomacy

[greekguy]

Hello all! This will be the SABER thread to conduct diplomacy with the evil BABEs. You'll soon notice that each team we've met will have a separate diplomacy thread instead of 1 main thread for all diplo. This was only issue with dutchfire, who otherwise did a fantastic job for 3 terms as our Chief Ambassador to the Barbarians.

Anyway, down to business. As we all know, we are not exactly on good terms with BABE, following their recent attempted invasion and near resignation due to our blockade. Thus, I don't plan on playing nice with them. Instead, I will focus on more on the dark side of diplomacy when dealing with BABE, and in that vein, I have an idea, that I think would work and do us good on numerous levels.

A few days ago I was browsing the old MTDG forums and was looking through the KISS forum and their thread for TNT Diplomacy. Several pages in I noticed a strategy KISS used against us last game, that I think we should employ against BABE this game. Basically KISS tried to blackmail TNT, by founding an embassy, taking a picture of our capital city screen, then demanding we give them a tech or else they would sell the picture to the other civs.

Now, I think we could use this against BABE. We found an embassy and threaten to sell the pic to The Council unless they give us a tech or 2. Seeing as our relations are already poor, I'm not worried about them suddenly not talking to us, since that's not an issue.

So, how does this sound to you guys?

 

[Bartleby]

It sounds evil.

Did it work in the other game?

 

[greekguy]

It sounds evil.

Did it work in the other game?

Well, if I remember correctly, we (TNT) didn't cave, and I don't think KISS actually gave away the pic, but they certainly made us think they did. however, I intend to actually give the pic away if BABE doesn't cave to our demands. they really pissed us off, you know, sending ships and units trying to kill us and all.

 

[Chamnix]

I don't really think Babe would give us anything. First, Babe is still immune from attack for many turns as far as we know - any picture taken now would be outdated by the time anyone could attack.

Secondly, remember GONG established an embassy with us last turn. They have a picture of our capital and almost certainly gave it to Babe. Does that really upset anyone here? Would we have given anything not to let Babe see that? I wouldn't have.

Basically, I don't think those pictures have a lot of value. For a couple dozen gold, anyone can get pictures of anything themselves, so I don't really think extortion would work.

BTW, KISS did give MIA screenshots of both TNT's and Doughnut's capitals - it didn't really do much for us other than satisfy some curiousity about how similar our starts were.

As far as our general approach with Babe, revenge is a dish best served cold. I see nothing wrong with being cordial with them. They will soon realize we are buying techs from the Council. Babe can either bury their heads in the sand and wish we wouldn't do that, or they can try to get us to buy techs from them instead. I see nothing wrong with seeing if they want to make reasonable offers in the future.

Of course, at the appropriate time... .

 

[Marsden]

I like the idea, but it would be more of a "I don't like you" move then anything.

Good thinking, though. Diplomacy isn't all just sending/receiving messages.

 

[greekguy]

well, I understand what you're saying Chamnix, but I still think there is some good info in a screenshot of a civ's capital. Proper analyzing of the pic could give us a better insight into how they are playing the game.

It seems like so far more people have spoken in favor of the idea than opposed, so unless there are any major objections, I'll draft up a letter detailed the "demand" and send it to BABE's gmail.

 

[Chamnix]

It's not that there is no info to be gained - I just don't see why Babe would pay us not to pass it around. After all, the Council can get the picture themselves if they want it, so what reason would Babe have to give us anything?

If we want an embassy purely for our own information (personally I don't, but we can talk about that separately), that's one thing, but sending them an extortion note that has no chance of paying real dividends seems like it ruins whatever small chance we may have of eventually pulling off a mutually beneficial trade with them.

 

[greekguy]

Alright, on second thought, I think I'll scratch the extortion idea. Instead we should probably restart normalized diplomacy with BABE. So, any ideas for a letter to our friendly Iroquois neighbors?

 

[Marsden]

I'm happy you came to that decision. I just want to clarify what I was thinking before, that it's great that you thought of it and are thinking of new ways to help our team, but I don't think that particular thing might help, but I certainly do feel quite a bit of animosity towards babe, in game of course

 

[greekguy]

I'd like to send a letter to BABE and restart diplo soon. In the letter should I suggest the possibility of us buying techs from them or do we not want BABE getting any of our $$?

 

[Chamnix]

I'd wait until they see us come up with back to back techs (buying Map Making, then Polytheism?). For all Babe knows, the Council is refusing to sell us techs. Once it is clear in game that we are buying techs from someone, then we could ask them if they are interested in some of our money or if they like the fact that we are giving it all to their rivals.

 

[Marsden]

Maybe, Now is the time to try peace overtures towards Babe. Let's face it they've got the biggest army by far and can't hurt us. Maybe we can subtuly suggest they hurt someone else.

I don't think they'll be agreeable off the bat, but I think it's worth some typing.

Send this with it as a token of good will:


I think matching their babyishness (is that a word?) with good cheer might help or might annoy them further, I don't see a down side between those choices.

I also want to state that we don't necessarily need to get entangled into any permanent alliance, being that we seem to be the only nation not to be in one.

 

[Calis]

Yumyum...

Is this from the new Quentin Tarantino movie? I think the English name is Death Proof ?!

 

[greekguy]

k, I'll try to write up a message to BABE later today and get the wheels rolling on diplo between our civs again..

 

[classical_hero]

No, that is a picture of Megan Fox, from the Movie, Transformers.

 

[greekguy]

how's this sound for a message to BABE?

BABE,

Though we've had our differences in the past, I couldn't think of a better time to restart diplomacy than after I saw the renaming of your island cities.

Anyway, I'm sure you've been talking with GONG, just like we have, so you should realize by now your team has nothing to gain by continuing hostilities towards us. Instead, our teams should work together to prevent the seemingly unstoppable Council-FREE alliance from running away with the game.

So, maybe if you can offer a fair price, we'll start buying techs from you guys, instead of sending our cash to Council.

Also, here's a token of goodwill, in hope of a better future between BABE and SABER:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j61/dac18643/transformers.jpg

Bye for now.

greekguy, SABER Chief Ambassador

 

[Bartleby]

It makes us sound a bit hostile towards free/council; dunno if that's good or bad.

 

[Marsden]

We don't really have any relations with FREE to be friendly or not. I think our current neutrality shouldn't be downplayed, we really haven't commited to anything long term with Council except the DAB which we could honor without really breaking any other agreements.

Too bad we couldn't form up a new alliance with GONG and the Council against Babe and Free.

 

[greekguy]

It makes us sound a bit hostile towards free/council; dunno if that's good or bad.

I don't wanna make it sound like we are firmly in the Frouncil camp, since that would permanently kill diplo between us and BABE, but I don't want to directly come out and say we are currently unallied.

So, instead, we imply that we can be bought by either alliance since right now we have no long term loyalties to either alliance (like marsden said).

If their are no objections, I'll send out the letter today.

 

[greekguy]

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