Like a hot wind Varn Gosam of the Malakim [SPOILERS]

[Square Leg]

I don't see Mr Yellow being a long term threat and so I would cede him the city in exchange for marble and water mana (obviously water mana when the first adept completes).

After that though I would have thought that killing the Bannor would be the best move.

[Thoth]

I'll email him today and see if he'll go for the city/resource swap. I'd really like to have access to the marble for those turns.

After looking at my screenies and plotting out my worker moves over the next 10 turns, I'm just as glad he didn't go for the worker turns for marble deal. I'm going to need those worker turns to keep up my settling schedule. I could actually do with a 9th worker but that will have to wait for a bit. Once I've got Cyan, Purple and Green blobs founded (ETAs t83, t87 and t92) I'll push out a couple more workers from GLT.

Agreed wrt the Bannor's long term prospects. He's been pretty pushy about our border and it's getting pretty irritating. If we can work out a long term alliance that would be great. If not .

I'd like to get contact with Nyktorion soon. If their borders are as close as Mr. Yellow is claiming, the Bannor are in range for a March of the Trees boosted rush and we could divide his territory between us. If I shift around some of my teching order I should be able to get to Stirrups around turn 110-115 and have a force of Camel Archers ready to go shortly thereafter.

[Square Leg]

Agreed wrt the Bannor's long term prospects. He's been pretty pushy about our border and it's getting pretty irritating. If we can work out a long term alliance that would be great. If not .

I would argue that it isn't even worth a long term alliance. You said yourself that he is pretty pushy and the diplo work is irritating. It is quite important for a long-term arrangement that you get along and can put up with one anothers diplo style. Just him!

My humble opinion only of course!

[Thoth]

I would argue that it isn't even worth a long term alliance. You said yourself that he is pretty pushy and the diplo work is irritating. It is quite important for a long-term arrangement that you get along and can put up with one anothers diplo style. Just him!

My humble opinion only of course!

I'm inclined to agree with you. I'm trying to be reasonable, but every time I open up one of his emails a little voice inside my head says "never mind the fancy builder plans, just rush him".

My builds and tech path are going to be the same for the next 5-10 turns no matter what (barring something massively unexpected happening). I'll have a better idea of the lay of the land by then and can make a more informed decision.

[Thoth]

So I got this from Mr. Yellow yesterday (after he'd sat on the turn for over 13 hours )

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]wo..WOAH! Timeout! I have no interrest in making a coalition force at this stage. In fact, tell me why i should aid you in this considering you are the current top dog (I've checked both yours and WKs situations, yours is clearly better).

Either way, if you want me to make a pact against WK, you have to make it really worth it for my part.

Also, i'd like to have a response soon days regarding the current deal. I'd rather have this settled now than to let it stay in the air when a lot of other stuff can happen.

- Sir Yellow, twiddling his thumbs[/COLOR]

Ummmm. You've been complaining about having Elfs and Elohim on your borders all game, you're worried about expansion room and you want me to pay you to help you out? While you're fighting for last place?


If he thinks I'm dealing from a position of weakness then he's going to be in for a very nasty surprise.

The current deal? WTF? You mean the insane idea that I would trade you a screenshot of an area I can easily scout for rights to a disputed city?


You didn't like my idea of giving you worker turns in exchange for a short term loan of a resource (a deal that would cost you nothing and benefit both of us).

Gimme a break.

I sent him a rather curt reply:

[COLOR="Yellow"]At the moment, the only current deal we have is that neither of us will capture the barb city before turn 90.

Any other deals will have to wait until I have more complete information. By tun 85 or so I will have a much better idea of the map.[/COLOR]

I probably should have put some effort in to making that sound friendly.

So it goes.

I've spotted his scout out west. He disappeared on turn 65 with no promotions. Re-appeared on turn 76 with 2 promotions (and full health). There isn't as much land down there as he's trying to make me believe.

He finished Cartography turn 76 (8 turns since his last tech) and didn't revolt to City States. He claims his road network isn't up to par, so Open Borders aren't worth much to him.

Pact of the Nilhorn. 337h gets three Hidden Nationality str 7 giants (with 0 xp). It will take him at least 12 turns to build it in his capital (probably closer to 15, but I'm assuming 12 for planning purposes)

Current tech path plan: (finish Warfare)-->Archery-->HBR--->Col.

We've agreed that neither of us will take the barb city before turn 90 but I haven't said anything about not taking his Marble city before then and he's the one who didn't want to consider a NAP.


Pact of the Nilhorn: 337 h
Training Yard + 6 swordsmen = 307 h

Which one is the better deal I wonder?

[Sciz]

I'm glad i'm not the only one who has a hard time writing "nice" messages

[Thoth]

I'm glad i'm not the only one who has a hard time writing "nice" messages

I would probably would have been better off to have waited before I replied.

At this point, I really don't think it matters all that much.

[Thoth]

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]Hey, just started roading a path to the border city now. So the proposed aid to road it for me is no longer needed.
[/COLOR]

9 turns *after* you built the city. Well, that's some damn fine planning there.

OTOH, this means there will be a road in place once I relieve him of the maintenance that city is costing him.


In the West, his scout is next to Bradeline's well. I have two (non bronze) warriors adjacent to the Well. Choose wisely Mr. Yellow.
(not that it will make much difference, but your scout might get to live a few more turns).

[COLOR="Yellow"]Hi,

Good news indeed. Once the road link is in place we could establish profitable trade routes from an Open Borders trade agreement.

I'm currently looking at possible alternate sources for Marble, so I probably won't be needing the loan after all.

Any idea when you might have some Water Mana available to trade?
[/COLOR]

Of course at this point, the "open borders" are going to be Klingon style.

"alternate sources" = Taking his marble city.

"are you going to be beelining KotE and Elementalism vs something that might keep some of your cities intact?"


There are going to be some interesting turns coming up.....

[Thoth]

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]That depends on what you have to offer.

Though whether i really have any interrest to trade with you or not, depends on the barb city. That object is the one that will determine the relations between the Bannor and the Malakim.
It's my only way for continued expansion. Yes there's a river to the east, but that's it. Right east of that the Elohim have settled down and i don't want to snake through it!
I know i have been badgering about this all the time, but it's very important for us Bannors. And the more i'm scouting out your lands the more clear it is you have less issues with land than i have!

You let me have it and i can promise you i will be a great partner to trade and even work with. Heck i'll even propose a NAP treaty to show there are no shady stuff looming in the background.[/COLOR]

Umm. I think it's a wee bit late for that mate. If you had wanted to be a great trade partner you should have shown me that a bit sooner.

I think I'll wait a bit on replying.


He's suddenly shown a very direct turnaround in his diplomatic stance.

If any lurkers in this thread are currently posting in his spoiler thread, I would appreciate it if discretion were maintained.

One of the great things about this site is that players keep these kind of threads going.
I've gained a great deal of enjoyment (and learned a thing or two) from lurking "spoiler threads" and part of my reason for updating this thread as often and with as much detail as I have so far is to pay some of that back to the community.

OTOH, I also intend to win this game and I would be very unhappy if a lurker spoiled my intentions early.

(if he's managed to come to his senses all on his own then I apologise to the lurkers in advance)

[Caustic Soda]

Well doesn't it go without saying that we lurkers shouldn't post spoilers from one players thread in another players thread? If one of us did do that would undercut the diplomacy and scheming between the players. that would be annoying for you all and leave less intrigues for us lurkers to enjoy.