RB Pitboss #1 SPOILER - Hatshepsut / India

[regoarrarr]

Well we are back in business and T179 has been played. Big news of the turn is that Munro has vassalized to DLer. I am still not entirely sure what that means. I did catch Munro briefly in game and we chatted for a bit but he had to run.

I also caught Exploit in there and we chatted briefly. Nothing too major - he is explorign different options he said. He mentioned that he even considered trying for a NAP with sunrise and myself so that he could "focus on others who have irritated him more recently"

Email from shady responding to my earlier email

Yes I have an exam on Tuesday and since the new year, I've been busy organising myself for the year ahead.

That was an interesting email in that as far as I can tell, it doesn't really say anything specific nor does it really ask anything specific.

Ok, here are some thoughts of my own:

- I think the Exploit joining us and we deal with him later is the better plan.
- I don't really buy the extent to which you claim Sunrise will oppose that plan.
- I don't like the existing plan. I think it's a mistake. I (truthfully) haven't yet decided how far I'm going to go with regards to opposing it. I may play along anyway. Unless you hear otherwise, I will play along anyway.
- If we go through with the kill Exploit plan, you are going to be the Big Man On Campus no matter what you say or do.

It is fully obvious to me and everyone else in this game that this plan puts you pretty much in pole position to win the game. The elimination of the guy ahead of you, extra land in addition and the removal of one of only 2 serious powers that can (feasably) invade you.

If we go through with this plan, there's going to be a lot of pressure on me as the guy with the long border, to lead the fight against the new leader who otherwise threatens to run away with the game. So as far as I can tell, this leaves you with 3 options:

A: Continue with the kill exploit plan and with your new lead, try and race to the finish despite probably being ganged up by the rest of the globe or with using some nifty diplomatic trick to get out of that predicament.
B: Continue with the kill exploit plan but do something drastic to ensure you are not the leader going into the next stage, such as by giving me Green Township and a few of those adjacent cities (or something similar with other neighbours).
C: Switch to the bring exploit aboard and eliminate the other factions plan which slightly strengthens our position overall but keeps the big bullseye on Exploit.

Maybe there's other options too that I'm not aware of. Don't get me wrong, in your shoes I would have big dollar signs in my eyes looking at a plan that destroys exploit as well. But there are risks and I think C is the more sensible option. But I guess that's your call.

[regoarrarr]

My reply to shady

> That was an interesting email in that as far as I can tell, it doesn't really say
> anything specific nor does it really ask anything specific.


Well having called me out on that several times this game, at least by now you know that's just the way I write :-D. In this case it was more of a chase-up email since I hadn't heard from you in awhile. And while others might be able to accomplish such a task with a 2 line "hey how's it going" email, it apparently takes me 2 pages....

I guess at this point it depends on which one of us is closer to the truth in the way that sunrise will react. If I am correct, and sunrise won't do it under any circumstances, then I think that makes that option a lot less attractive.

So it seems logical that a good next step would be to figure that out? I talked to him last week (a few weeks ago? the game has been on pause for awhile) but without your permission only talked at a very high level - didn't really want to go too far into specifics w/o confirming with you. But if you're okay with it, I could bring it up. Or if you want to email him and I, that would be fine too.

Let's see what he says and take it from there? Does this email have specific enough tasks for you? :-D :-D

Bit of a lie as I talked to sunrise about shady's plan in full detail, and he's definitely not on board. He said he wouldn't turn on the lins and broker again. Now I just gotta make shady see that (and make him care enough that we don't want to lose sunrise)

[regoarrarr]

As you probably saw in his thread - email from Exploit to me, shady, DLer and dsp

Ok based upon Imhotep's comments in the forum, I think it is safe to say that Imhotep is not particularly enjoying this game. I also believe there is a general consensus that Imhotep's heart has not been in this game for several months (even before I started playing) and that he is merely going through the motions. As Imhotep's neighbours (and lord of a vassal who neighbours Imhotep, in Dler's case) I think we should put our hostilities aside for a while to deal with Imhotep for the good of the game.

In general, as part of his disinterest, Imhotep misses turns and doesn't check the forum or civstats when the game is paused to see when it is time to play. I had to specifically email him today to get him to play his turn otherwise he probably would have missed it again. I think he would be happier to be eliminated from the game. I don't think his position is that significant that it warrants finding a replacement player and I would prefer not to have to wait another week trying to find one like the last time so I am proposing that we all team up and take him out. I also think if we wait too long then we will be forced to try to find another replacement player (with all the delays/problems that will cause) because I suspect Imhotep will simply quit.

Specifically, I am proposing a general NAP between all of us until Imhotep has been eliminated from the game, at which point we can resume hostilities as we deem appropriate under the circumstances at the time. Regardless of Imhotep's attitude, I will not break the alliance agreement that my predecessor committed to so I am unwilling to go to war with him until Turn 192 but I am willing to come to the NAP agreement between us as of this turn. That will give everyone other than Munro (who is under the same NAP rules as I am) a 12 turn head start in plundering Imhotep's lands.

I will leave it up Rego if he would like Sunrise to be included in this NAP or not. I can see advantages either way. If Sunrise is not included then I would have to keep more troops on my eastern front meaning I could commit less troops against Imhotep however it does raise the concern that I could invade Sunrise who's role as financer for Rego makes him a juicy target. Your call if you decide to take me up on this offer.

Let me know if there is any interest in this proposal.

I can see how this would be good for Exploit but I'm having trouble figuring out what good this would do me?

I'd get more land true, but I would also let Exploit off the hook as well as open a 2nd front with him (gulp!)

[regoarrarr]

Also sent somewhat of a farewell message to Imhotep

Hey Imhotep,

Saw your message in the forum. I hope that my (pestering) emails didn't cause you (too much) annoyance. I guess they could be construed as asking you "to be my servant" though I always kind of thought of them as just helping me achieve what I'm going for as well as trying to find ways for you to also get some enjoyment out of this game.

I do feel bad that you are kind of "forced" to play on in a game that you have long since lost the heart for.

But anyways carry on and hopefully we can catch up again in a better situation for both of us

[regoarrarr]

Interesting chat with Kalin. I believe I have edited out most of the (non-PB1) spoilers

me: hi
Kalin: sorry I have limited time
but I've been wanting to tell you something
me: we're ready for that surrender treaty!!!!
Kalin: I think your reputation has been most damaged by Exploit
heh re: surrender
if I were in your shoes
me: i have enjoyed the city names of "regos ass"....
Kalin: that's the point I would try to go back too
heh
me: i prefer to think of it as "rego sass"
Kalin: I find Exploit to be a bit... exagerated btw
me: yes i do too
i have been meaning to talk to you and/or dreylin for some coordination in pb1
Kalin: and I admit I did suspect you of "bending the rules"
me: is dreylin still kind of running things there?
Kalin: yes
unfortunately
I lost interest in that game
Dreylin has been very nice and welcoming
but since he's the better player I felt a bit intimidated to take initiative
me: yeah
Kalin: as a result it's a bit hard to keep a high level interest
me: makes sense
Kalin: I like to be able to pursue ideas and move quickly
me: so is exploit slandering me in emails to you?
re: exploit -- not really
but here's one thing that I didn't like
I am not sure if that message was confidential, probably not
but after making all that noise about you double moving
he said something like
I don't really care about reloading or anything
I just want to hurt Rego's reputation
me: not surprising...
Kalin: however it seems to have worked pretty well
me: yup
reputations are hard things to get back
Kalin: because while the action was within the rules
(most) people don't like double moves
as I said before
I think most people want to play these games
as SP with human opponents
me: yeah - in hindsight i would have preferred not to make that move because i don't really want to play like that
right that is what sunrise has sadi
Kalin: I saw you said that
and that sounded very good to me!
hence this chat
so I suggest if you have time
to maybe post something in a very public forum where most people can read
ok need to go
let's stay in touch
stop by in our thread
me: yeah
thanks
Kalin: sure np

Not really surprising that Exploit has been trashing me, though it's annoying to have to constantly defend my reputation.

Like I have said before and said to Kalin, I feel like I played within the rules and I do regret taking advantage of that rule, since I would rather not play like that.

But it is just the difference between true MP play and the SP vs. humans that most folks here like to play.

[regoarrarr]

Email to the lins, broker and sunrise

Hey Lins! (copy to sunrise and Broker)

I was chatting with Kalin today and he reminded me that I needed to talk to you guys. I wanted to try and coordinate our upcoming attack on Exploit. I know that Broker was kind of working as a go-between for us but I think that we are all agreed that we need to take a chunk out of Exploit, right?

I believe your and sunrise's NAPs run out on T190, so that seems to be the best time for an attack.

Are we all on board for that? What kind of force estimates can you have in place by then? I can probably have 40 rifles with assorted cannons, cavalry and such. Maybe more, depending.

Also, I don't know if you've heard but Exploit is trying to get shady, dsp, DLer and myself to sign NAPs and eliminate Imhotep. I think that is taking our eye off the prize (though obviously that's in *Exploit's* interest!)

Hope to hear from you soon!

[regoarrarr]

Response from Dreylin

Hey Guys,

Y'know to hear Exploit tell it, it's Shady who's proposing the re-alignment to eliminate the "lesser" civs, and that the ultimate goal is to position themselves better to take you on. I'm pretty-much taking everything with a pinch of salt these days... 9-)

Anyway, when we were chatting with Exploit earlier about taking out sunrise, we came to the conclusion that the first turn he would be able to attack would be t191, so that's probably what we should be aiming for in our direction as well. I haven't done a detailed analysis of what sort of force we can field, but right now we're emphasised on the 2-movers and are just starting to pick up with production of Cannon & Rifles. I think we should be able to field a respectable force, though nothing of the magnitude of yours.

As far as logistics go, I haven't looked at the map in detail, but I'm expecting that we'll push in from our respective sides and then hook up our forces at some point to push deeper into his territory? Have you thought much about land-split from conquest?

Dreylin.

[regoarrarr]

And reply from sunrise

Some quick thoughts, and I'm not yet sold on the advantages of attacking:

*I think the shady push and the new anti-imhotep push are different,
with the imhotep push being a different offer to try to get more
interest. Not sure though, since the Imho push wasnt pitched to me.

*My NAP ends on T191, so that's the earliest I could move in.

*My army would be ~30+ units at that time

*I don't think we should split our stacks, because that lets Exploit
cannon and destroy them one at a time. It might cost him two border
cities, but that's cheap to kill a stack

*I have no territorial ambitions in the (prospective) war.

and my reply

I think all I'd need is his island city 2 tiles north of my city of Sharonville - I was looking at the map the other day and I think the best move might be sunrise takes Lin Lost and parts north - Dreylin takes Killing Knife and parts northwest.

[Krill]

*I have no territorial ambitions in the (prospective) war.

Yo regoarrarr, how you think that hope is going to reconcile with your "Don't grow too powerful" aim?

[regoarrarr]

Yo regoarrarr, how you think that hope is going to reconcile with your "Don't grow too powerful" aim?

I covered that in my response - basically telling sunrise he is getting the strip north of Lin Lost.

Though he and I just had an interesting chat about the pros and cons of war at all