Diplomacy Master Thread- Helping Your Opponents Beat Themselves

[zakalwe]

So there would only ever be two messages in any thread? That sounds good.

I think he means only two threads. This one, plus a new one structured like this:

Post #1: Summary of all active deals / diplo stances.
Post #2: All correspondence with team 1.
Post #3: All correspondence with team 2.
etc.

I like that idea. (Particularly after it was so eloquently clarified.)

[Old Harry]

That sounds even better! is there a character limit on posts?

[scooter]

So there would only ever be two messages in any thread? That sounds good.

I think he means only two threads. This one, plus a new one structured like this:

Post #1: Summary of all active deals / diplo stances.
Post #2: All correspondence with team 1.
Post #3: All correspondence with team 2.
etc.

I like that idea. (Particularly after it was so eloquently clarified.)

Not sure all correspondence with 1 team can go in a single post. That would get massive, you may be underestimating how many words will go into it (I'm almost positive there's some sort of character limit). I was thinking I'd do as was stated in Post 1 - list of all active deals. From there, all correspondence would get a new post just like the turn tracking thread, that way if people can't and/or don't have time to follow all the discussion here, they can easily go to that thread and see every single email/chat that happens. I get an email from CFC and I respond? That's a new post in that thread. I chat with somebody, I'll write a non-discussion summary in that thread. Giving each one a new post also let's us have a clear chronological order of the emails too.

After reading the comments, I think I'm leaving in the known tech bonus comments. Opinion seems pretty split, and I'm not convinced it's a bad thing to leave in there. We can always address it further in follow-up messages.

[Boldly Going Nowhere]

I like Lew's idea. Focus on the NAP now, build a relationship, add other stuff later, _____ ---> profit.

[antisocialmunky]

We could do the LP version of that which is make secret NAPs with everyone, make more secret NAPs with everyone, repeat.

[Gold Ergo Sum]

I would definitely lean towards ignoring the known tech bonus in the response. We don't want it, so I think we are better off not talking about it. There is plenty of other things to discuss.

[Bigger]

so we finally met WPC. We have identified them as likely our first conquest, but since Sulla is probably right, they will come asking for a NAP soon, perhaps we should estimate when we will likely do so?

I'm thinking it will be a macemen/catapult war, especially if we don't find horses. It won't be until some time after we discover iron working, as we'll want to grow into the jungle towards them. So machinery won't be that far down the line at that point (and I imagine we'll want Civil Service before Iron working). Very likely they'll still be fielding axes at that point and may not even have catapults so it should be an easy fun war.

So..
1. we don't bring up NAP's
2. when they inevitably bring it up, should we agree to a short NAP? 40-50 turns should be ok, it isn't likely we will be able to go to war in that time period, is it? we have to tech construction, civil service and machinery and spend some time building units as well. relenting to the NAP will mask any intentions we have on them, and prevent a silly ancient era war across the jungle that would just slow down our growth.

[Ellimist]

Do we gain anything at all from a NAP with them?

We could suggest that a NAP is unnecessary due to all the jungle between us.

Otherwise, we end up tipping them off when we fail to extend it.

[Bigger]

no, not really. I don't think we need to fear an invasion from them. I was more concerned about tipping them off to our intentions by turning down a short-term NAP that doesnt hurt us. Of course not extending it at a later date might tip them off as well, I'm just hoping it will be too late to matter by that point.

[Gold Ergo Sum]

I don't see any way we choose to start an offensive war before knights. Multiplayer wars are almost always decided by 2-movers.

Take an NAP for 75 turns.