RB PBEM #1 - Gandhi [spoilers]

[Ruff_Hi]

sooooo is always pretty quick to reply ... here is his reply to my email from post 316:

Hi Ruff,

Think you might be a bit mistaken, mh told me recently that he'd try to get a deal with you for MC. He's sometimes not the fastest to reply to emails. I gently nudged him because I knew you needed the tech to make the trade with me.

Despite sounding fun, an anti-ruff trading block is probably all in your mind. You've managed to get recent trades or future trades for CS, machinery and feudalism. The only person you don't have a trade with doesn't have calendar resources. If I'm not mistaken you managed to snag civil service (!) for the currrently useless tech of theology: that seems like the exact opposite of an anti-Ruff trading block.

All of his comments are true, but do I feel any better about this? Maybe its an anti-Dreylin trade pact. I'll have to wait and see how this develops.

Do I want to tie myself too closely to Dreylin with everyone (apparently) starting to not trade with him? Maybe I just play the quiet middle man and keep trading with everyone - surely that is the way to keep up (or ahead).

I don't want to turn into Imperio here and be seen to swap back and forth but if I can keep a consistent approach with all of the teams then I can keep the trade deals flowing.

I dialed paper down last turn so that it comes in 3 turns instead of 2 (and I make money at 3-turn pace) as I wasn't really ready to discover that tech yet. Maybe I dial it back further to push off needing to make a decision regarding trading.

[Ruff_Hi]

Dreylin and I have been talking about a map trade once I get paper - 99% sure it will go through. I've just emailed sooooo, mh and athlete asking them about a map trade too.

[Ruff_Hi]

Also, just wanting to let you know I am following your thread and appreciate the periodic updates. Some more pictures would be nice if you have time

I'll post an update (civ overview) of my 2 new cities next turn. Turn 80 will be a huge update, current situation on my civ and sooooo's, current thinking, future plans, etc.

[Ruff_Hi]

Seems that mh is freezing Dreylin out of MC. Dreylin is starting to have kittens about having to fight against mh UU - the super pike. Talking about filling in MC and Machinery himself ...

Andy: Hey Ruff
another thought:
trading Paper to sooooo practically hands him Liberalism
Sent at 7:48 PM on Wednesday
me: I think you are the one being frozen out of the trades
Andy: Yeah, I got that
me: that is what happens if you start to look like a winner
hadn't thought about liberalism
Andy: So you're joining them?
me: no, but I will keep trading with them
Andy: Well that effectively amounts to the same thing
me: but I am going to have to select my techs carefully so that you don't have to double research any vital techs
Andy: So how much of my land have they offered you?
me: i think they see us as a team
I'll work on trying to get them to free up some techs for you
who has the tech lead at the moment?
Andy: Hmmmm, mybreath is not held
me: sooooo or you?
Andy: soooooo
me: i agree
Andy: especially aftr Machinery
me: let me try and sow some discontent there
Andy: plus he'll have a second GS in time tobulb Edu
then no contest for Liberalism
then he drafts and marches through you...
me: he hasn't got the food for heavy drafting
I don't see this game going that way
i emailed eveyrone about map trading ... so far, zero responses
Andy: OK, I'm ging to stopsounding bitter now
me: good
Andy: (or at least try)
me: remind me again what you are teching?
Andy: Nothing
me: oh
Andy: But the I have to duplicate MC & Machinery
me: well, select something very nice and keep talking to them about trades
Andy: to defend against mh
I can'
me: what are your options (tech)
Andy: can't
to not get run over by Landknechts?
me: who else is teching CS?
Andy: mh
has to be
you'd see if it was anyone else, right?
me: and what is your UU?
Andy: Jannissary
(Musket)
me: I don't see ath research (yet)
Andy: berygood,but out ofreach in time
esp since you aren't negotiating a Paper trade with me
me: any response from Ath about nap
Andy: no
me: wow there - I thought that was a given
as in ... sure, lets trade
Andy: well I used to, but the last two times I brought it up you kind-of brushed it off
me: oh - sorry
Andy: plus joining in the cutting me out of the trade loop
me: didn't mean to
Andy: leaves me less trusting...
Ican't afford to chase Jannissaries
much as I'd like to
If you were teching Edu
and I was able to tech anything to trade to you
then maybe
however sooooo will take Edu
not trade it to me
and so I have to duplicate two techs with zero trade value next
me: hey - there is nothing I can do re those techs that they have that they will not trade to you
Andy: oI canget to Crossbows
me: me getting them makes them cheaper for you
and I can keep talking and pointing at Sooooo
but what did you want me to do?
Andy: True, however you trading them from me rather than them at least allows me to keep up
me: lets look at how quickly we can get you to gunpowder
Andy: not very quickly
me: i would be happy to flip you techs instead of trading
keeping you strong is in my best interest
Andy: but not too strong,right
me: of course
Andy: even though I have no interest in your lands
nor in sooooo's
me: but honestly - I cannot complete if you expand to your land
Andy: mh's or athlete's
me: and I don't expect to go head to head in that way
going for quality over quantity
both is nice, but I don't see me getting there
you aren't happy are you?
Andy: Not especially
<shrug>
me: well stop yelling at me
Andy: should I be?
OK
I'm just trying to figure out how I can pursuade you that you're making a mistake
me: ok, I have to walk the dog ... take a look at how many beakers you need for your UU and I'll see what I can do to help
Andy: Enjoy the walk
I promise to be calmer when I get back
you get back
me: ok - lets try and talk tomorrow - I can take all day to play my set
Andy: D'uh

I emailed sooooo to see what he thinks ...

Sooooo,

Dreylin has been talking to me about mh and not wanting to trade CS for MC. What is the deal there? Seems a bit strange to go through the trouble of researching CS instead of just picking it up via trade.

It will be interesting to see how he replies. I'll ask him tomorrow if he has set up a tech trade with Dreylin for Machinery.

[Ruff_Hi]

reply from sooooo ...

Hi Ruff,

Do you have me mistaken for Mrs Mangel? I suggest you read some celebrity magazines to get your fill of gossip instead of ask me.

For non-fans of Neighbours ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivean_Gray

reply ...

Who is Mrs Mangel? Googled and got the gossip from Neighbours ... nice.

Feeling better re Cricket?

[Ruff_Hi]

email from sooooo

Cricket is going nicely so far. But it was the first day of the last test too. Will have to see if we bowl any better.

What you researching next? I was thinking of going for education since I get half price universities. Not 100% sure though.

I'm going to get CS from mostly_harmless. It makes sense for one to trade with the player in 4th position over the player in 1st for the same tech methinks. It's a shame for dreylin, and he wasn't too happy about it, but it's a similar situation when he traded construction with athlete instead of me. It's more common sense than anything personal.

Any luck in getting metal casting from him? Once I get the tech, if I don't have CS just yet then feel free to ask for machinery without waiting for me. I'll just ask for paper as soon as I get CS. Similarly the other way round, if you don't manage to get MC at exactly the time I finish machinery can I get paper from you anyway?

Have you had any feedback about your spying from the lurkers?

reply ...

Sooooo,

No idea re research. Will save some $ and look at my options.

Understandable about CS, but I cannot understand why mh is researching it instead of trading for it. He certainly has something worth trading - I would be trading to catch up instead of researching a tech that someone already has.

No feedback regarding MC and mh. I'll keep pushing him on it but I am a bit ansy given the 'trade freeze' that Dreylin got - will he freeze me out too? As such, you will understand if I don't front you paper as you suggest - a nice suggestion btw, but it does imply that I will get MC from mh at some stage. If mh and I had an agreement regarding MC, then we could revisit the fronting situation.

cheap universities - what a load of crap. He just wants a free shot at Liberalism. And if I cannot pick up MC because of mh, then it is mh's fault and not his.

[Ruff_Hi]

• FF - Hagia Sophia [7] - with the aid of 2 chops and food-deficit hammers
  
• LQ - Spy [1]
  
• DV - courthouse [1] - double whipped
  
• BH - Barracks [33]
  
• BS - Granary [14]
  
• Aila Coila - Fishing Boat [4]
  
• Tami Nadu - Granary [38], border expansion
  
• Thing #1 - farm at BH
  
• Thing #2 - mine at DV
  
• Thing #3 - mine at FF
  
• Thing #4 - cottage at FF
  
• Thing #5 - farm at BH
  
• Thing #6 - chop at FF
  
• Scout (Dead Man Walking) - exploring sooooo's North
  
• Scout (Live Man Walking) - heading into Athlete's land
  
• Chariot XP=4 - healed - heading back home to kill some Barbs
  
• Tech - Paper [1]
  
• GP - 100% Scientist [4]
  

I revolted to Caste System because I can and hired another scientist at LQ. I also dialed up tech rate to finish paper.

[Ruff_Hi]

reply from sooooo

Honestly I think you'll get a trade with mh. The last thing he said was he'll try to get a MC deal with you. I think he's just not that interested in the game anymore and replying to emails is not high on his list of priorities.

I didn't ask you to "front" me paper, I don't mind at all waiting until we both have the techs to trade. My suggestion was just an insurance policy really in case either of us cannot secure the pre-requisites on time.

Cricket going slightly downhill from an english perspective.

I'm just back from Lunch. England were 230ish for 2, now 355 for 6

[Ruff_Hi]

• FF - Hagia Sophia [5]
  
• LQ - courthouse [5]
  
• DV - Conf Monestory [7] but swapping to worker after it grows next turn
  
• BH - Barracks [32]
  
• BS - Granary [13]
  
• AC - Fishing Boat [3]
  
• TN - Granary [10]
  
• Thing #1 - farm at BH
  
• Thing #2 - mine at DV
  
• Thing #3 - moved to road to TN
  
• Thing #4 - moved to clear jungle at BS
  
• Thing #5 - farm at BH
  
• Thing #6 - chop at FF
  
• Scout (Dead Man Walking) - exploring sooooo's North
  
• Scout (Live Man Walking) - heading into Athlete's land
  
• Chariot XP=4 - heading back home to kill some Barbs
  
• Tech - Education [177]
  
• GP - 100% Scientist [4], fired scientist
  

Dreylin and I traded maps. mh and I also traded maps. I then sent my mh updated map back to Dreylin.

Sooooo finished a settler at his capital.

[Ruff_Hi]

email to athlete ...

Athlete,

I am trying to organize a trade for Construction and I was wondering if I could trade a full value IOU (350 normal speed beakers) for Construction. I've discussed such an IOU with Dreylin and he said he would be willing to honor such an IOU. I'm not 100% sure what techs Dreylin has available for trade that you don't have - maybe you can take a look at the game and see if there are any techs that he has (for around 350 normal speed beakers) that interest you.