Diplomacy Master Thread- Helping Your Opponents Beat Themselves

[NobleHelium]

I hope we can get the turn timer shortened before the war ends then.

[kjn]

Hey, Scooter, if you chat up Caledorn relatively soon, you should tell them about our scout and ask if they know if the area south and east the desert hill by the eastern stone is clear of barbs.

It would be great if we could move onto the hill this turn without risk.

[scooter]

I actually did yesterday briefly. I was meaning to post the chat log, but he said he'd send an official message soon to go with it so I briefly waited (he confirmed agreement on the EP deal). He hasn't done that yet, so perhaps I'll post that log now and then try to catch him sometime today on chat to get terrain info.

[scooter]

Two part chat with Caledorn, one yesterday about the EP agreement and one today about scout safety. Yesterday:

scooter: Hey. Any word from your team on our EP proposal?
Caledorn: Ah yes, we are in agreement it seems, finally.
scooter: ok great!
Caledorn: I'll send a formal response as well
scooter: sounds great, thanks!

So we officially have an EP agreement with CFC. We should get an official message from them... someday . But it's agreed on. We did talk for a few minutes after about the slow pace - there's definite frustration from him and some of their team it seems.

Today's:

scooter: hey, quick question if you have a second.
how's your current knowledge of the land around the desert hill by the stone?
we have a scout in the area that is defogging this area, and if you happen to have visibility on any barbs in the area that would be really helpful
Caledorn: I think it's explored but fogged again. We don't have any units there I think
scooter: ok. how far is that roughly from your nearest borders? we'd like to locate you - just not sure how far we have to walk
Caledorn: Let me look at the screens and count tiles
scooter: ok thanks!
Caledorn: 5-6 tiles between the oasis and our borders depending on the angle you move in
scooter: ok. we're currently on the stone tile, just trying to figure the best way to safely move
Caledorn: Our border is diagonal towards the oasis
scooter: ok
Caledorn: If your goal is to get to us as quickly as possible.. hm.. let me just crosscheck the screens again
3, 3, 6, 3 should put you beside our border
scooter: that's from the stone or oasis?
Caledorn: Whether it's barb safe however, I can't tell
That's from the stone tile
scooter: ok great, thanks. hopefully we can make the mad dash safely
Caledorn: Two of those tiles will be plains, just as a warning[/u]
scooter: hm ok. is there forest/jungle nearby?
oh another question - is there any forest or jungle surrounding that desert hill? we have a scout so it's 2 moves - so if we could land on that rather than a desert hill we get a slightly better defense bonus
Caledorn: From the stone tile: 3 puts you on a hill 3 again puts you on a plain (and there is no safer path - you are forced to move across 2 tiles of plains/grassland no matter how you move), 6 will again put you on a plain, and then 3 is a desert hill
The area is devoid of any forest or jungle :/
scooter: ah too bad. thanks for the info!
Caledorn: No problem. Hopefully you'll make it without any problem
scooter: yep hoping so
Caledorn: The turn players may be aware of fogged barbs that I am not, so I can ask them if you like. It's not like it's going to take you less than several days per move anyways at the current rate..... sighs
scooter: if it's not too much bother, that would be nice. i'm just trying to pass on as much info as possible to our turn players so that we minimize our chance of becoming lion lunch
Caledorn: Will do then :-)
scooter: thanks!

I'll edit down a shorter version with just essential info for the turn discussion thread if you give me a couple minutes.

[kjn]

My German's pretty bad, but to me it seems like m_h got a much better rapport with the German turnplayer than all our best diplo efforts so far.

Would it be an idea to try to speak with the German team in German? That said, we need to make them understand that the way they play currently is the best way to kill interest in the game for all the teams, and I'm not sure of the best way or person to handle that task.

[scooter]

I would be all for that - it's up to MH.

[mostly_harmless]

I think this particular issue must be discussed in the CFC forums openly with all teams. That's why I steered clear of this in the little chat I had.
It should not affect our official diplo with this team.

Also consider that all the teams involved are probably pitboss veterans to some extent. I am sure the Germans are fully aware of the situation and the grief it causes.
But then again, the outrage is not that prominent in the CFC forums, with one additional team even voting against time shortening.

mh

[scooter]

I think this particular issue must be discussed in the CFC forums openly with all teams. That's why I steered clear of this in the little chat I had.
It should not affect our official diplo with this team.

See I'm not so sure I totally agree with that last sentence. I think their dumb clock stuff has affected diplo with our team because we all dislike them as a result of it. I don't think it's crazy to tell them as such.

Also consider that all the teams involved are probably pitboss veterans to some extent. I am sure the Germans are fully aware of the situation and the grief it causes.

I'm not sure on this one either. I think if the German team had half a clue how much our team wants a PYFT war on them, they'd shape up a bit.

[Fintourist]

Yes, the last comment of your chat that you translated as "I'm going to end turn" implies in my opinion that German team understands that we are waiting.

[mostly_harmless]

I'm not sure on this one either. I think if the German team had half a clue how much our team wants a PYFT war on them, they'd shape up a bit.

Or send their recently whipped two-mover our way in a few turns, when they have gotten peace with WPC!

mh