[Spoiler] RB Pitboss #2 - Shaka of Rome

[Whosit]

Outgoing mail (and maybe commentary):

Dear Jowy, Athlete, and Kalin,

I am writing just to see if it is too early to begin discussing the future of our little alliance. Obviously, war has just begun with the Killer Angels, but that shouldn't stop us from looking ahead. There was also something that I wanted to clarify: It has been my impression that we are going to announce our alliance once Sullla/Speaker have been dealt with. Am I correct in this assumption? I am certain that we would not want to make an announcement beforehand since it would likely undermine the Coalition.

On the diplomatic front, I would like to mention that I want to keep Korea diplomatically isolated. I imagine that Kalin and Athlete want to keep the Inca isolated, and I suppose the Jowy wants to see the Killer Angels taken down a notch (in-progress, hopefully). Hopefully post war we will be able to consolidate more territory and make gains against our opponents. I will also take this time to mention that my explorations of Centralia are well under way. In addition to a plethora of Calendar resources, I have found one deposit of Silver. I imagine that there will be more, but I do not know how much. Dyes are also present as a luxury resource that I have not seen on the main ring. I hope to find more new resource types, but there is still much to uncover.

Let's keep each other in the loop regarding any useful or interesting information.

Best regards,

Whosit, Galactic Emperor

All I originally wanted to ask was when we planned to publicize our alliance, but I ended up throwing more in there to draw a bit of attention away from that. Also used it as a chance to update them on Centralia, since I can't remember if I have done so or not. At the most basic level, I just wanted to renew our private communications, though I'm not sure if there is really anything to say.

Dear Athlete and Kalin,

I've been meaning to ask for a few turns now, but you have a NAP with the Inca, correct? How long does that last until? I'm trying to open negotiations with Daniel (is he even aware of any agreements between your two civilizations?) and if he asks for a NAP (he seems to fear my Praetorians) I don't want to sign one that lasts too much longer than yours. I am hoping to persuade him not to settle too far south, but in the end, I imagine that I will have to take some territory by force.

Best regards,

Whosit, Galactic Emperor

This should be fairly self-explanatory. I made this a separate message since it didn't really involve Jowy. I plan to wait for a response before I contact Daniel again. He hasn't responded to my last message.

Dear Nakor and DMOC,

I once tried to play a game of Diplomacy, but my friends are fairly . . . conflict adverse and hate to lose, so they insisted on playing a version with concrete teams. It was not quite as satisfying for me as the unfettered version may have been. It always seemed like an interesting game to me.

*Ahem* Well, back to this game, your plan seems a bit complex, but I'll play along as necessary, supposing that Sullla even tries to contact me. I suppose that it's easy to cast the Galactic Empire as the bad guys in this little drama. If only I had some AT-APs. . . .

As you may be aware, plako does not have contact with the Inca. I do not think that they got a scout out east before I sealed the passage. You have contact with them, if I am correct, but I take your message to mean that you simply do not communicate with them. I'm not sure that anyone has extensive contact with the Inca; the original team disbanded, and Daniel seems to be keeping the civilization afloat, but I am not certain if he is dedicated to the game. I have had limited contact with him.

Hopefully our allies will refrain from taking losses for the next few turns. We need Sullla and Speaker to be shaken when we join the fight. Hopefully the prospect of a five-on-one will worry them, at least.

Thank you again for the information. There's not an awful lot for me to share with you at the moment, but then again, no one seems to be plotting behind your back, so I suppose that is a positive thing.

Best regards,

Whosit, Galactic Emperor

In case anyone cares, the AT-AP comment refers to a Succession Game I'm in at CFC called "Nerds in Space" and stands for All-Terrain Armored Pachyderms, a.k.a. War Elephants. I thought that it was clever.

Not an awful lot of purpose to this other than to respond to Nakor's last message. Hopefully he won't take my comments about Diplomacy the wrong way, since I really have no ulterior meaning to it: My friends are honestly just wusses when it comes to competitive gaming. Some people just need to learn to take defeat with grace. Well, I'm still working on that virtue, myself . . . .

I'm not exactly drowning in mail, surprisingly. I still wonder why Sullla hasn't contacted me (or is Speaker the "face" of the team?). Have I really done anything to make myself untrustworthy (aside from playing as Rome . . . and attacking Korea . . . and . . . being the Empire)? Oh well. I'm sure that Nakor's little story isn't endearing me to them. Well, they probably suspect that I will declare war on them as well. I almost feel like I have to assume that they are psychic in order to fight them.

I've probably mentioned it before, but my primary goals are to raze Shiloh (hopefully picking up a little gold in the process), then just pillage the countryside. I have no intention of directly attacking fortified towns, and I plan to refuse to do so even if asked by the Coalition (mainly because it would be suicidal). I somehow hope to have at least half of my soldiers alive at the end of this, but who knows. I also do not plan to send a second wave. It just wouldn't be practical. Another reason I want to make my troops last as long as possible. To say that I plan to hang my allies out to dry wouldn't really be accurate or fair, but I certainly don't intend to give this war my all, since doing that could destroy me.

[MWIN]

Are you taking overview screen shots for turn 100.

[Whosit]

Are you taking overview screen shots for turn 100.

I already did. Look on the previous page.

[Whosit]

And mail:

Sorry for the slow response... I'm now playing 2 pitboss games and part of a team on a third!

I have just razed the barb city of Phrygian and am going to resettle next to it. I am also planning on resettling Mortius's old capital. Southwest of that there is a city site with fish, deer, and horses which I would like to settle. However I'm not really sure of the shape of your territory so let me know if you don't think that's a fair division.

If you are looking for a target to attack, athlete and kalin have sent their troops to join with Jowy's against Speaker/Sullla, and currently have basically no real defensive troops. I am under a NAP with them so I can't really take advantage of this situation myself.

Daniel

OK, so now someone is plotting behind the backs of Athlete and Kalin. Heh. Not sure which city was Phrygian. I never even caught the name of the Barb city that popped near me so long ago. I hope it wasn't that one; I still want cash from it.

I can give up Mortius' capital site, though I'll have to wait until I can get in game to see the other site he mentions. So long as it doesn't interfere with my Globe Theatre site and the spot with Spices, I can make accommodations.

Guy's crazy, playing in 3 games, but I guess with no one to take over from him, he doesn't have much of a choice.

Anyway, I'm just glad that he's not looking to take too much from the sound of it, so I should be able to make claims for my top picks.

[ej801]

More presingly what are you going to say to sulla/speaker when you pull off your big reveal

[Whosit]

More presingly what are you going to say to sulla/speaker when you pull off your big reveal

"We fear that you are becoming too powerful. Have a nice day!"

[ej801]

Maybe you should go with we fear you are becoming to advanced.

[Whosit]

Maybe you should go with we fear you are becoming to advanced.

Ohh, right! I think that's what I meant. Thanks! Also, more mail! Ha ha! And I had better log in and play my turn . . . .

Got two responses from my Trio allies.

Hello Whosit, Athlete, Kalin.

Personally am concentrating on the war atm. I'm very busy in real life for a couple of weeks thanks to our exams. Forgive me my tunnel vision in regards of this game for now. I'll give more insight in my future plans later on
Anyway, I actually wouldn't like to announce this three way alliance. If we manage to defeat Killer Angels, even then there will be just three of us and four others.. I'd be damn surprised if there wasn't a counter-alliance created against us at that point. I think our subtlety, your attack on Korea and Incan's inactivity all made it possible for us to - so far - not face a counter alliance in our war against Killer Angels, but I wouldn't count on that every time.

IMO, let's keep our relations somewhat warm towards Incans and Korea for now. We can't have them help India. I'm all up for breaking havoc after we're done with Killer Angels.

~ Jowy

Greetings Fellow Allies,

Just some thoughts for now. Regarding announcing our alliance I think
it might do more hurt than good even just after India's downfall.
Unless we have good reason to announce it we should simply keep it
quiet. We don't need to tip others off and tell them hey you need to
team up against us or we're going to have an easy time killing you one
by one.

t's looking to me like post-war we will all need to consolidate our
lands and then push forward again. We shouldn't wait longer than
necessary before pushing forward though. The moment we have a tech
advantage we need to grab that opportunity. Regarding isolating those
specific civs we certainly should do so. Korea has already agreed to
us to not help India at all, though have inferred through some recent
communications we are friendly with Rome which they don't like so when
Rome joins the CoW I'm not 100% sold they'll keep their promise. I
believe they will but they have a mad hate on for Rome.

The Inca we would like to keep as backward as we can. They are most
likely to be our target after the CoW is finished and we have gotten
ourselves in position for yet another war. There's no need to not be
on friendly terms with them at this point though.

As for India, well hopefully between CoW we'll take them down and Jowy
can rex to his hearts delight into their lands.

Athlete

Oy vey. Well, I'm pretty boned if they ever find out that I mentioned anything to Nakor. I'm not sure how I'll handle that yet. There's really no good way to explain that I'm in this three-way alliance, yet Holy Rome is my ace-in-the-hole. Dugh, I always do things without thinking. Well, it won't be an issue unless he mentions it, or tries to form his own alliance . . . .

And this answers my question about the Ottoman/Inca NAP:

Dear Emperor Whosit,

We do have an NAP with the Inca. It lasts until atleast T130 with a
25T cool-down. As such either of us can activate the cool-down on
T105. We certainly don't plan on it and believe the Inca have no
intention to at this point either. I honestly can't see another war
after CoW until atleast T150 though Kalin seems to think we'll war
with the Inca shortly after CoW. So you can make of that what you will
and secure an NAP for something within that timeframe.

Athlete for A/K
Ottomans

They're kind of nuts if they want to go to war again, back-to-back. More in a bit.

[Whosit]

Short update. I'm a bit tired and short on time.

Centralia:



Keeps looking better and better; packed with resources.

I'm having a bit of trouble optimizing my Worker actions. I've rethought a couple of forest chops I was going to do, as I figure that I may as well wait for Math before chopping more forests. Carida Library finishes next turn. Work Boat in Kuat finishes next turn--will start a Library, I think. Just a lot of waiting.

Imperial Center is going to grow (and become unhappy) in a couple of turns. I can either stagnate by working a hill mine instead of the lake, but I'd lose precious commerce that way. Alternatively, I could hit the "avoid growth" button until I get a better option. Lurkers: Any opinion? I'm leaning towards Avoid Growth myself, since every gold counts at this point . . . .

Had an in-game chat with Kalin. Gist of it is: Speaker attacked the Greek/Ottoman stacks and seemed pretty confident of victory, according to Kalin. Overconfident. Well, hopefully the tune will change when Nakor and I enter the fight.

He also suggested that I either bypass Shiloh, or gift it to Jowy, even though Jowy is not aware of this plan. I'll try to remember to send him a message tomorrow asking him if he wants it (supposing that I can capture it). Discussed some of our plans for the Inca, but nothing new. I think that there were some other small bits, but my memories a bit fuzzy tonight. Otherwise, generally seems to think positively of our alliance. Which is good.

I'm not entirely sure when I'll find the time to log in for my war sets. I may have to get up very early in order to move my troops. I'll do what I must, I suppose.

[Rowain]

In Civ4 Cities don't become unhappy(contrary to Civ3) and unhappy citizens are no a big problem here. All they do is eating 2 food but they are either 30 hammers in store ready to be whipped
or instant worked tiles when you get a higher happy-cap.

Of course there might be city-configurations that would yield better results than pure growth. Don't forget: 'Population is power'