Niccolò Machiavelli's Thread

[zakalwe]

I'll help draft something when I get to a keyboard.

I read their message as an attempt to guilt us into charity.

[zakalwe]

Hi again,

To elaborate, a city 1E of ivory is the only way we can dotmap the south without blocking out valuable seafood. The tile 2E of ivory is a peak, and 2E 1S would leave the seafood unreachable. So we cannot really budge on that. Consider that there is lots of good land in the north, including a marble resource right outside our borders. We're not claiming any of that land.

From our point of view, what you're asking is essentially that we halt any and all expansion in your direction, while allowing you to peacefully settle another 3-4 new cities all along the borders of our existing cities. So we really don't feel that we're being unreasonable.

This is pretty hardball, and just clarifies our stance and doesn't actually offer anything new at all. It's the right stance to take if we think they're just fishing for bonus concessions. But if we fear that they might not be bluffing, we could leave the door open for further concessions with a third paragraph. (I.e. we grab something in the north instead, or some other kind of concession.) Or maybe just offer some token concession, for their pride. A fast worker on the turn that we settle the ivory city, for example.

[zakalwe]

I guess we could offer to settle 1E 2S of the ivory, i.e. 1E of the corn. But I doubt they would prefer that location. Not sure which one I would prefer. If we settle 1E of ivory they might try to steal the corn with a city SW of it.

[plako]

I like the 1st part not so much 2nd. 2nd argumentation is hard to justify, when we consider where the fair border would be.

Unless there are objections I think I'll send them 1st argument soon i.e. this:

To elaborate, a city 1E of ivory is the only way we can dotmap the south without blocking out valuable seafood. The tile 2E of ivory is a peak, and 2E 1S would leave the seafood unreachable. So we cannot really budge on that. Consider that there is lots of good land in the north, including a marble resource right outside our borders. We're not claiming any of that land.

[plako]

Bad news. M3 and Gillette have NAP. I think we need to offer a concession like a fast worker to get that spot:

me: hi

hitanykey: Heya.

me: any news?

hitanykey: Typing on phone so may be slow.
News on what?

me: ok. np. I'm probably equally slow from my keyboard
Just about anything. Gongrats on GLH btw.

hitanykey: Thx. Oh just realized I didn't send the email I drafted up.
Gillette okayed a nap between us until T100.

me: ok - we're still having discussions

edit. Aargh clock is again on wrong time. My message is now way back there. This was my new version of the message. Not gonna rush playing this turn:

To elaborate, a city 1E of ivory is the only way we can dotmap the south without blocking out valuable seafood. The tile 2E of ivory is a peak, and 2E 1S would leave the seafood unreachable. So we cannot really budge on that. Consider that there is lots of good land in the north, including a marble resource right outside our borders. We're not claiming any of that land.

However since our primary goal is to maintain peaceful relationship we're ready to come forward. What would be enough to make the positioning acceptable. We could e.g. gift fast worker when we settle the city in question.

[plako]

Strange chat with HAK. It seems like he thinks I'm trying to fish info from him for nothing. I'm mainly just trying to keep communication lines open. I guess I need to be a bit more careful when choosing subjects. In any case this is not very important info.

me: Hi

hitanykey: Hey

me: Just to let you know. NAP has been signed with Gillette until T115

hitanykey: Ok.

me: Did you land Hinduism or was it TEAM?
oops I didn't pay attention it landed already last turn
so it could also be Pirates

hitanykey: I know the answer to your question....but what information are you willing to give to us in return for payment?

me: I checked the point raises last turn so I guess it has ti be you, but you're free to ask
I might or might not answer
well could be Pirates also. Good to know it isn't M3 though. Being Creative is already painful

After this no response.

[novice]

Strange chat with HAK. It seems like he thinks I'm trying to fish info from him for nothing. I'm mainly just trying to keep communication lines open. I guess I need to be a bit more careful when choosing subjects. In any case this is not very important info.

me: I checked the point raises last turn so I guess it has ti be you, but you're free to ask
I might or might not answer
well could be Pirates also. Good to know it isn't M3 though. Being Creative is already painful

After this no response.

I think he was just being coy.
Also, I guess you meant TEAM in the bolded sentence? That could have caused some confusion.

[plako]

- that might have been it - Too tired to chat I guess

[plako]

sent this:

Just did go through this and was apparently too tired to chat. Last sentence should have been "Good to know it isn't TEAM though. Being Creative is already painful". I apologize for potential confusion. They're creatve and our next door neigbors so wouldn't wnat to see them starting to spread religion too.

[plako]

Message from Gillette. Should we try to renegotiate or keep the border deal as is?

Just a quick note to let you know we'll be settling Smooth Operator this turn, 4W 1S of your copper mine.

edit. Probably too late now.