Diplomacy Master Thread- Helping Your Opponents Beat Themselves

[scooter]

FWIW, I have not forgotten about WPC. Been a little busy with RL commitments. However, the last 3 times we sent things to them it took them 8, 3, and 8 days respectively to respond. It's been about 48 hours so far since we received their message. I think we're doing fine on that front. It's easy too to explain that we got occupied with meeting two other teams. I'll try to carve out some time for this tonight.

[scooter]

So, I missed the part in the C&D thread where we basically confirmed they started teching HBR after meeting us. Yeah, that's aggression. Ok, I'm going to redraft it. This needs to be more pointed.

[Ceiliazul]

Can we at least add something about our knowledge of their HBR tech, and our readiness to defend?

edit: xpost with Scooter.

[scooter]

How about this.

Decebal,

I understand that you're trying to get yourself the best deal possible, but we would rather use two workers to complete the road to our other neighbor who will give us the routes for free starting next turn. All of our other neighbors are willing to sign OB at no cost, actually. We would still like trade routes with you because it would still be financially beneficial, but it's not significant enough of a gain to us to be worth giving up two workers. If you insist on payment, then we are going to decline Open Borders.

I'm going to be direct with you - we are concerned that your actions towards us signal aggression. First, you are carefully avoiding any suggestions of a lengthier NAP and border agreement. Second, our team has observed that you just completed teching Horseback Riding, which is an expensive tech to choose at this phase of the game unless you plan on using it on a neighbor. Now, we realize you have other neighbors too and could very well have chosen to tech HBR to deal with another team, but your unwillingness to sign a NAP longer than T120 or commit to any sort of longer deal is a sign that we need to be ready for the worst. If you would sign a NAP through T150 with us, that go a long ways to confirming your desire to play peacefully.

If you are unwilling to sign a longer NAP, just be aware that we are not low on defenses - in fact we have one of the largest armies in the world currently. I do hope we can come to a more firm peace agreement - let me know what you think.

Thanks,
scooter - Team RB

[Ceiliazul]

I think we wanted to avoid stacking NAPs on the same turn... t140 ok?

Otherwise, I like it.

[novice]

Mention EPs too, if you're taking the direct approach.

[scooter]

I think we wanted to avoid stacking NAPs on the same turn... t140 ok?

I'm not sure I understand that fear exactly. Are we really afraid CivPlayers and the German team are going to build some grand alliance and attack us together on T150? It would be one thing if the German team was not hated by all and were on the same level as CivPlayers, but they're pathetically behind, and WPC is going to hit them on T150 anyways.

edit: to be clear, if you guys want T140 that's fine by me. I just don't think stacking NAPs is a major thing to worry about here.

[scooter]

Mention EPs too, if you're taking the direct approach.

Are they spending EPs beyond what they would need to get graphs on us? I was under the impression they were just trying to get graphs.

[Ceiliazul]

If I understand KJN's (Masterful!) number crunching, they got research visibility 2 turns ago by putting 14 EPs on us. Then last turn they put on 10 more.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Alternatively, use the workers to buy a longer NAP and a border agreement.