Diplomacy Master Thread- Helping Your Opponents Beat Themselves

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Reading threads!? That's hard! I'd rather poast the first thing that comes to my head.

[scooter]

Proposed Draft:

Caledorn,

Sorry, but we're going to have to pass on the loan right now. 300g is a pretty hefty sum at this point in the game, and it would seriously damage our planning. Also, our general policy in other team's wars is to remain neutral. The Spanish team actually just asked us to provide them with help, and of course we immediately shot them down too. We of course have a preference that you guys succeed in your war rather than the Spanish team due to our partnership, but I'm afraid we're going to have to hang on to our gold here. Hope this is ok with you guys.

Thanks,
scooter - Team RB

Thoughts?

Sorry for being away longer than usual and missing so much of this discussion. The email literally came in right after I went to bed, and I didn't get a chance to check the forums until getting home from work. Bad timing!

[Lord Parkin]

...of course we immediately shot them down too. We of course have a preference...

Two "of course" phrases in quick succession, but otherwise sounds fine.

[Cyneheard]

"We want you to succeed" works instead of the awkward second "of course" clause.

[T-hawk]

I don't like the "our general policy", makes us sound harsh and bureaucratic. Something softer would be "We would prefer to remain neutral in other teams' wars."

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Plus, the implication is at we're not giving them anything worth a damn. How about, emphasise that we're already gifting resources (sideline the fact that it just so happens to be a condition of the NAP).

Lemme rearrange it, to emphasise that we're holding back due to trying to maintain the international status quo instead of for our own benefit. How does it sound to you guys?

"Sorry, but we're not able to do it. While we'd like you to win in the end, our policy has always been to remain neutral with regards to wars. The Spanish team requested help and of course we refused. We'd love to help further, but 300g on zero notice is a massive sum that will jeopardise our own planning. So for now, the Spices and Stone gifts will continue. Stone for walls, Spices so you can whip, that should enough to fend off this insane and stupid gambit by the Zulus."

[Lord Parkin]

"Sorry, but we're not able to do it. While we'd like you to win in the end, our policy has always been to remain neutral with regards to wars. The Spanish team requested help and of course we refused. We'd love to help you further, but 300g on zero notice is a massive sum that will jeopardise our own planning. So for now, the Spices and Stone gifts will continue. Stone for walls, Spices so you can whip, that should enough to fend off this insane and stupid gambit by the Zulus."

One minor suggestion in bold - otherwise following the previous sentence, that could be misinterpreted as "We'd love to help [the Spanish] further" (to a particularly paranoid nation).

[Bigger]

"Sorry, but we're not able to do it. While we'd like you to win in the end, our policy has always been to remain neutral with regards to wars. The Spanish team requested help and of course we refused. We'd love to help you further, but 300g on zero notice is a massive sum that will jeopardise our own planning. So for now, the Spices and Stone gifts will continue. Stone for walls, Spices so you can whip, that should enough to fend off this insane and stupid gambit by the Zulus."

One minor suggestion in bold - otherwise following the previous sentence, that could be misinterpreted as "We'd love to help [the Spanish] further" (to a particularly paranoid nation).

I like this a lot

[Qgqqqqq]

I don't like the emphasis myself - it sounds too much like we're trying to shove it in their faces that we're tapping them already.

[dazedroyalty]

I also prefer not to mention what we're giving them already. Maybe someone could find a way to make it sound okay but I can't imagine what the wording would be that would make it worthwhile. The polite but clear refusal Scooter drafted (without the redundant "of course") looked good to me.