[Spoiler] RB Pitboss #2 - Shaka of Rome

[MWIN]

What ever you do: Korea will always think that you will attack. Your only option is to stop them from getting metal or horse. If you need to do this, you need to get out of NAP by turn 66. Any extension will lead to stalemate because they will simply produce more axement. Also, you will have a small window of attack before they get construction....

Edit: Just read back posts. Liping also mentioned this sometime back...

[ZPVCSPLFUIFDPEF]

Bears! Also, note the irrigate wheat there. Korea has some decent food sources for their region. Hmm. I'm just going to hope that the Bears don't move 1SE. I HOPE they move 1S, and I can move Rumia onto the forested hill. If the bear attacks across the river, I'll have 4.6/3 odds in my favor and I think I could win. If the Bears move onto that hill, all I can do is move Rumia into the forest 1NE and pray.

Animals cannot move onto a resource tile, except by attacking a unit there. Thus the bears won't move 1S. Note, you can sometimes work out a square contains a resource not yet revealed by tech (e.g. aluminium, coal, etc.) if animals conspicuously avoid it.

[Whosit]

What ever you do: Korea will always think that you will attack. Your only option is to stop them from getting metal or horse. If you need to do this, you need to get out of NAP by turn 66. Any extension will lead to stalemate because they will simply produce more axement. Also, you will have a small window of attack before they get construction....

Oh, you lurkers . . . I love you so. Whether intentionally or not, you've slowly been shifting the direction of my foreign policy (and probably to the liking of LiPing, too). So far as I can tell, nothing spoilerish has been leaked, but you argue quite persuasively! Or are you just hoping for some fireworks? Plako was clever (or worried) enough to send me a message this morning asking about my thoughts on his last letter. So I'll get back to them tonight, rather than tomorrow morning, as I do not wish to be too rude.

Though, considering all of your suggestions (and the realization that Construction is a lot closer than I thought), I will edit my current reply, changing my suggestion for an auto-extension of 20 turns to "option to add 40 turns to the NAP, not automatically. On turn 56, either party may propose extending the NAP, and if the other declines, the NAP will expire on turn 66. Either party may also express their wish to let the NAP expire by turn 56."

They probably won't go for it, so we can either keep haggling, or I guess I could break off negotiations entirely. I'd rather not do that before Bronze Working finishes, so I can at least see if I have copper. I was hoping to explore further west, but I think it may be safer to bring Rumia closer to home, so I won't know what resources Korea might have to their west.

Oh, and MWIN? I saw you posted in the Korean thread, too. What are you telling them? Are you a double agent?! Have I been exposed?!? Naw, just kiddin'. Though, once all is said and done, it'll be interesting to see what all the lurkers have been saying in the other threads and in the lurker-only discussion thread.

. . . Now I can't help but wondering if those lurking on the Korean thread are saying things like "yeah, you probably can't trust Rome. With an Aggressive UU, you just KNOW they're coming after you. Better get Construction ASAP!" Well, here's hoping that my strategy and tactics are superior to theirs.

Animals cannot move onto a resource tile, except by attacking a unit there. Thus the bears won't move 1S. Note, you can sometimes work out a square contains a resource not yet revealed by tech (e.g. aluminium, coal, etc.) if animals conspicuously avoid it.

Oh, good to know!

[Krill]

Be a hard ass. If you don't gain anything from the negotiations or agreement, then don't agree to anything. But it's also generally good to say exactly what you want, and explain your own demands so your opponent knows what is necessary to get a peace deal. Obvious problem si that if you do that, your opponent might decide that war is the only option, sweet talk you for a bit, then backstab.

There's nothing wrong with being abrasive, provided you benefit from it.

[MWIN]

It is not my intention to influence your strategy. I try to refrain from doing it, but sometimes it happens.... Here is to secretly hoping for some fireworks.

Regarding what I posted in Korea’s thread, yep I am double agent. Don’t trust anything I say. I secretly want some other team to win by making you two guys go to a war.

[Whosit]

Regarding what I posted in Korea’s thread, yep I am double agent. Don’t trust anything I say. I secretly want some other team to win by making you two guys go to a war.

*Insert the sound of a psyche breaking here* Nyooooooo!!!!



Well, I'm sure that nothing will cure me of my paranoia so long as enemies remain close by, but I'll take what all you guys say with a grain of salt or two.

I have no played through turn 24. The real game begins now! 3rd Warrior is complete (haven't named him yet) and I am fortifying him in the capital for the time being.

A Lion discovered Thannis, so I'm leaving him parked in the forest. Rumia is heading back towards the hills. I decided to keep some more military close at hand, and I wanted to scout the area a bit more thoroughly, anyway.

I also responded to Korea. Here's the final draft.

Dear Broker33 and plako,

I apologize for the lateness of my reply. Many pressing matters required my attention these last couple of days, hence the delay.

Thank you for clarifying the expiration date of our current NAP. I have updated my records accordingly. I have been considering your revised offer on the NAP extension, but I will address that after a more worrisome issue.

What I find most distressing about your offer is the requirement that Rome may only build a skeleton defense. This is not acceptable. As you well know, there are hostile forces in the wider world, forces which have destroyed a civilization that once stood to Rome's east. While it may be easy for Korea to suggest that Rome only keep a single Warrior for garrison in each city, that would leave fair Rome vulnerable to determined aggressors. Do you intend Rome to be your shield? I reiterate that any stipulation which controls the size of military expenditures is not acceptable to Rome. By the same token, Rome would not expect Korea to leave her cities unguarded.

Now, regarding the NAP. I appreciate your efforts to add more flexibility to the agreement, but I dislike being asked to extend the current agreement by two-thirds immediately. I do recognize your desire for the possibility of extending our current NAP, so I propose this counter-offer: Modify the existing NAP to extend an additional 40 turns (turn 106) so long as neither party expresses the desire let the current agreement expire by turn 56. I believe this is fair. Korea can look forward to a large extension, and Rome may get a better grasp on her surroundings before committing to a longer-term deal. More is unknown about the world than is known about it, I am afraid.

I thank you again for your patience, but I must remind Korea that Rome will not accept any treaty that contains a clause to limit the size of protective military forces. Rome understands Korea's desire for peace of mind, but Rome must consider her own security first. Please let me know your response once you have had sufficient time to consider my proposals.

Best regards,

Whosit, Dictator of Rome

Perhaps not completely abrasive (though it's really not my style), but at least those are terms that they are very unlikely to agree to. I want to keep haggling a little while longer, at least until BW is finished and I have the relative safety of Slavery to fall back on.

I'm not terribly afraid of Korea at the moment. I should double check the power graph, but I think they still only have 2 Warriors out. Not enough to get past my Combat I Warrior on defense. By the time they could march troops over, it would also have a 25% fortification bonus, and with everything else, would effectively be a 3.6 vs. their 2. I should also have Bronze Working complete by the time they could get anything over, so a quick revolt to slavery would let me whip out additional garrison. So, once I'm in slavery, I'm not too worried about leaving the Capital unguarded for a short period of time.

Events are off, correct? So no slave revolts.

So, yeah. T24. Do Barracks for 2 turns until growth, then start Worker while 1st Worker makes the Gold mine. Then both workers chop out a Settler, settle by T40, etc. Got two turns in today, so if the pace keeps up, might get there more quickly than anticipated.

The biggest danger now is that the next 12-14 turns will be on non-military builds, but again, with Slavery real close, I should be able to emergency whip out troops if needed, and my Aggressive Warriors will prove advantageous so long as I face nothing but Warriors. I'll keep an eye on the C&D stuff.

[Cyneheard]

Events are off. Both events and huts are too destabilizing in a game this large. Could you imagine how doomed Korea would be if you popped IW from a hut?

[Whosit]

Events are off. Both events and huts are too destabilizing in a game this large. Could you imagine how doomed Korea would be if you popped IW from a hut?

Hopefully no less doomed than they would be if I researched it myself. =P

But, yeah, I know that there are some events that could really throw things out of whack. A Truffles event would be nice, but not that bad. One of those events that gives a type of unit auto promotions . . . a bit more unbalancing. Good to know.

[LiPing]

... so that bear did exist, after all. Well, bear vs C1 warrior in forest is still not too bad, should be like 70% or so to win?

I do not think Broker/plako are able to covertly spy, when I was initially "negotiating" with them, they seemed to suggest that they had no idea how to do it, and so I was even able to offer demographic info as a resource, requesting observers in their NAP blueprint reinforces that. On the other hand, you have a good chance of working out if they have any military resource just from the graphs, you're only at early turns, and have sight of most of Seoul.

Re: Afraid of Korea - Imo, the problem in that situation is not that they are going to attack it directly, but that they will make a mess by walking onto the deer, so I think it is better to have the garrison warrior stationed on the grass hill to the W until it's needed for happy - it'll prevent anyone from taking good terrain should they want to attack, and can move to guarantee getting the first attack on flat empty land if necessary.

Oh, and I'm going to be departing in a couple of days, so, anything you want from me before then?

[Edit] Two things I remembered, I had Korea set on priority '1' for espionage points, I don't know if you'll want it there still or not, if you run into anyone it'll still assign 4 EP to Korea for that turn instead of 2:2, whether that's a good thing or not.

And just to let you know, if you run into anyone else who then also runs into Korea, on the diplomatic? F4? whichever one shows the table of relations... window, if anyone gets curious and starts looking over that, they'll see in there that Korea declared war on you earlier on in the game - although it didn't serve the purpose I thought it would, you might be able to 'gain' something diplomatically out of that from the person met, of course, that would be up to you

[Whosit]

I do not think Broker/plako are able to covertly spy, when I was initially "negotiating" with them, they seemed to suggest that they had no idea how to do it, and so I was even able to offer demographic info as a resource, requesting observers in their NAP blueprint reinforces that.

I'm not so sure about that. I've read some of the threads for Pitboss 1, including Broker's, and I think I recall him discussing demographic information. They may have been leading you on. Either way, it's safer to assume my opponent knows what's going on.

Oh, and I'm going to be departing in a couple of days, so, anything you want from me before then?

I don't think so . . . . Though, when you get back, the empire is sure to look much different . . . . See, I've noticed a team called The Rebel Alliance, and I've got this thing for Star Wars, so . . . . *shifty eyes*

I'll try to handle the domestic details without you. After settling Bone Devil Keep (probably a temporary name), I'll settle at the original location to get the furs (did another test, and the income there would be quite nice). I'll try to get 3-4 Workers out, but definitely military if we have the proper resources, or a 4th Settler if I need to settle elsewhere for Iron. Hmm, might want to make the Settler in advance, just in case? And, I think I will try to produce a scout in order to get a better view of Korea's western terrain. I want to know for certain if they have any strategic resources nearby.

Other than that, I have some plans to settle along the river for cottagey goodness once this is all said and done, assuming all goes according to plan. Might be a big assumption, but I gotta think ahead!