Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread] . PART 5 (December 2008)

[Pitboss Celts]

Originally posted by Pitboss Khmer


Did you notice the worker that had been previously gifted? Just thought I'd mention it in case you hadn't and maybe had workers on auto?

Suryavarman 2 will follow in his father's footsteps with regard to this policy of helping Khmer neighbors.

Tidings.

We did receive new additions to the worker corp. A messenger was sent to Suvaraman to graciously accept this gift. We fear the messenger may have been lost for he never returned. We assumed he fell in love with a beautiful Khmer princess and stayed there. We apologize that the message was never received.

[Pitboss Khmer]

[ ooc Khmer declare war on Stincas. Funglish to post Hastings Agreement - was meant to be last turn. ]

[Pitboss Khmer]

To the people of the despotic realm of the Khmer.

I, Suryavarman 2, stand before you as a grieving son. My father has now passed on and is as a sea bird soaring high over us. Suryavarman 1 tried hard to elevate Khmer to international statesman status but never could he break down the barriers with the Stinca neighbors to our East.

With our Northern friends clamoring for land and with tensions almost sparking major wars the Khmer have, under Suryavarman 1, negotiated at Hastings under the guidance of the Funglish hosts and chair. The official results of this agreement will be published soon but for the Khmer it entails declaring war on the Stinca and securing Stinca cities that are on our landmass and gifting them to the Celts.

We today have declared war on the Stincas but our troops do not yet have the order to attack.

We appeal to the Stinca to read their diplomatic jungle mail and cede Rice Shores and Pony Point to the Celts and your troops and Workers can go free.

But alas the Stincas don't read. They don't indulge in international diplomacy so we don't expect a reply.

However, despite the urging of my captains in the field I await further communiqes before proceeding with the attack.

Khmer wants nothing for herself. All we desire is to eliminate tensions between our northern friends.

I will update you on news as it comes to hand.

Suryavarman 2

[Pitboss Khmer]

Originally posted by Pitboss Maya


To: King Henry and Marco of Portugal
From: King Pacal Voltan of the Maya
Subject: Roman War Aid

Dear King and Former King of Portugal,

I have recently signed our peace agreement, and am awaiting your signature so that peace may be declared.

Disterbing news has reached me concerning your involvement in the Roman war. Rumor has it that you might be sending Rome troops, as well as ships.

My intent is not to give a history lesson, but these Romans are hungry dogs. You have felt their wrath ages ago, and more recently Russia has felt their wrath.

I would request a public statement regarding your opinion of the current Roman War. I think it would be honorable for the most advanced nation on Terra to let the world know where they stand in this conflict.

I am another you.

- King Pacal Voltan

Indeed Voltan and it is interesting to note that Rome is the only nation who can build Curassiers.

[Pitboss Greece]

The failure of the Spartan war against Rome

Here's a detailed account of all preparations of Sparta for their war against Rome. It is impossible at this stage to include private letters of Sparta to and from different leaders of other civilizations.

Many of these letters can't be disclosed yet for many reasons.
All these letters are stored in the archives of Sparta and will certainly be disclosed during a later age.

The ancient roots of the war
During the early days of Sparta word was heard about an unknown Roman civilization waging war against an unknown Portuguese civilization, together with the Piercians, a civilization Sparta had uneasy relations with.

Travellers reported to the Spartan leaders about Portuguese cities being token and burned by hordes of Piercians and Romans.
Sparta wanted to send an army to set the Portuguese free.

But the distance was large, certainly for those days. Sparta got an offer from the Roman/Piercian aggressors. For pragmatic reasons Sparta accepted this offer: gold for peace.

Later on Sparta felt sorry for being bought out of the war by Rome and letting Portugal down. Sparta offered excuses to Portugal, who accepted. Portugal lost two cities to the Romans.

Rome insults Sparta
Years later the Romans refused to pay the price that was agreed upon for peace. Sparta was pictured as an evil aggressor that tried to murder innocent Roman people, and should not get any money for that. The facts where nonetheless that it was Rome who invaded Portuguese cities and burned them and took them.

Sparta vowed to let Rome pay for this insult.
Rome should pay the price they agreed upon.

Sparta starts preparing the war
From that moment on all Spartan espionage efforts were aimed at Rome. Slowly Sparta gained more and more intelligence about the Roman civilization. At a certain point Sparta could investigate all Roman cities and knew about everything that happened in the Roman empire.

In the meanwhile the city of Argos started to produce galleys, the other Spartan cities started to train soldiers to be shipped to Rome.

Letters were send to many leaders of the world.
These leaders were informed about the evil intentions of Rome. About the aggressive nature of Rome that should be contained.
Most nations ignored Sparta. They'd rather trade with Rome then worry about possible wars in the future.

Sparta's increased knowledge of Roman behaviour noticed a build up of Roman armies towards the Russian borders. Letters were send to Russia. despite the fact that Sparta and Russia hardly had any contact, Sparta worried about Russia and it's peaceful people.

Russia never picked Sparta's warnings up and did not start to build up a defence.

Rome's invasion of Russia
Then Rome suddenly invaded Russia. For all nations of the world this came as a surprise. Except for Sparta!
Sparta had not ceased to warn the leaders of the world, both in public letters, nor in private letters, about the Roman treat.

Sparta, despite being far from ready for an open war with Rome, immediately declared war on them. Sparta wanted to show sympathy to the Russians, and asked other nations to declare war to. The Vikings listened to the Spartans and started to prepare for war as well.

The Piercians, being mislead by the Romans earlier on in the aftermath of the Roman/Portuguese war, betrayed the Russians. They forged a fake-peace between Russia and Rome at the very moment that the Russians were about to slaughter the Roman invaders. Russia had sacrificed many slaves to prepare an army to strike back. This army never had chance to fight because of the Piercian treachery.

In the meanwhile Sparta started negotiations both in public and behind the scenes about an invasion of Rome by all nations on the continent.

Many nations were not interested in public war with Rome, mostly because of fear. No nations felt any friendship for Rome. Thank to Spartan diplomacy Rome became isolated. But the Roman power made that most nations, especially it's neighbours, did not dare to publicly reject Roman politics or declare war upon them.

Unfortunately the Vikings bailed out of the war.
Only the Mayans showed their loyalty towards Sparta, most mostly against Rome!
Sparta's anger towards the Romans even lead to a short cooling down of the relations between Sparta and Korea. For a moment war between Korea and Sparta seemed close.
But negotiations and diplomacy healed the wounds between Sparta and Korea, despite the fact that the relations never became as tight as they used to be anymore.

In the meanwhile Spartan cities were fully focussed on war productions. Soon 4 galleys sailed out of the harbour of Argos, spies were send to Roman cities and caravels were being constructed to defend the galleys and transport more spies.

The road to Rome was long! Certainly 35 periods were needed to bring the soldiers to Rome.
The maintenance costs of this army were large. Sparta only could keep up with he biggest world nations because of it's brilliant economic structure.

Piercia's failure to showcase their diplomatic skills
Piercia tried to show to the world their peaceful and diplomatic skills. In an attempt to look wise they rejected Sparta's hatred towards the Romans, and took a 'wise-solution' attitude.
Over the backs of the Russians they started to try to make peace between the Romans and the Russians.

These negotiations became a failure. A peace deal was signed that was not loved by any of the parties.

In the meanwhile Spartan tried their very best to end the Mayan/Portuguese war. The Mayans were needed against Rome. After all the Mayans agreed to end their naval battle against Portugal and started to prepare for war against Rome.

Besides the Mayans no nation was willing to march against Rome, even though all nations expressed their loyalty towards Sparta's mission. Sparta and Maya appeared to be the only ones without fear for Rome.

Rome had found out about Sparta's attempts to gain much intelligence about Rome though and tried to counter this. Eventhough Rome failed to totally counter Sparta's espionage activities, it became harder for Sparta to keep full knowledge of all Roman cities, though Sparta kept having full sight on Roman territory.

Sparta tries to mislead Rome
Sparta started to spread misinformation towards the Romans about their invasion plans.
Sparta leaked information to nations it did not trust, hoping they would share it with the Romans. It also asked friends and allies to leak certain misinformation to Rome. And Sparta also started to spread subtle lies in their official communications, which were also read by the Romans.

Some of these forms of misinformation were:
- Sparta is marching with an army through piercian territory to invade Rome in the west
- Sparta is moving with an army through Wyandot territory to invade Rome from the north-west
- Sparta is marching through Portuguese territory to invade Rome from the north
- Sparta is moving with galleys through Piercian waters to invade Rome from the south-west
- Sparta is not preparing a war against Rome at all because the distance is too large
- Sparta is sailing with a fake army through Mayan waters to divert Roman's attention from the west, and then invade from the West

Eventhough some of these misinformation may have never reached Rome, Sparta succeeded in keeping the true nation of their mission, invading Rome through Mayan territory from the south, kept hidden.
Roman cities were defended everywhere in Rome, except in the south.

Piercia losing faith in Rome
Then the Piercians started to accept that Sparta was right from the beginning on. The Piercians contacted Sparta and Maya to show their plans to get back on Rome.

Sparta hated this plan, in the first place because it included Piercia's backstabbing of Rome. Despite Sparta's hate towards Rome, the Spartan code of honour did not accept the breaking of peace deals. Piercia should've never signed peace with Rome to begin with, if it never cared about keeping it.

Sparta therefore made clear to Piercia that it did not want to cooperate with Piercia or the Piercian plan to invade Rome from multiple sides.

The Mayans however convinced Sparta that they needed the help of Piercia. Despite Sparta's looking down upon the oath breakers of Piercia, it accepted that these oathbreakers were needed to contain Rome.

Sparta however kept rejecting Piercia's behaviour, but started to spread information about Rome to Piercia as well.
While the Piercians were never part of the planning of the war, they received Spartan information about the war, the start of the war and the course of the war.

These same plans were shared with other friends, and most of all, with the Mayans.

Archelaus moves to Rome
Then Archelaus of Sparta sailed to Rome.
However he never claimed to go to Rome to bring peace, he never denounced Rome's questions.
Archelaus carefully made sure that he would never lie to the Romans. Archelaus did not want to become another oathbreaker.

This was of handling gave Rome the idea that Sparta might be coming for peace. Rumours spread through the Roman empire, and the Spartan spies in place helped spreading them.
While Archelaus with his caravel sailed through the northern part of the north-sea, the Spartan galley army sailed through the southern parts, to far away from Roman shores to be visible.

In an excellent way of planning, Archelaus exactly arrived at Rome when Spartan's galleys were ready to cross the sea and invade Rome.
Archelaus declared war upon Rome, face to face with the Romans, as the Spartan code of honour requires, then sailed away from Roman territories.

Only when Archelaus had left Roman territories, spies from the caravel unloaded from it.
Then one of the many Spartan spies killed the Tribune of Rome, launching the famous slave revolt, and the war against Rome.

Roman and Mayan troops unloaded from galleys in the south and Piercian armies invaded Rome from the west.
The Russians unfortunately had ceased any communications and bailed out from the war.

The war that was planned for over 80 periods had started.
Unfortunately for Sparta the Mayans arrived at the coast of Rome first and captured the Roman harbour city. Sparta unloaded it's armies and started to march north.



But things were different then Sparta had expected.
Rome was helped by Portugal, who send many units to the aid of Rome, and most disturbing of all, by giving Rome possession of the knowledge of gunpowder, despite continuing pleads from Sparta to Portugal to do no.

Sparta marched against Rome, among other things, pay their debts with Portugal for never sending help in the ancient Roman/Portuguese war.

Pierican troops were killed easily, despite Spartans spreading of vital information of all Roman troop positions.
The Maya and Sparta never lost a single army though, because of their excellent knowledge about Rome.

The brilliant slave revolt, launched by Sparta stopped the possibility for Rome to slave new armies, which helped a lot. But soon Portuguese teached musketeers started to defend Rome's cities.

Sparta had to retreat it's armies back into now Mayan jungles.
Saddened by Portugal's choice to help the Romans, the long planned Spartan march against Rome had not lead to any blood spilling of any Roman, except the Tribune and the senate.

Apparently Portugal felt sorry for Rome for being invaded by three nations.
As if Rome never invaded Portugal with 2 nations.
And as if Sparta and Maya were a full force, not limited by oceans and seas.

Now the long planned attempt to correct Rome's aggressive attitude ceased.
If Portugal will not chance mind and join the crusade against the murderers of Rome, who started murdering against Portugal itself long ago, then the mission of Archelaus will have no chance.

Apart from the killing of the treacherous Senate and it's tribune, which satisfied the Spartans very much already!

Right now Roman troops are in Russia, which is undefended by the lack of Russian leadership. Other Roman troops are approaching the Piercian cities, and the Spartan/Mayan armies are hiding in the jungle in the south.

If other nations continue this Roman treat, then the mission will fail and Rome will only be rewarded for it's aggressive, isolationistic attitude against the world.
We should not let this happen!

As we speak quite a big Spartan army is still wandering through Roman territory. Help Sparta by building up pressure on all Roman borders. Together we can bring Rome on it's knees.
We will not enslave Rome, but install a new governament and make it pay towards the Russians and the Portuguese for the damages it has done to them.

Archelaus, now leading his army in the heart of Rome, will continue his mission. To his dead.

[Pitboss Portugal]

An official response to the kingdoms of: Maya, Sparta and Khmer.

Portugal hasn’t gifted a single unit to the Roman Empire to aid them in this great war of theirs. We ask if you have any evidence proving that we have transferred any military units to Rome to be made publicly. If Sparta’s intelligence is so strong against the Romans, they must for sure be able to see what is going on in the Roman Northern provinces, thus any Portuguese units coming from the north should be easily detectable or another way will be to check what we call in Portugal the power graph.

Please do not spread false rumors about us! False talk is unproductive and only destroys foreign relations.

I welcome you to prove us wrong and if by any miracle there is any truth you say Portugal will immediately cut all contacts with Rome and declare war against them. As always Portugal comes forward open minded and diplomatically dressed.

Also about the Portuguese Carrack which has been in Roman’s possession for many centuries now:

That Carrack ship was given to the Romans for safety reasons. During the Maya/Portuguese war after the sinking of one of our Portuguese ships full of Portuguese families, it was decided that if the ship was to be transferred under Roman control it will be allowed to continue its daily tasks. Sadly we were wrong and Maya tried to attack that ship as well.

If our ship has been used in any military intervention in this conflict we will immediately demand an explanation from the Romans. The ship was never given with this in mind; I Marco of Portugal will investigate this matter and share the results with the rest of you.

Maya:

I welcome your peace treaty; you should have by now received the official treaty signed by me and my son. About your request that we post publicly where we stand in this conflict here is my reply:

Portugal remains neutral; we have been neutral now for centuries in this ever growing crisis and will stay so. We continue to trade with all parties involved in this war. We are trading resources with the Piercians, Spartans and Romans. We have open borders with them as well. Just recently trade between the Maya and Portugal has resumed as well. As you can see we do not favor any side. Also Portugal has kept on trading technology with the Spartans and Romans. We have offered the Piercians, Spartans and Romans overseas lands as well. Sparta and Rome have declined our offer; we are still to hear from the Piercians who at the time of our offer seems interested. So King Pacal Voltan I hope this answers your question and shows that Portugal has stays loyal to its foreign policy on this matter.

Khmer:

You blame us for trading technology to some of the parties involved in this war. Well what part of our staying neutral don’t you understand; as I have said many times now which you ignore on purpose Portugal is keeping its trade relations with all sides. If you must know we have traded technology with the Spartans as well. We will trade with anyone interested Piercian, Spartan, Mayan or Roman doesn’t matter. Neutrality in Portuguese politics means keeping doors open for all foreign parties.

Khmer while we are on this subject can you tell the world why was HRE using Khmerian Knights and War Elephants battalions against the Metal Civilization? Reports have come from your continent that you have given the tools needed for the HRE people to fight their war against the Metals. Portugal finds it very interesting to see someone who preaches peace in the north and the same time fuels one.

Khmer news has come that you are very unhappy with us building a great building. Isn’t Portugal allowed to have one great building of its own? May I ask how many does Khmer has? Surely a kingdom with five and more great projects can allow others to build as well. Yes this great project had to be completed as quickly as possible; the sole purpose of the great white building is to be a healing center. As you may know my wife Isabella is very sick, my hope is that now having the necessary amenities finally she can start to recover her health. The only good that has come out currently from this family crisis is that our children Penelope and Henry have resolved their relations.

Maya, Khmer and Sparta I hope that this letter answers some of your concerns. If there is anything else please do not hesitate to tell me, I Marco of Portugal will be more than happy to answer them.


Marco

[Pitboss Celts]

As tidbits of information leak out from the Hastings conference, the Celtic people confirm Suvaraman II's war with the Stincas. The Celtic people support Khmer in their endeavors to acquire new land for the landlocked Celts.

[Pitboss Greece]

To Marco of Portugal,
From Archelaus, currently on the battle fields in Rome

A quick note from the battle field, I apologize for mistakenly giving the idea that Portugal is sending units to Rome. I was indeed referring to this carack.
In the heat of the battle I have made thing bigger then they were.

Key of the problem, nonetheless, is the Roman possession of Portuguese gunpowder.
We cannot fight musketeers.
I have just retracted my army from a Roman city because we had no chance to take it. The gates were guarded by musketeers.

My spy was ready to bring the city into anarchy, some of the slaves in the city were already enjoying and welcoming the Spartan King, who gave them freedom. They were ready to let me enter the city as a hero.
But my soldiers cannot stand up against musketeers.

My many catapults would've certainly destroyed many of them, and we would have done a good job killing many Roman soldiers. But we could not free the city.

We were able to retract our armies quickly, avoiding spilling any blood on both sides for nothing.

Marco, we are here to end the growing treat of Rome!
Why don't you help us? You say that you are neutral? How can you be neutral if Rome invaded you and your neighbours?
Rome will certainly try to harm Portugal again in the future.

Now is the moment to restrain this evil.
Abandon your way of staying neutral in a conflict that also concerns you!

Archelaus

[Pitboss H Roman]

Originally posted by Pitboss Portugal

Khmer while we are on this subject can you tell the world why was HRE using Khmerian Knights and War Elephants battalions against the Metal Civilization? Reports have come from your continent that you have given the tools needed for the HRE people to fight their war against the Metals. Portugal finds it very interesting to see someone who preaches peace in the north and the same time fuels one.

Dear Portugal,

The HRE can defend itself diplomatically on this one, thank you very much.

The War Elephants were created solely by Holy Roman blood, sweat and tears, using ivory obtained through an earlier trade with the Khmer.

The Knights used against the Metals were the final part of a trade agreement reached many years ago with the Khmer. The Khmer did not know our plans for their use.

The Holy Roman's can honestly say that the Khmer had little or no advance warning of the three-nation assault on the Metals, nor did they play any active part in the campaign. In fact, the peace deal reached by the Khmer-Funglish efforts actually cost the Empire, whereas we could have achieved our goal militarily.

The Holy Roman Foreign Affairs office felt that it should set the record straight for all to read.

Yours truly,
Ivan Leticoff,
Minster of Foreign Affairs

[Pitboss H Roman]

Operation TIAL RUVAP

A Public Statement from Frederick I, Holy Roman Empire

Resulting from the Hastings Conference and the Peace Agreement reached to end the recent hostilities, the six nations involved have all agreed to launch Operation TIAL RUVAP.

This operation involves military action against the Incan Empire. To that end, the Khmer have declared war against the Incans, and today, the Holy Roman Empire has also declared war.

Understand that this war is undertaken for the benefit of the 6 Meduain Nations involved.

We will keep you apprised of developments.

Strength, honor, and may the Lord bless you.

Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor

[Pitboss Khmer]

He awoke from a deep sleep.

He was at peace within himself yet at war as a nation.

Had the Stinca's replied to any of Khmer's diplomacy?

Rhetorical of course.

He stared out over the early morning mountains to the East of Angkor Thom. The sun was glinting between two distant peaks as a beautiful ray of light bathed the chambers.

"Nothing has arrived yet your graciousness."

"As a fair nation we have given them time to resolve the issue peaceably. Send word to attack."

"Start Operation TIAL RUVAP."

[Pitboss Khmer]

Thumbs tucked into his belt, fingers free he walked in thought around the courtyard, glancing to the East where he knew great armies and great friends were meeting and readying themselves. He wished he was there but for the moment his presence was required here.

Breakfast was good, exceptionally good, as the free fingers stroked his stomach.

"Graciousness, you wanted to know straight away. We have received word that Rice Shores has fallen. We have lost one Knight unit as we encountered a Stincan War Elephant."

"A War Elephant? Why did they have one there?"

"It is possible there are barbarians in the area and the Stincans had lost several cities in ancient times to barbarians because of their poor defenses. But they have built a new wonder called Chichen Itza. It improves their defense."

"Poor defenses indeed. How can this highly productive nation concentrate so heavily on Wonder creation yet defend herself so poorly. Why did the setle so close to Khmer borders yet leave her own rich jungles unsettled for eons. Don't answer me, just send word to our allies and ask the Celts when they would like to take ownership of Rice Shores."

[Pitboss Rome]

King Archaleus,

I have received a copy of your statement about your war with Rome. It makes interesting reading, and we admire your focus, planning and skill. We also respect your position regarding the Oath-Breakers; your honour always does you a service and does much to impress us. As always, we recognise great kinship between our nations; it pains us that we appear to be Cain and Abel, brothers locked in conflict rather than in collaboration.

We will not attempt to deal with every issue you raise. Now is not the time for talking, though we would hope that soon you would be willing to talk - it would sadden us to have to slaughter all the brave Spartans currently in Roman lands. Bring your ships back and let us arrange an evacuation.

However, I will address three points:

1. I can confirm what King Marco says - Portugal has not gifted a single unit to Rome for this war. Indeed they refused to help us in this way, despite our requests in the panic of the original invasion. The simple fact is that Rome is strong, and your forces were lacking.

2. We possessed gunpowder before this war started. You only have to remember back to when Archaleus first reached the Roman coasts, years before you launched this war, when we made our possession of gunpowder very clear. Perhaps your episonage was not as good as you suggest.

3. You continue with your excellent diplomatic spin to suggest that Rome is an aggressive nation, and a threat to others. But the fact is that Rome under Tribune Hieronymus never broke a peace treaty and offered peace to every nation it was in contact with.

We appreciate your sharing of your misinformation. I have checked with Secretary Maximilian who was with Tribune Hieronymus. We spotted each one of these with some help from suitable placed spies, except we did believe "Sparta is not preparing a war against Rome at all because the distance is too large". Of course the failure of the current war proves why. Despite Spartan military prowess and honour, the distance simply is too large for you to fight a successful war. You dispatch modern technology and find it facing gunpowder on your arrival. Even Sparta bravery cannot overturn time.

If your soliders choose to fight to to the death, we will build a memorial to them - a tribute to the bravery of our distant brothers, and a teaching aid for our future generals of the futility of planning war over so many centuries over such a distance. But we hope they might make a wiser choice.

Princeps Octavian.

[Pitboss Greece]

From the archives of Sparta: (sent about 14 turns ago)

Emperor Aun'O Asiz Asizia of the Piercian Empire

We are delighted to see that you finally understood that Sparta has always been right.
Sparta however does not want to be involved in any kind of backstabbing Rome.
We will fight Rome with open sight.
We will not hide behind fake peace or false treaties. That's not the Spartan way.

Not to mention that Sparta will not line up behind Piercian generals.
Sparta has a personal issue with Rome, we will deal with Rome ourselves.

Of course we will welcome Piercian help very much!
In about 20 periods we will be ready to invade Rome from Wyandot territory.
We will let you know in advance, so that you can also invade at the very same moment and
take from Rome what you want to take from Rome.
But let it be clear that we will not be a part of the party that backstabs Rome.
We will stab them full in their face!

Prince Tyrimmas of Sparta

[Pitboss Greece]

Sent about 5 turns ago to Portugal

No, we will not keep a settlement in Rome.
The costs I have to pay every year to keep it alive and to defend it would criple our economy, not to mention that Rome would be able to grab it back in a couple of minutes, if they want to, anyway, unless I really sacrifice half my empire to defend it.

We will strike, put some pressure on Rome to respect, leave the Russians alone, and give us a tech voucher.
The last term is the least impotant one.

I fear that Rome will slave some gunpowder units the moment they see our ships appearing on the horizon.
That's why I hope that you may want to delay giving gunpowder by at least 5 periods.

Piercia has no goals except grabbing land. They are opportunists who want to use the momentum of Sparta's invasion of Rome.
But I couldn't care less if Rome or Piercia has the valuable cities in the desert. I don't trust any of them. I hope they'll clash hard and hurt each other's economy.

I think that'll be in the best interest of both Portugal and Sparta.
I'll keep you updated.

Archelaus