Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread] . PART 9 (April 2009)

[Robert]

BTW. You have missed out the fact that Rome has also now got a third of what was once Maya!

I know, but I don't know exactly what part, so this map reflects the world apart from the Roman invasion of Maya territory.

[Pitboss Russia]

From: President Rostislav Vladimirovich
To: All Free Nations of the World

Russia is glad that the appalling attacks upon the Maya appear to have been lessened. If Rome proclaims herself free of any further desire to attack the innocents then Russia is prepared to accept that there was a degree of justice and strategic necessity in Roman actions. That Rome has declared herself satisfied with the justifiable land redistribution program then so is Russia.

What Russia will not forget is Roman trickery into the provision of aid for a War that was nothing to do with her! It cost Russia Gold to train your men Marcus and it cost Russia vital cargo vessels needed to furnish her far colonies with much needed supply!

We will not dwell overlong on the past but let me make this absolutely clear. Russia will be returned her ships and Drill Captains forthwith! Russia will also be given fair and just recompense for the abuse of her trust and the innocent use of her enlisted men in a Roman War for Roman gain alone!

Please let us once again meet as friends, Marcus. Come meet me in Novgorad at the new Presidential Palace so that we may sup tea together and forget old scores. We must discuss the future of this World not the past.

As for Sparta, we despair of you! King Orestes was a just, fair and kindly man who did Russia no few favours and we hold his memory fondly. Emperor Menelaus you are a dog of a very different colour! First you declared War upon us, with no provocation, whilst we were attempting to liberate an oppressed people and then, once you had secured an unjust peace, you attempted to weasel your way out of an ancient debt to Russia!

Now the World can see what stripes you really wear! You are a butcher and a murderer of man, woman and child! You pretend ‘Liberation’ when all you are is an Imperialist commanding a uniformed bunch of thugs which will wantonly kill any innocent that might stray in their path. Your ‘men’, ‘tis scant their rightful title, collect heads as trophies to gloat over.



Russia does not forget her debts and so cannot forget the historic friendship twixt Sparta and Russia that once existed. Russia turned a blind eye to your deviant practices with dumb animals, Russia accepted your seizure of Pusan with the feeble excuse that culture, Hellenic culture at that, persuaded those misguided people to join your Dictatorship but Russia cannot accept your War against the Maya as having any legal, ethical or moral justification!

President Rostislav Vladimirovich
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Republic

[Pitboss Greece]

Fall of Wonsan

As expected the Spartan armies have liberated Wonsan from the Mayan occupation.
No blood was shed during this liberation, citizen of Wonsan welcomed the Spartan soldiers.

The main part of the Spartan army then immediately moved into the direction of Durango. Menelaus would travel to Durango as well to meet a possible Mayan delegation to discuss the terms of peace. Once again Menelaus had send a peace proposal to the Mayans.



(click to enlarge)

[Pitboss Rome]

Plea for the Mayan People

People of Maya,

I address you directly for I know your democratic systems makes you the people the rulers of your country, and your government seems absent - absent from diplomacy and absent from the battle field (although I salute the bravery of your generals and local commanders).

I urge you to send ambassadors, local officials, religious leaders, university rectors or whoever can speak for the people, and who cares for the people to meet with me in the North, and to meet with Menalaus Emperor of Sparta in the South.

I do not speak for Menalaus for I know he has publicly declared that he intends to hold no Mayan land, only the lands of Korea. Simmilarly I have declared openly that I intend to hold only the land necessary to safeguard the Roman south coast. This leaves a great nation - the Mayan heartland - based around the great holy shrine of the Toaist faith.

Peace could be established now - the suffering of the people could be ended now - but we hear nothing from Maya. They just continue to send your young men in pointless attacks - lions led by donkeys. Continued war brings only more uncertainty, the possibility of anarchy and the further intevention of Sparta and Rome, and more suffering.

Save yourself, save your nation. Use your democratic values and system to raise up new leaders who will talk, and settle the peace of the world.

Marcus Custos of Rome.

[Pitboss Greece]

Marcus,

My cartographers ask for updates regarding the Mayan territory.
Can you either update the maps we have shared with all people of the world, or share your maps with me so that my cartographers can make an update?

Sparta has met all goals set before we declared the cease fire between Sparta and Maya void. We have no desire to continue this war. My armies are now besieging the Mayan city of Durango. I am close to Durango myself and ready to talk to the Maya leaders and negotiate peace.

If the Mayan leaders will continue to be a threat towards the Korean and Spartan people I see no other possibility then to also seize Durango and use it for it's strategical position to defend ourselves against possible future Maya aggression.

I do backup your call upon the Mayan people to regain peace and safety.
I call upon the Maya to enter the Spartan Empire as an independent Spartan nation. This will give them key strategic resources like oil and coal and Spartan defences. It'll also ensure other nations on earth that the Mayans won't be able to strike against them.
Capitulation of the Mayans is needed to reach this enduring peace and stability for the Mayan people.

I am looking forward to their answer.

Menelaus II
Emperor of Sparta, Japan and Korea

[Pitboss Russia]

From: Foreign Minister Daniil Aleksandrovich
To: Custos Marcus of Rome

The President has asked that I make this request of you. Any Cartographic information provided by Russia to Rome was for your eyes alone. Russia regards Sparta as a hostile and aggressor nation which has but recently emerged from an unjust War against The Motherland. Any information passed by the Russian Foreign Ministry to Rome was always on the basis of Friend and Ally to Friend and Ally. Russian interests could be severely jeopardised by any information regarding Russian territories, borders or troop dispositions being passed into unfriendly hands. Russia hopes that she can trust in your discrection in this important matter. If Sparta requires Russian charts to correct her inaccurate World Map she need but ask Russia directly, the request of course will be rejected, rather than obtain sensitive Russian intelligence and the locations of her outposts via a Third Party.

Daniil Aleksandrovich, Foreign Minister
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Republic

[Pitboss Celts]

Tidings Brennus!

A great and ancient friend who would never be detrimentally effected by the Khmer. Long live the fighters of Meduian!

Please note the [in-game] communique asking permission to send a tank through your territory.

If it is too alarming for your population I will order it return immediately. Please advise, and sorry for any domestic disturbances caused.

the new Khmer representative,

Yurya.

There may be a link in the jungle mail that has been severed. We saw no communication regarding the tank. Or, if we did, it was not written into our historical annals. We welcome your presence in our land as long as it is friendly. We will pass word to all the people not be afraid and welcome the drivers of the tank into their homes for food and refreshment.

[Pitboss Portugal]

To Khmer

Seeing that you have withdrawn your tanks from New Portugal I have released the cultural pressure on Xristo City. I hope that this shows our goodwill towards you as well.

[Pitboss Portugal]

Portugal is steadily becoming the entertaining center of the world.

We are now able to trade with any willing party our famous musicals and blockbuster movies.

Two very popular places to visit currently are:

Broadway and Rock N Roll.

[Pitboss Portugal]

Military:

Concerned with the much warring around the world, Portugal generals have advised the Portuguese leadership to continue to arm itself and invest in new weapons.

The latest weapons to be added to the Portuguese armies are the tank and the first ever Bomber in the world.

Portuguese Bomber:



Portuguese Tank brigade:

[Pitboss Rome]

Great Menalaus II Emperor of Sparta,

I have examined your recent letter to me with some care.

There is much of course that I agree with. I am glad you join my plea for the Mayan people to speak or negotiate, or if they feel unable to, to appoint someone to do so on their behalf, or if that fails perhaps another nation might take on the role of advocate and peace-keeper (perhaps the Celts).

However, I have to reject your suggestion that the Mayan capitulate. The Mayan should remain a free nation. Yes a smaller nation than before; yes one which no longer threatens their neighbours. But a free nation. Frankly your proclamation seems deceptive to us - you suggest you want no share of Mayan lands, and yet in fact you say you are about to capture the major Mayan industrial area, and you imply you will only agree peace with the Maya if they capitulate to you. There are echoes here of your reported demand of the Japanese 'capitulate or be annihilated'. I had thought that this was a false rumour about you - not being able to believe that a civilised nation such as your own could make such a threat. Please assure me that Sparta does not make those kind of threats to any nation.

It is not just to demand capitulation as a pre-condition for peace.

Rome does not believe that any nation should be the vassal of another.

If a nation chooses to be, well I would disapprove by it is not for me to say. However, I oppose any suggestion that a nation should be forced to.

Come great Menalaus. Let us make peace with the Maya, not enslave them. I am prepared to give back cities to the Maya to establish a free, independent and secure Mayan state. Join me.

Marcus

[Pitboss Khmer]

To Khmer

Seeing that you have withdrawn your tanks from New Portugal I have released the cultural pressure on Xristo City. I hope that this shows our goodwill towards you as well.

This is sincerely appreciated. Further troop reductions may occur soon.

Would it be possible to refer to me as Yurya?

I trust that Xristo remains head of Portugal?

Tidings!

Yurya

[Pitboss Khmer]

Roman Maya!

[Pitboss Khmer]

It's also quite bizarre that Portugal was able to snatch most of New Portugal away while the Khmer were that close!

It is ironic, and Khmer found NP very early on and also discovered New Sparta at the same time as Sparta.

But Khmer deliberately held off on colonisation to allow the smaller civs to get some more land. But it backfired and the diplomacy to restrain Portuguese expansion in NP failed; and then Rome was suddenly allowed in after Maya gobbled up Korea. They took most of the spots we planned on if Meduian nations didn't want them.

Won't make that mistake again. I feel Khmer acted altruistically in the interests of the game but lack of communication and diplomacy and basically reduced game dynamics caused it all to fall away. If a constant flow of dynamic dipolomacy prevailed when Maya and Khmer were negotiating the NP treaty with Portugal we would have seen 6 Portuguese cities in NP and the rest would be settled by the smaller civs - now it's all Rome and Portugal (virtually). This is not a specific criticism just a general observation. All the same I will never again allow ooc considerations for the game effect my strategy. I take full responsibilty for this.

Also the carrack made a big difference in getting settlers to NP thousands of years ahead of other civs.

[Pitboss Rome]

Yes the carrack was important, but to be fair the Portuguese didn't settle all the land in a way that in SP I would have done.

As Rome I also for many many centuries refused to settle overseas - even though I had a carack early on which could have done it, and the encouragement of the Portuguese to do it. This was a deliberate restraint and part of the in IG story of the Romans not liking ships. Finally though seeing my neighbour the Portuguese rocketting ahead in power and at the time the Khmer, and empty land still all over NP, I thought I had to grab some to avoid the Portuguese simply racing away. So with the change of leader to Marcus Aurelius I storied the change to being sea-facing, and still it was a century until I landed any settlers on NP, and still all the land was free. Even now, though, don't be deceived by the maps, those Roman settlements generally have no defenders, no buildings etc.

And lets be honest, New Sparta is a great continent too, and still fairly empty and other nations like the Spain are settling well there - at least 4 cities.