Sparta-Morgan Relations

[Googlie]

Well, with Morgan, I feel we owe them a reply to their questions:

>> on HEC, (tell them we would only trade military techs to pactmates)

Posted elsewhere by Googlie
Regarding technology trading, the Junta has recently adopted a policy that, unless we are pacted with a faction, we will not trade military technologies

>> on the supported probes (a non-starter, as far as I'm concerned, unless we're in bed with them)

>> on their getting the commlinks (elsewhere I've penned the "middleman" speech - I'd use that in reply)

Posted elsewhere by Googlie
We are reluctant to trade or sell commlinks for the time being. Our strategy called for technology researches and unit builds that left us seriously behind the other 3 human-controlled factions as regards deployment of crawlers, and we believe that we need some time to enjoy the rewards of the "middleman" role that our strategy provides.

As regards the Ecol Eng debate, maybe we just bite the bullet and go it alone with that (ie move the sliders, run a -1 deficit for 7 years, and get it in 2149) Then we're nor playing leapfrog, nor giving away Ethical Calculus for "free" to get our hands on Env Econ goodness knows when

(But my judgment is colored by my CMN role in the last game where PEACE got burned for trying to hog techs too long, and in fact pissed people off by being too demanding - I'd hate for us to get in that position where we've oodles of level 2 and 3 techs but won't trade them and we see the world pass us by on trades (right Maniac?)

And as regards Ethical Calculus, maybe we just tell all 3 of the others we'll send it their way for the 10 year x 25 ec's licence payment after which it's theirs to do with as they please

(75 ec's per turn would go a long way to offsetting that -1 in our proposed budget!!!)

EDIT: Or are we being too greedy - after all, I doubt if the Gaians could generate 25 per turn (we certainly couldn't)

Maybe it's 10 per turn - gives us 300 overall - and remember, that's a tech we picked up for 50 ec's, and got Secrets thrown to us into the bargain

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
(But my judgment is colored by my CMN role in the last game where PEACE got burned for trying to hog techs too long, and in fact pissed people off by being too demanding - I'd hate for us to get in that position where we've oodles of level 2 and 3 techs but won't trade them and we see the world pass us by on trades (right Maniac?)

That's been on mind as well. Do you feel we should sell everyone all the techs we've got, just so that we could get at least something out of it, instead of running the risk to get nothing?

But on the other side, since this isn't a co-op game, one could argue that our rivals and us both getting nothing, is better than our rivals getting everything, and we only a little in return. Difficult question...

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
[i]EDIT: Or are we being too greedy - after all, I doubt if the Gaians could generate 25 per turn (we certainly couldn't)

I'd consider 150c a decent price if we could get it. Still too high, or does that sound reasonable? Haven't got that many experience with PBEM diplomacy, so I can't really tell.

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Maniac
I'd consider 150c a decent price if we could get it. Still too high, or does that sound reasonable? Haven't got that many experience with PBEM diplomacy, so I can't really tell.

I think it'd depend when the particilar faction thought they could get it on their own

It's only prereq is Social Psych, which they all have, so it's just a detour

(But I'm willing to bet that the Angels right now have started on HEC and the Gaians on Doc Flex, so it'd be at least 15 or 16 years before either got that tech, then started on - and got - EthCalc)

And with Morgan - who knows? They mightr even as we write be researching EthCalc. They aren't (yet) interested in Gene Splicing, so Ecol Eng isn't on their radar ......... they haven't yet got Applied Physics, so neither Nonlinear Math nor HEC are on their path ........... they've just completed Flex a couple of turns ago, one of the 2 prereqs for Doc Initiative, whose other prereq is Industrial Automation !!! .......... or they might be heading down the 2 economics path (Adaptive and Planetary)

[KrysiasKrusader]

Originally posted by Maniac
That's been on mind as well. Do you feel we should sell everyone all the techs we've got, just so that we could get at least something out of it, instead of running the risk to get nothing?

But on the other side, since this isn't a co-op game, one could argue that our rivals and us both getting nothing, is better than our rivals getting everything, and we only a little in return. Difficult question...

Tough call. That's a tough call indeed...


As things stand now (which is effectively = everything up in the air), an isolationist approach, while keeping the door open to an alliance with either Gaia or Morgan.

Meaning: Hold onto what we got, unless we can deal with a pactmate to further our goals.

[Googlie]

I've posted the SCC Hunter's Captains Log for 2143 in the Embassy

[Googlie]

Hmm - how about my putting out unofficial feelers to the Morganites re their thoughts on a Pact with deep significance

(As leader of the Pro-Morgan wing of the Junta)

Maybe Morgan doesn't want to climb into bed with the first of the 3 women he meets. (maybe he prefers Zak, or Yang or Lal!!) - especially as he hasn't seen what the other 2 could offer.

And it might require a leap of faith on their part to trust us if I said "We are by far the most technologically advanced Human team, and have the biggest population and army of the human teams", but without actually specifying to which tech level we might Pact, sound them out in principle to see if there might be interest on their side.

Their first contact comment re the supposedly cosy relationship between the Angels and the Gaians suggests that they will at the very least give weighty consideration to any "feeler" I could put out.

(In fact, maybe we should try something similar to all 3 factions, from a different "champion's" point of view. - and maybe Maniac, as you've already had some off-the-record talks with GM, perhaps Zeiter floats the trial balloon with the Gaians and you do so with the Angels?)

[Kassiopeia]

I endorse the idea of throwing "feelers" by different people to all three factions.

I took the liberty of bringing up the idea in the Morganite embassy, but I said that LtCol Googlie would elaborate on the issue. Please do.

Note, though, unless we are pacted to the faction wanting to trade. The other Lieutenant Colonel of the Junta, Googlie, will elaborate on this, but I am willing to state that the Junta has been seriously considering the possibility of allying itself with Morgan Industries, recognizing the way our two factions would complement each other. I recommend your faction starts a discourse on this possibility of extended co-operation as well.

More to the matter of the current topic, would you be interested in Ethical Calculus? We are willing to part ways with it for 10 years of 15 credits per year. You must agree to not build the Citizen's Defence force, however, and you must not trade the technology to a third party (or gift a unit with an ability allowed by the traded tech to a third party) for 15 mission years.

For the Junta and the Federation,

[Googlie]

I've e-mailed the following Private message to CEO Chaunk:

Googlie e-mail to CEO Chaunk of Morgan Corporation
CONFIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM

To: Mr. Chaunk, CEO - Morgan Corporation (the "Corporation")

From: Lieutenant-Colonel Googlie, Joint Chair of the Junta, The Spartan Federation (the "Federation")

Subject: Testing the conditions for a "Deep Pact" between our factions

Date: Mission Year- 2143

*************************************************

This is a personal initiative and does not reflect the official position of the Federation

By way of background, I lead a "wing" of the Junta informally known as "the pro-Morgan wing". I have recently been arguing in Junta sessions that we consider establishing much closer relations between our two factions, creating, if you will, on Chiron, a "Military-Industrial" complex intertwining of our officers and your economists and scientists.

By focussing our efforts on certain key technologies such as Doctrine Flexibility and Planetary Networks - to the exclusion of more traditional research paths that lead to Industrial Automation - we have succeeded in exploring much of Chiron, have infiltrated several factions, and have met - and signed Treaties with - all 6 other factions that survived Planetfall.

And while our military build-up has been proceeding as planned, our covert operations and diplomatic efforts have yielded impressive results. (As an example, we now possess the useful technologies of Ethical Calculus, Gene Splicng and Ecological Engineering, to name but 3. I was instrumental in persuading the Junta to offer the Corporation the opportunity of licensing the Ethical Calculus technology)

But clearly, as a faction that likes its "expensive toys", we cannot over the long haul hope to compete economically and scientifically with a faction such as the Corporation, and this leads me to approach you with the following suggestion for consideration by your Board:

Let us pact together, for a period to that poiint in time where we - together - discover the Mind Machine Interface technology. At that juncture we then have the option of going our separate ways, or perhaps extending our co-operation to the attainment of some future milestone technology, such as Super Tensile Solids, again agreeing to part company at that point.

While it is inevitable that upon that parting we will compete for the victory of our own Philosophies, in suggesting this latter pact duration we are pretty much conceding that we are unlikely to want to wage vendetta against you, as strong as you will be by that point in time.

We would see this pact as being non-exclusive (in that we realize that to maximize your economic potential you will want to pact with all 6 factions, if possible) but will be all-inclusive. If we have researched or probed a tech that you lack, you need only ask and it will be sent forthwith, and vice versa. Our two factions will run an integrated economy where we will provide navy and airforce services, provide exploration information and, to the extent that our meager research efforts allow, leapfrog with you in researching technologies on both our critical paths. We would be integrated to the extent that we will agree in advance which Special Projects we will each pursue (and I would broadly see the Federation concentrating on those that provided free base facilities - to offset our lack of energy production and ease the economic burden we would be to the Corporation - and the Corporation focussing on those that provided research, economic and population boosts)

Thus the role of the Corporation would be as a research and economic engine, while that of the Federation would be defense, threat suppression and global projection of power. The Corporation would likely grow through internal expansion, the Federation through external acquisition.

And when that time comes where we part ways and endeavour to impose our unique ideology on Chiron, the Corporation will likely have the option of dominating economically, or scientifically (by transcendence), while the Federation's choices will likely be diplomatically (by persuading a 3/4 majority of Chiron's citizens that Spartan rule is beneficial, or militarily - by forcing them to accept that rule) It should promise to be an interesting time in Chiron politics.

So, my dear CEO. I have given you much food for thought. Your answer needn't be this year, as the year end is almost upon us, but I would appreciate your intitial reaction which, if favourable, will embolden me to continue to vigorously prosecute a Morgan alliance within the Junta discussions

Sincerely,

Lt. Col Googlie

Let's see what this will dredge up

[KrysiasKrusader]

Hasn't Chaunk gone missing in the last couple of weeks or so?
Thought I saw something about that at CGN somewhere... (?)


Edit: Chaunk hasn't been at CGN since May. My computer can't load the players list here right now, so I can't verify his activity here.

[Googlie]

Hmm - good point

His last post data says August 8th.

I'll forward it to Impaler then (I want to avoid Mead as he is their accredited diplo)

[Googlie]

LOL -I don't have Imp's email - I'll post it in the embassy

[KrysiasKrusader]

So then; Chaunk split with the payroll, eh?

Too bad. He's a really funny guy to deal with.

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Googlie
LOL -I don't have Imp's email - I'll post it in the embassy

Don't seem to be able to (maybe too long)

I've e-mailed it to jtsisyoda with the comment:

I sent the attached to Chaunk by e-mail (recognizing his Apolyton profile statement "CEO of Morgan Industries, ACDG3"

I see that he hasn't posted publicly since August 4th, so let's roleplay that his Exec Assistant found it and has passed it to you.

[Googlie]

see here for further thoughts