Sparta-Morgan Relations

[Kassiopeia]

Hmm, so this raises some questions:

1) Should we provide them a "shopping catalogue" of techs we could 'acquire' and offer to them (with price tags attached) as they have requested? What would the secrecy hit be?

2) What's the "pain limit" (lowest amount of credits we must receive) for Gene Splicing - they may not really need or want it, so they might not be even willing to buy it at all.

[Googlie]

Ooooohh - I love it when we're counterbluffed

Posted by Mead in the Embassy
Although I am not an expert, I know that if is not the tech that we need right now, then having it will slow down our overall tech rate. Because of this, Gene Splicing might not be worth that much to us right now

Gene Splicing = Research Hospitals

• Reduces # drones in Base by 1
• Increases Psych at base by 25%
• Increases research at base by 25%

Gene Splicing = Nut restrictions lifted
Allows faster growth in all bases where there are +3 nut tiles to be worked

And they're not interested?

Let's just yawn and say "Uh - Okay, we won't mention it again until you're ready. Let us know"

[Kassiopeia]

Since it doesn't appear to be urgent, I'll just go to bed so that I'll have fresh eyes and fingers to compose a feisty reply tomorrow.

I suppose Mead may not honestly know the significance of the technology, like I myself am not too aware of the things we are trading (been a while since I actually played). Unless he's a real SMAC shark, which then is something I can't be expected to know, having been "out of the circuit" for quite a while.

[Googlie]

I suggest we say something along the lines of:

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

"It is not our policy to trade military technologies, but there are a few technologies we have - or can acquire - that facilitate growth and infrastructure.

Among these would be:

Ethical Calculus
Gene Splicing
and, shortly,
Ecological Engineering

(But we will be in a better position to broker deals in 2143 when our infiltration is completed)

And as we seem to be some distance apart as to the value we place on Gene Splicing, perhaps it would be preferable for you to indicate to us a price that you would be prepared to pay and we can then determine if it is worth the cost to us

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

(of course we mean of the Uni, but they are so paranoid over at Morgan, I bet, that they'll assume the worst - that we've completed infiltration in every faction - that they'll prolly outright ask us if we have infiltrated Morgan.

Just mess with their minds ...........................

[KrysiasKrusader]

It also is required for Bio-Engineering, Synthetic Fossil Fuels, and Ecological Engineering. It's a significant stepping stone.

It's a biggie for any real kind of builder strategy, which I would strongly suspect that the Morgan team are following. Else they'll be toast by the middle game.

[KrysiasKrusader]

Originally posted by Googlie
Let's just yawn and say "Uh - Okay, we won't mention it again until you're ready. Let us know"

I would add:

"Give us a call when you figure it's worth something..."


Then when they jump at Mead's throat - we extract something really big. Like: ask them to be the junior partner in our plot of world domination, or somethin equivilant.

[KrysiasKrusader]

Originally posted by Googlie
I suggest we say something along the lines of:

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

"It is not our policy to trade military technologies, but there are a few technologies we have - or can acquire - that facilitate growth and infrastructure.

Among these would be:

Ethical Calculus
Gene Splicing
and, shortly,
Ecological Engineering

(But we will be in a better position to broker deals in 2143 when our infiltration is completed)

And as we seem to be some distance apart as to the value we place on Gene Splicing, perhaps it would be preferable for you to indicate to us a price that you would be prepared to pay and we can then determine if it is worth the cost to us

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

(of course we mean of the Uni, but they are so paranoid over at Morgan, I bet, that they'll assume the worst - that we've completed infiltration in every faction - that they'll prolly outright ask us if we have infiltrated Morgan.

Just mess with their minds ...........................

Well you took the idea right out of my head and typed it out faster than I ever could. Only thing, I would have said "resource lifting techmologies" , and "DEMOCRATIC choice", instead of actually listing them individually.

[Googlie]

Scc Hunter moved as per instructions, but encountered islands and fungus.

Morgan Observer saw this:

[KrysiasKrusader]

I guess the Morgan observer will now know that, there aren't any bonus tiles in the sea for that other base of his. He can switch producion from his sea former to something else...

[Snoddasmannen]

Mead:
There are those within the Corporation that feel that we are sharing too much, considering the hurdles we have to overcome in order to get that bonus. There are others that feel that we should be given operational control of the ship (direct where it goes) instead of just being an observer.

We could ask them if any of those members have actually realized that there is a Spartan military vessel patrolling their coastline I don't think we should, but let's not buy into their rhetoric...

As for the price list. I would drop the "and shortly" before EcoEng, and I would also drop Gene Splicing from that list entirely. They blew the negotiations on that. If they wish to bring it up again (I guess they will) they should feel the diplomatic impact. Also, add a couple of powerful techs we don't have access to, and if they attempt to trade for those, we just make sure the negotiations fail

[Googlie]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
Also, add a couple of powerful techs we don't have access to, and if they attempt to trade for those, we just make sure the negotiations fail

(like Synthetic Fossils and maybe Planetary economics???)

again

[Kassiopeia]

I like Snoddasmannen's idea. A lot

[Snoddasmannen]

Planetary economics? Doesn't that give a +1 trade bonus? They might insist on their trade compensation money back :P

Maybe bluffing here isn't such a hot idea, it would be embarrassing if they got the techs before us and we had to trade for it from them On the other hand, we have plausible deniability since we only claimed to have access to the techs.

I think we should do it, just for the hell of it Synthetic Fossil Fuels looks good, not sure about PlanEco cos of the trade bonus, how about Neural Grafting?

[Kassiopeia]

OTOH we mustn't put them on their toes too much, so that our inevitable bleeding skirmish against them to keep them from getting out of control will be a complete surprise to them and their troops.

[Googlie]

Not a bad idea (Zak might already have NG for all we know - he has Secrets, and Gene Splicing, its 2 prereqs) - and we can Secrets to the list as well, now that we have it