Sparta-Morgan Relations

[Modo44]

It will be an offensive ship for sure, even if for Gator-hunting initially, so you can hardly put "SNC" in front. I think SCC Enterprise fits it very well.

[EDIT: Is my proposed answer to the Morgans ok with you guys? ]

[Googlie]

I like the proposed answer.

Maybe with a finishing statement, playing along with their roleplay:

After all, as litigation and defence counsel both know, ignorance of the law is no defence

(But I still think, as I said when we first broached the Doctrine, that 8 tiles from a base is too harsh. At 8, a Morgan ship could never leave Vander Eudaimonics. The game draws the Hiev Sparta border 2 tiles out from Laborers Throng and 2 from MT, splitting the difference, so 4 tiles from VE would seem to be in Morgan's sphere of influence.)

The question is, of course, could they back it up with action if need be? We can

[Modo44]

Alright, I'm going to post it, with that very, very neat finishing line.

[EDIT: Posted. And get that ship ready for my lads.

If they feel 8 tiles is too much, they can always pay us for a corridor, right? We are flexible, after all. ]

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
I just got this btw, but obviously Gator is a reference to litiGator, did everybody get that except me?

I had never heard of the word 'litigator' until now. I thought it referred to 'Investigator'.

Originally posted by Googlie
(But I still think, as I said when we first broached the Doctrine, that 8 tiles from a base is too harsh. At 8, a Morgan ship could never leave Vander Eudaimonics. The game draws the Hiev Sparta border 2 tiles out from Laborers Throng and 2 from MT, splitting the difference, so 4 tiles from VE would seem to be in Morgan's sphere of influence.)

Seems like a good compromise to me. If they don't like the Modo Doctrine we could propose splitting up the Buster Ocean with that as our negotiating goal. (And of course we could also split up the ocean between Eastern Arcadia and Western Morgania.)

[Googlie]

Posted by Argenine in the Embassy
Let's talk about a cash price for purchasing Eco Eng and/or HEC

Morgan's research costs are 431 per tech (and they are producing 87 per turn - so they get a tech every 5 years)

A reasonable price for each would be 400 ec's, but maybe allow ourselves to be beaten down to 4 years' worth (87 x 4 = 348) rounded to 350

And none of this "over fifteen years" . Nothing less than 1/2 now with the balance over no longer than 3 years, I say

[Modo44]

Ask for 500, and see what they answer. This way we might learn some more about their attitude to us. Of course, plan to go down with the price during negotiations, but use those negotiations.

[Snoddasmannen]

Sure, go ahead and ask for 500 ec:s, just to get the cogwheels rolling in the Morgan money counting machines. They won't accept, or at least I hope they won't

[Googlie]

Kassiopeia:

cf the Angels thread.

The Morgan trade ball is in our court.

They have asked if we are willing to sell Ecol Eng (which they are 3 turns away from researching themselves - 2 after this current turn) and HEC, and have asked the price

I have suggested internally that we ask for 400 ec's but that 350 ec's would be a fair price (4 years worth of their lap points, rounded up). the figure of 500 has been suggested as an initial asking price (would equate to 6 years worth of research - ie, longer than their current 5 year timeframe)

They are generating 129 ec's net (but owe us 10 per for techs/profit sharing plus a 1 time 15 for the balance of the PK commlink sale) so 500 ec's would represent 4.5 years of energy production (1 x 104 plus 3 x 119 plus 39 loose change)

I have no problem with starting the bidding higher than my suggested 400, but I think they'll pull a McEnroe ("You can't be serious".

[Modo44]

Googlie, the idea is exactly to try and get that McEnroe from them. Hopefully some emotional reactions will show in their answer, and we can learn something for free. Of course, we can go down with the offer, and we probably will have to.

[Googlie]

As Kassi is temporarily MIA and as Morgan will have the turn in a few minutes, I suggest I post the following:

Suggested response to jtsyoda in the Embassy

The Junta has been "pricing" Ecol Eng, which we note you will self-research in 2155.

Your current cash flow - after resumed payments to Sparta - will be in the order of 125 per year for the next 4 to 5 years. Your current research rate gives you a technology every 5 years. Purchasing a technology should (obviously) be cheaper than self researching, or why bother.

So the Junta has decided that 500 energy credits for Ecological Engineering would be a fair price (4 years' worth of cash-flow). This could be amortized over 4 years.

[Modo44]

Yes, lets start this.

[Googlie]

Posted in the Embassy

(and I can always send a Private Message "For your eyes only" to Arginine, to say that "I fought long and hard against the 500 cost but was outvoted, but I'm pretty sure that I could twist the arms of the Junta to agree to 400 if that were a Morgan conter-offer")

I'm liking it more than starting at 400 and being beaten down to 350

[Modo44]

Nah, don't tell them that. Being capitalists, they sourely understand what negotiation is. And, just in case they don't, why tell them? Wouldn't you like to get 500 credits?

[Googlie]

Well - it drew a response anyway:

Posted in the Embassy by jtsisyoda

This is too much. Our tech cost is only 431 anyway.

Counter with 431? 400? (we'd like at least 350)

[Modo44]

Why not tell them 420? It's lower than the first proposal, and will look like we're aiming for 400. We might get more than 350 this way.