OFFICIAL: Should we now open embassies?

[Harovan]

This poll is official, because I was authorized by the Foreign minister to open it, in result of the turnchat July 18th.

We have contact to 11 AI civs. 2 of them, France and America, are our immediate neighbors. Greece and Germany are a bit farther. Rome, The Aztecs, Iroquois, England, Russia, Babylon and Persia are very far. See the minimap below.

We have 363 gold and are making +9 per turn.

The question is, shall we begin to open embassies with AI civs now?

Prices are:

Rome	61 gold
Greece	43 gold
America	32 gold
Aztecs	63 gold
Iroquois	64 gold
France	35 gold
Germany	44 gold
England	47 gold
Russia	49 gold
Babylon	61 gold
Persia	43 gold

Options are:

Group 1 - Yes, start with the cheapest (nearest) and go on as long as we can afford it, but not America and France (our likely victims).
Group 1 - Yes, start with the cheapest (nearest) and go on as long as we can afford it, including America and France (our likely victims).
Group 1 - Yes, in any order, the foreign minister has the power to decide this.
Group 2 - No, don't spend money on embassies now.

I could have made this a multi-choice poll, but that would probably be only a clickfest and it would be hard to decide, which option won. Considering, that we anyway need embassies with everyone at some point, I think this approach should be the best.

If Group 1 (Yes) gets more votes than Group 2 (No), we will start to build embassies now, and the order is determined by the "Yes" option with the most votes.

If Group 2 (No) gets more votes than Group 1 (Yes), no embassies will be built for now.

This poll is open for 3 days.

[Kuciwalker]

I can't vote (STUPID FREAKING GOD****ED MESSED UP...), so make it +1 for Group 2.

[Aggie]

I believe there is little to be gained from opening embassies at this point. Though if they get more expensive over time it could be worthwhile to get them early. Still I would hold off alittle bit. However I believe we should open an emabssy with america right before we attack so we see the strength of the defense in washington.
Aggie

[Kramerman]

Im not a big fan of embassies period, only really establish them for strategic perposes (like if the best path to an enemy is through a neighbor, I'll get a right of passage agreement and such), and I don't usually do this until much later when I have cavalry (my initial conquest are with Legions and then I usually dont need MPP or ROP agreements). So that'll be a no on any embassies, at this point.

Kman

[Robber Baron]

I like Aggie's idea about getting a glimpse inside Washington right before we declare war
Otherwise, embassies seem like a luxury we can't really afford. Down the road, we might want to set up an embassy and close relations with Germany, and possible England or Persia, for possible alliances against the Aztecs. (I'm starting to get nightmares about swarms of jaguar warriors!)

[Akron]

No point in opening up embassies just yet. When we have some strategic need for it, then we can, but every gold coin is very valuable, especially since there is little room for error given our poor position.

[Robber Baron]

Time for a noob question: does opening embassies make it easier to detect when AI civs go to war against each other? How do you tell? Cause it's looking like we're going to have to be very opportunistic to survive.

[Epistax]

I believe embassies keep relations from slipping. Will will eventually need embassies, the problem is we can't tell who with. What is certain: They will be going up in prices, a LOT.

Out of everyone to get an embassy with, I think we should get one with the Aztecs. They are going to be huge, and we can't stop that. We can save cash now, however.

[Inverse Icarus]

Yes. currently we have no idea whos at war with who, but we saw persian archers mucking around in german territory.

embassies would tell us whos at war with who, but i perosally never use them unless were in a wonder race (check turns left).

and we're not builfing the pyramids (Germany, England, Peria) or the Oracle (Babylon), so i see no reason to establish them. i vote no.

[Spiffor]

Problem is : it's highly possible the Americans already have embassies, and use them to make alliances against us. Without embassies, it's impossible to us to make counter-alliances.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Robber Baron
Time for a noob question: does opening embassies make it easier to detect when AI civs go to war against each other? How do you tell? Cause it's looking like we're going to have to be very opportunistic to survive.

The answer is yes. When you have an embassy, you can determine the state of peace and war of a civ in the Foreign minister screen (F4), by activating the particular civ. A blue connection line to another civ means peace, a red one war and none means no contact yet. Also, you see existing alliances and get notified about new ones by a popup window. Embassies are a good source of information and make a civs mood toward you better.

[Guardian]

Group 1 - Yes, in any order, the foreign minister has the power to decide this.

[BigFurryMonster]

If what Ralph says is true, then make SOME embassies with key (powerful) Civs. To see the relation between two civs, we only need an embassy in one of them...! Choosing the most powerful ones will positively affect their relationship towards us.

[Papa Chubby]

Opening embassies witht the most powerful civs, such as the Astecs. It would also be very beneficial to be able to see what the Americans have stationed inside Washington. So maybe building an embassy in America right before we invade would be a good idea.

[badman]

i think we should open embassies with the persians and either the greeks or the germans, so we'll have two embassies
i think with two embassies we will still have enough gold