Office of Diplomatic Affairs

[Cort Haus]

I got a message from Togas and replied here.

I mentioned the idea of their GA, our push for the ToE, and the role their gpt would play in that, plus some 40-turn research. I extolled the virtues of commercial builds, and the value that would offer. They genuinely want to contribute - and I emphasised that gpt would be an effective tech contribution to the alliance.

[DeepO]

Maybe time to awake this thread.
There's a problem in our team regarding diplomacy. It is not a problem with one of our members, as everyone involved does his best. It is a problem of organization.

To put frankly, we need a Minister of Foreign Affairs. Call it like you want (leader of the diplomatic school it used to be when Mesh was still around), but we need the task. Now, too much of this task is assumed in the turnplayer, and while I may implicitely lead the economic stuff atm, I do not have the time or energy to also do diplo things.

What we need:
- Someone who keeps track of all deals, of all occuring problems, of all contacts. This doesn't require a lot of time, it requires a very regular attendance (but a lot of our team is regular here, seeing how many times threads get read). It requires some kind of system where everyone knows what is expected from him, and what is already done.
- Someone who can 'lead' the ambassadors. Most likely, he will also be ambassador to at least one team. He should also jump in when an ambassador is MiA
- if possible, someone who is able to chat. But seeing that this doesn't happen a lot in our team, it is not a requirement. It would certainly help with chatty teams like GoW

It doesn't matter how involved you currently are for this job, nor what you think your skills are(n't). And I don't want to say we need a diplo gestapo either. But we need someone with the job title, so that our diplomacy is not the patchwork it is today.

Oh, and I volunteer for the ambassador role of RP or ND, seeing as I've been doing this for the past few months. I will not volunteer for the Minister role, I've got too much impact on team policy already.

Please comment on this.

DeepO

[Krill]

I'll be an ambassador, but since I'm GMT, there might be a problem in chat.

[DeepO]

Very little comments coming on this last post of mine... nobody feels the same? The team hasn't been very active lately

DeepO

[Krill]

DeepO, I am new to this diplo scene, so It would be bets if i was ambassador to a single team, not minister. I could work with any team, it does not matter much (although vox would be nice )

[DeepO]

Krill, I can imagine that, and really, your input is welcomed. However, being a minister is more a organizational job, to see where not missing things everywhere, and to rally the ambassadors to contact their teams when needed. I'm not sure you wouldn't be able to do this.

DeepO

[Krill]

Well. I can give it a shot, but all that I understand of the job is:

we have our foreign ambassadors to each time (or not, as the case may be...), and they have to post the PMs in the threads, say what it means, and what we can do about it. My job would be as a backup for them, if they are away, and to update trades between us and the other teams.

I would also be an ambassador to another team, fine, I happy with that

I do not understand about chat, though? Do you mean chat on the mIRC, or via PM (I think it is the later, and I can do this)

If I have anything wrong could you please correct me and say what I would have to do (indetail please), bit I'll try to do the job as best I can

[DeepO]

Well, most importantly, I think the task should include to keep a list of things that need to be done, and things that are done. Look at the lux embargo thing: If we want to have that idea going, all ambassadors should contact the teams in question. I'm more or less ambassador to ND, and they have been asked. CH is in closest contact with GoW, but so far, they haven't heard much about this.

It would be the task of the MoFA to be sure both teams are contacted (so it is not at the discretion of the ambassadors), and if nothing arrives within a week or so, ask the ambassadors to remind the teams.

Also, it would be the task of the MoFA to channel discussions on the team, so that everybody agrees, or at least is notified of this thing going on (e.g. lux embargo), and when it starts, or can start. It's more an organisational thing to ensure nothing is forgotten than anything else.

This is something apart from being ambassador, of course. Ambassadors should be lead by the MoFA, but can also chat a bit in private, if time is present. And if you want an ambassador role: just ask which you'll want, and I'm sure you'll get it (maybe CH is attached to GoW, but I suspect it's also more of necessity that he keeps the task)

If you want the task, I would certainly vote for you. We need fresh blood in our diplo core, as it never was one of our strong points (and I can savely say this, as I've been part of diplo from the start and held ambassador roles to all teams at one time or another (except GoW, perhaps)). But more importantly, it is slowly failing even more behind, and we need it if we want to get an alliance, and invade Lego.

DeepO

[Krill]

Ok, with that info I will take the job of MoFA, and I wil be an ambassador if there aren't enough. I would like to open a new thread asking for some more ambassadors, if that is OK with you.

[DeepO]

Sure Krill. And please: expect some comments from the rest of us, but from now it's your responsibility, and your decision I'm not the president of GS, offically that is still nye, and in practice we always have been a fully democratic team.

Good luck in your new job!

DeepO

[Theseus]

Hopefully we are about to see a bit of renewed participation, enthusiasm, and effort.

Not to get over-ambitious, but in addition to our military and economic plans, I'd like to focus a bit on our diplomatic and espionage efforts.

For those just catching up, I chose the United States' Memorial Day (yesterday) to start getting things going again... I watched war films pretty much all day (bad weather here in NYC).

I gotta tell ya, WW2 definitely resonates!! Willingly foregoing some of the differences, fer chrissakes llok at the shape of Stormia, the obvious and not-so-obvious crossings to Bob, the uneasy alignment of world powers, etcetera etcetera.

I've proposed that Arrian and I split military planning into offensive and defensive theatres, respectively, and I certainly have no doubts about the ongoing economic effeciency of our empire... but then, there is all the rest.

Where are our similes to:
The Man Who Never Was
Operation Barbarossa (GoW?)
Navajo Code Talkers

... and all the other stuff that goes into a TOTAL strategic plan?

And who will develop and execute each element of the overall plan?

Now, now is the time to step forward!

[DeepO]

I'm doing the economic side of things already, Theseus. And please, not too many other things, it's already quite a task...

DeepO

[Theseus]

Nah, DeepO, I mean military and diplomatic stuff. Don't worry about it... if anything, this'll give you the data you need for building.

[Theseus]

As I think about our military posture to the east against Lego, I can't help but worry about our total weakness to a backstab by GoW or ND.

I'd like to suggest a new diplomatic escalation, which may or may not fly: forfeiture.

I.e., say we enter into a formal alliance with GoW against Lego; during a set term, if they backstab (or we do), they forfeit.

Possible?

[asleepathewheel]

Possible, sure. A bit extreme probably, they would never agree to it I think. Maybe if we agreed to defend each other against ND throughout the Lego campaign thrown in, they would do it...