Turn 128, 10BC

[Aeson]

Well, a Settler and the 3 Knights are a given I think. That gives us 12 more units. 8 Pikes and 4 Med Inf would be good. Or 6/6.

The 'best' makeup is going to be determined by GoW really. If they hold back, we'd want more attackers, if they join in, we need lots of Pikes (so we can hold the mountain pass between Toledo and NM). So we should go for a well balanced stack which will perform decently regardless of what happens.

[Theseus]

Do we believe that we will have enough units to:
1) Defend Stormia
2) Defend RP
3) Launch an attack at ND across the east-west mountain range?

If yes to all above the above, let's keep #3 in mind when composing the first wave or two.

[Edited for correct priority]

[Harovan]

Should we send a note to GoW, that they're not supposed to violate our borders (namely those of Bilbao) or otherwise they are in material breach of our NAP?

[DeepO]

As far as my opinion goes on this, you should change the priority of that list, my beloved general. Defending Stormia will always remain more important than whatever we decide to do on Bob

But here's another question we have been avoiding a bit, but need to divert attention to: how are we going to change back into military mode? Do we change all harbors to knights or other units, or are we going to let them finish first?

As much as possible, I would prefer ending a few of them, especially those in Typhoon and Tornado. This would make it possible for us to change Cyclone back into unit building mode (without a aquaduct, it's use is limited though), without losing too much pop growth.

Hurricane doesn't really need a harbor soon, does it? That can also change to a knight. And maybe we can turn Vox country in a warrior zone, at least it does some good then.

DeepO

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Should we send a note to GoW, that they're not supposed to violate our borders (namely those of Bilbao) or otherwise they are in material breach of our NAP?

well, if they step foot in bilbao, they'll take it anyway, so I'm not sure this would do any good. if they want it they'll take it, no other reason to go in the borders.

hmm, I really could go both ways on this though, good points for all the options. I would probably say nothing and let ND and GoW ***** about it first.

[DeepO]

Nah, we'll need to send a note anyway, like mentioned by nye in the 'ambassadors report' thread. So better to include it ("a NAP is no ROP" I believe the statement was) It's going to be difficult to ease them, we shouldn't outright provoke them if at all possible.

DeepO

[Harovan]

Yes, we need to make sure they don't enter our borders and bypass the city. They should be forced to go through the jungle, or we have a reason to get rid of the unliked NAP.

[DeepO]

One more idea to consider: we're going to need some knight support on North Stormia anyway, and we have a galley in Wittlich city. Why wouldn't we upgrade 2 knights within reach, and in case GoW breaks the NAP ship them over to Port Isolation? Taking that city won't mean much, and perhaps there are more then 2 defenders, but at least we'll be scaring GoW about an Northern invasion, and might disrupt some of their cities

DeepO

[Theseus]

Thanks for the correction, DeepO.

Re putting a scare on GoW up at Port Isolation, I'd rather scare them with a consolidated "shock and awe" assault on ND, plainly in GoW's view as it crosses the east-west mountains.

[Aeson]

And maybe we can turn Vox country in a warrior zone

A very good idea. Warriors waiting for upgrades can line the coasts as well as anything else...

We can take a look at whats defending Port Isolation with the Galley. If it's a Spear/Warrior/Horseman, the Knights would defenitely be a good idea. They arent' connected, so couldn't upgrade, and not likely to have any Riders close enough to help. Not so sure I'd want to risk it against a Pike showing.

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As to what we should say to GoW, we probably shouldn't bring up the NAP at all. If they are going to break it already, it won't help, and we don't want to provoke them to the point they feel they have to attack. If they keep going S, we would then do the same thing in Madrid... they have nothing to gain 'from RP' unless they attack us, and the longer they don't realize that, the better.

[DeepO]

Oh I agree... but one doesn't exclude the other. If we have the troops up North, we might as well use them. We can ship 4 units with that galley in one turn; 2 knights, 1 MI and a pike should be enough to take the city.

It's not that we really need that city (although it holds some advantages, like us being able to spot an invasion coming sooner), it's more a kind of retaliation threat. If they cross our borders in Bilbao, we can the same turn land those 4 units in their territory, and ask them to either retreat their riders back out of our territory, away from RP, or start losing core cities. The ND scare will of course also work, but will require a lot more turns to set up.

Plus it might be a good diversion without costing us a lot of units to perform: if they think a full fledged assault on GoW is imminent, they will scramble to defend their core, instead of keeping us out of ND space.

DeepO

[DeepO]

cross post. As far as I can see, there's a spear defending right now in Port Isolation. That might have changed the past 2 turns, though.

[notyoueither]

Arnelos has reported to me that it will take 24 to 48 hours for RP to ratify the Treaty.

What do we want to do?

[Theseus]

Hmmm... but it might also incent GoW into a war with us, rather than the ND backstab, although I suppose one could argue the reverse too (i.e., our threat scares them into the backstab).

[asleepathewheel]

How many tiles would we need to block, assuming they wouldn't try suiciding galleys.

I like the warriors idea as well, why not put some voxian tactics to use, at least the effective one.

I agree with Aeson about pushing GoW too much about the NAP. Also, the less we show our hand early on, the better. I also find it to be a bit condescending, if thats the right word, to throw this in their face.

We need to have a response ready when they claim that we ourselves violated it by a) discussing it with RP and b) taking a city in the war path is aggression.

Can someone send the save, or is it too early, as we haven't agreed upon the pact yet?