Research Directions

[nbarclay]

Before the war, we had been planning to research Banking and trade it to RP for Astronomy. With the war on, though, that seems like a bad direction for us to go. We have no huge need for Astronomy, especially since we get many of its benefits through the Great Lighthouse, and if Lego would decide to declare war on us before the exchange is made, we might not even get that. In the meantime, we would be giving ND and GoW a major head start toward Gunpowder, which is a tech of enormous importance in the era of knights. We ought to at least seriously consider calling off the deal with Lego (with our regrets, of course) and shifting our focus toward a research direction that will be of greater value in the war.

[zeit]

I'd very much be pleased if we find an honorable way (funny word- honor... ) to change our research plan, but I do think Lego has every right to say we've broken a deal (unless there's something I don't know) if we don't do it, although they might be convinced- and that's up to DeepO I think...

If we can pull it off- sure thing, if not, I think we shouldn't do it. Yet current events make you want to throw the honor code out of the window, don't they?

[Shiber]

What if we ask Lego whether we can reach a regretful but mutual cancellation of the current tech agreement. If Lego refuses, then we wait about a day and then offer to research invention and gunpowder in exchange for two other techs instead of our current arrangement.

[DeepO]

What are the costs of Invention compared to banking? I think Lego will probably go for it if it is even cost, it might even like the deal better. I don't think we can simply change, and let them know, we have to ask for their approval.

One more thing: Doing it at such short notice, Lego will have a very precise idea of our research capabilities, and our total commerce rating. I don't think that would be so good... we've been hiding our strengths for many months now.

DeepO

[Theseus]

Definitely ask for approval, or even an outright renegotiation.

To DeepO's point, wouldn;t we want to reserach Invention just a touch slowly, to generate more gold? This can be used to continue to hide our production strength.